GeekWire Mid-Week Update, Presented by Wells Fargo

Read the top tech stories so far this week from GeekWire [GeekWire Mid-Week Update] Top stories so far this week [How to watch the countdown to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin suborbital space trip (and why)]( How will Jeff Bezos get to space? Here's a quick guide to the launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard spaceship with Bezos and three other crew members on board. [Behind the recycling scenes at Ridwell: Seattle startup growing as fast as piles of plastic and more]( In a warehouse south of downtown Seattle, Ridwell co-founder and CEO Ryan Metzger stands amid the garbage that has turned his 4-year-old startup into a growing business. [Jeff Bezos gives away $200M and thanks Amazon customers after Blue Origin’s big launch]( On the heels of what some critics have called the world’s most expensive midlife crisis, Amazon founder and Blue Origin boss Jeff Bezos announced a pair of charitable donations totaling $200 million hours after his space capsule touched down in West Texas. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Wells Fargo surpasses $10 billion in tax-equity financing of renewable energy projects]( As one of the U.S.’s leading clean energy investors, Wells Fargo Renewable Energy & Environmental Finance, or REEF, provides tax-equity financing to utility-scale projects in the wind, solar, and fuel cell sectors. As part of the company’s broader commitment to help accelerate the just transition to a lower-carbon economy, REEF has now provided more than $10B in tax-equity financing in support of more than 500 renewable energy projects across the U.S. [Learn more here](. [Wyze sues Xiaomi and Roborock to invalidate robotic vacuum patent and save its Amazon listing]( Smart-home device company Wyze Labs is suing Chinese consumer electronics giant Xiaomi and robot vacuum maker Roborock in federal court Seattle, seeking to invalidate their 2019 patent for “an autonomous cleaning device.” At stake is the Amazon listing for Wyze’s own robotic vacuum cleaner. [‘Best day ever!’ Blue Origin sends Jeff Bezos on suborbital trip with oldest and youngest spacefliers]( As of today, Jeff Bezos is not only the richest person on Earth. He's the richest person to fly to space as well. [E-commerce startup Fabric raises $100M in latest giant funding round for a Seattle startup]( Another day, another big funding round for a Seattle startup. [Qualtrics acquires Seattle marketing software startup Usermind]( Experience management software giant Qualtrics has acquired Usermind, a Seattle marketing startup that helps companies acquire, retain, and service customers. [Limeade buying TINYPulse for $8.8M, combining Seattle-area workplace tech companies]( Updated at 6 p.m. with details from interview with Limeade CEO Henry Albrecht. Employee well-being technology company Limeade has agreed to acquire TINYPulse, a startup specializing in quick employee surveys and feedback, bringing together two Seattle-area companies focused on using technology to create better workplaces. [This startup aims to improve workplace conversations with ’empathy-as-a-service’ software]( Most of us have had the experience of sending a text or email that came across sounding insensitive or angry, even though that wasn’t our intent. [Jeff Bezos says that he’s excited, but not nervous, on the eve of his suborbital spaceflight]( Jeff Bezos says he's looking forward to "what we are going to learn" on Tuesday's flight aboard the rocket ship built by his Blue Origin space venture. GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Phytec America: IT Systems Administrator]( - [HIGHSPOT: Senior Director, Revenue Analytics]( - [Flyhomes: Senior Back End Engineer]( - [HIGHSPOT: Senior Technical Writer (Implementation Guides)]( - [HIGHSPOT: Principal Backend Software Engineer]( - [INRIX: Software Developer – Data Management]( - [HIGHSPOT: Director of Account Development Representative, EMEA]( - [HIGHSPOT: Senior Backend Software Engineer, Infrastructure Platform]( - [Xealth: Software Engineer, Full Stack]( - [HIGHSPOT: Data Engineer]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2021 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](