Author: Monica Nickelsburg

Monica Nickelsburg is GeekWire’s Civic Innovation Editor, covering technology-driven solutions to urban challenges and the intersection of tech and politics. Before joining GeekWire, she worked for The Week, Forbes, and NBC. Monica holds a BA in journalism and history from New York University. Follow her @mnickelsburg

GeekWire Summit Spotlight: Former DOJ attorney Tony West helps Uber write its next chapter as chief legal officer

Melinda Gates rallies top tech companies to double women of color studying computer science by 2025
Win or lose, Amazon HQ2 put 20 cities on the map — and some are already reaping the rewards
Amazon is staffing up in these HQ2 finalist cities as second headquarters decision nears

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

After helping defeat a tax for affordable housing, Paul Allen and Jeff Bezos step up on homelessness

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 18, 2018September 18, 2018 at 4:00 pmComment

On a crisp fall Tuesday in Seattle, representatives from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s philanthropic organization joined with community groups to break ground on a new homeless resource center to house… Read More

Bill and Melinda Gates warn ‘stunning progress’ toward reducing global poverty could stall for first time in decades

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 at 4:39 pm1 Comment

Since 1990, the percentage of people around the world living below the extreme poverty line has dropped from 36 to 9. That is a major accomplishment but demographic trends across… Read More

I-5 stretch running through Pacific Northwest is the best route for self-driving trucks, INRIX study finds

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 at 3:35 pmComment

When we envision our self-driving future, cars with built-in entertainment systems buzz us to and from work, while flying Ubers drop off passengers nearby. But the reality of the first… Read More

GeekWire Summit Spotlight: Former DOJ attorney Tony West helps Uber write its next chapter as chief legal officer

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 at 3:52 pmComment

In the year since joining Uber as chief legal officer, Tony West has talked repeatedly about trust. “Uber survives only if people trust us,” he said in an on-stage interview… Read More

Domicile raises $5M for business travel lodging from high-profile Seattle investors

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 13, 2018September 13, 2018 at 3:32 pmComment

Seattle startup Domicile raised $5 million in a seed funding round led by L.A. investment firm CrossCut Ventures. Big names in the Seattle tech world also participated in the round.… Read More

Make room Google: Microsoft announces new Canadian HQ in Toronto

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 at 11:43 amComment

Microsoft is the latest American tech titan to see something special in Toronto. The Redmond, Wash., software giant announced plans to build a massive new Canadian headquarters in Toronto, promising… Read More

Amazon HQ2 speculation swirls as Jeff Bezos heads to DC

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 at 10:17 amComment

Mr. Bezos is going to Washington, with the eyes of the nation on him. The Amazon CEO arrives in Washington, D.C., this week for a series of talks and appointments.… Read More

Melinda Gates rallies top tech companies to double women of color studying computer science by 2025

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 at 12:14 pm 7 Comments

Melinda Gates is convening leading tech companies in an effort to dramatically increase the number of computer science degrees awarded to women of color, part of a broader effort to… Read More

Net neutrality or not, new research shows cell carriers throttle video content all the time

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 11, 2018September 11, 2018 at 2:53 pmComment

Nearly every U.S. cell provider engages in throttling, also known as slowing service selectively, according to research from Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Researchers found throttling to be… Read More

Proposed T-Mobile merger with Sprint on hold as FCC pauses 180-day shot clock

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 11, 2018September 11, 2018 at 2:31 pmComment

The Federal Communications Commision needs more time to consider whether to approve a multibillion-dollar merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. The FCC sent a letter to the two companies Tuesday, explaining… Read More

Key question in Toronto’s bid for Amazon HQ2: ‘Does Jeff Bezos want to piss off Trump?’

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 10, 2018September 10, 2018 at 10:22 am 5 Comments

Toronto is the only city outside the U.S. in the running for Amazon’s storied second headquarters. That sets the Canadian city apart from its 19 competitors in a number of… Read More

Win or lose, Amazon HQ2 put 20 cities on the map — and some are already reaping the rewards

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 7, 2018September 7, 2018 at 10:58 amComment

After pitching aggressively and offering up millions of dollars in tax incentives, Denver landed a coveted economic development deal earlier this summer. ALSO: Amazon is staffing up in these HQ2… Read More

Whole Foods worker group urges employees to unionize to fight changes under Amazon

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 6, 2018September 7, 2018 at 10:32 am1 Comment

Some workers at Whole Foods Market are making the case to unionize, expressing frustration over changes that Amazon has made since acquiring the grocery chain. Whole Foods employees identifying themselves… Read More

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Amazon is staffing up in these HQ2 finalist cities as second headquarters decision nears

by Nat Levy & Monica Nickelsburg on September 6, 2018September 7, 2018 at 11:39 am 12 Comments

It has been a year since Amazon surprised and captivated the world by announcing plans to open a second headquarters equal to the first. The news made quite a racket,… Read More

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Bernie Sanders introduces ‘Stop BEZOS Act’ to require employers to cover federal aid for workers

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 at 10:57 am 2 Comments

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders escalated his attack on Amazon Wednesday, introducing the Stop BEZOS Act, a piece of legislation that would force big companies to cover the costs of federal… Read More

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos contributes $10M to With Honor PAC’s effort to elect veterans to Congress

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 at 11:13 am 2 Comments

Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, are donating $10 million to With Honor, a cross-partisan, veteran-focused super PAC. The donation, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, is the Amazon… Read More

