12-20-25 -

Landline phones in 2025? How this tech industry veteran is helping kids connect
A Seattle startup is reviving the landline — without screens, apps, or AI — and parents can’t buy them fast enough. In this Uncommon Thinkers episode of the GeekWire Podcast, Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson explains why voice-only phones are reso...

12-20-25 -

A reality check on AI engineering: Lessons from the trenches of an early stag...
AI isn’t replacing engineers. It’s replacing slow feedback loops, tedious work, and barriers to execution. Read More

12-20-25 -

Blue Origin breaks the accessibility barrier by sending the first wheelchair ...
German engineer Michaela Benthaus and five other crew members are waiting to take a suborbital space trip offered by Jeff Bezos' space venture. Read More

12-19-25 -

Donald Trump as fusion entrepreneur? Washington state energy rivals react to ...
The $6 billion merger between TAE and Trump Media sent a shock wave through the fusion industry — and is drawing skepticism from Washington's fusion hub. Read More

12-19-25 -

Starbucks hires Amazon grocery tech leader as new CTO amid turnaround push
Starbucks has named longtime Amazon executive Anand Varadarajan as its new chief technology officer, tapping a veteran of the tech giant’s grocery and supply chain operations as the coffee chain pushes to modernize technology in its stores. Read...

12-19-25 -

Microsoft and NASA create AI agents that can help scientists anticipate flood...
Microsoft and NASA say they’re applying artificial intelligence to a challenge that has become all too pressing in the past… Read More

12-19-25 -

Tech Moves: Nintex CEO to depart; Raikes Foundation names leader; Qualtrics e...
Nintex CEO Amit Mathradas is set to depart for Five9; Raikes Foundation names a new leader; and a Qualtrics exec is now at Workday. Read More

12-19-25 -

From AI to drones, Redmond police chief builds a high-tech department in Micr...
Darrell Lowe, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, views Redmond as the ideal staging ground for a new era of policing that capitalizes on technological advancements. Read More

12-18-25 -

Scientist-as-a-Service: Seattle startup Pauling.AI aims to shrink drug discov...
The company's technology can complete tasks in a matter of weeks that previously required three to six months, said founder and CEO Javier Tordable. Read More

12-18-25 -

RentSpree, a profitable real estate startup helping mom-and-pop landlords, be...
RentSpree, which got its start in Los Angeles but is now headquartered in Seattle, has built a profitable business helping landlords and real estate agents screen tenants, collect rent, sign leases, and manage rentals online. Read More

12-18-25 -

Athira Pharma recovers from Alzheimers failure with breast cancer pivot and $...
In a remarkable pivot, Athira Pharma has a deal to test a promising breast cancer drug and landed $90 million in upfront funding from investors. Read More

12-18-25 -

Tin Can dials up another $12M to meet soaring demand for landline-style phone...
Since launching its flagship product earlier this year, the Seattle startup quickly went "viral," sold out its first two production runs and built a near-six-figure waitlist. Read More

12-18-25 -

With new Alexa website, Amazons consumer AI vision finally comes together an...
Amazon has quietly started rolling Alexa.com, bringing its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant to the desktop browser for the first time and completing a long-missing piece of its consumer AI strategy. The web portal offers point-and-click control over re...

12-18-25 -

The kids have spoken: Teens holistic approach to school phone policies rivals...
The University of Washington’s Youth Advisory Board, a group of teens from Seattle-area schools, tackled school phone policies, highlighting the need for student input. Read More

12-18-25 -

Blue Origin postpones the first spaceflight of a wheelchair user due to techn...
German engineer Michaela Benthaus overcomes a spinal cord injury to join the crew for a brief suborbital space trip offered by Jeff Bezos' space venture. Read More

12-17-25 -

Rad Power Bikes biggest unpaid bill is $8.3M to U.S. Customs, as tariffs sque...
The situation underscores the financial strain facing Rad and the broader e-bike industry after rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic gave way to slowing demand, rising costs and lingering trade pressures. Read More

12-17-25 -

Amazon AI chief Rohit Prasad leaving; Infrastructure exec Peter DeSantis to l...
Amazon AI chief Rohit Prasad is leaving at year's end, according to a memo from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Peter DeSantis, a 27-year veteran who has led AWS infrastructure, will oversee a new organization combining AI, silicon, and quantum computing. ...

