Annual Space Conference to Be Held Next Year in Seattle

Seattle Times | Dominic Gates | July 17

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/annual-space-conference-to-be-held-next-year-in-seattle/

“The annual NewSpace conference, which brings together space entrepreneurs, investors, scientists and government agencies, will be held for the first time in Seattle in 2016. The event has been located in Silicon Valley since its inception nine years ago and the move to Seattle, announced Friday, indicates the growing importance of the many private space ventures in this region.”

 

Health Care, Biotech Lead the Way as Seattle-Area Companies Raise $1.1B in VC Funding

Puget Sound Business Journal | Greg Lamm | July 16

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2015/07/health-care-biotech-lead-the-way-as-seattle-area.html

“Venture capital firms have invested $1.1 billion in Seattle-area companies so far this year. A big chunk of that – $444.45 million invested in 34 Seattle area companies – came in the second quarter of 2015. Health care and biotech companies led the way, raising a staggering $256.7 million for the quarter, according to a new Dow Jones VentureSource report out Thursday.”

 

Apple Advances on Diversity, Slowly

Fortune | Patricia Sellers | July 14

http://fortune.com/2015/07/14/apple-diversity-young-smith/

“Apple is making slow progress on the diversity of its workforce. Global Human Resources Chief Denise Young Smith said at Fortune Brainstorm Tech on Tuesday morning that Apple’s next “diversity report” will come “sometime this summer” and will reveal some progress on recruiting diverse employees. “We did have some movement in our hiring or women and hiring of minorities,” said Young Smith, noting that about 35% of Apple’s recent recruits are women. The upcoming report, which Young Smith claims will have “more transparency” than its report last year, will show an uptick in hiring African-American and Hispanic recruits as well.”

 

Tola Ventures Raising $225M Fund for Enterprise Tech Investments

Xconomy | Benjamin Romano | July 13

http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2015/07/13/tola-ventures-raising-225m-fund-for-enterprise-tech-investments/

“Investors in Seattle and beyond continue to be bullish on a renaissance in business computing, raising funds to back enterprise software companies, as national fundraising for venture firms hits pre-recession levels…Meanwhile, a five-year-old firm called Tola Capital has raised $202.7 million of a possible $225 million “Tola Ventures” fund, according to an SEC filing. The firm “focuses on the once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the next wave of enterprise software companies enabled by new data and cloud platforms,” as Tola Capital puts it on its website.”

 

More Start-ups Moving to Seattle Because of Microsoft’s Mentoring

KIRO 7 | Amy Clancy | July 10

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/more-start-ups-moving-seattle-because-microsofts-m/nmxBr/

“Some of the most promising up-and-coming tech talent in the country gathered in a SODO warehouse on Friday hoping to attract investors. The 14 companies were chosen out of a pool of more than 500 to be part of a business “boot camp” sponsored by Microsoft. After four months of living and learning in Seattle, many of the companies have decided to stay. Microsoft is fostering the fledgling companies through its Ventures Accelerator program. Friday was the final day of the process in which Microsoft helped the companies “bring their ideas to market by providing mentorship, technology, access to capital and niche expertise,” according to the program blog.”