Washington state leaders, alongside executives from Amazon and Boeing, launched a new accelerator aimed at making the Pacific Northwest a global hub for sustainable aviation fuel. Backed by $20 million in public and philanthropic funding, the initiative seeks to close the cost gap for low-carbon jet fuel, which remains expensive and scarce despite growing demand from airlines and cargo operators.
Read more. Seattle-area nuclear company TerraPower announced a deal with Meta in the latest example of tech giants pursuing clean energy solutions as they build power-hungry data centers amid the AI boom. Read more.
Bill Gates paid $7.9 billion to his ex-wife Melinda French Gates’ philanthropic foundation as part of the Microsoft co-founder’s 2021 divorce settlement, according to new tax filings. Read more.
Gates on AI: In his latest annual letter, Gates writes that bigger AI breakthroughs are on the horizon — and the world needs to act before disruptions become unmanageable. At the same time, he says that AI’s potential to transform healthcare, climate adaptation, and education remains enormous, if we can navigate the looming risks. Read more.
Who needs a work badge? Microchips implanted under the skin promise ease and convenience for a variety of uses, but a bill introduced in the Washington state Legislature would ban employers from requiring or pressuring workers to use such tech. Read more.
Seattle startups raised just 2.9% of total capital tracked on cap table platform Carta in 2025 — ranking sixth in the U.S., well behind the Bay Area and others including New York, L.A., Boston, and Austin. Read more.
Rad Power Bikes is shutting down retail stores in Vancouver, B.C., and St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday as the embattled electric bike manufacturer deals with its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Read more.
Hot Links:
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The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is working with Anthropic on using AI to defend critical infrastructure. (PNNL; Anthropic)
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Athira Pharma is rebranding as LeonaBio. The Bothell, Wash., startup recently pivoted its primary focus from Alzheimer’s to oncology after a rocky few years. (LeonaBio)
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Seattle real estate startup RentSpree launched a new banking experience for small landlords. (PR Newswire)
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Amperity, the Seattle-based customer data company, introduced an enterprise AI agent for marketers. (Amperity)
Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great weekend. — GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; and reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. 
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