Do you ever sit down with a friend who wants to show you all their latest vacation pictures? (Maybe not as much since photo-sharing sites took off.) Well, yesterday’s kickoff of the Distinguished Lecturer Series at the University of Washington’s department of computer science and engineering was just like that—if your friend were Charles Simonyi, … Continue reading “Charles Simonyi, Software Giant Turned Space Tourist, Talks Technology and Exploration at UW”
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.
The Web Has Feelings Too: How Seattle Startups Are Cashing In on Sentiment Analysis
Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Weep, and you weep alone (as the old saying goes). Or maybe not. Maybe no one weeps alone anymore, what with Twitter, Facebook, and the like. This week’s release of a “sentiment analysis” product from Seattle-based Appature made me think about what’s really going on at the intersection … Continue reading “The Web Has Feelings Too: How Seattle Startups Are Cashing In on Sentiment Analysis”
Top 5 Latest and Greatest iPhone Apps from Seattle
It’s been just over a year since we first catalogued the iPhone apps originating from our fair city (and environs). Back then, mobile applications like Urbanspoon, Whrrl (from Pelago), and Jott were relatively new and just starting to take off, letting iPhone users do things like discover restaurants and events and dictate e-mails and text … Continue reading “Top 5 Latest and Greatest iPhone Apps from Seattle”
Appature Offers Sentiment Analysis
Seattle-based Appature announced late yesterday that it now provides “sentiment analysis” that lets healthcare marketers understand people’s feelings (positive or negative) about their brand, or other topics in their industry, from blogs and social media. Together with the rest of Appature’s marketing software, companies can do things like search against information in their Appature database … Continue reading “Appature Offers Sentiment Analysis”
Founder’s Co-op Funds Nearlyweds and BigDoor Media, and Is Exploring New Investment Model
[Updated 9/30/09 2:15 pm. See below.] Seattle-based Founder’s Co-op, the seed-stage fund run by Andy Sack and Chris DeVore, has been busy as of late. The peer-to-peer angel group has made two startup investments that have come to light this month. The financial details of the deals haven’t been announced, but something interesting may be … Continue reading “Founder’s Co-op Funds Nearlyweds and BigDoor Media, and Is Exploring New Investment Model”
Earth Class Mail Gets New CEO
Seattle-based Earth Class Mail, which helps companies access and manage their postal mail online, announced today it has promoted Sarah Carr to chief executive. Carr succeeds Ron Wiener, the company’s founding CEO who stepped down in June and is now chairman of the board. Carr joined Earth Class Mail in September 2008 as chief operating … Continue reading “Earth Class Mail Gets New CEO”
Microsoft Buys Interactive Supercomputing, Digeo Acquired for $20M, Ignition’s Cloud Portfolio, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
The Northwest deal flow in the past week tended toward small partnerships and acquisitions. But there was still some significant activity in software, Internet, and entertainment. —As ghostbuster Bill Murray once said, “Dogs and cats living together…mass hysteria!” Seattle-based Pet Holdings, operators of I Can Has Cheezburger (Lolcats) and other humor websites, formed an advertising … Continue reading “Microsoft Buys Interactive Supercomputing, Digeo Acquired for $20M, Ignition’s Cloud Portfolio, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Pet Holdings Teams Up with Dogster
Seattle-based Pet Holdings, owners of I Can Has Cheezburger and other humor websites, has formed a partnership with Dogster, a San Francisco-based social networking site, whereby Dogster will sell ads for Pet Holdings’ animal-related sites. The news was reported by TechCrunch, which also notes that the Cheezburger network will hit one billion page views this … Continue reading “Pet Holdings Teams Up with Dogster”
Intel Labs Seattle Shows Off New Sensing Interfaces, Self-Charging Robot, Wireless Power
Yesterday’s annual open house at Intel Labs Seattle, near the UW campus, did not disappoint. I got a whirlwind tour from incoming lab director Dieter Fox (who also talked with me about Intel and the future of robotics). In attendance were some prominent members of the Intel brass like chief technology officer Justin Rattner, and … Continue reading “Intel Labs Seattle Shows Off New Sensing Interfaces, Self-Charging Robot, Wireless Power”
AppBank Helps Facebook Users Make Money, Looks to Become the Ad King for Social Apps
It’s always good to hear about another small Seattle startup that’s bootstrapped and already profitable. Yesterday it was Appature, today it’s AppBank. They may share the first three letters of their names (and bootstrapped profitability), but after that they’re about as different as two Internet software companies can be. AppBank is a six-person company focused … Continue reading “AppBank Helps Facebook Users Make Money, Looks to Become the Ad King for Social Apps”
