Just because I’m not going to be Seattle editor anymore doesn’t mean I won’t miss these roundups. In the past week, we’ve seen some very interesting deals news from Northwest companies in the fields of energy, materials, and software. Here were a few of the top highlights. —Nuclear-power startup TerraPower, based in Bellevue, WA, raised … Continue reading “Modumetal Closes Series B, TerraPower Pulls In $35M, Vertafore Bought for $1.4B, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
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.
TerraPower, Gates and Myhrvold’s Nuclear Play, Nabs $35M from Charles River, Khosla Ventures
What were we just saying about cross-pollinating ideas between Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco? As if to hammer home the point, Bellevue, WA-based nuclear reactor startup TerraPower announced today it has raised $35 million in Series B funding led by Charles River Ventures, based in Waltham, MA. Silicon Valley-based Khosla Ventures also participated in the … Continue reading “TerraPower, Gates and Myhrvold’s Nuclear Play, Nabs $35M from Charles River, Khosla Ventures”
Farewell, Seattle: A Changing of the Xconomy Guard, and a New Beginning
For my last official post as Editor of Xconomy Seattle, let me tell you a quick story. It was a warm, cloudy day in June 2008. Two guys walked into an old office on First Hill, but only one guy walked out. That was me. I took the stairs. The other guy was the Qwest … Continue reading “Farewell, Seattle: A Changing of the Xconomy Guard, and a New Beginning”
Mindbloom, With New Social Game, Finds Niche in Health, Wellness, and “Gamification” of the Web
What sits at the intersection of health and wellness websites, virtual currencies, and “gamification” of the Web? Right now, a Seattle startup called Mindbloom. This is an outfit founded in 2008 by Chris Hewett and Brent Poole. Their mission is to help consumers lead more healthy, balanced and meaningful lives—and do it through a new … Continue reading “Mindbloom, With New Social Game, Finds Niche in Health, Wellness, and “Gamification” of the Web”
Tech Tidbits: Bing Gets More Social, Facebook Signs Seattle Lease, Chinese Incubator Calls
It has been a busy week for little bits of technology news, amidst some more prominent deals. Here are three items in particular that caught my eye. The common theme among them, I would say, is the importance of relationship building in business. —Microsoft’s Bing search engine, one year old this month, has been in … Continue reading “Tech Tidbits: Bing Gets More Social, Facebook Signs Seattle Lease, Chinese Incubator Calls”
Vertafore Bought for $1.4B
Bothell, WA-based Vertafore, a provider of software and services to the insurance industry, said today it is being acquired by TPG Capital for $1.4 billion. Vertafore was previously owned by private equity firms Hellman & Friedman, based in San Francisco, and JMI Equity, which is based in Baltimore and San Diego. JMI managing general partner … Continue reading “Vertafore Bought for $1.4B”
Modumetal Closes Funding Led by Catamount
Seattle-based Modumetal, an advanced materials and nanotech startup, said today it has closed a second round of venture funding, led by new investor Catamount Ventures, based in San Francisco. The exact amount was undisclosed, but is “several million” dollars, according to Modumetal CEO and co-founder Christina Lomasney. As part of the deal, Mark Silverman of … Continue reading “Modumetal Closes Funding Led by Catamount”
Novel, Backed by Vancouver VCs, Uses Gaming Tech to Make Business Simulations for Companies
What would “The Matrix” look like for businesses? Imagine a virtual-reality system that a company could jack its employees into in order to train them, evaluate their decision-making skills, or test out different management strategies. The technology might not be as far off as you think, thanks to a Seattle-area startup. This is the story … Continue reading “Novel, Backed by Vancouver VCs, Uses Gaming Tech to Make Business Simulations for Companies”
“Arms Dealer” Martin Tobias Talks Tippr Strategy Vs. Groupon
