Articles by Monica Nickelsburg

Monica Nickelsburg covers a wide range of topics, including Seattle’s boom and the intersection of technology with culture, politics, and identity. Originally from Southern California, she studied journalism and history at NYU before landing in Seattle. She loves arts, pop-culture, and her adopted city. Follow her @mnickelsburg

Amazon HQ2: Mayors from 7 major North American cities give us their pitches as RFP deadline looms

Video: Microsoft President Brad Smith explains why the company took a stand on DACA
7 crazy stunts from cities vying for Amazon’s second North American headquarters
Plot twist: How this startup founder went from writing plays to reshaping U.S. immigration policy

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

Startup Spotlight: Comet is building a GitHub-like management system for machine learning

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 18, 2017October 18, 2017 at 11:30 amComment

Gideon Mendels has spent the past three years in machine learning research, studying at Columbia University, building hate speech detection software at Google, and developing chat analytics app Groupwize with… Read More

Amazon HQ2: Mayors from 7 major North American cities give us their pitches as RFP deadline looms

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 18, 2017October 18, 2017 at 1:33 pmComment

City leaders across the continent are thinking about how they can best pitch their communities to Amazon as the Thursday deadline for HQ2 pitches approaches. They’ve been combing through criteria… Read More

Cary Moon will pursue city-owned internet if elected Seattle mayor because ‘it is an equity issue’

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 17, 2017October 17, 2017 at 4:36 pmComment

Cary Moon, one of two finalists in Seattle’s tumultuous mayoral race, will push for city-owned internet if she is elected in November. RELATED STORY: Seattle mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan says… Read More

Seattle mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan says city’s focus on Amazon HQ2 is ‘missing the big story’

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 17, 2017October 17, 2017 at 4:35 pmComment

For the past month, Seattle’s civic leaders have been trying to make sense of Amazon’s plans to establish a second headquarters elsewhere in North America, and debating what kind of… Read More

A ‘People’s RFP’: Civic groups demand transparency and worker rights in Amazon HQ2 search

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 17, 2017October 17, 2017 at 9:04 amComment

As the deadline for Amazon’s HQ2 request for proposals looms, the company is getting some blowback from community organizers around the country. Leaders of 73 labor, faith and community groups… Read More

Seattle politicians seek to renew relationship with Amazon in mea culpa letter to Jeff Bezos

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 at 3:37 pmComment

Leaders in Seattle and Washington state want to ameliorate the relationship between Amazon and its hometown. That’s the crux of a letter from the majority of Seattle City Councilmembers, state… Read More

Seattle bike shares show no signs of slowing as LimeBike and Spin expand to 3,000 bicycles each

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 at 11:59 amComment

Seattle, brace yourself for more neon bikes. Spin Bike and LimeBike are expanding their Seattle fleets to 3,000 each. When we last checked in with the dockless bicycle sharing companies,… Read More

Video

Gates Foundation’s new open-source software helps impoverished communities around the world access financial services

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 at 11:57 amComment

For the billions of people living without access to a bank account, simple transactions, like paying rent electronically or registering a child for school, are often out of reach. Although… Read More

Video

Why Washington AG Bob Ferguson doesn’t expect DACA protections to be rolled back

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 15, 2017October 15, 2017 at 9:11 amComment

Bob Ferguson — the Washington state attorney general who gained notoriety in the tech community by enlisting business to take on President Donald Trump — is optimistic about his latest… Read More

Seattle considers employee head tax for the city’s top-grossing companies

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 13, 2017October 13, 2017 at 8:50 amComment

Two Seattle councilmembers want the city’s highest-grossing businesses to pay for a new program to curb homelessness. The H.O.M.E.S — Housing, Outreach, and Mass-Entry Shelter — program would increase the… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Tinitell helps parents keep track of their kids with wearable mobile phones

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 at 3:49 pmComment

Kids don’t need the latest and great new iPhone. But a mobile device that lets parents call their children and keep track of their whereabouts can serve a number of… Read More

Video

‘You can’t wash your hands of this.’ Watch a top University of Washington professor sound off on Facebook and Russia

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 12, 2017October 14, 2017 at 8:14 amComment