Intel Labs Seattle’s New Director, Dieter Fox, on Why the Future of Robotics Matters to Intel
Yesterday afternoon I stopped by Intel Labs Seattle, the research lab run by the chip-making giant near the University of Washington campus, for the lab’s annual open house. It’s an extravaganza that always draws a big crowd from the local tech community. Besides the huge variety of lab demos, one of the most interesting things … Continue reading “Intel Labs Seattle’s New Director, Dieter Fox, on Why the Future of Robotics Matters to Intel”
WTIA Merges With TechAmerica, Gets More Electronics and Device Companies On Board
The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) announced today it is joining forces with TechAmerica, the advocacy organization, to become a unified tech entity in Washington state. The move broadens WTIA’s membership to include more companies in hardware, electronics, and devices, which complements the trade association’s strengths in software, digital media, and telecom, says Ken Myer, … Continue reading “WTIA Merges With TechAmerica, Gets More Electronics and Device Companies On Board”
Appature Looks to Land Venture Funding, Go Big in Healthcare Marketing Software
Healthcare-IT is a hot topic in Seattle these days—and it’s about to get even hotter. Sources with knowledge of the company tell me Appature, a two-and-a-half-year-old Seattle startup focused on improving marketing and customer relationship management in the healthcare industry, is close to getting its first round of venture funding—and may even be the subject … Continue reading “Appature Looks to Land Venture Funding, Go Big in Healthcare Marketing Software”
Amazon Plows Ahead in E-Books, Electronics, and Retail—An Update
For some reason, it has been even harder than usual to keep up with Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) this month. Here’s a quick roundup of the week’s most interesting news regarding the Internet giant’s place in the e-book and retail world. —Every day, it seems like a new e-book reader comes on the market to compete … Continue reading “Amazon Plows Ahead in E-Books, Electronics, and Retail—An Update”
Naverus Gets FAA Approval for U.S. Public Use
Kent, WA-based Naverus announced today it has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to design and test “required navigation performance” flight paths for public use in the U.S. That means Naverus’s navigation software and flight patch design can now be used widely by U.S. airports and airlines to help make flights faster, safer, and … Continue reading “Naverus Gets FAA Approval for U.S. Public Use”
CEO Chase Franklin on Daptiv’s “Tremendous Potential”—and an Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
On Monday, Seattle-based Daptiv, a maker of project management software, announced Chase Franklin has joined the firm as its new chief executive. Franklin, the former co-founder and CEO of Qpass (now owned by Amdocs), succeeds Jeff Pancottine, who stepped down as Daptiv’s CEO this summer. I reached Franklin by e-mail this week to hear his … Continue reading “CEO Chase Franklin on Daptiv’s “Tremendous Potential”—and an Offer He Couldn’t Refuse”
Ray King, Jama Software Win OEN Awards
The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) announced the winners of its 2009 Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards on Thursday night. Ray King, founder and CEO of Portland, OR-based AboutUs, won the award for individual achievement. The award for development-stage company of the year went to Portland-based Jama Software. Portland-based Monsoon and Medford, OR-based Motorcycle Superstore won in … Continue reading “Ray King, Jama Software Win OEN Awards”
Microsoft Rolls Out Web Developer Program
Microsoft has announced a new program for Web developers and small companies (with fewer than 10 employees) that build websites and Web applications for others. The program, called WebsiteSpark, follows in the footsteps of BizSpark for startups and DreamSpark for students. It offers free development software and support for three years, after which participants have … Continue reading “Microsoft Rolls Out Web Developer Program”
Top 10 Takeaways from WTIA’s Healthcare-IT Event: Follow the Money, Startup Opps, & More
The role of information technology in healthcare reform is such a huge, sprawling topic that it’s hard to make any real progress in just an hour or two of discussions. Yet that’s just what transpired at a stellar event last night called “Healthcare-IT—Innovations That Will Transform Healthcare Now and in the Future.” It all took … Continue reading “Top 10 Takeaways from WTIA’s Healthcare-IT Event: Follow the Money, Startup Opps, & More”
Maveron, Spark Lead $8M Round for Altius
