Rivian spinout Also lands in Seattle, and we take its $3,500 e-bike for a spin

Rivian spinout Also rides into Seattle: The Silicon Valley-based micromobility startup, originally founded inside the electric vehicle maker, opened a new office at the north end of Lake Union. The office is home to 38 employees so far and there are plans for Also’s first retail store and bike shop on the ground floor.

• Also’s first product is a $3,500 e-bike called the TM-B, and curious riders can hop on one during a pop-up at outdoor retailer Evo. The software-driven machine is a high-tech two wheeler that borrows heavily from the Rivian EV experience. GeekWire took a test ride and was wowed by the acceleration, regenerative braking, and the turn signal we forgot to switch off.

More Amazon layoffs in the Seattle area: The company is cutting 121 jobs across Washington state, according to a filing made public Monday morning, hitting corporate tech teams in Bellevue and Seattle and a Sumner fulfillment center. The largest concentration is 49 employees at a Bellevue office building, ranging from entry-level software engineers to a vice president of legal.

Redfin picks a Meta veteran: The Seattle-based real estate brokerage has named former Meta executive Alessio Sanfilippo as CEO, succeeding Rocket CEO Varun Krishna, who had run the company since longtime chief executive Glenn Kelman departed in January. Sanfilippo previously led data and insights at Meta’s Reality Labs and WhatsApp. The move follows Rocket’s $1.75 billion acquisition of Redfin last year.

EIT Pharma funding: The Kirkland biotech closed a $35 million round to fund FDA review of lonafarnib, an oral treatment candidate for chronic hepatitis D. The round was led by Propel Bio Partners, the investment firm co-founded by EIT Pharma CEO Leen Kawas. Kawas resigned from what was then known as Athira Pharma in 2021 after an investigation into her university research.

• Washington’s millionaire tax is headed to the November ballot, with wealthy residents weighing whether to stay or leave: Some high earners are exploring lower-tax states, but research suggests the vast majority will remain, putting the potential for a wealth exodus at the center of the debate. (The Seattle Times)
• As Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, introduces a bill to tax AI tokens and create new job programs — an idea echoed in Bill Gates’ recent warnings about AI — tech leaders and economists are debating whether direct AI taxes safeguard workers or cripple innovation. (New York Times)
• Ag-tech startup Carbon Robotics launched a program allowing other companies to use its autonomous operations platform with their farming equipment. (Business Wire)
• A massive 12TB archive of legacy Valve development data from 2003 to 2013 has leaked online, giving fans an unprecedented look at early builds of Portal 2, Left 4 Dead, and potential traces of Half-Life 2: Episode Three. (Eurogamer)
• Reframe Systems, a startup founded by Amazon Robotics veterans to industrialize home construction through a network of automated microfactories, has raised $40 million in new funding to scale its operations and bring robotic modular building across North America. (Businesswire)

Thanks for reading, and have a great week. Share your thoughts and news tips by replying to this email or contacting us directly. — GeekWire editor Todd Bishop, [email protected]; reporter Kurt Schlosser, [email protected]; and reporter Lisa Stiffler, [email protected].