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.
'Slackforce,' AWS re:Invent, and Seattle's new $9B tech company
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Salesforce strikes a deal to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion; Amazon Web Services makes some surprising news at its annual re:Invent cloud conference; and a new tech giant arrives in our backyard. Joining us on this episode is Matt McIlwain, managing director at Seattle-based venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group, offering his commentary on the implications of these developments in the world of cloud and enterprise technology. Special bonus: Listen to the end of the show for a new installment of our GeekWire Podcast trivia contest, with a chance to win a GeekWire mask…
Frazier Healthcare Partners launches $100M SPAC, Frazier Lifescience Acquisition Corporation (FLAC), to pursue biotech deals
Seattle venture firm Frazier Healthcare Partners filed with the SEC to raise $100 million for a SPAC called Frazier Lifescience Acquisition Corporation (FLAC) led by four Frazier executives, aiming to target biotechnology companies to develop therapies and generate investor returns.
AI that writes your emails; a Seattle tech visionary; and our trivia challenge returns
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: OthersideAI thinks it can help you be more productive by using artificial intelligence to write your emails for you. But is that really a good idea? The months-old firm announced a $2.6 million seed round this week. It's one of several startups creating email products based on OpenAI's GPT3 language processing technology. We talk about the long-term implications for the industry and for humanity. Tom Alberg was an internet financial pioneer when he became one of the first investors in Amazon in 1995. He didn't stop there. He was…
Lumedic launches 'Lumedic Exchange' to set blockchain-based digital identity standards with Mastercard, Providence, Cambia
Lumedic launched the Lumedic Exchange to develop digital identity standards for healthcare using blockchain-based private ledgers and secure mobile wallets, aiming to give patients control over data and reduce friction in care delivery and billing. Initial partners include Mastercard, Providence St. Joseph Health, and Cambia Health Solutions, though the company acknowledges scaling and standards adoption will be challenging.
Navigating Cancer founder Gena Cook sues Merck’s Global Health Innovation Fund and board member David Rubin alleging gender bias, wrongful termination and blocked acquisition
Gena Cook, founder and former CEO of Seattle health-tech startup Navigating Cancer, sued Merck’s Global Health Innovation Fund, board member David Rubin, Navigating Cancer and current CEO Bill Bunker on Oct. 29 in King County Superior Court alleging gender discrimination, wrongful termination and interference with a potential acquisition. The complaint alleges Rubin led efforts to demote and push out Cook, including a comment that she didn’t fit his perception of “what a CEO should look like,” and says Merck blocked acquisition talks; Navigating Cancer had raised $44 million and had about 80 employees.
NEA leads $37.5M Series B in Seattle cloud startup Pulumi, bringing total funding to $57.5M
Seattle startup Pulumi raised $37.5 million in a Series B led by NEA, bringing its total funding to $57.5 million to expand R&D and sales/marketing. NEA partner Aaron Jacobson will join Pulumi’s board alongside existing investors Madrona Venture Group and Tola Capital.
Terry Myerson launches Seattle health-data startup Truveta to develop patient-care innovations, pledges strict privacy
Terry Myerson, former head of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, launched Seattle-area health-data startup Truveta to use patient data for developing treatments and improving care while emphasizing strong privacy protections. The company has hired nearly 20 people, plans to grow, declined to disclose funding or ownership details, and signals collaborations with health systems such as Providence Health & Services.
