GeekWire

Legal tech company led by former U.S. diplomat will represent Seattle at the Startup World Cup

Sella, which uses gig workers to promote and resell unwanted items, raises $3M

by Nate Bek on August 9, 2022August 9, 2022 at 1:20 pm

Sella, a startup using gig workers to market, list and sell items from users on its platform, raised $3 million. The Portland, Ore.-based company has seen increasing demand for its… Read More

Melinda French Gates shares new data to stoke innovation and awareness in $648B ‘care economy’

by Lisa Stiffler on August 9, 2022August 9, 2022 at 10:04 am

Caregivers who provide for children, elderly people, and those who are sick or disabled are operating in an antiquated system that’s ripe for innovation, experts say, and worth an estimated… Read More

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Tech Moves: Rover appoints CFO; Smartsheet adds board member; Nautilus Biotechnology hires execs

by Charlotte Schubert on August 8, 2022August 12, 2022 at 11:26 am

— Pet sitting marketplace Rover appointed Charlie Wickers to chief financial officer. Wickers joined Rover in 2017 and most recently served as vice president of finance. He replaces Tracy Knox,… Read More

Microsoft’s ‘deepened partnership’ with Unity Technologies aims to expand game design toolset

by Thomas Wilde on August 8, 2022August 8, 2022 at 12:33 pm

The company behind one of the most popular game development toolsets has entered into an agreement to use Microsoft Azure as its official cloud partner. Unity Technologies, headquartered in San… Read More

Fun & Geeky

AI thrilled the video star: Seattle musician uses unique tech to generate imagery for his song

A sneak peek inside Till Dawn, a new video game-themed bar and cafe in Seattle

No hiding from its popularity: At 20, Geocaching still seeks to turn players on to worldwide game

Amazon sets global debut times for new ‘Lord of the Rings’ series on Prime Video

For more fun & geeky stuff, check out Geek Life.

Remembering Tom Alberg: How an understated investor had an outsized impact on Seattle tech

by Todd Bishop on August 8, 2022August 8, 2022 at 12:05 pm

Tom Alberg will be remembered publicly for everything he did to help create and shape the Seattle region’s tech industry, and for his early investment in Amazon, seeing the potential… Read More

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Seattle AI startup that helps professionals improve public speaking by analyzing speech raises $6M

by Nate Bek on August 8, 2022August 8, 2022 at 10:53 am

The news: Yoodli, a Seattle startup with an AI-enabled software platform that analyzes speech to offer tips for improving communication skills, raised $6 million. The founders: The startup was co-founded… Read More

Health Tech/Life Sciences

Seattle startup aiming to detect, treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease raises cash

Nortis, a Seattle-based startup developing ‘organ-on-a-chip’ tech, raises cash

Startup detects COVID-19 using spit, light, and a computer built to analyze patterns

Seattle-area company that aims to treat disease with radio frequency energy files for IPO

Read more health technology and life sciences articles on Health Tech/Life Sciences.

Vista Equity Partners will take Seattle tax giant Avalara private in $8.4B deal

by Taylor Soper on August 8, 2022August 8, 2022 at 3:55 pm

Avalara, a publicly-traded Seattle tax software company founded in 2004, is going private again in a $8.4 billion deal with Vista Equity Partners. Vista, a global investment firm based in… Read More

Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of July 31, 2022

by GeekWire on August 7, 2022August 7, 2022 at 8:00 am

See the technology stories that people were reading on GeekWire for the week of July 31, 2022.… Read More

GeekWire Podcasts

Understanding Amazon: Secrets of the company’s success, and where it’s headed next

What we learned from the life of early Amazon investor and Seattle business leader Tom Alberg

The state of the tech economy: Takeaways from Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet

The pioneering spirit and joyful life of late ‘Cranium’ creator Richard Tait, in his own words

Listen to more GeekWire Podcasts.

