Get caught up on the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of Feb. 15, 2026.
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Microsoft’s new RTO policy starts Feb. 23, bringing Seattle-area workers back 3 days a week
Microsoft’s three-day-a-week return-to-office mandate starts Monday, Feb. … Read More
Washington state has embraced data centers – but now it’s looking to set terms of engagement
Washington’s House on Saturday approved a slate of rules for data centers around energy costs and transparency. … Read More
New hacker house in Seattle area brings startup founders together under one creative roof
In addition to events such as demo nights, founder dinners, and hackathons, Bili House is looking into partnerships, perhaps with a venture capital firm that could help defer some costs for startup founders. … Read More
Former Avalara exec leads new Seattle-area startup inspired by Washington’s estate tax
The idea for Legata grew out of frustration with Washington’s estate tax and how little many families understand about the risk to their assets if they don’t plan. … Read More
PageMaker pioneer Paul Brainerd, 1947-2026: Aldus founder devoted his second chapter to the planet
Paul Brainerd, who coined the term “desktop publishing” and built Aldus Corporation’s PageMaker into one of the defining programs of the personal computer era, died Sunday at his home on Bainbridge Island. … Read More
Remitly CEO Matt Oppenheimer steps down, hands reins of fintech company to former Amazon exec
Veteran tech and finance executive Sebastian Gunningham will replace Oppenheimer as CEO of the Seattle-based company. … Read More
Seattle transit’s new ‘tap-to-pay’ feature goes live next week as region gears up for World Cup
The ubiquitous tap-to-pay technology that has become commonplace in grocery stores and coffee shops is coming to Seattle-area buses and trains beginning Feb. … Read More
Xbox chief Phil Spencer retiring after 38 years at Microsoft; Asha Sharma named new gaming CEO
Phil Spencer, who reshaped Xbox through landmark acquisitions and a bet on cloud gaming, is stepping down. … Read More
Cloud and AWS cost consultant Duckbill expands to software, raises $7.75M for new Skyway platform
Cloud cost consultant Duckbill, known for co-founder Corey Quinn’s sharp takes on AWS, raises $7.75M and launches Skyway, a financial planning and forecasting platform for enterprise cloud spending. … Read More
Temporal raises $300M, hits $5B valuation as Seattle-area infrastructure startup rides AI wave
The latest round, led by Andreessen Horowitz, doubles the company’s valuation from October and reflects surging demand for infrastructure that keeps AI running reliably in production as agentic systems move from pilot projects to mission-critical deployments. … Read More
