Salesforce shrouds Slack and Tableau financial results

A student-led startup at the University of Washington wants to help more students have success in applying to college. Cledge recently won the UW Dempsey Startup Competition and a grand prize of $25,000. Its platform helps students create academic and extracurricular frameworks while establishing career goals, payment plans and more. Read more.  

Microsoft is setting aside $425 million in anticipation of a fine from the Irish Data Protection Commission over alleged data privacy violations stemming from targeted advertising on LinkedIn. Microsoft said it plans to dispute the decision and the fine amount. Read more.

Tech Moves: Amazon fulfillment VP departing; co-founder of online pharmacy that was acquired by Amazon joins VC firm. Latest personnel changes.

Seattle-based game studio Starform is ready to take flight with its new aerial combat game, “Metalstorm.” The free-to-play game for PC and mobile “breaks away from the simulation category to attract a wider audience,” said CEO Lou Fasulo, one of the Z2 vets who founded Starform. Read more.

The future of innovative and equitable education in public schools is taking a hit with the end of one bold new STEM partnership. The nonprofit Technology Access Foundation’s program at a Seattle middle school is ending due to budget cuts. Read more. 

Hot links:

• Amazon is broadening its rollout of a new AI system that checks packages for signs of damage, after initial tests showed that the technology is three times better than human workers at the task. (The Wall Street Journal)

• Facebook parent Meta is the latest technology giant to formally call employees back to the office, informing employees that they’re expected to show up on-site three days a week starting in September. (Bloomberg)

• Microsoft will spend “potentially billions of dollars” on cloud computing infrastructure from startup CoreWeave, adding more AI horsepower. (CNBC)