Mike Salguero’s story is a sign of the times. In the tech startup world, sometimes you go big. And sometimes you go home—and reinvent yourself with help from friends and industry experts. Salguero is the co-founder and former CEO of CustomMade, an online marketplace for crafts and home décor. The Boston-area company raised about $25 … Continue reading “From CustomMade to ButcherBox: A Serial Entrepreneur’s Journey”
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.
Harmonix Reloaded: Music Videogame Maker Raises $15M
[Updated, 9/8/15. See below] For a 20-year-old company, Harmonix Music Systems sure looks like a startup. Now the Boston-based videogame maker, best known for the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, has raised $15 million in new equity funding, according to a regulatory filing. The company isn’t talking yet, but the presence of venture capitalists … Continue reading “Harmonix Reloaded: Music Videogame Maker Raises $15M”
What Bubble? Techstars Boston Keeps Trying to Build Real Businesses
If you cover the technology startup industry, two words you are getting sick of seeing are “bubble” and “unicorn.” In place of the former, you are hearing more about a coming “correction” in valuations and so forth. In place of the latter, you mostly get people shaking their heads at what the term even means. … Continue reading “What Bubble? Techstars Boston Keeps Trying to Build Real Businesses”
Censio, Led by Ex-Zipcar CEO, Brings Mobile Tech to Car Insurance
In the business of connected cars, at least one clear market has emerged: insurance. Today a Boston startup is taking a big step in that market. Censio, which has been growing quietly next to the Harvard Innovation Lab, said Wednesday it has formed a partnership with Progressive Insurance to develop a mobile app to monitor … Continue reading “Censio, Led by Ex-Zipcar CEO, Brings Mobile Tech to Car Insurance”
New Apps, Management Software Seeping In as Old Industries Digitize
John Van Siclen recalls driving around last year in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin, to visit a large retailer. The meeting was off the beaten path for the Dynatrace CEO, but not just in the physical sense. His Waltham, MA-based company makes software that helps businesses run their digital operations. Over the years, Dynatrace has … Continue reading “New Apps, Management Software Seeping In as Old Industries Digitize”
Boston Tech Tidbits: C.A. Webb, DraftKings, Onapsis & More
[Updated, 8/28/15] A smattering of technology startup and VC news around town as summer winds down: —New England Venture Capital Association head C.A. Webb is leaving the organization as of Aug. 31 to start a new venture firm. She will be working with Michael Skok, formerly of North Bridge Venture Partners, and John Pearce, formerly … Continue reading “Boston Tech Tidbits: C.A. Webb, DraftKings, Onapsis & More”
ClearSky Combining Storage, Networking to Advance IT Infrastructure
[Updated, 12:45pm. See below] The Boston tech industry is entering a new age of enterprise IT. Long known for its companies in data storage, networking, and business software, the local sector is seeing a boom in startups that have a new spin on these traditional fields. One of them is ClearSky Data, a roughly two-year-old … Continue reading “ClearSky Combining Storage, Networking to Advance IT Infrastructure”
AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston
As you might expect, mobile apps are pretty vulnerable to security breaches. That means hackers can get at users’ personal, financial, or health-related information via the apps on their phones. Plenty of tech companies are trying to protect against these mounting threats. One of them is AppInside, which says today it has raised $2.3 million … Continue reading “AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston”
CoPatient Gets New CEO, Looks to Expand in Consumer Health Billing
There comes a time in many a startup’s life when it needs to hire a more experienced chief executive. That time is now for CoPatient, a Boston healthcare IT company that helps people manage and negotiate their medical bills. CoPatient said today it has appointed Tom Torre as CEO. He was previously the founder and … Continue reading “CoPatient Gets New CEO, Looks to Expand in Consumer Health Billing”
Wayfair Learning E-Commerce Lessons From Amazon, Zulily
With a couple of online retail giants making headlines this week—and not in a good way—it’s time to check in on a local e-commerce star, Wayfair. The Boston home-goods seller (NYSE: [[ticker:W]]) has surged on the stock market the past few days, following its announcement of better-than-expected financials in the second quarter. Wayfair reported $491.8 … Continue reading “Wayfair Learning E-Commerce Lessons From Amazon, Zulily”
