Dragon Innovation has helped some of the most notable names in the early stage hardware world get their products made. Now, the Boston-based manufacturing consultancy wants to help promising entrepreneurs get funded. Dragon Innovation is testing its own crowdfunding website dedicated to hardware startups, giving its clients a more customized tool for lining up pre-orders … Continue reading “Dragon Innovation Adds Crowdfunding for Hardware, Raises $2.3M”
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.
Boston Roundup: Software Taxes, Actifio, edX, Twitter, & More
Tech companies are getting fired up about politics, making big hires, moving to new offices, and generally making some news around the region: —Massachusetts business and tech-industry leaders are mounting a campaign to repeal a new tax on some software and IT services. The folks behind the campaign, which would seek a public vote on … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Software Taxes, Actifio, edX, Twitter, & More”
Bezos, No Fan of Unions, Gets 1,200 Union Workers at Washington Post
[Updated 12:40 pm Pacific time.] Since founding Amazon, Jeff Bezos has poured his growing wealth and business savvy into a dizzying array of interests, from cloud computing and consumer electronics to private spaceflight and even fusion power. One role he hasn’t typically filled, however, is labor negotiator. But that will change when Bezos takes over … Continue reading “Bezos, No Fan of Unions, Gets 1,200 Union Workers at Washington Post”
Bezos Buys Washington Post for $250M in Surprise Deal
[Updated 6 pm Eastern.] Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has long talked about his knack for operating businesses on very low profit margins. Now, he’s getting another chance to test that muscle. In an announcement that shocked the media industry, the Washington Post Co. says it is selling its flagship newspaper “and affiliated publications” to Bezos … Continue reading “Bezos Buys Washington Post for $250M in Surprise Deal”
Obama to Discuss Housing with Zillow CEO, Answer Public Questions
President Obama is certainly hamming it up with Seattle-based companies lately. Just last week, Obama toured a Chattanooga, TN, warehouse owned by Amazon, giving a speech on jobs policy and granting an interview with the editor of Amazon’s Kindle Singles publishing arm. This week, the president is sitting down with Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff, who … Continue reading “Obama to Discuss Housing with Zillow CEO, Answer Public Questions”
FlightCar Hopes Car Owners Will Rent Their Ride for Monthly Checks
If you’re comfortable putting strangers in your car, there’s suddenly some extra money to be made. A new class of small companies is seeking to build next-generation vehicle fleets by tapping into everyday car owners, either having the owners pick up paying hitchhikers or rent their cars to other drivers. Among the upstarts is FlightCar, a startup that … Continue reading “FlightCar Hopes Car Owners Will Rent Their Ride for Monthly Checks”
Uber Boston: $9M of Fares in 15 Months, Barely Denting Cab Market
Smartphone car-booking startup Uber has made a big splash since its debut in Boston, inciting political battles and court fights with competitors seeking to protect their turf. But according to revenue figures disclosed as part of a lawsuit, the well-funded startup still looks like a pipsqueak in the city’s lucrative car-for-hire market. Between its October 2011 … Continue reading “Uber Boston: $9M of Fares in 15 Months, Barely Denting Cab Market”
Boston Deals: aPriori, Pwnie Express, Space Ape, Micronotes
A fresh helping of investment deals, stretching across Massachusetts and up to Vermont, in sectors ranging from enterprise software to mobile gaming: —aPriori Technologies, a provider of cost-tracking software for manufacturers, has raised another $6 million in venture financing. The Concord, MA-based company said the financing was led by Sigma Prime Ventures. Existing investor Sigma … Continue reading “Boston Deals: aPriori, Pwnie Express, Space Ape, Micronotes”
Bolt Unveils 7 Hardware Startups at Its Boston Accelerator
Suddenly, the business world is clamoring for hardware startups. Venture capitalists—last seen stumbling over each other to bankroll high-margin software companies—are publicly singing the praises of building physical products. Notable manufacturers are busily building bridges to the startup world, hoping to tap into the next wave of innovative companies. Meanwhile, in Boston, a group of … Continue reading “Bolt Unveils 7 Hardware Startups at Its Boston Accelerator”
MIT Swartz Report: Instead of Leading, School was “Hands-Off”
MIT’s internal report on its role in the prosecution of Aaron Swartz—the Internet activist who committed suicide earlier this year amid a federal criminal case—is critical of the university’s “hands-off” approach and lack of leadership. The Swartz report team, led by computer science professor Hal Abelson, found that MIT leaders cooperated with authorities but otherwise … Continue reading “MIT Swartz Report: Instead of Leading, School was “Hands-Off””
Boundless in Settlement Talks with Textbook Publishers
