While most eyes have been on the IPOs of Wayfair and Hubspot this month, it’s good to remember the last batch of Boston-area tech companies that went public. One of them is Demandware, a Burlington, MA-based maker of online shopping software for brands and retailers. The company had its IPO in 2012, and its stock … Continue reading “Public Company, Meet Startup: Demandware Snaps Up CQuotient”
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.
HubSpot in Dublin: Lessons in Building a Global Public Company
The latest U.S. tech company to go public is HubSpot, which has netted about $114 million in its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. From a global perspective, what’s most interesting about the Boston-area online marketing company (NYSE: [[ticker:HUBS]]) has been its effort to go into new international markets. You’ve heard of founders Dharmesh … Continue reading “HubSpot in Dublin: Lessons in Building a Global Public Company”
Wayfair Raises $319M in Quiet IPO Market, Leads Way Nationally
[Updated, 4:30pm. See below] Twelve years in the making, Boston e-commerce company Wayfair will be publicly traded as of today. The online retailer of furniture and home goods priced its initial public offering at $29 a share (above the projected range of $25-28) and sold 11 million shares, bringing in $319 million. Wayfair is valued … Continue reading “Wayfair Raises $319M in Quiet IPO Market, Leads Way Nationally”
Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q3 2014: Editor’s Picks
It’s the start of a new quarter: time to look back on some of our top stories from July to September. A lot has happened in the Boston-area innovation scene, and this fall is shaping up to be a doozy. This installment of editor’s picks spans tech, life sciences, and energy. The stories concern some … Continue reading “Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q3 2014: Editor’s Picks”
The Tech Industry’s Changing of the Guard: New CEOs, New Challenges
Silicon Valley is having a moment. A generational shift moment, that is. A new crop of CEOs has taken the helm of tech industry giants who, starting in the 1970s, achieved dominant positions in software, devices, Web services, and mobile technology. Some of these powerhouse companies, which set the tech agenda for decades, have slipped … Continue reading “The Tech Industry’s Changing of the Guard: New CEOs, New Challenges”
The Story Behind GrabCAD’s Acquisition: MakerBot, Motives, & More
The price was reportedly $100 million in cash, but the reasons are always personal. I’m talking about startup acquisitions—in this case, 3D printing giant Stratasys swooping in and buying Cambridge, MA-based GrabCAD, a maker of design software and convener of mechanical engineers. The deal closed Tuesday. Back in January, I put GrabCAD on my short … Continue reading “The Story Behind GrabCAD’s Acquisition: MakerBot, Motives, & More”
Nexage Joins Parade of Boston Mobile-Ad Acquisitions, for $107.5M
[Updated 4pm, see below.] The Boston area has an impressive history of mobile-advertising startups being acquired for large sums (usually $100 million-plus): Third Screen Media, Enpocket, Quattro Wireless, Where, Jumptap. Now add Nexage to that list. The mobile-ad exchange is being acquired by Millennial Media, the Baltimore-based advertising giant that also bought Jumptap last year. … Continue reading “Nexage Joins Parade of Boston Mobile-Ad Acquisitions, for $107.5M”
SVB Invests $3M in Startup Institute as Financial Firms Back Techies
Banks and financial institutions are getting deeper into the startup world—now by investing in them at an early stage. Silicon Valley Bank has led a $3 million Series A funding round for Boston-based Startup Institute, which is looking to expand globally. Previous investors in the company include seed-stage firms Project 11 and Boston Seed Capital. … Continue reading “SVB Invests $3M in Startup Institute as Financial Firms Back Techies”
Boston Security Firms CyberArk, Veracode Make Deals as Threats Mount
Been hacked lately? Sure you have. But a couple of longstanding local tech companies have been combating cyber threats for years, and now they’re making noise on the financial front. One of them, CyberArk Software, has been preparing to go public since about 2011 and has just set its IPO terms. The Israel-founded company, whose … Continue reading “Boston Security Firms CyberArk, Veracode Make Deals as Threats Mount”
As New iPhone Looms, Mobile Payments “Not for the Faint of Heart”
