Get caught up on the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of Jan. 9, 2022.
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Bill Gates talks COVID cases after Omicron, lack of pandemic preparation, and those ‘chips in arms’
In a new discussion about the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill Gates said Tuesday that we should expect to see “far fewer cases” of COVID-19 after the Omicron variant and that the virus can be treated more like the seasonal flu the rest of the year. … Read More
All in the murderous family: Asian giant hornets found in Washington in 2021 came from 2020 nest
The Washington State Department of Agriculture generated worldwide attention when it successfully eradicated an Asian giant hornet nest in the northwest part of the state in the fall of 2020. … Read More
Meet the unicorns: A look at the Seattle-area startups that boast valuations over $1 billion
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to add startups that were not initially included in the list. … Read More
Fresh look for an old Sears: Amazon opening another grocery store in plaza south of Seattle
A shopping plaza south of Seattle in Federal Way, Wash., has a Fresh look, as Amazon is getting set to open another physical grocery store. … Read More
Tech recruiters say Bellevue is finding its inner cool among new workers, thanks in part to Seattle
Shawna Swerland remembers the days when recruiting high-end technology talent to Bellevue was tough. … Read More
Zeva puts its Zero ‘flying saucer’ eVTOL through first free-flying test in a pasture south of Seattle
After years of effort, Tacoma, Wash.-based Zeva has executed the first untethered, controlled flight test of its full-scale flying machine — a contraption that looks like a flying saucer. … Read More
Meta/Oculus expands in Seattle’s stadium district as tech giants anticipate regional light rail
All aboard the Meta Express? The parent company of Facebook and Oculus has renewed and expanded its office leases in Seattle’s Stadium District in what real estate experts describe as a sign of companies making plans around the future regional light rail connection between Seattle and the Eastside cities of Bellevue and Redmond. … Read More
Mark Cuban, Robinhood CEO, Coinbase Ventures among investors in new Seattle fintech startup
The news: Seashell, a new Seattle fintech startup that says it can offer up to 10% interest to users, raised a $6 million seed round co-led by top Silicon Valley firms Khosla Ventures and Kindred Ventures. … Read More
Aviation startup ZeroAvia, backed by Amazon and Alaska Air, is building an R&D center near Seattle
ZeroAvia, a green aviation company with backing from tech giants and major airlines, is building a research-and-development space north of Seattle at Everett’s Paine Field. … Read More
Ciara and Russell Wilson’s fashion house will raise up to $50M as revenue grows
The news: The House of LR&C, a Seattle-based fashion house co-founded by music superstar Ciara and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, plans to raise up to $50 million this year as part of a Series A investment round. … Read More