Boundless, a Boston-based startup that offers free online college learning materials, is working on a possible legal settlement with the textbook publishers that sued the young company for copyright infringement. Putting the case to rest would be a big plus for Boundless, which has raised about $10 million in venture backing for its free online … Continue reading “Boundless in Settlement Talks with Textbook Publishers”
Amazon’s Cambridge Office Confirmed, with Room for More Than 600
Amazon’s footprint in the Boston area is even bigger than we thought. The Seattle-based e-commerce and Web services pioneer is leasing more than 129,000 square feet in Cambridge, according to real estate documents filed with local officials. That’s room for more than 600 people, if you use the standard commercial real estate estimate of roughly … Continue reading “Amazon’s Cambridge Office Confirmed, with Room for More Than 600”
Apple’s Boston-Area Team: Working on Speech in Nuance’s Backyard
It’s been one of the Boston-area tech industry’s more intriguing questions for months: Just what is Apple doing here? Today, we’ve got an answer. Apple has assembled a small team of notable names in speech technology and is looking to expand those efforts in the Boston area, industry sources tell Xconomy. Based on their online … Continue reading “Apple’s Boston-Area Team: Working on Speech in Nuance’s Backyard”
Setem Technologies Gets $1.7M to Decode the “Cocktail Party Problem”
What does Woody Guthrie have in common with next-generation voice-recognition technology that could improve your smartphone or hearing aid? Plenty, if a small Massachusetts company has anything to say about it. I’m talking about Setem Technologies, an angel-funded startup based outside of Boston. Quite a bit outside—the offices are in an unassuming building off Route … Continue reading “Setem Technologies Gets $1.7M to Decode the “Cocktail Party Problem””
Boston Roundup: Mediaspectrum, SciAps, Cloudbees, DailyFeats, Netotiate, & More
[Updated 2:15 pm with Mediaspectrum deal.] One big financing deal, and a healthy dose of seed funding and other smallish rounds for Boston-area companies in this midweek catchup of startup news: —Mediaspectrum, a Boston-based provider of advertising and content software for media companies, has raised $35.8 million in a “minority equity investment” from private equity … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Mediaspectrum, SciAps, Cloudbees, DailyFeats, Netotiate, & More”
We’re Number 9! U.S. Slips in Internet Connection Ranking
Here’s something to add to your decline-of-the-empire files: the U.S. is falling further behind in world rankings of average Internet connection speeds. That’s the verdict from the latest State of the Internet Report by Akamai (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAM]]), the Cambridge, MA-based networking company that handles about a third of global Web traffic. The latest stats cover … Continue reading “We’re Number 9! U.S. Slips in Internet Connection Ranking”
Attention “Hands-On” VCs—Startups Aren’t That Interested
If you’re a venture capitalist, you might think it’s important to be a hands-on, energetic, innovative thought leader. But a new survey contends that’s not the way to attract startup CEOs. The National Venture Capital Association partnered with PR and marketing firms on the survey of VCs and entrepreneurs to find out what both sides … Continue reading “Attention “Hands-On” VCs—Startups Aren’t That Interested”
Top 5 Boston-Area Venture Deals in Q2 (With Some You May Have Missed)
Venture capitalists were a little slower in the Boston area during the second quarter of this year, investing less money across fewer deals than they had in each of the previous two years. But there were still some sizable checks being written, across healthcare, IT and software, and even—hold onto your hats—cleantech. Here’s a rundown … Continue reading “Top 5 Boston-Area Venture Deals in Q2 (With Some You May Have Missed)”
Google Ventures-Backed Nifti: Another Entrant in the Price-Tracking Wars
Google essentially owns the Web, but Amazon owns online shopping. And if a startup company can put itself between those two forces, there’s a good bet it’ll attract some interest from a big name in the tech industry—even if others have been trying something similar for a while now. That’s part of the story for … Continue reading “Google Ventures-Backed Nifti: Another Entrant in the Price-Tracking Wars”
Boston Roundup: Mark43, Privy, Akiban, Aquto, OLPC
Some seed funding, product debuts, and acquisition news to catch you up on a sweltering week around New England’s innovation scene: —There’s a name change and some new money for a Harvard-bred startup developing law enforcement software. Mark43, formerly called Nucleik, says it has raised $1.95 million in seed funding from several investors, including Spark … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Mark43, Privy, Akiban, Aquto, OLPC”
CIC Says Expansion May Slow, Won’t Stop After Kimball Departure
The Cambridge Innovation Center‘s expansion plans have hit a speed bump. After several years as the leading hub of startup activity in the Boston area, the CIC has recently been working to expand its value-added real estate business to other cities. Those plans, however, were complicated with news today that the expansion project’s lead executive, … Continue reading “CIC Says Expansion May Slow, Won’t Stop After Kimball Departure”
Would More SEC Paperwork Really Scare Away Angel Investors?
