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

Jeff Bezos at re:MARS

On this week's show, we're out on the GeekWire deck for our annual founder open house, where we dig into Microsoft's latest round of layoffs — including a major Xbox shakeup — and the surprising rise of hardware companies on the GeekWire 200.

Then we sit down with four guests to talk about how AI is reshaping how they build: 
Jana Schuster of StackIQ, whose AI-native platform helps companies find redundancy in their software spending — like Rocket Money, but for business — with a small team.
Blake Resnick and David Benowitz of Brinc Drones, whose mechanical engineers are now vibe coding their own prototypes;
Boaz Ashkenazy of Shift AI, who's setting up always-on agents and rethinking how we interact with AI tools.

Finally, the GeekWire Trivia Challenge: how a longtime T-Mobile executive got his start in the wireless business, and the star-studded history of T-Mobile celebrity endorsers.

Stories mentioned:
Microsoft cuts 4,800 jobs, about 2% globally, revamps salesforce and launches massive Xbox overhaul
GeekWire 200 update: New unicorns and a hardware surge remake our list of top Pacific NW startups
Former GitHub CEO's startup Entire unveils its answer to the crush of AI coding agents
Chicago software company plants flag in Seattle area as new leadership team seeks AI talent
T-Mobile exec Mike Katz exits after 28 years, as carrier reshuffles top ranks and taps ex-AT&T leader

With Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.

On this week's show, we're out on the GeekWire deck for our annual founder open house, where we dig into Microsoft's latest round of layoffs &mdash; including a major Xbox shakeup &mdash; and the surprising rise of hardware companies on the GeekWire 200.
Then we sit down with four guests to talk about how AI is reshaping how they build:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/janaschuster/">Jana Schuster</a> of <a href="https://stackiq.co">StackIQ</a>, whose AI-native platform helps companies find redundancy in their software spending &mdash; like Rocket Money, but for business &mdash; with a small team.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-resnick-164871bb">Blake Resnick</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-benowitz/">David Benowitz</a> of <a href="https://brincdrones.com">Brinc Drones</a>, whose mechanical engineers are now vibe coding their own prototypes;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/boazashkenazy">Boaz Ashkenazy</a> of <a href="https://shiftai.fm">Shift AI</a>, who's setting up always-on agents and rethinking how we interact with AI tools.</li>
</ul>
Finally, the GeekWire Trivia Challenge: how a longtime T-Mobile executive got his start in the wireless business, and the star-studded history of T-Mobile celebrity endorsers.
Stories mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-cuts-4800-jobs-about-2-globally-revamps-salesforce-and-launches-massive-xbox-overhaul/">Microsoft cuts 4,800 jobs, about 2% globally, revamps salesforce and launches massive Xbox overhaul</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/geekwire-200-update-new-unicorns-and-a-hardware-surge-remake-our-list-of-top-pacific-nw-startups/">GeekWire 200 update: New unicorns and a hardware surge remake our list of top Pacific NW startups</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/former-github-ceos-startup-entire-unveils-its-answer-to-the-crush-of-ai-coding-agents/">Former GitHub CEO's startup Entire unveils its answer to the crush of AI coding agents</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/chicago-software-company-plants-flag-in-seattle-area-as-new-leadership-team-seeks-ai-talent/">Chicago software company plants flag in Seattle area as new leadership team seeks AI talent</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/t-mobile-exec-mike-katz-exits-after-28-years-as-carrier-reshuffles-top-ranks-and-taps-ex-att-leader/">T-Mobile exec Mike Katz exits after 28 years, as carrier reshuffles top ranks and taps ex-AT&amp;T leader</a></li>
</ul>
With Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.

Microsoft's reset, a new era for Seattle startups, and how AI is changing everything for founders

This week on the show, we're sharing the debut of Positive Charge, a new GeekWire podcast from reporter Lisa Stiffler and producer Laura Scott about the innovations that could help save the planet. 

In this episode, they dig into the high-stakes race to harness the power of the sun and make fusion energy real, visiting two Seattle-area startups chasing this dream, and asking whether limitless clean power is finally within reach.

Also out this week: their debut episode on the "forever chemicals" in our water and the companies figuring out how to destroy them. Follow Positive Charge wherever you get your podcasts, or at geekwire.com/positivecharge.

Positive Charge is presented with support from Amazon Sustainability.

