The stakes for online TV streaming startup Aereo were always really high. In the eyes of the law, it was either going to be an innovative way to send consumers the shows they deserved or a clever workaround that really just made money from someone else’s work. On Wednesday, Aereo lost that battle in convincing … Continue reading “Supreme Court: High-Tech Aereo Is Really Just a Cable Knockoff”
Author: Curt Woodward
Curt covered technology and innovation in the Boston area for Xconomy. He previously worked in Xconomy’s Seattle bureau and continued some coverage of Seattle-area tech companies, including Amazon and Microsoft.
Curt joined Xconomy in February 2011 after nearly nine years with The Associated Press, the world's largest news organization. He worked in three states and covered a wide variety of beats for the AP, including business, law, politics, government, and general mayhem.
A native Washingtonian, Curt earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. As a past president of the state's Capitol Correspondents Association, he led efforts to expand statehouse press credentialing to online news outlets for the first time.
Don’t Want Google in Your House? Some Home-Tech Startups to Watch
Google’s thirst for connected-home products means that entrepreneurs in the growing sector have another deep-pocketed competitor to outfox. But they’ve also got a new sales pitch: We’re not Google. “We certainly have not been shy,” says Jason Hanna, CEO of home heating-automation startup Embue. “It’s definitely something that we talk about.” Questions about the advertising … Continue reading “Don’t Want Google in Your House? Some Home-Tech Startups to Watch”
Boston Tech Roundup: Bain Capital, Polaris, Onapsis, & More
[Updated 12:45 pm] We’ve got news on venture funds and startups around the greater Boston area raising money in this week’s collection of innovation sector headlines: —Bain Capital Ventures has filed SEC paperwork for a new investment pool of about $850 million, spread across two funds. Boston-based Bain Capital Ventures also has offices in New … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Bain Capital, Polaris, Onapsis, & More”
Amazon’s Fire Phone: One Big Piece of a Real-World Shopping Push
Anyone who’s fallen into a wormhole of product recommendations can testify that buying things on Amazon.com is already pretty easy. With an Internet connection and a bank card, just about anything you can dream up is available around the clock, ready to be shipped to your door. But some things haven’t changed all that much … Continue reading “Amazon’s Fire Phone: One Big Piece of a Real-World Shopping Push”
New WiTricity CEO: 2015 Will Show “Real Progress” for Wireless Power
[Updated 2:15 p.m.] It’s easy to forget that, just a decade ago, wireless Internet access wasn’t the first-world commodity we take for granted today. As the head of HP’s “mobile computing group” back then, Alex Gruzen had seen wi-fi make some steps toward the mainstream. But the true leap, he recalls, wouldn’t come until Intel … Continue reading “New WiTricity CEO: 2015 Will Show “Real Progress” for Wireless Power”
Boston Tech Roundup: Boston-Power, Imprivata, CloudLock, & More
There’s fundraising news big and small, along with an acquisition, in this wrapup of the week’s Boston-area innovation headlines: —A Boston-bred cleantech company is rearing its head again, spurred on by competition with Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors. The Wall Street Journal reports that Boston-Power, a developer of advanced lithium ion battery technology, is raising $250 … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Boston-Power, Imprivata, CloudLock, & More”
Boston 2034: Photos From Our Look at the Next 20 Years
Predicting the next five years can seem like a pretty tall order these days. So why organize an all-day conference around the idea of sketching out the next two decades? Well, for starters, that’s how you get people thinking big. And the speakers at Boston 2034, our biggest and boldest conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint. … Continue reading “Boston 2034: Photos From Our Look at the Next 20 Years”
Robots for Grandma: 3 Big Problems to Tackle as the Population Ages
A future of robotic assistants and self-driving cars isn’t so far away. Just look at some of the luxury cars on the market today, Rethink Robotics founder Rodney Brooks says. The Mercedes-Benz S Class, for example, is loaded with sensors that can detect the roadway and take over the car’s safety systems, from tightening the … Continue reading “Robots for Grandma: 3 Big Problems to Tackle as the Population Ages”
Boston 2034 Predictions: Data, Policy, & Healthcare on the Horizon
What will Boston’s innovation sector—and the region itself—look like in 20 years? More importantly, what will it take to keep New England ahead of the pack in an increasingly global competition? Those are among the big questions we’re tackling next week at Xconomy’s biggest event yet: Boston 2034, an all-day conference featuring some of the … Continue reading “Boston 2034 Predictions: Data, Policy, & Healthcare on the Horizon”
