Startups

Sightbox raises $2.4M to grow contact lens and eye exam membership program

by Clare McGrane on July 20, 2017July 20, 2017 at 5:45 pmComment

Sightbox, a Portland, Ore.-based startup offering an annual membership for eye exams and contact lenses, has raised $2.4 million in new funding to grow the service. The new round brings… Read More

Startup Spotlight: VX makes augmented reality hardware that can fit in standard glasses

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 20, 2017July 20, 2017 at 3:22 pmComment

Last year, Kyle Cherry launched augmented and virtual reality startup VX Inc. with a lofty goal. He plans “shape the industry” by 2020 with a series of products that make… Read More

Seattle startup Armoire bets busy working women will want to rent their wardrobe

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 19, 2017July 19, 2017 at 1:35 pmComment

Digital retail is crowded with competitors big and small but Armoire is betting its unique clothing rental model will become a trendsetter. The Seattle startup offers a $150 monthly subscription… Read More

LiveStories raises $10M to help government agencies find, analyze, and publish civic data

by Taylor Soper on July 19, 2017July 18, 2017 at 5:56 pmComment

LiveStories continues to gain traction with its platform that helps government agencies manage and publish data. Now the Seattle startup is raising more cash to help support the growth. The… Read More

Video

Tomorrow raises $2.6M to help people buy life insurance, create wills, organize assets on an app

by Taylor Soper on July 17, 2017July 18, 2017 at 10:39 amComment

When Dave Hanley lost both of his parents unexpectedly, he wasn’t ready for the difficult financial and legal processes that were to follow. But Hanley, who previously sold two Seattle… Read More

Video

Medical startup VerAvanti raises $5M to build products to prevent strokes and heart attacks

by Nat Levy on July 17, 2017July 18, 2017 at 7:32 amComment

A startup just down the road from Microsoft’s global headquarters in Redmond, Wash. has landed a $5 million funding round to build products designed to prevent strokes and deal with… Read More

Alexa Accelerator names 9 startups for inaugural Amazon and Techstars program

by Taylor Soper on July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 at 8:58 amComment

The Alexa Accelerator, a new program that Amazon is running in partnership with Techstars, kicked off its first class on Monday. Nine startups from across the globe will spend the… Read More

Video

Bright.md raises $8M for AI-powered remote healthcare service with ‘virtual physician assistant’

by Taylor Soper on July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 at 2:37 pmComment

Bright.md is raising more cash for its tech-fueled virtual healthcare service that aims to improve care for patients and reduce healthcare costs for clinicians. The Portland-based startup today announced a… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Online retailer Fuchsia helps cottage industry artisans get in front of consumers

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 13, 2017July 14, 2017 at 1:03 pmComment

Unlike most online retailers, Seattle-based Fuchsia describes itself as “anti-mass production.” The one-year-old company uses technology to help artisans in the developing world reach a broader global audience. Fuchsia launched… Read More

Moz founder Rand Fishkin to step away from day-to-day operations, will remain chairman

by Taylor Soper on July 13, 2017July 13, 2017 at 12:02 pmComment

More than 16 years after launching Moz, Rand Fishkin is ready for his next adventure. Over the next six-to-nine months, Fishkin will step away from day-to-day operations at the Seattle-based… Read More

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Inspired by treasure hunts in Mexico, DoubleDown co-founder launches new game studio

by Taylor Soper on July 13, 2017July 13, 2017 at 12:10 pmComment

Finding the inspiration to start a company can happen anywhere, at any time. For Cooper DuBois, it was inside and underneath abandoned haciendas across the rural valleys of Mexico, where… Read More

Rover raises $65M round led by Spark Capital as pet-sitting startup aims for international expansion

by Taylor Soper on July 13, 2017July 13, 2017 at 4:25 pmComment

Typically in today’s technology world, startup founders sit on one side of the room, pitch ideas to investors, and hope to land funding for their company. But when you’re growing… Read More

Element Data raises $3.5M to help companies make decisions with A.I. and machine learning

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 12, 2017July 12, 2017 at 4:20 pmComment

