Author: Erin Kutz

Erin Kutz has a background in covering business, politics and general news. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. Erin previously worked in the Boston bureau of Reuters, where she wrote articles on the investment management and mutual fund industries. While in college, she researched for USA Today reporter Jayne O’Donnell’s book, Gen Buy: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings Are Revolutionizing Retail. She also spent a semester in Washington, DC, reporting Capitol Hill stories as a correspondent for two Connecticut newspapers and interning in the Money section of USA Today, where she assisted with coverage on the retail and small business beats. Erin got her first taste of reporting at Boston University’s independent student newspaper, as a city section reporter and fact checker and editor of the paper’s weekly business section.

Alnylam CEO Looks to the Future, Dicerna Plumps Up Kyowa Hakko Pact, Momenta Sells $57.4M Stock Offering, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

Health IT and RNA interference were big themes we saw in this week’s coverage of New England area life sciences companies. —Ryan took a look at SmartCells, shortly after the Beverly, MA-based biotech revealed it was being acquired by drug giant Merck (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRK]]) a in a deal potentially worth more than $500 million. The … Continue reading “Alnylam CEO Looks to the Future, Dicerna Plumps Up Kyowa Hakko Pact, Momenta Sells $57.4M Stock Offering, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Sonian Pulls In $4M

Needham, MA-based Sonian, a provider of cloud-powered technology for e-mail hosting, has raised $4 million of an equity offering that could total $9 million, according to an SEC filing. The firm previously raised a $5.6 million Series A round of funding, with investments from Prism VentureWorks and Summerhill Venture Partners.

NetProspex Wraps Up $5.5M

NetProspex, a Waltham, MA-based maker of business-to-business software for lead generation, said yesterday that it closed a $5.5 million Series B financing, led by Edison Venture Fund. Some angel investors from the company’s $2 million Series A round participated in the newest funding round, which brings NetProspex’s total amount raised to $7.5 million.

Dijipop Scores $1M

Providence, RI-based Dijipop, a maker of software for e-commerce marketing, announced today that it has raised a $1 million financing, led by angel investor Bill Cesare. Angel Street Capital and other Rhode Island-based private investors participated in the round, which brings Dijipop’s total funding pot to $2 million. The startup is an alum of technology … Continue reading “Dijipop Scores $1M”

EnerNOC Buys Global Energy Partners, Gains West Coast Access

Boston-based EnerNOC (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ENOC]]), a provider of support services and programs for electrical utilities, said today that it has made its biggest acquisition to date, with the purchase of Global Energy Partners of Walnut Creek, CA. The addition of the West Coast company, which has 55 employees and provides energy and environmental engineering and services … Continue reading “EnerNOC Buys Global Energy Partners, Gains West Coast Access”

Plex Plumps Up With $500K to Target New Customers in Food, Healthcare, Defense Industries

Plex Systems was started in 1995 to help those in the automotive space track every single detail of the manufacturing process, and has since grown to attract more than 500 companies as customers. But now the company has beefed up with some extra private equity funding and money from its management to target new industries. … Continue reading “Plex Plumps Up With $500K to Target New Customers in Food, Healthcare, Defense Industries”

Aveo Gets Money from OSI, Merck Buys SmartCells, Glaxo Cancels Resveratrol Drug Trial, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

This week we took an in-depth look at several New England area biotechs, and saw some interesting developments from bigger drugmakers. —I checked in with Holden, MA-based Hygeia Therapeutics, a startup developing topically delivered synthetic hormone treatments, using technology licensed from Yale University. The biotech has gathered pre-clinical data on a synthetic estrogen product for … Continue reading “Aveo Gets Money from OSI, Merck Buys SmartCells, Glaxo Cancels Resveratrol Drug Trial, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Azuki Rings in $4M

Acton, MA-based mobile software provider Azuki Systems has brought in $4 million of an equity and rights offering that could total $8 million, according to a SEC filing. The firm raised $12 million in equity-based funding earlier this year, and is backed by Kepha Partners and Sigma Partners. In August, cloud computing exec John Clancy … Continue reading “Azuki Rings in $4M”

