Should Amazon be ‘pumped’ to land Microsoft exec Panos Panay?

AI gets real at the GeekWire Summit | Seattle startup MotherDuck raises $52.5M ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: The GeekWire Summit returns October 19th! We're assembling some of the top names in artificial intelligence for the half-day summit, taking place in downtown Seattle: [Get your tickets today!]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Happy Wednesday. We’re tracking updates today from Amazon’s devices event, new funding for Seattle startup MotherDuck, and news from Seattle’s oldest angel investment group. Speaking of Amazon and devices… Panos Panay (above) and his Microsoft team built the company's Surface business from scratch. Now he's reportedly headed to Amazon to help revitalize the Alexa and Echo business. [Here's our look]( at his Microsoft tenure and his potential prospects at Amazon. Amazon shows off Alexa feature driven by generative AI: Dubbed “Let’s Chat,” the experience is designed to make the voice assistant more conversational on Echo devices. At its Devices & Services event from HQ2 in Virginia, Amazon also previewed a more natural-sounding Alexa voice, a wall-mounted “Echo Hub,” a new Echo Show 8, and more. [Read the highlights.]( MotherDuck raises $52.5M: The Seattle data analytics startup, built on the open-source platform DuckDB, is fueling up to flap its wings. [Read more](. Could Microsoft buy Valve? The Microsoft board of directors showed interest in potentially acquiring the Seattle-area gaming company, [according to the recent Xbox leaks](. Puget Sound Venture Club, the oldest angel investment group in the Seattle region founded nearly four decades ago by Gary Ritner, is merging with Alliance of Angels. [Here’s why](. AI gets real at the GeekWire Summit: We’re less than a month away from our signature business and technology conference, Oct. 19 at the former Cinerama in Seattle. We’ve assembled a stellar lineup of leading technologists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and even an award-winning Hollywood screenwriter for a deep dive into the ways artificial intelligence is changing business, technology and the world. [Read more and register for tickets.]( Another Seattle startup tries crowdfunding: Coffee subscription company Bean Box launched a campaign on StartEngine, which allows non-accredited investors to buy equity in early-stage startups. [Read more.]( Hot Links: - Take notes: Amazon’s CTO offers up tips on note-taking — use pen and paper, and use your own words. ([Amazon blog]( - Wirecutter, the product recommendation service from The New York Times, is removing Seattle-based camera maker Wyze from its guides due to the company's response to a security incident. ([Wirecutter]( - This week in Seattle history: Voters in 1995 rejected a property-tax levy that would have funded a 61-acre city park supported by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. ([HistoryLink]( - Starbucks is testing digital menu boards, increasing accuracy of wait time estimates on its app, and upgrading various barista tools in a bid to speed up service. ([Bloomberg]( Thanks for [subscribing]( to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com, and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com SPONSOR MESSAGE [If you like Washington wines, thank a Coug]( In vineyards and cellars, in head offices and tasting rooms, graduates and certificate holders from Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology department are powering the state’s important wine industry. The perfect blend of art and science. Go Cougs Means Experiencing the Perfect Blend. [Learn more.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Bean Box is the latest startup using crowdfunding as it looks to charge up coffee subscription service]( [AI Gets Real at the GeekWire Summit: Speakers revealed for Oct. 19 at former Cinerama theater]( [Seattle cybersecurity company WatchGuard acquires risk detection service CyGlass]( [Amazon previews Alexa ‘Let’s Chat’ feature for Echo devices, building on generative AI technology]( [Puget Sound Venture Club, Seattle’s oldest angel group, merges with Alliance of Angels]( [Seattle startup MotherDuck raises $52.5M at a $400M valuation to fuel DuckDB analytics platform]( [Could Microsoft acquire Valve? Xbox leak highlights interest in potential bid]( [Seattle biotech startup Deverra Therapeutics raising cash to develop cellular immunotherapies]( [‘Starter Villain’: Sci-fi supervillain tale aims a satirical laser at tech billionaires]( [Should Amazon be ‘pumped’ to land Panos Panay? A closer look at longtime Microsoft devices leader]( [Amazon to hire 250k U.S. holiday workers, up 100k from last year, projecting strong shopping season]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [City of Redlands: Network Engineer]( - [Council for the Advancement of Science Writing: Communications Coordinator]( - [Submittable: Senior Machine Learning Scientist]( - [INRIX: Product Marketing Manager, Public Sector]( - [Submittable: Senior Software Engineer (Back End) – Data]( - [Submittable: Senior Product Pricing Strategist]( - [NTTA- North Texas Tollway Authority: Sr ETL & Data Modeling Developer]( - [Submittable: Senior Site Reliability Engineer]( - [INRIX: Lead Software Engineer]( - [City of Newport: Systems Administrator I or II]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2023 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. 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