Boston-based mobile publisher Go2Media has sold its local advertising assets to Calgary-based local search firm Poynt for $450,000, according to a press release today. The assets include all source code, related documentation, and all transferable publisher and advertiser agreements related to location-based ads. Go2Media most recently raised $3 million in venture capital led by General … Continue reading “Poynt Picks Up Go2Media’s Local Ad Assets”
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.
IBM Venture Exec from Silicon Valley: Boston Startups Very Active in Mobile, Cloud Computing, Healthcare
Deborah Magid isn’t a VC, but she works in a venture group. Her responsibilities are global, but I’m asking her to think locally. She works for a tech giant, but I’m quizzing her on small startups. Confused yet? Magid isn’t. She’s the director of software strategy in IBM’s Venture Capital Group, which started in 2000. … Continue reading “IBM Venture Exec from Silicon Valley: Boston Startups Very Active in Mobile, Cloud Computing, Healthcare”
Bluefin Labs, $6M in Hand, Looks to Help TV and Ad Execs Cash In on Social Media Analysis
An intriguing MIT startup has emerged from pseudo-stealth mode today with a splash of PR. Bluefin Labs, based in Cambridge, MA, spoke with TechCrunch about its strategy for applying text and language analytics to TV advertising and content. Bluefin Labs (not to be confused with Bluefin Robotics, another MIT spinout) is the brainchild of CEO … Continue reading “Bluefin Labs, $6M in Hand, Looks to Help TV and Ad Execs Cash In on Social Media Analysis”
AisleBuyer, Locately, Clearwire Join Xconomy’s Mobile Madness 2011 Lineup on March 9
I just got a new BlackBerry smartphone last weekend, which makes me a mobile expert—for circa 2005-2006 maybe. Luckily for you (and me), there’s a big event coming up called Mobile Madness, which will tell you all you need to know about the industry in 2011 and beyond. Xconomy’s third annual mobile conference, Mobile Madness … Continue reading “AisleBuyer, Locately, Clearwire Join Xconomy’s Mobile Madness 2011 Lineup on March 9”
Big Fish Games Adds a Big Fish, Angel Investor and Web Veteran Geoff Entress, to Its Board
The Seattle tech scene is getting tighter and more connected every day. Big Fish Games, the casual games developer and publisher, said today that Geoff Entress, the Seattle-area angel investor and venture partner with Voyager Capital, has joined the firm’s board of directors. He’s not an investor in Big Fish, but, as is typical with … Continue reading “Big Fish Games Adds a Big Fish, Angel Investor and Web Veteran Geoff Entress, to Its Board”
MassChallenge, With Lessons Learned, Gears Up for 2011 Startup Competition: A Definitive Debrief
It’s billed as the world’s largest startup competition and accelerator program, and it takes place right here in Boston. MassChallenge, coming off a successful first run in 2010, is gearing up to do it again this year—but not without some important changes and improvements to its structure. Last year, the Boston-area nonprofit organized a $1 … Continue reading “MassChallenge, With Lessons Learned, Gears Up for 2011 Startup Competition: A Definitive Debrief”
Heartland, Vertex Moving to Boston’s Waterfront
Cambridge, MA-based Heartland Robotics, the manufacturing robotics company founded by Rod Brooks, is moving into a larger office space in Boston’s Fort Point district next week, according to a report in Mass High Tech. The news comes on the heels of a Boston Globe report that says Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]), also based in Cambridge, … Continue reading “Heartland, Vertex Moving to Boston’s Waterfront”
Venture Café Finds Permanent Space Amid Comings and Goings in Kendall Square
‘Tis the season for moving in and moving out for the startup community in Kendall Square. This morning, we heard some news from Tim Rowe, the CEO and co-founder of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), about a new permanent location for the Venture Café, a popular gathering place for the innovation community. Venture Café “alpha” … Continue reading “Venture Café Finds Permanent Space Amid Comings and Goings in Kendall Square”
BlueKai Buys TrackSimple
