Author: Gregory T. Huang

Greg is a veteran journalist who has covered a wide range of science, technology, and business. As former editor in chief, he overaw daily news, features, and events across Xconomy's national network. Before joining Xconomy, he was a features editor at New Scientist magazine, where he edited and wrote articles on physics, technology, and neuroscience. Previously he was senior writer at Technology Review, where he reported on emerging technologies, R&D, and advances in computing, robotics, and applied physics. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Nature, and The Atlantic Monthly’s website. He was named a New York Times professional fellow in 2003. Greg is the co-author of Guanxi (Simon & Schuster, 2006), about Microsoft in China and the global competition for talent and technology. Before becoming a journalist, he did research at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Lab. He has published 20 papers in scientific journals and conferences and spoken on innovation at Adobe, Amazon, eBay, Google, HP, Microsoft, Yahoo, and other organizations. He has a Master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT, and a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Charles River VC, a $300M Investor in Intellectual Ventures, Says Patents Are Huge Market, Not a “Dirty World”

Quick, which Boston- and San Francisco-area venture firm has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the burgeoning—and controversial—market of intellectual property and patent protection over the past five years? If you said Charles River Ventures, you are correct. In fact, CRV is the only big venture investor behind Intellectual Ventures, the Bellevue, WA-based firm … Continue reading “Charles River VC, a $300M Investor in Intellectual Ventures, Says Patents Are Huge Market, Not a “Dirty World””

PayPal’s Pickup of Fig Card, the End of Eons, and the Bose-MIT Lovefest—Some Thoughts

I’ve been flat-out for the past week or so. Here are three pieces of Boston-area tech news that are worth catching up on, and a few thoughts on each: —Fig Card, the mobile payments company that just started last year, was acquired by eBay, via its PayPal division, for an undisclosed sum. Co-founders Max Metral … Continue reading “PayPal’s Pickup of Fig Card, the End of Eons, and the Bose-MIT Lovefest—Some Thoughts”

Semyon Dukach, the MIT Blackjack King, Takes SMTP Public in Latest Effort to Fight the Power

An intriguing Boston-area tech company is going public after more than 10 years—and it’s not too late to shake things up in its market. I’m not talking about Zipcar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZIP]]), which had its long-awaited IPO a couple weeks ago. I’m talking about SMTP, a pioneering e-mail software firm based in Cambridge, MA. Yes, the … Continue reading “Semyon Dukach, the MIT Blackjack King, Takes SMTP Public in Latest Effort to Fight the Power”

Harvard Innovation Lab Appoints Director

Harvard University announced today that Gordon Jones will be the inaugural director of the Harvard Innovation Lab, a $20 million community center for entrepreneurship that’s slated to open this fall at WGBH-TV’s former offices in Allston. The goal of the lab is to foster startups and interactions among students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and the local community. … Continue reading “Harvard Innovation Lab Appoints Director”

David Cancel, Stephen Kaufer, Katie Rae, and Others Join XSITE Program on June 16

As we hurtle towards XSITE 2011, our full-day conference on June 16 at Babson College, a few thoughts come to mind. The theme this year is “the entrepreneurship era”—the idea that there is increased attention to startups and company-building as a key to revitalizing the U.S. economy. But now that entrepreneurship is at the top … Continue reading “David Cancel, Stephen Kaufer, Katie Rae, and Others Join XSITE Program on June 16”

WiTricity Scores Deal with Toyota

Watertown, MA-based WiTricity, a developer of a wireless charging system for electric cars and plug-in hybrids, has formed a technology partnership with Japan-based Toyota Motor Corporation. The deal includes a Toyota investment in WiTricity, reported to be in the single-digit millions of dollars, according to Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe. Earlier this month, Delphi … Continue reading “WiTricity Scores Deal with Toyota”

