Shein sets up shop in Amazon’s backyard | Former Blue Origin president is raising cash for a new startup

Another e-commerce competitor is planting its flag in Amazon’s backyard. Singapore-based Shein is opening an office in Bellevue, Wash. — in the same building as TikTok parent ByteDance — to serve as a fulfillment and logistics hub for the company’s growing U.S. operations. The location is expected to employ more than 50 people this year. Read more.

Quantum project: Microsoft has been chosen by DARPA to continue working toward a large-scale quantum computer using a specialized approach that could lead to advances in fields like chemistry and materials science. Read more in this Microsoft post.

IPO drought: The Seattle tech industry hasn’t had a company go public via traditional initial public offering in two years. Will that change this year?

Layoffs hit Seattle-area game studio: Bellevue, Wash.-based Hidden Path Entertainment said it is laying off 44 employees.

Former Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson (above) and Apollo 17 moonwalker Harrison Schmitt are among the co-founders of a new Seattle-area space startup called Interlune that wants to harvest resources on the moon and bring them back for use on Earth. Read more. 

A Seattle designer is looking to take flight with his smart and sleek birdhouse called The Peep Show (above). Steve Gray, who produces the houses in his home, will pitch the product next week on “Shark Tank” as he looks to attract investors, customers — and birds — to the houses, which feature wireless camera capabilities. Read more.

A Portland startup is bringing its reusable dishes and food containers to Seattle as part of a waste-cutting pilot project with Seattle Public Schools and others. Bold Reuse provides durable plates, cups and food containers to customers that the startup picks up — often on a daily basis — and replaces with foodware that has been washed and sanitized. Read more.

Hot Links:

• The FTC is still scrutinizing Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, in light of recent layoffs. (Engadget)

• Shares of Seattle biotech company Sana fell 6% after it announced a proposed public offering, but its stock rebounded Thursday. (Sana) 

• The Halo TV series debuts its second season today on Paramount Plus. (The Verge)

• Zillow added new features to its rental listings, including the ability to search for individual rooms. (Zillow Group)

Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com.