Rift.io Raises $16M for Network Virtualization Software
Score another one for IT infrastructure startups in the Boston area. Burlington, MA-based Rift.io, which has been in stealth mode, said Thursday it has completed a $16 million round of Series A funding. The deal was led by North Bridge Venture Partners, with unnamed strategic investors also participating. At least some of the money in … Continue reading “Rift.io Raises $16M for Network Virtualization Software”
DataGravity Rollout Shows Security Seeping Into New Layers of Tech
One of New England’s most heavily funded tech startups is positioning itself as a major piece of the cybersecurity puzzle. Among other things, it is trying to help companies and organizations protect their data from within their storage system. DataGravity, which is based in Nashua, NH, announced the second version of its data-storage product today. … Continue reading “DataGravity Rollout Shows Security Seeping Into New Layers of Tech”
How to Build a Smarter Water Cooler: The Bevi Story
This startup has a little of everything. Software, hardware, Internet of Things. Consumer tech, enterprise sales, even environmental impact. All in a neat package that looks like a high-tech vending machine. Boston-based Bevi (formerly called Refresh), makes an Internet-connected kiosk machine that dispenses customized drinks using tap water. On a touchscreen interface, you can select … Continue reading “How to Build a Smarter Water Cooler: The Bevi Story”
Boston Tech Tidbits: CashStar, Ditto Labs, EMC, Jibo
Geez, go away for a few days and a bunch of news blows up in Boston. Here are a few of the local technology deals we’re catching up on this week. (I’m not even touching the recent developments with HubSpot, Quanttus, or Tom Brady and the NFL yet.) —CashStar, a company that makes digital gift … Continue reading “Boston Tech Tidbits: CashStar, Ditto Labs, EMC, Jibo”
Panorama Pulls In $12M to Make Push Into Education Analytics
One of the hottest edtech startups in town has some new cash to play with. And it will probably need every cent, if it wants to realize its vision of transforming K-12 education with data and analytics. Boston-based Panorama Education has raised a $12 million Series A venture round, most of it from new investors … Continue reading “Panorama Pulls In $12M to Make Push Into Education Analytics”
Led by Vela Founder, Smartvid.io Gets $3.4M to Manage Industrial Video
This is the new era of video sharing and management. Now one local startup is going after what could be a big opportunity in the architecture, engineering, and construction markets. Smartvid.io, based in Cambridge, MA, has raised $3.4 million in seed funding led by CommonAngels Ventures. Launchpad Venture Group and other angel investors also participated … Continue reading “Led by Vela Founder, Smartvid.io Gets $3.4M to Manage Industrial Video”
VoltDB Revs Up for Fast-Database Race With $9.8M More
One of the quieter database-tech startups around town is VoltDB. I’m not sure why that is, but probably because databases are hard for non-techies to understand—and there are so many database startups in the Boston area. Nevertheless, Bedford, MA-based VoltDB is going about its business, and this week it announced it raised $9.8 million in … Continue reading “VoltDB Revs Up for Fast-Database Race With $9.8M More”
VCs Back Voxel8 to See If a Professor’s Startup Can 3D-Print Money
Faculty members seem to be starting more companies these days. It’s particularly noticeable in the Boston area, where entrepreneurial professors are flourishing at MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, and other schools. One rising startup that fits that mold is Somerville, MA-based Voxel8, a maker of 3D printers that can print electronics. Voxel8 says today it has raised … Continue reading “VCs Back Voxel8 to See If a Professor’s Startup Can 3D-Print Money”
MIT Stealth Spinout, Pi, Charges Up Wireless Power Competition
When you think of wireless power—the ability to charge a device without a power cord—most people in Boston think of WiTricity, the MIT spinout that has raised north of $45 million and has partnerships with Toyota and Intel. But there’s a new kid on the block. Xconomy has learned of a new MIT startup called … Continue reading “MIT Stealth Spinout, Pi, Charges Up Wireless Power Competition”
Database Startup NuoDB Gets New CEO, Looks to Grow Faster
There has been a leadership change at a prominent database software company in town. NuoDB, based in Cambridge, MA, says founding CEO Barry Morris has become executive chairman, and Bob Walmsley has been promoted to chief executive. Walmsley was previously NuoDB’s executive vice president of sales and services. Before joining NuoDB in April 2014, he … Continue reading “Database Startup NuoDB Gets New CEO, Looks to Grow Faster”
