We have a world with AirBnb, OpenTable, Uber, and TicketMaster. Andres Fabris wants to bring it all together. “It’s a smart agent in your pocket,” says Fabris, the founder and CEO of Dallas-based travel app Traxo. The app not only keeps track of itineraries for transportation and accommodation, it uses artificial intelligence to offer suggestions … Continue reading “Dallas’s Traxo Creates Digital Dashboards for Harried Travelers”
Author: Angela Shah
Angela Shah was formerly the editor of Xconomy Texas. She has written about startups along a wide entrepreneurial spectrum, from Silicon Valley transplants to Austin transforming a once-sleepy university town in the '90s tech boom to 20-something women defying cultural norms as they seek to build vital IT infrastructure in a war-torn Afghanistan. As a foreign correspondent based in Dubai, her work appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek/Daily Beast and Forbes Asia.
Before moving overseas, Shah was a staff writer and columnist with The Dallas Morning News and the Austin American-Statesman. She has a Bachelor's of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and she is a 2007 Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. With the launch of Xconomy Texas, she's returned to her hometown of Houston.
SXSW Faces More Controversy Over Online Harassment Panel Fracas
Even as the organizers of the South By Southwest Interactive festival announced Friday a daylong panel on online harassment to take place at next year’s event, a few of those panelists involved said they had not confirmed that they would, in fact, come to the Austin conference. Panelists on “Level Up: Overcoming Harassment in Games” … Continue reading “SXSW Faces More Controversy Over Online Harassment Panel Fracas”
Responding to the Crowd: SXSW to Host Summit on Online Harassment
South By Southwest Interactive Festival director Hugh Forrest said Friday the organization “made a mistake” canceling two panels related to the online and gaming environment, saying doing so “sent an unintended message that SXSW not only tolerates online harassment but condones it.” Instead, Forrest said SXSW will host a daylong summit March 12, which will … Continue reading “Responding to the Crowd: SXSW to Host Summit on Online Harassment”
Austin’s TrendKite Raises $10.7M to Support PR Software Development
For Erik Huddleston, organic media mentions are like the dark matter of the marketing universe. “Every corner of marketing has a robust (software) stack but PR doesn’t,” says Huddleston, CEO of Austin, TX-based TrendKite, which makes public-relations software. “Because there is no robust execution and analytics software, it’s been hard to quantify the impact that … Continue reading “Austin’s TrendKite Raises $10.7M to Support PR Software Development”
SXSW Panel Controversy Highlights Free Speech, Diversity Issues in Tech
A decision on Monday by South By Southwest to cancel two panel discussions related to sexism in tech, gaming culture, and the bounds of free expression set the year-long Gamergate controversy newly aflame—and seemed to raise questions about the signature tech festival’s commitment to diversity. That brief announcement said the decision was prompted by threats … Continue reading “SXSW Panel Controversy Highlights Free Speech, Diversity Issues in Tech”
Report: Austin’s Startups Need More Homegrown, Later-Stage Capital
Austin may be known as a startup hub, but its homegrown investment scene lags far behind that of the nation’s top technology centers. That’s the conclusion of a report released today by the Austin Technology Council and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. While Austin’s “funding landscape includes a strong representation of seed- and early stage funding … Continue reading “Report: Austin’s Startups Need More Homegrown, Later-Stage Capital”
Texas Roundup: Solar Winds, VMware, Procyrion, Houston Tech Center
It was a soggy weekend in Texas, so happy Monday as we get on with the week. Let’s recap the most recent innovation news in the state. —Austin, TX’s Solar Winds was taken private by PE firms Thoma Bravo and Silver Lake Partners. (Two years ago, Silver Lake also took Dell Computer private.) The 16-year-old … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Solar Winds, VMware, Procyrion, Houston Tech Center”