Where the heck did all these group-buying websites come from? With the rise of Groupon, LivingSocial, BuyWithMe, and dozens of other smaller daily-deal sites, suddenly it seems like every Web entrepreneur and his brother are out to make a quick buck. So maybe the better question is, where is this all going? Tippr.com is the … Continue reading ““Arms Dealer” Martin Tobias Talks Tippr Strategy Vs. Groupon”
$10M to Tigo Energy from OVP, Others
Tigo Energy, a Los Gatos, CA-based solar power technology company, said today it has raised $10 million in new funding led by Inventec Appliances and Clal Energy. Existing investors Matrix Partners, OVP, and ICV also participated in the round. The cleantech firm says it will use the money to expand its manufacturing, international sales, and … Continue reading “$10M to Tigo Energy from OVP, Others”
Tippr Acquires Austin-Based FanForce
Seattle-based Tippr.com, the group-buying site led by entrepreneur and investor Martin Tobias, said today it has acquired Austin, TX-based deals site FanForce for an undisclosed amount. As part of the deal, the founders of FanForce—Samy Aboel-Nil, Dane Knecht, and John Whitmarsh—are joining Tippr’s management team. The move gives Tippr the ability to help Web publishers … Continue reading “Tippr Acquires Austin-Based FanForce”
Livemocha’s New CEO, Michael Schutzler, on Company Challenges, Culture, and the Evolution of Social Networks
Michael Schutzler knows a few things about building online communities and profitable companies. The new CEO of Livemocha, the Bellevue, WA-based language-learning startup and online community, is perhaps best known for leading Classmates.com through its post-bubble growth phase to become a nationally recognized social-network brand, before its sale to United Online for $150 million in … Continue reading “Livemocha’s New CEO, Michael Schutzler, on Company Challenges, Culture, and the Evolution of Social Networks”
RevenueLoan Pushes New Funding Model, Tippr Expands in Group Buying, Microsoft and Google Lure Startups, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
OK, things have started to pick up in terms of deals news around the Northwest. This week was headlined by the activities of a trio of well-known characters in the Seattle tech scene. —Xconomy had an exclusive in-depth interview with entrepreneur Andy Sack about his new company, RevenueLoan, which has raised $6 million from Voyager … Continue reading “RevenueLoan Pushes New Funding Model, Tippr Expands in Group Buying, Microsoft and Google Lure Startups, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Schutzler Joins Livemocha as New CEO
Bellevue, WA-based Livemocha, the online language learning startup, said today it has appointed Michael Schutzler as its new CEO. Schutzler was previously the CEO of Classmates.com, a senior vice president at RealNetworks and Monster.com, and the founder of CEOSherpa, a business coaching firm. He succeeds Livemocha co-founder and former CEO Shirish Nadkarni, who will serve … Continue reading “Schutzler Joins Livemocha as New CEO”
BigDoor Raises $5M Led by Foundry Group, Looks to Bring Game Mechanics to All the Web
Score another one for the “gamification” of websites. Seattle-based BigDoor Media said today it has raised $5 million in Series B funding led by new investor Foundry Group, the Boulder, CO-based venture firm co-founded by Brad Feld. Feld led his firm’s investment in this financing round, and is joining BigDoor’s board of directors. What do … Continue reading “BigDoor Raises $5M Led by Foundry Group, Looks to Bring Game Mechanics to All the Web”
Andy Sack, Flush With $6M, Builds Revenue Based Financing Company That Could Disrupt Venture Capital, Startup Ecosystem
Andy Sack has been working behind the scenes for more than a year. Yes, we know he’s been busy bringing the first session of TechStars, the startup bootcamp, to Seattle this fall. He’s also been co-leading Founder’s Co-op, the seed-stage investment fund, for the past couple of years. But just when you think the Seattle … Continue reading “Andy Sack, Flush With $6M, Builds Revenue Based Financing Company That Could Disrupt Venture Capital, Startup Ecosystem”
Napera Joins Google Apps Marketplace
Mercer Island, WA-based Napera Networks said today it has released its software for network management and security on the Google Apps Marketplace. It is the first systems and network management application sold in the Google marketplace, says Napera’s CEO and co-founder Todd Hooper. Napera joins Concur Technologies, Skytap, Smartsheet, and Gist in the growing list … Continue reading “Napera Joins Google Apps Marketplace”
