L-R: Michael Atalla, chief marking officer at UiPath and Katie Fath, director of community giving at Seattle Children’s Hospital with John Cook, GeekWire co-founder and publisher. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop)
Seattle’s business and tech community just delivered a World Cup-sized assist for a great cause.
A premium 2026 World Cup suite experience, donated by Microsoft, raised $100,000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital after an auction organized by GeekWire.
UiPath, the business orchestration and AI automation giant which is expanding its Bellevue, Wash. operations, submitted the winning bid last week.
The auction kicked off at the GeekWire Awards earlier this month. Sounders FC captain and U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Cristian Roldan and Microsoft deputy general counsel Brian DeFoe promoted the effort on stage.
Seattle Sounders FC star Cristian Roldan, center, joins Brian Defoe, deputy general counsel at Microsoft, left, and GeekWire co-founder John Cook on stage at the GeekWire Awards. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota)
“We’re proud to join together to support the incredible, life-changing work Seattle Children’s does every day for kids and families in our own backyard,” said Michael Atalla, chief marketing officer at UiPath. “When the opportunity came up to use the magic and reach of the 2026 World Cup to support our community, it was an easy decision — and a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we can rally together around something bigger than any one of us.”
UiPath employs 195 people in the Seattle area, recently expanding its product and engineering hub at Bellevue’s Lincoln Square. The New York-based company employs 4,800 worldwide.
Microsoft — a Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter — donated the suite as part of an effort to connect the global event with local community impact, turning one of the hottest tickets into a fundraiser just weeks before the tournament begins.
“Moments like this are exactly what we hoped to inspire as a host city sponsor,” said Jane Broom, senior director of community leadership at Microsoft. “It’s a great reminder that our business community shows up not just for big events, but for the people who live here long after the final whistle. Thanks to GeekWire for bringing Microsoft, UiPath, and Seattle Children’s together so we can do more.”
As Seattle prepares for one of the biggest global events in the city’s history, the auction offered a glimpse of how the World Cup is bringing together the region’s tech, business and philanthropic communities.
The World Cup starts in North America on June 11, with the first match in Seattle taking place on June 15 when Egypt faces Belgium.
UiPath’s winning auction bid was for the last match in Seattle, a round of 16 knockout stage fixture on July 6. The teams for that match have not yet been determined, though it could be the U.S. Men’s National Team if they advance far enough in the tournament.
