Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs have long complained about the challenges of securing funding compared to nearby Silicon Valley, where venture capital flows more freely. But the finalists in our Deal of the Year: Funding category for this year’s GeekWire Awards don’t seem to be having any trouble. Venture capital funding to Seattle-area startups reached a record-high $3.59 billion in 2019. The five finalists for this category — Amperity, Auth0, Outreach, Remitly, and Vacasa — certainly contributed to that number, raising more than $700 million combined to fuel their growth.