Get caught up on the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of April 12, 2026.
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Amazon payments to Bezos’ Blue Origin reach $1.8B as shareholders cite conflicts of interest
Amazon paid about $1.8 billion last year to Blue Origin, the aerospace company owned by its founder and board chair Jeff Bezos — nearly triple the amount the year before — as shareholders weigh a proposal citing his business interests outside Amazon as potential conflicts of interest. … Read More
These fifth graders vibe coded a real-world Braille tool — and wowed their Microsoft teacher
The students in a computer science class at the Global Idea School, an independent, non-profit elementary school in Redmond, Wash., learned vibe coding through GitHub Spark and built a Braille 3D Generator, a tool that turns text into printable, tactile 3D Braille models in seconds. Read More … Read More
OpenAI sees ‘staggering’ demand for Amazon offering, says Microsoft partnership held it back
OpenAI’s chief revenue officer touted the AWS alliance as a key enterprise growth driver, saying that the Microsoft relationship has constrained the company’s reach into big business. … Read More
The fusion pivot: Helion CEO David Kirtley’s journey from starships to sustainable star power
Before he was trying to bottle the sun in Everett, Wash., David Kirtley was building rockets. … Read More
Opinion: Make Democracy capitalist again
If you listen to Democrats at both the state and national level today, capitalism is the enemy. … Read More
Amazon and Apple vs. Starlink: Globalstar satellite acquisition comes with a big iPhone bonus
Amazon’s deal for satellite operator Globalstar doesn’t just bulk up Amazon Leo — it brings Apple along for the ride, with a long-term agreement to power iPhone and Apple Watch satellite features. … Read More
The $100-a-month workforce: How an entrepreneur uses AI bots to bootstrap a Portland delivery startup
Meet the Oregon-based startup founder using agentic AI to launch a delivery startup that supports the sale of secondhand goods. … Read More
SeekOut’s Anoop Gupta steps down as CEO, hands reins of AI recruiting company to tech vet Sean Thompson
Anoop Gupta is stepping down as CEO of SeekOut, the Bellevue-based recruiting startup he co-founded in 2017, handing the reins to enterprise software veteran Sean Thompson. … Read More
Seattle startup Ambassador acquires ad platform Humming, eyes more deals amid AI shakeout
Seattle customer engagement startup Ambassador has acquired the operating assets of Tacoma-based programmatic ad platform Humming, part of a roll-up strategy that anticipates a larger shakeout among startups as major AI platforms expand their capabilities. … Read More
Seattle mayor floats moratorium on new data centers in city limits
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson raised the possibility of a moratorium on new data centers in the city, following a report that four companies have approached Seattle City Light about building five large-scale facilities. … Read More
