Startups

Ganaz uses technology to connect farmers with workers amid uncertainty in the agriculture industry

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 22, 2017September 22, 2017 at 9:17 amComment

Hannah Freeman and Sri Artham believe the current system farmers use to get labor is broken, expensive, and fertile ground for corruption. They came to that realization during the years… Read More

Social media AI startup Meshfire is closing, founders aim to find a new home for the technology

by Nat Levy on September 21, 2017September 21, 2017 at 10:55 amComment

Meshfire, an artificial intelligence-backed social media management company based in Kirkland, Wash., will shut down Sept. 30. Meshfire CEO Eli Israel penned a blog post announcing the closure, saying that the… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Sensible Object makes games that blend the physical and digital worlds

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 20, 2017September 20, 2017 at 3:17 pmComment

Alex Fleetwood is a game guru motivated by a simple purpose: using technology to connect people in real life. His first company was Hide&Seek, a design studio that created games… Read More

Podcast

GeekWire Podcast: PitchBook CEO John Gabbert on the funding trends fueling the tech economy

by Clare McGrane on September 20, 2017September 20, 2017 at 1:40 pmComment

John Gabbert knows a thing or two about financing a startup. He’s the founder and CEO of PitchBook, a resource on private investment deals, funds, investors and service providers all… Read More

Venture capital group sues Trump administration for delaying ‘startup visa’

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 at 10:23 amComment

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) is filing a lawsuit with startups and entrepreneurs claiming it is illegal for President Donald Trump to delay implementation of a rule that would… Read More

Immigration startup Boundless launches tools to streamline applying for a marriage-based green card

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 19, 2017September 18, 2017 at 9:04 pmComment

It can take anywhere from nine months to three years for a would-be immigrant to the U.S. to receive feedback on a marriage-based green card application — and that’s after… Read More

Health tech startup 98point6 raises $19.5M to connect patients with doctors in new ‘virtual clinic’

by Clare McGrane on September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 at 10:10 amComment

What if you could have quality primary care that treats you when you need it and helps you stay healthy — without ever stepping foot in a doctor’s office? It… Read More

Video

How this father-daughter founding team landed a spot in Techstars with their automotive startup

by Taylor Soper on September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 at 11:07 pmComment

Jere Lansinger needed some business advice. After spending more than four decades working as an automotive engineer for Chrysler, Lansinger was tinkering around with a new idea in his garage. So he… Read More

Health tech startup Saykara emerges from stealth mode with AI voice transcriber for doctors

by Clare McGrane on September 18, 2017September 19, 2017 at 8:19 amComment

Another Seattle startup has emerged from stealth mode: Saykara, a health technology company developing an AI-fueled voice scribe that aims to be the Amazon Alexa for hospitals. The service uses… Read More

This startup is raising funds to build a telehealth service — for the family pet

by Clare McGrane on September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 at 11:44 amComment

Pet owners are very invested in their animal companions, and now more than ever they are turning to technology to help them manage their interspecies families. If Seattle startup Rover… Read More

Loftium will help you buy a house if you agree to Airbnb a bedroom and split the profits

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 at 8:46 amComment

Laura Coe never expected to buy a house before she was 30. The 29-year-old Microsoft finance manager has been renting in Seattle since she moved here in 2010, and remaining… Read More

Glympse co-founder Bryan Trussel steps aside as CEO, as location tech company preps for next growth wave

by Nat Levy on September 15, 2017September 15, 2017 at 12:20 pmComment

Glympse co-founder Bryan Trussel is stepping down from his post as CEO as the company gets set for a major growth spurt. Trussel isn’t leaving the Seattle location sharing startup… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Novel Effect aims to make story time more magical for kids using voice recognition technology

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 at 4:52 pmComment

Melissa and Matt Hammersley got the idea for Novel Effect when they were expecting their first child, Eleanor. They wanted to create something that would help them bond as a… Read More

Video

Amperity reveals marketing data platform and Microsoft partnership as it aims to become Seattle’s next great startup

by Taylor Soper on September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 at 8:58 amComment

