A busy week on the Puget Sound led to a host of new tech sector moves. From cybersecurity to space travel, find out what innovations are underway for these companies. This is the Built In Seattle weekly refresh.
TwinStrand Biosciences secured $50M. The medtech company pulled in its Series B round to expand the reach of its DNA sequencing technology. Its Duplex Sequencing tech pinpoints rare and ultra-low-frequency mutations and can be used to spot cancer. Soleus Capital, Madrona Venture Group and others participated in the round. This raise follows the company’s Series A last year. [FierceBiotech]
Auth0 was acquired by Okta. The two identity companies are joining forces to offer customers more flexibility. Okta’s cloud-based enterprise platform allows customers to securely use the best-suited tech for their business while Auth0 operates for developers, helping them authenticate and secure applications and devices. The $6.5 billion deal was announced back in March. [Okta]
Seattle Tech Quote of the Week
RealSelf acquired YNS Group. With plans to expand its network to Europe and Latin America, RealSelf acquired YNS Group to connect people around the world to the best cosmetic surgeons in their area. YNS provides users with localized insights including customer testimonials, before-and-after photos, booking platforms, procedure info and more. [Built In Seattle]
Seattle surges in national tech hiring ranking. In the wake of the pandemic, Seattle’s tech scene grew significantly over last year’s figures, as recorded in a report by tech career hub Dice. The results showed that the city’s tech job openings grew by 16 percent from February of 2021 to March of 2021. It ranked sixth nationally, surpassing tech hubs like LA, Austin and Denver and promising a brighter future for the U.S. economy. [Built In Seattle]
Seattle tech leaders aim to raise $10M to battle COVID-19 in India. The group of tech industry executives going by the name Seattle for India are raising money to support COVID-19 healthcare efforts in India. Members include Apptio CEO Sunny Gupta, Accolade CEO Rajeev Singh, Amperity CEO Kabir Shahani and others. Their donations will support the initiative OxygenForIndia as it works to deliver medical oxygen to those in need of it. [GeekWire]
Blue Origin is auctioning off a trip to space. Aboard its Shepard spacecraft, Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin is auctioning off a public seat alongside a crew of astronauts for an upcoming mission on July 20. The online bidding will ensue through June 12, and the proceeds will go toward Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, a foundation helping children pursue STEM careers. [Built In Seattle]