Heard of the iPhone 6 yet? One of the rumored features is near field communication technology that will enable, among other things, users to pay for items in stores with their smartphones. It could be a watershed moment for the adoption of mobile payments technology, a crowded yet slow-moving sector. Every year since about 2010, … Continue reading “As New iPhone Looms, Mobile Payments “Not for the Faint of Heart””
Wellframe Wins $8.5M to Improve Healthcare Apps for Patients, Doctors
Healthcare is getting more personal—as well it should. Anyone who has dealt with a serious illness knows you have to take the initiative when it comes to your own health, and that of your family. Especially these days. Technology is playing a big role in that. So it’s no surprise that a new generation of … Continue reading “Wellframe Wins $8.5M to Improve Healthcare Apps for Patients, Doctors”
Mustbin Gets New CEO, Looks to Build “the Opposite of Snapchat”
Two new words for the future of Boston consumer tech: Satyender Mahajan. Mahajan, who goes by Saty (SAH-tee), is one of the newest CEOs in the local technology scene. As of this month, he took the reins of Boston-based startup Mustbin from founder Brian Shin, who will stay on as chairman and an advisor but … Continue reading “Mustbin Gets New CEO, Looks to Build “the Opposite of Snapchat””
What’s After Big Data? Niche Analytics, Data Wrangling, Smart Storage
Big data is a “hackneyed term,” said Michael Stonebraker. “I try hard not to use it.” It was wintertime when I sat down with a few database experts in Boston to talk shop. Stonebraker, an MIT professor and entrepreneur, is one of those graybeards who was working in big data long before it was called … Continue reading “What’s After Big Data? Niche Analytics, Data Wrangling, Smart Storage”
Lookout CEO Dolce on Boston and Why Hardware Is “Thing of the Past”
Jim Dolce was last seen in these parts at Akamai, which bought his previous company, Verivue, in late 2012. Last March, he shipped out to San Francisco to become CEO of Lookout, a seven-year-old mobile security company. That’s the same Lookout that said last week it had raised a $150 million growth round from the … Continue reading “Lookout CEO Dolce on Boston and Why Hardware Is “Thing of the Past””
New Deals Spur SMTP to Compete With HubSpot, Marketo, Act-On
There’s a battle brewing between tech companies in New England, the Bay Area, and the Pacific Northwest. What’s at stake? The future of technology for marketing. The latest entrant is SMTP, a small Boston-area company that began trading on the Nasdaq in January. SMTP (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SMTP]]), formerly called EMUmail, has a long and complicated history. … Continue reading “New Deals Spur SMTP to Compete With HubSpot, Marketo, Act-On”
Q&A With Classy, First Startup Out of Consumer-Tech Foundry Blade
Consumer tech is in the air around Boston. After e-commerce firm Wayfair’s IPO filing on Friday, the race is on to become the next household name in a town that has produced the likes of TripAdvisor, Zipcar, Bose, and Kayak. One place people are looking to for the next big thing is Blade, the startup … Continue reading “Q&A With Classy, First Startup Out of Consumer-Tech Foundry Blade”
6 Takeaways From Boston E-Commerce Firm Wayfair’s IPO Filing
When it comes to consumer tech, much of the Boston area’s hopes and dreams can be summed up in one word: Wayfair. The online retailer of home goods filed its much-anticipated IPO paperwork on Friday. Wayfair was bootstrapped for many years before taking a big venture-capital round in 2011. The company has been on a … Continue reading “6 Takeaways From Boston E-Commerce Firm Wayfair’s IPO Filing”
As Book Prices Drop, Big Publishers Push Into Software and Edtech
Don’t look now, but textbook publishers are trying to become software companies. And tech startups are trying to outmaneuver these giants to win the future of educational content and tools. It’s one of the big trends in edtech and digital media. Indeed, digital publishing has “fundamentally changed every aspect of what we are doing with … Continue reading “As Book Prices Drop, Big Publishers Push Into Software and Edtech”
Is Jibo the Next Roomba, or a Bigger Test for Consumer Robots?
Cynthia Breazeal has been a media darling since her grad-student days at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Lab. She has worked on “social robots” with expressive faces and names like Kismet and Leonardo. So it’s no surprise that her current startup—and robot, called Jibo—is getting lots of attention. The company’s crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo has netted more … Continue reading “Is Jibo the Next Roomba, or a Bigger Test for Consumer Robots?”