Amperity has top talent, solid venture investment, and a tested solution to a pressing problem. Now the company is coming out of stealth mode to share its vision with the… Read More

Paris marketing startup raises $36M and plans to quadruple Seattle team in two years

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 12, 2017September 12, 2017 at 12:53 pmComment

Paris-based digital marketing startup SendinBlue has secured a whopping $36 million in funding and plans to use the cash to substantially grow its Seattle office, the company’s U.S. base. Partech… Read More

Microsoft backs Seattle-Vancouver high-speed rail study as Cascadia conference aims to deepen ties between regions

by Nat Levy on September 12, 2017September 12, 2017 at 9:04 amComment

Pacific Northwest business and political leaders on both sides of the Canadian border announced today a series of agreements to strengthen relationships between Seattle, Portland, Vancouver B.C. and the surrounding… Read More

Video

Smart home light switch builder Deako raises $2.1M to expand across U.S.

by Taylor Soper on September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 at 12:13 pmComment

Deako, a Seattle startup that develops smart light switches, has raised an additional $2.1 million in new funding as it prepares to expand across the country. The fresh cash comes… Read More

Unium raises more cash as new CEO Martha Bejar takes over WiFi software startup

by Taylor Soper on September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 at 9:37 amComment

Unium continues to raise cash for its WiFi software product. The Seattle startup just reeled in an additional $3.3 million of a larger round from existing investors, confirmed Unium CEO… Read More

Startup Spotlight: InPipe Energy harnesses electric power from water running through pipes

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 7, 2017September 7, 2017 at 3:48 pmComment

Gregg Semler has spent the past 17 years focused on innovations that can make civilization more sustainable, from energy and air to agriculture. That work revealed an underutilized resource for… Read More

Forget fantasy football: This new esports startup backed by NFL team owner Paul Allen pits fans against each other

by Taylor Soper on September 7, 2017September 8, 2017 at 11:55 amComment

Esports is a $700 million global industry, and growing rapidly. And while traditional sports fans may scoff at professional video gamers dueling in heated on-screen matchups of League of Legends or Overwatch, these… Read More

Rental home repair marketplace Keepe raises $1.5M to expand to more cities

by Nat Levy on September 6, 2017September 6, 2017 at 9:04 am1 Comment

Finding a good contractor has become easier for homeowners over the years, with proliferation of marketplaces like Porch and HomeAdvisor, but it’s still a rough go for renters and property managers… Read More

Startup Spotlight: Game designers build Triangul8, a modern-day ‘chess killer’

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 31, 2017September 1, 2017 at 7:42 amComment

Game designer James Hutt and Microsoft engineer Eric Jorgensen have joined forces to build a game that they think could be the chess of the 21st Century. There are two… Read More

Heads up, Portland: We’re hosting a Tech Crawl after party in the Rose City next week

by Taylor Soper on August 31, 2017September 6, 2017 at 11:13 amComment

Yo, Portland peeps: Join us next week as we travel south to host an after party at one of Portland’s biggest tech events, the PDX Tech Crawl. Next Thursday, Sept.… Read More

Migo launches transportation search engine app with Lyft and car2go payment integration

by Taylor Soper on August 31, 2017August 31, 2017 at 8:17 am 2 Comments

After months of beta testing, Migo’s transportation app is out in the wild. The Seattle startup today officially launched its new iOS app that acts as a real-time search engine for… Read More

E-commerce vets raise $1.5M from top VCs and NFL players for sports jersey rental startup

by Taylor Soper on August 30, 2017August 30, 2017 at 8:30 am1 Comment

A new Seattle startup backed by top venture capital investors and NFL stars is looking to change the way sports fans pay for jerseys with an e-commerce rental model that… Read More

Amplero raises $17.5 million to help humans and machines analyze vast expanses of marketing data

by Nat Levy on August 29, 2017August 29, 2017 at 8:27 amComment

Amplero, a Seattle startup that makes artificial intelligence-powered marketing technology, has picked up $17.5 million in a new round of funding. The Series B round was led by Greycroft Partners and Ignition Partners, with… Read More

