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Microsoft results beat expectations as profits rise 20% to nearly $22B

GeekWire Awards 2024

Techie-turned-lawmaker uses his Microsoft chops to challenge the status quo as a state senator
Carbon, weeds and toxics are in the crosshairs for GeekWire Awards sustainability finalists
Health Innovation of the Year: 5 finalists at the GeekWire Awards use tech to improve healthcare

Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of April 14, 2024

by GeekWire on April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 at 8:00 am

See the technology stories that people were reading on GeekWire for the week of April 14, 2024.… Read More

Podcast

Who will be the Next Tech Titan? A preview of the upcoming GeekWire Awards

by Todd Bishop & John Cook on April 20, 2024April 20, 2024 at 7:23 am

This week on the show, we offer a sneak preview of the GeekWire Awards, at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle on Thursday, May 9. See more GeekWire Awards coverage, and… Read More

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10 important questions about the promise and pitfalls of AI

by Taylor Soper on April 20, 2024April 22, 2024 at 4:46 pm

Artificial intelligence is already changing the world. But the full extent of its impact on how we live and work remains to be seen. In the meantime, there are crucial… Read More

Amazon surprises 13 Seattle-area students with ‘Future Engineer’ college scholarships

by Kurt Schlosser on April 19, 2024April 19, 2024 at 11:09 am

The future is bright — and partially paid for — for 13 students from across the Seattle region after Amazon surprised them this week with college scholarships as part of… Read More

Bot or Not

The UW’s Institute for Protein Design keeps boosting startups, fueling AI-powered science

10 important questions about the promise and pitfalls of AI

AI is boosting drug discovery and development — and sparking questions about proprietary data

Seattle tech vet calls rapidly growing ‘AI Tinkerers’ meetups the new ‘Homebrew Computer Club’ for AI

For more about the evolving relationship between humans and machines, check out Bot or Not.

AI is boosting drug discovery and development — and sparking questions about proprietary data

by Charlotte Schubert on April 19, 2024April 23, 2024 at 1:51 pm

The culture of collaboration in the Pacific Northwest, the impact of AI on biopharma, and the shape of new business models driven by AI were all topics at a panel… Read More

Tech Moves: Sana R&D chief steps down; Seattle U names new computer science leader

by Taylor Soper on April 19, 2024April 19, 2024 at 10:08 am

Seattle University named Dr. Burkhard Englert as the new Department Chair and Amazon Endowed Chair of Computer Science. Englert is currently the computer science department chair at Norfolk State University… Read More

Civic

Techie-turned-lawmaker uses his Microsoft chops to challenge the status quo as a state senator

Washington state launches program to cut costs of new and used EVs for low-income residents

FTC bans all new non-compete clauses and strikes down most existing agreements

After lobbying by Uber and DoorDash, new proposal would overhaul Seattle’s minimum wage law

Read more about tech policy, urban development, transportation, housing, the environment, regulation, and issues impacting the innovcation economy. Civic.

Seattle tech vet calls rapidly growing ‘AI Tinkerers’ meetups the new ‘Homebrew Computer Club’ for AI

by Kurt Schlosser on April 19, 2024April 19, 2024 at 8:45 am

Seattle tech veteran Joe Heitzeberg remembers seeing a random, AI-related tweet in September 2022. “Still not enough tinkering happening, for whatever reason,” former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman wrote at the… Read More

In-home health screening startup Reperio raises $14M, inks deal with Uber

by Lisa Stiffler on April 18, 2024April 18, 2024 at 4:32 pm

Travis Rush grew up in the tiny seaside town of Gold Beach in Southern Oregon. With a population of only 1,576 — as was proudly proclaimed on the sign coming… Read More

GeekWire Podcasts

Who will be the Next Tech Titan? A preview of the upcoming GeekWire Awards

GeekWire Podcast: Amazon CTO Werner Vogels on the rapid progress of AI, and its impact on society

Can AI save the world? New book from Microsoft aims to show the potential for positive change

GeekWire Podcast: Inside a Tesla Cybertruck; how police dogs find devices; Ballmer’s comedian son

Listen to more GeekWire Podcasts.