Microsoft, EveryScape Team Up to Provide 3-D Views of Restaurants Online
The next time you’re trying to pick a place to go out to eat, you might have more information at your fingertips than just reviews, photos, and menus. A Boston-area company called EveryScape has teamed up with Microsoft’s Bing Maps to deliver 3-D panoramic views of restaurants—both interiors and exteriors—on the Web. EveryScape, based in … Continue reading “Microsoft, EveryScape Team Up to Provide 3-D Views of Restaurants Online”
Chase Franklin Departs Daptiv
Seattle-based Daptiv, a maker of project management software, has reduced its staff from 105 to 90 people, and CEO Chase Franklin has stepped down, according to a report in TechFlash. Franklin, the co-founder and former CEO of mobile commerce firm Qpass, joined Daptiv last September, but was unable to raise a new financing round for … Continue reading “Chase Franklin Departs Daptiv”
Heartland Robotics Hires New CEO
Heartland Robotics, the Cambridge, MA, firm founded by Rodney Brooks and backed by Jeff Bezos and Charles River Ventures, said today it has hired Scott Eckert as its new chief executive. Eckert, a former Dell executive and co-founder and CEO of Motion Computing, succeeds Heartland’s outgoing president, Patrick Sobalvarro. Heartland Robotics, which raised $7 million … Continue reading “Heartland Robotics Hires New CEO”
Ballmer Says iPad Is a PC, Bill Gates Praises Steve Jobs and Apple—A Few Microsoft Highlights
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Microsoft. Amid all the product news about Windows Live, Windows and Google, Office Web Apps, Kin phones, Bing Maps, and the like, the media has been buzzing about Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]) passing the Redmond, WA, software firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) in terms of market capitalization for the first … Continue reading “Ballmer Says iPad Is a PC, Bill Gates Praises Steve Jobs and Apple—A Few Microsoft Highlights”
Twitter Is Killing the Blogosphere, and More Insights from Internet Marketing Whiz Neil Patel
Neil Patel claims he doesn’t know much about the world. “There’s only one thing I’m good at,” he says, “and that is getting traffic from Yahoo and Google.” It’s a peculiar skill, but it has definitely paid off. Patel taught himself the art of search engine optimization about nine years ago, after he had started … Continue reading “Twitter Is Killing the Blogosphere, and More Insights from Internet Marketing Whiz Neil Patel”
Zebigo, Led by Boeing and Blue Origin Vet, Rolls Out Ride-Sharing Network in Seattle
Mark Russell spent 13 years commuting the 50-odd miles from Graham, WA, to Kirkland and back. Driving alone, he couldn’t use the carpool lane, so he spent countless hours sitting in traffic. Now he is channeling years of pent-up frustration to help solve the broader ride-sharing problem, using a confluence of social networks, mobile applications, … Continue reading “Zebigo, Led by Boeing and Blue Origin Vet, Rolls Out Ride-Sharing Network in Seattle”
Tippr Buys Chitown Deals
Seattle-based group buying site Tippr.com announced today it has acquired Chitown Deals, based in Chicago, for an undisclosed amount. Tippr, which focuses on consumers’ collective buying (and discount vouchers) from small businesses, is currently operating in 10 U.S. cities and looking to expand. The site is led by entrepreneur and investor Martin Tobias. Its parent … Continue reading “Tippr Buys Chitown Deals”
YongoPal, UW Business Plan Winner, Looks to Cash In on Video Language Lessons—and Some Lessons of Its Own
With the end of May comes another brood of promising young companies born of the University of Washington’s business plan competition. After many months of hard work, coaching, and pitching, they’re ready to strike out on their own. This year’s group of semi-finalist companies was particularly diverse, representing the fields of consumer Internet, materials, energy, … Continue reading “YongoPal, UW Business Plan Winner, Looks to Cash In on Video Language Lessons—and Some Lessons of Its Own”
Three Dealmakers Make Moves, MicroGreen Gets Moolah, SonoSite Buys Visualsonics, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