Boston Tech Roundup: Invaluable, DataMi, Acquia, XebiaLabs
[Updated 4:20 pm] A quartet of deals, from fundraising to acquisition, to wrap up the week around the Boston-area innovation sector: —Invaluable, a Boston-based online marketplace for auction houses, has raised $33.75 million. The Series D round was led by Insight Venture Partners, and included previous investors Ascent Venture Partners and Commonwealth Capital Ventures. The company … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Invaluable, DataMi, Acquia, XebiaLabs”
Boston 2034: Three More Predictions for the Future of Innovation
We’re less than a week away from Xconomy’s biggest, boldest event yet: Boston 2034, an in-depth exploration of the next 20 years of innovation in New England. This all-day event features a dynamic program of top-notch speakers discussing what it will take to keep the greater Boston area a leader in software, hardware, energy, education, healthcare, … Continue reading “Boston 2034: Three More Predictions for the Future of Innovation”
With “This American Life,” a Big Bet on Digital Pays Off for PRX
If you were making a Mount Rushmore of public radio, Ira Glass would definitely be carved in stone. So when the creator and host of the iconic program This American Life announced that he’d found a new company to distribute his show to radio stations nationwide, the media world took notice. Under the new deal, … Continue reading “With “This American Life,” a Big Bet on Digital Pays Off for PRX”
Boston Tech Roundup: Spark, Swipely, Harmonix, Grove
Venture firms and startups are raising money, while an established name in the rough-and-tumble video game world stumbles again in this collection of innovation headlines: —Spark Capital, the Boston-based venture capital firm known for its investments in Twitter and Oculus VR, has raised a new “growth” fund to invest in later-stage companies. The $375 million … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Spark, Swipely, Harmonix, Grove”
Boston 2034: Three Predictions for the Future of Innovation
These days, it can seem a little dicey to make big predictions about what’s going to happen in the next few months. Seriously, raise your hand if you called Apple buying Dr. Dre’s headphone company for $3 billion or Facebook paying $2 billion for virtual-reality goggles. But that’s what makes this era so interesting. And it’s … Continue reading “Boston 2034: Three Predictions for the Future of Innovation”
ByteLight Teams up with GE on New Location-Sensing Lights
Indoor location tracking is one of those ideas that seems to forever be on the verge of breaking into the mainstream. Now that millions of people are toting around sophisticated, Internet-connected phones, it should be possible to beam coupons and other sales-increasing nudges right to their home screen as they prowl the aisles of the … Continue reading “ByteLight Teams up with GE on New Location-Sensing Lights”
Website Software Seller Acquia Adds $50M, Led by NEA
[Updated 2:30 pm with comment from company] Acquia hasn’t been shy over the past few years about its hopes to become a public company. Today, the seller of website management software is stacking up some more venture capital: a $50 million investment that Acquia says will help it continue growing in multiple areas. The new … Continue reading “Website Software Seller Acquia Adds $50M, Led by NEA”
Boston Tech Roundup: SimpliSafe, SeeWhy, Springpad, Evergage
Some fundraising deals big and small, an acquisition, and a startup shutdown in this trip through innovation sector headlines around Boston in the past week: —SimpliSafe, a Cambridge, MA-based home security company, has raised $57 million from venture firm Sequoia Capital. The deal had been rumored last month, and the company disclosed the amount of … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: SimpliSafe, SeeWhy, Springpad, Evergage”
This Boston Lawyer Could Be Uber’s Nemesis as It Eyes Expansion
When a few taps on the smartphone screen can summon a real-life person to your door, it’s easy to feel like there’s a bit of magic in the air. That’s what makes on-demand services one of the most intriguing frontiers in business. Whether you want a ride to the airport, a bag full of groceries, … Continue reading “This Boston Lawyer Could Be Uber’s Nemesis as It Eyes Expansion”
Boston 2034: The Big Agenda for Our June 10 Innovation Conference
We’re just three weeks away from Xconomy’s biggest conference yet: Boston 2034, an all-day look at what it will take to keep New England on the front lines of innovation 20 years from now. In a time of intense change, it’s a topic that will inspire some equally intense ideas and opinions. And we’re planning … Continue reading “Boston 2034: The Big Agenda for Our June 10 Innovation Conference”