Ed Lazowska, a leading computer science professor at the University of Washington, wants Facebook and other big tech companies to take responsibility for enabling Russian meddling into the 2016 election. The… Read More

Video

Video: Microsoft President Brad Smith explains why the company took a stand on DACA

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 at 10:57 amComment

Microsoft President Brad Smith has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) program that gives so-called “Dreamers,” who arrived in the U.S.… Read More

Video

Washington AG Bob Ferguson tries to block Trump’s latest travel ban

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 12, 2017October 12, 2017 at 8:05 amComment

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is seeking a temporary restraining order on President Donald Trump’s newest executive order restricting travel from eight countries. If that feels like déjà vu, it’s… Read More

TheBoardlist founder: ‘Silicon Valley is built for people given opportunity they’re not qualified for’

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 at 2:18 pmComment

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is calling BS on tech industry leaders who avoid hiring female candidates because they don’t want to “lower the bar.” In an on-stage interview at the GeekWire… Read More

Amazon consumer chief announces $10M donation to Code.org, says STEM education is a key factor in HQ2 search

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 at 12:09 pmComment

Amazon Worldwide Consumer CEO Jeff Wilke stressed the importance of computer science education in public schools at the GeekWire Summit Tuesday. Today, he’s putting his money where his mouth is.… Read More

Tech companies are provoking more ire by moving out of the suburbs and into cities, says urban history expert

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 at 11:53 amComment

Technology is a critical part of American history but it typically occupies little more than a marginal note in history textbooks. Margaret O’Mara, a history professor at the University of Washington, says… Read More

Top Amazon exec Jeff Wilke suggests HQ2 won’t be in the Pacific Northwest

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 at 2:12 pmComment

Update Oct 11, 2 p.m: Amazon sent GeekWire this statement regarding its HQ2 search: “We will give serious consideration to every HQ2 proposal we receive from across North America, including from communities… Read More

3 investors discuss the most (and least) exciting emerging technologies on their radar

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 at 5:19 pmComment

Insurance and machine learning are hot, virtual reality is not, and cryptocurrency is complicated. Those are a few takeaways from “The VC View” — a panel of venture capitalists featuring… Read More

Benchmark Capital partner on suing Uber’s former CEO and replacing him with Expedia’s Dara Khosrowshahi

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 at 4:29 pmComment

After Travis Kalanick resigned from Uber amid a series of sexual harassment and other scandals, investor Benchmark Capital filed an unorthodox lawsuit against the former CEO. Benchmark General Partner Sarah… Read More

Steve Ballmer talks fake news, immigration, and Microsoft in new video

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 at 11:16 amComment

As a major investor in Twitter, the former CEO of Microsoft, and creator of new government data non-profit USAFacts.org, Steve Ballmer has a lot to stay about the current state… Read More

Working Geek: Swatee Surve’s startup uses video games to help people manage chronic health conditions

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 at 2:47 pmComment

Swatee Surve is reimagining the way patients manage chronic health conditions and keep their healthcare providers up-to-date. That’s the mission of her startup, Litesprite, which helps users manage illnesses with… Read More

Tacoma, Wash., officially announces Amazon HQ2 bid

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 6, 2017October 6, 2017 at 2:09 pmComment

Seattle’s neighbor to the south, Tacoma, Wash., formally announced its plans to respond to Amazon’s second headquarters request for proposals today. The Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County confirmed it… Read More

7 crazy stunts from cities vying for Amazon’s second North American headquarters

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 6, 2017October 6, 2017 at 10:30 amComment

With more than 100 contestants in the Great Amazon HQ2 Beauty Pageant, it takes a little more than good looks and a plucky attitude to get the judges’ attention. Some… Read More

Seattle region unveils pitch to keep Amazon HQ2 close to home — and it doesn’t include any locations in Seattle

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 5, 2017October 5, 2017 at 11:50 amComment

Executives from King and Snohomish County revealed details of their plan to convince Amazon to locate its second North American headquarters in Washington state Thursday. The proposal will include a… Read More

Real estate startup FlyHomes raises $4M round led by Blue Nile and Zulily co-founder Mark Vadon

