The finalists for the Deal of the Year category at the 2024 GeekWire Awards include four startup fundraising rounds and one major acquisition in the biotech space. The award, presented by Wilson Sonsini, aims to recognize transactions that had a significant impact on emerging Pacific Northwest companies. The finalists this year include Fundraisings by Recurrent, Oleria, Treasury4, and Rhythms, as well as the acquisition of Icosavax by biotech giant AstraZeneca.
Recurrent, a platform providing information about used electric vehicle batteries to shoppers and car dealerships, raised $16 million in a Series A round in January. Launched in 2020 as a spinout of Seattle’s Pioneer Square Labs, Recurrent has become a leader in used EV battery analytics. Rhythms raised a $26 million seed round in December for its platform that uses AI to analyze a company’s patterns and habits, connecting to various systems within the company.
Oleria, a Seattle startup focused on helping companies manage employee access to applications and data, raised $33.1 million in a Series A round in December. The company’s software is designed to help prevent and respond to breaches in cybersecurity. Icosavax, a spinout from the University of Washington, was acquired by AstraZeneca for up to $1.1 billion. Founded in 2017, Icosavax is developing vaccines that mimic naturally occurring viruses, with its lead product targeting respiratory viruses.
Treasury4, based in Spokane, Washington, helps enterprises and public sector professionals manage financial and treasury processes. The company secured $20 million in funding last September for its data analytics platform that provides real-time insights using internal data. Last year’s winner of the Deal of the Year award was the $3.6 billion acquisition of Bellevue game development studio Bungie by Sony.
The GeekWire Awards recognize top innovators and companies in Pacific Northwest technology, with finalists selected based on community nominations and input from Awards judges. Community voting will continue until April 12, combined with judges’ feedback to determine the winners in each category. The winners will be announced at Showbox SoDo in Seattle on May 9, with table sponsorships available for those interested in attending the event.
Those interested in sponsoring a category or purchasing a table sponsorship can contact GeekWire at events@geekwire.com. Special thanks to Astound Business Solutions, the presenting sponsor of the 2024 GeekWire Awards.
