Summary:
CodeChimp transforms coding into a multiplayer experience using agentic swarm coding and AI-powered development tools
EvolvArts provides a specialized CRM platform for nonprofit arts organizations handling donor management and ticketing
Rem automates insurance commission tracking with an AI operating system focused on healthcare distribution
Simsola combines developmental psychology with AI to deliver leadership training for communication and collaboration skills
Vergent is building a spatial reasoning SDK that enables LLMs to understand and interact with 3D environments
Seattle's Startup Scene is Booming with AI Innovation
Our latest startup spotlight reveals five cutting-edge companies from the Seattle area that are pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence across diverse industries.
From top left, clockwise: Simsola CEO Tammy Wang; Rem CEO Jorge Banuelos; CodeChimp CTO Sylviane Zhao; EvolvArts CEO Christopher Lin; and Vergent CEO Andrew Liang.
This regular series highlights early-stage startups across the Seattle region that are launching with truly innovative ideas that could transform their respective fields.
CodeChimp: Multiplayer AI Coding Platform
Founded: 2025
The Business: A revolutionary project management platform that transforms vibe coding into a collaborative "multiplayer experience" using multi-agent orchestration and advanced AI tools. The platform assists developers with code generation, automated reviews, and testing, positioning itself at the forefront of the emerging "agentic swarm coding" trend. The company recently joined Plug and Play's latest Seattle accelerator cohort.
Leadership: CTO Sylviane Zhao recently graduated from Cornell University, while co-founders Tehani Cabour and Shawn Yang both bring experience from French software giant Dassault Systèmes.
Expert Assessment: "Riding the 'agentic swarm coding' wave with a multiplayer twist could make CodeChimp the darling of dev teams tired of solo LLM prompts. However, the platform must demonstrate clear productivity gains and build developer trust to stand out in the crowded AI-coding space."
EvolvArts: CRM for Nonprofit Arts Organizations
Founded: 2024
The Business: A comprehensive CRM solution specifically designed for nonprofit arts organizations, handling everything from donor development and ticketing to marketing, communications, and class registration. The company describes itself as "Ticketmaster for the performing arts" and currently serves approximately 20 customers while remaining bootstrapped.
Leadership: CEO Christopher Lin previously served as a principal engineer at Numbers Station AI and research scientist at Meta, while co-founder Max Thayer brings e-commerce expertise from Anker US and Oceanwing.
Expert Assessment: "Targeting arts organizations with a unified platform addresses a significantly underserved market. However, comparing themselves to Ticketmaster sets high expectations for scale and reliability that must be met."
Rem: AI Operating System for Insurance
Founded: 2024
The Business: An AI-powered operating system that automates commission tracking and reconciliation for insurance distribution, initially focusing on healthcare agents and carriers. The company has successfully raised a pre-seed round from AI2 Incubator and other investors.
Leadership: CEO Jorge Banuelos brings extensive experience from leadership roles at Opendoor, Meta, and Microsoft, while CTO Zhongxia Zhou previously managed engineering teams at Opendoor and Compass.
Expert Assessment: "Automating insurance commission processes represents a brilliant enterprise opportunity, but success depends on achieving perfect data accuracy and establishing strong carrier relationships in this complex industry."
Simsola: AI Leadership Training Platform
Founded: 2024
The Business: An innovative AI training platform built on developmental psychology frameworks to help leaders improve communication, coordination, and collaboration skills. The company also partners with training providers to convert their frameworks into AI simulations and has already raised $1 million while generating revenue.
Leadership: CEO Tammy Wang brings data science leadership experience from Korn Ferry, Riviera Partners, and Zillow, while co-founder Dr. Zachary Van Rossum contributes organizational psychology expertise from Columbia University.
Expert Assessment: "Combining developmental psychology with AI-driven training creates genuine potential for behavioral change, but the platform must demonstrate clear ROI to survive corporate budget cycles in the competitive training market."
Vergent: Spatial AI Reasoning SDK
Founded: 2025
The Business: Developing a groundbreaking SDK for spatial AI reasoning and memory that enables LLMs to answer complex questions about 3D space with unprecedented accuracy. The company is currently pre-launch and recently won a prestigious pitch event at AI House in Seattle.
Leadership: Twin brothers CEO Benjamin Liang and CTO Andrew Liang previously served as founding AI engineers at decentralized deepfake detection startup BitMind and co-authored computer vision research during their studies at NYU.
Expert Assessment: "Creating genuine spatial reasoning capabilities for LLMs could unlock massive new applications in robotics, AR, and autonomous systems. However, the company must quickly identify and validate commercial use cases to transition from impressive technology to viable business."
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