Plug and Play Seattle Welcomes Second Accelerator Cohort, Featuring Six Local Startups
Silicon Valley-based innovation platform Plug and Play has announced the 10 startups selected for its second Seattle accelerator program, with a strong showing of local talent as six of the companies hail from the Pacific Northwest region. This new cohort represents diverse tech sectors including enterprise software, biotech, cybersecurity, and health tech, highlighting Seattle’s growing reputation as a multifaceted innovation hub. The 12-week program, beginning next week and running through mid-December, offers these early-stage companies valuable resources including mentorship, corporate connections, workshops, and networking opportunities to accelerate their growth.
“The fact that these founders — both from within the Pacific Northwest and beyond — have chosen Seattle as a key market for commercialization speaks volumes about the region’s strength as a hub for innovation and scale,” remarked Jack Callaghan, director of Plug and Play Seattle. His enthusiasm underscores what many in the tech community have long recognized: Seattle’s unique ecosystem combines world-class technical talent, established industry giants, and an increasingly robust startup infrastructure. The program will primarily operate from Plug and Play’s Seattle office inside the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs, with additional space at SNBL Global Gateway in Everett, offering startups strategic positioning within the region’s innovation corridors.
The cohort showcases Seattle’s particular strengths in artificial intelligence and enterprise solutions. Local standouts include Aira Security, which helps businesses protect themselves from AI risks by detecting harmful content and securing sensitive data in real time; CodeChimp (formerly Bili), an AI-native project management platform built for collaborative coding that seamlessly integrates humans and AI agents; and Pauling.AI, which aims to transform drug discovery using artificial intelligence to dramatically accelerate the journey from idea to molecule. These companies represent the intersection of Seattle’s historic strengths in cloud computing and enterprise software with cutting-edge AI applications, demonstrating how the region continues to evolve technologically while building on its established foundation.
The Seattle cohort also reflects broader trends in biotechnology and health innovation. Polybiomics, another Seattle-based startup, has developed a live cell analysis platform that streamlines drug discovery using AI to turn complex data into clear insights. From California comes Sift Biosciences, which utilizes AI to enhance existing cancer therapies by unlocking the potential of microorganisms for next-generation immunotherapy. These life science innovations highlight the accelerator’s diversity and Plug and Play’s commitment to fostering breakthroughs across multiple industries. Other selected startups include Casium (Seattle), which streamlines immigration services; Nitecapp (Seattle), serving the hospitality industry; Nexodata (Calgary), offering cryptographic data protection; Spacedock (Santa Clara), developing in-space infrastructure; and Cygeniq (Princeton), providing enterprise AI cybersecurity solutions.
The arrival of Plug and Play in Seattle represents a significant vote of confidence in the region’s innovation ecosystem. Since announcing its Seattle expansion last November, Plug and Play has quickly established itself as a key player in the local startup community. The organization brings substantial resources and global connections to the area, as it operates in more than 60 locations worldwide. Beyond startup accelerators, Plug and Play runs corporate innovation programs and maintains an in-house venture capital fund with an impressive track record, having backed companies such as Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, and PayPal. This combination of accelerator programming, corporate partnerships, and investment capability provides a powerful platform for the selected startups.
What makes this development particularly noteworthy is how it reflects Seattle’s evolving position in the national and global innovation landscape. While the region has long been recognized for its tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, the growing presence of organizations like Plug and Play signals Seattle’s increasing importance as a nurturing ground for early-stage companies. The program creates a bridge between startups and established corporations, facilitating connections that might otherwise take years to develop. For the selected companies, particularly those based in Seattle, this represents an opportunity to accelerate their growth while remaining rooted in the Pacific Northwest, potentially stemming the historic flow of promising startups relocating to Silicon Valley or other tech hubs to scale.
As these ten startups embark on their 12-week journey with Plug and Play Seattle, they represent not just individual business ventures but also the next chapter in the region’s innovation story. The diversity of the cohort—spanning AI security, immigration services, drug discovery, space technology, and cybersecurity—demonstrates the breadth of entrepreneurial activity taking root in Seattle and beyond. Through initiatives like this accelerator program, the ecosystem continues to mature, creating more opportunities for startups to find the resources, connections, and capital they need without leaving the region. As Plug and Play’s second Seattle cohort begins their program next week, they carry with them the potential to further strengthen the Pacific Northwest’s reputation as a formidable innovation hub capable of nurturing the next generation of technology leaders.