The past couple of weeks have been slow-going for company financings and acquisitions in the Northwest. We’ve seen some high-profile personnel moves at Microsoft, as well as at Accel Partners and Founder’s Co-op (see below), but little in the way of money changing hands. Nevertheless, there was some action in the worlds of software, advanced … Continue reading “Three Dealmakers Make Moves, MicroGreen Gets Moolah, SonoSite Buys Visualsonics, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Feedjit, Survey Analytics, SEOmoz Climb Web Ranks
Seattle 2.0’s monthly startup index reports that Cheezburger Network and Zillow still lead the pack of local Internet startups in terms of traffic estimates. Feedjit, Survey Analytics, SEOmoz, and Smilebox moved up the ranks in the top 10, while Sporcle, Entertonement, AppStoreHQ, Evri, Zulily, and Onehub made strong upward moves in the top 50. Seattle … Continue reading “Feedjit, Survey Analytics, SEOmoz Climb Web Ranks”
Under the Radar Financings in the Northwest: Foodista, PhotoRocket, EnergySavvy, and More
OK, usually when we pull out our monthly “under the radar” deals, it’s companies we haven’t heard much about before. Not so this time. I’ve been lamenting the relative dearth of financing deals for early-stage software startups around Seattle lately. This month’s news won’t really change that, but at least there are a few intriguing … Continue reading “Under the Radar Financings in the Northwest: Foodista, PhotoRocket, EnergySavvy, and More”
Venture Mechanics, Led by Ron Wiener, Opens “Berkubator” for Tech Startups, Introduces Three New Companies
Looking to start a technology company in this era of small teams, lean cost structures, and fast times to market? You might want to check out Venture Mechanics in Seattle. It’s basically an outfit of four experienced startup executives who are trying to reinvent the process of launching tech companies. They held an open-house launch … Continue reading “Venture Mechanics, Led by Ron Wiener, Opens “Berkubator” for Tech Startups, Introduces Three New Companies”
32 Pivotal Leaders Selected in Cleantech
Pivotal Leaders, a new Portland, OR-based network of cleantech business leaders, announced this week its 32 top leaders for 2010. They were nominated by the community and selected by their peers, from a pool of more than 600 nominations, as people most likely to lead successful Northwest clean technology companies in the next three to … Continue reading “32 Pivotal Leaders Selected in Cleantech”
Geoff Entress, the Go-To Startup Investor, Weaves Himself Deeper Into Seattle Tech Community With Founder’s Co-op
How did Geoff Entress become Seattle’s go-to tech investor and startup guru? For those outside the local technology community, Entress is an angel investor who has put his own money to work in more than 35 startup companies, most of them software-based and in the Northwest. They range from firms that are now well-established like … Continue reading “Geoff Entress, the Go-To Startup Investor, Weaves Himself Deeper Into Seattle Tech Community With Founder’s Co-op”
Rob Glaser, RealNetworks Founder, Joins Accel Partners, Looks to Connect VC Firm with Seattle Entrepreneurs
Rob Glaser, the founder, chairman, and former CEO of Seattle-based RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]), announced yesterday that he has joined Accel Partners, the Silicon Valley-based VC firm, as a part-time venture partner. Glaser will focus on digital media, social media, and mobile service investments—and he’ll do it from the Seattle area. Accel invested in RealNetworks back … Continue reading “Rob Glaser, RealNetworks Founder, Joins Accel Partners, Looks to Connect VC Firm with Seattle Entrepreneurs”
RF Surgical Scores $2.5M More
Medical device maker RF Surgical Systems, which is based in Bellevue, WA, and has R&D operations in San Diego, has raised $2.5 million in equity financing out of a total offering of $5 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company confirmed the funding today. It says it had raised approximately $21 million before this … Continue reading “RF Surgical Scores $2.5M More”
Creative Forces Robbie Bach, J Allard Leave Microsoft as Part of Exec Shakeup