Bellevue, WA-based BlueKai, an online-marketing data company, said today it has acquired TrackSimple, a media analytics startup also based in the Seattle area. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but a recent filing with the SEC suggests the purchase price was about $6.8 million in BlueKai stock. TrackSimple was founded by a pair of ex-Amazon … Continue reading “BlueKai Buys TrackSimple”
EnerNOC Buys M2M for Its Wireless Tech and Utility Contracts in California, Midwest
[Updated 3:30 pm with financial terms. See below] EnerNOC, the Boston-based energy management firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ENOC]]), continues to look west for its acquisitions. The company announced today it has bought M2M Communications, a Boise, ID-based wireless technology company that has key contracts with energy utilities in California and the Midwest. Financial terms of the deal … Continue reading “EnerNOC Buys M2M for Its Wireless Tech and Utility Contracts in California, Midwest”
IWalk Before You Run: MIT Prosthetics Startup Ramps Up Operations With New VC Money
If you’re lucky, you probably only worry about your feet when something goes wrong—if you break a toe or sprain your ankle, say. In daily life, most people don’t marvel at the natural machinery that lets them navigate icy sidewalks, step over obstacles, or go up and down stairs with nary a second thought. (I’ll … Continue reading “IWalk Before You Run: MIT Prosthetics Startup Ramps Up Operations With New VC Money”
Elemental Gets Citrix Investment, New Board Member
Portland, OR-based Elemental Technologies, a video processing startup, said today it has received a strategic investment from Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTXS]]) and has added Kevin O’Hara to its board of directors. O’Hara is the former president and co-founder of Level 3 Communications (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LVLT]]) and the co-founder and executive chairman of Troppus Software. The amount … Continue reading “Elemental Gets Citrix Investment, New Board Member”
Celtra Scores $5M from GrandBanks, Fairhaven
Cambridge, MA-based Celtra, a mobile advertising and analytics startup, said today it has raised $5 million in Series A financing from GrandBanks Capital and Fairhaven Capital. Celtra makes a platform for brands, ad agencies, and publishers to be able to create, track, and optimize “rich media” advertising for mobile devices. The company is led by … Continue reading “Celtra Scores $5M from GrandBanks, Fairhaven”
RainDance Raises $37.5M
Lexington, MA-based RainDance Technologies, a maker of genomic research tools, said today it has closed a $37.5 million Series D financing round co-led by new investor Quaker BioVentures and existing investor Mohr Davidow Ventures. Previous investors Alloy Ventures and Acadia Woods also participated in the round. RainDance, founded in 2004, has developed a system that … Continue reading “RainDance Raises $37.5M”
Top 10 List of Boston-Area VC Deals for Q4 2010: NinePoint, 1366, Rive, and More
The venture financing stats from the fourth quarter of 2010 continue to trickle in. Here are the 10 biggest equity financing deals of the quarter in the Boston area, according to the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association based on data from Thomson Reuters. (You can also check out today’s national … Continue reading “Top 10 List of Boston-Area VC Deals for Q4 2010: NinePoint, 1366, Rive, and More”
Patent Firm RPX Files for IPO
San Francisco-based RPX, a patent risk management firm with a presence in Seattle, filed an S-1 document with the SEC on Friday that says it intends to sell up to $100 million worth of shares in an initial public offering. Goldman Sachs, Barclays Capital, and others are underwriting the IPO. RPX says it has 70 … Continue reading “Patent Firm RPX Files for IPO”
Coffee, Spam, and What the Web Is Doing to Our Minds, From Mimecast’s Nathaniel Borenstein
I learned at least three things over coffee last week with Nathaniel Borenstein, one of the fathers of modern e-mail systems. Sadly, none of them keep me from wanting to set fire to my inbox, which surpassed 30,000 unread messages this weekend. Borenstein is chief scientist at Mimecast, a U.K.-based e-mail management firm with a … Continue reading “Coffee, Spam, and What the Web Is Doing to Our Minds, From Mimecast’s Nathaniel Borenstein”
