Redfin sets up new title and escrow subsidiary, continuing quest to upend real estate

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Redfin has certainly made it clear that it wants to transform the real estate business — initially focusing on the way people buy and sell homes. Now, the Seattle company is branching off in a new direction. Redfin recently established a new subsidiary called Title Forward that plans to offer both title and escrow services… Read More…

Madrona backs Mobilewalla, team relocates to Seattle

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Mobile analytics startup Mobilewalla has raised $4 million in new funding, including a cash infusion from Madrona Venture Group and several angel investors. As a result of the financing, the founding team behind Mobilewalla are relocating to Seattle, setting up temporary offices in the venture capital firm’s downtown Seattle offices. A spokeswoman for Madrona describes… Read More…

Q&A: Why this former Microsoft exec wanted to become a venture capitalist

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Ted Kummert is a Seattle homer. He attended Roosevelt High School, and still bleeds University of Washington “purple and gold” where his father served as a law professor and he studied electrical engineering. “I practically grew up on campus,” said Kummert. Now, the former Microsoft executive will be able to impact the Seattle region in… Read More…

Microsoft ‘data chief’ Ted Kummert leaves after 23 years, joins Madrona Venture Group

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After more than two decades at Microsoft, Ted Kummert is leaving the software giant to join Seattle venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group. Kummert, who most recently served as the corporate vice president of the data platform group, will join Madrona as a venture partner. He will help the firm identify new investments, and play… Read More…

Ignition’s Cam Myhrvold: The problem in Seattle isn’t money, it’s the entrepreneurial talent

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What’s the missing ingredient in Seattle’s startup community?  Is it a lack of smart money? Or a lack of solid entrepreneurs? Well, for one of Seattle’s top venture capital firms the answer is pretty clear: It’s the entrepreneurs.  Cam Myhrvold of Ignition Partners delivered some bitter medicine about the Seattle startup community in remarks Wednesday afternoon at… Read More…

Hey, engineers: Don’t forget to add some personality

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“Why so serious?” — The Joker in Batman Returns. If you are fortunate enough to be building software for a living, do us this small favor: Put a little more personality into your products. The best products pay deference to their creators. They’re functional, but they also can be fun at times, whimsical, punchy, interesting, sexy… Read More…

Fast-growing Apptio opens new HQ, plans hiring surge of more than 100 in 2013

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Bellevue-based Apptio has a new logo, a new headquarters and a growing slate of new customers. But one thing remains the same: The company’s mission to transform the way CIOs manage and monitor IT spending. Things are going well for the Sunny Gupta-led company, which showed off its new HQ at an open house Thursday… Read More…

Madrona-backed photo storage service ThisLife reportedly in acquisition talks

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Shutterfly is reportedly in talks to buy Madrona-backed photo organizer ThisLife for as much as $25 million, according to a report in TechCrunch. Madrona led a $2.75 million venture round in the San Francisco area startup last June, and at the time we wondered how ThisLife would make headway in a market dominated by plenty… Read More…

On the prowl for more laughs, Cheezburger gobbles up cash

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Cheezburger Network, the Seattle online comedy network behind Fail Blog, I Can Has Cheezburger, The Daily What and dozens of other sites, has raised an additional $5 million in funding. A SEC filing today notes that the new cash is part of a $6.1 million round. “The funds will be used to continue to build… Read More…

From Space to SOPA: 10 Tech Triumphs of 2012

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Rovers, particles, and skydiving from the edge of space. And that was just the beginning. Earlier this week, GeekWire documented our favorite lowlights of 2012 with our list of biggest Tech Debacles of the Year. Now it’s time for the highlights, starting with a series of breakthroughs and accomplishments at the intersection of technology and… Read More…