Startup CEOs optimistic despite pandemic; Amazon moves into virtual travel
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: The results are in from the first-ever GeekWire 200 CEO Insights survey and they may surprise you. Startup CEOs in Seattle are generally optimistic about the state of the economy for the next 18 months. And they have some thoughts on who should be president. Amazon's latest offering is virtual tourism through its new Amazon Explore service. GeekWire's Todd Bishop went for a walk around Quebec City with a local guide and took a cooking lesson in Buenos Aires, all without leaving the office. Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff jumps…
Snowflake, Madrona and a giant IPO; Bill Gates Sr.; Apple, UW and COVID
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: Snowflake, the data warehousing company, came out with a bang this week in its public debut, raising $3.4 billion in the largest software IPO ever. It reignited a debate over the the IPO process and inequality in the allocation of shares when a company goes public. Snowflake's IPO was also a successful outcome for Seattle's Madrona Venture Group, resulting from a departure from its normal investing strategy. We'll explain what happened, and what it could mean for the future. When Bill Gates Sr. died this week at age 94…
FindyPhone’s TalkSocket — a PopSockets-partnered Alexa-enabled grip — launches on Kickstarter for $49
Seattle startup FindyPhone Inc. launched TalkSocket, a PopSockets-partnered smartphone grip that adds hands-free Alexa via two microphones and Bluetooth, on Kickstarter for a $49 pledge. The device lacks its own speaker, uses Qi charging for up to five days per charge, and had raised over $12,000 of a $25,000 goal at publication.
Progress to Buy Seattle Automation Firm Chef for $220M in Cash; Chef Reports $72M TTM Revenue
Progress, the Bedford, Mass.–based business application platform, will acquire Seattle automation company Chef for $220 million in cash; Chef reported over $72 million in trailing 12-month revenue with more than 95% recurring revenue and about 270 employees. Chef CEO Barry Crist said the deal provides scale to advance Chef’s platform after the company became cash-flow positive and neared full-year profitability.
Former Expedia CEO Mark Okerstrom named president and COO of Convoy as startup tops 1,000 employees
Former Expedia CEO Mark Okerstrom joins Seattle digital freight startup Convoy as president and COO to oversee finance, operations, marketing and marketplace growth as the company surpasses 1,000 employees and a $2.7B valuation.
Porch to Merge with PropTech Acquisition Corp. in SPAC Deal Valuing Company at $523M; to Trade as PRCH
Porch, a Seattle-based real estate tech and home-improvement marketplace, will go public via a SPAC merger with PropTech Acquisition Corp. at a $523 million valuation, receiving a $150 million investment and an expected $205 million cash balance while projecting revenue growth and narrowing losses.
Bill Gates-backed Likewise launches TV apps on Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV to sync picks and launch shows
Likewise, a Seattle startup backed by Bill Gates' Gates Ventures, launched a TV app for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV that syncs with its iOS/Android apps so users can save and launch recommended movies, shows, books and podcasts across streaming services.
GeekWire Awards Go Virtual, Announces Winners Across 12 Pacific Northwest Tech Categories; Replay Available
GeekWire hosted a virtual GeekWire Awards ceremony celebrating Pacific Northwest tech, announcing winners across 12 categories with live speeches and guest appearances; a replay is available and Wave Business sponsored the event.
Real estate in the pandemic
It should've been a banner year for FlyHomes. As 2019 drew to a close, the real estate startup had $141 million in fresh funding to fuel the expansion of its novel home-buying service beyond Seattle to Portland, Boston, and Los Angeles. Then, three weeks after announcing the expansion, the first-known U.S. coronavirus case was discovered in Flyhomes' backyard. The U.S. real estate market froze as the full scope of the coronavirus crisis came into focus, a nerve-wracking jolt for Flyhomes, which was sitting on several homes the startup purchased on behalf of clients. Flyhomes buys houses directly with cash and…
Amazon launches Dash Cart, putting it in direct competition with Veeve co-founded by ex-Amazon engineers Shariq Siddiqui and Umer Sadiq
Amazon announced a Dash Cart that directly competes with Veeve, the Seattle-area smart shopping cart startup founded by former Amazon employees Shariq Siddiqui and Umer Sadiq, but the announcement has also driven increased interest in Veeve from regional and national retailers. Veeve’s cart uses QR logins, sensors and cameras to identify items and enable checkout-free shopping, a market validated further by pandemic-driven demand for contactless experiences.