The 5min Story in 5 Minutes, As Told By Spark Capital’s Alex Finkelstein

Got five minutes? Here’s an eye-opening example of how markets are analyzed, how VC deals are won, how startups are built—and a little bit about what might have been. New York-based 5min Media, a video syndication company, started in 2007 as a portal for how-to videos, and became a top video-content aggregator before getting bought … Continue reading “The 5min Story in 5 Minutes, As Told By Spark Capital’s Alex Finkelstein”

The m-Qube Mafia: Mobile Execs Lead Efforts at BuyWithMe, Clovr Media, Paydiant, and More

Silicon Valley has the PayPal mafia. Seattle has the Qpass mafia. Boston, for its part, has many interesting and influential tech company/family trees—DEC, PTC, and iRobot come to mind—but one of the more underrated ones is the m-Qube mafia. For those who don’t know, m-Qube is the Boston-area mobile marketing and applications company that started … Continue reading “The m-Qube Mafia: Mobile Execs Lead Efforts at BuyWithMe, Clovr Media, Paydiant, and More”

Pixable Pulls In $3.6M More

New York City-based Pixable, an online photo-management startup with roots at MIT, says it has raised $3.6 million in Series B financing led by Menlo Ventures. Previous investor Highland Capital Partners also participated in the round. Pixable (not to be confused with Cambridge, MA-based Pixability) was founded in 2009 by three MIT alums including CEO … Continue reading “Pixable Pulls In $3.6M More”

Join Me for an Evening with Microsoft’s Qi Lu on the Future of the Web, May 11

Meet Dr. Qi Lu (see photo, right). I have met him before, but it was at a backyard barbecue, and I didn’t want to grill the man about the future of search and the Web in that setting. But this is different. Lu, the president of Microsoft’s online services division (his first name is pronounced … Continue reading “Join Me for an Evening with Microsoft’s Qi Lu on the Future of the Web, May 11”

EBay’s $135M Acquisition of Where Could Drive PayPal’s Mobile Future; Boston CEOs React to Another Silicon Valley Buyer

[Updated 4/24/11. See comment below] Chalk up another $100 million-plus purchase of a Boston-area mobile technology company. First there was m-Qube, then Third Screen Media, Enpocket, Starent Networks, Quattro Wireless, and now, Where. Their acquirers read like a who’s who of tech giants: VeriSign, AOL, Nokia, Cisco, Apple, and now, eBay. Indeed, Boston-based Where’s purchase … Continue reading “EBay’s $135M Acquisition of Where Could Drive PayPal’s Mobile Future; Boston CEOs React to Another Silicon Valley Buyer”

The Bob Langer and Polaris Family Tree: From Acusphere to Momenta to Visterra

Seventeen companies in 18 years. That’s about as prolific as any entrepreneur-VC partnership in history. And when you’re talking about an MIT Institute Professor (and his collaborators) and the co-founder of Polaris Venture Partners (and his colleagues), that adds significant weight to the achievement. Earlier this month, Bob Langer from MIT and Terry McGuire from … Continue reading “The Bob Langer and Polaris Family Tree: From Acusphere to Momenta to Visterra”

CSN Stores, Amid Rebranding and Financing Rumors, Looks to Become “Amazon for the Home”

It’s pretty impressive what a couple of engineers have built here in the Back Bay. But truth be told, the engineers themselves aren’t all that impressed yet. That’s because they have their eyes on a bigger goal: running a billion-dollar e-commerce company. I’m talking about Niraj Shah and Steve Conine, the co-founders of Boston-based CSN … Continue reading “CSN Stores, Amid Rebranding and Financing Rumors, Looks to Become “Amazon for the Home””

Patriots’ Payday: GMZ, Localytics, and SilverRail Raise Financing Rounds

It wouldn’t be Monday in Boston without a slew of startup financings. On Patriots’ Day, no less—no curbside trash pickup, but plenty of new money to go around in the fields of mobile, travel, and cleantech. —Waltham, MA-based GMZ Energy, a developer of thermoelectric materials and products, has raised $7 million in equity financing out … Continue reading “Patriots’ Payday: GMZ, Localytics, and SilverRail Raise Financing Rounds”

