Seattle had a busy week in tech news. Some startups opened new offices, while others closed funding rounds or announced new features. Read up on SecureSave’s $11 million funding raise or catch up on Amazon’s new AR feature with the Built In Seattle Weekly Refresh.
Tech companies opened new offices in Seattle. The greater Seattle region is one of the more known tech hubs in the U.S., and as such, tech companies have flocked to the area and leased office space to reel in the talent in the area. In 2022, companies such as Google and Snap have opened new offices in Seattle. Game developer Riot Games and Sila, a silicone-based battery developer, also recently moved into the region. [Built In Seattle]
Game Jolt spotlighted in Future 5 series. Game Jolt, a social media platform for gamers, grew to 4 million monthly users in 2022. The platform was created by Yaprak DeCarmine, a Turkish native who used video as a way to learn English after moving to Seattle. The platform features game-specific community groups for some of the most popular game titles. [Built In Seattle]
seattle TECH QUOTE OF THE WEEK
SecureSave raised $11M. SecureSave wants workers to have peace of mind for when personal emergencies hit. SecureSave provides companies the opportunity to provide workers with employer-sponsored saving accounts in which money is automatically deducted from checks and employers match contributions. [Built In Seattle]
Strella reeled in $8M for sensors. Strella’s sensors can detect when fruits emit certain gasses during their maturation process and help shippers and food suppliers know when their fruit is ripe. The sensors have been mainly used by the apple industry, but with the new funding, Strella plans to do a national rollout of its sensors, as well as develop new products for the food supply chain. [Built In Seattle]
Amazon launched a new AR feature. A new feature released on the iOS version of the Amazon shopping app will let shoppers virtually try on shoes using the back camera on phones and Amazon’s augmented reality tech. The feature will not work on all shoes, but currently works on brands such as New Balance, Adidas, Reebok and Puma, to name a few. [Built In Seattle]
