Ashley Whitlatch

This work started with listening. We were hearing stories from nonprofits across the country who suddenly found themselves at risk of losing access to online fundraising due to compliance issues with California’s new law regulating online fundraising, AB 488. CalNonprofits was hearing the same stories. So together, we focused on a policy solution. As I shared with The NonProfit Times, our goal was simple: protect donors without unintentionally cutting nonprofits off from the fundraising they rely on to fund their critical work, especially during year-end giving. I’m proud of what collaboration made possible: • A pause on new non-compliance designations • Streamlined resolution for organizations to retain their good standing status • Over 16,500 nonprofits able to continue fundraising without disruption This is what it looks like when the sector, advocates, platforms, and policymakers work together with good intent and practical outcomes. As we fast approach the new January 15 deadline, I want to first say thank you to the California DOJ for engaging, to CalNonprofits for their partnership, and to The NonProfit Times for helping tell this story and making sure that nonprofits know how to take action: https://gfme.co/4jGPOKo 

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Sacramento Joins the "Tech Triangle" including San Francisco • Sacramento • San Jose with new $50M commitment from Meta! Historic news for California’s Capital Region — Sacramento is now stepping into its role as a technology and innovation hub alongside Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. Meta has just committed $50 million to support a transformative downtown California State University-Sacramento campus project, helping convert under-utilized state buildings on Capitol Mall into a vibrant mixed-use destination that will include: = Affordable student and faculty housing = A new School of Public Affairs = Room for cutting-edge academic programs and an AI Center = Cultural and community spaces contributing to downtown revitalization This landmark investment isn’t just about construction — it’s about AI innovation, investment, equity, workforce development, and economic revitalization. It positions Sacramento as a place where talent is cultivated and retained, not just trained and exported. 📍 Read more here: Meta pledges $50M to help build a new Sacramento State campus downtown — CBS Sacramento: https://lnkd.in/gkJNHZy9 This partnership between Meta, Sacramento State, and state leadership signals a new chapter for Sacramento’s role in the technology ecosystem — bridging academic excellence, innovation, and community prosperity. #Sacramento #Innovation #HigherEd #TechEcosystem #DowntownRevitalization #Meta #SacState #AI #EconomicGrowth Eric Ball, Saurabh Suri, Saurabh Ranjan, Vikas Datt, Jennifer Baker Khan, John Hooker, Aaron Mondell Anderson, Patrick Bumpus, Yatish Mishra, Sean Mishra, Dan Wadhwani, Brad Squires, Mihran Berejikian, Jackson Crawford, Jason A. Vita, Peyton Crawford

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Startup Radar time! Meet six Seattle-area startups getting off the ground and looking to grow. 🎶 Gatefolded, led by Jasen Samford, is a music tech platform that helps artists securely share unreleased tracks while also building direct relationships with fans.  🤝 Hyv Social, led by Jason Lee, is a mobile app designed to help remote and busy professionals turn spontaneous interest in going out into real-world connection. 🗣️ PrimeOrbit, led by Mahadev Alladi, is an operating layer for AI conversations focused on turning chat-based interactions into completed actions and workflows across channels.  🤖 SageOx, led by Ajit Banerjee, is building tools for AI-native teams where humans and coding agents work side by side. ✂️ Solutioneers Inc. (StackIQ), led by Tatjana (Jana) Schuster, MBA (Kellogg), is a decision intelligence platform to help enterprises figure out which SaaS and AI tools they actually need — and which are redundant. 📽️ Vivu, led by Shawn Neal, is an “agentic video workspace” for marketing and growth teams that already have footage but need help turning it into a steady stream of videos. Read more with our latest Startup Radar, a regular GeekWire spotlight that features early stage tech companies across the Seattle region: https://lnkd.in/dxQGJZJg

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Most people talk about innovation as if it’s about ideas. This week's Sound Investments podcast is about why it’s about structure, timing, and judgment. I spoke with Emer Dooley, Site Lead at Creative Destruction Lab Seattle, about what happens in the hardest phase of company-building - the moment when serious science has to become a real business. What this episode really explores 👇 🔬 Why deep tech breaks most startup playbooks - You can’t sprint science - Regulation, trials, and enterprise buyers set the clock - Move fast doesn’t always work when lives, atoms, or factories are involved 🧠 Why mentor time matters as much as capital - CDL doesn’t take equity or run demo days - Founders reset objectives every 8 weeks with operators who’ve done it before - One company is cut every session, because focus is the real asset 🏙️ How ecosystems are built without ego - CDL is deliberately additive to UW, CoMotion, and VCs - It sits in the white space between research and venture readiness - That gap is where most science-driven startups stall 💡 The bigger takeaway Great ideas are common. What’s rare is a system that knows when to push, when to wait, and who should be in the room. 👉 Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/36959b 👉 Subscribe to Sound Investments: https://lnkd.in/g6k-nfaA 👉 Prefer text - read the Sound Investments substack https://lnkd.in/gqpNkCjz Curious how deep-tech companies actually get built, not just pitched, this one’s worth your time.