New $217M Venture Fund for Enterprise Tech Startups in Boston
No one knows how much longer it’ll last, but it’s definitely a good time to raise a venture fund. Boston-based .406 Ventures said today it has raised a $217 million third fund to invest in enterprise tech companies. The 10-year-old venture firm has about $600 million under management, making it one of the more prominent … Continue reading “New $217M Venture Fund for Enterprise Tech Startups in Boston”
After $103M IPO, Rapid7 Stock Up in Early Trading
[Updated, 5:45pm] Ding, ding. Rapid7 CEO Corey Thomas rang the opening bell at the Nasdaq this morning, and the Boston area’s first tech IPO of 2015 is in the books. Rapid7 (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RPD]]) raised $103.2 million by selling 6.45 million shares at $16 a pop, which was above the expected price range. The cybersecurity company’s … Continue reading “After $103M IPO, Rapid7 Stock Up in Early Trading”
Rapid7 Prices IPO at $16 Per Share as Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage
Let the record show that it took until July 16 this year for a Boston-area technology company to have an initial public offering. That company is Rapid7. The cybersecurity software firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RPD]]) expects to raise $103.2 million by selling 6.45 million shares at $16 per share, before fees and underwriter discounts. That share price … Continue reading “Rapid7 Prices IPO at $16 Per Share as Cybersecurity Takes Center Stage”
Vecna and VGo Are Now One: An Important Robotics Acquisition
Some consolidation in the New England robotics market today. Health IT and robotics company Vecna Technologies has acquired VGo Communications, a Nashua, NH-based maker of telepresence robots, for an undisclosed sum. These are two of the more enduring robotics companies in the area. Vecna, which got started in the late ’90s, is known for its … Continue reading “Vecna and VGo Are Now One: An Important Robotics Acquisition”
As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education
The initial entrepreneur-investor meeting went well—I think. Venture capitalist Chris Lynch met Jonathan Cornelissen in a bar in Boston’s Back Bay. It was mid-May. The pitch part of the meeting was brief. The drinking part was not. “I ended up leaving without my shirt,” Lynch says. Literally: “I had a Sqrrl shirt on,” he says, … Continue reading “As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education”
Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China
The question is no longer whether we are in a tech bubble—we are—but rather what it all means for the future. And maybe the near future. Everyone seems to agree the market conditions are very different from 2000, but so what? Uber’s valuation is north of $40 billion, and the company is losing money as … Continue reading “Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China”
Gazelle Gets Profitable as Consumers Unlock Own Phones, Buy Direct
Some companies are like soap operas. You check in every year or so, and nothing seems to change—same characters, same plotlines. Gazelle isn’t one of those companies. The Boston consumer-tech firm looks a bit different every time we look. Keep in mind, Xconomy has been reporting on Gazelle since early 2008, when it was still … Continue reading “Gazelle Gets Profitable as Consumers Unlock Own Phones, Buy Direct”
Boston Investors Back Adored’s iBeacon App, Mobile Loyalty Vision
Location-based marketing and loyalty programs are things that our kids will probably take for granted someday. The only question is how annoying and intrusive they will be (the programs, not the kids—well, never mind). A young tech startup called Adored, based in Manchester, NH, has just raised a $2.3 million seed round to get ahead … Continue reading “Boston Investors Back Adored’s iBeacon App, Mobile Loyalty Vision”
Panorama Expands School Surveys, Brings Insights to Education
Good data is hard to find. Whether you’re applying it to business intelligence or security, across industries like retail, travel, or healthcare, the quality of information used to make decisions is crucial. To solve this expanding problem, a number of technology companies have emerged around cleaning and organizing data, making it more shareable, and understanding … Continue reading “Panorama Expands School Surveys, Brings Insights to Education”
Salsify Scores $16.6M More, Looks to Boost Product Content Online
An important deal at the intersection of e-commerce and content management kicks off our post-holiday tech news. Boston-based Salsify, a startup that makes product-content management software, says it has raised a $16.6 million Series B round led by new investor Venrock. Previous investors Matrix Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners also participated, along with Michael … Continue reading “Salsify Scores $16.6M More, Looks to Boost Product Content Online”
