Tributes and memories have been pouring in from longtime friends and colleagues of Cranium creator Richard Tait since the Seattle entrepreneur's death on July 25 the age of 58 from complications due to COVID-19.

A passionate and visionary entrepreneur known for being tough, Tait had a generous spirit, effusive personality, and rare ability to connect with people he encountered.

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we're listening back to a conversation that Tait recorded with Fuel Talent CEO and founder Shauna Swerland in 2018 for her podcast, What Fuels You. It's inspiring, insightful, and bittersweet, and we're grateful to Shauna for allowing us to share it with you here.

Read our earlier coverage for more on Tait's life and career, and memories from friends and colleagues.

Tributes and memories have been pouring in from longtime friends and colleagues of Cranium creator Richard Tait since the Seattle entrepreneur's <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2022/richard-tait-1964-2022-cranium-inventor-and-serial-entrepreneur-was-the-ultimate-dreamer/">death on July 25 the age of 58</a> from complications due to COVID-19.
A passionate and visionary entrepreneur known for being tough, Tait had a generous spirit, effusive personality, and rare ability to connect with people he encountered.
This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we're listening back to a conversation that Tait recorded with Fuel Talent CEO and founder Shauna Swerland in 2018 for her podcast, <a href="https://www.fueltalent.com/podcast">What Fuels You</a>. It's inspiring, insightful, and bittersweet, and we're grateful to Shauna for allowing us to share it with you here.
<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2022/richard-tait-1964-2022-cranium-inventor-and-serial-entrepreneur-was-the-ultimate-dreamer/">Read our earlier coverage</a> for more on Tait's life and career, and memories from friends and colleagues.

GeekWire brings you the week's latest technology news, trends and insights, covering the world of technology from our home base in Seattle. Our regular news podcast features commentary and analysis from our editors and reporters, plus interviews with special guests.

GeekWire reporters John Cook, Todd Bishop and guests talk about the latest tech news and trends.

GeekWire

The pioneering spirit and joyful life of late 'Cranium' creator Richard Tait

This week, we take the GeekWire Podcast to Front Burner Studios near Pike Place Market, where our host is studio co-owner Seth Paul, who's also co-founder and CEO of the Seattle security startup Qinsay.

We discuss the White House crackdown on Microsoft’s green-card sponsorships, hours before President Trump honored Satya Nadella. We also talk about record Seattle startup funding and Shield AI’s plans to build AI-piloted fighter jets in Des Moines, Wash., where a city FAQ assures residents it’s not a data center.

Seth tells us about the vintage console he drove from Detroit, and how he brings a musician’s approach to the startup world. Plus, the return of the GeekWire Trivia Challenge.

Related links:
Microsoft responds to White House immigration crackdown as Trump honors Nadella
From H-1B to CEO: How Satya Nadella traveled the path the U.S. just cut off for Microsoft workers
Seattle-area startups raise a record $3.5B as national VC funding cools
Shield AI selects Seattle area to build X-BAT autonomous fighter jet
Shield AI lands $150M Navy contract for AI-piloted fighter jet

With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop.

This week, we take the GeekWire Podcast to <a href="https://www.sethpaulproductions.com/">Front Burner Studios</a> near Pike Place Market, where our host is studio co-owner Seth Paul, who's also co-founder and CEO of the Seattle security startup <a href="https://qinsay.com/">Qinsay</a>.
We discuss the White House crackdown on Microsoft&rsquo;s green-card sponsorships, hours before President Trump honored Satya Nadella. We also talk about record Seattle startup funding and Shield AI&rsquo;s plans to build AI-piloted fighter jets in Des Moines, Wash., where a city FAQ assures residents it&rsquo;s not a data center.
Seth tells us about the vintage console he drove from Detroit, and how he brings a musician&rsquo;s approach to the startup world. Plus, the return of the GeekWire Trivia Challenge.
Related links:
<ul dir="ltr">
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-responds-to-trump-administration-accusation-that-it-abuses-foreign-worker-programs/">Microsoft responds to White House immigration crackdown as Trump honors Nadella</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/from-h-1b-to-ceo-how-satya-nadella-traveled-the-path-the-u-s-just-cut-off-for-microsoft-workers/">From H-1B to CEO: How Satya Nadella traveled the path the U.S. just cut off for Microsoft workers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/rocket-fuel-seattle-area-startups-raise-a-record-3-5b-as-national-vc-funding-cools/">Seattle-area startups raise a record $3.5B as national VC funding cools</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/shield-ai-selects-seattle-area-to-build-x-bat-autonomous-fighter-jet-plans-to-add-4000-jobs-by-early-2030s/">Shield AI selects Seattle area to build X-BAT autonomous fighter jet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/shield-ai-lands-150m-navy-contract-to-advance-ai-piloted-fighter-jet-that-will-be-built-south-of-seattle/">Shield AI lands $150M Navy contract for AI-piloted fighter jet</a></li>
</ul>
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop.

White House vs. Microsoft, AI fighter jets, and a visit to a startup founder's Seattle recording studio

This week, GeekWire co-founder John Cook joins University of Washington historian Margaret O'Mara, author of "The Code," and San Francisco journalist Jonathan Weber, author of "City on the Edge," for a live joint taping with the Blue City Blues podcast at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle. With Blue City Blues hosts David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik, they trace the rise of Microsoft and Amazon, the backlash against big tech, the record of both cities' mayors, and Seattle's place in an AI boom that's largely originating in San Francisco.

