Who is Andy Jassy? "He's the kind of person you'd love to just go have a beer with, and just have a very comfortable, free-flowing conversation," says Matt McIlwain, managing director at Seattle-based venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group, who has known the next Amazon CEO personally and professionally for 20 years. "He also can be very intense and focused about those things he's passionate about. And so it's a neat combination." Read more.
More on Jeff Bezos stepping down as Amazon’s CEO:
Amazon crushes earnings: The tech giant also reported its holiday quarter earnings on Tuesday, beating Wall Street estimates with a record $125.6 billion in revenue. Amazon spent another $4 billion on COVID-19-related costs and hired more than 170,000 employees, but it was still able to post record-high profits thanks in part to its formidable cloud computing arm.
Tech workers sound off on wealth tax: Startup CEOs and current and former Microsoft employees testified at a virtual hearing in support of a Washington state bill that would levy a 1% tax on billionaires such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Others expressed concerns about the message the bill sends and the impact it could have on Washington’s economy.
Sana Biotechnology boosts IPO range: The Seattle startup, which is developing gene and cell therapies that could be used to combat a variety of diseases, is now looking to raise $517 million in a public offering expected this week. Read more.
Microsoft won’t threaten to leave Australia: The tech giant is wading into a dispute between Google and the Australian government after Google threatened to block its search engine in the country over a proposed law targeting digital ads on news stories. Microsoft backs the proposal — and sees an in for its search tool, Bing. Read more.
Amazon scores 10 Golden Globe nods: The tally is the best since 2017 for Amazon Studios and includes a diverse array of content across film and TV, including the latest “Borat” movie. With more people stuck at home during the pandemic, streaming networks capitalized on the captive audience. Read more.
Meatless menu maneuvers: Two food tech companies are trying new ways to make their plant-based products more appetizing. Bill Gates-backed Impossible Foods is lowering its suggested retail price for its burger patties and Seattle-based Rebellyous Foods has broadened its line of faux chicken offerings. Read more.
Thanks for reading, and see all our latest headlines below. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com, GeekWire editor Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com, and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. 
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