Initiative to axe carbon emissions law could ‘slam the brakes’ on Washington’s climate tech sector

by Lisa Stiffler on April 18, 2024April 18, 2024 at 9:08 am

Washington is leaning into the fight against climate change. Seattle-area tech giants Microsoft and Amazon have set ambitious carbon reduction targets and invested millions to meet those goals. The state… Read More

Wizards of the Coast President Cynthia Williams stepping down after 2 years leading game giant

by Thomas Wilde on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 10:28 pm

A new SEC filing reveals that Cynthia Williams plans to step down as president at Hasbro-owned game company Wizards of the Coast. No specific reason has been publicly offered for… Read More

Seattle biotech company NanoString to be acquired by Bruker for $392M, ending bankruptcy process

by Taylor Soper on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 6:06 pm

NanoString announced Wednesday that it will be acquired by Bruker, ending the company’s restructuring process that included a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. Bruker, a Massachusetts-based publicly traded life sciences research… Read More

Amazon fashion competitor Shein bringing a pop-up experience to Seattle next week

by Kurt Schlosser on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 3:41 pm

Shein, the fast-fashion e-commerce retailer that recently announced plans to open an office in Bellevue, Wash., is hosting a pop-up experience in Seattle next week. The event will take place… Read More

Amazon, Microsoft back campaign against initiative that would defund climate efforts in Washington

by Lisa Stiffler on April 17, 2024April 18, 2024 at 10:48 am

More than 100 companies, tribal groups, union organizations, environmental nonprofits and political groups are backing a campaign to defeat a November ballot initiative that would scuttle Washington state’s most impactful… Read More

Former Moz CEO Sarah Bird is new CEO at Canvas, creators of home 3D modeling tech

by Kurt Schlosser on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 12:05 pm

Sarah Bird, the Seattle tech veteran who led SEO software startup Moz for seven years, is the new CEO of Canvas, a software company that builds technology for remodeling, architecture… Read More

News Brief

Digital ad content generator and testing service Validated raises more cash

by Taylor Soper on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 8:34 am

Validated, a Seattle startup that uses AI to help companies figure out what product features and messaging resonates with customers, raised more investment and released a new product.

Amazon exec explains grocery tech changes, debunks media reports about human reviewers

by Todd Bishop on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 at 8:13 am

Amazon’s grocery technology has been in the news a lot over the past couple of weeks, following layoffs in the Amazon Web Services group responsible for the company’s physical store… Read More

Longtime Microsoft exec Gurdeep Singh Pall joins Qualtrics as president of AI strategy

by Todd Bishop on April 17, 2024April 16, 2024 at 10:21 pm

Technology leader Gurdeep Singh Pall, a longtime Microsoft executive, is joining experience management technology company Qualtrics as its first president of artificial intelligence strategy. Pall left Microsoft last fall after… Read More

Washington Technology Industry Association names Kristen Forecki as new board chair

by Taylor Soper on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 at 4:25 pm

The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) named longtime Seattle tech leader Kristen Forecki as the new chair of its board of directors. Forecki is currently a senior director of experiences… Read More

Google and Amazon workers protest tech giants’ contract with Israel as war in Gaza continues

by Lisa Stiffler & Taylor Soper on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 at 4:48 pm

Google and Amazon workers held protests on Tuesday in Seattle and other tech hubs, demonstrating in opposition to the tech giants’ role in a cloud services contract with the Israeli… Read More

Bezos Earth Fund launches $100M ‘grand challenge’ for AI solutions to climate change

by Lisa Stiffler on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 at 10:31 am

The Bezos Earth Fund on Tuesday announced the creation of a $100 million grand challenge that’s seeking artificial intelligence-powered solutions for climate change and damage to the natural environment. The… Read More

Tech Moves: Avalara names president; Microsoft vet launches AI forum; Common Room adds product leader

by Taylor Soper on April 16, 2024April 17, 2024 at 7:44 am

— Seattle-based tax software company Avalara named Ross Tennenbaum as its new president. Tennenbaum joined Avalara in 2019 and became its CFO a year later. He will continue to serve as… Read More

Destination Spokane: How remote work and new arrivals are changing one tech community

by Todd Bishop on April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 at 7:34 am

SPOKANE, Wash. — The “great migration” got a head start here. Long before the rise of remote work spurred many tech workers to move to more affordable and livable parts… Read More

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