Cap Hill Brands inks merger deal | Irrigation tech startup raises cash | Zulily’s latest chapter

Farming startup blossoms: FarmHQ , an agriculture technology company led by two brothers who grew up on their family’s potato farm north of Seattle, just raised capital to fuel growth of its IoT platform that helps farmers manage irrigation systems. Read more.?

Seattle-based Cap Hill Brands, which raised more than $250 million to acquire and grow e-commerce shops, has merged with Juvo+, a company that focuses on developing and selling its own products online. Founded by Seattle tech vets Jason LeeKeenan and Kevin Saliba , Cap Hill Brands was one of several firms that raised gobs of capital amid the pandemic-driven boom in online shopping and followed similar “roll-up” aggregator playbooks. But some have filed for bankruptcy in recent months as e-commerce growth slows. Read more.?

Bill to create AI task force passes in Washington state: The 19-member panel made up of tech experts, industry reps, and other stakeholders will help guide the legislature on the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence. Read more.?

Scientists are also calling for AI safeguards: More than 90 researchers — including a Nobel laureate — have signed on to a call for responsible development of AI for protein design. Read more.

Zulily’s latest chapter: The online retailer is making a comeback under new ownership after a rapid and surprising shutdown last year. We spoke with the new owner — former reality TV star Marcus Lemonis — about what’s next for the one-time?Seattle tech titan.

Casket company wants to bury daylight saving time: Titan Casket , a direct-to-consumer startup based in Bellevue, Wash., released a satirical campaign to end the twice yearly time-change ritual, which studies have shown to cause adverse health effects. Read more.?

Hot Links:

• Microsoft says an attack on senior leadership email accounts allowed Russian state-sponsored hackers to gain access to source code. (The Verge and Microsoft)
• Target announced a new $99/year fast-shipping subscription program that will challenge Amazon Prime. (CNBC)?

SPONSOR MESSAGE: The GeekWire Awards return May 9, 2024: Celebrate the Pacific Northwest's leading innovators, entrepreneurs and technologists at one of the most-anticipated tech events. Register today!

Sign up here to receive GeekWire's daily newsletter in your email inbox each day at 11 a.m. PT.