Bill Gates-backed radar venture lands $135M | Microsoft signs deal with union 

Amazon’s drones cleared for landing | Blue Nile going public, again ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: United Way of King County is throwing their first Annual Community BBQ with Doug {NAME} Jr. this Saturday, 6/18: [Grab your plate today!]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Echodyne flies high with $135M: The radar platform company backed by Bill Gates and other high-profile investors just [raised its biggest round to date](. Kirkland, Wash.-based Echodyne makes use of metamaterials — a type of electronic array that makes it possible to “steer” a flat-panel antenna without moving parts. It focuses on compact radar systems that can track drones and other aircraft, or can be installed on drones or autonomous vehicles. Amazon sets drone delivery location: Nearly a decade after first revealing its plan to deliver packages from the sky, Amazon is finally putting its technology to the test in the U.S. with real customers. [Read more.]( Microsoft signs deal with union: The tech giant's [labor neutrality agreement]( will apply at Activision Blizzard after the company's planned acquisition of the gaming giant. Related: [Microsoft’s union pledge, and the new era of organized labor in tech]( Blue Nile going public — again: The Seattle online jewelry retailer inked a SPAC deal that values the e-commerce pioneer at $683 million. The company went public in 2004 and was taken private five years ago. [Read more](. Funding news: - [Bttn raises $20M:]( Seattle medical supply startup aims to modernize the healthcare distribution marketplace. - [Submittable raises $47M:]( company helps corporations, governments and nonprofits manage their programs focused on social good. Funko acquires Mondo: The Everett, Wash.-based pop culture company is taking on the maker of vinyl records, posters, toys and more. [Read more.]( Thanks for reading, and have a great week. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com, and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Top Ways Companies Thrive Through Uncertainty]( Why do certain companies thrive through uncertainty, while others do not? Discover the common denominator that separates these businesses from the rest. [Discover the key to success.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Microsoft signs ‘labor neutrality agreement’ with union representing Activision Blizzard employees]( [From ‘hippies’ to heavy hitters: This social good platform bolstered its C-suite, raised $47M]( [Online jewelry retailer Blue Nile is going public again through a SPAC deal]( [Funko acquires Mondo, a pop culture company with focus on records, posters and more]( [Microsoft Teams uses AI to improve audio and video quality on calls]( SPONSORED: GEEK REAL ESTATE [Local Leaders in Real Estate: Meet Brian Hawkins & Cyrus O’Bryant]( [Tiger Global leads $20M funding round for Seattle-based medical supply startup]( [Amazon will finally deliver packages via drone for the first time in the U.S. later this year]( [Echodyne radar venture flies higher with $135M funding round led by Bill Gates and Baillie Gifford]( [‘Starfield,’ Kojima, Riot Games: Everything you need to know from Microsoft’s Xbox showcase]( [Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of June 5, 2022]( [Here’s what young entrepreneurs and investors think about crypto]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS No RSS items found. [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2022 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](