[Updated 7/17 with correction, see below.] Letting startups advertise that they’re raising money is supposed to be a boon for early stage companies. But a big advocate for angel investors says new federal regulations could have the opposite effect. Those new rules, approved by the SEC last week, could effectively “kill angel investing” by making … Continue reading “Would More SEC Paperwork Really Scare Away Angel Investors?”
Salient Stills Sold to Audio-Tech Firm DAC
Here’s some interesting consolidation in the market for law-enforcement and security software, involving an MIT spin-out. Boston-based Salient Stills, which helps authorities capture and clean up still images from video feeds, has been purchased by Digital Audio Corp. of Durham, NC. The two private companies didn’t disclose terms of the deal. As you might guess … Continue reading “Salient Stills Sold to Audio-Tech Firm DAC”
Say What? 12 Moments of Nonsense in Microsoft’s Reorganization Memo
Microsoft’s attempt to radically shake up its corporate structure, getting rid of warring divisions and uniting the company behind a common “devices and services” mission, has dominated tech-industry news this week. And you can read the details yourself, straight from the CEO’s mouth, in the all-staff memo that the company posted online. It can be … Continue reading “Say What? 12 Moments of Nonsense in Microsoft’s Reorganization Memo”
Microsoft’s Reboot: Rashid, DelBene, Mundie Reassigned or Retiring
[Updated 3:20 pm with detail] The world of Microsoft watchers knew it was coming: a major reorganization of the company around CEO Steve Ballmer’s vision of a more unified “devices and services” business. Today, we got the details from Ballmer himself, through his all-staff memo and a New York Times interview. It’s a dramatic makeover. … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Reboot: Rashid, DelBene, Mundie Reassigned or Retiring”
Boston Roundup: Volition, Tivli, Lantos, Aereo, Swartz
A fresh investment fund, innovation in TV, more cash for hearing tech, and some courtroom maneuvers in this midweek collection of Boston-area headlines: —Volition Capital has raised $80 million for a second investment fund that could reach $150 million, according to this SEC filing. The Boston-based firm, as noted by the Boston Business Journal, is … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Volition, Tivli, Lantos, Aereo, Swartz”
Android Co-Founder Rich Miner: Fragmentation “An Overblown Issue”
Sure, smartphone developers find it frustrating to keep up with the multiple versions of Google’s Android operating system scattered across hundreds of millions of smartphones around the world. But Android co-founder Rich Miner thinks the discussion of that fragmentation problem tends to get blown out of proportion. “I think this is a bit of an … Continue reading “Android Co-Founder Rich Miner: Fragmentation “An Overblown Issue””
Apple, Amazon, Samsung Targeted in Boston University Patent Suits
Boston University has launched a series of patent lawsuits against Apple, Samsung, Amazon, and a long list of smaller electronics suppliers, a surprising show of legal aggression from the private university. The series of lawsuits, which date back to October, revolve around a pair of patents for semiconductor technology that can be used to make … Continue reading “Apple, Amazon, Samsung Targeted in Boston University Patent Suits”
Boston Roundup: Sigma Prime, ATV, Venrock, iRobot
A trio of venture capital news bits, and an international patent lawsuit in this roundup of Boston-area news briefs: —Sigma Prime Ventures, the new early stage venture fund formed after the bicoastal split of Sigma Partners, has raised about $115 million of a fund that could grow to $125 million, according to an SEC filing. … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Sigma Prime, ATV, Venrock, iRobot”
Wall St. Loves Biotech, Leading Venture-Backed IPOs in Q2
[Updated 6:15 pm. NVCA now says historical IPO data in its report was misstated and will be revised later. This version removes earlier references to historical deal trends.] We knew that biotech companies were lighting up the stock market this year. Today, the National Venture Capital Association has fresh numbers illustrating Wall Street’s love affair … Continue reading “Wall St. Loves Biotech, Leading Venture-Backed IPOs in Q2”
Adobe Spends $600M for Neolane in Marketing Software Buy
Marketing software is officially the place to be for IPOs and big acquisition deals. Today, Adobe announced that it was paying $600 million in cash for Neolane, a Paris-based marketing software company with strong Boston-area ties. Neolane’s U.S. headquarters are in Newton, MA, and its lead venture investor is Boston’s Battery Ventures, which led the … Continue reading “Adobe Spends $600M for Neolane in Marketing Software Buy”