The Essay Exchange Aims to Democratize Pricey College Admissions Advice

Application fees and standardized test prep courses aren’t the only big expenses when it comes to getting into college. For the tens of thousands of students who hire admissions counselors and coaches every year, the process of crafting the perfect essay to get into a top name school can also carry a hefty price tag, … Continue reading “The Essay Exchange Aims to Democratize Pricey College Admissions Advice”

LineSider Bought By Cisco

San Jose, CA-based Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CSCO]]) announced today that it plans to acquire Danvers, MA-based LineSider Technologies, a maker of network management software for applications in cloud computing. Networking giant Cisco did not reveal how much it paid for LineSider, but said that the startup’s technology will strengthen its services in the cloud computing space, … Continue reading “LineSider Bought By Cisco”

FitnessKeeper Grabs $1.1M

Boston-based FitnessKeeper, the developer of mobile app RunKeeper, announced today that is has wrapped up a $1.1 million financing, led by Bryce Roberts at O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures. The funding round also involved full participation from the startup’s existing investors, who include LaunchCapital, Will Herman, Dave Balter, and Don McLagan. They backed FitnessKeeper for its $400,000 seed … Continue reading “FitnessKeeper Grabs $1.1M”

Project 11’s Katie Rae Named Director of TechStars Boston

TechStars, the seed-stage investment fund and startup mentoring program, announced today it has selected tech executive and startup personality Katie Rae as the new managing director for its Boston installment. She’ll take over for former managing director Shawn Broderick, who announced earlier this month that he would be leaving his role to focus more closely … Continue reading “Project 11’s Katie Rae Named Director of TechStars Boston”

AisleBuyer, Growing Fast, Looks to Own Mobile Checkout With New Android App

Consumers may love the convenience of self-checkout stands while shopping, but getting those machines into stores carries a hefty price tag for retailers. Boston-based startup AisleBuyer is looking to bring that same convenience to customers without the installment cost to retailers, with its iPhone and Android mobile app, the latter of which went live today. … Continue reading “AisleBuyer, Growing Fast, Looks to Own Mobile Checkout With New Android App”

Matrix Leads $4M Deal for CloudBees

Matrix Partners, a venture firm with offices in Waltham, MA and Silicon Valley, has led a $4 million Series A financing for CloudBees, a startup developing a cloud-based platform for Java computing and development, the company announced today. Individual investors Marc Fleury and Bob Bickel, both veterans of open-source middleware online community JBoss, also participated … Continue reading “Matrix Leads $4M Deal for CloudBees”

Hygeia Therapeutics Aims Synthetic Hormone Therapies At Aging Boomers (Men and Women Alike)

Hormone-replacement therapy was once billed as the fountain of youth for aging women facing the symptoms of menopause, until controversial studies from the past decade showed the hormones appeared to raise risks of heart attack and stroke. But hormone replacements never went completely away, and now a small Massachusetts biotech is seeking to tap new … Continue reading “Hygeia Therapeutics Aims Synthetic Hormone Therapies At Aging Boomers (Men and Women Alike)”

Genzyme Sheds Diagnostics Unit, Novell Acquired by Attachmate, Archemix Sells Hemophilia IP to Baxter, & More Boston-Area Deals News

Acquisition news was big this week for New England-area tech and life sciences companies, but we also saw a few startup financings. —Cambridge-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) sold its diagnostics products unit to Japanese firm Sekisui Chemical for $265 million in cash. The deal comes as part of Genzyme’s plan to sell off three of its … Continue reading “Genzyme Sheds Diagnostics Unit, Novell Acquired by Attachmate, Archemix Sells Hemophilia IP to Baxter, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

Gotuit Bought By Digitalsmiths

Woburn, MA-based Gotuit, a maker of software for tagging online video content with metadata, was bought by Research Triangle Park, NC-based Digitalsmiths for an undisclosed sum, Digitalsmiths announced today. The North Carolina company said the acquisition strengthens its position in video metadata technology, which better enables search, discovery, recommendations, and targeted advertising surrounding online video content. … Continue reading “Gotuit Bought By Digitalsmiths”

