Business leaders, researchers, and investors interested in the intersection of healthcare and information technology packed into the auditorium of the Frye Art Museum on First Hill in Seattle on Wednesday. Luke showed you some of the pictures from our Xconomy Forum already. Let me give you my observations from the event, in the form of … Continue reading “How Microsoft (and Startups) Can Make Money in Health IT, Personalized Medicine Is a “Crock,” and Other Highlights from the Xconomy Forum”
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.
Delta-Q Raises $17M from Tandem Expansion to Push Electric Vehicle Technologies
Burnaby, BC-based Delta-Q Technologies has raised $17 million in growth capital from Canadian firm Tandem Expansion, the company said yesterday. Delta-Q makes power conversion and power management systems for electric vehicles. Delta-Q was founded in 1999 to develop battery charging technologies for electric-drive vehicles. The company has since expanded its products to include power electronics … Continue reading “Delta-Q Raises $17M from Tandem Expansion to Push Electric Vehicle Technologies”
David Berry of Flagship Ventures on Funding Advice, Investment Themes, Trends in Biofuels
A rising star of the Boston-area venture capital scene is in Seattle today. He’s David Berry, a partner with Flagship Ventures, and he’s speaking on a panel tonight that will tackle a question on every young company’s mind, when it comes to financing: to VC or not to VC? The event is organized by the … Continue reading “David Berry of Flagship Ventures on Funding Advice, Investment Themes, Trends in Biofuels”
Intellectual Ventures President Adriane Brown on Global Impact, Benefits of Being Uncomfortable, and “Positive Change Through People”
Adriane Brown was the CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems, based in the Los Angeles area, when she got a call from a headhunter last year. The next thing she knew, she was talking with Intellectual Ventures, the Bellevue, WA, company focused on the business of invention. One thing led to another, and Brown is now … Continue reading “Intellectual Ventures President Adriane Brown on Global Impact, Benefits of Being Uncomfortable, and “Positive Change Through People””
Bobber Interactive Looks to Make Financial Services More Social and “Gamified” for Teens
Video games have become so pervasive that I’m starting to hear entrepreneurs and investors talk about the “gamification” of websites and online services. This is a big emerging trend that’s all about making sites social, interactive, and goal-oriented. It’s being touted as a long-awaited way to make money from social networks. Now a small team … Continue reading “Bobber Interactive Looks to Make Financial Services More Social and “Gamified” for Teens”
InfoSpace Gets Into E-Commerce
Bellevue, WA-based InfoSpace, the online metasearch and discovery company, said today it has acquired the assets of Mercantila, an online retail and e-commerce company based in San Francisco, for $8 million in cash plus up to $5.9 million in “certain liabilities.” InfoSpace (NASDAQ GS: [[ticker:INSP]]) says acquiring Mercantila’s e-commerce software and 200-plus specialty stores on … Continue reading “InfoSpace Gets Into E-Commerce”
Tippr Expands to 10 Cities, Takes on Groupon in Social Buying Online
Tippr vs. Groupon. It sounds like a mismatch on paper. Groupon is the Chicago-based goliath of online “group buying” that seemingly came out of nowhere to raise $135 million last month at a company valuation north of $1 billion; at last count, it had some 270 employees. Tippr is the Seattle-based social discount voucher site … Continue reading “Tippr Expands to 10 Cities, Takes on Groupon in Social Buying Online”
Doxo, Backed by Bezos and Mohr Davidow, Comes Out of Stealth, Wants to Help Businesses Go Paperless
Score another one for the “Qpass mafia.” A Seattle technology company called doxo, founded by former Qpass employees Steve Shivers, Roger Parks, and Mark Goris (see photo below), has emerged from stealth mode—sort of. The company has started talking publicly about its background and team, its basic idea, and its funding, but no specifics about … Continue reading “Doxo, Backed by Bezos and Mohr Davidow, Comes Out of Stealth, Wants to Help Businesses Go Paperless”
Former WTIA Head Ken Myer Joins UW Center for Commercialization