Say Hello to My Avatar: Bob Metcalfe Gives First UT Innovation Lecture Using Avaya Web Interface
Internet tycoon Bob Metcalfe, who recently moved from Boston, is giving his first lecture as professor of innovation at the University of Texas at Austin this afternoon. I don’t know exactly what he plans to say, but what’s particularly interesting is how he’s delivering the talk—to more than just the people in the room, through … Continue reading “Say Hello to My Avatar: Bob Metcalfe Gives First UT Innovation Lecture Using Avaya Web Interface”
EveryScape Founder Mok Oh Leaves Firm, Looks for New Ways to Map Online to the Real World
Want to peer into the mind of an entrepreneur who’s starting over after nearly nine years in the trenches? Or maybe you’d like a glimpse of the Next Big Thing through the eyes of a deep technologist? Me too. That’s why I caught up with Mok Oh yesterday. The founder and former chief technology officer … Continue reading “EveryScape Founder Mok Oh Leaves Firm, Looks for New Ways to Map Online to the Real World”
New CEO Jim Crowley on BuyWithMe’s Mobile Expansion and the Future of Social Commerce
Jim Crowley wants to have it both ways. The new CEO of BuyWithMe, the online deals site, insists the company is based in both Boston and New York. (Yes, well, this is a sensitive topic to me this week.) “The company exists in two spots,” Crowley says. It has about 100 employees total—roughly two-thirds of … Continue reading “New CEO Jim Crowley on BuyWithMe’s Mobile Expansion and the Future of Social Commerce”
Boston Vs. New York: Tech Startups and Investors Add New Spice to Classic Rivalry
I’ll come right out and say it: I hate New York. OK, maybe it’s worse during football and baseball season. Maybe it’s especially bad this week as the J-E-T-S and their loudmouth coach (see right) are talking trash about the Pats. Maybe I just need an excuse to wind people up. But tech investors love … Continue reading “Boston Vs. New York: Tech Startups and Investors Add New Spice to Classic Rivalry”
Dogpatch Labs Cambridge Moving to New Kennel—But Will Still Be in Kendall Square
Dogpatch Labs Cambridge, the tech startup incubator run by Polaris Venture Partners, is moving out of its space in the American Twine Building on Third Street, Xconomy has learned from multiple sources. The original tip came from a Dogpatch resident who shall remain nameless. After being contacted by us, Paul Jin, founder of Plummelo and … Continue reading “Dogpatch Labs Cambridge Moving to New Kennel—But Will Still Be in Kendall Square”
Corensic, Concur, and Teradici: A Mini Tech Deals Roundup
Lots going on in the Northwest tech scene today (though not as much snow as in New England, let me tell you). Let’s get right to it: —Concur (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CNCR]]), the Redmond, WA-based travel and expense management software company, said today it has agreed to buy TripIt, a mobile travel firm based in San Francisco, … Continue reading “Corensic, Concur, and Teradici: A Mini Tech Deals Roundup”
Microsoft’s Gus Weber Leaves to Become Entrepreneur In Residence at Dogpatch Labs
From one Kendall Square institution to another—that’s my take on this news, which is reverberating throughout the local startup community. Gus Weber, the business development and community relations manager at Microsoft’s New England Research & Development Center (N.E.R.D.), is leaving Microsoft this week to join Dogpatch Labs in Cambridge (run by Polaris Venture Partners) as … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Gus Weber Leaves to Become Entrepreneur In Residence at Dogpatch Labs”
BuyWithMe Hires New CEO
BuyWithMe, an online group-buying startup founded in Boston and based in New York, said today it has named Jim Crowley its new chief executive. Crowley, the former CEO of Turbine and chief operating officer of m-Qube, succeeds Cheryl Rosner, who stepped down in December. It’s a key hire for BuyWithMe as the company ramps up … Continue reading “BuyWithMe Hires New CEO”
iWalk Steps Up with $15M More, Report Says
