$1 billion in funding?! Inside AI-powered biotech startup Xaira

A stealthy biotech startup called Xaira made headlines earlier this year when it announced $1 billion in funding from notable investors. The company is using AI to develop new therapeutics based on proteins and other molecules. GeekWire got an inside look at the Xaira’s labs in Seattle. 

The naming of Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol as the new Starbucks CEO gives the Seattle-based coffee giant a new leader from the restaurant and fast casual industry with experience leading a digital transformation. We discuss what that could mean for Starbucks on a new episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Read more and listen here.

Meet Trupanion CEO Margi Tooth: The new leader of Seattle-based publicly traded pet insurance company describes herself as a “heart and a head leader.” Read more.

• Amazon and Meta are trying to rewrite the rules for renewable energy certificates — and some critics are raising concerns. (Financial Times)

• Security vulnerabilities inside Microsoft Azure’s health bot service show the risk of rushed AI development. (Dark Reading)

• Automatic delivery robots have a smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional delivery methods, boosting acceptance among environmentally aware users, a study by Washington State University found. (WSU Insider)