Venture Investment in New England Companies Is Down from a Year Ago; Here Are the Top 10 Deals from the First Quarter

The latest venture capital stats for the first quarter of 2011 are a mixed bag. Maybe it’ll take a little longer for the Boston area to witness what a lot of people are calling the new tech bubble. Venture firms poured $639 million into 90 New England companies in the first three months of this … Continue reading “Venture Investment in New England Companies Is Down from a Year Ago; Here Are the Top 10 Deals from the First Quarter”

Zipcar’s $174M IPO and What It Means to the Boston Tech Scene: Some Reactions

Zipcar, the Cambridge, MA-based car-sharing company, has raised $174.3 million in an initial public offering. The company sold about 9.7 million shares at $18 per share—an increase over the 8.3 million shares it originally planned to offer at $14 to $16 apiece—according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The IPO was led by Goldman Sachs and … Continue reading “Zipcar’s $174M IPO and What It Means to the Boston Tech Scene: Some Reactions”

The New Tech Bubble, Biotech Vs. Big Pharma, and More Thoughts from Boston BD Conference

Please excuse this bout of drive-by journalism, but it’s been a very busy couple of weeks for events and news in Xconomy-land. One very impressive local event was the Boston Biotech Business Development Conference on Tuesday (part of the greater Boston Biotech Conference series). The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Back Bay was full of biotech’s … Continue reading “The New Tech Bubble, Biotech Vs. Big Pharma, and More Thoughts from Boston BD Conference”

Lexalytics Digests Wikipedia, Sees Text Analysis Markets Broaden to Include Search, Travel, Law

You can learn a lot from Wikipedia, despite all its faults—and Jeff Catlin’s company has done just that. Boston-based Lexalytics said today that its latest text-analysis software incorporates insights from combing through Wikipedia’s entire user-generated online encyclopedia for relationships between words, phrases, and their meanings. The company says its new software, which powers products used … Continue reading “Lexalytics Digests Wikipedia, Sees Text Analysis Markets Broaden to Include Search, Travel, Law”

Controversial Companies Are Good, VCs Are Getting Active, and Entrepreneurial Generation Rising: 10 Takeaways from Xconomy’s VC65

If you talk to enough venture capitalists, you’ll hear certain universal truths. For one thing, venture-backed companies provide something like 20 percent of all jobs in the U.S. Second, despite some contraction and a decade of generally lousy returns, the VC industry is as strong as ever. And, yes, the IPO and acquisitions markets could … Continue reading “Controversial Companies Are Good, VCs Are Getting Active, and Entrepreneurial Generation Rising: 10 Takeaways from Xconomy’s VC65”

nSphere Scoops Up Peekaboo Mobile

Boston-based nSphere (formerly called DirectoryM) has acquired Peekaboo Mobile, a mobile-coupon tech startup, also based in Boston, as reported by TechCrunch. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, though the report says the transaction was in the seven figures. Peekaboo Mobile was founded in 2010 by Michael Fruzzetti and Ben Dolgoff. Last October, Peekaboo said it … Continue reading “nSphere Scoops Up Peekaboo Mobile”

Blueprint Medicines Brings In $40M, Led by Third Rock, for Targeted Cancer Therapies

In one of the Boston area’s biggest startup deals in recent years, Cambridge, MA-based Blueprint Medicines said today it has raised $40 million in Series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures. Blueprint has been stealthy to date, but its focus is on developing “personalized” cancer treatments based on molecular and cancer genome data and … Continue reading “Blueprint Medicines Brings In $40M, Led by Third Rock, for Targeted Cancer Therapies”

Google and ITA Software: The Acquisition That Almost Wasn’t, Is Again (With Some Strings Attached)

[Updated 3:30 pm. See below] It took a while, but we now have a ruling in a case that has major ramifications for the online travel industry. The U.S. Department of Justice said today it has proposed a settlement in the case of Google’s $700 million bid to acquire ITA Software, a Cambridge, MA-based airfare … Continue reading “Google and ITA Software: The Acquisition That Almost Wasn’t, Is Again (With Some Strings Attached)”