Uber Still Fighting Two Federal Lawsuits in Boston
Car-booking startup Uber has claimed one victory in court, recently defeating Boston-area officials who were seeking to slow the company’s expansion. But the well-financed startup still has two more federal lawsuits on the docket in Massachusetts. That pair of court battles has pitted San Francisco-based Uber, which has raised nearly $50 million in venture investment, … Continue reading “Uber Still Fighting Two Federal Lawsuits in Boston”
Boston Roundup: Rapid Micro Bio, Athenahealth, RunKeeper, & More
[Updated 2:30 pm] A dose of deals, legal, and hiring news to liven up the week: —Rapid Micro Biosystems, a supplier of quality-control testing equipment for the pharmaceutical industry, has raised a $32.6 million Series B investment round. The Bedford, MA-based company has developed technology that can quickly identify tiny microbes, which are serious contaminants … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Rapid Micro Bio, Athenahealth, RunKeeper, & More”
New Microsoft Ventures Blends Investing, Accelerator Projects
Microsoft is combining several of its startup-focused projects under a new name, with a more unified approach. The new project, Microsoft Ventures, is a mashup of things the Redmond, WA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) has already been doing: startup accelerator programs, early stage investing, and services and support for startups. It’s probably no coincidence that Microsoft … Continue reading “New Microsoft Ventures Blends Investing, Accelerator Projects”
Formlabs, 3D Systems in Settlement Talks over 3D Printing Patent
Formlabs, one of the most notable startups in the suddenly frenzied market for consumer 3D printers, is in settlement talks with the publicly traded company that sued it for patent infringement after a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign last winter. There aren’t many details available about the possible settlement, and neither company would comment on the … Continue reading “Formlabs, 3D Systems in Settlement Talks over 3D Printing Patent”
Boston Roundup: EMC, TripAdvisor, PatientsLikeMe, Skillz, Bricklin
A mini-flurry of tech industry news happening this week: —It looks like EMC may be acquiring an Israel-based startup as it continues to grow in cloud computing. The report comes from the Israeli tech site Geektime, which says the price for Scale IO could be $200-$300 million. TechCrunch confirmed the report, saying that the deal … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: EMC, TripAdvisor, PatientsLikeMe, Skillz, Bricklin”
Boston Tech’s Inferiority Complex: “It’s a F***ing Waste of Time”
With the federal trial of mobster Whitey Bulger lighting up the headlines, Scott Savitz drew more than a few chuckles Wednesday when he pointed out that the Boston area has “some really good mafias.” But he wasn’t joking. Savitz, the founder of Shoebuy and Data Point Capital, was making the case that veterans of some … Continue reading “Boston Tech’s Inferiority Complex: “It’s a F***ing Waste of Time””
Twitter Buys Boston-Based Spindle, Team Heading to S.F.
Twitter’s gone shopping in Boston again. Spindle, a Boston-based startup that culls social-media messages to give consumers a view of what’s happening nearby, announced today that it has been acquired by Twitter. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. It appears to be a “talent acquisition,” since the Spindle service is shutting down and its … Continue reading “Twitter Buys Boston-Based Spindle, Team Heading to S.F.”
Boston Roundup: Covestor, Smart Lunches, Spark, Matrix, CareCloud
A smattering of fundraising news from companies and investors around the Boston area, and beyond: —Covestor, a Boston-based online investing marketplace, has raised $12.75 million in private investment. The Series B round came from Union Square Ventures, Spark Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, and Bay Partners, the company said in a press release. Covestor has now raised … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Covestor, Smart Lunches, Spark, Matrix, CareCloud”
Amid Flashier Projects, Is Google Finally Serious About Enterprise?
Google was back on the stump Tuesday, trying to convince enterprise software buyers that it really, truly cares about their business. Amit Singh, the president of Google’s enterprise business, took the stage at the E2 conference in Boston to talk about the growing number of services that his company is offering for big business customers. … Continue reading “Amid Flashier Projects, Is Google Finally Serious About Enterprise?”
