Inside Amazon’s Spheres, where the plants and people are happy after 5 years

 🌿 The plants and the people are living and working well together inside Amazon’s Spheres, five years after the opening of the unique office space in Seattle. More than 1.25 million employees and their guests have gotten closer to nature in the building, and the tech giant continues to add new plants and innovate around how it shows them off. GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser got an inside look.

🚶🏻‍♀️Amazon’s return-to-office mandate likely helped boost worker foot traffic last month in downtown Seattle, which hit new highs since the pandemic began. 

🏢 Can some downtown Seattle office space be converted to housing and other uses? Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is exploring that option as part of a plan to rethink and reactivate the city’s urban core. His office announced three proposals as winners in a call for ideas. Read more.

🥽 Apple’s new headset is generating excitement among Seattle startup leaders building VR and AR apps. The unveiling of the Apple Vision Pro also sets up a clash between tech giants including Seattle-area gaming company Valve over the future of VR and AR. 

🔬 Seattle biotech startup Mozart Therapeutics raised $25 million to help spur development of therapies for celiac and other autoimmune conditions. Read more. 

🏀 Hoops fans headed to the Seattle Storm game this weekend will have the opportunity to secure an NFT celebrating Sue Bird’s jersey retirement, thanks to a partnership between the WNBA team and Coinbase.

Hot links:

• Marc Andreessen once said “software will eat the world.” The venture capitalist just wrote about a new proclamation: “Why AI will save the world.” (a16z)

• How to not get an investor’s attention: This phrase will send your email straight to the trash, according to Seattle VC Chris DeVore. (LinkedIn)

• To our readers on the East Coast: Wildfire smoke is the worst, we know. We previously offered up some tips for staying safe.
• We’re No. 1! Seattle is the top city for pickleball. (Axios)