MoneyTree: Energy Investment Falling, While Biotech Climbs in Texas
Low oil prices have taken a hit on the energy innovation scene. According to MoneyTree, investment in energy and industrial deals in Texas for the third quarter of the year have dropped sharply, pointing to year-end numbers for 2015 that would be a fourth of the nearly $400 million invested last year. So far this … Continue reading “MoneyTree: Energy Investment Falling, While Biotech Climbs in Texas”
Fresh Off of Dell Deal, VMware Buys Austin E-Mail Startup Boxer
Computing giant VMware has bought e-mail management software developer Boxer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Picking up the Austin, TX-based company will help VMware to offer services that are “consumer simple, enterprise secure,” writes VMware CTO Noah Wasmer on the company’s blog. Palo Alto, CA-based VMware (NYSE: [[ticker:VMW]]) plans to pair Boxer’s services … Continue reading “Fresh Off of Dell Deal, VMware Buys Austin E-Mail Startup Boxer”
Food for Thought: BrainCheck’s David Eagleman Makes His TV Debut
Not many neuroscientists can say their research partners included acclaimed music producer Brian Eno in jam sessions with drummers like Will Champion from Coldplay. And that’s just a taste of the professional repertoire put together by Baylor College of Medicine’s David Eagleman. The Houston-based educator is also a best-selling author and entrepreneur. (One of his … Continue reading “Food for Thought: BrainCheck’s David Eagleman Makes His TV Debut”
Houston Entrepreneur Boosts Biotech Ecosystem by ‘Energizing Health’
Houston entrepreneur Brian Lang describes his interest in innovation as something that runs the full spectrum of life. That can be seen in the healthcare innovation events he has helped to put together, from the Pediatric Pitch competition at South By Southwest this past spring to the upcoming Louisville Innovation Summit, a healthcare-focused conference in … Continue reading “Houston Entrepreneur Boosts Biotech Ecosystem by ‘Energizing Health’”
With EMC, A More Muscular Dell Could Mean Boost for Startup Scene
News about Dell Computer’s purchase of Massachusetts-based EMC has for the most part honed in on the sheer size of the deal, the largest acquisition ever in the technology industry. Those on the ground in Austin, TX, say they hope that the deal means a more muscular Dell will translate into a healthier local tech … Continue reading “With EMC, A More Muscular Dell Could Mean Boost for Startup Scene”
The Real Scorpion, Suped-up Wearables, & More at Houston Tech Event
While great innovators need to marry great ideas with capital to bring them to market, Walter O’Brien, the Scorpion founder whose life inspired the eponymous TV show, says there’s a third leg to that stool: adult supervision. “It’s sort of a lecture on what not to do; it’s how not to get burned by technology,” … Continue reading “The Real Scorpion, Suped-up Wearables, & More at Houston Tech Event”
Houston Biotech Nets $10M to Develop Circulatory Support Device
Procyrion, a Houston biotech developing a device to treat chronic heart failure, has raised $10 million. The company has built a circulatory support pump named the Aortix that essentially serves as a crutch for the heart, aiding the organ to push more blood through the circulatory system and to vital organs. The device, which is … Continue reading “Houston Biotech Nets $10M to Develop Circulatory Support Device”
Austin, TX’s Curb Raises $1.25M for “Smart Home” Energy Software
Austin, TX cleantech startup Curb has nabbed $1.25 million in investment that comes after the company ran a successful Indiegogo campaign that was oversubscribed by more than 300 percent. In August, Curb raised $120,000 through crowdfunding. That helped the company raise the more than one million in seed funding from angel groups and the Capital … Continue reading “Austin, TX’s Curb Raises $1.25M for “Smart Home” Energy Software”
Texas Roundup: RunTitle, BioHouston, Civitas, OncoReponse, DNAtrix
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from around Texas: —Austin, TX-based RunTitle has raised $8 million in venture capital. San Francisco-based Founders Fund led the round with investments from Deep Fork Capital and Austin Ventures, among others. RunTitle has digitized mineral-rights records and was in Houston’s Surge cleantech accelerator two years ago. … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: RunTitle, BioHouston, Civitas, OncoReponse, DNAtrix”
