GeekWire - The next big challenge for robots

Why is GeekWire reporting from Pittsburgh? Read more in our previous story.

How Bellevue is similar to Silicon Valley: The rise of the tech hub just east of Seattle has a lot in common with the Bay Area tech epicenter. In a recent talk, University of Washington professor Margaret O’Mara detailed the history, and said Bellevue and surrounding eastside suburbs are writing a new chapter that will have ripple effects far into the future. Read more.

Coinstar founder promotes new way of doing business: Jens Molbak built a billion-dollar international business by recycling coins. Now his smart money is on “tri-sector innovation” and his nonprofit NewImpact, whose tools help innovators and entrepreneurs build businesses that simultaneously serve and benefit from the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Read more.

COVID shot gets a boost: Phase 3 clinical data for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by University of Washington researchers shows positive results; Bill Gates writes about how to prevent the next pandemic; and more Pacific Northwest life sciences news.

Prudential acquisition of Seattle startup goes ‘sour’: When Prudential Financial acquired Assurance IQ for $2.35 billion in 2019, the deal was heralded as one of the largest acquisitions in Seattle tech history. Two and a half years later, a new report in The Wall Street Journal looks into how the legacy insurance provider’s “big tech bet” hasn’t panned out. Read more.