The final numbers on 2016 fintech funding deals are in from New York-based research firm and investment database CB Insights, and venture capitalists seem to be cooling on the industry. According to a report released today, financial technology companies around the world attracted $12.7 billion in venture capital across 836 investments last year. That is … Continue reading “Fintech VC Backing Dipped 13 Percent in 2016, Mirroring Rest of Tech”
Author: João-Pierre S. Ruth
After more than thirteen years as a business reporter in New Jersey, João-Pierre S. Ruth joined the ranks of Xconomy serving first as a correspondent and then as editor for its New York City branch. Earlier in his career he covered telecom players such as Verizon Wireless, device makers such as Samsung, and developers of organic LED technology such as Universal Display Corp.
João-Pierre earned his bachelor’s in English from Rutgers University.
The Inevitability and Necessity of the New York Tech Community
Curiosity and opportunity led me to cover the New York startup scene for Xconomy, first as a correspondent and then for the past three and a half years as the local editor. Much like the companies I watched grow, evolve, and exit, I will be moving on. New York is a city of change—an ongoing … Continue reading “The Inevitability and Necessity of the New York Tech Community”
The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM
When the CEO of Meetup took the stage last week at the latest New York Tech Meetup (NYTM), there was a touch of expectation that something eye-opening might happen. Several years prior, Scott Heiferman—who is also the co-founder of NYTM—infamously took a sledgehammer to a new Apple iPad in order to call attention to changes … Continue reading “The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM”
Lyft, IBM, & Others Discuss the Convergence of AI and Marketing
What do artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other innovations have in store for the future of marketing? That was a key question addressed by a panel that included the chief marketing officers from Lyft, IBM Watson, and CVS Health. They gathered last week in New York at 1 World Trade Center to discuss changes consumers … Continue reading “Lyft, IBM, & Others Discuss the Convergence of AI and Marketing”
An IoT Connected Doghouse and Other Ideas Surface at ERA Demo Day
Smart-home technology has gone to the dogs. New York-based Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) graduated 12 startups today, including Dog Parker—a connected doghouse that minds people’s pets while they shop at stores. That is one example of the broad array of ideas in this class, said Jonathan Axelrod, managing director with ERA, reflecting the many different … Continue reading “An IoT Connected Doghouse and Other Ideas Surface at ERA Demo Day”
Minerva Tantoco, IBM, Microsoft, Foursquare & Others on Future of AI
Making the artificial feel more natural is one of the goals of computer scientists these days. Last week in New York, innovators from IBM, Foursquare, Microsoft, and other companies discussed what may lie ahead in the commercial development of artificial intelligence. From baby steps in machine learning to longer strides in interacting with humans, AI … Continue reading “Minerva Tantoco, IBM, Microsoft, Foursquare & Others on Future of AI”
Viddyad Takes Grand Prize at L’Oréal USA Women in Digital Program
It will be easier for more businesses to create and share video ads if Grainne Barron has her way. Last week, Barron, the founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Viddyad, was named this year’s grand prize winner at the L’Oréal USA Women in Digital awards held in New York. Viddyad is a platform that lets … Continue reading “Viddyad Takes Grand Prize at L’Oréal USA Women in Digital Program”
Barclays & Techstars Graduate Latest Fintech Accelerator Class in NY
Today, 10 teams will demo their fintech ideas as the latest batch of startups to come through the Barclays Accelerator in New York. British bank Barclays and startup accelerator Techstars collaborate to run the program here, with managing director Jenny Fielding heading things up. She also runs the Techstars IoT (Internet of Things) Accelerator in … Continue reading “Barclays & Techstars Graduate Latest Fintech Accelerator Class in NY”
New York Tech Meetup Puts Comedy Hack Day Finalists at Center Stage
There will probably always be apps that serve little real-world use, or are so focused on technology that it is extremely hard for the average person to understand what they are for. At last night’s New York Tech Meetup, a happy middle ground of mirth was found with a batch of apps created with comedy … Continue reading “New York Tech Meetup Puts Comedy Hack Day Finalists at Center Stage”
IBM Returns to US Open to Show How Watson and Bluemix Play with Data
Last week, as the opening matches began at the 2016 US Open Tennis Championship in Queens, IBM put some of its innovations in data and software on display for the media. Big data being captured and processed from the tennis matches, gathered from sensors at courtside, and the library of data points from prior championships is … Continue reading “IBM Returns to US Open to Show How Watson and Bluemix Play with Data”
