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.
OpenAI Acquires Statsig for $1.1 Billion, Appoints CEO Vijaye Raji as CTO of Applications
OpenAI is acquiring Statsig for $1.1 billion in an all-stock deal, appointing Statsig CEO Vijaye Raji as its new CTO of Applications. The startup will operate independently post-acquisition from its Seattle office, while its employees may join OpenAI.
Paul Allen’s Estate Launches $3.1B Fund for Science and Technology, Highlighting His Legacy and Philanthropy
Paul Allen's estate has launched a new $3.1 billion Fund for Science and Technology, reviving interest in the late Microsoft co-founder's legacy, philanthropy, and vision. A 2011 interview reveals his motivations behind philanthropy, his relationship with Bill Gates, and his diverse passions.
Booms, Busts, and Seattle in the AI Era, with Jeff Shulman of the UW Foster School
What does Seattle gain — and lose — in times of dramatic change? University of Washington Foster School of Business marketing professor Jeff Shulman has spent years studying that question, as host of the Seattle Growth Podcast, director of the Product Management Center, and a civic voice on issues ranging from housing affordability to the campaign to bring back the Sonics. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, Shulman joins us to talk about Seattle’s place in the global AI boom, why the city has struggled to produce superstar startups, what AI means for marketing and education, and how civic…
Building an AI-first company: What these two business leaders learned from top experts in the field
Our guests this week: Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, co-authors of the book AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand. Brotman was Starbucks’ chief digital officer and later co-CEO of J.Crew. Sack is a founder, investor, and longtime advisor to tech leaders. Together, they run Forum3, a company that helps brands rethink loyalty and customer engagement. For their book, they interviewed experts including Bill Gates, Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman and Ethan Mollick, and spent time with companies that have had early success with AI implementation. We talk about their "holy sh*t" moment with Sam Altman, how Moderna…
Seattle’s ACME Brains Launches 'nexie' AI Assistant with Persistent Memory and Enhanced Privacy Controls
Seattle startup ACME Brains, led by CEO Mary Jesse and co-founders Alan Caplan and Bob Bergstrom, is developing nexie, a personal AI assistant with persistent memory and privacy controls. The tool aims to improve AI conversation continuity by remembering past interactions and safeguarding user data, currently progressing toward alpha and beta testing phases.
Madrona’s Matt McIlwain Forecasts Microsoft and Amazon Outpacing Apple After One Year
Madrona’s Matt McIlwain predicted a year ago that Microsoft and Amazon would outperform Apple, with Amazon up 25%, Microsoft up 15%, and Apple down 5%. He attributes this to Microsoft and Amazon’s strong positioning in AI and sees continued divergence in Big Tech performance going forward.
Statsig Opens New Bellevue Headquarters for 500 Employees, Emphasizing Full-Time In-Person Work After $100M Funding
Statsig, a Bellevue-based startup specializing in software testing tools, is expanding into a new headquarters accommodating up to 500 employees, reinforcing its requirement for full in-person work. This move follows their recent $100 million funding round at a $1.1 billion valuation and reflects the company’s commitment to an open, collaborative office culture.
GeekWire Revamps 200 Seattle-Area Startup Ranking with AI for Q2 2025
The GeekWire 200 ranking of Seattle-area startups has been revamped for Q2 2025 using AI tools to better highlight fast-growing companies and emerging leaders. Presented by JPMorganChase, the updated ranking combines data and editorial insight to provide a comprehensive view of the Pacific Northwest tech startup ecosystem.
Seattle Tech Over 15 Years: Amazon's Massive Growth, Microsoft’s Revival, and Silicon Valley’s Expansion into the City
Over the past 15 years, Seattle's tech scene has transformed significantly, with Amazon growing massively, Microsoft making a strong comeback, and the startup community becoming more distributed. Additionally, major Silicon Valley companies established engineering centers in Seattle, intensifying talent competition and driving up salaries.
