Rising Seattle Startups Tackle Golf, Ports, Biotech, and E-Commerce Returns

In the vibrant Seattle startup ecosystem, a new generation of founders is addressing challenges across diverse industries with innovative approaches. From digitizing traditional golf experiences to revolutionizing how ports handle containers, developing cutting-edge protein sequencing technology, and solving the growing problem of e-commerce returns, these entrepreneurs bring rich expertise to problems that matter. Their journeys highlight the breadth of innovation happening in the Pacific Northwest, where technical talent from major tech companies increasingly transitions into entrepreneurial ventures building the next wave of impactful businesses.

Dane Renkert, a competitive golfer who once placed 13th at the World Long Drive Championships, is bringing his passion for the sport to his startup Barkie. After holding sales leadership positions at companies like Docugami and Komiko, Renkert is now developing technology that preserves the traditional golfing experience while adding modern analytics capabilities. Barkie aims to digitize scorecards without disrupting the on-course experience, then provide players with valuable insights after their rounds. With golf experiencing renewed popularity post-pandemic, Barkie’s timing could be advantageous. However, the startup faces established competitors like Arccos and 18Birdies in the golf tech space. The company’s social features, launching next month, will need to offer unique value beyond being “Strava for golfers” to maintain user engagement past the initial novelty phase. Renkert’s industry connections, including technical advisor Zubin Wadia from Docugami, may help Barkie navigate these challenges as it prepares to enter the market.

Meanwhile, Gatein founders Bernardo Mendez-Arista and Michael Pivtoraiko are applying their extensive experience in automation and logistics to modernize port operations. Mendez-Arista, a veteran product leader with experience at Amazon and robotics companies like Yaskawa Motoman, has partnered with Pivtoraiko, who previously founded two logistics tech companies, to develop software that uses AI-powered computer vision to track containers. Their strategic focus on small and medium-sized ports—facilities typically excluded from automation advancements—could prove a clever market entry approach. The bootstrapped startup has already secured its first European implementation site, showing early traction. Gatein’s greatest challenge may be the notoriously slow-moving port industry, where decisions often prioritize reliability over innovation. If the team can demonstrate tangible cost savings while minimizing integration complexities, they could build a sustainable business in this essential but often overlooked sector of global trade infrastructure.

In the cutting-edge world of biotechnology, Primary Bioscience stands out as one of the region’s most promising early-stage startups. Founded in 2023 by CEO Stacy Anderson, who brings three years of experience as a protein engineering scientist at Roche and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the company is developing what it describes as a “comprehensive proteomics platform” for multi-biomarker screening. Though still operating stealthily, Primary Bioscience has already completed the prestigious Creative Destruction Labs program in Vancouver earlier this year, suggesting strong scientific foundations. The proteomics field—the large-scale study of proteins—represents an enormous opportunity, with applications spanning from disease diagnosis to drug discovery. However, the company faces strategic questions about whether it will position itself as primarily a tool provider, a data company, or potentially pursue pharmaceutical applications. The technical complexity of protein sequencing also presents significant challenges, but success could yield transformative impacts on healthcare and biological research.

Return Stack addresses a growing pain point in e-commerce: the costly and complex problem of processing customer returns. Founded by Mayank Sharma, who spent over a decade at Amazon leading teams focused on last-mile logistics and returns, the startup brings deep operational expertise to this challenge. Sharma has partnered with co-founder Maria Pavlovskaia, who brings technical leadership experience from both Amazon and Uber, creating a team with both logistics and engineering backgrounds. Their approach leverages computer vision and AI agents to authenticate, grade, and resell returned merchandise—processes that traditionally require extensive manual handling. The company recently established its first operational warehouse in Indianapolis, demonstrating commitment to building real-world infrastructure rather than remaining purely in the software realm. Return logistics represents a massive market opportunity as e-commerce continues to grow globally. While the company’s Amazon pedigree provides valuable insights into the problem space, they’ll need to prove their technology works consistently across diverse product categories and that their operations can scale efficiently without compromising margins.

These four startups exemplify the diversity and depth of innovation emerging from Seattle’s entrepreneurial community. Each addresses substantial market opportunities with founders who bring relevant expertise from previous roles at leading technology and life sciences companies. From Barkie’s effort to enhance recreational experiences to Gatein’s mission to modernize critical infrastructure, Primary Bioscience’s pursuit of scientific breakthroughs, and Return Stack’s practical solution to a growing economic challenge, these companies represent different facets of technological progress. Their success will depend on navigating the tension between innovation and practical implementation, securing appropriate funding, and building teams that can execute on their ambitious visions. As these startups progress beyond their earliest stages, they’ll contribute to Seattle’s reputation as a hub for thoughtful entrepreneurship that spans both consumer and deep technology sectors. Their journeys remind us that meaningful innovation often emerges from founders with direct experience of the problems they’re solving, whether that’s the frustration of manual golf scorekeeping or the complexities of global logistics systems.