Beaverton, OR-based Infinity Softworks, a mobile software firm, announced today it has closed a round of financing. The investors and amount of funding were not disclosed. Infinity makes Web-based software for doing calculations and creating reports on the iPhone, BlackBerry, and other devices.
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.
New Head of NWEN Looks to Revamp Entrepreneur Tools, Training, and Forums
“I haven’t stopped smiling for the past week,” says Rebecca Lovell. The new executive director of the Northwest Entrepreneur Network (NWEN) was telling me about her career transition to the Bellevue, WA-based nonprofit organization. Lovell has been at her new post since the beginning of February, succeeding outgoing NWEN head Peter Quinn. Previously, Lovell was … Continue reading “New Head of NWEN Looks to Revamp Entrepreneur Tools, Training, and Forums”
Microsoft to Roll Out Retail Stores
Microsoft announced today it is going forward with plans to open retail stores. Leading the charge will be a new hire, vice president David Porter, who hails from DreamWorks Animation SKG and before that, Wal-Mart. The move is seen as an attempt to compete with Apple stores, in order to sell software and devices to … Continue reading “Microsoft to Roll Out Retail Stores”
Smartsheet Teams Up With Amazon
Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet, a project-management software firm, announced it has formed a partnership with Amazon to deliver outsourcing services to the masses. The new release, called Smartsourcing, is powered by the 100,000 virtual workers in Amazon Mechanical Turk. Each outsourced task, such as finding a list of articles, e-mail addresses, or experts on a topic, … Continue reading “Smartsheet Teams Up With Amazon”
How to Get Funded in the Recession: The Frugal Mechanic Story
On Monday, Seattle-area startup Frugal Mechanic closed a round of seed funding from Founder’s Co-op, an early-stage investment fund for Internet companies. Frugal Mechanic is an online search engine for auto parts, so people can find the best price for an air filter or muffler, and get the right part to match their car quickly … Continue reading “How to Get Funded in the Recession: The Frugal Mechanic Story”
Frugal Mechanic Backed by Founder’s Co-op
Seattle-based Frugal Mechanic, an auto-parts search engine, has received seed funding from Founder’s Co-op, a peer-to-peer investment firm also based in Seattle, according to TechCrunch. The exact amount was not disclosed, but is between $250,000 and $500,000. Frugal Mechanic was founded in July 2008.
Earth Class Mail and Evri Go Postal, Apptio and Redfin Announce Partners—a Startup Roundup
It’s been a busy day for announcements. Here’s a quick snapshot of four Seattle-area tech startups, all in different fields, all trying to make their way in the world: —Apptio, the Bellevue, WA-based software firm focused on optimizing companies’ IT costs, announced major partnerships with Amazon Web Services, SkyTap, VMware, and Citrix, as well as … Continue reading “Earth Class Mail and Evri Go Postal, Apptio and Redfin Announce Partners—a Startup Roundup”
Redfin Rolls Out New Site, Partners
Seattle-based Redfin, an online real estate broker, announced new partnerships with more than a dozen brokers around the country, and unveiled a new version of its website that contains customer-service reviews and transaction histories for its agents and partners. The move represents a strategic shift for Redfin, which previously used only its own agents. The … Continue reading “Redfin Rolls Out New Site, Partners”
Ex-Microsoft VP Will Poole Looks to Take a Few Good Companies Global
If you’re interested in creating technologies for developing countries, or involved with a Web-based software startup in the Northwest, you definitely want to know Will Poole. OK, that covers a lot of people, but it’s not an overstatement. Poole is one of the most prominent ex-Microsofties to leave the company in the past year. Until … Continue reading “Ex-Microsoft VP Will Poole Looks to Take a Few Good Companies Global”
Zillow, Pet Holdings Top Startup List
Seattle 2.0’s monthly ranking of local-area startup websites is out for January. Based on traffic stats compiled by Marcelo Calbucci, Zillow and Pet Holdings remained #1 and #2, with iLike, Picnik, BuddyTV, Robot Co-op, and PayScale making gains in the top 10. Notable gains in the top 100 were made by SEOmoz, Mixpo, TeachStreet, GotVoice, … Continue reading “Zillow, Pet Holdings Top Startup List”
PivotLink Raises $10M
PivotLink, a business intelligence software firm with offices in Bellevue, WA, and San Francisco, CA, announced it has closed a $10 million Series C round, led by StarVest Partners and backed by existing investors Trident Capital and Emergence Capital Partners. Pivotlink changed its name from SeaTab Software in January 2008.