Cambridge, MA-based iWalk, the developer of an advanced prosthetic ankle and foot, has raised $15 million in its third round of financing, according to a report by Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe. Boston-area venture firms Sigma Partners and General Catalyst participated in the round, as well as New York-based WFD Ventures, the report says. … Continue reading “iWalk Steps Up with $15M More, Report Says”
Evergreen Solar to Shut Down Massachusetts Plant, Lay Off 800 Workers
Bad news for the Massachusetts cleantech industry—and a lot of factory workers. Marlboro, MA-based Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ESLR]]), a developer and manufacturer of solar panels, said today it will shut down its manufacturing plant in Devens, MA, and lay off 800 workers there by the end of the first quarter of 2011. The plant represented … Continue reading “Evergreen Solar to Shut Down Massachusetts Plant, Lay Off 800 Workers”
U.S. Wages Reset to Early 2008 Levels: Boston and Seattle Fit National Trend; Detroit, San Diego, San Francisco Fare Worse
The average salary for U.S. company workers rose throughout 2007 and 2008, fell during 2009, and held fairly steady in 2010. By the fourth quarter of last year, average earnings had leveled off to approximately what they were at the start of 2008. But there were some variations between different parts of the country. That’s … Continue reading “U.S. Wages Reset to Early 2008 Levels: Boston and Seattle Fit National Trend; Detroit, San Diego, San Francisco Fare Worse”
Carbonite, With IPO On the Horizon, Puts New Focus on Consumers and Small Businesses
For years, Carbonite has been one of the compelling stories of the Boston-area tech scene. That story is about to get more compelling in 2011. The online data-backup company, which launched its consumer service in 2006, has talked openly about its plans to file for an initial public offering later this year. In an in-depth … Continue reading “Carbonite, With IPO On the Horizon, Puts New Focus on Consumers and Small Businesses”
Entrega Emerges From Enlight
Enlight Biosciences, a Boston-based maker of drug discovery and development technologies, said today it has formed a new company called Entrega, which focuses on oral drug-delivery techniques. Entrega is working on developing orally-available versions of several types of biologic drugs (a class that includes insulin and antibodies) that are made by Enlight’s pharmaceutical partners and … Continue reading “Entrega Emerges From Enlight”
MIT Museum Opens 150th Anniversary Exhibition: A Few Items of Entrepreneurial Note
The MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA, is running a special exhibition, starting this weekend, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of MIT’s charter. The “MIT 150” exhibit showcases a collection of stories and artifacts that represent the institute’s contributions to science, technology, business, education, and society—things like Marvin Minsky’s robot arm, Claude Shannon’s maze-solving machine, J.C.R. … Continue reading “MIT Museum Opens 150th Anniversary Exhibition: A Few Items of Entrepreneurial Note”
XL Hybrids Raises $2M More, Signs Key Partnership to Retrofit Vehicles
[Updated 1:15 pm. See below] It’s been a busy week for Boston-area company financings, but it’s particularly interesting to zero in on some progress in cleantech. Somerville, MA-based XL Hybrids, a startup that converts commercial fleet vehicles into hybrids, said it has raised an additional $2 million from undisclosed investors. The company also has formed … Continue reading “XL Hybrids Raises $2M More, Signs Key Partnership to Retrofit Vehicles”
Desh Deshpande on Starting Merrimack Valley Innovation Center—and Making a Global Impact from Massachusetts to India
For some people, innovation is not enough. Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande is one of those people. Let’s just say the Boston-area tech entrepreneur and billionaire philanthropist has earned the right to make such a claim. “For innovation to have impact, it needs relevance,” he says. “Innovation plus relevance equals impact.” Deshpande is talking about global impact, … Continue reading “Desh Deshpande on Starting Merrimack Valley Innovation Center—and Making a Global Impact from Massachusetts to India”
Emptoris Acquires Rivermine
