When Charlie Kindel left Microsoft in August 2011, he did what plenty of critics say is too rare for refugees from Redmond: He started his own technology company. In a 21-year career at Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]), Kindel had plenty of experience building digital products and services, including Internet Explorer 3.0, Windows Media Center, Windows Home … Continue reading “Startup Story: Charlie Kindel on Leaving MSFT, Rolling Out MileLogr”
Author: Curt Woodward
Boston Roundup: NABsys, Zeo, CommonAngels, Wiggio
Raising money, shutting down, hiring people and getting acquired—four different entities just about covering all the bases of early stage business and investing news: —NABsys, a Providence, RI-based gene sequencing startup, says it has raised $20 million in a Series D venture financing. The company says the money will help pay for a commercial introduction … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: NABsys, Zeo, CommonAngels, Wiggio”
XL Hybrids Recharges with $4M to Expand Vehicle Powertrain Tech
The broader American clean energy tech sector has been a real bummer over the past few years, with shrinking government support and big-name flameouts like A123 Systems. Tod Hynes, president and founder of Boston’s XL Hybrids, wants you to know that those ills haven’t been affecting his slice of the business. The company, founded by a … Continue reading “XL Hybrids Recharges with $4M to Expand Vehicle Powertrain Tech”
Uber Sued in Boston; Case Could Wind up in Federal Court
[Updated 5:40 pm Eastern with comment] Uber, the smartphone-based car-for-hire service that has been running into taxi industry opposition around the country, has just landed in court again. And the case is a doozy. Two of Boston’s largest cab companies are suing San Francisco-based Uber in a local court, arguing that the heavily financed startup … Continue reading “Uber Sued in Boston; Case Could Wind up in Federal Court”
How Zynga Boston’s Shutdown Birthed Proletariat, a New Mobile Studio
They don’t look any different from the other people packed into this buzzing shared work loft, just a few blocks from MIT in the heart of the Boston area’s startup scene. Amid the funky couches, bright-colored walls, two-liters of soda, and Nerf guns awaiting battle, they’re just another five guys sitting at a long table, … Continue reading “How Zynga Boston’s Shutdown Birthed Proletariat, a New Mobile Studio”
MA to Pay Half the Cost of Tech Company Interns
Cheap labor just got cheaper in Massachusetts—if you’re a relatively small tech company, anyway. Today, the state government is kicking off its new MassTech Intern Partnership, which promises to reimburse qualifying companies for half the cost of their interns’ salaries. The program also gives prospective interns a place to sign up for gigs with smaller tech … Continue reading “MA to Pay Half the Cost of Tech Company Interns”
Boston Roundup: Facebook, Bain Capital, Joi Ito, & More
Some big names making a little news around the Boston area this week, along with updates from startups, investors, and growing companies: —It’s the return that, oh, everybody in the Boston-area consumer tech scene has been wondering about for years: Facebook might be opening an office in the area, according to this report from the … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Facebook, Bain Capital, Joi Ito, & More”
Got Hardware? Dragon Innovation Helps Big Names Get Built
A few months before his little startup company became a poster child for the crowdfunding revolution, Eric Migicovsky had one of those moments of serious panic. He’d been through the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator program, and attracted some early money. But bigger investors weren’t willing to back the project he’d been working on—and when the … Continue reading “Got Hardware? Dragon Innovation Helps Big Names Get Built”
“Minority Report” in the Office: Oblong’s Long Road Back to Boston
One of the newest tech companies setting up shop in Boston has taken a pretty unusual route to get here: from the MIT Media Lab to big Hollywood studios and back again. We’re talking about Oblong Industries, a venture-backed company that makes software for controlling computer displays by waving your hands in the air. With … Continue reading ““Minority Report” in the Office: Oblong’s Long Road Back to Boston”
Small Businesses to Tech Providers: Nah, We’re Good
If you’re a technology entrepreneur thinking about trying to crack the small-business market, be prepared for an unenthusiastic reception. That’s a big takeaway from a recent survey of small businesses in the Boston area sponsored by Dell and Intel. After asking 101 local small companies (less than 100 employees), the survey found 91 percent “satisfied … Continue reading “Small Businesses to Tech Providers: Nah, We’re Good”
