Madrona turns 30 | Microsoft HR chief shifts role | Icertis lands $50M 

Microsoft named Kathleen Hogan, its longtime chief people officer, to the new role of executive vice president of strategy and transformation, reporting to CEO Satya Nadella. Amy Coleman, who previously led Microsoft's corporate HR functions, succeeds Hogan as chief people officer. It comes at a time of transition for Microsoft’s review process. Read more.

• More Tech Moves: Logixboard names new CEO; consulting vets launch Built for Leaders; F5 names new EVP; and more personnel changes.

Pacific Science Center and Seattle Center announced a “game changer” partnership to help support PacSci while creating a more vibrant connection between the neighboring venues. Both created for the 1962 World’s Fair, the properties went separate ways decades ago, with one operating as a nonprofit and the other as a city department. Read more.

• Previously: Pacific Science Center tries to survive as it plans makerspace expansion, eyes real estate deal

Google’s $32 billion deal to acquire Wiz will shake up the cloud security industry, with impacts to Microsoft, Amazon, and smaller startups. Read more from Sunil Gottumukkala, CEO at Seattle-area startup Averlon.

A rocket engine donated by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture (above) has joined the collection of artifacts at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Read more.

Icertis, the Bellevue, Wash.-based contract management software company, raised $50 million in a new investment from existing backer B Capital.

Vote for Health Innovation of the Year: The five finalists for this 2025 GeekWire Award are dominated by ventures that aim to outwit cancer with groundbreaking new technologies. Learn more about Archon Biosciences, DexCare, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Talus Bioscience and Umoja Biopharma, and get tickets for the April 30 event in Seattle.

Hot Links:

• Everything you say to Amazon’s Alexa is saved. Take this step to restore a crucial privacy setting. (The Washington Post)

• President Trump’s tariff policies could hit especially hard for Boeing and the aerospace industry, which relies on a global supply chain. (The New York Times)

• A new video game workers union launched Wednesday, open to anyone in the industry in the U.S. and Canada. (GameSpot)

• Microsoft’s 15th annual Ability Summit was a showcase for new products, features and programs to make technology easier for everyone. (Microsoft Blog)

• University of Washington researchers earned a top innovation award for a technique that enhances drone navigation reliability. (Madrona)

• Ready to build a Lego Pikachu? The toy company announced Pokémon sets are coming in 2026. (The Verge)