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Tom Alberg, 1940-2022: Early Amazon investor was a champion of Pacific Northwest tech

by Lisa Stiffler & Todd Bishop on August 6, 2022August 6, 2022 at 2:30 pm

Tom Alberg, a Seattle business and civic leader who played an instrumental role in the creation of industries ranging from e-commerce to wireless communications, died peacefully at his home on… Read More

Podcast

The state of the tech economy: Takeaways from Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet

by Todd Bishop on August 6, 2022August 6, 2022 at 10:16 am

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we play highlights and offer our thoughts on the recent earnings calls of Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet, seeking to better understand what’s… Read More

Meet the Seattle techie picked to lead a new venture arm at iconic auction house Christie’s

by Nate Bek on August 6, 2022August 9, 2022 at 1:22 pm

Legendary auction house Christie’s got a front-row seat to the NFT craze. In March 2021, the 256-year-old art merchant facilitated the sale of a collage of the first 5,000 pieces… Read More

As Amazon vacuums up iRobot, critics call on regulators to pull the plug on Big Tech deals

by Todd Bishop on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 at 12:24 pm

Amazon’s proposed acquisition of Roomba maker iRobot for $1.7 billion could push its annual spending on acquisitions to a new high, when combined with its purchase of MGM for $8.45… Read More

Tech Moves: Accolade hires security chief; Blue Origin comms leader departs; Redfin names industry relations director; and more

by Charlotte Schubert on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 at 11:54 am

— Kelli Burns joined Seattle-based healthcare company Accolade as its new chief information security officer. Burns comes from Bellevue, Wash.-based financial services company Symetra, where she held the same role. Burns… Read More

Seattle startup Legalpad acquired by payroll and compliance giant Deel

by Taylor Soper on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 at 8:12 am

Legalpad, a Seattle startup that helps companies apply for visas on behalf of international talent, has been acquired by Deel, a San Francisco company that sells software to facilitate hiring… Read More

Amazon to acquire Roomba maker iRobot for $1.7B

by Taylor Soper on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 at 10:42 am

Amazon is set to make another major acquisition. The Seattle tech giant said Friday it will scoop up iRobot, the Boston-area company known for its Roomba vacuum, in a $1.7… Read More

Taking off: Expedia Group sees travel rebound, accelerates shift to unified tech platform

by Todd Bishop on August 4, 2022August 10, 2022 at 1:43 pm

Seattle-based online travel giant Expedia Group posted better-than-expected results for the second quarter, saying demand for travel was strong despite the uncertain economy and the lingering effects of COVID-19 around… Read More

Emerald City Comic-Con reverses controversial mask policy for 2022 show in Seattle

by Thomas Wilde on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 3:09 pm

The organizers of the Emerald City Comic Con announced Thursday that they will reimplement a face covering requirement for this year’s show in Seattle. This is a significant reversal of… Read More

Redfin misses revenue expectations, citing housing market slowdown

by Nate Bek on August 4, 2022August 10, 2022 at 8:42 am

Seattle-based online real estate giant Redfin missed expectations for the second quarter amid a slowing housing market impacted by rising mortgage rates. Revenue of $606.9 million, up 29% from the… Read More

Zillow Group expects real estate industry to ‘meaningfully contract’ in second half of 2022

by Taylor Soper on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 3:46 pm

Zillow Group expects revenue from its core Premier Agent business unit to decrease more than 20% year-over-year in the third quarter due to housing trends. The Seattle company beat expectations… Read More

After ditching home-buying business, Zillow Group partners with rival Opendoor

by Taylor Soper on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 3:37 pm

Zillow Group still wants to help people quickly sell their home. The Seattle real estate giant announced a partnership with Opendoor that allows homesellers on Zillow’s platform to request an… Read More

Mysterious company files patent suits vs. Seattle and Sacramento over parking payment technology

by Todd Bishop on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 12:03 pm

A company registered to a virtual mailbox in Seattle’s University District, which four months ago acquired a trio of parking technology patents that predate the iPhone, is using one as… Read More

Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage museum sold to Walton family aviation enthusiast and will reopen

by Kurt Schlosser on August 4, 2022August 3, 2022 at 2:39 pm

The Flying Heritage Combat and Armor Museum, an extensive collection of aviation and military artifacts started by Paul Allen in 2004, has been sold by the late Microsoft co-founder’s estate.… Read More