Boston Startup School Adds NY, Gets New Name: Startup Institute
The push to remake higher education is picking up steam, and some Boston-based innovators are once again on the front lines. Boston Startup School, an education company that offers two-month skills training classes for people seeking to join early stage companies, says today that it’s expanding to New York with a first Big Apple-based class scheduled … Continue reading “Boston Startup School Adds NY, Gets New Name: Startup Institute”
As Obamacare Kicks In, Microsoft Eyes Big Health Data
If you need any more evidence that healthcare is going to be a monster new growth market for high-powered computing, take it from a guy like Craig Hodges. As a general manager overseeing sales for Microsoft in the Northeast, you could say that Hodges sees some pretty big software contracts cross his desk. And right … Continue reading “As Obamacare Kicks In, Microsoft Eyes Big Health Data”
MIT Report: U.S. Manufacturing Hits a Wall When It’s Time to Scale
Manufacturing isn’t dead in the U.S. But when it comes time to pump out products on a large scale, the pull of overseas economies and investors becomes too strong to resist. That’s one of the conclusions from a group of MIT researchers tackling a wide-ranging study of the American production economy. Their report aims to … Continue reading “MIT Report: U.S. Manufacturing Hits a Wall When It’s Time to Scale”
Boston Roundup: HubSpot, Harvard, Avid, Polar, Proletariat
Some tidbits that we need to note from the past week or so around the Boston region: —HubSpot, the fast-growing online marketing software company, posted its annual report online to tout another year of growth. The company says its sales grew 82 percent to $52.5 million in 2012. HubSpot also continues to make noise about going … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: HubSpot, Harvard, Avid, Polar, Proletariat”
Spark Capital Closes Fourth Fund at $450M
Boston’s Spark Capital, a venture firm with high-profile investments in Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare, has closed its fourth fund at $450 million. Founded in 2005 by Todd Dagres, Santo Politi, and Paul Conway, Spark started with an emphasis on early stage, consumer-focused technology and media companies. It’s since expanded its focus a bit, with investments … Continue reading “Spark Capital Closes Fourth Fund at $450M”
TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced
TechStars, the top-shelf startup accelerator program, is kicking off its newest Boston class with a group that covers a wide array of sectors and includes several teams from outside the U.S. It’s the sixth time TechStars has run its three-month “bootcamp” for entrepreneurship in Boston, which is one of the program’s core cities. TechStars began in … Continue reading “TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced”
Battery Ventures’ Recent Fund Performance: Nothing Special
With this week’s news that Battery Ventures has closed new venture capital funds worth a combined $900 million, we thought it might be interesting to take a look back at the firm’s recent performance. So we turned to information from state pension funds, one of the few sources of publicly available information about venture capital … Continue reading “Battery Ventures’ Recent Fund Performance: Nothing Special”
Battery Ventures Closes New Funds at $900M
Battery Ventures, a major Boston-area VC firm, has raised two new funds that total $900 million. The firm says its approach will remain pretty consistent—covering a broad array of bets on companies in several technology sectors, at several different stages of growth. Battery Ventures, which also has offices in Silicon Valley and Israel, is putting … Continue reading “Battery Ventures Closes New Funds at $900M”
Aaron Swartz Prosecutor: Legal System Needs Mental Health Fixes
The top federal prosecutor in the case of Internet activist Aaron Swartz says the young man’s suicide was “a tremendous tragedy” that points to the need for better mental health services in the broader court system. In an interview with Boston NPR station WBUR, Boston-based U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz declined to delve into the details … Continue reading “Aaron Swartz Prosecutor: Legal System Needs Mental Health Fixes”
Boston Deals: CounterTack, E4 Health, MassChallenge
A few short news items to catch up on from around the New England innovation scene—and beyond: —CounterTack, a digital security firm that relocated to Waltham in 2011, has raised some $4.3 million in equity, according to an SEC filing. CounterTack, which was previously known as NeuralIQ, raised a $9.5 million Series A round in … Continue reading “Boston Deals: CounterTack, E4 Health, MassChallenge”
Ed-Tech Isn’t for Wimps: Noodle’s Katzman on Building a Winner