Element Data is on the path every startup hopes to walk. The company is adding high-level talent quickly; it’s about to close a $3.5 million funding round; and it’s rapidly outgrowing… Read More

Ignition Partners Managing Partner Frank Artale resigns after ‘misconduct’ allegations

by Taylor Soper on July 11, 2017July 12, 2017 at 6:59 pmComment

Frank Artale, a managing partner at Bellevue, Wash.-based venture capital firm Ignition Partners, has resigned at the firm’s request after allegations of “misconduct” against him, according to a statement from Ignition Partners… Read More

Sexual harassment in tech is a big problem — here’s what startup founders can do about it

by Kristina Bergman on July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 at 5:43 pmComment

Editor’s note: Kristina Bergman is the co-founder of Seattle-based startup Integris Software. She wrote this guest post in response to the recent reports of sexual harassment in the tech industry.… Read More

Cybersecurity startup RiskLens raises $5M to help businesses understand the cost of cyber risk

by Nat Levy on July 11, 2017July 12, 2017 at 10:16 amComment

RiskLens, a cybersecurity startup based in Spokane, Wash. that helps businesses understand how much cyberattacks could cost them, has landed a $5 million Series A round. Osage Venture Partners led… Read More

Seattle startup ReplyYes joins Disney Accelerator to grow retail chatbot service

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 at 1:37 pmComment

ReplyYes has been accepted into the Disney Accelerator’s 2017 class to continue building out its chat commerce platform that allows retailers to sell products to customers via text message. The… Read More

Ad Lightning raises more cash to fuel growth of digital ad quality monitoring service

by Taylor Soper on July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 at 11:08 amComment

Programmatic advertising has helped digital marketers and advertisers with automation and scale. But it can also cause headaches for publishers and ruin user experiences. Ad Lightning wants to help, and… Read More

Calling Portland entrepreneurs and techies: 8th annual Tech Crawl set for Sept. 7

by Taylor Soper on July 6, 2017July 7, 2017 at 9:26 amComment

Calling all Portland entrepreneurs, engineers, marketers, recruiters, and everyone in between: The Portland Tech Crawl is back for another fun night of great networking, tasty food, and cold drinks. One… Read More

JetClosing raises another $2M, will expand real estate closing process service to more states

by Taylor Soper on July 6, 2017July 7, 2017 at 10:42 amComment

JetClosing is raising more cash to help support the growth of its online real estate closing platform. The Seattle startup just reeled in another $2 million for its tech-fueled mobile-focused… Read More

Ex-Amazon manager’s modular, smart housing startup Blokable is raising cash

by Nat Levy on July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 at 2:36 pmComment

Blokable, a Seattle startup focused on manufactured housing, with goals of speeding up production, cutting costs for builders and making a dent in housing affordability, is raising some cash. According… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Microsoft vets launch text11, a messaging platform connecting businesses with customers

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 at 12:34 pmComment

John deVadoss, Peng Huang, and David Hill have known that they wanted to go into business together for years. They met on the .NET team at Microsoft where they developed… Read More

Agriculture startup raises $7M to grow apples, cherries, and nuts in high-tech gel

by Taylor Soper on July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 at 11:37 amComment

Phytelligence is raising more cash to further develop its technology that helps grow food crops like apples, cherries, hops, and nuts more effectively. The Seattle startup just closed on $6.95… Read More

Chinese search giant Baidu buys Seattle startup Kitt.ai to connect natural language tech to developers

by John Cook on July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 at 10:14 amComment

Kitt.ai, the Seattle artificial intelligence startup that’s developing a conversational language engine known as ChatFlow and a “hotword” detection platform known as Snowboy, has been acquired by Chinese search giant… Read More

Founder of Valve’s Steam platform just raised $1.25M for new startup Sharkbite Games

by Nat Levy on July 3, 2017July 3, 2017 at 3:58 pmComment

Rick Ellis has his fingerprints all over modern gaming. His chief claim to gaming fame is his role as founder and lead developer of Valve Software’s Steam gaming and marketplace… Read More

