As 2013 draws to a close, let’s not short-change the events of the most recent quarter in our retrospective. A lot has happened in the Boston innovation scene since early October, and most of it was not commodity news.
Here are my picks for 10 of the most compelling and representative stories in Xconomy Boston from the last three months. As usual, these are a mix of people and company profiles, breaking news, CEO interviews, and analysis pieces. They span tech, biotech, healthcare, transportation, startups, big companies, and everything else under the New England sun.
In reverse chronological order (and with a few words about each):
1. Radius Health Churns Through 3 CEOs, as Osteoporosis Drug Delayed
The real stories about what companies are going through are never told in press releases. Take Radius Health, a prominent company that raised lots of money but has been going through some leadership changes at the top.
2. TripAdvisor CEO Kaufer: Reinvent the Company in Good Times
Speaking of leaders, here’s a strategy sit-down with Steve Kaufer, the co-founder of TripAdvisor, one of the biggest Internet companies in the region.
3. Superpedestrian Starts Selling “Copenhagen Wheel” Electric Bike Kits
And here’s a visit to a small MIT startup trying to change the world by electrifying the humble bicycle.
4. Ovuline Takes Geeky Approach to Pregnancy Tracking with Ovia App
Know someone who’s expecting? Here’s a tech startup with an interesting way to track pregnancy and provide relevant info along the way.
5. How Alkermes Survived a Brush With Death
It seems every successful company has had at least one near-death experience. For Alkermes, it happened in 2002. You might learn from it.
6. Red Sox Nutritionist on Sports, Stress, & Segterra (and World Series)
Had to throw in a fun World Series story somewhere. The team nutritionist for the Boston Red Sox also works with a local tech startup, Segterra, that does personalized health tracking and analysis.
7. Gazelle, Apple, and Amazon: The Future of “Recommerce”
There’s a burgeoning business in reselling used mobile devices around the world. Gazelle is one of the leaders in the industry—and a compelling case study of a consumer-facing local tech company.
8. David Schenkein, Cancer Doc Turned CEO, Aims to Build New Genentech
Not your typical CEO profile. Just read it—you’ll be glad you did.
9. Ariad Halts Leukemia Drug Trials Due to Safety Concerns, Shares Plummet
One of the big biotech stories of the quarter: the rollercoaster ride of Ariad Pharmaceuticals. It all started with this.
10. Harvard’s Verdine Blazing Trail for Scientific Entrepreneurs
From distinguished Harvard professor to Warp Drive Bio CEO. What gives? A real shot at creating new drugs, that’s what.
