Tech Investor Matt Mcllwain: Seattle Will Shape the Future with a ‘Three-Layer Cake’ of Innovation

GeekWire | Clare McGrane | November 10

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/venture-capitalist-matt-mcilwain-a-three-layer-cake-of-innovation/

“The tumultuous election has put a cloud of uncertainty over the tech industry. But Matt McIlwain is optimistic, especially when it comes to the Seattle region’s prospects as a technology leader. Speaking at the Tech Alliance’s SciTech Northwest on Wednesday, McIlwain — managing director at Seattle-based venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group — kept his message positive by focusing on the future of technology. McIlwain described a “three-layer cake” of the future of tech — event-driven computing, cloud computing, and multisense interface — and said Seattle’s success in these three areas means it is ideally poised to be a global leader in the next wave of innovation.”

 

Sea-Tac Airport Projected to Land Among 10 Busiest Airports in the U.S.

Puget Sound Business Journal | Andrew McIntosh | November 10

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2016/11/10/sea-tac-airport-projected-to-land-among-10-busiest.html

“The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, profiting from the Puget Sound region’s economic boom and rapid growth, may soon crack the prestigious top 10 list of busiest airports in the United States. Based on current trends, including a record number of passengers in September, Sea-Tac officials are predicting they could be among the country’s top 10 by year’s end, after handling more than 45 million passengers. It handled 42.3 million passengers in 2015, according to the Airports Council International Official Airline Guide, and it is home to Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK). Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has made Sea-Tac a bigger hub and expanded here, and many Southwest Airlines (NYSE : LUV) flights operate into Seattle.”

 

With Support from the Tech Industry, Seattle’s $54B Transit Plan Speeds Toward Approval

GeekWire | Monica Nickelsburg | November 9

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/support-tech-industry-seattles-54b-transit-plan-speeds-toward-approval/

“Seattle-area tech titans like Microsoft, Amazon, and Expedia want to see the region’s transportation infrastructure double over the next 25 years. It appears their wish will come true. The most recent figures have the $54 billion Sound Transit 3 (ST3) ballot measure passing with more than 55 percent of the vote. The initiative would add 62 new miles of light rail linking Tacoma, Federal Way, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Seattle’s Ballard and West Seattle neighborhoods, and Everett. ST3 will also expand existing bus and train service and add parking.”

 

Are You ‘Cloud Native’? Sold-Out Seattle Conference Offers a Peek at the Future of Apps

GeekWire | Dan Richman | November 8

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/cloud-native-sold-seattle-conference-offers-peek-future-apps/

“More than 1,000 developers, vendors and end-users of open-source software have gathered in Seattle this week for the sold-out CloudNativeCon + KubeCon, a conference devoted to technologies for microservices, containers and the cloud. The show is sponsored by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), formed in December 2015 as part of the non-profit Linux Foundation, a nonprofit advancing professional open-source management for mass collaboration. The “cloud native” moniker refers to the trend away from moving existing applications intact from on-premises to the cloud, and toward writing new applications that take advantage of the greater flexibility and ease of development in the cloud. Designs so complex that they’d be prohibitively expensive if expressed in routers, servers and other hardware can be easily, quickly and cheaply created in the cloud’s virtual environment. “

 

Voters Approval Minimum Wage Increase to $13.50 in Washington State

Seattle Times | Janet Tu | November 8

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-state-minimum-wage-initiative-1433/

Washington’s low-wage workers can expect to earn at least $13.50 an hour by 2020 under a ballot measure that won Tuesday night. Initiative 1433, which would also require paid sick leave for employees, was leading with nearly 60 percent of the vote in statewide returns, as of early Wednesday. In King County the measure was leading overwhelmingly, by 72 percent to 28 percent. Carlo Caldirola-Davis, campaign manager with Raise Up Washington, the group behind I-1433, declared victory, saying in a statement: “When voters filled in their ballots, they were clear — in Washington state, we want an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.