UPDATE: TICKETS GONE! THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE! The Sox are driving for the playoffs, and today they will notch the 455th consecutive Fenway Park sellout to tie the major league record set by the Cleveland Indians in a stretch that ran from 1995-2001. To celebrate, we are giving away two bleacher seats to the historic … Continue reading “Take You Out to the Ball Game? Sox Will Tie the Sellout Record Today—and We Have Two Tickets for Xconomy Fans”
Author: Robert Buderi
Bob is Xconomy's founder and chairman. He is one of the country's foremost journalists covering business and technology. As a noted author and magazine editor, he is a sought-after commentator on innovation and global competitiveness. Before taking his most recent position as a research fellow in MIT's Center for International Studies, Bob served as Editor in Chief of MIT's Technology Review, then a 10-times-a-year publication with a circulation of 315,000. Bob led the magazine to numerous editorial and design awards and oversaw its expansion into three foreign editions, electronic newsletters, and highly successful conferences. As BusinessWeek's technology editor, he shared in the 1992 National Magazine Award for The Quality Imperative.
Bob is the author of four books about technology and innovation. Naval Innovation for the 21st Century (2013) is a post-Cold War account of the Office of Naval Research. Guanxi (2006) focuses on Microsoft's Beijing research lab as a metaphor for global competitiveness. Engines of Tomorrow (2000) describes the evolution of corporate research. The Invention That Changed the World (1996) covered a secret lab at MIT during WWII. Bob served on the Council on Competitiveness-sponsored National Innovation Initiative and is an advisor to the Draper Prize Nominating Committee. He has been a regular guest of CNBC's Strategy Session and has spoken about innovation at many venues, including the Business Council, Amazon, eBay, Google, IBM, and Microsoft.
IRobot Co-Founder Brooks Leaves to Launch New Robotics Firm Aiming to Revitalize U.S. Workforce
MIT roboticist Rod Brooks, one of three co-founders of iRobot and mentor to the other two (chairman Helen Greiner and CEO Colin Angle), is stepping down from his role as the company’s CTO in order to launch his own robotics firm, iRobot announced today. Brooks’ startup, called Heartland Robotics, will focus on industrial and workplace … Continue reading “IRobot Co-Founder Brooks Leaves to Launch New Robotics Firm Aiming to Revitalize U.S. Workforce”
Teradyne to Pay $250M for Eagle Test Systems
Teradyne (NYSE: [[ticker:TER]]) has agreed to pay approximately $250 million ($15.65 a share) to acquire Eagle Test Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EGLT]]) of Illinois, the North Reading, MA-based maker of electronics testing equipment announced today. Teradyne said it had secured bridge financing—the amount was not disclosed—to help complete the deal. Eagle makes analog, mixed-signal and radio frequency … Continue reading “Teradyne to Pay $250M for Eagle Test Systems”
Ideas Boston
IDEAS Boston is all about highlighting and promoting innovation. To that end, it brings cutting-edge thinkers together across their traditional boundaries. As the event description puts it: “The core of IDEAS Boston is an annual conference where leading innovators present their latest—or sometimes their next—big ideas in a fast-paced format that combines succinct and lively … Continue reading “Ideas Boston”
MassTLC Innovation2008 Unconference
Repeat after me, it’s not a conference—it’s an unconference. The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council is hosting this event, which brings selected entrepreneurs, or hopeful entrepreneurs, together with key experts to help them evolve their ideas. As the event describes itself: “These small group meetings are focused on building relationships and helping move new ideas/companies forward. … Continue reading “MassTLC Innovation2008 Unconference”
NCI Funding Opportunities Forum
Need some money for an early-stage business? Michael Weingarten, director of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) at the National Cancer Institute, will be the featured guest at a breakfast in the offices of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council in Kendall Square. Weingarten will give the skinny on the early-stage funding opportunities the NCI has to … Continue reading “NCI Funding Opportunities Forum”
