Todd Bishop
Todd Bishop is Editor and Co-Founder at GeekWire, a media company he co-founded in 2009 and where he remains active. He is a business and technology journalist with expertise in in-depth reporting, podcast hosting, and live event moderation.
Brinc CEO Blake Resnick, 23, Raises $80M Led by OpenAI's Sam Altman for Lemur 2 Drone Shipping in 2023
Brinc, a drone startup founded by 23-year-old Blake Resnick, is preparing to ship its Lemur 2 drone for public safety agencies later this year, having raised over $80 million from investors including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Resnick, who left Northwestern University to start Brinc after a tragic event in his hometown, leads a team of nearly 100 employees with more than 400 customers.
IBM Acquires Apptio for $4.6B After 16-Year Journey Including 2016 IPO and $1.94B Vista Buyout
Apptio's 16-year journey from a challenging IPO in 2016 to a $4.6 billion acquisition by IBM in 2023 exemplifies perseverance and long-term vision in enterprise tech. Originally valued at over $500 million at IPO, the company rebounded after setbacks, was acquired by Vista Equity Partners for $1.94 billion, and then sold to IBM, highlighting its growing impact in tech spending management.
IBM to Acquire Apptio for $4.6 Billion, Expanding its Cloud and IT Management Capabilities
IBM agreed to acquire Seattle-area cloud and IT management company Apptio for $4.6 billion, marking a significant milestone after Apptio's prior IPO and private equity acquisition. Apptio's SaaS technology helps companies manage tech spending and has grown to over $400 million annual revenue and 1,500 corporate customers, including half the Fortune 100.
Unpluq CEO Caroline Cadwell Introduces NFC Tag and App to Promote Mindful Smartphone Use
Caroline Cadwell, CEO of Unpluq, discusses how her startup helps users mindfully manage smartphone and app use by creating intentional barriers to curb addictive behaviors. The company offers an Android app, an NFC keychain tag, and a premium subscription to encourage conscious technology habits.
Reclaiming our lives through more mindful use of technology
Humans have become increasingly vulnerable to technology engineered to grab our attention, pulling us away from more meaningful and fulfilling moments and interactions in our lives. Can technology itself be part of the solution? Our guest this week on the GeekWire Podcast is Caroline Cadwell, co-founder and CEO of Unpluq, a recent graduate of the Techstars Seattle accelerator program. The startup offers an app, subscription service, and keychain tag designed to help people become more conscious and mindful about their use of smartphones, social media, and other addictive apps and services. Related links: Seattle Public Schools sues TikTok, YouTube, Instagram…
Microsoft, OpenAI, and startups, with Neo CEO Ali Partovi
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we're joined by Ali Partovi, a technology investor, entrepreneur, and mentor who is the CEO of Neo, a startup accelerator, mentorship community, and venture firm. Neo's accelerator this week announced a new AI track, working in collaboration with OpenAI and Microsoft to help startups build businesses on newly emerging artificial intelligence capabilities. Partovi, who grew up in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war, sold his startup LinkExchange to Microsoft in 1998, was an early investor in companies including Airbnb, Dropbox, Facebook, and Uber, and 10 years ago co-founded Code.org with his twin brother Hadi Partovi…
SVB aftermath; remote work 'affliction'; and Microsoft puts AI to work
This week on the GeekWire Podcast ... We catch up on the latest on the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, and consider the long-term implications of the meltdown on the startup ecosystem and the U.S. financial system. Then, a point-counterpoint on the issue of the return to office, as Downtown Seattle Association President Jon Scholes laments the "affliction" of remote work, and Zillow Group CEO Rich Barton says the ways we work (and the places we work) have changed forever. And finally, we catch up on the latest in the world of generative artificial intelligence, listening to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's…
Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Prompts Full Deposit Protection but Signals Banking Challenges for Startups and Tech Industry
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse has led the U.S. government to fully protect all deposits, yet it raises significant challenges for startups and the tech industry, including more complex banking and cash management. Venture capitalists predict difficulties with venture debt financing and potential tech layoffs amid reduced venture capital investing.
The Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
What was previously a point of pride on Silicon Valley Bank's website now reads like a warning sign: nearly half of U.S. venture-backed technology and life sciences companies bank with the financial institution. Financial regulators on Friday morning shut down Silicon Valley Bank and put it in the hands of the FDIC, a jaw-dropping move that has created a crisis for startup founders and their financial backers. Based in Santa Clara, Calif., Silicon Valley Bank has long been a key player in the Seattle region. GeekWire's reporting suggests that the percentage of tech startups in the Seattle area that used…
Kirill Zubovsky Launches Smartynames AI Tool Generating Over 1 Million Domain Name Suggestions Since December 2023
Startup founder Kirill Zubovsky created Smartynames, an AI-powered tool using OpenAI's GPT-3, that generates available domain name suggestions from business descriptions. Since its December launch, the tool has generated over one million domain name suggestions and plans to expand its AI offerings for businesses.
Ben Gilbert Names ChatGPT with GPT-4 as Top Technology of 2023, Citing Microsoft Azure's Key Role
Ben Gilbert, co-founder of Pioneer Square Labs, identifies ChatGPT based on GPT-4 as the most important technology of 2023, highlighting its growing mainstream impact and generative AI's potential. Microsoft, a key OpenAI investor, plays a crucial role with its Azure cloud infrastructure supporting this AI innovation.
Seattle Startup Ixana Develops Breakthrough YR11 Chip for All-Day Battery AR Headsets Backed by $3M Funding
Seattle startup Ixana has developed an energy-efficient chip, YR11, enabling augmented reality headsets with all-day battery life and advanced AI capabilities. The company has raised $3 million in funding and plans to showcase the chip at CES in January.
