Microsoft vet and ex-Beats By Dre CEO lead new Seattle startup studio

“We wouldn’t wish a housing downturn on anyone, but it has made Redfin leaner, hungrier and better.” The Seattle real estate giant saw revenue dip 45% in the first quarter as the slumping housing market continues to impact its business. But CEO Glenn Kelman sees some silver linings. Read more.  

A new lawsuit involving an AI researcher suing Amazon over a job offer withdrawal illustrates how rapidly the Seattle tech giant, along with others in the industry, shifted from aggressively recruiting skilled workers to shedding jobs. Read more.

It started with a love for action figures and comics. And now the Star Wars collection amassed by gaming vets Lisa Stevens and Vic Wertz features a vast array of prized memorabilia inside a house designed to showcase it all. GeekWire got a tour.

New startup fundings:

• Genemod, a Seattle startup developing a cloud-based platform to help life sciences companies and researchers manage their data and workflows, raised $4.5 million.

• GoodShip, a Seattle startup that sells trucking analytics software, added $5 million to its seed round. 

Hot links:

• Inslee’s climate action: Before he leaves office, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is looking at how his environmental push has shaped the state and nation. (Washington Post)

• Getting chippy? Microsoft is reportedly working with Advanced Micro Devices on AI processors to bolster supply for parts amid the boom fueled by ChatGPT. (Bloomberg)

• Whoop, there it is: The CEO of fitness band maker Whoop called Amazon’s Halo a knockoff and views the demise of that device as a win for his startup. (CNBC)