Two longtime technology leaders are heading for the exits at Microsoft today. The Redmond, WA, company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) announced this morning, amid swirling rumors, that Entertainment and Devices president Robbie Bach is leaving the company this fall. Senior vice president of design and development J Allard is also stepping down from his role, and will … Continue reading “Creative Forces Robbie Bach, J Allard Leave Microsoft as Part of Exec Shakeup”
Tech Tidbits: Gist Vs. Smartsheet in Google Apps, Display Week Demos, and the Carried Interest Debate
It’s a good start to what promises to be a busy week in Seattle-area tech news. To get caught up, here’s a quick look at what’s been going on around town. —Display Week, the Society for Information Display conference, is going on in Seattle this week. No, the iPad has not put this show out … Continue reading “Tech Tidbits: Gist Vs. Smartsheet in Google Apps, Display Week Demos, and the Carried Interest Debate”
From Bootstrap to VC: Appature Doubles Size in a Year, Looks for Next Defining Moment in Health IT
What happens to a scrappy, profitable startup after it decides to take its first round of venture funding? Cynics might say the founders will give up too much control to venture capitalists, focus on growth while sacrificing profits, and try to make a splash in a bigger market before it’s ready. Seattle-based Appature would say … Continue reading “From Bootstrap to VC: Appature Doubles Size in a Year, Looks for Next Defining Moment in Health IT”
How Will Microsoft Become a Top Player in Health IT? Through Partnerships, Providers, and Pluck, Says GM Michael Raymer
If you talk to doctors and healthcare companies, you’ll hear a fair bit of skepticism about whether Microsoft will ever amount to much of a major force in health technology. Of course, Microsoft is plenty used to skepticism. Crushing it, that is. That’s why the Redmond, WA, software company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) has been seriously ramping … Continue reading “How Will Microsoft Become a Top Player in Health IT? Through Partnerships, Providers, and Pluck, Says GM Michael Raymer”
Cray Wins $47M DOE Contract
Seattle-based Cray (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRAY]]) said today it has been awarded a multi-year, $47 million contract from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide supercomputing products and support services to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The machines will be used for advanced climate modeling and research. Under the terms of … Continue reading “Cray Wins $47M DOE Contract”
InsideTrip Goes Mainstream, Rates Itinerary Quality, Provides Broad Lessons in Online Travel
Think about the last time you flew anywhere. How would you rate the overall experience? Unless you’re a bird, there were probably things that could have been a lot better—legroom, connection time, delays, quality of service, and so on. In fact, the general level of misery in air travel feels like it’s always going up. … Continue reading “InsideTrip Goes Mainstream, Rates Itinerary Quality, Provides Broad Lessons in Online Travel”
Redfin, Bonanzle, TisBest Win Seattle 2.0 Awards
The second annual Seattle 2.0 Awards, a celebration of local software startups and tech entrepreneurs, took place in Seattle last night. Jonathan Sposato, the former CEO of Picnik (recently acquired by Google) gave the keynote talk. The award winners were Glenn Kelman of Redfin (best entrepreneur blog), Eric Koester from Cooley (best service provider to … Continue reading “Redfin, Bonanzle, TisBest Win Seattle 2.0 Awards”
MicroGreen Polymers Raises $6.9M More to Move Fast Into Consumer Products
Score one for materials science. Arlington, WA-based MicroGreen Polymers said today it has raised $6.9 million in Series B funding, including a new strategic investment from Waste Management (NYSE: [[ticker:WM]]), based in Houston, TX. Existing investors WRF Capital, Northwest Energy Angels, and other private investors also participated. MicroGreen says the money will be used to … Continue reading “MicroGreen Polymers Raises $6.9M More to Move Fast Into Consumer Products”
Three Survival Strategies for Young Companies (Plus a Stock Tip) from the Startup Predictor