Zagster Adds $3.5M to Expand Targeted Bike-Sharing Programs
Bikes are hot. The sharing economy is hot. So Zagster is hot. The Cambridge, MA-based bicycle-sharing company said today it has raised $3.5 million in new venture funding. The money comes from previous investors LaunchCapital, Fontinalis Partners, Clean Energy Venture Group, LaunchPad Venture Group, and Boston-area angel investors, as well as new investor Otter Consulting. … Continue reading “Zagster Adds $3.5M to Expand Targeted Bike-Sharing Programs”
Doctors See Big Cybersecurity Risks, Compliance as Key for Hospitals
Cybersecurity and healthcare IT are both burgeoning areas of business. Put them together and you have a volatile mix of emerging technologies, security and privacy risks, and regulatory requirements—but also a lot of opportunity for growth and improvements. It’s no surprise that doctors and hospital administrators are concerned with security. The healthcare industry is a … Continue reading “Doctors See Big Cybersecurity Risks, Compliance as Key for Hospitals”
FKA Atlas Has a New Name: Accomplice
One of Boston’s most active tech investing firms has a new name: FKA Atlas Venture is now Accomplice. No big announcement, and that’s the way the firm wants it. But the news ends months of speculation, as the tech side of Atlas Venture opened up a crowdsourcing contest in March to find its new name. … Continue reading “FKA Atlas Has a New Name: Accomplice”
Cybersecurity, DraftKings, OBJL, and 24M: A Boston Tech Roundup
In the run-up to summer, there have been a bunch of technology deals to catch up on around town. The news spans cybersecurity companies, business software, gaming, and energy—kind of a microcosm of New England tech innovation. —BitSight Technologies has just raised a $23 million Series B round from Comcast Ventures, Globespan Capital Partners, Flybridge … Continue reading “Cybersecurity, DraftKings, OBJL, and 24M: A Boston Tech Roundup”
MIT Startup Celect Gets $5M to Apply Predictive Analytics to Retail
By now you’re used to the idea that companies are trying to predict your every move when you shop online. But how about in the real world? Boston-based startup Celect has a new approach to understanding and predicting customer behavior in brick-and-mortar stores. Now the company has raised a $5 million Series A round led … Continue reading “MIT Startup Celect Gets $5M to Apply Predictive Analytics to Retail”
Tesora Takes In $4.5M to Advance Database as a Service
A local tech startup has some new money to push its vision of making database-as-a-service useful for enterprise customers. Cambridge, MA-based Tesora, formerly known as ParElastic, says it has raised $4.5 million from new investor Rho Canada Ventures and previous investors, including General Catalyst, CommonAngels Ventures, and Point Judith Capital. The company now has raised … Continue reading “Tesora Takes In $4.5M to Advance Database as a Service”
Boston 2035: The Photos
Creating the future: that was the big theme at Boston 2035, our special full-day conference looking at how the innovation landscape in New England and beyond will evolve over the next 20 years. The event was co-hosted by Babson College and Olin College on a picture-perfect June day. It was great to see so many … Continue reading “Boston 2035: The Photos”
Tamr Takes in $25M and West Coast Turing Award Tour
There’s a lot happening in the field of data management for enterprise companies. Now a Boston-area startup led by some prominent entrepreneurs is getting more cash to go big. Tamr has just raised $25.2 million in Series B funding from Hewlett Packard Ventures, Thomson Reuters, MassMutual Ventures, and previous investors NEA and Google Ventures. The … Continue reading “Tamr Takes in $25M and West Coast Turing Award Tour”
Dynatrace and Keynote Merge to Dominate in App Performance
Quick: name a Boston-based software company with 1,700 employees, $450 million in annual revenue, and plenty of room to grow. Oh, and it’s also currently running a 26 percent pre-tax profit, according to its CEO. That would be Dynatrace, which was spun out of Detroit tech giant Compuware last December after the latter was bought … Continue reading “Dynatrace and Keynote Merge to Dominate in App Performance”
Your Commute and Improving People’s Lives: More Boston 2035 Predictions
When you ask business leaders to step back and imagine the world in 20 years, an interesting thing happens. They think outside their immediate sector. They talk about solving the bigger problems of society. And, if they’re from New England, they place the region’s contributions in the context of global concerns. None of this is … Continue reading “Your Commute and Improving People’s Lives: More Boston 2035 Predictions”