Boeing pledges $10M for new UW engineering building that will house AI Education Institute

by Lisa Stiffler on August 4, 2022August 3, 2022 at 3:51 pm

The University of Washington is breaking ground next month on its Interdisciplinary Engineering Building. The new facility should help the UW’s College of Engineering better serve its growing enrollment: since… Read More

A long, strange, EV trip: Father-son drive from L.A. to Seattle illustrates road ahead on charging needs

by Kurt Schlosser on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 12:41 pm

Aaron Blank set out for a West Coast road trip with his son to see some baseball and more between Los Angeles and Seattle and back down. He came away… Read More

Video

Blue Origin carries the first Egyptian and Portuguese spacefliers on suborbital trip

by Alan Boyle on August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 at 7:46 am

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture sent six more crew members on a suborbital space ride, including the first Egyptian and Portuguese citizens to reach the final frontier. Thanks to… Read More

WTIA’s Apprenti program lands $23.5M grant from Dept. of Commerce to expand tech training program

by Nate Bek on August 3, 2022August 4, 2022 at 8:50 am

The Apprenti apprenticeship program run by the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) was awarded a $23.5 million grant to help train more tech workers across 11 states. The funding comes from the U.S.… Read More

The rise of high-tech real estate investing platforms and their effect on housing affordability

by Nate Bek on August 3, 2022August 3, 2022 at 8:28 am

Real estate tech startups are making it easier for people to invest and manage property. But critics argue that these software companies and their business models are gobbling up the… Read More

Video

Sella, which uses gig workers to promote and resell unwanted items, raises $3M

Melinda French Gates shares new data to stoke innovation and awareness in $648B ‘care economy’

Latest GeekWire Videos

Tech Moves: Rover appoints CFO; Smartsheet adds board member; Nautilus Biotechnology hires execs

Microsoft’s ‘deepened partnership’ with Unity Technologies aims to expand game design toolset

Fun & Geeky

Remembering Tom Alberg: How an understated investor had an outsized impact on Seattle tech

Seattle AI startup that helps professionals improve public speaking by analyzing speech raises $6M

Health Tech/Life Sciences

Vista Equity Partners will take Seattle tax giant Avalara private in $8.4B deal

Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of July 31, 2022

GeekWire Podcasts

Tom Alberg, 1940-2022: Early Amazon investor was a champion of Pacific Northwest tech

The state of the tech economy: Takeaways from Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet

Meet the Seattle techie picked to lead a new venture arm at iconic auction house Christie’s

As Amazon vacuums up iRobot, critics call on regulators to pull the plug on Big Tech deals

Tech Moves: Accolade hires security chief; Blue Origin comms leader departs; Redfin names industry relations director; and more

Seattle startup Legalpad acquired by payroll and compliance giant Deel

Amazon to acquire Roomba maker iRobot for $1.7B

Taking off: Expedia Group sees travel rebound, accelerates shift to unified tech platform

Emerald City Comic-Con reverses controversial mask policy for 2022 show in Seattle

Redfin misses revenue expectations, citing housing market slowdown

Zillow Group expects real estate industry to ‘meaningfully contract’ in second half of 2022

After ditching home-buying business, Zillow Group partners with rival Opendoor

Mysterious company files patent suits vs. Seattle and Sacramento over parking payment technology

Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage museum sold to Walton family aviation enthusiast and will reopen

Boeing pledges $10M for new UW engineering building that will house AI Education Institute

A long, strange, EV trip: Father-son drive from L.A. to Seattle illustrates road ahead on charging needs

Blue Origin carries the first Egyptian and Portuguese spacefliers on suborbital trip

WTIA’s Apprenti program lands $23.5M grant from Dept. of Commerce to expand tech training program

The rise of high-tech real estate investing platforms and their effect on housing affordability

Seattle community celebrates at GeekWire’s annual rooftop BBQ in epic fashion

Seattle approves permanent 15% fee cap on food delivery companies, with key compromise

This tech-fueled service will provide bus transportation for Seattle Public Schools