Can CEOs Win Without Being Jerks? RunKeeper’s Jason Jacobs at XSITE
Unless they’re insanely lucky, pretty much every worker bee out there has a horrifying tale of a despicable boss. They rule through threats, intimidation, and political gamesmanship. They’re unpredictable. And when they’re on the rampage, nobody’s job is safe. If you don’t like it, tough—that’s the price of greatness, right? Jason Jacobs would like to … Continue reading “Can CEOs Win Without Being Jerks? RunKeeper’s Jason Jacobs at XSITE”
Jazz Lessons for Startup Success: Dyn CEO Jeremy Hitchcock at XSITE
Dyn is one of those boring-but-important players that make the online economy possible. Big names like Twitter, Tumblr, and Netflix rely on it to connect millions of users with their digital services, in the blink of an eye and without a hiccup. So it makes perfect sense that Dyn’s CEO is really a frustrated jazz … Continue reading “Jazz Lessons for Startup Success: Dyn CEO Jeremy Hitchcock at XSITE”
Boston Roundup: Grousbeck, ConnectEDU, Certica, Content Raven
Updated 2 pm Some interesting bits of fundraising and buyout news from around the Boston-area innovation scene: —Boston Celtics CEO and co-owner Wyc Grousbeck is starting a new investment fund focusing on sports and sports media. Reports of the new fund started surfacing this spring, but Grousbeck and his partners—Bob Higgins of Highland Capital and … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Grousbeck, ConnectEDU, Certica, Content Raven”
Edtech Acclerator LearnLaunchX Names First Class
Summer’s here, but that doesn’t mean the focus on schooling stops—at least not in the Boston area, where education is big business and a driving force in regional culture. Today, a few entrepreneurs hoping to leave their mark on the system are being welcomed into LearnLaunchX, an accelerator program for edcuation-focused startups. LearnLaunchX follows a … Continue reading “Edtech Acclerator LearnLaunchX Names First Class”
Facebook Ad Startup Brand Networks Gets $68M to Fuel Growth
A year after Facebook went public in the most anticipated tech IPO of its generation, money is pouring into companies that might help the social network deliver more profits to its shareholders. Boston-based Brand Networks is among those reaping the benefits. Today, the small Facebook advertising company says it has received a $68 million growth … Continue reading “Facebook Ad Startup Brand Networks Gets $68M to Fuel Growth”
Boston Roundup: Affirmed Networks, BitSight, Mobiquity, Spark Capital
It’s suddenly a busy week for fundraising news around the Boston-area innovation scene, and it’s only half over: —Affirmed Networks, an Acton, MA-based startup that sells software for improving wireless networks, has raised $51 million in Series C financing. The investment was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and included KCK Group and the company’s previous … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Affirmed Networks, BitSight, Mobiquity, Spark Capital”
Amazon’s Grocery Expansion: A Match Made in Sales-Tax Heaven
In Amazon’s hometown of Seattle, people are pretty used to the sight of bright green Amazon Fresh trucks zipping around the city, loaded down with containers and bags full of groceries delivered to their door. Now it’s looking like folks in other cities might start getting a taste of Amazon’s grocery deliveries. And they’ve got … Continue reading “Amazon’s Grocery Expansion: A Match Made in Sales-Tax Heaven”
How Carbonite, EMC Beat a Patent Troll Tied to Intellectual Ventures
[Updated 6/4, see below.] Intellectual Ventures, the controversial patent licensing company headed by former Microsoft technology chief Nathan Myhrvold, is under the microscope again. And a pair of Boston-area technology companies are part of the courtroom drama. This weekend, NPR and public radio program This American Life delved into the U.S. patent system again, following … Continue reading “How Carbonite, EMC Beat a Patent Troll Tied to Intellectual Ventures”
With Big Bucks Chasing Big Data, Will Consumers Get a Cut?
As consumers, we’re often told a stampede of “big data” will soon make our lives better. Safer and cheaper healthcare, more effective government, lower prices at the corner store—it’s all possible when big companies start digging into the digital information produced by a constantly connected society. Today, the central bargain underwriting most of those lofty … Continue reading “With Big Bucks Chasing Big Data, Will Consumers Get a Cut?”
Boston Roundup: Nuance, Twitter, Carbonite, NuoDB, Adelphic
[Updated 4:20 pm] An acquisition, a product launch, some executive shuffles, and more in this collection of recent tech-news headlines from around the Boston area: —Nuance Communications, the Burlington, MA-based speech-recognition software company, is digging deeper into the automotive industry. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]) says it’s spending $80 million to buy a connected-car business from … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Nuance, Twitter, Carbonite, NuoDB, Adelphic”