BIF-4 Collaborative Innovation Summit
It’s business story-telling on steroids. No PowerPoints allowed. That’s the agenda for this year’s—the fourth in an ongoing series—Collaborative Innovation Summit put on by the non-profit Business Innovation Factory in Providence, RI. One co-host is Xconomy board member Bill Taylor, bestselling author of Mavericks at Work. You can also hear Xconomist John Abele, who’ll speak … Continue reading “BIF-4 Collaborative Innovation Summit”
Two MIT Groups Win $275K Google Android Top Prize
(Updated–see Hal Abelson and Clare Bayley comments below:) Google announced the winners of the first round of its Android Developer Challenge yesterday—and at least two teams with core members from MIT (one also had a Harvard member) were among the 10 teams taking home the $275,000 top prize. The teams were selected from 50 finalists … Continue reading “Two MIT Groups Win $275K Google Android Top Prize”
Amazon Shells Out For Shelfari
Amazon will acquire Seattle-based Shelfari, a social networking site for bookworms, Shelfari’s CEO has confirmed on the company blog. John Cook broke the news yesterday and has a nice analysis of the ongoing tensions between Shelfari and its top rival, LibraryThing, in which Amazon also has a stake. And TechCrunch reports that Amazon previously invested … Continue reading “Amazon Shells Out For Shelfari”
Announcing Xconomy’s Next Forum: How to Build A Life Sciences Company
The Boston area is arguably the world’s greatest center of life sciences, fostering both outstanding basic research and a thriving community of companies, big and small. Two of biotech’s pioneering firms, Biogen Idec and Genzyme, were founded here—Biogen is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. A number of the planet’s largest pharmaceutical makers, including Novartis, … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy’s Next Forum: How to Build A Life Sciences Company”
Y Combinator’s “Open Source” Legal Documents: Up, Down, Up Again—Thank the Lawyers
It’s not easy posting legal documents: the lawyers get nervous. At least, that’s what happened to Y Combinator. Last Wednesday, August 13, the unique venture firm/incubator made a batch of boilerplate legal documents developed for its own startups freely available on its website—“open sourcing” (their term, not mine) them in hopes they would make closing … Continue reading “Y Combinator’s “Open Source” Legal Documents: Up, Down, Up Again—Thank the Lawyers”
Media Lab Director to My Rescue…Twice!
I might just have figured out the worst corner in Kendall Square and the best company to have there…It’s a beautiful day here, so I was taking a leisurely after-lunch stroll when I spotted MIT Media Lab director and Xconomist Frank Moss sauntering equally leisurely on the other side of Binney Street at the corner … Continue reading “Media Lab Director to My Rescue…Twice!”
Nuance Snaps Up SNAPin for $180M
Even as one firm, Canada’s Zi, is resisting its takeover bid, Burlington, MA-based Nuance Communications (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]) reports more success with another company. The speech recognition giant announced yesterday that it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire SNAPin, a privately held mobile software company based in Bellevue, WA, for approximately $180 million in Nuance … Continue reading “Nuance Snaps Up SNAPin for $180M”
Spark Invests Big in Startup that Helps Airline Passengers Zip Through Security Lines
Right now, if you want to zip through security lines at major airports you have three basic options: travel at weird hours when few people are in the airport; shell out big bucks for a first-class ticket (provided the airport has a separate line for first class); or sign up for a Clear pass (or … Continue reading “Spark Invests Big in Startup that Helps Airline Passengers Zip Through Security Lines”
Ipanema Garners $7M to Fuel Expansion
Waltham, MA-based Ipanema Technologies, which develops wide area network application traffic management systems, announced today that it has received $7 million in funding Noble Venture of London, largely to boost R&D and expand its operations in Asia, the U.S., and Europe.