Sources and references
David Kirtley, Helion Energy, CEO and co-founder
Manav Singh, Helion Energy, director of electrical engineering 
Matthew Thompson, Zap Energy, senior vice president of fission technology and former vice president of systems engineering and pulsed power
Laura Berzak Hopkins, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, associate laboratory director for Strategy and Partnerships, and deputy chief research officer

GeekWire’s related coverage:
Helion gives behind-the-scenes tour of secretive 60-foot fusion prototype as it races to deployment
Helion makes big bet on ‘Tiny Merge’ fusion testbed to meet aggressive Microsoft timeline
Inside Zap: Fusion pioneer tries to build ‘a star in a jar’ to unlock abundant clean energy
Zap Energy’s nuclear double play: Fusion startup adds traditional fission to its lineup, in industry first

This week on the show, we're sharing the debut of <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/positivecharge/">Positive Charge</a>, a new GeekWire podcast from reporter Lisa Stiffler and producer Laura Scott about the innovations that could help save the planet.&nbsp;
In this episode, they dig into the high-stakes race to harness the power of the sun and make fusion energy real, visiting two Seattle-area startups chasing this dream, and asking whether limitless clean power is finally within reach.
Also out this week: their <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/forever-chemicals-are-everywhere-but-these-companies-are-out-to-destroy-them/">debut episode</a> on the "forever chemicals" in our water and the companies figuring out how to destroy them. Follow Positive Charge wherever you get your podcasts, or at <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/positivecharge/">geekwire.com/positivecharge</a>.
Positive Charge is presented with support from Amazon Sustainability.
Sources and references
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kirtley-490b8230/">David Kirtley</a>, Helion Energy, CEO and co-founder</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/manavsingh0/">Manav Singh</a>, Helion Energy, director of electrical engineering&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmatthewthompson/">Matthew Thompson</a>, Zap Energy, senior vice president of fission technology and former vice president of systems engineering and pulsed power</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.pppl.gov/people/laura-berzak-hopkins">Laura Berzak Hopkins</a>, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, associate laboratory director for Strategy and Partnerships, and deputy chief research officer</li>
</ul>
GeekWire&rsquo;s related coverage:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/helion-gives-behind-the-scenes-tour-of-secretive-60-foot-fusion-prototype-as-it-races-to-deployment/">Helion gives behind-the-scenes tour of secretive 60-foot fusion prototype as it races to deployment</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/helion-makes-big-bet-on-tiny-merge-fusion-testbed-to-meet-aggressive-microsoft-timeline/">Helion makes big bet on &lsquo;Tiny Merge&rsquo; fusion testbed to meet aggressive Microsoft timeline</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/go-inside-zap-a-seattle-area-company-trying-to-build-a-star-in-a-jar-to-unlock-abundant-clean-energy/">Inside Zap: Fusion pioneer tries to build &lsquo;a star in a jar&rsquo; to unlock abundant clean energy</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/zap-energys-nuclear-double-play-fusion-startup-is-the-first-to-add-traditional-atomic-power-to-its-lineup/">Zap Energy&rsquo;s nuclear double play: Fusion startup adds traditional fission to its lineup, in industry first</a></li>
</ul>

Fusion energy: Wishing upon a star in a jar — Introducing 'Positive Charge' from GeekWire

This week: F5 turns 30 years old this year, and the Seattle company has reinvented itself repeatedly to get here — starting, improbably, as a group of University of Washington students trying to build online video games.



On this week's GeekWire Podcast, recorded on location at F5 Tower, the company's chairman, president and CEO François Locoh-Donou joins us to trace that journey, from a 1990s internet load-balancing startup to a company that helps keep many of the world's biggest apps running and secure.



Today F5 is a publicly traded company with about 6,500 employees and more than $3 billion in annual revenue, and it counts over 80% of the Fortune 500 among its customers.



Locoh-Donou discusses F5's expansion into AI security, including its acquisition of SurePath AI this week, and the company's broader M&A strategy. On a personal note, he reflects on his path from Togo to Seattle, his leadership philosophy, and his message to high school students from underrepresented backgrounds who visited F5 Tower before the company took them to a World Cup match.



Plus: his World Cup predictions, and a GeekWire trivia question that stumps the room.

With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop. Edited by Curt Milton.

This week: F5 <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/still-ringing-a-bell-f5-marks-its-30th-year-in-business/">turns 30 years old this year</a>, and the Seattle company has reinvented itself repeatedly to get here &mdash; starting, improbably, as a group of University of Washington students trying to build online video games.
 
On this week's GeekWire Podcast, recorded on location at F5 Tower, the company's chairman, president and CEO <a href="https://www.f5.com/company/leadership/francois-locoh-donou">Fran&ccedil;ois Locoh-Donou</a> joins us to trace that journey, from a 1990s internet load-balancing startup to a company that helps keep many of the world's biggest apps running and secure.
 
Today F5 is a publicly traded company with about 6,500 employees and more than $3 billion in annual revenue, and it counts over 80% of the Fortune 500 among its customers.
 
Locoh-Donou discusses F5's expansion into AI security, including its <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/f5-expands-further-into-ai-security-with-surepath-ai-acquisition/">acquisition of SurePath AI</a> this week, and the company's broader M&amp;A strategy. On a personal note, he reflects on his path from Togo to Seattle, his leadership philosophy, and his message to high school students from underrepresented backgrounds who visited F5 Tower before the company took them to a World Cup match.
 
Plus: his World Cup predictions, and a GeekWire trivia question that stumps the room.
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop. Edited by Curt Milton.

Jeff Bezos at re:MARS

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