What we're thankful for in tech
It doesn't always come naturally to us, as cynical reporters, but every Thanksgiving week on the GeekWire Podcast, it's our tradition to take a step back and take stock of the positive things in technology, business, and science. This year's installment offers several reminders of the technologies that we might take for granted, gradual advancements that we incorporate into our lives over time, to the point that we suddenly can't remember what we did without them: automated scoring for sports pools among friends; remote printing over the internet; natural language processing; language translation; mobile ticketing; and drone photography; to name…
The road ahead for autonomous vehicles: Aurora CEO Chris Urmson on the future of cars and trucks
Fully autonomous vehicles are closer to commonplace than you might expect, as cars and big rigs gain the ability to operate safely on our streets and highways. As one of the pioneers in the field, Chris Urmson has been there from the beginning, competing in the landmark DARPA Grand Challenge before going on to lead Google’s self-driving car initiative. Now he’s following through on the vision as the CEO of Aurora, which is developing self-driving technology for use by a variety of car and truck makers. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we're playing highlights from our conversation with…
2022 GeekWire Summit Returns to Seattle's Block 41 with In-Person and Virtual Access October 6-7
The 2022 GeekWire Summit will be held on October 6-7 at Block 41 in Seattle, offering both in-person and virtual attendance options with a lineup including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. Registered attendees can access live streams and on-demand sessions, and the event features business casual attire with a Mariners apparel theme on Friday.
GeekWire Summit 2022 to Feature Top Tech Leaders Including Magic Leap, Aurora, Microsoft, Amazon, and U.S. Senator Cantwell on October 6-7
The 11th annual GeekWire Summit takes place on October 6-7 in Seattle and online, featuring key technology and business leaders discussing innovations like augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, and robotics. Speakers include Magic Leap CTO Julie Larson-Green, Aurora CEO Chris Urmson, Microsoft EVP Charlie Bell, Amazon VP Ken Washington, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell.
Four Startup CEOs Finalists to Compete Live at GeekWire Summit After Winning Season 3 Elevator Pitch
The four finalists of GeekWire’s Elevator Pitch Season 3—Amina Moreau of Radious, Devin Miller of SecureSave, Erin Quick of PairTree, and Katherine Sizov of Strella Biotechnology—will compete live at the GeekWire Summit on October 6-7. Each CEO delivered a 32-second pitch in Seattle’s Smith Tower to win their episodes, previewed on the GeekWire Podcast.
Boltive Leaders Dan Frechtling and Scott Moore Drive Online Privacy Tech Motivated by Personal Cancer Losses
Boltive CEO Dan Frechtling and CFO Scott Moore share a deep personal connection through their experiences with their wives' cancer treatments, motivating their work in online privacy compliance technology. Boltive, formerly Ad Lightning, is expanding its automated solutions to help brands comply with privacy laws and honor user choices.
Seattle Startup Veeve Launches Attachment to Turn Regular Carts into Smart, Checkout-Free Carts
Seattle startup Veeve has developed a new attachment that converts regular shopping carts into smart carts with built-in sensors and displays, aiming to expand their checkout-free technology from grocery stores to big-box retailers. The device, announced at the Groceryshop conference, offers the same functionality as Veeve's original smart cart but without a scale, making it compatible with most carts.
GeekWire Summit to Feature Microsoft, Magic Leap, and Senator Maria Cantwell Oct. 6-7 in Seattle on Tech Innovations and Policy
The GeekWire Summit, held October 6-7 in Seattle, features notable speakers from tech and politics including Microsoft’s Jaime Teevan and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. The conference will cover topics such as augmented reality, AI, cybersecurity, and economic trends, with options to attend in person or online.
Early Amazon Investor and Seattle Business Leader Tom Alberg Dies at 82
Tom Alberg, a pivotal Seattle investor and business leader known for his early investment in Amazon and role at Madrona Venture Group, died at age 82. His influential contributions spanned e-commerce, wireless industries, and the local startup ecosystem.
Tom Alberg, Amazon Early Investor and Madrona Co-Founder, Dies at 82 After Shaping Seattle Tech
Tom Alberg, co-founder of Madrona Venture Group and early investor in Amazon, is remembered for his significant yet understated contributions to Seattle's tech industry, including his mentorship and 23 years on Amazon's board. He died at 82, leaving a lasting legacy both publicly and through his personal impact on colleagues and entrepreneurs.
Richard Tait, Creator of 'Cranium' Board Game, Dies at 58; Secured Virgin Stores Deal with Richard Branson
Richard Tait, creator of the board game 'Cranium' and serial entrepreneur, famously secured a partnership with Richard Branson to get the game into Virgin stores. Tait passed away on July 25, 2022, at age 58 due to COVID-19 complications.
Carta Study Finds Seattle Tech Startup Pay Now Matches Silicon Valley Amid Remote Work Trend
A study by financial technology company Carta finds that remote work is causing tech startup pay to equalize across the U.S., with Seattle salaries now matching those in Silicon Valley after a recent increase. This convergence is changing hiring strategies as companies increasingly compete for talent beyond traditional tech hubs.
Seattle and Pacific Northwest VC Investments Rise 18% to $2.2B in Q2 2023 Despite 23% National Decline
U.S. venture capital investments fell 23% to $62 billion in Q2 2023, marking the largest drop since 2019. In contrast, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest saw an 18% investment increase to $2.2 billion, driven by several large deals above $100 million.
Organizations
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GeekWire Editor and Co-Founder 2011–present · current
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GeekWire Co-Founder · current
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Seattle Children’s Therapeutics current
Education
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California State University, Chico B.A., Business Admin, Journalism · 1991–1996