Dyn Acquires Renesys, Adding Internet Monitoring Chops
With super-smart engineering graduates just about everywhere you look and plenty of behind-the-scenes companies putting their brains to use, New England’s technology sector is instrumental in keeping the digital world humming right along. Just don’t tell that to everyone mesmerized by the hot new take on photo-sharing apps or anonymous messaging services. “The Internet’s run … Continue reading “Dyn Acquires Renesys, Adding Internet Monitoring Chops”
Boston Tech Roundup: CRV, Mobiquity, Ditto Labs, Groupize
A few deals of note that perked up around the New England innovation scene in recent days: —Charles River Ventures appears to have done well in the IPO of Zendesk, an online customer service software company. The Boston-based venture firm was a Series A investor in the company and held nearly a quarter of its … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: CRV, Mobiquity, Ditto Labs, Groupize”
New England VCs Grab Major Role in Campaign Against Non-Competes
This week, the New England Venture Capital Association threw a big party to celebrate the Boston innovation sector, complete with awards for the hottest startups, rock n’ roll-themed costumes, and hundreds of people packed into a big downtown theater. It’s exactly the kind of fun event you’d expect from such a trade group, whose members … Continue reading “New England VCs Grab Major Role in Campaign Against Non-Competes”
Amazon Expands Boston-Area Office, Room for About 800
One of the technology industry’s biggest names is increasing its footprint in Boston. Real estate records show that Amazon recently added about 11,000 square feet to its existing offices in Cambridge’s Kendall Square neighborhood, right next to the prime recruiting grounds at MIT. It’s a popular spot for West Coast technology giants to set up … Continue reading “Amazon Expands Boston-Area Office, Room for About 800”
Boston Tech Roundup: Perfecto, Extreme Reach, Finally, AllClasses
It was a pretty busy week for investment deals and other startup company news around the greater Boston region—here are a few more items to fill out the collection: —Perfecto Mobile, a Woburn, MA-based software company that helps business customers test and monitor their mobile apps, has raised another $20 million. The private investment was … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Perfecto, Extreme Reach, Finally, AllClasses”
Months Before CEO Shakeup, Leaf Investor Took Control of Startup
[Updated 11:30 am, see note below.] Boston-area startup Leaf gave us another glimpse at how rough the retail payments sector can be with this week’s sudden departure of its founding CEO. Such CEO swaps happen pretty frequently in the startup world, where companies are moving at a breakneck pace to either grow their business or … Continue reading “Months Before CEO Shakeup, Leaf Investor Took Control of Startup”
LogMeIn Acquires Ionia for $12M, Intensifying “Internet of Things” Focus
About a year ago, Boston-based business software provider LogMeIn rolled out a new product intended to take the company in a new direction. That product, called Xively, is an online software platform for building the “Internet of Things,” a long-prophesied world in which machines and appliances of all kinds are connected to the Internet—just like … Continue reading “LogMeIn Acquires Ionia for $12M, Intensifying “Internet of Things” Focus”
QPID Health Raises $12M to Expand Medical Record Search Software
A colonoscopy isn’t one of those appointments that you can just show up for. As anyone who’s had the pleasure of undergoing the procedure will certainly tell you, there’s a lot of preparation involved to make sure the bowel is empty enough for your doctor to see what’s going on. Now imagine running through that … Continue reading “QPID Health Raises $12M to Expand Medical Record Search Software”
Boston Tech Roundup: BookBub, Kronos, Techstars, & More
It’s been a pretty busy week for startups and larger companies alike around the Boston-area innovation sector, with financing news, revenue growth, an acquisition, an accelerator demo day, and a college pitch competition: —BookBub, a Cambridge, MA-based startup that markets discounts on books to an e-mail list of nearly 3 million, has attracted a $3.8 … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: BookBub, Kronos, Techstars, & More”
Why Would Amazon Want its Own Smartphone, Anyway?
It’s been called one of the worst-kept secrets in the mobile technology industry, but it’s still generating a lot of buzz—Amazon.com, the king of online commerce and trend-setting provider of cloud-computing services, wants to sell its own smartphone. With leaks and rumors being churned out on an almost daily basis, it looks like those long-developing … Continue reading “Why Would Amazon Want its Own Smartphone, Anyway?”