Seattle-based Maveron and Boston-based Spark Capital have co-led an $8 million Series A investment in Altius Education, based in San Francisco, according to a press release today. The Noah Fund also participated in the deal. Maveron was founded by Dan Levitan and Howard Schultz in 1998, and focuses on consumer and tech companies. Altius was … Continue reading “Maveron, Spark Lead $8M Round for Altius”
Ignition Partners Talk Cloud Computing and Virtualization—A Crucial Part of the VC Firm’s Strategy
Now that the media craze around cloud computing seems to have died down just a bit, I thought it would be a good time to take a considered look at what one of the Northwest’s most prominent venture capital firms is working on in this space, which is having increasing influence in every area of … Continue reading “Ignition Partners Talk Cloud Computing and Virtualization—A Crucial Part of the VC Firm’s Strategy”
Paul Allen’s Digeo Bought by Arris for $20M
Kirkland, WA-based Digeo, a 10-year-old home entertainment company backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, has been sold to Arris, a broadband communications firm based in Suwanee, GA, for about $20 million in cash. Digeo is known for its high-definition digital video recorder, called Moxi. The acquisition gives Arris expertise, intellectual property, and talent in video … Continue reading “Paul Allen’s Digeo Bought by Arris for $20M”
Alibaba Brings Entrepreneur Competition to Seattle; Contenders To Vie for $100K in Prizes
‘Tis the season for startup-pitching events. Last week, it was the Zino Society’s investment forum in Seattle. Today it’s the DEMOfall09 conference in San Diego, where four Northwest companies are presenting. And tonight there is nPost’s networking and demo event for tech startups at the Columbia City Theater in South Seattle. But there is also … Continue reading “Alibaba Brings Entrepreneur Competition to Seattle; Contenders To Vie for $100K in Prizes”
Decho Delivers Online Backup in China
Seattle-based Decho, which is an EMC (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EMC]]) company, and China Telecom announced today a partnership to deliver cloud-based data services to Chinese Internet users. The companies’ first offering is called eYun, and is based on Decho’s Mozy online backup service. Financial terms of the partnership weren’t given. Decho was formed in November 2008 by … Continue reading “Decho Delivers Online Backup in China”
Free & Clear Acquired for $100M-Plus, Calypso Gets $50M, Ensequence Ensnares $20M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
The last official week of summer brought a slew of Northwest deals, to go along with today’s heat wave. Two of the year’s biggest financings happened in tech and life sciences, along with a big acquisition in healthcare, while a host of smaller deals went down in software, digital media, and advertising—and one company inched … Continue reading “Free & Clear Acquired for $100M-Plus, Calypso Gets $50M, Ensequence Ensnares $20M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Four Northwest Startups Presenting at DEMO: A Sneak Preview
The DEMOfall 09 conference, billed as “the launchpad for emerging technology,” kicks off today in San Diego, with company presentations and new product launches officially starting tomorrow morning. The Seattle and Portland, OR, metro areas are well-represented in the mix, with three Seattle-area startups and one Portland company scheduled to present their stuff. That’s all … Continue reading “Four Northwest Startups Presenting at DEMO: A Sneak Preview”
Learn That Name Hits iPhone
A mobile application called Learn That Name, developed by entrepreneurs in the Seattle area, is getting props in a Wall Street Journal blog today, after going live in the iPhone app store late last week. Learn That Name, which helps you associate names with photos in your LinkedIn contacts, debuted at Startup Weekend in Redmond, … Continue reading “Learn That Name Hits iPhone”
Chase Franklin, Former Qpass Founder and CEO, Takes Charge of Daptiv
Score one more for the Qpass mafia. Chase Franklin, the co-founder and former CEO of digital commerce firm Qpass (sold to Amdocs for $275 million in 2006), has joined Seattle-based Daptiv as its chief executive, effective immediately. Daptiv makes collaborative business software, and raised $9 million in Series B funding back in August 2008. Its … Continue reading “Chase Franklin, Former Qpass Founder and CEO, Takes Charge of Daptiv”
Enology 101: Three Things Every Startup Should Learn from Seattle’s Zino Society
The results of last Thursday’s investment forum organized by the Zino Society are still wafting through the Seattle business community. Six finalists were chosen for two $50,000 investment prizes—Photon Machines, Enroute, and Giftango in the “tech” category, and MicroGreen Polymers, Harbor Wing, and Zero Crossing in the “non-tech” category. Zino founder and CEO Cathi Hatch … Continue reading “Enology 101: Three Things Every Startup Should Learn from Seattle’s Zino Society”
Portland’s Ensequence Raises $20M for Interactive TV