Unicorn report: Fewer companies reaching a $1B valuation than in years past

by Taylor Soper on August 25, 2017August 28, 2017 at 12:32 pmComment

There are more unicorns in the startup world than ever before, but fewer are being birthed compared to years past. PitchBook released its 2017 Unicorn Report this week and the… Read More

Startup Spotlight: CloudEnablers makes it easier for companies to manage their cloud-based tools

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 24, 2017August 25, 2017 at 2:04 pmComment

As the tools needed to run a business increasingly shift to the cloud, companies often find themselves managing a wide-range of products, each on its own update schedule, with its… Read More

Mighty AI co-founder Matt Bencke diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, vows to ‘beat the odds’ as he hands over CEO reins

by John Cook on August 24, 2017August 24, 2017 at 5:55 am 3 Comments

Mighty AI co-founder Matt Bencke has stepped down as CEO of the fast-growing Seattle startup after being diagnosed with stage-4 pancreatic cancer. Bencke, who co-founded Mighty AI in 2014 and… Read More

Homebuying startup Open Listings expands to Seattle with backing from Reddit’s Alexis Ohanian

by Nat Levy on August 23, 2017August 22, 2017 at 11:08 pmComment

When Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian started looking for a new place about two years ago, he didn’t opt for a traditional broker or go through a big online service like… Read More

Ganaz uses technology to connect farmers with workers amid uncertainty in the agriculture industry

Startup Spotlight: Sensible Object makes games that blend the physical and digital worlds

GeekWire Podcast: PitchBook CEO John Gabbert on the funding trends fueling the tech economy

Venture capital group sues Trump administration for delaying ‘startup visa’

Immigration startup Boundless launches tools to streamline applying for a marriage-based green card

Health tech startup 98point6 raises $19.5M to connect patients with doctors in new ‘virtual clinic’

How this father-daughter founding team landed a spot in Techstars with their automotive startup

Health tech startup Saykara emerges from stealth mode with AI voice transcriber for doctors

This startup is raising funds to build a telehealth service — for the family pet

Loftium will help you buy a house if you agree to Airbnb a bedroom and split the profits

Glympse co-founder Bryan Trussel steps aside as CEO, as location tech company preps for next growth wave

Startup Spotlight: Novel Effect aims to make story time more magical for kids using voice recognition technology

Amperity reveals marketing data platform and Microsoft partnership as it aims to become Seattle’s next great startup

Paris marketing startup raises $36M and plans to quadruple Seattle team in two years

Microsoft backs Seattle-Vancouver high-speed rail study as Cascadia conference aims to deepen ties between regions

Smart home light switch builder Deako raises $2.1M to expand across U.S.

Unium raises more cash as new CEO Martha Bejar takes over WiFi software startup

Startup Spotlight: InPipe Energy harnesses electric power from water running through pipes

Forget fantasy football: This new esports startup backed by NFL team owner Paul Allen pits fans against each other

Rental home repair marketplace Keepe raises $1.5M to expand to more cities

Startup Spotlight: Game designers build Triangul8, a modern-day ‘chess killer’

Heads up, Portland: We’re hosting a Tech Crawl after party in the Rose City next week

Migo launches transportation search engine app with Lyft and car2go payment integration

E-commerce vets raise $1.5M from top VCs and NFL players for sports jersey rental startup

Amplero raises $17.5 million to help humans and machines analyze vast expanses of marketing data

Unicorn report: Fewer companies reaching a $1B valuation than in years past

Mighty AI co-founder Matt Bencke diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, vows to ‘beat the odds’ as he hands over CEO reins

Homebuying startup Open Listings expands to Seattle with backing from Reddit’s Alexis Ohanian

For Here or To Go?

FullConTech “The Immigrant Workforce”

UW Master of Science in Entrepreneurship Info Session