Six Foods Cooks Up Cricket-Flour Chips & Big Dreams for Bug Meals
If you’ve never eaten bugs before, here’s an interesting tidbit: fried crickets are a lot more substantial than you might think. The first bite is crunchy, which isn’t much of a surprise. But where you might expect a thin, empty shell, the bug offers up a thick, chewy little nugget, not unlike a small hunk … Continue reading “Six Foods Cooks Up Cricket-Flour Chips & Big Dreams for Bug Meals”
Boston Tech Roundup: docTrackr, WiTricity, Dogpatch Labs
Here’s a splash of news about acquisitions, executive hires, and incubator shutdowns from around the Boston innovation scene to wind up your week: —DocTrackr, a developer of document-management software, has been acquired for $10 million cash. The buyer is New York-based Intralinks, a publicly traded enterprise software company. Intralinks CEO Ron Hovsepian tells GigaOm that … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: docTrackr, WiTricity, Dogpatch Labs”
NFL’s Richard Sherman on Social Media: “You Can Only be Yourself”
[Updated 4/24] He’s one of the best players on the NFL’s top defense, and just won the first Super Bowl in his team’s history. But Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman might be just as well-known for another skill: highly entertaining online smack-talk with other NFL players. There’s more than a bit of calculation behind his … Continue reading “NFL’s Richard Sherman on Social Media: “You Can Only be Yourself””
U.S. 10th in Average Internet Speed Rankings, S. Korea Still No. 1
Internet connection speeds generally improved in the U.S. last year, and the country’s broadband capacity should keep getting better with new ultrafast initiatives being rolled out by network operators and local governments alike. But the average U.S. connection speed is still just 10th worldwide, and greatly lags global leader South Korea—which is creeping closer to … Continue reading “U.S. 10th in Average Internet Speed Rankings, S. Korea Still No. 1”
Boston Roundup: Consumer United, StarWind, ezCater, Threat Stack
A flurry of recent technology financing deals: —Consumer United, an online consumer insurance marketplace, has raised another $14 million in venture capital. BetaBoston reports the round was led by Spark Capital and Thayer Street Partners. The Boston-based company was listed last year on the Inc. 5000, with reported 2012 revenue of $10.2 million. —StarWind Software, … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Consumer United, StarWind, ezCater, Threat Stack”
Breeze, RunKeeper’s New Step-Tracking App, Aims to Bridge Workouts
RunKeeper has been helping people master their fitness routines since the very early days of the smartphone revolution. Along the way it’s collected about 30 million users who have tracked hundreds of millions of miles and burned billions of calories. But when your product is designed to get people off their butts and work out, … Continue reading “Breeze, RunKeeper’s New Step-Tracking App, Aims to Bridge Workouts”
Retroficiency: Thermostat Tweaks in Big Buildings Can Save Millions
The next time you’re fighting with someone at work about the office temperature, you might have a holier-than-thou trump card. A new analysis from Retroficiency, a developer of energy efficiency software, predicts that changes in building temperature as small as one degree could save millions of dollars in urban energy costs per year. That insight … Continue reading “Retroficiency: Thermostat Tweaks in Big Buildings Can Save Millions”
Boston Tech Roundup: NetProspex, Lucidity Lights, Ubiquitous Energy
We’ve got financing deals across business software, consumer products, cleantech, and transportation to report in this weekly collection of innovation tidbits: —NetProspex, a provider of data software for marketing customers, has raised another $13 million. The Series C round was led by Spring Lake Equity Partners, and ups the company’s total fundraising to $27 million. … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: NetProspex, Lucidity Lights, Ubiquitous Energy”
Non-Compete Debate Exposes Political Rift in Boston Tech Industry
Technology entrepreneurs and investors have long criticized non-competition agreements in Massachusetts, saying they stifle the ability of smart, ambitious people to create new companies and find better jobs. But, for the most part, they’ve lacked a powerful political ally to push the cause. That changed Thursday, when Gov. Deval Patrick said he would seek to … Continue reading “Non-Compete Debate Exposes Political Rift in Boston Tech Industry”
Venture-Backed IPOs & Late-Stage Investments Surged in Q1
Venture capitalists saw the public markets awaken in the first quarter, and they’re betting the trend will continue. A new report from New York-based venture capital research firm CB Insights counts 35 venture-backed IPOs through the end of March, more than any single quarter since the fall of 2000. Mergers and acquisitions were also strong, … Continue reading “Venture-Backed IPOs & Late-Stage Investments Surged in Q1”
RunKeeper CEO: Smartphones Will Beat Fitness-Tracking Wristbands