GeekWire Awards Preview: Airbnb cleaning startup Neu
Like many businesses entering 2020, Neu was riding a wave of optimism and growth. With its marketplace that connects Airbnb hosts with hotel-grade cleaners, the Seattle-based startup had found its niche. Just as Neu was joining the 11th cohort of Techstars Seattle to further fuel its success, the coronavirus pandemic arrived and changed everything. The economic fallout was swift, and travel was among the hardest hit industries. "It was a one-two punch that definitely knocked us down a little bit," Neu co-founder Kwame Boler told GeekWire. "We had a lot of momentum going into February. We were developing a lot…
GeekWire Awards Preview: Rebellyous Foods
Before the first-known U.S. coronavirus cases emerged in Rebellyous Foods’ hometown, Seattle, the startup was catering to the food services industry, targeting its its line of plant-based chicken products to cafeterias, schools, and other institutions. Rebellyous pivoted, accelerating development of a consumer product it could sell at grocery stores. Today that product is available at 14 mom-and-pop markets throughout the Seattle area. "We really started to re-strategize about who was going to be our customers and who was going to be Rebellyous in a world where we don't go to ballparks and stadiums and even to school for a very…
Pacific Northwest startups attract $2.3B in H1 2020 as Sana Biotech’s >$700M June raise boosts totals
Despite the pandemic and recession fears, Pacific Northwest startups attracted $2.3 billion across 135 deals in H1 2020, up from $1.1 billion in 94 deals in H1 2019; Seattle-based Sana Biotechnology’s >$700 million June raise heavily skewed totals but H1 2020 still topped $1.6 billion excluding that deal.
Startup Surprise: Funding skyrockets despite pandemic
Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week. Despite the pandemic, funding for Seattle tech startups remains robust in the first half of 2020. In fact, funding is ahead of last year. What gives? We consider whether COVID-19 is accelerating some companies into the new economy of remote working, online shopping and more. Check out our list of startup funding to see how companies are doing. Health benefits platform Accolade became Seattle's first IPO of the year, with an initial valuation of $1.2 billion. Headed by Raj Singh, a veteran Seattle startup entrepreneur, Accolade uses a variety…
Accolade prices IPO at $22, raises $220M and debuts on Nasdaq at $1.2B valuation as shares jump 40%
Health benefits platform Accolade priced its IPO at $22 per share, raising $220 million and debuting on Nasdaq with a $1.2 billion valuation; shares rose over 40% to $30.90 in early trading. The Seattle- and Philadelphia-based company, led by CEO Raj Singh, serves employers with a subscription model and reported $132.5 million revenue for fiscal 2020, with four customers contributing 59% of that revenue.
Madrona leads $27M round in Fauna; Bob Muglia named executive chairman, Eric Berg becomes CEO
Madrona Venture Group led a $27 million investment in Fauna, the San Francisco-based database startup founded by two former Twitter engineers, bringing total funding to $57 million and appointing Bob Muglia as executive chairman and Eric Berg as CEO. Fauna focuses on cloud-native, serverless-accessible databases (FaunaDB) and will add Madrona’s S. Somasegar to its board.
Sana Biotechnology raises over $700M (SEC filings suggest $866.8M total) to advance gene and cell therapies
Sana Biotechnology announced it has raised more than $700 million in venture funding to develop gene- and cell-therapy approaches, marking one of the largest life-sciences venture rounds and among Seattles biggest. SEC filings indicate total capital and non-cash assets may total about $866.8 million, though the company declined to disclose valuation.
Manny Vellon, Princeton‑trained engineer and Seattle startup CTO, dies at 60 after four-decade tech career
Manny Vellon, a Princeton-trained software engineer and longtime Seattle startup founder and CTO, was remembered for solving complex technical problems simply and for his calm, integrity-driven leadership. Colleagues praised his four-decade career from early Microsoft work to IoT, and his supportive, nonprescriptive mentorship at companies including Likewise Software and Level 11.
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
