AI and animal tracking | Layoffs at First Mode | Fullcast acquired, relocates to SLC

Smartsheet hits $1B in ARR | Leadership lessons from Pete Carroll ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: BOT or NOT? This special series explores the evolving relationship between humans and machines, examining the ways that robots, AI and automation are impacting our work and lives: [Read more.]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES The halls at a recent meeting of biologists in Seattle were buzzing with more than just the usual excitement about spiders, bats, bees, elephants and other creatures. Researchers were also talking about the increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning as a way to study bee behavior, track zebra movement, follow insects on treadmills, and much more. (Above: A bumblebee labeled for tracking by computer vision.) [Read the story.]( Layoffs at First Mode: The Seattle-based maker of zero-emission power systems for heavy vehicles such as mining trucks reduced its workforce by about 20% as it adjusts its vision for decarbonization and future products. [Read more.]( - Layoff tracker: Our regularly [updated list of job cuts]( in the Pacific Northwest. - Related: Job candidates are “trading off upside for safety,” says Jeff Spector, co-founder of Seattle startup Karat, [in a CNBC story]( about the impact of layoffs on tech workers. Fullcast, a software startup founded in the Seattle area that helps companies manage and automate their revenue-generating operations, is changing ownership and its headquarters location after an acquisition deal. [Read more](. Generative AI added to toolkit to help job seekers: Seattle-area nonprofit Global Mentorship Initiative is teaching college students and recent graduates around the world how to use new digital tools to help search, apply, and interview for jobs. The initiative has 5,000 volunteer mentors in 127 countries, with about 1,000 of those coming from Microsoft. (Above: Global Mentorship Initiative founder and CEO Jon Browning, left, with the first student cohort in Johannesburg in 2019.) [Read more.]( Tell your story with GeekWire Studios: Looking to highlight a key customer, showcase your presence at an industry conference or spread the word about an important product launch? GeekWire Studios, the sponsored content arm of GeekWire, helps brands tell their stories. Learn how AWS, Smartsheet, BECU and other top brands tap into the power of GeekWire Studios [here]( or contact us at advertising@geekwire.com to learn more. Hot Links: - Microsoft has enabled a feature in its Edge browser that lets users query two search engines (i.e., Google and Bing) simultaneously with one keyword search. ([MSPowerUser]( - Smartsheet says it’s the first “collaborative work management category” company to reach $1 billion in annualized recurring revenue. ([Smartsheet]( - Amazon is growing its sports business with a minority investment stake in Diamond Sports, the largest operator of regional sports networks. ([The Hollywood Reporter]( - Seattle’s Mike Davidson, a former Twitter employee, is among the owners of various headquarters decor that was auctioned off when Elon Musk took over the company. See the painting Davidson ended up with. ([The Wall Street Journal]( - Amid layoffs and a disillusion with Big Tech, more young tech workers are ditching big cities and heading for places like Boise, Idaho. ([Wired]( - Seattle sports broadcaster Jen Mueller shares five leadership lessons she learned from former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. ([Talk Sporty To Me]( Thanks for [subscribing]( to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Register for the 50th Bellevue Downtown Association Annual Celebration]( You’re invited to the Bellevue Downtown Association’s 50th Annual Celebration! 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[Register today.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Scientists are using AI to study bee behavior, zebra movement, and insects on treadmills]( [Tech vets acquire Fullcast and move sales operations startup from Seattle to Salt Lake City]( [Seattle-area mentoring nonprofit with a global reach adds generative AI to toolkits for job seekers]( [Tech Moves: Ex-Microsoft CVP joins Builder.ai as president; Moonbeam hires Seattle marketing vet]( [First Mode reduces workforce as it revises its vision for lower-emission heavy trucks]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Dexis Professional Services: PRISM Integration SME/Engineer (Advisor-Grade 8)]( - [GeekWire: The Etzioni Internship in Climate Tech Journalism at GeekWire, Summer 2024]( - [BRINC: Senior Computer Vision Engineer]( - [BRINC: Senior/Principal Full-Stack Software Engineer]( - [INRIX: Lead Software Engineer, Big Data]( - [City of Redlands: IT Security Analyst]( - [INRIX: Lead Software Engineer]( - [BRINC: Head of Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations]( - [City of Redlands: Network Engineer]( - [INRIX: Chief Revenue Office]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? 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