Despite a shaky venture capital market, several startups managed to gain momentum and reach new heights last year. Five finalists are up for the Startup of the Year category at the GeekWire Awards: Kevala, Overland AI, Pictory, Shipium, and SingleFile. To be eligible for consideration, startups need to be no more than five years old in 2024. Last year’s winner was Arrived Homes, a Seattle startup that uses crowdfunding to help people purchase shares of rental properties. The GeekWire Awards recognize the top innovators and companies in Pacific Northwest technology, with finalists selected based on community nominations and input from judges.
Community voting across all categories will continue until April 12, combined with feedback from judges to determine the winner in each category. The winners will be announced live onstage at Showbox SoDo in Seattle on May 9. Table sponsorships are available for the event, with early bird pricing ending on March 31. Those interested in sponsoring a category or purchasing a table sponsorship can contact events@geekwire.com. Special thanks to Astound Business Solutions, the presenting sponsor of the 2024 GeekWire Awards.
Kevala, a Seattle startup, helps senior living and healthcare organizations manage scheduling for internal and external staff. The founder, Todd Owens, has led previous companies such as TalentWise, Appuri, and Azuqua. Overland AI, a University of Washington spinout, is developing technology for off-road autonomous vehicles. The founders include CEO Byron Boots, CTO Jonathan Fink, and president Stephanie Bonk, all with extensive experience in robotics and research. Pictory, another Seattle startup, uses AI to help content creators and marketers turn long-form content into short-form videos. The founders, Vikram Chalana, Abid Ali, and Vishal Chalana, previously co-founded Winshuttle, a data management company.
SingleFile, a Seattle startup, helps companies and their legal teams file compliance reports with states. The company was founded by former ProQuest exec Sean Flynn, with Aaron Finn, founder of AdReady, joining as CEO in 2021. Shipium, a Seattle logistics startup, helps e-commerce companies improve their supply chain capabilities. The founders, CEO Jason Murray and CTO Mac Brown, both have extensive experience at Amazon and other companies. Shipium recently landed $27M in funding to help online retailers compete with Amazon. The GeekWire Awards serve as a platform to recognize and celebrate the achievements of startups and innovators in the Pacific Northwest technology scene.