Seattle Startup Weekend Yields 13 Websites, and Maybe a Multimillion Dollar Company
When I heard Nathan Kaiser of nPost had signed up to be a cook at Seattle Startup Weekend, I couldn’t help but think of Under Siege, the 1992 action film in which Steven Seagal plays an ex-Navy SEAL who’s minding his own business in the galley of a battleship when the bad guys arrive. OK, … Continue reading “Seattle Startup Weekend Yields 13 Websites, and Maybe a Multimillion Dollar Company”
Snowblind Sold to Warner Bros., Seattle Genetics’ Stock Story, Mo’ Madrona for Mixpo, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was another busy week for deals in the Northwest, with a steady drumbeat of fundings, acquisitions, and partnerships in software, biotech, mobile, and energy. —Puget Energy, the Bellevue, WA-based public utility company, completed its $7.4 billion purchase by a syndicate of private investment firms, and was de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange. The … Continue reading “Snowblind Sold to Warner Bros., Seattle Genetics’ Stock Story, Mo’ Madrona for Mixpo, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Valu Valu, Led by Ex-Microsofties, Wants to Find You the Right Price for Anything
Among the current crop of ex-Microsofties building software startups, Emmanuel Marot is unique. Not just because he hails from Niort, a town in western France, by way of Paris (or for his impeccable fashion sense), but because he is trying to do something fundamentally new with Internet commerce. It’s called scientific pricing, and it works … Continue reading “Valu Valu, Led by Ex-Microsofties, Wants to Find You the Right Price for Anything”
Puget Energy Goes Private for $7.4B
Bellevue, WA-based Puget Energy announced the completion of its $7.4 billion acquisition by Puget Holdings, a syndicate of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, Macquarie Capital Group, CPP Investment Board, British Columbia Investment Management, Alberta Investment Management, and Macquarie-FSS Infrastructure Trust. Puget Energy has been de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange.
TTM Cuts 369 Jobs in Redmond
TTM Technologies, a Santa Ana, CA-based maker of printed circuit boards for electronics, is closing its facility in Redmond, WA, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. The closure affects 369 workers, and is effective March 16, 2009. TTM has about 4,000 employees, spread among its facilities in California, Washington, Utah, Connecticut, Wisconsin, and … Continue reading “TTM Cuts 369 Jobs in Redmond”
Washington State Should Flex Software Muscle to Grab Lead in Cleantech, Says Michael Butler
How will President Obama’s proposed economic stimulus package affect the energy and cleantech industry in the Northwest? We’ve been hearing a lot of rumblings on this front lately. To help sort it all out, I spoke with Michael Butler, chairman and CEO of the Seattle investment bank Cascadia Capital, which is heavily involved with energy … Continue reading “Washington State Should Flex Software Muscle to Grab Lead in Cleantech, Says Michael Butler”
Amazon to Put E-Books on Phones
Seattle-based Amazon is planning to make its Kindle e-books available on mobile phones, according to the New York Times, which cited an Amazon spokesman. Yesterday, Google said it had made 1.5 million books available to read on the iPhone, T-Mobile G1, and other devices. Amazon is expected to roll out a new version of its … Continue reading “Amazon to Put E-Books on Phones”
Razorfish Cuts 70 West Coast Jobs
Seattle-based Razorfish, an online advertising company, has confirmed it has laid off about 70 people in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, according to the Seattle Times. Razorfish is an independent subsidiary of Microsoft, acquired in the Redmond firm’s 2007 deal for aQuantive.