This week, GeekWire co-founder John Cook joins University of Washington historian Margaret O'Mara, author of "<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534709/the-code-by-margaret-omara/">The Code</a>," and San Francisco journalist Jonathan Weber, author of "<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/city-on-the-edge-jonathan-weber/1148560194">City on the Edge</a>," for a live joint taping with the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blue-city-blues/id1777289409">Blue City Blues</a> podcast at the <a href="https://nordicmuseum.org/events/two-cities-one-industry-big-tech-power-and-politics-in-seattle-and-san-francisco">National Nordic Museum</a> in Seattle.&nbsp;With Blue City Blues hosts David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik, they trace the rise of Microsoft and Amazon, the backlash against big tech, the record of both cities' mayors, and Seattle's place in an AI boom that's largely originating in San Francisco.

Seattle and San Francisco: Big tech, political backlash and the AI boom

This week: Amazon is blocking Meta's new Muse AI assistant from shopping on Amazon.com, saying the agent doesn't identify itself and violates the site's conditions of use. We explain why the standoff is an early sign of a much bigger fight over whether AI agents can use websites and apps on people's behalf, and why Amazon has so much riding on the answer.

For the definitive word on the issue, we ask Muse what it has to say for itself, and get an impressively sophisticated and evenhanded answer. 

We recorded this week's show live at Daniel's Broiler in downtown Seattle, in front of a room of startup founders and CEOs, at a dinner hosted and sponsored by Northern Trust.

Mike Fridgen, a longtime Seattle entrepreneur and Madrona venture partner now working on a stealth startup, joins us to talk about whether Seattle is still a good place to build a company. The conversation covers the region's talent, its history and the debate over taxes including Seattle's JumpStart payroll tax, which Mayor Katie Wilson's new budget holds flat.

Then we take questions from the room. Ridge AI CEO Ellie Fields asks how business leaders can engage productively in building the region, Latch CEO Stefan Kalb asks why Seattle has less venture capital than the Bay Area and ACME Brains founder Mary Jesse asks how to get past polarization.

We close with a satellite-themed GeekWire Trivia Challenge and an unexpected announcement from Starfish Space co-founder Austin Link.

Related links
Amazon blocks Meta's Muse AI assistant in new standoff over agentic shopping
Facing 'seismic shifts' in tech sector, Seattle mayor freezes JumpStart tax rates in new budget
'The warning signs are flashing': New regional partnership calls for cohesive Seattle-area tech strategy
Data visualization all-stars unveil Ridge AI with $2.6M to fix the analytics problem for SaaS apps
With NASA's backing, Starfish Space is getting ready for the orbital debut of its flagship Otter spacecraft

With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop. Music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell. 

This week: Amazon is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-blocks-metas-muse-ai-assistant-in-new-standoff-over-agentic-shopping/">blocking Meta's new Muse AI assistant</a> from shopping on Amazon.com, saying the agent doesn't identify itself and violates the site's conditions of use. We explain why the standoff is an early sign of a much bigger fight over whether AI agents can use websites and apps on people's behalf, and why Amazon has so much riding on the answer.
For the definitive word on the issue, we ask Muse what it has to say for itself, and get an impressively sophisticated and evenhanded answer.&nbsp;
We recorded this week's show live at <a href="https://danielsbroiler.com/pages/locations-daniels-downtown">Daniel's Broiler</a> in downtown Seattle, in front of a room of startup founders and CEOs, at a dinner hosted and sponsored by <a href="https://www.northerntrust.com/">Northern Trust</a>.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefridgen/">Mike Fridgen</a>, a longtime Seattle entrepreneur and Madrona venture partner now working on a stealth startup, joins us to talk about whether Seattle is still a good place to build a company. The conversation covers the region's talent, its history and the debate over taxes including Seattle's JumpStart payroll tax, which Mayor Katie Wilson's new budget holds flat.
Then we take questions from the room. Ridge AI CEO <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliefields/">Ellie Fields</a> asks how business leaders can engage productively in building the region, Latch CEO <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefankalb/">Stefan Kalb</a> asks why Seattle has less venture capital than the Bay Area and ACME Brains founder <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjesse/">Mary Jesse</a> asks how to get past polarization.
We close with a satellite-themed GeekWire Trivia Challenge and an unexpected announcement from Starfish Space co-founder <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-link-space/">Austin Link</a>.
Related links
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-blocks-metas-muse-ai-assistant-in-new-standoff-over-agentic-shopping/">Amazon blocks Meta's Muse AI assistant in new standoff over agentic shopping</a></li>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/facing-seismic-shifts-in-tech-sector-seattle-mayor-freezes-jumpstart-tax-rates-in-new-budget/">Facing 'seismic shifts' in tech sector, Seattle mayor freezes JumpStart tax rates in new budget</a></li>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/the-warning-signs-are-flashing-new-regional-partnership-calls-for-cohesive-seattle-area-tech-strategy/">'The warning signs are flashing': New regional partnership calls for cohesive Seattle-area tech strategy</a></li>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/data-visualization-all-stars-unveil-ridge-ai-with-2-6m-to-fix-the-analytics-problem-for-saas-apps/">Data visualization all-stars unveil Ridge AI with $2.6M to fix the analytics problem for SaaS apps</a></li>
<li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/nasa-sspicy-starfish-space-otter-debut/">With NASA's backing, Starfish Space is getting ready for the orbital debut of its flagship Otter spacecraft</a></li>
</ul>
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop. Music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.&nbsp;

The pioneering spirit and joyful life of late 'Cranium' creator Richard Tait

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