12-17-25 -

Scientists rule out a hidden ocean on Titan, but theres still hope for discov...
A fresh analysis of readings from Titan suggests the Saturnian moon doesn't have enough liquid water for an ocean, but maybe enough for life. Read More

12-17-25 -

Startup Radar: Seattle companies tackle ports, protein design, golf scorecard...
Welcome back to another Startup Radar, where we highlight up-and-coming early stage startups across the Seattle region. This time we’re… Read More

12-16-25 -

Rad Power Bikes files for bankruptcy protection as Seattle e-bike maker pursu...
The filing revealed new details of the privately held company's ownership structure and financial predicament — including a steady decline in revenue, and liabilities more than double its assets. Read More

12-16-25 -

Tech Moves: Seattle hires first AI Officer; Microsoft nabs AI media leader; D...
Lisa Qian is Seattle's first AI Officer; Microsoft recruit AI media leader Julia Beizer from Bloomberg; and DexCare names Rakshay Jain as chief product officer. Read More

12-16-25 -

Senators probe AI tech giants over electric bills; Amazon says its data cente...
Amazon says its data centers aren't raising power bills for residential customers, releasing a white paper as three U.S. senators launched an investigation into whether tech companies are doing exactly that. Read More

12-16-25 -

Washington and 35 other states reach settlement with Hyundai and Kia over lac...
The Korean automakers must equip all future vehicles sold in the U.S. with engine immobilizer anti-theft technology. Read More

12-16-25 -

Allen Institute for AI rivals Google, Meta and OpenAI with open-source AI vis...
Ai2 unveiled Molmo 2, a new open-source AI model that can analyze video with precision — tracking objects, counting events, and pinpointing exactly where and when things happen in a clip. The advanced vision system offers an open alternative to ...

12-15-25 -

UW study finds touch screens in cars create a multitasking problem that impac...
The results could help auto manufacturers design safer, more responsive screens and in-car interfaces. Read More

12-15-25 -

Googles real estate listings experiment sends Zillow shares down more than 8%
A key Google partner is starting to display home listing details directly in search results, prompting some industry experts and analysts to question what impact the feature could have on the traffic — and financials — of major portal players ...

12-15-25 -

Filing: Amazon cuts 84 jobs in Washington state, unrelated to broader layoffs
Amazon filed a new layoff notice covering 84 Washington employees, but the cuts are unrelated to its October job reductions — stemming instead from a new state disclosure law. Read More

12-15-25 -

Washington joins lawsuit opposing $100K fee for H-1B visas allowing foreign S...
Washington is part of a newly filed lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the legality of a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas. Read More

12-15-25 -

The storyteller behind Microsofts print revival, Steve Clayton, is leaving fo...
The Microsoft executive behind the company’s recent push into books and print magazines is turning the page on a 28-year career, departing for a chief communications role at Cisco. Read More

12-15-25 -

Lime bike and scooter rides jumped 61% in Seattle in 2025, with Pike Place Ma...
According to Lime's "2025 Ride Replay," released Monday, electric scooter and bike-share riders took 9.7 million trips in Seattle this year. Read More

12-15-25 -

AI is coming for your shopping cart: How agentic commerce could disrupt onlin...
AI agents are beginning to research, compare, and even buy products on behalf of consumers. But as tech companies and retailers jump into the world of agentic commerce, the reality right now is far more limited, raising big questions about who wil...

