James Newell joins Voyager Capital as a partner in their Seattle office. (Voyager Seattle Photo)

This event goes out to all the financial geeks! A few months ago, GeekWire reported that Voyager Capital’s Seattle office had brought on James Newell, a Seattle native who was fresh off eight years as a startup investor in the Bay Area.

Newell has been getting his feet wet in the Pacific Northwest startup scene, and this week he’s sharing some of the wisdom he’s gleaned in a fireside chat with Seattle Bank’s Josh Williams. Expect to hear some analysis of Seattle’s startup trends, a comparison with San Francisco and his take on what it takes to make a startup great in the Emerald City.

In a previous interview with GeekWire, Newell said Seattle and San Francisco really aren’t that different. “It’s obvious that [Seattle is] smaller, it’s more intimate, it’s a little bit more rational, but there’s no shortage of the talented people working on really challenging problems,” he said.

As for Seattle’s biggest strength? Cloud technology, Newell said.

Catch that talk Wednesday, March 29 from noon to 1 p.m. at the K&L Gates office in downtown Seattle. Register for the event here.

That’s one of the highlights from our GeekWire community calendar, the spot for geek and tech events in the greater Pacific Northwest. See the full calendar here, submit your event here and keep reading for more suggested events over the next few weeks.

Government Psychics (Declassified) with Annie Jacobsen

What: Extrasensory perception is something out of spooky stories and sci-fi worlds. But for may decades, it was also a focus of secret programs conducted by the United States military. New York Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen dug into these programs in her most recent book, and she talks about what she found at this event.

When: March 29, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Where: Seattle Town Hall

Register: Tickets and more info here.

Founders LIVE Seattle (formerly Feature Friday)

What: Seattle’s tech startup happy hour is debuting its new name. The evening includes drinks and 99-second pitches from five handpicked startups. The crowd votes on the winner, who gets more time to talk about their product. This month’s pitches come from Patent Action ForecastAhoy SirenTillerThe Riveter, and Trybeo.

When: March 31, 5 – 8 p.m.

Where: WeWork – Holyoke

Register: Tickets and more info here.

WWU Great Puzzle Hunt

What: This puzzle-fueled scavenger hunt will have teams dashing all over the Western Washington University campus in Bellingham, Wash. Get some friends together to test you knowledge of  music, art, theatre, the humanities, social sciences, math and more.

When: April 1, 10 a.m.4 p.m.

Where: Western Washington University-Red Square, Bellingham, Wash.

Register: Register here.

Spring Forward with Women Leaders 2017 – How to Become an Executive Leader

What: This is the next event in a series hosted by UW’s CoMotion and Cambia Grove, turning the spotlight on how the tech community can become more welcoming and supportive of female and non-binary workers. This event focuses on the challenge women face as leaders. Hear from founders/CEOs Anna Steffeney (LeaveLogic), Avni Patel (Poppy), Leen Kawas (M3Biotechnology) and Mischa Jakupcak (Mechanical Dreams).

When: April 6, 5:30 7:30 p.m.

Where: CoMotion HQ

Register: Tickets and more info here.

WTIA Galaxy Gala

What: The Washington Technology Industry Association’s annual fundraising Gala is a night of highfaluten fun. Brush elbows with celebrities of Seattle’s tech scene, enjoy dinner and drinks and make a bid in the silent auction. Funds go towards supporting the WTIA, including apprenticeship programs, recruiting talent to Washington, and providing healthcare and 401k services.

When: April 19, 6 – 10 p.m.

Where: WTIA

Register: Tickets and more info here.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.