Nvidia's OctoAI deal signals an AI M&A boom | Halle Berry partners with Seattle women’s health startup

Brooks Running doesn’t make ice skates, but the longtime Seattle-based brand is partnering with the Seattle Kraken in a new off-ice deal to supply shoes and apparel to the hockey team. Brooks is also sharing insights from its state-of-the-art Run Research Lab, where Kraken goalie Joey Daccord (above) was put through the paces this week. Read more. 

Nvidia acquired OctoAI, a Seattle startup that spun out of the University of Washington in 2019 and helps companies run AI models more efficiently. It’s the latest AI-related acquisition for Nvidia, the dominant chipmaker that is riding huge tailwinds from the AI boom. Read more.

An overwhelming majority of Amazon employees are not happy about the company’s new return-to-office mandate, according to a new survey by Blind, the forum for anonymous workers. Read more.

Zillow Group rolled out new climate risk and insurance data on its home listings, reflecting growing concerns about the impact of extreme weather events on real estate. Read more.

Ketchup with Bill Gates: The billionaire philanthropist stopped by “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” to discuss his love for New York hot dogs, efforts to end childhood malnutrition, taxing his wealth, and the rise of AI. Read more.

Starfish Space will take on a $15 million NASA mission to visit and inspect defunct satellites — which meshes with the Seattle-area startup's vision of saving satellites that need assistance, and safely disposing of satellites that are beyond saving. Read more.

A pair of reports by the National Transportation Safety Board found evidence of imperfections in the carbon-fiber hull that was made for OceanGate’s Titan submersible — plus indications that the hull behaved differently after a loud bang was heard at the end of a dive in mid-2022. Read more.

Policing tech: The Seattle City Council’s public safety committee approved legislation this week that would add new CCTV cameras and “Real-Time Crime Center” software in a bid to address crime. Critics say there isn’t proof that the cameras are effective. Read more.

Can AI help solve climate and agriculture challenges? The Washington State Academy of Sciences hosted an event in Seattle to highlight how AI can better predict dangerous rip currents, automate surveys of pollock, and forecast the timing of grape plant growth, among other uses. Read more.

Seattle startup teams with Halle Berry: Joylux, which sells electronic devices that can help women improve their vaginal health, this week announced a partnership with the actress, filmmaker and entrepreneur to promote women’s health issues. Read more.

Uncommon Thinkers: We’re looking for nominees for GeekWire’s “Uncommon Thinkers Awards,” an initiative recognizing bold innovators in the Pacific Northwest. Know someone who should be nominated? Tell us about them here.

Hot Links:

• American Eagle sued Amazon, alleging that the company infringed on trademarks by directing shoppers to “inferior knock-offs.” (Reuters)

• Seattle has seen bigger decline in the number of residents who work remotely most days, relative to other U.S. cities. (Seattle Times)

• Seattle technical interviewing startup Karat acquired Aspect, a small Sweden-based company that builds interview analytics software. (LinkedIn)