In one of the Northwest’s biggest tech financings this year, Interactive television firm Ensequence, based in Portland, OR, said today it has secured $20 million in funding led by Clay Mathile, the CEO of CYMI Technologies and former CEO and owner of Iams (the pet food company sold to Proctor & Gamble for $2.3 billion … Continue reading “Portland’s Ensequence Raises $20M for Interactive TV”
Jive Makes Social Network for Congress
Portland, OR-based Jive Software announced it is providing the social networking and collaboration software for National Journal Group’s 3121, a professional networking tool designed for U.S. congressional members and staff. Financial terms were not disclosed. Jive works with a number of U.S. government agencies, including NASA, the Army, the Air Force Medical Service, and members … Continue reading “Jive Makes Social Network for Congress”
Voyager Capital Hires Former Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen, Strengthens Digital Media Expertise
Seattle-based Voyager Capital is announcing today it has added a new venture partner—Bruce Chizen, the former chief executive of Adobe Systems (2000-2007). Chizen started in his new role this month, and he’s based in Silicon Valley, but he’s already making an impact on Northwest companies in Voyager’s portfolio. First things first, I had to ask … Continue reading “Voyager Capital Hires Former Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen, Strengthens Digital Media Expertise”
Zino Society Investment Forum Yields Six Finalists for $100K in Prizes
The Seattle-based investor and entrepreneur network Zino Society hosted its fourth annual Zino Zillionaire Investment Forum today at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Seattle. The event drew 28 companies, some in technology and some non-tech, each making a pitch for a chance to win one of two $50,000 investment prizes. Here are the six … Continue reading “Zino Society Investment Forum Yields Six Finalists for $100K in Prizes”
Bing Is Fastest Growing Search Engine
Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing, is growing faster than its rivals, including Google, according to Nielsen Online. The report says Bing’s share of the Web search market was 10.7 percent in August, up from 9.0 percent in July, representing a 22 percent increase in its total number of searches. Google’s market share increased slightly to … Continue reading “Bing Is Fastest Growing Search Engine”
RealGames Mobilizes, Rolls Out Program for Mobile Game Developers
The world of traditional mobile games can be tough for small studios and publishers to navigate. Having to work around all the different wireless carriers, handsets, and operating systems can severely limit the distribution of their games. Which is why the iPhone and other app stores attract so many developers. Now, Seattle-based RealNetworks is trying … Continue reading “RealGames Mobilizes, Rolls Out Program for Mobile Game Developers”
Report: Paul Allen’s Vulcan Sells Wireless Spectrum Licenses to AT&T
Paul Allen, the Seattle-area billionaire who co-founded Microsoft, has agreed to sell 24 licenses for wireless spectrum in Washington and Oregon to AT&T, according to a report by Bloomberg News, which cites filings with the Federal Communications Commission. The price of the sale, which has not yet been approved by the FCC, is not disclosed. … Continue reading “Report: Paul Allen’s Vulcan Sells Wireless Spectrum Licenses to AT&T”
Getty Images Invests $4M in Daylife, Report Says
Seattle-based Getty Images, the creator and distributor of online photos, videos, and other digital media, announced today it has made a strategic investment in Daylife, a media and content services company based in New York City. The two companies have also formed a partnership to create products that let customers more easily incorporate visual content … Continue reading “Getty Images Invests $4M in Daylife, Report Says”
Pet Holdings #1 in Seattle 2.0 Index
Seattle-based Pet Holdings, owners of I Can Has Cheezburger and other humor sites, has taken over the top spot from Zillow in Seattle 2.0’s startup index for August, a ranking of website traffic estimates. The rest of the top five are BuddyTV, Picnik, and CarDomain. Big gains were made in the top 100 by EVO … Continue reading “Pet Holdings #1 in Seattle 2.0 Index”
HipCricket Makes Noise in Mobile Marketing, Heads for Profitability This Year
A small Seattle-area company is blazing a trail in the crowded field of mobile marketing. Kirkland, WA-based HipCricket, a company founded in 2004 to do mobile marketing for brands and media companies, has been growing its revenue significantly from quarter to quarter and aims to be profitable for the first time by the end of … Continue reading “HipCricket Makes Noise in Mobile Marketing, Heads for Profitability This Year”
Four WA Cleantech Firms—AltaRock, Infinia, Powerit, Verdiem—Crack Global Top 100 List
Four companies from Washington state have been selected to a list of the world’s 100 most promising private cleantech firms. That’s according to a report released yesterday, in a joint effort by The Guardian (the UK-based newspaper) and the Cleantech Group, a global company that provides research, data, and advisory services for the clean technology … Continue reading “Four WA Cleantech Firms—AltaRock, Infinia, Powerit, Verdiem—Crack Global Top 100 List”