Teradata-Hadapt Deal Signals Big-Data Buyouts as Big Firms Move In
It’s a familiar storyline: Boston-area startup develops promising technology, starts to build a real business, and then gets snapped up by a West Coast giant. The startup in this case is Cambridge, MA-based Hadapt, which has been acquired by Teradata, the Ohio-based data warehousing company with big operations in San Diego. Terms of the deal … Continue reading “Teradata-Hadapt Deal Signals Big-Data Buyouts as Big Firms Move In”
DraftKings CEO on DraftStreet, FanDuel, & Future of Fantasy Sports
A fast-rising startup in consumer tech just got bigger by acquiring a competitor. DraftKings, a Boston-based fantasy sports company, bought New York-based DraftStreet for an undisclosed sum last week. The move signals consolidation in the field and sets up a showdown for the number-one position. DraftKings got started in 2011 and has raised some $35 … Continue reading “DraftKings CEO on DraftStreet, FanDuel, & Future of Fantasy Sports”
The Mid-Stage VC Funding Gap, By the Numbers
In recent years, we’ve heard a lot about the “Series A crunch” for tech startups—lots of companies get seed funding but can’t raise a first venture round. Now we’re hearing more about a mid-stage funding bottleneck, typically at the Series B and C venture stages. A recent tech funding deal in Boston highlighted the issue … Continue reading “The Mid-Stage VC Funding Gap, By the Numbers”
Doctors Avoid Social Media at Work, and Who Can Blame Them?
Forty-four percent of U.S. doctors surveyed don’t use social media for work, and 29 percent say they don’t use it at all. The top reasons cited? Concerns about privacy and time, two notions that most people gave up on long ago. Those findings are in the latest report from MedData Group, a healthcare marketing company … Continue reading “Doctors Avoid Social Media at Work, and Who Can Blame Them?”
For EMC, Three Acquisitions Lead to Three Big Products
The Boston area’s biggest tech company is known for at least two things: non-compete clauses and acquisitions. On Tuesday, the latter paid off in terms of new products. EMC, the Hopkinton, MA-based data storage giant (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]), has a long history of buying startups and competitors. Acquisitions are an important part of its growth and … Continue reading “For EMC, Three Acquisitions Lead to Three Big Products”
WordStream’s $12M Round Highlights Dearth of Mid-Stage Tech Funding
A search-marketing startup is making fundraising news, but there are larger forces at work in the tech ecosystem. Boston-based WordStream has raised $12 million in new funding—$9 million in a Series C venture round led by Baird Capital (Sigma Partners also participated), and $3 million in debt financing from City National Bank. The new money … Continue reading “WordStream’s $12M Round Highlights Dearth of Mid-Stage Tech Funding”
Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q2 2014: Editor’s Picks
Here are my picks for our top local stories of the past quarter (April-June), and why. Not a ranked list, just in reverse chronological order: 1. MA Warns Ride-Sharing, Car-Sharing Drivers of Insurance Risks Could something as boring as insurance derail Uber? 2. Katrine Bosley, Former Avila CEO, Takes Helm at Editas Cutting-edge genomics company, … Continue reading “Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q2 2014: Editor’s Picks”
The Series A Story in Boston Tech: $270M Invested in Past Year
It’s a busy news week for established tech companies around here—see Aereo, Imprivata—but let’s take a look at the other side of the market: the early-stage startups. For all the talk of a Series A crunch and the limited number of Boston venture capitalists investing in A rounds for local tech companies, we saw at … Continue reading “The Series A Story in Boston Tech: $270M Invested in Past Year”
Vertex Stock Up 40 Percent After Cystic Fibrosis Trial Results
This is one of the biggest and most anticipated biotech stories of the year—and it’s based right here in Boston. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is flying high after releasing the results of two Phase 3 studies of a two-drug combination treatment for cystic fibrosis, a deadly genetic disease that affects the lungs. Some 30,000 people have cystic … Continue reading “Vertex Stock Up 40 Percent After Cystic Fibrosis Trial Results”
One More Thought From Boston 2034: Tech + Biotech + Cleantech = ?
When we assembled some of the top business leaders and thinkers across New England for Boston 2034 last week, I noticed a high-level theme: we were trying to break down barriers between innovation sectors. Like most communities, Boston is pretty segregated by industry. The tech people don’t know their Agios from their Acceleron (both public … Continue reading “One More Thought From Boston 2034: Tech + Biotech + Cleantech = ?”