Gaming Guru Alex St. John on Amazon, Business Models, and the Future of Casual Games
It’s always interesting when a huge player dives into an established market. Will they radically shift the dynamics and displace their competitors? Or will they be too slow to innovate, and sink to the bottom like a bloated whale? Earlier this week, when Amazon officially entered the downloadable casual games market (offering games for $9.99 … Continue reading “Gaming Guru Alex St. John on Amazon, Business Models, and the Future of Casual Games”
Top 4 Rejected Startup Ideas from OVP Venture Partners
If you want to make venture capitalists laugh, ask them about the stupidest (or so-crazy-they-might-just-work) ideas they’ve been pitched lately. Earlier this week, Luke and I visited OVP Venture Partners in Kirkland, WA, and besides being a group of investors with very broad and deep expertise—everything from software and life sciences to materials and cleantech—they’ve … Continue reading “Top 4 Rejected Startup Ideas from OVP Venture Partners”
FreeRange Bought by Handmark
Portland, OR-based FreeRange Communications, a mobile publishing firm, announced it has been bought by Handmark, a mobile media company in Kansas City, MO. Financial terms of the deal were not given. FreeRange works with publishers like The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CBS, and PaidContent.
Mobui, Nickelodeon Team Up on iPhone
Mobui, a mobile applications company in Redmond, WA, has formed a partnership with Nickelodeon to deliver iPhone applications, including games based on the cartoon character SpongeBob. The newly released series of games, announced today, is Nickelodeon’s first full foray into iPhone apps.
Snowblind Sold to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group announced it has acquired Bothell, WA-based Snowblind Studios, a developer of action role-playing video games. Financial terms were not disclosed. Snowblind will work together with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the company’s game publishing division, to create new games.
Tech Workers Shouldn’t Dismiss Old-School Businesses, Says Onyx Co-Founder Brent Frei
Last week, Xconomy published a story about the large number (13 and counting) of former Onyx Software managers who have gone on to become CEOs of other companies. We were put on the trail by Brent Frei, the co-founder of Onyx who’s now executive chairman of Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet. In talking further with Frei, some … Continue reading “Tech Workers Shouldn’t Dismiss Old-School Businesses, Says Onyx Co-Founder Brent Frei”
HighJump Acquires Coaxis Division
Minnesota-based HighJump Software announced today it has acquired Insight Distribution Software from Portland, OR-based Coaxis. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Insight Distribution specializes in software for the food and beverage industries.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick Visits Microsoft to Build Ties With the Northwest
Yesterday morning in Redmond, WA, Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts sat down with Ray Ozzie, the chief software architect of Microsoft. They talked about high-tech innovation in the Boston area, how Microsoft views its own global future, and how the company could work together with Massachusetts to help drive the local economy. “I was talking … Continue reading “Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick Visits Microsoft to Build Ties With the Northwest”
RNA Networks Nets $7M
Portland, OR-based RNA Networks, a memory virtualization software startup, announced it has raised $7 million in Series A funding, led by Menlo Ventures. RNA (which has a pretty deceptive name) aims to make networked memory in servers and data centers cheaper and faster for business applications like financial services, trading, content delivery, and online gaming.