Why Seattle’s plan to bring Intersection WiFi kiosks and bus stop makeovers stalled

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 at 10:54 amComment

Fast-growing cities, like Seattle, are looking for opportunities to embrace technology to become more efficient, mobile, and equitable. But working with the private sector to implement innovations can be tricky,… Read More

Jeff Bezos hints at how Amazon’s two HQs could work together across time zones

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 at 10:17 am1 Comment

It has been almost a year since Amazon surprised the world with plans for a second North American headquarters, with no word yet about where it will end up. But… Read More

Scooter startups hit roadblocks as cities get smarter about new forms of transportation

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 1, 2018September 1, 2018 at 10:08 amComment

If 2011 was the year of the ride-hailing app, then 2018 is the year of the scooter. But in the seven years since Uber began launching in cities without permission,… Read More

Amazon awarded $75K in dispute with e-book marketer over Kindle Direct Publishing scheme

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 31, 2018September 1, 2018 at 9:25 amComment

Amazon has been awarded $75,000 in an arbitration case against an e-book marketer that allegedly inflated reader numbers artificially in an effort to increase profits and sales rankings. On Thursday,… Read More

Cities across the country join escalating legal battle over net neutrality

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 31, 2018August 31, 2018 at 10:30 am 4 Comments

Top officials in 27 cities across the country are backing a lawsuit over the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality, claiming that removing those protections makes it more difficult for municipal governments to… Read More

Trump: Google, Amazon, and Facebook could be an ‘antitrust situation’

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 30, 2018August 31, 2018 at 8:51 amComment

President Donald Trump continued to accuse top tech companies of using their power to promote a liberal agenda Thursday. He suggested that Google, Amazon, and Facebook raise antitrust concerns in… Read More

CEO of Seattle-area tech staffing firms arrested in alleged H-1B visa fraud scheme

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 30, 2018August 30, 2018 at 3:22 pm 6 Comments

The Department of Justice is pressing charges against the CEO of two Bellevue, Wash., technology staffing firms claiming he faked more than 100 applications for H-1B visas, the type tech… Read More

CityBldr raises $4.3M ahead of expansion and launch of its property flipping business

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 at 4:02 pmComment

Seattle startup CityBldr has raised $4.3 million of a $4.5 million round, according to a new filing with the SEC. CityBldr founder Bryan Copley confirmed that he signed the SEC… Read More

Alaska Airlines adds nonstop flight from Seattle to Columbus, Ohio, fueling tech industry collaboration

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 at 1:48 pm1 Comment

Alaska Airlines is adding a daily nonstop flight from Seattle to Columbus, Ohio, starting March 7, 2019. It’s the first flight to connect the two cities in years and is… Read More

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Articles by Monica Nickelsburg

Top Stories from Monica Nickelsburg

GeekWire Summit Spotlight: Former DOJ attorney Tony West helps Uber write its next chapter as chief legal officer

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

After helping defeat a tax for affordable housing, Paul Allen and Jeff Bezos step up on homelessness

Bill and Melinda Gates warn ‘stunning progress’ toward reducing global poverty could stall for first time in decades

I-5 stretch running through Pacific Northwest is the best route for self-driving trucks, INRIX study finds

GeekWire Summit Spotlight: Former DOJ attorney Tony West helps Uber write its next chapter as chief legal officer

Domicile raises $5M for business travel lodging from high-profile Seattle investors

Make room Google: Microsoft announces new Canadian HQ in Toronto

Amazon HQ2 speculation swirls as Jeff Bezos heads to DC

Melinda Gates rallies top tech companies to double women of color studying computer science by 2025

Net neutrality or not, new research shows cell carriers throttle video content all the time

Proposed T-Mobile merger with Sprint on hold as FCC pauses 180-day shot clock

Key question in Toronto’s bid for Amazon HQ2: ‘Does Jeff Bezos want to piss off Trump?’

Win or lose, Amazon HQ2 put 20 cities on the map — and some are already reaping the rewards

Whole Foods worker group urges employees to unionize to fight changes under Amazon

Amazon is staffing up in these HQ2 finalist cities as second headquarters decision nears

Bernie Sanders introduces ‘Stop BEZOS Act’ to require employers to cover federal aid for workers

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos contributes $10M to With Honor PAC’s effort to elect veterans to Congress

Why Seattle’s plan to bring Intersection WiFi kiosks and bus stop makeovers stalled

Jeff Bezos hints at how Amazon’s two HQs could work together across time zones

Scooter startups hit roadblocks as cities get smarter about new forms of transportation

Amazon awarded $75K in dispute with e-book marketer over Kindle Direct Publishing scheme

Cities across the country join escalating legal battle over net neutrality

Trump: Google, Amazon, and Facebook could be an ‘antitrust situation’

CEO of Seattle-area tech staffing firms arrested in alleged H-1B visa fraud scheme

CityBldr raises $4.3M ahead of expansion and launch of its property flipping business

Alaska Airlines adds nonstop flight from Seattle to Columbus, Ohio, fueling tech industry collaboration

Amazon calls Bernie Sanders’ crusade for warehouse workers ‘inaccurate and misleading’

Scofflaw scooter spotted in Seattle: Company mum on mysterious appearance of banned Lime-S

Seattle could greenlight 3 bikeshare services as early as next week, weighing applications from Uber, Lyft and Lime

Judge extends block on 3D-printed gun blueprints while Wash. State and Trump admin. battle in court

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