Report: Lucid Commerce Lands $3M
Seattle-based Lucid Commerce, a startup focused on business intelligence for direct marketers, has raised a round of equity funding, according to a regulatory filing. The total offering amount is listed as about $4 million. TechFlash reports that Lucid has raised $3 million from Kirkland, WA-based OVP Venture Partners and European venture firm Adinvest. OVP previously … Continue reading “Report: Lucid Commerce Lands $3M”
Others Online, Led by Jordan Mitchell, Gets Bought by the Rubicon Project
[Updated 9/15/09 1:20 pm. See below.] Seattle-based Others Online, a Web advertising and optimization startup led by founder and CEO Jordan Mitchell, has been acquired by the Rubicon Project in Los Angeles for an undisclosed price. Mitchell has become vice president of data intelligence for the Rubicon Project, which automates the buying and selling of … Continue reading “Others Online, Led by Jordan Mitchell, Gets Bought by the Rubicon Project”
Nokia Acquires Vulcan-Backed Plum, Uptake Raises Cash, Smilebox Buys Preclick, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was another fairly quiet week for Northwest deals, as summer officially winds down. Activity in wireless, software, and biotech led the way. —The Oregon Angel Fund, based in Portland, said it has closed a new $3 million fund this summer, raised from 60 individual investors and the Oregon Growth Account, a state-run fund dedicated … Continue reading “Nokia Acquires Vulcan-Backed Plum, Uptake Raises Cash, Smilebox Buys Preclick, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Gist Opens to the Public, Wants to Own the Nexus of E-mail, Search, and Social Networks
Every time I look at Gist, it’s a little different. Given it’s a scrappy startup trying to navigate the worlds of e-mail, social networking, business software, and Web search—each a huge market opportunity, each hugely competitive—this is probably a good thing. The Seattle company, backed by Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital and Colorado-based Foundry Group, is … Continue reading “Gist Opens to the Public, Wants to Own the Nexus of E-mail, Search, and Social Networks”
Microsoft Rolls Out Visual Search
Microsoft announced today the beta release of a new image-based interface for its Bing search engine. Called “visual search,” the feature lets you browse pictures of search results—like celebrities, cars, and other products—instead of text links. It requires Microsoft’s Silverlight Web software, and so far works only for predetermined categories, but will be in full … Continue reading “Microsoft Rolls Out Visual Search”
Clearwire Gets WiMax Partners in Japan, Russia
Kirkland, WA-based Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]) announced today it has signed a collaborative agreement with UQ Communications of Japan and Yota of Russia to support international roaming between the three WiMax operators. Financial terms were not disclosed. WiMax is a next-generation wireless broadband service, which Clearwire is rolling out across the U.S. Clearwire also has partnerships … Continue reading “Clearwire Gets WiMax Partners in Japan, Russia”
Oregon Angel Fund Raises $3M, Makes New Investments in Software, Retail, and Apparel
Angel capital just might be alive and well—at least in Oregon. Following up on Rick Turoczy’s guest post about Portland, OR, startups on Friday, we’ve learned that the Oregon Angel Fund has closed a new $3 million fund this summer, made up of 60 individual investors who each contributed $25,000, plus $1.5 million from the … Continue reading “Oregon Angel Fund Raises $3M, Makes New Investments in Software, Retail, and Apparel”
Nokia Buys Vulcan-Backed Plum
Finnish mobile giant Nokia (NYSE: [[ticker:NOK]]) said today it has acquired certain assets of Plum, a social media sharing and messaging service based in Boston and San Francisco. Financial terms were not given. Plum, which has about 10 employees, is backed by Vulcan Capital in Seattle and Levensohn Venture Partners in San Francisco.
Rhapsody Flows on iPhone
Rhapsody, the online music service run by Seattle-based RealNetworks, is now available as an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It is the first time Apple has allowed on-demand music streaming on its mobile devices in the U.S. Rhapsody customers will have access to some 8 million songs for a monthly fee of about … Continue reading “Rhapsody Flows on iPhone”
TweepML Helps Share Twitter Groups
Marcelo Calbucci, the founder of Sampa and Seattle 2.0, announced today his team has launched TweepML, a service and format for Twitter users to share lists of other users quickly and efficiently. The service makes it easier to follow multiple Twitter users at once (at a given company, say), instead of having to find them … Continue reading “TweepML Helps Share Twitter Groups”