BioHouston’s Northcut Steps Down, Tanabe Becomes CEO
Jacqueline Northcut, the chief executive officer of BioHouston, announced Tuesday she has resigned. The organization said that chief operating officer Ann Tanabe will assume the top post. In a separate e-mail to contacts, Northcut said she has not yet decided on her next steps. “I am proud of the work that has been accomplished during … Continue reading “BioHouston’s Northcut Steps Down, Tanabe Becomes CEO”
Houston’s M.D. Anderson, Theraclone Launch Immunotherapy Startup
A Seattle biotech and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center announced the formation of a new company seeking to find personalized antibodies that help fight cancer. The new company, OncoResponse, will be based in Houston and is a joint venture between the Houston cancer institution and Theraclone, a therapeutic antibody discovery company that … Continue reading “Houston’s M.D. Anderson, Theraclone Launch Immunotherapy Startup”
Dallas-Fort Worth Aims to Boost Life Sciences Ecosystem
North Texas bio ecosystem, know thyself. That was the goal last week at a conference sponsored by the newly reconstituted Bio North Texas, an advocacy group that is promoting life science commercialization in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “There really is a lot more going on here” when you stop to take a look, says Melissa … Continue reading “Dallas-Fort Worth Aims to Boost Life Sciences Ecosystem”
Aceable Nets $3M to Fuel Expansion of Mobile Driver’s Education App
Aceable, an Austin, TX, startup with a driver’s education app for teens and other soon-to-be drivers, has raised an additional $3 million in seed funding. The investment, which was led by Austin venture capital firm Silverton Partners, brings the startup’s total funding to $4.7 million and will be used to expand its offerings to other … Continue reading “Aceable Nets $3M to Fuel Expansion of Mobile Driver’s Education App”
Houston Biotech DNAtrix Partners With Merck on Brain Cancer Treatment
Houston-based DNAtrix is using a relatively quotidian tool to treat brain cancer: the common cold virus. And today the biotech says it has enlisted some big firepower to help it develop its drug candidate, the pharmaceutical giant Merck. The two companies will collaborate in phase II clinical trials on a therapy to treat glioblastoma, an especially … Continue reading “Houston Biotech DNAtrix Partners With Merck on Brain Cancer Treatment”
Spiceworks New CFO Brings Lessons From Twitter to IT Networking
Austin, TX’s Spiceworks—the biggest social network you’ve probably never heard of—continues to grow apace, adding 100 employees in the last year. The company, which is akin to both a LinkedIn (for a social network) and an iTunes (a one-stop shop for products and services) aimed at IT professionals at small to mid-sized companies recently hired Amir … Continue reading “Spiceworks New CFO Brings Lessons From Twitter to IT Networking”
Warburg Pincus Leads $60M Infusion into Austin Edtech Firm Civitas
Private equity giant Warburg Pincus is leading an investment round of up to $60 million for Austin, TX-based Civitas Learning. Civitas sells software to higher education institutions that is designed to help students make better curriculum and degree decisions. Civitas uses data analytics and builds school-specific predictive models around student enrollment, engagement, and graduation rates. … Continue reading “Warburg Pincus Leads $60M Infusion into Austin Edtech Firm Civitas”
Houston’s Wine4Me Gets First Taste of IBM Watson Developer Program
Navigating the scores of wines available on a trip to Napa Valley six years ago, Houston entrepreneur Amy Gross wondered why there wasn’t a more scientific way to pick the perfect glass. “If music can be characterized objectively like Pandora, why can’t wine?” says Gross, recalling a conversation with her husband. “Why do we have … Continue reading “Houston’s Wine4Me Gets First Taste of IBM Watson Developer Program”
New Frontiers: Space Tech Ecosystem Begins to Grow Around Spaceport