John Harthorne, David Manfredi, Frank Moss Join Boston 2035 on 6/17
We’re in the final stages of preparing for our biggest local event of the year: Boston 2035, a wide-ranging look at the future of New England innovation over the next 20 years. It’s all going down at Babson College this Wednesday. I’m pleased to update you about a few additions to the program. John Harthorne, … Continue reading “John Harthorne, David Manfredi, Frank Moss Join Boston 2035 on 6/17”
Head for the Exits, Security Firms: Rapid7 Files for IPO
Tech IPOs have not been very fashionable as of late. But cybersecurity has. Now a Boston tech company is putting those elements together—and foreshadowing a number of other exits in the sector. Rapid7 has filed paperwork to go public on the Nasdaq. It lists its maximum aggregate offering price as $80 million, but that’s mostly … Continue reading “Head for the Exits, Security Firms: Rapid7 Files for IPO”
Yesware Says Yes to $13M VC Funding, No to Tech Bubble
Somewhere between the early-stage rocket ships and later-stage unicorns, there is a group of tech companies quietly building their businesses. Yesware is one of those companies. The Boston-based maker of software for salespeople occupies a mid-stage niche in the startup market. The 70-person company has been around since 2010 and has been growing steadily. No … Continue reading “Yesware Says Yes to $13M VC Funding, No to Tech Bubble”
What Do the Heads of Techstars & Boston Children’s Hospital Have in Common?
David Cohen and Sandra Fenwick both believe that Boston’s innovation community is poised to do huge things. Cohen, the founder and managing partner of Techstars, says Boston’s startup ecosystem will be “off the charts” in the next 20 years. Fenwick, the CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital, says the city’s healthcare and analytics expertise “will change … Continue reading “What Do the Heads of Techstars & Boston Children’s Hospital Have in Common?”
Facebook VP Looks Beyond Mobile to Next Interface: Virtual Reality
Jay Parikh is in charge of the back-end software and hardware that helps more than a billion people share photos and updates about their lives on Facebook. Sounds like a nightmare. Luckily, the vice president of infrastructure engineering seems to enjoy his work. He was in town last week to do some recruiting and spend … Continue reading “Facebook VP Looks Beyond Mobile to Next Interface: Virtual Reality”
So This Is What a Rocket Ship Startup Looks Like in 2015
DraftKings may or may not have raised $250 million from Disney at a “unicorn” valuation. I do not care. The company runs daily online fantasy sports games that pay out real money ($1B this year). I do not care. It has flown in 12 regional winners from around the country to Boston to compete for … Continue reading “So This Is What a Rocket Ship Startup Looks Like in 2015”
How Will Boston’s Innovation Cluster Look in 2035? Three More Predictions
Robots, big data, and biotech. That’s the innovation landscape of Boston in a nutshell. But how will things evolve over the next 20 years? We’ve been asking top leaders in the startup and business community to think about that question, and the opportunities and challenges it presents for innovators across sectors. The answers they give … Continue reading “How Will Boston’s Innovation Cluster Look in 2035? Three More Predictions”
6 Startups and Edtech Themes From LearnLaunch Demo Day
Education is one of the anchor industries of New England. And education technology is one of the region’s key growth areas for the future. That was all on display at Wednesday’s demo day event for the graduating companies of Boston-based LearnLaunch’s third accelerator program. Each education-related company’s strategy touches on broader technology and business themes, … Continue reading “6 Startups and Edtech Themes From LearnLaunch Demo Day”
PillPack Picks Up Pace in Health IT With $50M Deal Led by CRV
It’s no surprise that the latest tech startup to go big in Boston is in health IT. The sector has been burgeoning locally and will probably see more big funding deals this year. PillPack, an online pharmacy and medication management company, said Wednesday that it has raised $50 million in a financing round led by … Continue reading “PillPack Picks Up Pace in Health IT With $50M Deal Led by CRV”
CarePort Health Gets $2.2M to Aid Patients After Hospital Visits
Anyone who has taken care of aging parents or family members knows the agony of navigating all the doctors, insurance claims, and post-hospital care. That last one is its own special nightmare: once patients are discharged, they are basically on their own to find the right rehab facility, nursing home, or home healthcare agency. And … Continue reading “CarePort Health Gets $2.2M to Aid Patients After Hospital Visits”