Insights from Microsoft’s most misunderstood era, with Ben Gilbert of ‘Acquired’

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, our guest is entrepreneur and investor Ben Gilbert, co-founder and co-host of the hit podcast, "Acquired."

Ben and his colleague David Rosenthal have developed a huge following for their deep-dive, long-form episodes that tell the stories behind some of the most successful companies in the world. They recently released Microsoft Volume II, the second installment in their epic exploration of the tech giant. 

On our new GeekWire Podcast episode, we talk with Ben about Microsoft’s misunderstood era, with highlights from our own archive of interviews with Bill Gates over the years. It’s a timely topic given Microsoft’s 50th anniversary in 2025, and the company’s revival as one of the most valuable and relevant companies in the world and the tech industry with the rise of AI.

🎙️ Read more and listen here, and subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

In his bid for a seat on the Seattle City Council, Tariq Yusuf is leaning on a “tech for good” mindset from his work as a privacy engineer. He wants technology — and city government — to work better for people. Read our Q&A.

📆  Upcoming events: Tech and startup community gatherings on our radar next week in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

• July 31: Ascend Pitch & Run – Seattle Tech Week 2024

• July 31: Angel Investing Basics – Seattle Tech Week

• July 31: Seattle Interactive Conference 2024

• Aug. 1: ADHD Strategies for Tech Founders and Investors

• Aug. 1: Scaling Up? Important Lessons and Legal Insights for Your Startup’s Growth

Check out the GeekWire Calendar and see our Seattle Tech Week preview.

• After the CrowdStrike outage, Microsoft hints at the idea of preventing security vendors from accessing the Windows kernel. (The Verge)

• One Medical’s biggest business customer, Google, is cutting ties with the primary care provider, publicly insisting that the move is unrelated to One Medical's acquisition by Amazon. (Business Insider)

• Apple joins OpenAI, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and others in adopting the Biden administration’s voluntary AI safeguards. (The Hill)

• Rising food delivery fees continue to frustrate consumers, prompting some adjustments at the major delivery services. (CNBC)