An incubator designed to boost space tech startups could be operating in Houston in as soon as two years. The incubator would be one part of the planned Spaceport to be located at Houston’s Ellington Field, the 10th such facility in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration gave the former U.S. Air Force base … Continue reading “New Frontiers: Space Tech Ecosystem Begins to Grow Around Spaceport”
Texas Roundup: Surge, MEST, Vinli, TMCx, Comfy, Omni Water, Emerge
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from around Texas. —The biggest news this past week was learning that Houston’s Surge Ventures has canceled its accelerator program indefinitely. Founder Kirk Coburn told me how and why he came to that decision. —Cutting edge research and a talented management team are key to bringing innovative … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Surge, MEST, Vinli, TMCx, Comfy, Omni Water, Emerge”
Houston’s Fannin Forms Company to Fight Inflammation-Induced Cancers
Houston’s Fannin Innovation Studio is forming a new biotech startup to add to its portfolio called ACF Pharmaceuticals, along with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a Michigan-based drug company. ACF Pharmaceuticals, which will be based in Houston, will work closely with MD Anderson and Ann Arbor, MI-based Cayman Chemical on discovering … Continue reading “Houston’s Fannin Forms Company to Fight Inflammation-Induced Cancers”
Kirk Coburn Talks About Accelerator’s Halt at Houston’s Surge Ventures
[Editor’s Note: Xconomy reported Thursday that Houston’s Surge Ventures would not host a fifth consecutive accelerator class. ] Surge founder Kirk Coburn surprised many in the audience at a recent Rice University conference by saying the four-year-old accelerator program would be put on hold. But in an interview Friday, Coburn says the decision makes sense … Continue reading “Kirk Coburn Talks About Accelerator’s Halt at Houston’s Surge Ventures”
Houston’s Surge Ventures Hits the Pause Button on Accelerator Program
Houston’s Surge Ventures, founded four years ago to boost innovation in the energy industry, has set its startup accelerator on “pause.” Speaking on a panel at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship energy funding conference Thursday, Surge founder Kirk Coburn said the focus would now be on the fund’s existing 30-plus companies. “Let’s hit … Continue reading “Houston’s Surge Ventures Hits the Pause Button on Accelerator Program”
What Fuels Innovation? Houston’s MEST Conference Says Diversity
Sometimes, the best way to fuel the spark of innovation is to spend some time with people who are very different from yourself. That’s the idea behind the second annual MEST conference—that’s Medicine, Energy, Space, and Technology—a gathering that aims to leverage the expertise of seemingly different industries to help solve problems across those businesses. … Continue reading “What Fuels Innovation? Houston’s MEST Conference Says Diversity”
Dallas Innovation Alliance Aims to Use Tech Innovation to Better Cities
The Dallas Entrepreneur Center is among a group of organizations that have partnered with the White House to boost smart cities. The DEC joins other Dallas area groups and businesses such as AT&T, IBM, and Microsoft to form the Dallas Innovation Alliance, an effort to use technological innovation to promote sustainable economic growth while improving … Continue reading “Dallas Innovation Alliance Aims to Use Tech Innovation to Better Cities”
Health IT Startups Make Their Pitch at TMCx’s Inaugural Demo Day
TMCx, the health IT accelerator hosted by Houston’s Texas Medical Center, held its first demo day last week, an important milestone for the Houston institution as it aims to help boost the city’s life sciences ecosystem. The class was composed of 21 startups that participated in the six-month program, pitching innovative projects such as absorbable … Continue reading “Health IT Startups Make Their Pitch at TMCx’s Inaugural Demo Day”
Dallas’s Motive Accelerator Debuts First Set of Real Estate Tech Startups
Motive, the Dallas accelerator dedicated to boosting real estate tech startups, announced its first cohort of companies Tuesday. The startups, which were chosen from about 80 applicants, largely focus on the commercial real estate market. Each of the companies is already in the marketplace and serving customers. Motive will invest $40,000 in each startup in … Continue reading “Dallas’s Motive Accelerator Debuts First Set of Real Estate Tech Startups”