Archemix Hemophilia Assets Bought By Baxter

Archemix, a Cambridge, MA-based biotech developing aptamer drugs for the treatment of chronic and acute diseases, has sold its assets in the hemophilia space to Baxter International, according to an announcement today. Baxter (NYSE: [[ticker:BAX]]) will pay Archemix $30 million upfront and up to $285 million in milestone payments in an exclusive license agreement for … Continue reading “Archemix Hemophilia Assets Bought By Baxter”

Warner, Shah, Landry Among Top 10 Boston Angel Investors, According to ChubbyBrain

Which angel investors in Boston have the biggest wings? Check out this blog post by ChubbyBrain, a New York-based provider of Web-based information tools for entrepreneurs, which rounds up some of the individuals who have done the most deal-making in the Boston area. The post lists 10 individual Boston-area investors who tech entrepreneurs looking for … Continue reading “Warner, Shah, Landry Among Top 10 Boston Angel Investors, According to ChubbyBrain”

Lilly Funds Cerulean, Genzyme Sells Diagnostics Unit, Roche Ends RNAi Program, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

We saw some in-depth profiles of New England-area biotechs’ drug development strategies, as well as breaking news on financings and partnership deals. —While Bay Area biotech startup Gatekeeper Pharmaceuticals, Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Novartis continue their legal wrangling over a potential lung cancer drug, Waltham, MA-based Avila Therapeutics is working on its own treatment for … Continue reading “Lilly Funds Cerulean, Genzyme Sells Diagnostics Unit, Roche Ends RNAi Program, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Nearly Entire Staff Laid Off at Eons, Says Founder Jeff Taylor

[Updated with additional information, Nov. 18, 2010]–-Boston baby boomer and social networking site Eons, which has raised $32 million in two rounds of financing led by two venture capital giants—General Catalyst Partners and Sequoia Capital—yesterday laid off nearly its entire remaining staff, founder Jeff Taylor said tonight. Taylor, who previously founded Monster.com, revealed the layoff … Continue reading “Nearly Entire Staff Laid Off at Eons, Says Founder Jeff Taylor”

Skyhook Says A Preliminary Injunction Against Google Could Help Level The Playing Field in the Mobile Location-Finding Space

[Updated 11/18/10] After lawyers from Google and Skyhook Wireless convened in court yesterday, a Massachusetts’ Suffolk County Superior Court judge is deliberating whether to prevent the Mountain View, CA-based Internet giant from issuing compatibility standards for its Android mobile phone platform that could largely keep Boston-based startup Skyhook out of the location-finding space. The move … Continue reading “Skyhook Says A Preliminary Injunction Against Google Could Help Level The Playing Field in the Mobile Location-Finding Space”

New “Disruptive” Cloud Security Company Coming from Arbor Networks Co-Founder Dug Song

When I traveled to Michigan last month, my conversation with entrepreneur Dug Song left me with the impression that’s he very passionate about several things: startups, cyber security, and Ann Arbor. I met with Song at Tech Brewery, the Dogpatch Labs-esque startup incubator space he founded in an old brewery building right in the University … Continue reading “New “Disruptive” Cloud Security Company Coming from Arbor Networks Co-Founder Dug Song”

Bay State Startup Investing Rises to $199M in October; Industrial and Energy Sectors Help Plump Up the Total

The harvest came in during October, at least in terms of startup deals in Massachusetts. Bay State tech and life sciences companies brought in $199.1 million across 30 equity-based deals, an increase of more than one-third over the September total of $146.8 million, according to data from private company intelligence platform CB Insights. It was … Continue reading “Bay State Startup Investing Rises to $199M in October; Industrial and Energy Sectors Help Plump Up the Total”