With Clean Transportation All the Rage, Segway is Reportedly on the Road to Raising $14 Million Series D Round
On the heels of closing the final tranche of a $35 million financing round that ranked as the fifth-largest New England venture deal of the second quarter, Segway is reportedly back on the financing circuit looking for $14 million more for a Series D round, according to PE Hub, which cites a regulatory filing. The … Continue reading “With Clean Transportation All the Rage, Segway is Reportedly on the Road to Raising $14 Million Series D Round”
Demo Day at Y Combinator Offers Glimpse of Web’s Future
The house was packed with investors big and small (only one limo was waiting outside, though), the food tasty, the mood upbeat, the rain hardly fell—and, most importantly, a score of very intriguing startups stood ready to present. It was Demo Day at Y Combinator, the bi-coastal incubator/venture firm that’s based in Cambridge, MA, in … Continue reading “Demo Day at Y Combinator Offers Glimpse of Web’s Future”
WSJ Hits Boston Scientific Stent Data
An FDA application for a Boston Scientific (NYSE:[[ticker:BSX]]) coronary stent currently awaiting approval was supported by a flawed statistical equation, according to today’s Wall Street Journal. Citing its own review of a clinical study of the device, the paper said the Taxus Liberte stent, which is already approved for use abroad, would have been judged … Continue reading “WSJ Hits Boston Scientific Stent Data”
Y Combinator Goes Open-Source With Legal Funding Documents
If you’ve ever launched a startup with funding from a venture firm or angel group, you know the bank-account-draining toll those startup legal bills can take. I still feel the pain: an amazing $25K each from my lawyer and the lead investor’s lawyer for a simple angel deal. And guess who paid for it all? … Continue reading “Y Combinator Goes Open-Source With Legal Funding Documents”
A123 Systems Co-founder Confirms Lucky 8 Influenced Timing of IPO Filing
Turns out our hunch was correct. On Friday, Watertown, MA-based maker of advanced batteries A123 Systems filed for its long-anticipated IPO. Since the filing came on August 8, 2008—an exceedingly lucky date, according to Chinese numerology—and because A123 has big operations in China and was co-founded by Taiwan-born MIT professor Yet-Ming Chiang, we speculated that … Continue reading “A123 Systems Co-founder Confirms Lucky 8 Influenced Timing of IPO Filing”
New Fundraising for Hair-Raising: Follica Takes in $11 Million for Baldness-Treatment Approach
If only hair could grow as fast as Follica’s pot of money. Just seven months after its $5.5 million Series A financing round, the Boston-based startup today announced it has raised an additional $11 million to bolster its efforts to develop new methods of treating male- and female-pattern baldness and other hair-follicle disorders such as … Continue reading “New Fundraising for Hair-Raising: Follica Takes in $11 Million for Baldness-Treatment Approach”
CA Reaffirms that Non-Competes are Non-Starters—Will MA and WA Listen?
Updated with additional comment, see below: The arguments have been piling up against non-compete agreements here in the Bay State (and they’re not unknown in our sister city of Seattle, either). Over the past year, we’ve chronicled the debate several times, including an advance look at a debate about the debate held at the Berkman … Continue reading “CA Reaffirms that Non-Competes are Non-Starters—Will MA and WA Listen?”
A123 Systems Files for IPO Seeking Up to $175 Million (and Betting on Lucky No. 8?)
August 8, 2008. The Olympics Games begins in Beijing. A123 Systems, the Watertown, MA-based advanced battery maker with big operations in China, files for an IPO. Coincidence? Maybe not. The number 8 is considered lucky in China because it is similar to the Mandarin word for “wealth.” That’s why the opening cermony for the Olympics … Continue reading “A123 Systems Files for IPO Seeking Up to $175 Million (and Betting on Lucky No. 8?)”