Burlington, MA-based Emptoris, a maker of supply and contract management software for businesses, said today it has acquired Rivermine, a Virginia-based developer of telecom expense management software. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the acquisition was financed by Marlin Equity Partners, which is Emptoris’s majority owner. The combined company has 650 employees and added more … Continue reading “Emptoris Acquires Rivermine”
Elemental Teams Up With Intel, Looks to Improve Video Delivery to Devices
Interesting news from the video world today. Portland, OR-based Elemental Technologies says it has been working with Intel (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTC]]) for the past year to make its video-processing software run on the chip giant’s new “Sandy Bridge” microprocessors, which blend traditional processing with graphics capabilities. The two companies are demoing the technology at the Consumer … Continue reading “Elemental Teams Up With Intel, Looks to Improve Video Delivery to Devices”
Qteros Raises $22M More, Signs Deal to Commercialize Biofuels
The biofuels industry is still chugging along in Massachusetts. Marlborough, MA-based Qteros said today it has closed $22 million in the first tranche of its Series C financing. The investors in the round were not disclosed, but Qteros said both new and existing ones participated. The company’s previous backers include Battery Ventures, Venrock Associates, Long … Continue reading “Qteros Raises $22M More, Signs Deal to Commercialize Biofuels”
Daily Grommet, With New Financing (and Attention), Looks to “Pour Fuel on the Fire”
A quick update from one of the darlings of the Boston consumer tech scene. Lexington, MA-based Daily Grommet says it has raised just over $475,000 in financing as an extension to its $3.4 million Series A round last April. The new money came from the company’s existing angel investors, including John Landry, Nancy Peretsman, LaunchCapital, … Continue reading “Daily Grommet, With New Financing (and Attention), Looks to “Pour Fuel on the Fire””
SCVNGR Scoops Up $15M for European Expansion and More Game Mechanics
Seth Priebatsch strikes again. The wunderkind CEO’s location-based gaming startup, SCVNGR, announced today it has raised $15 million in a new venture financing round led by London-based Balderton Capital. SCVNGR’s existing investors, Google Ventures and Highland Capital Partners, also participated in the round, which was raised at a valuation of just over $100 million, according … Continue reading “SCVNGR Scoops Up $15M for European Expansion and More Game Mechanics”
CQuotient, With $3M from Bain, Looks to Help Retailers Adjust to Customers’ Buying Behavior
There’s certainly no shortage of intriguing new tech startups around town. One stealthy company that has come to light in the past week is CQuotient, a Belmont, MA-based developer of analytics software for retailers. The startup confirmed it recently raised $3 million in Series A financing from Bain Capital Ventures. Founder and CEO Rama Ramakrishnan … Continue reading “CQuotient, With $3M from Bain, Looks to Help Retailers Adjust to Customers’ Buying Behavior”
Skytap Scores $10M More, Led by Boston Investor OpenView
Cloud-computing startups are getting older and wiser. Seattle-based Skytap announced today it has raised $10 million in Series C financing led by new investor OpenView Venture Partners, based in Boston. Skytap’s existing investors Madrona Venture Group, Ignition Partners, and Washington Research Foundation also participated in the round. OpenView senior managing director Scott Maxwell is joining … Continue reading “Skytap Scores $10M More, Led by Boston Investor OpenView”
Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of 2010
With 2010 almost in the books—and a lot of people grounded by the Northeast blizzard—it seems like a good time to take a break and look back at some of Xconomy Boston’s top stories of the year. These are not necessarily the ones that generated the most traffic (although in some cases they did). Instead, … Continue reading “Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of 2010”
Harmonix Sold to Private Equity Firm Columbus Nova, Goes Independent Again