Seattle investors encouraged by active dialogue on sexual harassment problems in tech

by Taylor Soper on July 1, 2017July 1, 2017 at 10:52 amComment

The New York Times published an in-depth story this week headlined Women in Tech Speak Frankly on Culture of Harassment, which included interviews with more than two dozen female entrepreneurs who shed… Read More

Startup Spotlight: motion.social is a fitness app that connects users around common interests

by Monica Nickelsburg on June 29, 2017June 30, 2017 at 2:30 pmComment

David Longdon and Justin Huff believe that the experience — not the data — is what drives people to continue exercise routines over time. That’s the premise for motion.social, a… Read More

Hemex Health lands $1.7M for lab-in-a-box that diagnoses malaria and sickle cell disease

by Clare McGrane on June 29, 2017June 30, 2017 at 12:59 pmComment

We often think about global health as a philanthropic endeavor, something addressed by nonprofits and NGOs. But there is a real opportunity for businesses tackling global health challenges, something Portland,… Read More

Pioneer Square Labs hires Madrona Venture Group’s Julie Sandler as new managing director

by Taylor Soper on June 29, 2017June 30, 2017 at 1:00 pmComment

For the past five years, Julie Sandler has immersed herself in the startup world as an investor, advisor, and mentor, traveling around the country and meeting entrepreneurs at accelerators, incubators,… Read More

Seven Peaks Ventures to raise $30M for second fund, will invest in Pacific Northwest startups

by Taylor Soper on June 28, 2017June 28, 2017 at 9:56 amComment

Seven Peaks Ventures plans to raise $30 million for its second fund and will invest in 20-to-25 startups across the West Coast. The Bend, Ore.-based venture firm has already raised $15… Read More

Sightbox raises $2.4M to grow contact lens and eye exam membership program

Startup Spotlight: VX makes augmented reality hardware that can fit in standard glasses

Seattle startup Armoire bets busy working women will want to rent their wardrobe

LiveStories raises $10M to help government agencies find, analyze, and publish civic data

Tomorrow raises $2.6M to help people buy life insurance, create wills, organize assets on an app

Medical startup VerAvanti raises $5M to build products to prevent strokes and heart attacks

Alexa Accelerator names 9 startups for inaugural Amazon and Techstars program

Bright.md raises $8M for AI-powered remote healthcare service with ‘virtual physician assistant’

Startup Spotlight: Online retailer Fuchsia helps cottage industry artisans get in front of consumers

Moz founder Rand Fishkin to step away from day-to-day operations, will remain chairman

Rover raises $65M round led by Spark Capital as pet-sitting startup aims for international expansion

Element Data raises $3.5M to help companies make decisions with A.I. and machine learning

Ignition Partners Managing Partner Frank Artale resigns after ‘misconduct’ allegations

Sexual harassment in tech is a big problem — here’s what startup founders can do about it

Cybersecurity startup RiskLens raises $5M to help businesses understand the cost of cyber risk

Seattle startup ReplyYes joins Disney Accelerator to grow retail chatbot service

Ad Lightning raises more cash to fuel growth of digital ad quality monitoring service

Calling Portland entrepreneurs and techies: 8th annual Tech Crawl set for Sept. 7

JetClosing raises another $2M, will expand real estate closing process service to more states

Ex-Amazon manager’s modular, smart housing startup Blokable is raising cash

Startup Spotlight: Microsoft vets launch text11, a messaging platform connecting businesses with customers

Agriculture startup raises $7M to grow apples, cherries, and nuts in high-tech gel

Chinese search giant Baidu buys Seattle startup Kitt.ai to connect natural language tech to developers

Founder of Valve’s Steam platform just raised $1.25M for new startup Sharkbite Games

Seattle investors encouraged by active dialogue on sexual harassment problems in tech

Hemex Health lands $1.7M for lab-in-a-box that diagnoses malaria and sickle cell disease

Pioneer Square Labs hires Madrona Venture Group’s Julie Sandler as new managing director

Seven Peaks Ventures to raise $30M for second fund, will invest in Pacific Northwest startups

Application Deadline for Seattle Angel Conference SAC XII

App Camp for Girls – Seattle

Rain RFID Alliance Meeting