Venture Capitalists Target Seattle as Startup Ecosystem Grows

Venture capitalists are increasingly targeting deals in Seattle, where they say a burgeoning startup ecosystem holds the potential to support more enterprise software innovation. Deal activity in the Seattle region has grown in recent years. The number of venture investments in startups in the region rose to 433 in 2019, up 18% from 367 in 2015, according to PitchBook Data Inc.—the third-sharpest increase among major U.S. hubs for venture-capital investment, after Philadelphia and Denver. The combined value of deals in the Seattle region climbed to $3.7 billion from $2.1 billion over that period, the data provider said.