SolarWorld Cuts 63 Jobs in WA
SolarWorld Industries, whose parent company is based in Bonn, Germany, is cutting 63 positions from its Vancouver, WA facility, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. SolarWorld says the move is not a reduction in total staff, but rather a transfer of operations to its new manufacturing plant in Hillsboro, OR (which Xconomy reported … Continue reading “SolarWorld Cuts 63 Jobs in WA”
Mixpo Raises $4M from Madrona Venture Group, Other Investors
Seattle video-advertising startup Mixpo has raised $4 million in a Series B round of venture funding, as first reported by VentureBeat. The round is being led by existing investor Madrona Venture Group, based in Seattle, and also includes Yaletown Venture Partners and Growthworks Capital. Venture capitalist Matt McIlwain leads Madrona’s involvement with Mixpo. Mixpo was … Continue reading “Mixpo Raises $4M from Madrona Venture Group, Other Investors”
Lenovo Buys Switchbox, Ekos Raises $12.5M, nLight Lands $10.7M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a very busy week for deals in the Northwest—a lot of action in biotech, software, and devices, including a flurry of deals in the Portland area. —Luke reported that Portland, OR-based MolecularMD, a maker of molecular diagnostics for cancer, raised $3 million in new venture funding, led by Ballast Point Venture Partners. MolecularMD … Continue reading “Lenovo Buys Switchbox, Ekos Raises $12.5M, nLight Lands $10.7M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Two Paths, One Goal: Motricity, Winshuttle Report Record Software Sales
What recession? Two privately-held software startups on the Eastside announced today they are raking in the dough, boosted by record sales. Besides that common thread, though, they could scarcely be more different. One company (Motricity) is in mobile content delivery, the other (Winshuttle) in business-management software. The first is heavily funded by VCs, the latter … Continue reading “Two Paths, One Goal: Motricity, Winshuttle Report Record Software Sales”
Elemental, In-Q-Tel Ink Deal
Portland, OR-based Elemental Technologies announced today it has signed a strategic partnership and technology development deal with In-Q-Tel, the venture arm of the CIA and the U.S. intelligence community. Financial terms were not disclosed. Elemental makes video processing software that takes advantage of existing graphics chips.
UW Startups Have the Tech Part Down, Need Management Talent, Says Janis Machala
It’s been three months since Janis Machala took the helm of LaunchPad, the University of Washington’s support service for UW spinoffs. Her charge: to grow the service into a world-class entrepreneurial assistance program, and to promote the creation of new startups based on university research. I recently dropped in on Machala, a former tech executive … Continue reading “UW Startups Have the Tech Part Down, Need Management Talent, Says Janis Machala”
PayScale Raises $2M for Salary and Compensation Site
Xconomy has learned that Seattle-based PayScale has raised $2 million in a Series C round of venture funding. The investors in this round were not disclosed. A company spokesman confirmed the deal. PayScale was founded in 2000 by Joe Giordano, and in the past has been backed by Fluke Venture Partners, Madrona Venture Group, Trinity … Continue reading “PayScale Raises $2M for Salary and Compensation Site”
Marchex Trims Staff, Reorganizes
Seattle-based Marchex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MCHX]]), a local search and advertising firm, announced today it is cutting 15 jobs, or 4 percent of its staff, in a restructuring. Marchex also said it is actively adding positions where it needs further skills and resources.
Switchbox Bought by Lenovo
Seattle consumer-tech startup Switchbox Labs has been acquired by Lenovo, the personal computer maker, for an undisclosed price. Switchbox co-founders Michael Sievert, Robert Dickinson, and Blake Ramsdell will join Lenovo. Sievert was previously a Windows vice president at Microsoft.
From Starbucks to Startups: Rob Grady’s Take on What Coffee and Web 2.0 Have in Common
Coffee is so last year. Just ask Rob Grady, the former Starbucks executive who joined Seattle-based social publishing startup Wetpaint as senior vice president of marketing earlier this month. OK, Grady still enjoys a triple tall Americano or a double tall nonfat caramel macchiato from time to time—his new favorite Starbucks is in the Wells … Continue reading “From Starbucks to Startups: Rob Grady’s Take on What Coffee and Web 2.0 Have in Common”
Intellectual Ventures Buys Transmeta Patents
Bellevue, WA-based Intellectual Ventures announced today it has acquired the patent portfolio of Santa Clara, CA-based semiconductor firm Transmeta. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Intellectual Ventures gains more than 140 U.S. patents and a “substantial number of pending patent applications,” according to a company statement. Transmeta was acquired by Novafora for … Continue reading “Intellectual Ventures Buys Transmeta Patents”
