Seattle has become a hotbed for startups and early-stage companies over the past decade. With tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft headquartered in the region, along with a thriving startup community, Seattle offers exciting investment opportunities for those looking to get in early on the next big thing. This article provides an overview of Seattle’s startup ecosystem and resources for finding promising startups to invest in.
Seattle is home to many successful startups
Seattle has birthed many successful tech startups that have gone on to become household names and multi-billion dollar companies. For example, Amazon started as an online bookseller in Jeff Bezos’ garage in Bellevue in 1994 before growing into the e-commerce behemoth it is today. Other Seattle success stories include Microsoft, Costco, Starbucks, Zillow, Redfin, and many more. This track record demonstrates that Seattle has the talent, resources, and environment to nurture startups into hugely successful businesses.
Strong presence of startup accelerators and incubators
Seattle is home to a number of startup accelerators and incubators that provide funding, mentorship, and resources to help get startups off the ground. Top accelerators in the region include Techstars Seattle, 9Mile Labs, and Alexa Fund Accelerator. There are also many co-working spaces and incubators like WeWork Labs, Impact Hub Seattle, and Founder’s Co-op that offer workspaces, events, and communities for founders.
Active angel investor and venture capital presence
There is a vibrant angel investor and venture capital presence funding Seattle startups across all stages. Top VC firms with Seattle offices include Madrona Venture Group, Ignition Partners, Voyager Capital, and Founders’ Co-Op. According to PitchBook data, over $5.6 billion was invested in Seattle-area startups in 2020 alone. Active angel networks in the area include Alliance of Angels, Green Angels, W Fund, and more.
Strong talent pipeline from local universities
The Seattle region boasts a strong talent pipeline with graduates from schools like the University of Washington and tech programs at Coding Dojo and General Assembly. UW in particular is a major research university with top-ranked engineering and computer science programs that feed talent into Seattle startups.
With its successful startup track record, strong talent pool, abundant capital and resources, Seattle offers exciting startup investment opportunities across various sectors and stages. Connecting with local incubators and accelerators can help identify promising startups, while angel networks and events like Seattle Angel Conference are avenues for investors to connect with founders.