Omni Water Rides Out Energy Price Drop Focusing on Other Industries
The downturn in the oil and gas market has sent Austin, TX’s Omni Water Solutions back to its roots in developing drinking water. “Low prices have begat low activity,” says Warren Sumner, the company’s CEO. “That’s been a challenge.” To adapt, the company has expanded into other industrial applications where water treatment is needed. This … Continue reading “Omni Water Rides Out Energy Price Drop Focusing on Other Industries”
Emerge Demo Day Spotlights Tech Innovations Aimed at First-Responders
Innovation to help first responders stay safe and do their jobs better is the focus of the Emerge accelerator, which spent three months working out of Tech Wildcatters in Dallas this summer. The program, which recently held its demo day, featured apps, software, and devices that could, for example, help EMTs quickly communicate with injured … Continue reading “Emerge Demo Day Spotlights Tech Innovations Aimed at First-Responders”
Texas Roundup: Favor, UT-San Antonio, Yan Engines, Health Wildcatters
Happy weekend. But before you head off, let’s catch up on the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Favor, the Austin, TX-based startup that offers to deliver anything, is going international. With the addition of a “u”—hello, Favour—the company will begin service to Canada. In addition, the stateside operation announced expansions to Fort Worth, TX, and … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Favor, UT-San Antonio, Yan Engines, Health Wildcatters”
Austin’s Yan Engines Raises $700K, Revs Up for UK Subsidiary
Yan Engines, an Austin, TX-based startup that is building a more fuel-efficient engine, said Wednesday it has picked up an additional $700,000 to launch a subsidiary in the United Kingdom, which will focus on automobile engines. The company has focused so far on heavy industrial sectors such as shipping and fleet to build engines that … Continue reading “Austin’s Yan Engines Raises $700K, Revs Up for UK Subsidiary”
Dallas’s Health Wildcatters Accelerator Announces Third Class of Startups
The Health Wildcatters accelerator in Dallas announced its third class of startups Wednesday, including companies in digital health, medical devices, and telemedicine. Notably, women entrepreneurs lead half of the 10 startups, the accelerator says. One of the companies, Houston’s Noninvasix, was part of the inaugural cohort of startups at the Texas Medical Center’s accelerator, TMCx. … Continue reading “Dallas’s Health Wildcatters Accelerator Announces Third Class of Startups”
Houston Medical Device Executive Larry Lawson Becomes a Goose
Larry Lawson’s nearly five decades of being in healthcare’s entrepreneurial trenches leaves him with a lot of practical advice, he says, and that’s something he’s ready to pass on to the next generation. “I can tell them what not to do,” he says only half-jokingly. “That’s critically important.” Lawson started his career at Johnson & … Continue reading “Houston Medical Device Executive Larry Lawson Becomes a Goose”
Austin Cancer Drugs Developer Mirna Therapeutics Files for an IPO
Mirna Therapeutics, an Austin, TX-based biotech, is the latest Texas life sciences company to file to go public. The company filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Monday for an initial public offering worth $80.5 million on the Nasdaq stock market with the ticker symbol “MIRN.” The company is currently developing its lead … Continue reading “Austin Cancer Drugs Developer Mirna Therapeutics Files for an IPO”
San Antonio Hires Accela to Make Development Processes Smarter
More than 5,500 residential and commercial permits were issued last week. Nearly 2,700 building inspections were conducted last month. Those are some examples of big data on a civic scale for San Antonio, the nation’s seventh largest city. And this week, city officials announced a $15 million contract with technology company Accela to better digitize … Continue reading “San Antonio Hires Accela to Make Development Processes Smarter”
Austin Rubber Aims to Make Old Industry Innovative Again