Thomas Thurston usually charges big bucks for a consultation like the one he gave me this week. But you’re getting it for free here. Of course, maybe it’s a freebie that will make you seek him out for more information. Either way, consider yourself lucky. I do. Thurston is the founder of Growth Science International, … Continue reading “Three Survival Strategies for Young Companies (Plus a Stock Tip) from the Startup Predictor”
Microsoft Sues Salesforce.com
Redmond, WA-based Microsoft has filed a federal lawsuit against its rival Salesforce.com, claiming the online customer relationship management (CRM) company infringes on nine of its patents. Microsoft is seeking a jury trial, damages, and injunctions. The news was reported earlier by CNET and other media outlets. The patents cover technologies such as display and user-interface … Continue reading “Microsoft Sues Salesforce.com”
Dashwire, Ground Truth, Swype Win Awards
Seattle-area mobile startups Dashwire, Ground Truth, and Swype have been named to FierceWireless’s Fierce 15 list. The 2010 awards recognize innovation and intelligence in emerging companies in the wireless sector (follow the link above to read the FierceWireless writeups of each company). Dashwire makes software to sync people’s phones with the Web and help them … Continue reading “Dashwire, Ground Truth, Swype Win Awards”
Where Are All the Freakin’ Seattle-Area Deals?
I don’t know, maybe all this event planning (and attending) is taking away from the deal flow in the Northwest, especially in the tech industry. There hasn’t been much in the way of new company financings or acquisitions in the past week or two. But it’s probably the calm before the storm… —Seattle’s Institute for … Continue reading “Where Are All the Freakin’ Seattle-Area Deals?”
Clay Christensen Speaks at Technology Alliance on Disruptive Innovations in Education, Health, VC
A roomful of 850 business leaders and policy makers got some serious food for thought at yesterday’s annual “State of Technology” Luncheon in Seattle, organized by the Technology Alliance. The guest of honor was Clayton Christensen, the Harvard Business School professor who coined the term “disruptive innovation” in a series of bestselling business books starting … Continue reading “Clay Christensen Speaks at Technology Alliance on Disruptive Innovations in Education, Health, VC”
Evri Absorbs Twine, Goes Mobile for Tech News on Android Phones
Twine.com is officially no more. As of Friday, the semantic and social news service has been discontinued, and most of its features have been folded into Evri.com, the Seattle-based semantic information discovery site. Both companies were backed by Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, and in February, Evri acquired Twine (Radar Networks, based in San Francisco) for … Continue reading “Evri Absorbs Twine, Goes Mobile for Tech News on Android Phones”
Microsoft to Pay VirnetX $200M
Microsoft said today it will pay VirnetX Holding Corp. $200 million to settle patent infringement cases brought by VirnetX against the Redmond, WA-based software company. VirnetX (NYSE AMEX: [[ticker:VHC]]), an Internet security firm based in Scotts Valley, CA, filed a lawsuit in 2007 alleging that Microsoft Windows, Office, and other products infringed on two of … Continue reading “Microsoft to Pay VirnetX $200M”
“Disruptive Innovation” Author Speaks, Seattle 2.0 Awards, the Next Twiistup, & More Seattle Events
Event season is in full swing here in Seattle. I thought it’d be useful to give a quick rundown of some of the gatherings our readers might want to attend in the next few weeks. If you want to know the secret to surviving as a startup (or a big company, for that matter), or … Continue reading ““Disruptive Innovation” Author Speaks, Seattle 2.0 Awards, the Next Twiistup, & More Seattle Events”
The $300M Deal Nobody’s Talking About, and More Seattle Funding Highlights
Ever heard of Liberty Dialysis? It’s a healthcare company, headquartered in Mercer Island, WA, that runs more than 100 dialysis clinics around the country, and has more than 1,750 employees. Last month, we reported the company raised money from KRG Capital Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and local investors Ignition Partners (or Ignition Capital, the growth-stage … Continue reading “The $300M Deal Nobody’s Talking About, and More Seattle Funding Highlights”