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 5, 2017October 5, 2017 at 11:46 amComment

In its first year, real estate startup FlyHomes avoided raising outside capital by attracting a customer base of homebuyers with perks like super speedy closing dates and airline miles. But now the… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Pulse Labs makes it easy for voice developers to test their Alexa apps

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 4, 2017October 6, 2017 at 4:37 pmComment

Voice-controlled devices, like the Amazon Echo, are driving what Abhishek Suthan calls a “tectonic shift” in computing — and he wants to take advantage of it. That’s why he and… Read More

Element Data acquires Philadelphia startup’s ’emotional analytics platform’

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 at 4:02 pmComment

Fast-growing Element Data has acquired the technology assets and patent of BehaviorMatrix, a Philadelphia startup that specializes in understanding the emotional responses audiences have to brands. The “emotional analytics platform”… Read More

Loftium co-founder expects Airbnb revenue share to become a ‘standard’ down payment source for homebuyers

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 at 1:44 pmComment

Yifan Zhang believes that in the next five to 10 years, prospective home buyers will have three standard options for coming up with a down payment: Save, ask for a… Read More

Melinda Gates on women in tech, her first love, and the origins of Comic Sans

by Monica Nickelsburg & Todd Bishop on October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 at 12:45 pmComment

Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, opened a revealing speech Wednesday by talking about her first love, which she admits “is not Bill’s favorite story.” “Like most… Read More

Articles by Monica Nickelsburg

Top Stories from Monica Nickelsburg

Amazon HQ2: Mayors from 7 major North American cities give us their pitches as RFP deadline looms

Latest from Monica Nickelsburg

Startup Spotlight: Comet is building a GitHub-like management system for machine learning

Amazon HQ2: Mayors from 7 major North American cities give us their pitches as RFP deadline looms

Cary Moon will pursue city-owned internet if elected Seattle mayor because ‘it is an equity issue’

Seattle mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan says city’s focus on Amazon HQ2 is ‘missing the big story’

A ‘People’s RFP’: Civic groups demand transparency and worker rights in Amazon HQ2 search

Seattle politicians seek to renew relationship with Amazon in mea culpa letter to Jeff Bezos

Gates Foundation’s new open-source software helps impoverished communities around the world access financial services

Why Washington AG Bob Ferguson doesn’t expect DACA protections to be rolled back

Seattle considers employee head tax for the city’s top-grossing companies

Startup Spotlight: Tinitell helps parents keep track of their kids with wearable mobile phones

‘You can’t wash your hands of this.’ Watch a top University of Washington professor sound off on Facebook and Russia

Video: Microsoft President Brad Smith explains why the company took a stand on DACA

Washington AG Bob Ferguson tries to block Trump’s latest travel ban

TheBoardlist founder: ‘Silicon Valley is built for people given opportunity they’re not qualified for’

Amazon consumer chief announces $10M donation to Code.org, says STEM education is a key factor in HQ2 search

Tech companies are provoking more ire by moving out of the suburbs and into cities, says urban history expert

Top Amazon exec Jeff Wilke suggests HQ2 won’t be in the Pacific Northwest

3 investors discuss the most (and least) exciting emerging technologies on their radar

Benchmark Capital partner on suing Uber’s former CEO and replacing him with Expedia’s Dara Khosrowshahi

Steve Ballmer talks fake news, immigration, and Microsoft in new video

Working Geek: Swatee Surve’s startup uses video games to help people manage chronic health conditions

Tacoma, Wash., officially announces Amazon HQ2 bid

7 crazy stunts from cities vying for Amazon’s second North American headquarters

Seattle region unveils pitch to keep Amazon HQ2 close to home — and it doesn’t include any locations in Seattle

Real estate startup FlyHomes raises $4M round led by Blue Nile and Zulily co-founder Mark Vadon

Startup Spotlight: Pulse Labs makes it easy for voice developers to test their Alexa apps

Element Data acquires Philadelphia startup’s ’emotional analytics platform’

Loftium co-founder expects Airbnb revenue share to become a ‘standard’ down payment source for homebuyers

Melinda Gates on women in tech, her first love, and the origins of Comic Sans

Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet at Museum of Flight

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