13 tips for finding a startup co-founder you can count on

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Startup founders, especially the serial kind, rarely come up short in the idea department. But finding a co-founder (or two) willing to help you execute, especially on a technical or Web-based idea, can be a challenge. Where do you look? What skills should a co-founder bring to the table? And more importantly, how do you… Read More…

Q&A with Contour’s Marc Barros: The best entrepreneurs have a ‘gut instinct’

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“I was supposed to be an accountant,” says Marc Barros, who’s now the co-founder and CEO of Contour, one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the Pacific Northwest. The former University of Washington soccer player set out to solve a simple problem — find a way to shoot high-quality video while skiing. From that simple idea,… Read More…

Raising startup funding: 7 things you need to be prepared

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Demo Day at TechStars Seattle took place a week ago, and the teams worked hard to get their pitches ready for a group of prospective investors.  Demo Day was just the first step. The pace of courting and closing investors will be super fast. Here are seven tips I gave the teams to prepare for an effective… Read More…

Pictures: 10 coolest startup spaces in Seattle’s Pioneer Square

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All technology companies in Seattle have to compete for talented workers. Aside from the opportunity to create something important and building financial security, workers also consider the environment where they will be spending their long hours when selecting the company they want to work for. Below are some office space features that startup companies seek… Read More…

Commentary: Microsoft Surface breaks out of the walled garden

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While working at Activision some 16 years ago, I negotiated with Microsoft to build out an Internet presence around our marque game title, Mech Warrior Three. Microsoft offered to build and host the site for free on MSN. I told them that we didn’t want to be trapped inside the walled garden of MSN, we… Read More…

Q&A: Social media maven Jenni Hogan on reshaping the TV news business

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Jenni Hogan wants to change the way you interact with news — and the way it interacts with you. With a vision for connectivity, communication, and entrepreneurship — not to mention more than 50,000 Twitter followers — the traffic reporter and Social7 creator is working with her KIRO news team to evolve the conversation between… Read More…

Q&A: Ex-Amazon ‘master of disaster’ Jesse Robbins on the power of ‘relentless optimism’ in startups

Jesse Robbins of Opscode. Photo: John Keatley

Former firefighter Jesse Robbins is comfortable under pressure. In fact, he thrives on it. Channeling positive energy and optimism into his growing organization, Robbins and his team at Seattle cloud computing startup Opscode have been changing the game in enterprise software. And Robbins, who once held the title of “Master of Disaster” at Amazon.com, says… Read More…

Why the Windows 8 launch isn’t as big as you’ve been told

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Three years ago, I was working at Microsoft to ensure that the security response process didn’t get in the way of the Windows 7 launch. Despite some white-knuckle moments, the launch went off without a hitch and Windows 7 has gone on to be the most popular version of Windows since Windows XP. With the… Read More…

PHOTOS: Recapping GeekWire’s Fall Meetup

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There were a few moments Tuesday night at Seattle’s Crocodile Cafe where I thought I was on the set of American Idol. Yes, the karaoke was that good, and GeekWire’s Fall Meetup was just the same, from the four intriguing elevator pitches to the awesome networking to the fantastic singing. More than 200 people made it out… Read More…

Q&A: Double Down’s Cooper DuBois on wearing many hats at a startup

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Cooper DuBois wants you to step out of your real world and come into his for a few minutes a day. How’s he going to do it? He and his team at Seattle’s Double Down Interactive are creating fun, social gaming environments where everyone can take a spin around a casino and share the fun… Read More…