Across Seattle and from Redmond all the way to Iceland, GeekWire had its eye — and cameras — on stories in technology, business, science, startups, space, geek culture and more in 2022.
A high-tech golf complex opened in the Seattle area; a smiling neon elephant came back to life on Amazon’s campus; electric delivery vans hit the streets and an electric airplane took to the sky; 6,000 unique plants found a happy new home at the University of Washington; and many more scenes made an appearance on GeekWire throughout this year.
Scroll down for some of our favourite photos taken at companies and communities that we cover. We wish you a happy new year.
A familiar smile
A piece of Seattle history lit up at the base of Amazon’s headquarters towers in Seattle as one of the iconic Elephant Super Car Wash neon pink elephant signs came back to life. The sign was donated by Amazon after a nearby car wash closed. Learn more.
It’s an exciting moment to fly
After years of on-the-ground development, Arlington, Wash.-based Eviation’s all-electric Alice airplane quietly took to the air in Moses Lake, Wash., for its first test flight in September. “What we have just done is made aviation history,” Eviation President and CEO Gregory Davis said. “This is about changing the way that we fly. It’s about connecting communities in a sustainable way.” Learn more.
Green is the new envy
Katie Sadler, manager of the University of Washington’s Biology Greenhouse, in one of the collection rooms of the facility on the UW campus in Seattle. The 20,000-square-foot concrete, steel and glass greenhouse replaces the original Botany Greenhouse, where the UW’s biology department had amassed one of the country’s most diverse plant collections over a period of 65 years. Learn more.
A boisterous Ballmer
Steve Ballmer owner of L.A. Clippers fired up Climate Pledge Arena’s crowd before the Clippers took on the Portland Trail Blazers in a preseason NBA basketball game. This was the first NBA game at Climate Pledge Arena’s redeveloped arena, which had been home to the Seattle Supersonics from 2008 until 2008. Learn more.
Elon Musk: Are you still out there?
GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop put Starlink to the test earlier this year in his hometown in Northern California, trying out the broadband internet service from Musk’s SpaceX company powered by satellites developed at a SpaceX facility in Redmond, Wash. Continue reading.
Amazon’s dim outlook
The Spheres on Amazon’s headquarters campus in Seattle were glowing this fall, but things were looking less bright for the tech giant as it started the process of laying off potentially thousands of corporate and tech employees. Andy Jassy, Amazon’s CEO, stated in November that further reductions will be made to the workforce. Learn more.
Get into action
This is the view from Topgolf, Renton, Wash. The high-tech, gaming and golf facility opened in south Seattle this summer. The sprawling new sports and entertainment venue is the company’s 78th location and first in Washington state, and golfers of all skill levels streamed into the place in the midst of a heat wave to smack golf balls, play games, eat, drink and take in the atmosphere. Learn more.
Ukraine Support
In February, as conflict erupted in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion, demonstrators rallied at University of Washington. With disinformation and Russian propaganda flooding social media, information experts provided advice about how to Do not propagate false narratives. Learn more.
Weary roads
Logistics can be fun. Amazon Prime’s delivery truck is able to deal with the snowy roads east of Seattle. The e-commerce giant, which shipped an estimated 7.7 billion packages globally in 2021, said near the end of 2022 that it was preparing for a slower growth period due to increased foreign currency headwinds, global inflation, fuel prices, and rising energy costs.
It’s electric
It’s getting more common to spot one of Amazon’s new Rivian electric delivery vans around Seattle and other part of the country. “It’s like driving a spaceship,” one driver told GeekWire after we spotted three of the vans in three neighborhoods on a single weekend day. Learn more.
What’s under the hood?
The Seattle International Auto Show also featured electric vehicles. This is because more mainstream automakers have started to make cars and trucks for a larger audience. “These are game changers. They are the vehicles that people want to drive,” said Tom Voelk, spokesperson for the show. “They don’t look like science fiction projects.” Learn more.
Coffee taste test
A blind tasting of eight different cold-brew coffees was conducted by three GeekWire employees (above, from left: Nate Bek reporter and Taylor Soper managing editor) to determine if one Seattle-based startup is particularly buzzworthy. Continue reading.
Microsoft’s carbon connection in Iceland
Climeworks, a leader in direct air capture of carbon dioxide, has facilities alongside a large geothermal power plant outside of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. The startup is taking advantage of Iceland’s dynamic geology to capture and mineralize carbon dioxide, a key pollutant stoking climate change. In July, the company announced a 10-year deal with Microsoft to offset 10,000 tons of the software giant’s CO2 emissions. Learn more.
Inside Meta’s metaverse
Bellevue, Wash., Mayor Lynne Robinson, left, and Paresh Rajwat, Meta’s head of office for the Pacific Northwest, use Quest 2 VR headsets during a ribbon-cutting event officially welcoming Meta to the Spring District development in Bellevue, where the tech giant has multiple building leases. Meta fired 13% of its workers in November. Learn more.
Sustainability Recipe
Microsoft chef Jevic Acain works on an electric wok at Pacific Rim, a culinary concept at the new One Esterra Food Hall at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash. The 100% electric food hall is a first for Microsoft and a proving ground for what’s to come across the company as the tech giant aims to be carbon negative by 2030. Learn more.
Simply Walk Out at the Game
Lumen Field joined T-Mobile Park and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle by introducing Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” cashierless retail technology at concession stores this fall at the Seahawks home opener against Russell Wilson’s new team. Learn more.
Get me to the ballgame
Todd Bishop (GeekWire founder) was one of those who got Seattle Mariners fever as the team won. The team made it to the playoffs. He also wanted to test technology in the ballpark. This included the best way to listen from the stands for play-by-play audio. Learn more.
Unionization push
Two of Seattle’s biggest and best-known brands, Amazon and Starbucks, faced evolving workforce pressures as unionization efforts gained steam at the companies in 2022. Seattle’s street artists, who are not afraid to speak up when it comes tech and worker rights, were quick to take notice of the situation and stand by their e-commerce giants and Starbucks. Learn more.
Dawgs dig it
University of Washington president Ana Mari Cauce, third from right, joined UW engineering students and others — including Dubs, the school mascot — to break ground on the UW’s new interdisciplinary engineering building in September. This 2 million project will be supported by funds from Boeing and Amazon T-Mobile. Learn more.
Vision and insight for the future
The 2022 GeekWire Summit in October had it all — and lived up to our mantra: What happens here matters everywhere. The top row featured Microsoft EVP Charlie Bell and Magic Leap CEO Julie Larson Green. Mitten row: Hill Harper (Black Wall Street founder), and Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator. Bottom row: Wavely Diagnostics CEO ArnaIonescu Stoll with Kurt Schlosser, GeekWire reporter; and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, along with John Cook, GeekWire cofounder. Learn more.
Big winners of PNW tech
In May, the tech community came together for the GeekWire Awards personally for the third time in three year. Clockwise from top: Varun puri of Yoodli, Sen. Sharon Brown, Saema Sollya of Remitly, Viraj Mody of Common Room and Linda Lian; Vija Wilkins of Place and Doug Baldwin (former Seahawks star). Learn more.
Additional year-end coverage