Y Combinator Model “Too Messy” for Microsoft, Says YC Founder
On Wednesday, Greg highlighted the provocative suggestion of Kevin Merritt, CEO of Seattle startup Blist, that Microsoft should return to its “risk taking, entrepreneurial roots…” by investing in early-stage startups along the lines of the Y Combinator model. By supporting the startups in return for some stock and a commitment to use Microsoft development software, … Continue reading “Y Combinator Model “Too Messy” for Microsoft, Says YC Founder”
Xerox Moves R&D Headquarters to Boston (Kind Of)—Looking to Network, Develop Green Technologies, and Hit the Airport Faster
Talk about telecommuting. As of a few weeks ago, Sophie Vandebroek has been running Xerox’s global R&D organization—comprised of the famous Palo Alto Research Center and three other centers in the U.S., France, and Canada—out of her new home office in Lincoln, MA. As chief technology officer of Norwalk, CT-based Xerox and president of its … Continue reading “Xerox Moves R&D Headquarters to Boston (Kind Of)—Looking to Network, Develop Green Technologies, and Hit the Airport Faster”
Forrester Orbits, Buys Jupiter for $23M
In a merger of market research minds, Cambridge, MA-based Forrester Research (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FORR]]) announced today that it will purchase JupiterResearch and its parent company, JUPR Holdings, from MCG Capital Corporation (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MCGC]]) for $23 million in cash, plus assumed liabilities. JupiterResearch, with 2007 revenues of roughly $14 million, has 83 employees. Forrester reported 2007 revenues … Continue reading “Forrester Orbits, Buys Jupiter for $23M”
Xconomy Goes to Sweden (Anybody Got Sox Tickets for Erik?)
Xconomy is on its way to Sweden. In our hearts, at least. Today marks the last day at Xconomy Boston for our Innovation Fellow, noted Swedish technology and business journalist Erik Mellgren, who will be returning home tomorrow night to Stockholm. We figure he’s doing some advance scouting for a future expansion to the Swedish … Continue reading “Xconomy Goes to Sweden (Anybody Got Sox Tickets for Erik?)”
Microsoft Research Lab Opens Quietly Next to MIT, Director Says Area’s Intellectual Climate Like “Dry Timber” Ready to Ignite
A Microsoft research lab announced in February quietly opened its doors in Kendall Square earlier this month, although the company doesn’t plan an official coming out party until late September. It’s Microsoft’s first research outpost in the United States outside the West Coast and its sixth worldwide—and the lab’s leaders have wasted no time changing … Continue reading “Microsoft Research Lab Opens Quietly Next to MIT, Director Says Area’s Intellectual Climate Like “Dry Timber” Ready to Ignite”
Art Technology Group Co-Founder Jeet Singh Releases Third Album
Everybody running a startup must wonder from time to time what it would be like to leave it all behind and live on a balmy Caribbean island. And if you want to know what it sounds like, check out Supersaturated, the just-released third album from Jeet “Miki” Singh, co-founder of Art Technology Group (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARTG]]). … Continue reading “Art Technology Group Co-Founder Jeet Singh Releases Third Album”
MIT and Harvard Profs Team with BlackBerry Lawsuit Lawyers in Patent Suit Against Affymetrix—Could MIT Get Caught in the Middle?
It’s an impressive and even intimidating group. Two world-renowned professors, one from MIT, the other from Harvard Medical School; MIT itself; and the lawyers who won a $612 million settlement from Research in Motion, the Blackberry folks. They’ve joined forces in a patent lawsuit, filed without fanfare last week in federal court, against one of … Continue reading “MIT and Harvard Profs Team with BlackBerry Lawsuit Lawyers in Patent Suit Against Affymetrix—Could MIT Get Caught in the Middle?”
