Convoy reportedly halts shipments; status of company unclear

Seattle-based trucking marketplace Convoy paused all shipments on Wednesday as the status of the 8-year-old startup became unclear. Employees were reportedly surprised by the development. Convoy, ranked No. 3 on the GeekWire 200, was valued at $3.8 billion last year after raising $260 million. Read more and check back with GeekWire for updates on this developing story.

GeekWire Summit FAQ: We’re gearing up to welcome more than 500 attendees to our annual technology conference in Seattle on Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know about the AI-focused agenda, last-minute tickets, the mystery movie screening at SIFF Cinema, and more.

Amazon’s electric delivery vans by Rivian are becoming an ever-increasing presence on roads, and GeekWire got behind the wheel of one on Tuesday. The vehicles are greener and quieter than traditional box trucks and cargo vans, and they feature an array of features for driver comfort. There’s even a bulkhead door that purrs open at the push of a touchscreen button, looking like something straight out of Star Trek. Read more. 

More Amazon news:

• New warehouse robotics system: Dubbed Sequoia, the system is designed to let employees pick and place products in their ergonomic “power zones,” eliminating the reaching and squatting common in current warehouse work.

• Drugs by drone: Amazon is launching its first drone delivery service for prescription medication in College Station, Texas, offering free delivery in 60 minutes or less to customers in the service area. The service works in conjunction with a pharmacy now running at Amazon’s Prime Air facility in the region.

Zulily CEO departing: Terry Boyle is leaving the company at the end of the month. It’s the latest change to impact the Seattle e-commerce retailer, which was sold in May and had a round of layoffs in June. Read more.

Vancouver, B.C.-based startup Hiive raised $4.2 million in fresh cash for its marketplace that allows investors and employees to buy and sell shares of privately held venture-backed companies in the secondary market. Read more.