U.S. cybersecurity leader on holding tech companies accountable

“It is unfortunate that we’ve now accepted this cultural norm that software just comes with a ton of vulnerabilities.” That was Jen Easterly (above) director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, speaking with GeekWire this week during a visit to the Seattle region, where she met with tech companies including Amazon and Microsoft, in addition to educators, business leaders, and government officials. Here’s what she talked about.

Thirty-two seconds: This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we hear the pitches made by four startup CEOs in the 32 seconds it takes to get to the top of Seattle’s historic Smith Tower, on their way to winning their respective episodes on this season of GeekWire’s Elevator Pitch. It’s a preview of the upcoming season finale, in which each of the four will make a final pitch at the GeekWire Summit next week, live on stage. Read more and listen here.

🎟️ Register here for the GeekWire Summit in person or online, Oct. 6-7.

Trail Blazers end deal with Seattle startup: Portland’s NBA team is ending its jersey sponsorship with crypto company StormX unexpectedly. The deal, inked in 2021, was supposed to last five years.

Twenty-one years: The Seattle Mariners are in the postseason for the first time in 21 years. So much has changed in Seattle since then, as tech reshaped the city into a hub of innovation. We look back at how the region has evolved. 

Go Mariners! Have a great weekend. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com, and co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com.