When we last caught up with Ken Myer, he was stepping down as president and chief executive of the Washington Technology Industry Association after three years on the job. Last week, I heard through the grapevine that Myer has joined the University of Washington in an advisory role, after assisting with the transition to WTIA’s … Continue reading “Former WTIA Head Ken Myer Joins UW Center for Commercialization”
Modumetal Inks Deal with Steel Producer SDI to Put Nanotech to Work in Bridges and Buildings
Seattle-based Modumetal is taking an important step forward today in its quest to reinvent the metals industry. The nanotech and advanced materials company is announcing a partnership with Steel Dynamics (SDI), based in Fort Wayne, IN, which will put its nanolaminated coating technology into industrial-scale steel applications. Financial terms of the partnership weren’t given. But … Continue reading “Modumetal Inks Deal with Steel Producer SDI to Put Nanotech to Work in Bridges and Buildings”
Microsoft VP Alex Gounares, Former Technology Assistant to Bill Gates, Leaving for AOL
One of Microsoft’s most respected executives announced today he is leaving the company. Alex Gounares, who was previously vice president of advertising research and development, has been hired as the chief technology officer of New York-based AOL and will be moving to the East Coast to take the job. The announcement was made internally at … Continue reading “Microsoft VP Alex Gounares, Former Technology Assistant to Bill Gates, Leaving for AOL”
Modumetal Wins ACA Award
Seattle-based Modumetal, a nanotech and advanced materials company, has won the inaugural Luis Villalobos Award for “the most ingenious and innovative idea” recently financed by a member angel group of the Angel Capital Association. The award, named after the founder of Tech Coast Angels, was announced in San Francisco today at the 2010 ACA Summit. … Continue reading “Modumetal Wins ACA Award”
Top 10 Takeaways From Seattle’s Engineering Summit: Electro-Active Wallpaper, Facebook Is Watching You, and Dendreon Detractors
Engineers are not salespeople. They are certainly not sound-bite machines either. If they were either of the above, there would have been a flurry of media stories coming out of Seattle this week centered around the National Academy of Engineering’s “grand challenges” summit held here on Sunday and Monday. Maybe that’s why it took me … Continue reading “Top 10 Takeaways From Seattle’s Engineering Summit: Electro-Active Wallpaper, Facebook Is Watching You, and Dendreon Detractors”
Tableau Signs Up Zynga
Seattle-based Tableau Software, the data visualization company, said today that Zynga, the social gaming firm in San Francisco, has signed up to use Tableau’s analytics and business intelligence software. Financial details weren’t given. Zynga, the maker of such popular social games as FarmVille, Mafia Wars, and Cafe World, says it has more than 235 million … Continue reading “Tableau Signs Up Zynga”
AudienceScience Acquires Consorte Media
Bellevue, WA, and New York-based AudienceScience said today it has acquired Consorte Media, a digital marketing and advertising network firm based in San Francisco. Financial terms were not given. AudienceScience (formerly called Revenue Science) makes a technology platform for digital marketing, and this acquisition should help it connect advertisers with Hispanic communities. The company raised … Continue reading “AudienceScience Acquires Consorte Media”
What Facebook VP Mike Schroepfer Is Looking For in Seattle Engineers: Entrepreneurial Passion
Facebook made big local news this morning when it said it is planning to open a Seattle engineering office in July. This will be the Palo Alto, CA-based social networking company’s first engineering center in the U.S. outside of its headquarters. (It also has an engineering office in Tokyo.) Facebook currently boasts more than 400 … Continue reading “What Facebook VP Mike Schroepfer Is Looking For in Seattle Engineers: Entrepreneurial Passion”
Facebook Coming to Seattle in July: Engineering Center Could Hire 30 People
Facebook, the social networking phenom based in Palo Alto, CA, is planning to open an engineering office in Seattle in July. The company says it is actively looking for office space to accommodate as many as 30 employees over the next year, and it is recruiting for experienced engineers in Seattle starting today. The news … Continue reading “Facebook Coming to Seattle in July: Engineering Center Could Hire 30 People”