$5.5M Stock Sale for World Energy

Worcester, MA-based World Energy Solutions (NASDAQ: [[ticker:XWES]]) said yesterday it is raising $5.5 million in a sale of 1.5 million shares of common stock ($3.60 per share) to several institutional investors. The company says the money will be used for new investments and acquisitions in energy management, among other strategic initiatives. World Energy is known … Continue reading “$5.5M Stock Sale for World Energy”

TripAdvisor to Spin Out of Expedia as Separate Public Company; CEO Kaufer Looking Forward to “Growth and Innovation”

Interesting news in online travel this afternoon, spanning the Boston and Seattle areas—and plenty of destinations in between. Bellevue, WA-based Expedia (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXPE]]) said it plans to split into two publicly traded companies—one will be Newton, MA-based TripAdvisor (which has been part of Expedia since 2004), and the other will remain Expedia, which also owns … Continue reading “TripAdvisor to Spin Out of Expedia as Separate Public Company; CEO Kaufer Looking Forward to “Growth and Innovation””

How to Hire and Fire, Establish Company Culture, and Go Public: 10 Lessons from Three Big CEOs at NVCA

Can you ever fire people too quickly, as chief executive? How do you foster a company’s culture as it grows? And what are the pros and cons of going public? Answers to these pointed management questions could be found in yesterday’s technology track at the National Venture Capital Association’s annual meeting in Boston. Harvard Business … Continue reading “How to Hire and Fire, Establish Company Culture, and Go Public: 10 Lessons from Three Big CEOs at NVCA”

Rodney Brooks at NVCA: Why the World Needs Robots, and What VCs Need to Watch Out For

The world needs robots, hopefully more than Mars needs moms. The first part of that was Rodney Brooks’s message in his talk at the annual meeting of the National Venture Capital Association in Boston yesterday. Brooks, of course, has a strong interest in seeing the mass adoption of robots. He’s the co-founder of iRobot (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Rodney Brooks at NVCA: Why the World Needs Robots, and What VCs Need to Watch Out For”

From Aprigo to CloudLock: Data Protection Startup Talks Strategy Shift, New Name

Do we really need another tech company with “cloud” in its name? Apparently the answer is yes. But Waltham, MA-based CloudLock offers lessons far beyond the merits of its name. The company, formerly known as Aprigo, has officially changed its product focus as well as its moniker. All told, this is an interesting snapshot of … Continue reading “From Aprigo to CloudLock: Data Protection Startup Talks Strategy Shift, New Name”

Txteagle Lands $8.5M, Led by Spark Capital, for Smarter Mobile Messaging

The mobile hits keep coming—though I guess “mobile” is officially redundant in the tech world now. Boston- and San Francisco-based Txteagle, which makes a mobile-messaging platform for developing markets, has raised $8.5 million in Series A financing led by Spark Capital in Boston. The company’s other seed investors, Flywheel Ventures, RBC Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, … Continue reading “Txteagle Lands $8.5M, Led by Spark Capital, for Smarter Mobile Messaging”

Christoph Westphal Leaving GSK’s SR One to Focus on Longwood Founders Fund

[Update: 3:12 pm ET] Christoph Westphal, the Boston-based biotech mover/shaker, is leaving GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]) later this year to focus on Longwood Founders Fund and other business interests, according to a press release this morning. Westphal is currently president of SR One, GSK’s venture capital arm. London-based GSK is also an investor in Longwood Founders … Continue reading “Christoph Westphal Leaving GSK’s SR One to Focus on Longwood Founders Fund”

EMC Buys NetWitness to Bolster RSA Security

Consider this the latest round in the Boston-area data security war. Hopkinton, MA-based EMC (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]), the data storage giant, said today it has acquired NetWitness, a Virginia-based network security company. Financial terms weren’t given, but EMC says the deal is not expected to have a material impact on the firm’s revenue or earnings per … Continue reading “EMC Buys NetWitness to Bolster RSA Security”