If you want to check out a few fitness-tracking gadgets, the Boston headquarters of RunKeeper is a fine place to start. Scattered here and there in the bustling startup office, you’ll find piles of the smartwatches, sleep monitors, and motion-sensing wristbands that typify the recent surge in connected wearable devices. As a software company that … Continue reading “RunKeeper CEO: Smartphones Will Beat Fitness-Tracking Wristbands”
Former Zipcar CEO Griffith Joins General Catalyst
When Scott Griffith took over as CEO of Zipcar, the car-rental startup was considered more of a political movement than a company. Griffith’s job was to make it a grown-up business. Over the next decade, he would pilot Zipcar through market expansions, competitor acquisitions, an IPO, a rocky stock-market ride, and a buyout from one … Continue reading “Former Zipcar CEO Griffith Joins General Catalyst”
Boston Tech Roundup: Cue Ball, RBM, Alignable, Localytics, Timbre
We’ve got some investment, personnel, and acquisition news to wrap up the week in innovation around the Boston area: —Cue Ball Capital, an unconventional Boston venture fund, has added more cash to its “evergreen” investment pool. According to an SEC filing, Cue Ball has added nearly $25 million in capital, following a roughly $30 million … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Cue Ball, RBM, Alignable, Localytics, Timbre”
The Big Patent Lawsuit Settlement Memo You’re Not Supposed to See
Boston University caused a stir last year with an explosion of patent-infringement lawsuits against the biggest names in electronics. At issue was blue LED technology that the school said was being used in a huge range of gadgets without permission from its inventor, a Boston University engineering professor. After several months of courtroom tussles, most … Continue reading “The Big Patent Lawsuit Settlement Memo You’re Not Supposed to See”
How Airports Became Ground Zero in the Rental Car Startup Wars
When Rujul Zaparde started running his company’s new peer-to-peer car rental service at San Francisco International Airport last year, it came with a heavy dose of entrepreneurial hustle. Glitz and glamour, not so much. “It was me, greeting you at the car in a terrible-looking green vest,” he says with a laugh. “It was pretty … Continue reading “How Airports Became Ground Zero in the Rental Car Startup Wars”
Boston Tech Roundup: Oculus, Circle, HourlyNerd, Communispace
Boston-area venture capitalists scored a big win this week, while startups raised some more cash and an established company expanded its efforts: —Facebook‘s surprising acquisition of virtual reality headset maker Oculus looks like a quick victory for Boston-area venture firms Spark Capital and Matrix Partners, which both invested in Oculus last year. Bloomberg has the details, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Oculus, Circle, HourlyNerd, Communispace”
Boston Tech Roundup: Flybridge, Globoforce, Boston Seed, & More
The past week was a busy one in Boston-area innovation. Here’s a bunch of financing news, from startups, established companies, and investors, that cropped up around the region: —Flybridge Capital Partners is trying to raise $125 million for its fourth fund, according to a new SEC filing. That’s a lot smaller than Flybridge’s $280 million … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Flybridge, Globoforce, Boston Seed, & More”
A ‘Sleeper’ No More: Actifio Raises $100M, Deferring IPO Plans
About a year ago, after his company raised $50 million and was valued at $500 million, Actifio CEO Ash Ashutosh had an IPO pretty clearly in his sights. “The enterprise space is all about being a public company,” Ashutosh said, adding that Actifio was preparing to file for a public offering in the next 18 months … Continue reading “A ‘Sleeper’ No More: Actifio Raises $100M, Deferring IPO Plans”
RunKeeper Not Spooked by New Apple, Google Health Push
If you’re an independent tech company based on mobile health and fitness data, this might have been a week that made you nervous. With back-to-back leaks and announcements, the two most important companies in mobile confirmed that their sights were set squarely on digital health. On Monday, there was the carefully revealed news that Apple … Continue reading “RunKeeper Not Spooked by New Apple, Google Health Push”
Tip-Skimming Lawsuits Against Uber Motor Along
As it battles established competitors and local regulators around the country, Uber is becoming known for its legal troubles almost as much as its slick car-for-hire smartphone app. Recently, the focus of those skirmishes has been local regulations in a handful of cities around the country. But Uber also continues to battle several lawsuits in … Continue reading “Tip-Skimming Lawsuits Against Uber Motor Along”
Boston Tech Roundup: Persimmon, OwnCloud, Basho, Echo Nest, Loci
Check out a few investments, executives coming and going, and busted business deals in this trip through the week’s Boston-area technology headlines: —Persimmon Technologies, a Wakefield, MA-based developer of advanced motors for high-tech manufacturing, has added about $8 million to its Series B round. The money came from two new investors: the ABB Group and Berwind … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Persimmon, OwnCloud, Basho, Echo Nest, Loci”