How to Power “Eternal” UAVs in Flight: A LaserMotive Blueprint
You want some real tech? Here’s some real tech: LaserMotive, the Kent, WA-based startup founded by physicists Jordin Kare and Tom Nugent, has published a white paper on how to beam power to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) so they don’t have to land and refuel, or change batteries. The idea is to recharge UAVs while … Continue reading “How to Power “Eternal” UAVs in Flight: A LaserMotive Blueprint”
GameHouse Unveils Social Gaming
Seattle-based GameHouse, a division of RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]), announced today a social gaming platform called GameHouse Fusion that lets gamers connect across social websites like Facebook and devices like mobile phones and PCs. The software platform, which could help drive multi-player game development and publishing, has support from partners including Comcast, MySpace, Qualcomm, Mattel, and … Continue reading “GameHouse Unveils Social Gaming”
AdReady Raises More Cash
Seattle-based AdReady, the online advertising firm, has raised $5.3 million in new equity funding, according to an SEC filing late last week. The investors were not disclosed. AdReady develops software tools that make display ads more efficient to produce and monitor, especially for small businesses. The company was co-founded by Aaron Finn in 2006 and … Continue reading “AdReady Raises More Cash”
Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger, Bonanzle Lands Angel-VC Deal, Qliance Scores Big-Name Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Another relatively quiet week for deals in the Northwest, with some activity in software, e-commerce, healthcare, biotech, and medical devices. Let’s see if things pick up in the next few weeks—there haven’t been many new companies getting money lately. —Bothell, WA-based SonoSite, a maker of portable ultrasound machines, formed a partnership with Redmond, WA-based Physio-Control, … Continue reading “Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger, Bonanzle Lands Angel-VC Deal, Qliance Scores Big-Name Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
The Future of Patent Wars: More of the Same, but Less Litigation, Says John Amster of RPX
Intellectual property battles are a perennial hot-button topic in the tech world. Recently we’ve been hearing a lot about so-called “patent trolls,” companies that don’t produce goods or services but rather acquire patents and then try to extract licensing fees from firms they say are infringing on those patents. Most of these disputes involve lawsuits, … Continue reading “The Future of Patent Wars: More of the Same, but Less Litigation, Says John Amster of RPX”
TechCrunch’s Arrington Moves to Seattle
Michael Arrington, the founder of TechCrunch, the Silicon Valley-based startup and technology blog, said today he has moved his primary residence to Seattle and will split his time between here and the Bay Area. Arrington calls Seattle “the minor leagues of the startup world,” but admits it’s “a hotbed of entrepreneurism.” He cites the desire … Continue reading “TechCrunch’s Arrington Moves to Seattle”
Campus Reactions to UW President Mark Emmert’s Departure to the NCAA
The big news in local academic circles this week is that University of Washington president Mark Emmert is leaving after almost six years to become head of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), based in Indiana, effective November 1. The move surprised many in the academic and business communities. Emmert, 57, has a reputation as … Continue reading “Campus Reactions to UW President Mark Emmert’s Departure to the NCAA”
Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger
Schrödinger, a New York and Portland, OR-based maker of chemical-simulation software for drug development and research, has received a $10 million equity investment from Bill Gates through Cascade Investment, Gates’s private investment and holding company. The news was reported earlier today by the Wall Street Journal. The money will be used to support R&D projects … Continue reading “Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger”
Bonanzle Raises $1M from Angel Investors, Plus Three VC Firms, to Expand Its Online Marketplace