Forerun, Smarterer Raise New Venture Rounds to Aid Doctors, Job Seekers

Catching up on a couple of small Boston-area company financings, while we wait to hear from mobile-ad firm Jumptap on what’s up with its latest $20 million (or something) equity round. —Waltham, MA-based Forerun, a maker of patient-charting software for doctors in emergency departments, said it has raised $2 million in Series C financing led … Continue reading “Forerun, Smarterer Raise New Venture Rounds to Aid Doctors, Job Seekers”

Jumptap Takes In $20M More for Mobile Ads

The mobile company financings continue around town. Cambridge, MA-based Jumptap, a mobile advertising software firm, has raised about $20 million in equity financing out of a total offering of $27.9 million, according to an SEC filing today. The investors in the round were not disclosed, and Jumptap hasn’t confirmed the funding amount yet. We’ll update … Continue reading “Jumptap Takes In $20M More for Mobile Ads”

No April Fools: A Rundown of Babson, BU, Tufts, Harvard, and MIT Business Plan Contests

Besides snow and rain (and other April Fool’s jokes), ‘tis the season for business plan competitions around Boston. You might know all about MIT’s $100K contest and Harvard Business School’s equivalent, but there’s a lot more going on out there—and a lot of talented young people vying for a taste of entrepreneurial success. Here’s a … Continue reading “No April Fools: A Rundown of Babson, BU, Tufts, Harvard, and MIT Business Plan Contests”

OfficeDrop Digs Up $1M for Filing, Scanning

Cambridge, MA-based OfficeDrop said today it has raised $1 million in angel financing led by New York-based White Owl Capital. The startup, formerly called Pixily, makes digital filing and scanning software that connects to cloud storage applications such as Evernote, Dropbox, and Google Docs. OfficeDrop was founded in 2007 and is led by CEO and … Continue reading “OfficeDrop Digs Up $1M for Filing, Scanning”

Snapshot of a Rising Young Star(Street): Startup Lessons from Jeremy Levine

Entrepreneurs get younger every day. Jeremy Levine was born one month after the ball rolled through Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs on that fateful night in Shea Stadium, 1986. Levine probably doesn’t remember the painful 1-15 Patriots of 1990 either. He says his first sports memory was watching the great Larry Bird with … Continue reading “Snapshot of a Rising Young Star(Street): Startup Lessons from Jeremy Levine”

Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of the First Quarter

Grass is growing. Birds are singing. IPOs are filing. And snow is coming tomorrow. In other words, it’s springtime in New England. Every so often, we like to take a breath and look back at some of Xconomy’s top stories from the past few months. These are not necessarily the ones that generated the most … Continue reading “Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of the First Quarter”

RatePoint Names New CEO from Carbonite

Needham, MA-based RatePoint, a marketing and reputation management company, said yesterday it has appointed Keith Cooper as president and CEO. Cooper was most recently president and chief operating officer at Boston-based Carbonite, the online data backup firm. RatePoint started in 2006, and its investors include Prism VentureWorks, .406 Ventures, and Castile Ventures. The company provides … Continue reading “RatePoint Names New CEO from Carbonite”

Elemental, Riding Wave of Online Video Delivery, Picks Up More Broadcast Business as Rivals Exit

File this under “one to watch more closely.” Before I tell you about the company or its news, consider a few trends. People are watching more videos on their iPads and other tablet devices. Broadcasters, cable companies, and video content owners are starting to focus more on how to deliver TV shows and other entertainment … Continue reading “Elemental, Riding Wave of Online Video Delivery, Picks Up More Broadcast Business as Rivals Exit”

TechStars Takes In $8M for Startup Programs

TechStars, the seed-stage investment fund and startup boot camp, said today it has raised $8 million for its mentorship programs in Boston, Boulder, New York, and Seattle. The latest round, from a number of venture funds and angel investors, brings Boulder, CO-based TechStars’ funding to nearly $11.5 million to date, and should enable the program … Continue reading “TechStars Takes In $8M for Startup Programs”