Cambridge, MA-based Harmonix, the music-gaming company behind Rock Band and Dance Central, said today it has been sold by Viacom (NYSE: [[ticker:VIA]]) to Columbus Nova, a private equity firm based in New York. Financial terms were not disclosed in the press release, and Harmonix was not immediately available for comment. “We’re excited to be returning … Continue reading “Harmonix Sold to Private Equity Firm Columbus Nova, Goes Independent Again”
Where Wins Patent for Geofencing: Location-Based Companies, Take Notice
This is pretty big news for a local mobile startup. Boston-based Where, a mobile applications and advertising firm, announced today it has been granted a patent covering a wide swath of location-based services—in particular those related to delivering certain kinds of advertising, alerts, and coupons to mobile devices. Where now has strong intellectual property protection … Continue reading “Where Wins Patent for Geofencing: Location-Based Companies, Take Notice”
Voltaire Licenses Software to IBM for $17M
Voltaire, a maker of server and data center technologies based in Chelmsford, MA, and Ra’anana, Israel, said today it has agreed to license certain software products to IBM (NYSE: [[ticker:IBM]]) in exchange for about $17 million in fees through 2012. Voltaire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VOLT]]) develops switches, server adapters, and network management software for industries including financial … Continue reading “Voltaire Licenses Software to IBM for $17M”
Startup Lessons from Pixability, FashionPlaytes, and More: Check Out 5×5 Videos from Turnstone
As we come down the home stretch of 2010, I wanted to take another look back at our most recent Boston event—“5×5: Five Cities, Five Big Tech Ideas.” Not at the program or the public discussion, which I already summarized briefly here, but at some of the side discussions that were caught on camera. One … Continue reading “Startup Lessons from Pixability, FashionPlaytes, and More: Check Out 5×5 Videos from Turnstone”
Progress Software CEO Richard Reidy Talks “Major Transition” and “Whole New Strategy”
Who’s the $500 million tech company that nobody has heard of? That would be Bedford, MA-based Progress Software, one of the largest software makers in the state. Progress (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PRGS]]) has been on quite a run lately, with its stock rising steadily since September—from a low of $26.71 on Aug. 31 to around $41 for … Continue reading “Progress Software CEO Richard Reidy Talks “Major Transition” and “Whole New Strategy””
Krush Lands $2M Series A, Looks to Make Splash in 2011
It was no secret that stealthy Web startup Krush had raised some money—but now we know how much. The Cambridge, MA-based company, led by co-founder and CEO Gina Ashe, has closed $2 million in Series A equity financing, according to a regulatory filing. News of Krush’s financing round (but not the amount) was first reported … Continue reading “Krush Lands $2M Series A, Looks to Make Splash in 2011”
Casenet Adds $8.4M in Equity Deal
Bedford, MA-based Casenet, a healthcare software company, has raised $8.4 million in equity financing out of an offering of $8.8 million, according to an SEC filing. The investors in the latest round were not disclosed, but Michael Neidorff, Jesse Hunter, and Donald Imholz from healthcare services firm Centene are listed as directors on the form. … Continue reading “Casenet Adds $8.4M in Equity Deal”
Raytheon Buys Applied Signal for $490M
A pretty big merger in defense tech this morning. Waltham, MA-based Raytheon (NYSE: [[ticker:RTN]]) announced it has agreed to acquire Sunnyvale, CA-based Applied Signal Technology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:APSG]]) for $38 per share—about $490 million in cash. The deal is slated to close in the first quarter of 2011, and is not expected to have a material … Continue reading “Raytheon Buys Applied Signal for $490M”
Nasuni Nets $15M Series B to Help Businesses Manage and Access Their Data in the Cloud
Well, we couldn’t go into the holiday season in Boston without a new data storage deal. Nasuni, a cloud storage startup based in Natick, MA, has closed $15 million in Series B financing led by new investor Flybridge Capital Partners. Existing investors North Bridge Venture Partners and Sigma Partners also participated in the round, which … Continue reading “Nasuni Nets $15M Series B to Help Businesses Manage and Access Their Data in the Cloud”