12-15-25 -

Startups team up to demonstrate satellite rendezvous using Starfish Spaces na...
Impulse Space's Mira spacecraft snaps close-ups of another satellite during orbital approach guided by Starfish software. Read More

12-14-25 -

Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of Dec. 7, 2025
See the technology stories that people were reading on GeekWire for the week of Dec. 7, 2025. Read More

12-13-25 -

Uncommon Thinkers: Hope for the future from our 2025 honorees
Recorded backstage at the GeekWire Gala, this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast spotlights the 2025 Uncommon Thinkers — innovators working on space, biology, AI, environmental cleanup, and the future of social media. Read More

12-12-25 -

When the room reads you: Student prints resume on T-shirt in bid to attract e...
Smartly taking advantage of an event attended by more than 750 members of Seattle's tech community, Yerjasn Ait showed up at the GeekWire Gala Thursday night sporting a white T-shirt with his resume printed on the front. Read More

12-12-25 -

Tech Moves: PSLs Kevin Leneway lands at OpenAI; Madrona taps new director; an...
Kevin Leneway, a veteran engineering leader at the Pioneer Square Labs startup incubator in Seattle, is joining OpenAI as a solutions architect… Read More

12-12-25 -

GeekWire Gala recap: Humans and robots party together in Seattle at our geeky...
Check out the photos from our annual holiday extravaganza, which drew more than 750 members of Seattle's tech community to the Showbox SoDo. Read More

12-12-25 -

Seattle-area startup challenges Tesla Powerwall with hydrogen-fueled Lego bri...
Seattle-area startup Hyviva is challenging the Tesla Powerwall with an easily scalable energy storage system fueled with hydrogen. Read More

12-11-25 -

Recycling startup Ridwell hits 130,000 customers as new mail-in service takes...
Ridwell, the Seattle startup that collects plastic and other hard-to-recycle items from consumers, keeps growing its footprint across the U.S.… Read More

12-11-25 -

GeekWire Gala FAQ: What to know before you tech the halls at our big holiday ...
Our annual holiday extravaganza will feature food, drinks, music, dancing, karaoke, games and the best chance to network with more than 700 fellow tech community members. Read More

12-11-25 -

Joon Care, a Seattle-based mental health startup serving youth, acquired by H...
Seattle-based mental health startup Joon Care was acquired by Handspring Health. The companies both launched to provide online care for youth and young adults. Read More

12-11-25 -

Outbound Aerospace winds down after exotic aircraft concept reaches the end o...
Seattle startup 'ran out of money' as it tried to pivot from creating a blended-wing passenger jet to building drones for the U.S. military. Read More

12-11-25 -

Meet the six Uncommon Thinkers who are changing the world with transformative...
Now in its third year, GeekWire's "Uncommon Thinkers" — in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners — recognizes the inventors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs transforming industries and driving positive change in the w...

12-11-25 -

Inside the Windows 1.0 reunion: How a scrappy team shipped the product that c...
A core group of early Microsoft developers and business leaders reunited this week, 40 years after releasing Windows 1.0, sharing previously untold stories and reflecting on a landmark project that set the stage for a global computing revolution. ...

12-10-25 -

Washington state will provide $350K to support Portal Space Systems satellite...
Gov. Ferguson approves award to Portal from strategic reserve fund for economic development. Read More

12-10-25 -

Tech Moves: T-Mobile names COO; Microsoft and Amazon execs depart; Redfin vet...
T-Mobile names a new COO, Microsoft and Amazon execs depart, and a Redfin vet joins RentSpree as CTO. Read More

12-10-25 -

Amazon expands same-day service for perishable groceries, intensifying battle...
Fresh groceries now make up nine of the top 10 most-ordered same-day items, according to Amazon. Read More

12-10-25 -

Microsoft says its Copilot AI tool is a vital companion in new analysis of 37...
Microsoft has released one of its most detailed looks yet at how people use Copilot — and the results suggest the AI assistant takes on different roles depending on time of day and the device being used. Read More

12-10-25 -

Last chance to grab a GeekWire Gala ticket join us for Seattles big, geeky h...
The festive night includes food, drinks, karaoke, games, and plenty of surprise moments. Party alongside the region’s top innovators and entrepreneurs. Read More

12-10-25 -

Engineering leader survey: AI isnt leading to massive job cuts but its siphon...
Karat's new "AI Workforce Transformation" report coincides with the release of Karat NextGen, an AI-enabled talent evaluation solution designed to identify software engineers who will excel in an era of increased human and AI collaborati...