The motto of Bonanzle is “everything but the ordinary.” That about sums up the latest news from this Seattle-area startup, which has built a fast-growing online marketplace for niche items and collectibles. I learned through the grapevine that Bonanzle founder Bill Harding has closed a $1 million funding round led by angel investor and venture … Continue reading “Bonanzle Raises $1M from Angel Investors, Plus Three VC Firms, to Expand Its Online Marketplace”
What Do Techies Know About the Future of Healthcare? Find Out on May 12
Health IT is one of those innovation sectors that is exploding around us here at Xconomy. Every day we’re hearing about a new company, or health-related website or gadget, or experienced financier who’s getting into the act. It’s still pretty early, but it won’t be for long. And the Northwest is already positioning itself as … Continue reading “What Do Techies Know About the Future of Healthcare? Find Out on May 12”
How to Predict Whether a Startup Will Succeed or Fail: Testing the “Disruptive Innovation” Model
Thomas Thurston is a startup predictor. Tell him about your company, and he’ll tell you whether it will survive or fail. No, he’s not an investor, or a psychic. By day, Thurston is a mild-mannered researcher and consultant whose training is in law and business. He’s the founder of Portland, OR-based Growth Science International, a … Continue reading “How to Predict Whether a Startup Will Succeed or Fail: Testing the “Disruptive Innovation” Model”
Twitter Buys Cloudhopper, Belkin Acquires Zensi, Mirina Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
A fairly busy week for deals in the Northwest. Twitter bought its first Seattle company. A prominent young mobile startup and a biotech company out of the Accelerator each got some important funding. But let’s start with the cleantech/energy news, of which there was plenty. —Seattle-based construction firm McKinstry acquired the Enterprise Energy Management software … Continue reading “Twitter Buys Cloudhopper, Belkin Acquires Zensi, Mirina Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
McKinstry Buys Itron Software Group
Seattle-based McKinstry, the construction and energy efficiency firm, said today it has acquired the Enterprise Energy Management software group from longtime partner Itron, the Spokane, WA-based utility technology and smart grid company (NASDAQ GS: [[ticker:ITRI]]). Financial terms of the deal were not released. Itron’s Web-based software will help McKinstry manage and monitor energy and water … Continue reading “McKinstry Buys Itron Software Group”
EnerG2 Raises $3.5M More
Seattle-based EnerG2, an advanced materials and energy storage company, has raised $3.5 million in new equity financing from an undisclosed investor, according to a regulatory filing. The company, led by CEO Rick Luebbe, develops nano-scale materials to make better ultracapacitors for electric and hybrid vehicles and other applications. EnerG2 spun out of the University of … Continue reading “EnerG2 Raises $3.5M More”
Ground Truth Raises $7M More; CEO Sterling Wilson Talks Company Culture, Global Expansion
Seattle-based Ground Truth, a mobile measurement and intelligence startup, is announcing a new $7 million Series B funding round today, led by new investor Emergence Capital Partners. OpenAir Ventures, another new investor, also participated, as did existing backers Voyager Capital and Steamboat Ventures. Ground Truth CEO and co-founder Sterling Wilson calls the deal “great confirmation … Continue reading “Ground Truth Raises $7M More; CEO Sterling Wilson Talks Company Culture, Global Expansion”
Verdiem, Cisco Team Up to Help Companies Lower Their Energy Bill for Networked Devices
Seattle-based Verdiem is announcing today a new partnership with San Jose, CA-based Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CSCO]]). Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will market and sell Verdiem’s energy management software for PCs and networked devices under Cisco’s “EnergyWise Orchestrator” brand, through its worldwide distribution network. Financial details weren’t given, but it’s an original equipment … Continue reading “Verdiem, Cisco Team Up to Help Companies Lower Their Energy Bill for Networked Devices”
Seattle Tech Luminaries in the News: Redfin, Jeremy Jaech, and Kindle Vs. iPad
Just a quick roundup of Seattle-area tech leaders making the national news this weekend: —The New Yorker has a very interesting feature by Ken Auletta about the competition between the Amazon Kindle and Apple’s iPad, and what it means for the future of books. I haven’t had time for it to sink in yet, but … Continue reading “Seattle Tech Luminaries in the News: Redfin, Jeremy Jaech, and Kindle Vs. iPad”