Pfizer Academic Program HQ in Cambridge

Drug giant Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) announced today that it is establishing an entrepreneurship partner network with academic medical research centers, called the Global Centers for Therapeutic Innovation, to be headquartered in Cambridge, MA. Yesterday Luke reported that UC San Francisco had inked a deal through the program, in which Pfizer could pay up to $85 … Continue reading “Pfizer Academic Program HQ in Cambridge”

Backupify Snaps Up TweetBackup to Strengthen Position in Cloud-Based Data Archiving

Backupify, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of online technology for backing up e-mail and social networking data, announced today that it has acquired TweetBackup, a Sweden-based service that automatically backs up users’ Twitter posts daily. Financial terms weren’t disclosed for the deal, which went through in October and is meant to help Backupify maintain its edge … Continue reading “Backupify Snaps Up TweetBackup to Strengthen Position in Cloud-Based Data Archiving”

Zyrra Wraps Up $445K

Boston-based Zyrra, a provider of CAD-based technology for developing custom-fit bras, has raised $445,000 of a potential $1 million equity round, from 17 investors, according to an SEC filing. We first caught wind of the Zyrra seed funding, which includes Golden Seeds investors Jess McLear and Jean Hammond, when we profiled the company last month. Zyrra … Continue reading “Zyrra Wraps Up $445K”

MooBella Laps Up $9M

MooBella, a Taunton, MA-based provider of make-your-own ice cream machines, has scooped up $9 million in equity-based funding, from one investor, according to an SEC filing. Last year the company brought in $18 million from Inventages Venture Capital, shortly after revamping its technology to better scale at a number of locations throughout New England. Its … Continue reading “MooBella Laps Up $9M”

Cotendo Sued By Akamai, MIT

Cambridge, MA-based Internet content-delivery provider Akamai Technologies, alongside MIT, are suing Cotendo, a Sunnyvale, CA-based startup in the Web content space, according to documents filed this week with the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. They have claimed that “in an effort to compete against Akamai as a low-cost provider,” Cotendo has used content-delivery technology that Akamai … Continue reading “Cotendo Sued By Akamai, MIT”

Ramp Pulls in $3.5M

Woburn, MA-based Ramp Holdings, a maker of platforms for workflow optimization for online publishers, media companies, and broadcasters, has wrapped up a $3.5 million equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The firm’s previous investors include Accel Partners, Fairhaven Capital, General Catalyst Partners, Peacock Equity, General Electric, and NBC Universal. Ramp was founded by now … Continue reading “Ramp Pulls in $3.5M”

Punchbowl Buys Socializr

Framingham, MA-based party planning website Punchbowl.com announced it has acquired Socializr.com, a San Francisco-based event management platform. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Socializr, which was started by Jonathan Abrams, the founder of social networking site Friendster, will integrate with Punchbowl’s online party planning services, which include customizable invitations, potluck planning, local vendor … Continue reading “Punchbowl Buys Socializr”

Genzyme Initiates Job Cuts, Dana-Farber/Gatekeeper Suit Advances, GTC Bought by LFB, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

Biotechs, research institutes, health IT companies, diagnostics firms, and the investing side of life sciences all made the news in the New England area this week with headlines of funding, litigation, and personnel changes. —Woburn, MA-based biodefense and diagnostics firm Pathogenetix, formerly called U.S. Genomics, raised a $1.3 million equity-based financing, and $900,000 of a … Continue reading “Genzyme Initiates Job Cuts, Dana-Farber/Gatekeeper Suit Advances, GTC Bought by LFB, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

EMC Acquisitions Could Include Isilon, LFB Buys GTC, Tremor Media Snaps Up ScanScout, & More Boston-Area Deals News

Diagnostics and software startups were active on the New England-area deals front this week. We saw news of acquisitions, financings, and stock purchases, and also covered some more in-depth strategy at a big area tech name. —Pathogenetix, a Woburn, MA-based diagnostics startup formerly named U.S. Genomics, brought in $1.3 million in equity-based funding, and $900,000 … Continue reading “EMC Acquisitions Could Include Isilon, LFB Buys GTC, Tremor Media Snaps Up ScanScout, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

