The finalists for CEO of the 12 months on the 2026 GeekWire Awards are main startups and organizations throughout a various cross-section of the innovation financial system, touching upon fintech, local weather tech, frontline workforce software program, food-and-beverage AI, and actual property know-how.
This award, sponsored by Wilson Sonsini, celebrates leaders with imaginative and prescient, fortitude, creativity, and that not possible to outline x-factor. The CEO of the 12 months finalists are: Tony Huang of Potential Finance, Aina Abiodun of VertueLab, Shelia Stafford of TeamSense, Karen Huh of Zucca, and Luis Poggi of HouseWhisper AI.
Now in its 18th yr, the GeekWire Awards is the premier occasion recognizing the highest leaders, corporations and breakthroughs in Pacific Northwest tech, bringing collectively tons of of individuals to have fun innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. It takes place Could 7 on the Showbox SoDo in Seattle.
The 2025 CEO of the 12 months was Learn AI co-founder and CEO David Shim, who has lead the Seattle firm to greater than $80 million in funding for its cross-platform AI assembly assistant and productiveness instruments.
Proceed studying for data on the 2026 CEO of the 12 months finalists, who have been chosen by a panel of unbiased judges from group nominations. You’ll be able to assist choose the winner: Forged your poll right here or within the embedded type on the backside. Voting runs by means of April 16.
Tony Huang is co-founder and CEO of Potential Finance, a fintech startup that gives small-dollar loans and paycheck advances to individuals who want fast money with no conventional credit score test. The corporate had its first full yr of consolidated profitability final yr together with over $100 million in annual income. Potential has given funds to 1.6 million distinctive people and Huang says they’ve saved “hardworking on a regular basis Individuals” over $700 million — “prices they might have incurred if Potential didn’t exist.” The corporate can also be hiring at its new downtown headquarters with a number of roles presently open.
Huang was beforehand a lead mission supervisor at Axon, the main producer of non-lethal Taser stun weapons, policing software program, and provides together with in-car and coverage physique cameras.
Aina Abiodun is president and government director of VertueLab, a longtime nonprofit that helps local weather tech entrepreneurs at each stage as a funder, accelerator and connector. Final yr, VertueLab supported 120 founders by means of numerous packages, helped win practically $30 million in grant funds, and noticed a cumulative 781 jobs created by its portfolio corporations. VertueLab additionally co-founded the primary ever Seattle Local weather Innovation Hub, which is house to greater than 150 climate-focused corporations.
Abiodun has beforehand launched startups offering local weather tech financing and consulting within the sector, served as CEO of a Berlin wellness firm, and led model technique and been a inventive producer for a number of corporations, amongst different roles.
Shelia Stafford is CEO of TeamSense, a software program platform utilized by employers for absence reporting and worker communications. The tech is SMS text-based, with no app to obtain, zero coaching and accessible in workers’ native language. It serves tons of of 1000’s of frontline employees throughout manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, universities, stadium operations, mining, and extra.
Stafford’s background contains three years at Common Motors as a mission supervisor and engineer in addition to nearly 10 years at Whirlpool Corp. She was additionally director of the innovation studio at Everett, Wash.-based industrial large Fortive.
Karen Huh is co-founder and CEO of Zucca, a startup that makes use of generative AI to assist meals and beverage corporations reimagine product growth. Spun out of Pioneer Sq. Labs in March 2025, Zucca raised a $5 million seed spherical final July, and in February launched Sensible Specs and Sensible NFP (patent pending), which collectively preserve formulation, vitamin reality panels, specs, and extra linked and true. The options are already in use at meals and beverage manufacturers managing energetic product pipelines.
Huh was beforehand CEO at Joywell Meals. She additionally spent greater than 10 years at Starbucks, was a VP at Bulletproof 360, and was an entrepreneur in residence at PSL.
Luis Poggi is co-founder and CEO of HouseWhisper, an actual property tech startup that makes use of AI to assist alleviate the executive overload that bogs some brokers down. HouseWhisper emerged from Stealth final yr with $10 million in funding to again its conversational AI that acts as the last word 24/7 private assistant, serving to brokers keep organized with assistance on following up with shoppers, scheduling, CRM updates and extra.
Poggi rose to VP of product and engineering throughout his greater than 10 years at Zillow. He beforehand spent shut to 3 years at on-line journey large Expedia.
Astound Enterprise Options is the presenting sponsor of the 2026 GeekWire Awards. Thanks additionally to gold sponsors Amazon Sustainability, Baird, BECU, JLL, First Tech and Wilson Sonsini, and silver sponsors Prime Staff Companions.
The occasion will characteristic a VIP reception, sit-down dinner and enjoyable leisure combined in. Tickets go quick. A restricted variety of half-table and full-table sponsorships can be found. Contact [email protected] to order a spot to your staff at this time.