A Tribute to Alex d’Arbeloff, Boston Innovator and Visionary
I was very sad to learn that Alex d’Arbeloff, one of the towering figures of New England innovation, passed away yesterday at the age of 80. In 1960, d’Arbeloff founded Teradyne with Nick DeWolf, a classmate from MIT. Working initially in a rented space above a downtown Boston hot dog stand, d’Arbeloff helped build the … Continue reading “A Tribute to Alex d’Arbeloff, Boston Innovator and Visionary”
Private Equity Fundraising Dipped in Year’s First Half, But Still Strong: Venture and Mezzanine Segments Rise
Despite a near complete shutdown of the IPO market, U.S. private equity fundraising remained reasonably strong throughout the first half of this year—185 funds brought in $133 billion, coming in just under last year’s record pace, according to a new report from Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst. The venture capital segment performed particularly well, with … Continue reading “Private Equity Fundraising Dipped in Year’s First Half, But Still Strong: Venture and Mezzanine Segments Rise”
Private Equity Fundraising Dipped in Year’s First Half, But Still Strong: Venture and Mezzanine Segments Rise
Despite a near complete shutdown of the IPO market, U.S. private equity fundraising remained reasonably strong throughout the first half of this year—185 funds brought in $133 billion, coming in just under last year’s record pace, according to a new report from Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst. The venture capital segment performed particularly well, with … Continue reading “Private Equity Fundraising Dipped in Year’s First Half, But Still Strong: Venture and Mezzanine Segments Rise”
Perhaps Seeing a Crack in the IPO Clouds, GT Solar Expands its Offering
GT Solar has evidently spied a few rays of sunshine on the overcast IPO market. In a filing with the SEC yesterday, the Merrimack, NH, maker of equipment for producing photovoltaic solar cells dusted off—and expanded—15-month-old plans to go public. The company now plans to offer 30.3 million shares of common stock at a price … Continue reading “Perhaps Seeing a Crack in the IPO Clouds, GT Solar Expands its Offering”
VC McDermott Rocks to Cleantech
Our latest Who Knew? list of quirky details on prominent members of the Boston-area innovation community included this one: “Chuck McDermott, general partner at RockPort Capital Partners, dropped out of Yale University to pursue a career as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. McDermott led a country rock band, Chuck McDermott and Wheatstraw, which drew huge … Continue reading “VC McDermott Rocks to Cleantech”
The Missing Piece in Climate Policy: Renewable Heating and Cooling
It ain’t real sexy, but it’s key: heating and cooling. As the event description reads, “To date, efforts to combat climate change have emphasized reducing fossil fuel emissions through renewable energy technologies that produce less, if any, CO2 emissions. However, most renewable energy policies have only focused on the transportation and electricity sectors, and have … Continue reading “The Missing Piece in Climate Policy: Renewable Heating and Cooling”
Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network Sunset Cruise and Networking Evening
Head out on the high seas—make that Boston Harbor—for the Boston Entrepreneurs’ Network’s 6th annual sunset cruise and networking evening.
IRobot Grand Opening Pretty Grand
Updated with photos from the event: I missed all the speeches, sorry about that. But I still had a great time yesterday afternoon at the grand opening of iRobot’s new headquarters—touring the offices, with its multiple coffee stations and places for employees to hang bikes, examining the Seaglider underwater vehicle, watching a demo of the … Continue reading “IRobot Grand Opening Pretty Grand”
Xconomy’s Cloud Computing Forum—Speaker Slides
Updated: A number of information-hungry attendees of our cloud computing event came up to me during and after the event to request that we post speaker slides. Only about half the speakers actually used slides, and for various reasons they weren’t always comfortable with posting them. But a few—starting with former IBM executive Irving Wladawsky-Berger … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Cloud Computing Forum—Speaker Slides”
What is Reed Sturtevant Up to in Microsoft’s Cambridge Development Lab?
Back in September, we talked to former Eons chief technology officer Reed Sturtevant just before his first day on the job as the head of a special Microsoft advanced development lab opening in Kendall Square, right next to MIT and a stone’s throw from Google’s own lab. An update late last year brought the news … Continue reading “What is Reed Sturtevant Up to in Microsoft’s Cambridge Development Lab?”