Boeing Clips Its Own Wings
Boeing is cutting about 10,000 jobs this year, or 6 percent of its workforce, according to chief executive James McNerney. The news was announced in a conference call this morning. Boeing cited decreased revenues and the global economy as reasons for the cutbacks, which will occur through a combination of layoffs, retirements, and attrition. More … Continue reading “Boeing Clips Its Own Wings”
Microsoft, Sharp, UW Led Washington in 2008 Patents Issued—Here Are the Top 25
[Updated Jan. 28, with information on Intellectual Ventures’ patents (see below)] If its volume of new patents is any indication, Microsoft is going to be just fine. The Redmond, WA, software firm blew away the rest of Washington state in terms of the number of patents it was granted last year. That’s according to IFI … Continue reading “Microsoft, Sharp, UW Led Washington in 2008 Patents Issued—Here Are the Top 25”
The Onyx Connection: Seattle-Area Software Firm Spawns 13 CEOs
The Seattle tech family tree spreads far and wide. This morning, my San Diego-based colleague Bruce Bigelow published a story about Covario, a search engine marketing firm backed in part by Seattle’s Voyager Capital. The other Seattle connection there is that Covario’s CEO, Russ Mann, worked for Bellevue, WA-based Onyx Software in the glory days … Continue reading “The Onyx Connection: Seattle-Area Software Firm Spawns 13 CEOs”
Top Five Venture Deals From Last Quarter, PetraVM Pulls In $1.5M, Maveron Backs TheWrap, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
After a relatively slow week, the deals picked up a bit in the Northwest during the presidential inauguration week. There was modest activity in software, media, and vaccines. —Xconomy broke the news that PetraVM, a University of Washington software startup, raised $1.5 million in Series A funding from Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group and WRF Capital. … Continue reading “Top Five Venture Deals From Last Quarter, PetraVM Pulls In $1.5M, Maveron Backs TheWrap, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Maveron Funds TheWrap.com
Seattle-based Maveron has led an investment in TheWrap.com, a Hollywood, CA-based news site covering the entertainment and media business. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. TheWrap.com debuted today.
Top Three Trends in Angel Capital, from Seattle Investor Geoff Entress
Have angel investors become the new venture capitalists? Earlier this month, my colleague Wade Roush reported on a presentation by James Geshwiler of the Boston-area group CommonAngels about the changing nature of angel investing. Between Geshwiler’s comments and what I’ve been hearing around Seattle, it seems like the dynamic between angels and VCs has shifted … Continue reading “Top Three Trends in Angel Capital, from Seattle Investor Geoff Entress”
Microsoft Layoff Toll in WA: 872
Washington State’s Employment Security Department has confirmed that 872 Microsoft employees are losing their jobs in Seattle, Redmond, Issaquah, and Bellevue. The layoffs are effective March 23. Last Thursday, Microsoft announced it was slashing 1,400 jobs immediately, with up to 5,000 to be cut in the next 18 months.
Apptio, LiquidPlanner, Ontela, Pet Holdings, Picnik, Wetpaint Among Finalists for WTIA Industry Achievement Awards
The first round of voting is done. This morning, the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) announced the finalists for its 14th annual Industry Achievement Awards. Among the finalists are several Seattle-area companies we’ve reported on extensively at Xconomy, and a few others you’ll be hearing more about soon. Here are this year’s finalists, sorted by … Continue reading “Apptio, LiquidPlanner, Ontela, Pet Holdings, Picnik, Wetpaint Among Finalists for WTIA Industry Achievement Awards”
SAManage Scores Xenia Funding
Redmond, WA-based SAManage, a software and IT management company, announced it has raised a Series A funding round from the Israeli firm Xenia Venture Capital. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Microsoft Layoff Hits Gaming, Online Services, Real Estate
A day after the largest layoff in Microsoft history—1,400 jobs cut yesterday, with up to 5,000 in the next year and a half—the ripples are spreading far and wide throughout the technology and business communities. Here’s a snapshot of where the cuts are happening in the Seattle area. —Microsoft’s ACES studio, the Redmond, WA-based group … Continue reading “Microsoft Layoff Hits Gaming, Online Services, Real Estate”
Lovell Joins NWEN as Executive Director
The Bellevue, WA-based Northwest Entrepreneur Network (NWEN) has announced that Rebecca Lovell is joining the organization as executive director. Lovell is program director at the Seattle-based Alliance of Angels, and she succeeds outgoing NWEN executive director Peter Quinn. NWEN was founded in 1985, has more than 800 members, and produces 40-plus events and programs per … Continue reading “Lovell Joins NWEN as Executive Director”