10 Thoughts on the Future of Innovation From Boston 2034
Twenty years is a long time. Yet, to many of us, 1994 doesn’t feel all that long ago. So it seems like about the right amount to look forward as we think about the future of technology, society, and innovation. And look forward we did. At our Boston 2034 conference on Tuesday, we brought together … Continue reading “10 Thoughts on the Future of Innovation From Boston 2034”
Boston Consumer Tech and 4 Views of the Future: A 2034 Preview
Will Boston ever be known for its consumer-tech companies? What could make that happen? And how do innovation leaders see technology and society evolving over the next 20 years? If you’re interested in these kinds of questions, you’re in luck. We are convening an all-star cast of business leaders across tech, life sciences, and energy … Continue reading “Boston Consumer Tech and 4 Views of the Future: A 2034 Preview”
Romulus Looks to Redefine Seed-Stage VC With $50M Fund
Does the Boston tech scene need another seed-stage fund? Yes. Yes it does. You’ll forgive Krishna Gupta if he has a bullish view of early-stage tech investing opportunities. He started Romulus Capital in his Baker House dorm room at MIT back in 2008. Now, at the ripe age of 26, he has closed a $50 … Continue reading “Romulus Looks to Redefine Seed-Stage VC With $50M Fund”
Blackboard CEO Jay Bhatt on the Global Future of Edtech
What does the head of one of the world’s biggest edtech companies, Blackboard, think about the future of education? First, you should know a little about his background. Jay Bhatt was a middle-school math teacher in the early ‘90s, teaching sixth-graders in Richmond, CA. He went on to work as an investment banker, specializing in … Continue reading “Blackboard CEO Jay Bhatt on the Global Future of Edtech”
LearnLaunchX Startups Showcase Two Big Themes in Edtech
On a cold, miserable day in late May, seven edtech startups gave 10-minute pitches to a room full of mentors, investors, and press. It was demo day for the second class of startups in Boston’s LearnLaunchX accelerator. These companies serve as a kind of barometer for education-tech businesses in New England and beyond. In addition … Continue reading “LearnLaunchX Startups Showcase Two Big Themes in Edtech”
Five Lessons for Consumer Tech Startups in Springpad Shutdown
“We fought the good fight. It’s pretty emotional.” That’s Springpad co-founder Jeff Janer talking about shutting down his company after six years and almost $10 million in venture funding. Charlestown, MA-based Springpad ran out of money while trying to raise a Series B round, Janer says. Its digital-organizer product, which had about 5 million users, … Continue reading “Five Lessons for Consumer Tech Startups in Springpad Shutdown”
Hear Founder and Investor Stories at Boston 2034 on June 10
[Updated, 2:25pm. See below] Just under two weeks to go before Boston 2034, our blowout innovation conference of the year. The theme is to look out 20 years and talk about the future of New England as a leader in areas like software, hardware, energy, education, healthcare, and life sciences. It’s all happening on Tuesday, … Continue reading “Hear Founder and Investor Stories at Boston 2034 on June 10”
How to Keep More College Grads in Boston? Better Jobs, Lifestyle
It’s a sad Boston tale told many times. Tech whiz kid moves to New England for college, attends Prestigious School X, and leaves the area for greener pastures—usually the West Coast—after graduating or dropping out to start a company. The big outliers are well known—Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Drew Houston, for starters. But what … Continue reading “How to Keep More College Grads in Boston? Better Jobs, Lifestyle”
Startups and Sports: 3 Lessons From CoachUp’s Jordan Fliegel
Sports have universal appeal, but they resonate particularly strongly with startups. So what can entrepreneurs learn from successful sports teams and players? First, that they share a common bond. Entrepreneurs and athletes “both like creating, and they both like being part of small teams,” says Jordan Fliegel, the CEO and founder of CoachUp. “They also … Continue reading “Startups and Sports: 3 Lessons From CoachUp’s Jordan Fliegel”
Facebook Boston Looks to Build Tech for the “Next Few Billion Users”
The Boston area’s prominence in biotech and life sciences has an unexpected side benefit for tech companies. Consider Ryan Mack of Facebook. Mack has been with the social-networking giant for almost five years. Originally based at headquarters in Silicon Valley, he moved to Boston about three and a half years ago when his wife got … Continue reading “Facebook Boston Looks to Build Tech for the “Next Few Billion Users””
Tamr Emerges With $16M to Crack Data Curation for Enterprises
One of the Boston tech scene’s most dynamic duos is at it again. Yes, Andy Palmer and Michael Stonebraker are coming out of stealth with their latest company. Cambridge, MA-based Tamr, formerly known as Data Tamer, makes software aimed at helping big companies manage and connect their many data sources; the idea is to give … Continue reading “Tamr Emerges With $16M to Crack Data Curation for Enterprises”
Will Paul English’s Blade Boost Consumer Tech in Boston?