15 years of the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon, Microsoft, and the transformation of Seattle tech
Fifteen years ago, Steve Jobs and Apple had just introduced the first iPad, Steve Ballmer’s Microsoft had been left for dead, and nerdy online bookseller Jeff Bezos was still getting Amazon settled into its South Lake Union HQ. That’s when we started this podcast. This week, we’re going back to 2010, revisiting clips from the earliest days of the show. We remember what was happening with Amazon, Microsoft, and Seattle’s startup scene, and try to wrap our heads around all the things that have changed since then. With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Audio editing by Curt Milton…
Technology Alliance Report Warns Public Investment Lags Behind Private R&D in Washington, Causing 23% Drop in Patents from 2018 to 2023
Washington state's innovation sector faces risk due to a heavy reliance on private R&D spending, with public investment in research lagging significantly. This imbalance has led to a 23% drop in patent filings and limited startup diversity beyond IT and healthcare sectors.
Statsig Raises $100M at $1.1B Valuation to Expand AI-Powered Product Development Platform
Statsig raised $100 million in Series C funding at a $1.1 billion valuation to expand its AI-driven product development platform that unifies A/B testing, analytics, and feature management. Led by Iconiq Growth with participation from Sequoia and Madrona, the company aims to grow its product offerings and 140-person team amid increasing AI-driven software complexity.
Innovation in Turbulent Times: Voices from the GeekWire Awards
Recorded live at the 2025 GeekWire Awards in Seattle, this episode features industry leaders navigating a shifting tech and political landscape. Amid celebrations of AI breakthroughs, startup milestones, and community-building, guests discuss deeper concerns: capital flight, regulatory headwinds, and what the region needs to retain its innovation edge. Featured on the show: Ambika Singh, founder and CEO of Armoire (Workplace of the Year winner) Joseph Williams, Washington State Department of Commerce (Public Policy Champion for Innovation) Emer Dooley, Creative Destruction Lab, University of Washington (Geeks Give Back honoree) Laura Ruderman, CEO of the Technology Alliance Aviel Ginzburg, co-founder at Foundations…
AI teammates, a fully remote unicorn, and the new world of work
On this week’s GeekWire Podcast: Microsoft sees a future where humans manage fleets of AI agents — promising to fundamentally change the way companies are run and work gets done. Plus, we dive into the story of Chainguard, the $3.5 billion cybersecurity startup proving that a fully remote company can scale fast without a physical office. And we explore how AI is reshaping everyday life, from travel planning to home repairs. Related stories Meet your new AI teammate: Microsoft sees humans as ‘agent bosses,’ upending the workplace: Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index envisions a future where employees manage AI agents…
Brinc Secures $75M Funding Led by Index Ventures, Partners with Motorola to Expand Emergency Response Drones
Seattle-based drone maker Brinc raised $75 million led by Index Ventures and Motorola, forming a strategic alliance to expand emergency response drone production and distribution in U.S. public safety sectors. Motorola will become a distributor and integrate their technology with Brinc's for enhanced drone dispatch capabilities.
Rocket Companies Acquires Redfin for $1.75 Billion While Microsoft Launches Copilot AI on Xbox
Rocket Companies is acquiring Seattle-based Redfin for $1.75 billion, marking a major move in real estate technology. Additionally, Microsoft is integrating its Copilot AI technology into Xbox gaming, raising questions about its impact on the player experience.
Google to Consolidate Seattle Workforce at South Lake Union Campus, Exiting Fremont Location
Google plans to consolidate all Seattle employees at its South Lake Union campus, eventually exiting its Fremont neighborhood location. The company remains committed to the Seattle region and will continue investing in its Kirkland engineering hub.