Mobiquity Makes Debut with $5M in VC

Boston-based Mobiquity, a mobile services startup founded by Bill Seibel and Scott Snyder, said today it has raised $5 million in Series A financing led by Longworth Venture Partners and Sigma Partners. The company aims to help big businesses take advantage of growth opportunities in mobile computing via smartphones and tablets (like the Apple iPad). … Continue reading “Mobiquity Makes Debut with $5M in VC”

Apperian Adds $9.5M from North Bridge, Bessemer, Kleiner Perkins, Looks to Dominate in Enterprise Mobile Apps

It’s a big day for the New England mobile community. Boston-based Apperian, the maker of a software platform for enterprise mobile apps, said it has raised a $9.5 million Series A round from North Bridge Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (iFund, focused on Apple iPad and iPhone software). The … Continue reading “Apperian Adds $9.5M from North Bridge, Bessemer, Kleiner Perkins, Looks to Dominate in Enterprise Mobile Apps”

NetScout to Buy Psytechnics

Westford, MA-based NetScout Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NTCT]]), a network-performance management firm, said today it is acquiring Psytechnics, a software company based in Ipswich, U.K., and Portsmouth, NH. Financial terms of the deal were not given. Psytechnics helps businesses manage the quality of IP voice, video, and telepresence services; the firm says its installed base manages more … Continue reading “NetScout to Buy Psytechnics”

Vertica CEO Chris Lynch Talks HP Acquisition, Fires Back at Netezza, IBM in “Big Data” Battle

Big data, schmig data. I know, you’re sick of it. Too bad. Let’s get right to the trash talk, shall we? A few weeks ago, Netezza CEO Jim Baum (who’s now part of IBM) was telling me about the competitive landscape in “big data” analytics—the software and machinery that businesses are using these days to … Continue reading “Vertica CEO Chris Lynch Talks HP Acquisition, Fires Back at Netezza, IBM in “Big Data” Battle”

TechStars Takes Off, Jumptap Touts Patents and Partnerships, & Other Tech Tidbits Around Town

There were a number of tech developments this week that I didn’t get a chance to digest yet. That’s in part because I couldn’t eat solid food for, like, two days. Let’s just move on. —As one incubator class (Y Combinator) wrapped up its session on the West Coast, another one got started here on … Continue reading “TechStars Takes Off, Jumptap Touts Patents and Partnerships, & Other Tech Tidbits Around Town”

As Cyber Threats Mature, So Do Boston-Area Security Firms: RSA, Fidelis, Cyber-Ark, and More

Sometimes what’s bad for companies is good for business. That’s the case for a number of Massachusetts security software firms. These days, the Boston area seems to have renewed its claim as an epicenter of cyber security activity. In the wake of the recent, much-publicized cyber attack on RSA Security, a division of Hopkinton, MA-based … Continue reading “As Cyber Threats Mature, So Do Boston-Area Security Firms: RSA, Fidelis, Cyber-Ark, and More”

Yale Spinoff Hadapt Hops Out of Stealth, Looks to Help Big Companies Handle Big Data

If you don’t know Hadoop from a hole in the wall, please meet Justin Borgman. He’ll break it all down for you. Borgman is the co-founder and CEO of Hadapt, a New Haven, CT-based startup that is coming out of stealth today at GigaOm’s Structure Big Data conference in New York City. Hadapt calls its … Continue reading “Yale Spinoff Hadapt Hops Out of Stealth, Looks to Help Big Companies Handle Big Data”

Clouds, Clean Air, Cancer, and Cardio: Some Massachusetts Companies On the Rise

Just catching up on a few financings around the state on this fine spring morning. —Waltham, MA-based CloudFloor, a stealthy cloud-computing startup, announced it has raised more than $3 million in Series A financing from undisclosed investors. The company, which started in 2010, is led by former Gomez execs Jaime Ellertson and Imad Mouline. According … Continue reading “Clouds, Clean Air, Cancer, and Cardio: Some Massachusetts Companies On the Rise”