Be careful how you e-mail Paul English. Or talk to him, for that matter. That’s one message I got from the Kayak co-founder when I met him at Blade, his new venture-creation outfit and startup workspace in South Boston. It was a few hours before Blade’s opening gala on Friday, and English (pictured) took time … Continue reading “Will Paul English’s Blade Boost Consumer Tech in Boston?”
Joining Boston 2034 on 6/10: Rob Go, Geoff Chapin, Kara Miller, & More
We are busy finalizing the agenda for Boston 2034, our biggest conference to date. The theme of the day is to look out 20 years and think about what it will take to build the innovation city of the future. It’s all happening on Tuesday, June 10, at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. … Continue reading “Joining Boston 2034 on 6/10: Rob Go, Geoff Chapin, Kara Miller, & More”
Greentown Startups Work Around VCs, Find Niches in Cleantech
If you’re wondering what’s bubbling up in the fields of energy and sustainability, try visiting the incubator with the largest number of cleantech startups in the country. That would be Greentown Labs, based in a 33,000-square-foot facility in Somerville, MA, between Union Square and Porter Square. The co-working space originally formed in late 2010 in … Continue reading “Greentown Startups Work Around VCs, Find Niches in Cleantech”
Stackdriver Scooped Up by Google in Cloud-Monitoring Deal
Another promising technology startup, another acquisition by a West Coast giant. In a busy week for Boston tech deals, this one stands out: Stackdriver, a two-year-old company working on cloud-application monitoring, is being acquired by Google. Terms of the deal weren’t given, but Google product manager Tom Kershaw says in a blog post that Stackdriver … Continue reading “Stackdriver Scooped Up by Google in Cloud-Monitoring Deal”
Segterra Scores $2.5M to Shed Some Blood in Personal Health Tracking
Personal health and wellness continues to climb the tech-investment charts. Now a Boston-area startup is getting in on the action, thanks to a prominent New York investor. Segterra, the maker of Web-based health platform InsideTracker, has quietly raised a $2.5 million Series A funding round from New York bigwig Henry Kauftheil. The new money brings … Continue reading “Segterra Scores $2.5M to Shed Some Blood in Personal Health Tracking”
Doctors Use the Web at Work, But Wary of What Patients Read Online
Whatever happened to Health 2.0? You know, the trend toward using Web tools and resources for healthcare that started in the mid-2000s? The name may have gone out of style, but the movement led to new online communities for patients and doctors, lots of health-information sites, and changing patient-doctor relationships. More than three-quarters of U.S. … Continue reading “Doctors Use the Web at Work, But Wary of What Patients Read Online”
Ambri Adds $35M From Gates, Khosla, KLP Enterprises
Cleantech seems to be coming back in New England. Or, more likely, it never really left. Today an MIT startup called Ambri (formerly known as Liquid Metal Battery) says it has raised a $35 million Series C funding round from new investor KLP Enterprises, as well as previous investors including Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, and … Continue reading “Ambri Adds $35M From Gates, Khosla, KLP Enterprises”
Kaufer, Bowles, Halamka Join Boston 2034 Lineup on June 10
It’s going to be the blow-out innovation event of the season. We are hard at work on the agenda for Boston 2034, our biggest conference to date. It’s all happening on June 10 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. The idea is to look out 20 years and think about what it will … Continue reading “Kaufer, Bowles, Halamka Join Boston 2034 Lineup on June 10”
Zillow, Trulia, Placester? Boston Startup Moves Into Real Estate Ads
Get through the Series A crunch? Check. Move into online advertising? Check, check. Sign up big publisher? Check-plus. Boston-based Placester is moving up in the world of real estate startups. The company said today it has raised a $5.5 million Series A funding round led by previous investor Romulus Capital. Angel investors also participated in … Continue reading “Zillow, Trulia, Placester? Boston Startup Moves Into Real Estate Ads”
SilverRail Scores $40M, Wants to Be ITA (Not Kayak) of Train Travel
There’s a Boston-area travel tech company that you may have forgotten about, because it moved its management team to London a few years ago to focus on the European market. But no longer—the team is back, with a major new wad of cash. SilverRail Technologies, based in Woburn, MA, has raised a $40 million Series … Continue reading “SilverRail Scores $40M, Wants to Be ITA (Not Kayak) of Train Travel”