Technology entrepreneurs are increasingly turning their sights on education, with visions of liberating knowledge from the textbook publishing cabals and driving down the costs that lead to heavy student loan debt. That’s a good thing. But just like any other sector drawing a lot of startup interest, there’s starting to be plenty of dreck in … Continue reading “Ed-Tech Isn’t for Wimps: Noodle’s Katzman on Building a Winner”
Amazon, eBay Wrestling Over Newest Online Sales Tax Plan
This looks like the beginning of the end for tax-free online shopping. Federal lawmakers from both parties today are unveiling their plan to close a loophole in federal tax law that has let retailers like Amazon and eBay avoid charging sales tax to shoppers in many states. Amazon has long said it would support a … Continue reading “Amazon, eBay Wrestling Over Newest Online Sales Tax Plan”
Boundless Wants Trial in Copyright Lawsuit with Textbook Publishers
The legal fight over the publishing practices of Boston education startup Boundless is getting kicked up a notch. This week, Boundless asked a federal judge in New York for a jury trial in a lawsuit accusing the startup of copyright violations. Three big textbook publishers sued Boundless last year, saying the company’s free “versions” of … Continue reading “Boundless Wants Trial in Copyright Lawsuit with Textbook Publishers”
Boston News Roundup: UMass, Infinio, CallMiner, Avid, & More
Lots going on in the Boston-area innovation scene in the past week. —UMass Lowell has unveiled a new testing center for robots, saying it will aid a growing group of robotics companies in the Northeast. The facility is called the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center. The center is led by Holly Yanco, a computer … Continue reading “Boston News Roundup: UMass, Infinio, CallMiner, Avid, & More”
Cambridge Innovation Center to Expand in Baltimore, Other Cities
The Cambridge Innovation Center, a longtime fixture of the Boston-area startup scene, is expanding its entrepreneur-friendly office space business to new cities—just as it continues to build a larger footprint in its hometown. The CIC, which rents office space and related services to more than 500 companies in seven floors of a building near MIT, … Continue reading “Cambridge Innovation Center to Expand in Baltimore, Other Cities”
Yahoo Goes Shopping in Seattle, Acquiring Alike Team
New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has made no secret of her ambition to remake Yahoo into a company with a strong mobile streak. Today, she’s picked up a Seattle startup to help with that mission. Alike, a small mobile-app startup that specializes in data about places, has been purchased by the pioneering Internet company and … Continue reading “Yahoo Goes Shopping in Seattle, Acquiring Alike Team”
Olejo Turns a Dormroom Hustle into a Growing E-Commerce Business
From the time he started working as a bus boy in his family’s restaurants in upstate New York, Dan Dietz grew up thinking about business. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when, as a 20-year-old college student, he watched his friends moving off campus and thought, hey—there might be a way to make some … Continue reading “Olejo Turns a Dormroom Hustle into a Growing E-Commerce Business”
Got Weather Alerts? Ping4 Raises $4M for Emergency Push App
There was no avoiding the news about this past weekend’s epic snowstorm in the Northeast. But if you wanted to stay on top of all the weather alerts, travel bans, and other major government announcements, the Ping4Alerts mobile app was a pretty good way to do so. And as of today, the Nashua, NH-based company … Continue reading “Got Weather Alerts? Ping4 Raises $4M for Emergency Push App”
MIT Unveils New Startup Program with Google, Greylock, Matrix VCs
MIT is one of the prime sources for big-brained engineers at the technology industry’s biggest names, and its professors have started plenty of their own companies over the years. But some leaders on campus say students aren’t being taught enough about how to build a business. Now they’re doing something about it, with close assistance … Continue reading “MIT Unveils New Startup Program with Google, Greylock, Matrix VCs”
Boston Roundup: Biogen Idec, Cloudant, NEA, eClinicalWorks, & More
A big biotech drug buy leads off this collection of deal news from around the Boston region: —Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) is buying out partner Elan Corp.’s interest in natalizumab (Tysabri), a drug for people who have relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Weston-based Biogen is paying $3.25 billion up front to Ireland-based Elan, plus future … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Biogen Idec, Cloudant, NEA, eClinicalWorks, & More”
Allaire Out as Brightcove CEO
