GeekWire Awards: Vote for Startup of the Year

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We’re nearing the end of the voting for the GeekWire Awards, and today we’ve got a big category on hand: Startup of the Year. To qualify for Startup of the Year, companies had to be three years or younger, and on a fast-track to success. We’re expecting a tight competition in this field of contenders,… Read More…

After series of pivots, Haiku Deck scores $3 million to make presentation tools fun

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Haiku Deck has reeled in $3 million in fresh funding, money that the Seattle startup will use to continue to build out its easy-to-use presentation tools. Trilogy Partnership led the round, with Madrona Venture Group, Founder’s Co-op, entrepreneur Sarah Leary and others also participating. The TechStars Seattle grad, led by former Cranium executive Adam Tratt,… Read More…

The Founders’ Promise: Put your money where your angst is

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“There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.” – Kurt Vonnegut. Depending on who you ask, the Seattle startup ecosystem is weak and/or… Read More…

Seattle VCs invest in TechStars, supporting 3 more years of startup incubation

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TechStars will be looking to hatch companies in Seattle for the next three years, thanks in part to cash from some of the region’s leading venture capital firms. TechStars Seattle, the branch of the popular startup incubation program, has raised $1.5 million in new funding that will support up to 30 new companies over the… Read More…

Jeff Bezos, Eric Schmidt bankroll money transfer startup Beamit Mobile

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Seattle startup Beamit Mobile has raised $2.4 million in fresh financing from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s TomorrowVentures, Founder’s Co-op and Bezos Expeditions, the venture capital firm of Jeff Bezos. The money will be used to continue development of the company’s technology, which allows immigrants to transfer money to mobile phones in developing countries. “These investors share our vision of… Read More…

Video: Andy Sack of Founder’s Co-op accepts a WTIA award

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The Washington Technology Industry Association’s Industry Achievement Awards were held this week in Seattle. The annual awards are a fun night, celebrating the best of the best in the state’s technology community. But there was one nominee (and winner) who was noticeably absent. As many in the technology community already know, Andy Sack was recently… Read More…

Angel mind meld: What early-stage investors really want

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What’s it like inside the mind of an angel? I got to peer into that mysterious — yet all important world — as the moderator of TiE Seattle’s angel investment panel on Wednesday night. Panelists included Chris DeVore of Founder’s Co-op; Dave Parker of Founder Institute; and Yi-Jian Ngo of the Alliance of Angels. It… Read More…

Urban Airship lands former Skype executive as chief revenue officer

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Urban Airship, a Portland upstart that provides behind-the-scenes services like push notifications and in-app purchasing for mobile apps, has named former Skype Chief Strategy Officer Christopher Dean to the position of chief revenue officer. It’s a big pick-up for the fast-growing startup. And it comes just two months after the company landed a $15.1 million venture capital… Read More…

Founder’s Co-op raises $8M angel fund, looks to become a ‘catalyst’ for the NW startup community

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Founder’s Co-op, the angel investment fund led by Andy Sack and Chris DeVore, has raised a new $8 million fund from some of the top names in the Seattle technology community. Managing partner Chris DeVore tells GeekWire that the new fund — raised over the past 12 months — will be used to bankroll as… Read More…

Founder’s Co-op heads north of the border, backs B.C. startup Unbounce

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Founder’s Co-op is among the new backers of Unbounce, a Vancouver, B.C.-based company that today announced an $850,000 investment from a large syndicate of investors. Unbounce has developed a new hosted service that allows marketers to easily create, publish and test specific landing pages, analyzing which ones perform best. That’s an area where other venture-backed… Read More…