New marketplace startup raises $6.1M to move clean energy cash into impactful projects

A new startup out of Seattle called Ever.green raised $6.1 million to facilitate deals between corporations that are spending money to reduce their carbon footprints and developers that need funding to build energy facilities. 

• The spinout of Pioneer Square Labs built a marketplace to facilitate these transactions, with the goal of making them quicker, less risky financially, and easier for smaller corporations to participate. Read more.

With the future of TikTok in the U.S. in doubt again, there's a fresh round of speculation about potential buyers for the hit social video app. What about Microsoft?

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella last year called the negotiations in 2020 to buy TikTok from Beijing-based ByteDance “the strangest thing I’ve ever worked on,” for reasons including the Trump administration’s fleeting interest in the issue. TikTok also seemed a mismatch for Microsoft at the time given the tech giant’s focus on enterprise technology.

• In the meantime, TikTok has positioned itself to use its large, loyal audience to become a key player in search ads. This is where a Microsoft-TikTok deal would start to make more sense. But Microsoft has a lot on its plate, and is unlikely to jump back in. Read more.

First Citizens Bank has agreed to purchase all deposits and loans of Silicon Valley Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation announced late Sunday.

• The deal with First Citizens may provide some market stability following a tumultuous past few weeks since Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, sending shockwaves through the tech industry and broader financial sector. Read more. 

Will the new capital gains tax push businesses out of Washington state, and prevent others from coming here? 

• We’re working on a follow-up story to last week’s Washington state Supreme Court ruling that will allow the controversial new tax to move forward. Email us with your thoughts and reaction. 

Looking for a lunchtime listen? 

• Our newest GeekWire Podcast episode features Ali Partovi, a technology investor, entrepreneur, and mentor who is the CEO of Neo, a startup accelerator, mentorship community, and venture firm. Partovi discusses the role that AI will play in the future of startups. Listen here and read more. 

Seattle Seahawks great Bobby Wagner is back with the team after a season away with the Los Angeles Rams. That’s good news for 12s and for one Seattle VC firm.

• An active angel investor, Wagner stayed on as a partner and stayed engaged with Fuse Venture Partners when he left for L.A. Cameron Borumand, Fuse general partner, told GeekWire this weekend that he’s “just happy to see more of [Wagner] and excited the city of Seattle gets a leader back.”