Jeremy Allaire, a founder of the Boston online media hosting company Brightcove, is stepping down as CEO and will be replaced by the company’s head of operations. Brightcove announced the change today in its quarterly earnings report, albeit buried beneath the usual recitations about its financial performance. Allaire will remain as chairman of the publicly … Continue reading “Allaire Out as Brightcove CEO”
Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director
TechStars New York has a new managing director: Eugene Chung, a former senior associate at big VC firm New Enterprise Associates. He replaces David Tisch, who stepped down from the job in August and still has a role with the program. TechStars has emerged as one of the top startup accelerators in the country in … Continue reading “Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director”
Former Battery Ventures VC Dhaliwal Launches New IT Fund
A longtime Boston venture capitalist is striking out on his own, with a new fund that aims to capitalize on big changes in the IT industry and early stage private investing. Sunil Dhaliwal, formerly of Battery Ventures, is formally unveiling Amplify Partners. The new fund has raised more than $16 million from about 25 investors, … Continue reading “Former Battery Ventures VC Dhaliwal Launches New IT Fund”
Tech M&A: Report Finds Most Startups Didn’t Raise Outside Cash
Investors have been in a rush to finance early stage companies in the past few years, leading to angst among startup founders confronting a tougher time making it to the next stage of investment. But for companies that get successfully acquired, it turns out that outside financing isn’t a necessity. In fact, it’s a rarity. … Continue reading “Tech M&A: Report Finds Most Startups Didn’t Raise Outside Cash”
Twitter Buys Crashlytics, Getting Crash-Report Chops
Here’s an intriguing bit of tech acquisition news: Twitter is buying Crashlytics, the Cambridge, MA-based startup that helps software developers track down the bugs and errors that make their apps crash. It’s no surprise that Twitter, one of the big dogs of the social media era, is out shopping for smaller companies. And it’s not … Continue reading “Twitter Buys Crashlytics, Getting Crash-Report Chops”
iRobot Sees Big Future in Remote Communications
The company that made robotic vacuum cleaners a household phenomenon is ready to start tackling a decidedly different market: the doctor’s office. iRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]), the maker of Roomba vacuums and other robotic products, is preparing for its new RP-VITA “telepresence” robot to start being used in healthcare settings following recent regulatory approval from the … Continue reading “iRobot Sees Big Future in Remote Communications”
Boston Deals: Celtra, MediaSilo, L-3, Pushpins
Some acquisition, fundraising, and federal contract news bits that have been surfacing in the past week or so around the Boston area: —Cambridge, MA-based advertising tech startup Celtra has added $4 million in investment cash, led by SoftBank Capital. Celtra says it plans to use the money to expand in Asia, particularly Japan, and to … Continue reading “Boston Deals: Celtra, MediaSilo, L-3, Pushpins”
Cloud Competition Heating Up, Carbonite Rolls Out File-Sync Software
Carbonite has long been known for one thing: Backing up your computer files. And for the customer, that means mostly staying out of your face. If everything goes right, Carbonite’s software sits in the background, making copies of your valuable documents, photos, and other digital goodies. They’re uploaded to Carbonite’s servers, and there they sit, … Continue reading “Cloud Competition Heating Up, Carbonite Rolls Out File-Sync Software”
Analysis: Activist Swartz’s Suicide Could Shake MIT to Its Core
Federal prosecutors are weighing in for the first time publicly about the case against Aaron Swartz, the activist programmer and Internet pioneer who committed suicide last week after being charged with more than a dozen federal computer crimes. The government’s comments certainly make the possible punishment that Swartz faced seem less daunting than many previous accounts. Prosecutors … Continue reading “Analysis: Activist Swartz’s Suicide Could Shake MIT to Its Core”
Ironwood, Arctic Sand, Novogy, Moontoast, & More Boston-Area Deals
Fundraising deals big and small have been cropping up around the Boston area in the past week, and they’re spread across pharma, semiconductors, clean energy, and software: —Ironwood Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge says it has raised $175 million in debt financing, as seen in a recent filing with federal regulators. Ironwood discussed that news as part … Continue reading “Ironwood, Arctic Sand, Novogy, Moontoast, & More Boston-Area Deals”
Early Stage Deals, Cleantech Collapse Drive 2012 VC Trends
