Seattle is one of the original tech hubs in the U.S., and as such, much of its activity revolves around more than just lucrative funding. This past week, the Seattle tech scene witnessed its fair share of funding rounds, but also new initiatives around blockchain technology and executive hires. Catch up on all things tech with Built In Seattle’s weekly refresh.
Arrived Homes gets $25M. With the new funding, the Seattle startup is looking to add more rental properties to its online investing platform that lets investors purchase single shares of single-family rental properties. Currently, Arrived Homes has over 100 properties with shares starting as low as $100 and will add investment properties in Florida, Texas, Nevada and Indiana next. [Built In]
Getty Images gets into NFT game. Getty Images, one of the largest databases of digital images, announced that it will soon sell NFTs in partnership with Candy Digital. According to the company, it will create limited edition NFTs from never-before-seen analog photos in its archive. The NFTs will be minted on the Palm blockchain and sold on Candy Digital’s marketplace. [Built In]
Seattle Tech Quote of the week
Karat appointed a new board member. Following an investment from Serena Ventures, an investment firm owned by tennis superstar Serena Williams, Seattle-based Karat is appointing Teresa Carlson to its board of directors. Carlson has held leadership positions at Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Splunk. Carlson is also an advocate for diversity in tech and will help Karat scale its Brilliant Black Minds program. [Bussniess Wire]
Included raises seed funding. After closing a $3.5 million seed round, Seattle-based HR startup Included announced that it is looking to bring in engineering talent to continue developing tools that promote DEI and inclusivity. Since launching, Included has been helping companies adopt DEI initiatives with its platform that analyzes a company’s hires and gives DEI feedback. [Built In]
Stack wants to teach teens about investing. Stack, a mobile app founded by Will Rush, want to help kids start investing in crypto while also teaching them about financial literacy and investment principles. Currently in beta, Stack is launching a platform where teens and parents can open custodial accounts that would allow teens to purchase digital currencies. The app will also reward teens for completing finance lessons and challenges. [Built In]
KaJ Labs Raised $400M. Blockchain startup KaJ Labs recently announced that it sold $400 million worth of its LITHO tokens to Global Emerging Markets, an investment firm based in the Bahamas. With the new capital, KaJ Labs will develop new blockchain technology and will advance the adoption of its Litho coin. Recently the startup also released a metaverse game titled Finesse. [PR Newswire]
