As tech companies bring workers back downtown, Zillow holds firm on ‘Cloud HQ’

As more tech companies issue mandates to bring their workers back to downtown Seattle offices, Zillow CEO Rich Barton is holding fast on what he calls “Cloud HQ.”

• "When you give people something they value, you can’t stuff the genie back in the bottle," Barton said. Zillow made a big shift to remote work early in the pandemic and is sticking to its strategy. 

• "They just don’t get it," Barton said of other companies such as Amazon that are bringing workers back. Read more.

• Related: Seattle leaders make plea for workers to return downtown

• More from our interview with Barton: Zillow CEO on leading companies through an economic storm

Seattle-area biotech experts are eying the past with a wary eye in the wake of this week’s news that Pfizer plans to acquire Bothell, Wash.-based Seagen for a whopping $43 billion.

• Most previous acquisitions in the Seattle region have ultimately gutted biotech companies and their workforces. But even if Pfizer does end up trimming Seagen's headcount, there could be silver linings for the Seattle biotech ecosystem — if Seagen’s own history is any indication. Read more.

Leafly laid off 40 employees, about 21% of its workforce, as the Seattle cannabis company faces potential delisting from Nasdaq.

• In an email to employees, CEO Yoko Miyashita cited “a slower start to 2023 than anticipated.” The company previously cut 56 positions in October. Read more. 

Google is partnering with Seattle startup LevelTen Energy to accelerate the deal-making process between clean energy developers and buyers.

• The strategy aims to make the route to power-purchase agreements less complicated by simplifying analytics on potential projects and eliminating time-consuming processes. Read more. 

Wireless coverage from space? The FCC plans to set up a new framework to facilitate connections between satellites and smartphones.

• "Connecting consumers to essential wireless services where no terrestrial mobile service is available can be life-saving in remote locations and can open up innovative opportunities for consumers and businesses," the FCC said. Read more.

A new website has taken bloom to offer the latest information on when to visit the University of Washington’s iconic cherry blossoms in Seattle.

• The site, which includes a live webcam pointed at the trees on the Quad, provides updates on when the blossoms will reach peak bloom. Read more.

The Ballmer Group is giving $43 million to the UW and others to boost early childhood education in Washington state.

• The gifts from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie include $38 million to support more than 1,500 scholarships over the next eight years. Read more.