ExtraHop, F5 Networks Team Up
Seattle-based ExtraHop Networks, a network-management technology startup, said today it has formed an alliance with F5 Networks (NASDAQ GS: [[ticker:FFIV]]), also based in Seattle, to collaborate on new products and marketing and distribution efforts. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given. ExtraHop was founded in 2007 by F5 alums Jesse Rothstein and Raja Mukerji. It … Continue reading “ExtraHop, F5 Networks Team Up”
UW’s O’Donnell Leads National Summit to “Sexify” Engineering, Inspire Students, Entrepreneurs, VCs
Engineering has an image problem. Sure, it’s the technical backbone of many things people use every day, from airplanes, cars, and buildings to new medicines, mobile devices, and the Internet. But it doesn’t always attract the best and brightest young people interested in solving society’s biggest problems or changing the world. That’s because people often … Continue reading “UW’s O’Donnell Leads National Summit to “Sexify” Engineering, Inspire Students, Entrepreneurs, VCs”
Twitter Buys Seattle’s Cloudhopper to Expand SMS Service Globally: The Story Behind the Deal
It’s an exciting day for Joe Lauer. The Seattle entrepreneur and founder of Cloudhopper, a mobile messaging service, just told me his startup has been acquired by Twitter, the micro-messaging giant based in San Francisco. Financial terms of the cash-and-stock deal weren’t released, but Lauer and fellow employee Kristin Kanaar have joined Twitter full-time. Lauer … Continue reading “Twitter Buys Seattle’s Cloudhopper to Expand SMS Service Globally: The Story Behind the Deal”
Amazon, Microsoft Post Profits; Shares Fall
Seattle-area tech giants Amazon.com and Microsoft reported their earnings for the first three months of 2010 today, and each touted significant increases in profits compared with the same period a year ago. Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) reported a quarterly profit of $4.01 billion, an increase of 35 percent over the first three months of 2009, thanks … Continue reading “Amazon, Microsoft Post Profits; Shares Fall”
Technology Alliance Showcases Five Companies in Sensors, Mobile Displays, and Drug Therapies: Investors Take Notice
Yesterday afternoon, I attended the Seattle-based Technology Alliance’s “Innovation Showcase” at the Rainier Square Conference Center downtown. This is a relatively new event—the fourth one so far, and the first open to the press—in which tech and life sciences companies from Washington state pitch their businesses to a small, select crowd of angel investors, entrepreneurs, … Continue reading “Technology Alliance Showcases Five Companies in Sensors, Mobile Displays, and Drug Therapies: Investors Take Notice”
Cray Wins $20M Brazilian Contract
Seattle-based Cray, the supercomputer company, announced today it has been awarded a multi-year, $20 million contract with the Foundation for Space Technology, Applications and Science in Brazil. Under the terms of the contract, the company will deliver a Cray XT6 supercomputer to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, to perform weather forecasts and climate studies; … Continue reading “Cray Wins $20M Brazilian Contract”
UW Prof Shwetak Patel’s Energy Startup, Zensi, Bought by Belkin
Zensi, an energy monitoring startup co-founded by University of Washington assistant professor Shwetak Patel, has been acquired by Belkin, the computer hardware and wireless company based in the Los Angeles area. Financial terms of the cash deal weren’t given. The news was reported earlier today by CNET. Patel co-founded Zensi in 2008 while he was … Continue reading “UW Prof Shwetak Patel’s Energy Startup, Zensi, Bought by Belkin”
Signature Genomic Gets Sold for $90M, DreamBox Bought by Netflix CEO, The $7M Madrona Man, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
A very wide range of deals were done this week in the Northwest, ranging from small tech partnerships and fundings to a large biotech acquisition. Methinks the action will pick up in the next month before summertime. —Bellevue, WA-based DreamBox Learning, an online math education startup, has been acquired by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and … Continue reading “Signature Genomic Gets Sold for $90M, DreamBox Bought by Netflix CEO, The $7M Madrona Man, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Partovis to Step Down at MySpace