Microsoft's quantum breakthrough; WA state targets Uber and Lyft; GeekWire 200; Bezos and Bond
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we discuss Microsoft's quantum computing breakthrough; a Washington state bill that targets Uber and Lyft surge pricing; the latest update to the GeekWire 200 ranking of Pacific Northwest startups; and Amazon's move to take creative control of the James Bond movie franchise. Related Links Microsoft quantum breakthrough promises to usher in the next era of computing in ‘years, not decades’ GeekWire 200 update: Here are the hot tech startups moving up our list for Q1 2025 Lawmakers take aim at Uber and Lyft with bill targeting surge pricing after big events Amazon MGM Studios…
GeekWire Podcast Discusses OpenAI's $500B Stargate Project with Microsoft, Madrona’s $770M Fund, and Industry Impact
The GeekWire Podcast covers OpenAI's Stargate Project with Microsoft and others, Satya Nadella's investment remarks, Elon Musk's potential influence on tech policy, and Madrona's $770M new funds boosting Pacific NW startups.
Inside Amazon's strategic planning process; the state of the Seattle startup community
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: An inside look at Amazon's classic process for strategic thinking and decision-making, with a former Amazon product and technology director who has written new book about the documents used by the company to determine its direction. What can others learn from its approach? Plus, we break down this pivotal moment in Amazon's history, as employees return to the office five days a week; and we check in on the state of the Seattle startup world. Our guest is Marcelo Calbucci, a serial entrepreneur and longtime Seattle startup community leader who has worked for both…
AI, tech talent, and regional innovation: A swan song from retiring WTIA CEO Michael Schutzler
Michael Schutzler, the newly retired CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), joins us on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast to reflect on his 11 years running the not-for-profit trade association, assess the state of the tech industry in Seattle and Washington state, and discuss what's next for him. Schutzler, who has been succeeded as WTIA's CEO by Kelly Fukai, previously its COO, wrote about the extraordinary history of the state's tech industry in a recent post marking the WTIA's 40th anniversary and his retirement. See more highlights from the episode in this GeekWire post. Related coverage: WTIA…
Insights from Uncommon Thinkers: How these innovators found novel approaches in their fields
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we sit down with some of the Seattle region’s “Uncommon Thinkers” — inventors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs transforming industries and driving positive change in the world. We recorded the episode on location, backstage at the GeekWire Gala, where we recognized five Uncommon Thinkers through this annual awards program, presented in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners. Speaking on the episode are: Uri Shumlak, co-founder and chief scientist at Zap Energy, a physicist leading a team in pursuit of fusion energy, taking a different approach from others in the field. Read the profile. Ingrid Swanson Pultz…
Former Amazon CEO Dave Clark's Supply Chain Startup Auger Names 11 Executives After $100M Series A
Dave Clark, former Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO, founded supply chain tech startup Auger, which named an 11-person executive team mostly composed of Amazon alumni after raising $100 million in Series A funding. The startup operates out of Bellevue, Washington, leveraging shared Amazon expertise to innovate in supply chain and data infrastructure.
Seattle Startup Groundlight Uses AI, Strobe Lights, and Radio to Stop Raccoons Invading Home via Cat Door
A Seattle AI startup called Groundlight helped solve a homeowner's raccoon problem using a system combining strobe lights, public radio, and AI to prevent raccoons from entering through a microchip-detecting cat door. The raccoons had learned to bypass the specialized cat door's intruder mode, but the AI-based solution effectively deterred them.
Elon Musk’s problem with Microsoft; What the GeekWire 200 says about the startup scene
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we discuss Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, which now includes Microsoft, and assess the complexities of the OpenAI-Microsoft partnership, as illustrated by early email exchanges revealed in the lawsuit. We also consider the latest update to the GeekWire 200, our ranked index of Pacific Northwest technology startups, including the rise of Highspot to the top spot, and other trends in the Seattle region's startup ecosystem. And we share highlights from tech events around the region this week, including the WTIA's 40th Anniversary, where Mayor Bruce Harrell addressed AI and the incoming presidential administration; and…
Organizations
See all 9-
GeekWire Editor and Co-Founder 2011–present · current
-
GeekWire Co-Founder · current
-
Seattle Children’s Therapeutics current
Education
-
California State University, Chico B.A., Business Admin, Journalism · 1991–1996