For a city like Austin, known for its tech innovations at the forefront of cognitive computing, enterprise software, and the like, the rubber industry seems decidedly old school. “We see ourselves as a bridge from the way energy and materials-related industries do things now and the way we’d like it to look in the future,” … Continue reading “Austin Rubber Aims to Make Old Industry Innovative Again”
Battlefield-Tested, Houston’s FlexGen Now Targets Oil & Gas Market
There are few proving grounds as tough as U.S. military bases in Afghanistan or Iraq. And that’s where FlexGen Power Systems has piloted its generator technology, in conflict zones where access to efficient power is crucial. Generators are used across the world, from small gas-fueled ones used by homeowners as a backup to unreliable electricity … Continue reading “Battlefield-Tested, Houston’s FlexGen Now Targets Oil & Gas Market”
Texas Roundup: DrNow, Galvanize, Orbera, Rise, HUVR, Microsoft
Happy Monday. Let’s get caught up with the innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Houston, there’s an app for house calls. DrNow, founded by local physician Akash Bhagat, has launched its service in Houston and plans to expand throughout Texas by the end of the year. Patients can request physicians or nurse practitioners to make house … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: DrNow, Galvanize, Orbera, Rise, HUVR, Microsoft”
DrNow App Helps Healthcare Providers Make House Calls in Houston
Need a doctor to make a house call? There’s an app for that. DrNow is a startup founded by Akash Bhagat, a physician and founder of two stand-alone emergency rooms in Houston. The DrNow app recently launched in the Apple App Store and connects patients with doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners who will come to … Continue reading “DrNow App Helps Healthcare Providers Make House Calls in Houston”
Rice, Houston University Accelerators Showcase Student-Led Startups
This year’s Bayou Startup Showcase began, and ended, with waterworks that made good on its name. BSS, which combines the accelerator programs of the University of Houston and Rice University, held its demo day Tuesday, after which a thunderous storm swept through Houston, breaking weeks of 100 degree-plus heat. This second annual summer session was … Continue reading “Rice, Houston University Accelerators Showcase Student-Led Startups”
FDA Approves Apollo Endosurgery’s Gastric Balloon for Obesity
The FDA has approved Apollo Endosurgery’s latest product: a minimally invasive gastrointestinal balloon to combat obesity. The Orbera device is inserted through a patient’s mouth into the stomach where it is inflated and filled with saline. Dennis McWilliams, Apollo’s founder, president and chief commercial officer, says the device is a sort of mid-point therapy to … Continue reading “FDA Approves Apollo Endosurgery’s Gastric Balloon for Obesity”
Austin’s HUVR Raises $2M to Deploy Drones to Industrial Sites
An Austin, TX, drone company has raised $2 million as it launches its service to help wind, solar, energy, and agriculture companies record and analyze data in industrial sites. The investment comes from angel investors, including the Central Texas Angel Network, the Houston Angel Network, and the Texas HALO Fund. So far, the company has … Continue reading “Austin’s HUVR Raises $2M to Deploy Drones to Industrial Sites”
Dallas Startup Rise Aims to Pilot New Frontier in Private Air Travel
Door-to-door, the trip from Dallas to Houston took two hours. That’s quite a feat considering the two Texas cities are nearly 250 miles apart. But on a flight run by the Dallas startup Rise, there was no need to get through security 30 minutes in advance, parking was just yards from the plane, and a … Continue reading “Dallas Startup Rise Aims to Pilot New Frontier in Private Air Travel”
Roundup: New Money for FlexGen, Neos, MacroFab, Castle & Other News
Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: —Houston-based FlexGen Power Systems announced Monday it has raised a $25.5 million Series A round of financing to further market and install its hybrid energy storage software in oilfield and power generation sites. The round was led by Denver-based Altira Group and includes investors such as … Continue reading “Roundup: New Money for FlexGen, Neos, MacroFab, Castle & Other News”