They were two of the major storylines in startup investing this past year: The collapse of cleantech and the march of venture capitalists into earlier stages. Now, we’ve got some fresh numbers to help illustrate those trends. A new report out today by CB Insights, a New York-based VC research firm, shows that venture investors … Continue reading “Early Stage Deals, Cleantech Collapse Drive 2012 VC Trends”
Microsoft Roots, Social Media Chops: Spindle’s Take on Local Search
We’re now six full years into the smartphone revolution, and software developers of all stripes still haven’t figured out one of its most promising equations: How to put consumers and local businesses together at the right time, in the right place. And oh boy, have they been trying. From giants like Google and Facebook to … Continue reading “Microsoft Roots, Social Media Chops: Spindle’s Take on Local Search”
Boston Roundup: Athenahealth, Foundation, Attivio, & More
[Updated 9:05 am] It’s trade-show week in the technology and life sciences fields, with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the JP Morgan Healthcare conference in San Francisco. That means announcements and deals have been pouring forth, along with some of the usual dealmaking and people-moving of note in the greater Boston technology … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Athenahealth, Foundation, Attivio, & More”
TechStars Grad Ovuline Gets $1.4M for Pregnancy-Tracking Software
Alex Baron is a pretty hard-core technical guy: Advanced degrees in computer science and statistics, expertise in machine learning, experience in the finance world and high-tech industry. So when he was confronted with a sometimes-elusive piece of human biology—how to get two people together at just the right time to conceive a baby—it was pretty … Continue reading “TechStars Grad Ovuline Gets $1.4M for Pregnancy-Tracking Software”
Boston News Roundup: Consumer United, Kyruus, Nara, & More
Some pieces of Boston-area innovation news that have been kicking around in the post-holiday lull, now fresh for consideration: —Consumer United, a Boston-based company that pools consumers to get better rates on insurance and other services, has raised about $21.2 in equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The company was listed on the Inc. … Continue reading “Boston News Roundup: Consumer United, Kyruus, Nara, & More”
Zipcar Snatched Up by Avis After Poor Stock Performance
Zipcar’s modern take on rental cars always seemed like it could give the established industry some headaches. Now, the Cambridge, MA-based company will have to tackle that mission from within the establishment. The Avis Budget group announced today that it’s buying Zipcar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZIP]]) for around $500 million. That works out to $12.25 per share, a … Continue reading “Zipcar Snatched Up by Avis After Poor Stock Performance”
Top 10 Seattle Tech Stories of 2012
The big not-so-secret in Web publishing is that it’s easy to get sucked into an obsession with getting the most eyeballs possible. With people constantly scanning for interesting things to read, and more outlets than ever, the competition for a good chunk of attention can quickly become tiresome. We try to avoid chasing that ghost … Continue reading “Top 10 Seattle Tech Stories of 2012”
Amazon’s Boston Expansion: Cloud, Kiva, Digital Product Jobs
The news that Amazon would finally bring its huge appetite for technical talent to the Boston area was a welcome year-end revelation for the local tech scene. But it also left plenty of room for speculation—namely, just what are they working on over there? I didn’t get any comment from Amazon headquarters in Seattle, which … Continue reading “Amazon’s Boston Expansion: Cloud, Kiva, Digital Product Jobs”
Boston News Roundup: Amazon, Akamai, Blend, MC10, & More
There have been plenty of updates from companies big and small across the Boston-area innovation scene in the past week or so. Here’s a rundown of the biggest and best stories for a midweek catch-up: —With news of a sales-tax deal between Amazon and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, the Seattle-based cloud and e-commerce titan said … Continue reading “Boston News Roundup: Amazon, Akamai, Blend, MC10, & More”
Akamai Co-Founder Leighton Takes Over as CEO
More of the same. That’s apparently the recipe for Akamai Technologies, the Cambridge, MA-based Internet traffic and services company that has been searching for a new CEO. Akamai (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAM]]) announced today that co-founder Tom Leighton, formerly the company’s chief scientist, will take the reins as chief executive in January. Previous CEO Paul Sagan announced in … Continue reading “Akamai Co-Founder Leighton Takes Over as CEO”