Ali Partovi and Hadi Partovi, co-founders of Seattle-based social music startup iLike, are stepping down from their senior executive positions at MySpace. The news was reported by All Things Digital, TechCrunch, and other outlets. MySpace acquired iLike last August, and the Partovis were promoted to senior vice president roles under MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta. … Continue reading “Partovis to Step Down at MySpace”
DreamBox Learning Bought by Netflix CEO (and Microsoft Board Member) Reed Hastings and Charter Fund—Some More Context
Score one for online education. Bellevue, WA-based DreamBox Learning announced today it has been acquired by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and the Charter Fund, a nonprofit venture firm. The price was not disclosed, but the deal includes a new investment of $10 million in the company, which will be used to advance DreamBox’s e-learning technology, … Continue reading “DreamBox Learning Bought by Netflix CEO (and Microsoft Board Member) Reed Hastings and Charter Fund—Some More Context”
Airbiquity, Hitachi Team Up on Electric Cars
Seattle-based Airbiquity announced today it has formed a partnership with Tokyo-based Hitachi Automotive Systems to develop telecommunications systems for electric vehicles. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given. The technology could allow drivers to do things like check their battery using their mobile phone, locate nearby charging stations, and get directions. The move is part … Continue reading “Airbiquity, Hitachi Team Up on Electric Cars”
The Man Behind Madrona’s Investment in Searchandise: Lessons in VC, Company-Building, and Selling to Microsoft
If you live in Seattle and follow technology trends, you know who Brian McAndrews is. If you’re a Boston techie, though, it’s possible that you don’t. Luckily, you have Xconomy to help bridge the gap between East and West. (Bear with me here.) McAndrews is a relatively new managing director at Madrona Venture Group, a … Continue reading “The Man Behind Madrona’s Investment in Searchandise: Lessons in VC, Company-Building, and Selling to Microsoft”
Washington’s Top 10 Venture Deals of the First Quarter—and Some Reactions
The first three months of 2010 are in the books. The dreaded tax day has passed. Time to look back at the top 10 venture capital deals in Washington state so far this year, and see what the trends are. What kinds of companies are getting cash? Who’s unable to attract the loot, and why? … Continue reading “Washington’s Top 10 Venture Deals of the First Quarter—and Some Reactions”
Glympse Rolls Out Facebook Tie-In, Looks to Gain Traction in Location-Aware Social Networks
Question: Where is Glympse? Answer: Getting more socially connected. The Redmond, WA, startup, which makes location-based software for mobile phones, is announcing today it has integrated its service with Facebook. This means consumers can automatically share where they are in real-time with certain friends and contacts in their social network via their iPhone or Android … Continue reading “Glympse Rolls Out Facebook Tie-In, Looks to Gain Traction in Location-Aware Social Networks”
Microsoft Talks Kin Phone, Tightens Twitter Ties, Dominates Human-Computer Interactions—A Redmond Roundup
It has been a busy week indeed in Microsoft land. While the man on the street has been scrambling to file his taxes, the Redmond, WA, company has been making headway in smartphones, real-time search, and other important areas. Let’s get right to the highlights: Microsoft talks up Kin “social phone” This is a phone … Continue reading “Microsoft Talks Kin Phone, Tightens Twitter Ties, Dominates Human-Computer Interactions—A Redmond Roundup”
Concur Goes Convertible, Frazier and Arch Back Achaogen, Lucid Commerce Gets Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Done your taxes yet? If so, sit back, relax, and enjoy this rundown of the week’s deals in the Northwest. It’s a mix of software and biotech financings, some encouraging (and not so encouraging) regional and national venture capital stats, and a new crop of inspiring startups. —Lucid Commerce, a Seattle provider of business intelligence … Continue reading “Concur Goes Convertible, Frazier and Arch Back Achaogen, Lucid Commerce Gets Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”