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Here's a partnership that rights holders and brands can work together on, and it's good for the community... I'm excited to see more partnerships that go beyond signage and instead focus on real impact. The Seattle Sounders FC (my local MLS Team) and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) have launched a multi-year collaboration that fuses purpose, education, and community outreach while aligning with fan values and club culture. This partnership is the kind of strategic thinking that raises the bar in sponsorships. Seattle Sounders FC and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) have announced a new multi-year partnership focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, and impactful community outreach. Why is this important? - Purpose-Driven Partnership: PSE becomes Sounders FC's Official Energy Efficiency Partner, aligning brand purpose with community needs. I'm a big fan of these because rights holders can be the echo chamber for messaging. - Localized Community Impact: The partnership centers on reaching underserved households and educating them about PSE's energy-saving programs. - Player Ambassador Activation: Midfielder Pedro de la Vega will be the face of the campaign, helping to bridge the gap between fans and public resources. - Cultural Relevance: Tapping into the passion of soccer fans to inspire action around sustainability and energy awareness. Within Washington State, soccer has a very passionate fan base. - Strategic Alignment: Combines sport, environmental responsibility, and social good—all pillars of modern brand partnerships. How brands can activate partnerships like this: - Leverage player ambassadors for trust and reach. - Focus on CSR-related initiatives that resonate locally and regionally. Use team platforms and channels to scale educational messaging. - Partner with nonprofit arms (e.g., RAVE Foundation) for grassroots programming. When brands and rights holders lead with purpose and deliver measurable value, the result is more than just impressions—it's impact. This collaboration is a model for how teams and utilities (or other service providers) can empower communities while building affinity. For more, we're always here to help. #sportsbiz #partnership #heretohelp

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The Washington State Department of Commerce "is an incubator,” Joseph Nguyen explained when I sat down with him in his Seattle office this week. His measure of success: “When other people start copying us.” The former Microsoft program manager and state senator is now leading one of Washington state’s most critical agencies through a period of deep budget cuts, rising skepticism from the tech sector, and pressure to deliver real results. Nguyen says that’s what he is determined to do. Here's the story: https://lnkd.in/gbF2cdCB

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News: prominent Bay Area bio and AI expert Patrick Hsu is joining Thrive Capital as a venture partner, Upstarts Media has learned 👀 ▪️Hsu will continue to work on bio org Arc Institute, which he co-founded. ▪️He joins Thrive as its second-ever venture partner, following Disney CEO Bob Iger, in its SF office alongside Miles Grimshaw and Philip Clark. Hsu will be able to push investments as a member of that team. ▪️An assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Hsu has worked on CRISPR research and genomic AI foundation models, and co-founded a couple of bio startups. ▪️Hsu also helped launch the Fast Grant program with Stripe CEO Patrick Collison and economist Tyler Cowen. ▪️He's an angel investor in a bunch of startups including Cognition, Nudge and Varda Space Industries. ▪️ Thrive has no immediate plans to scale up its SF office more, but we shall see...

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🚀 Major Development Alert: UC Riverside Breaks Ground on $68M Innovation Hub University of California, Riverside just launched construction on the SoCal OASIS Park™—a 39,000 sq ft research and innovation facility that's redefining university-industry collaboration in Southern California. Why this matters for corporate partners and VCs: 🔬 Purpose-Built Infrastructure – Labs, maker spaces, flexible office environments, and collaborative workspaces designed specifically for industry partnerships and startups 💡 Proven Track Record – UCR's entrepreneurial programs have raised nearly $100M for startups over the past decade 🎯 Strategic Focus Areas: *Clean energy & climate tech *Next-generation sustainability solutions *Food security innovation *Health tech & public health solutions ���� Partnership Ecosystem – Direct access to world-class UCR researchers, emerging talent pipeline, and strategic location near the California Air Resources Board headquarters. 📍 Market Position – First major university facility in Inland SoCal built specifically for economic development, serving one of the fastest-growing regions in California. If you run corporate R&D/CVC or invest in climate/industrial/ag, DM me for a capabilities brief + intro. #Innovation #CleanTech #Sustainability #VentureCapital #CorporateInnovation #ResearchPartnerships #UCRiverside #OASISPark #Climatetech #SocialImpact

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