PNW startups raised more than $1B in Q3 – here’s why investors are still making bets amid pandemic, Sound Transit releases new designs, seeks input on 130th street station, and more from this week’s Seattle in the Spotlight.

PNW Startups Raised More Than $1B in Q3 – Here’s Why Investors Are Still Making Bets Amid Pandemic

GeekWire | Taylor Soper | October 14

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/seattle-area-startups-set-record-quarterly-vc-funding-1-5b-raised-q3/

“Startups in Seattle and across the Pacific Northwest continue raising gobs of money even amid an ongoing economic and health crisis. Venture capital investors sunk $1.1 billion across 65 deals during the third quarter, according to GeekWire’s tally, derived from our running list of Pacific Northwest startup investments. Funding totals from July and August eclipsed last year’s levels. The investment activity follows a strong first half of 2020 for Seattle and the broader Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem.”

Sound Transit Releases New Designs, Seeks Input on 130th Street Station

Puget Sound Business Journal | Paxtyn Merten | October 14

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/10/14/130th-street-link-light-rail-station-renderings.html

“Sound Transit released new designs for the 130th Street light rail station Tuesday and is seeking public feedback on some of its design elements. The Sound Transit board decided earlier this year to start some preliminary engineering on the project, which is located between Northgate and Shoreline stations. The new renderings map out where the station platform, entrances, bike storage, greenery and other transit connections will be located, and depict the lobby and platform areas. The agency is collecting survey responses to guide its decisions on station color, seating options, bollard styles and art.”

Seattle is the 2nd Fastest-Growing Large US City, Study Finds

KING 5 | Brit Moorer | October 12

https://www.king5.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/wallethub-names-seattle-second-fastest-growing-large-city/281-8c14128c-23a1-4b6d-9f00-368901118cbb

“A new study names Seattle as one of the fastest-growing large cities in the country.  The news may not be a surprise to many, but for homeowners it’s presenting some challenges. WalletHub has released its list of 2020’s Fastest-Growing Cities in America. The personal finance website points to the area’s strong jobs and housing markets.”