Video-Chatting With Random, But Similar Strangers Goes Live with VisitorsCafe Launch

Traditionally, website features like comments sections can give a small peek at the people congregating to read the content there. But now, rather than just reading those comments, you can engage in a direct video chat with the people behind them, thanks to technology being released today by Boston-based VisitorsCafe. “People kept telling me, ‘Hey … Continue reading “Video-Chatting With Random, But Similar Strangers Goes Live with VisitorsCafe Launch”

Envista Pulls in $4.1M

Beverly, MA-based Envista, a provider of Web-based software for managing construction and utility infrastructure, has raised $4.1 million toward a $7.6 million equity-based funding round, from seven investors, according to an SEC filing. The firm’s previous investors include Point Judith Capital, Borealis Ventures, and Egan-Managed Capital.

Don’t Just Read—Hear Personalized Social Networking Posts With Thing5’s Jawbite App

The “happy birthday” wall post on Facebook or mention on Twitter is about to get a whole lot more personal. Now, rather than just typing out a message or status on one of the social networking tools, you can attach a voicemail to it, thanks to a feature called JawBite, from Springfield, MA-based voice telecom … Continue reading “Don’t Just Read—Hear Personalized Social Networking Posts With Thing5’s Jawbite App”

Stock Repurchase For GT Solar

Merrimack, NH-based GT Solar, a provider of technology in the solar and LED spaces, announced today that it plans to purchase and retire 26.5 million shares of its common stock from all of its private equity investors, at $7.66 per share. The $203 million deal, expected to close on or before November 12, will reduce … Continue reading “Stock Repurchase For GT Solar”

ProctorCam’s Web Technology Out to Monitor Online Testing From Afar

Teachers have always tried to keep an eye out for cheating, and cheaters have always tried to conceal the tricks of the trade. But now surveillance is coming to higher education, from Boston-based startup ProctorCam, a maker of Web-based software for the live monitoring of test-takers remotely. The idea for the company came when founder … Continue reading “ProctorCam’s Web Technology Out to Monitor Online Testing From Afar”

Daktari Brings In $1.8M

Daktari Diagnostics, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of an HIV diagnostics system for use in developing countries, has wrapped up $1.8 million in equity-based funding from 32 unnamed investors, according to an SEC filing. The firm has previously raised about $3.7 million, from a number individual investors, Hub Angels, Launchpad Venture Group, Mass Medical Angels, Norwich … Continue reading “Daktari Brings In $1.8M”

Debt, Equity Deals for Pathogenetix

Woburn, MA-based biotech Pathogenetix, formerly known as U.S. Genomics, has raised $1.3 million in equity-based funding, and $900,000 of a planned $1.2 million debt-based offering, according to filings with the SEC. U.S. Genomics developed biodefense and diagnostic technologies, and raised $4.5 million in private equity funding from Becton, Dickinson & Co in 2008, as part of … Continue reading “Debt, Equity Deals for Pathogenetix”

Biogen Announces Restructuring, FDA Approves Sunovion Drug, Acceleron Cuts Workforce, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

There was good news and bad news in the Boston life sciences scene this past week. Some companies announced layoffs and restructuring, while others attracted funding and won regulatory approval. —Sunovion Pharmaceuticals of Marlborough, MA, nabbed FDA approval for Latuda (lurasidone HCl), its once-daily, oral tablet for treating schizophrenia. The drug is expected to hit … Continue reading “Biogen Announces Restructuring, FDA Approves Sunovion Drug, Acceleron Cuts Workforce, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

InfoReady Helps Customers Navigate $1 Trillion Grant Market With Search and Collaboration Software

Collaboration software for office workers isn’t new, and neither are technologies for doing refined, targeted Web searches. But Ann Arbor, MI-based InfoReady is combining those elements in a social networking-like interface to create a workflow tool that the company’s president and CEO Bhushan Kulkarni thinks will really shake things up. “I feel that we are … Continue reading “InfoReady Helps Customers Navigate $1 Trillion Grant Market With Search and Collaboration Software”