Notes From Xconomy’s Cloud Computing Extravaganza
“Ask not just what the cloud can do for you, but what you can do with the cloud.” — Sim Simeonov, Polaris Venture Partners “My opinion is this is a land grab.” — John Landry, former CTO of Lotus, founder, Lead Dog Ventures “The key is the location of your data. The land grab is … Continue reading “Notes From Xconomy’s Cloud Computing Extravaganza”
How EMC Turned Around Its Asia Business
Steve Leonard’s schedule for the next two weeks or so goes like this: Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore, London, Paris, London, Singapore, Australia. And for him, that’s not even that unusual—Leonard logs about 30,000 miles a month on airplanes, sleeping on a plane once or twice a week. “That’s part of being … Continue reading “How EMC Turned Around Its Asia Business”
Web Inno West: How Seattle Does Start-Up Pitches
We’ve written several times about the Web Innovators Group meetings put on by Venrock vice president David Beisel, including this interview with Beisel himself. The monthly Web Inno get-togethers include three or four “main dish” talks by local entrepreneurs launching new Web services, coupled with three to five “side dish” presentations by firms manning tables … Continue reading “Web Inno West: How Seattle Does Start-Up Pitches”
ATV Associate Becomes Samsung VP
Gavin Kim, the young Advanced Technology Ventures associate who last November helped launch VentureNetwork.VC, a members only, business-oriented social networking website focused on the venture capital/private equity world, will be leaving ATV next week to join Samsung as VP, Content and Services. Kim says in an e-mail that he will be “leading their content and … Continue reading “ATV Associate Becomes Samsung VP”
Friday Funding Flurry: OwnerIQ, Sciformix, and Optaros Raise New Rounds
We usually get deluged with funding news on Mondays —but a small rash of venture capital rounds were announced (in one form or another) this morning, so we thought we’d wrap them up into one post. First up is OwnerIQ, which we have written about before. The two-year-old Newton, MA-based startup—which operates a network of … Continue reading “Friday Funding Flurry: OwnerIQ, Sciformix, and Optaros Raise New Rounds”
Metcalfe on Next Steps for GreenFuel: Series C and Partnership Deals Could Be Just Around Corner
With a new CEO (almost) in place, two potential term sheets on the way for a long-sought new round of financing, and another pair of partnership deals in the works, Cambridge, MA-based biofuels company GreenFuel Technologies could be on the threshold of a major new phase of its operations. That was the picture painted by … Continue reading “Metcalfe on Next Steps for GreenFuel: Series C and Partnership Deals Could Be Just Around Corner”
Icahn Nominee Concedes Defeat at Biogen Idec Annual Meeting
[Updated below.] In a major vote of confidence for current management under CEO James Mullen, shareholders at Biogen Idec’s annual meeting this morning have evidently rejected the slate of board nominees put forth by investor Carl Icahn and approved the company’s choices instead. “We think we didn’t succeed in getting onto the board of Biogen, … Continue reading “Icahn Nominee Concedes Defeat at Biogen Idec Annual Meeting”
Icahn Nominee to Biogen Idec Board Pledges to Work With Current Management to Restore Research Operations to Past Greatness
With a potentially momentous shareholder vote at hand, a top Carl Icahn strategist says he and others nominated by the investor for Biogen Idec’s board would not try to oust CEO James Mullen. What’s more, he says, they would work to restore the company’s research operations to the greatness he admired when a young MIT … Continue reading “Icahn Nominee to Biogen Idec Board Pledges to Work With Current Management to Restore Research Operations to Past Greatness”
GreenFuel Announces CEO: One Step Left in Metcalfe’s Seven-Step Recovery Plan—Money
GreenFuel Technologies, the algae farming startup headed by Polaris Venture Partners (a major investor in the company) general partner Bob Metcalfe on an interim basis since last June, finally got its CEO, the Cambridge, MA-based company announced today. The new top executive, who won’t start until mid-July and was not available for direct comment, is … Continue reading “GreenFuel Announces CEO: One Step Left in Metcalfe’s Seven-Step Recovery Plan—Money”
IRobot Wins $3.3M ChemBot Contract
Burlington, MA-based iRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) announced today that it has received a $3.3 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Army Research Office to develop a soft, pliable robot that can “maneuver through openings smaller than its actual structural dimensions” to perform reconnaissance and urban search and rescue operations. IRobot … Continue reading “IRobot Wins $3.3M ChemBot Contract”