Thiel Fellow Debuts the “Real” App for Making Friends & Social Good
For millennials looking for a new way to make friends—and just friends—in a new city, the founder behind the Real app says she has created a way to remove the superficial behavior seen with other options on the market. Ocean Pleasant, a 19-year-old Thiel Fellow in New York, says her latest idea creates social connections based on shared mutual interests instead … Continue reading “Thiel Fellow Debuts the “Real” App for Making Friends & Social Good”
ThinkZone Games Takes Top Prize in White House Edtech App Challenge
With a boost from the White House, a local developer is creating a game app that may help students flesh out their career choices. Last Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama announced ThinkZone Games, based in New York, won the grand prize in the Reach Higher Career App Challenge run by the White House and the U.S. … Continue reading “ThinkZone Games Takes Top Prize in White House Edtech App Challenge”
MediaBrix’s New Prez, Stash’s $9.25M, & Tapad Mentors Norwegian Startups
These final weeks of summer have not slowed the activity across New York’s innovation scene—from a pair of funding rounds to the introduction of a mentorship program that will bring startups from Norway to the city. On Monday, New York-based MediaBrix, a mobile ad firm, expanded its management team with the hiring of its first president, … Continue reading “MediaBrix’s New Prez, Stash’s $9.25M, & Tapad Mentors Norwegian Startups”
Change of the Guard as Women 2.0 Deepens Its Ties to the East Coast
Women 2.0 is on the move, bringing its act in a big way to New York state. The San Francisco-based network and social platform for women technology entrepreneurs is getting a new boss and relocating its headquarters to just outside of Syracuse, NY. Today, CEO and co-founder Shaherose Charania announced she transferred ownership and the leadership … Continue reading “Change of the Guard as Women 2.0 Deepens Its Ties to the East Coast”
Walmart Makes It Official, Acquires Jet.com for $3 Billion
After word leaked last night via Recode, Walmart officially announced Monday in an e-mailed statement that it has agreed to acquire Hoboken, NJ-based e-commerce site Jet.com for $3 billion cash, a strategic move touted by some as a way for the big box retailer to be more competitive with Amazon. Further sweetening the deal, Walmart said it will pay … Continue reading “Walmart Makes It Official, Acquires Jet.com for $3 Billion”
Zeta Interactive Acquires Acxiom Impact, Gets Bigger in Silicon Valley
As Thursday comes to a close, Zeta Interactive has announced a new acquisition that increases its footprint in Silicon Valley. If that sounds like a familiar growth pattern for this New York-based big data and analytics company, it should. About a year ago, Zeta Interactive raised a $125 million round, and then several months later … Continue reading “Zeta Interactive Acquires Acxiom Impact, Gets Bigger in Silicon Valley”
Verizon Gobbles Up Yahoo, Will Group It With AOL—But What About Tumblr?
A huge question has finally been answered about Yahoo’s future. Verizon sealed a deal over the weekend to acquire the company’s core business for more than $4.8 billion in cash, and will put Yahoo on the same shelf it keeps AOL. That is but a sliver of the valuation Yahoo tasted in its heyday, including … Continue reading “Verizon Gobbles Up Yahoo, Will Group It With AOL—But What About Tumblr?”
CommonBond Gets $30M in Equity, $300M in Debt Financing, Acquires Gradible
Just when the online lending scene seemed mired in doldrums and doubt, New York-based CommonBond landed several deals to shake things up. The company announced on Tuesday it raised $30 million, in a Series C equity round led by Neuberger Berman Private Equity, and it also acquired Gradible, a New York-based student loan evaluation company. … Continue reading “CommonBond Gets $30M in Equity, $300M in Debt Financing, Acquires Gradible”
Freshly Gets $21M More on Its Plate for Tech Hires, National Expansion
Amid some of the commotion in the food tech sector, on Tuesday New York-based Freshly, a meal delivery startup, announced it raised $21 million in a Series B round led by Insight Venture Partners. Prior investors, including Highland Capital Partners and White Star Capital, also participated. The infusion of funding will go towards some of the … Continue reading “Freshly Gets $21M More on Its Plate for Tech Hires, National Expansion”
IBM Opens Bluemix Garage in NY for Devs Working on Blockchain Tech
A new workshop opened last week in New York where developers can fine- tune their blockchain software. IBM has set up a Bluemix Garage in SoHo within a Galvanize campus that also just opened in town. The “garage” is a place where local developers, from startups and enterprises alike, can collaborate with tech experts and use … Continue reading “IBM Opens Bluemix Garage in NY for Devs Working on Blockchain Tech”
Can the Digital World Change the Wine and Spirits Industry?
Every day it seems a new tech startup emerges to tap the keg of the spirits industry, especially on the consumer delivery side. The team at New York’s SevenFifty took on a different approach, however, trying to fix inefficiencies in the alcohol distribution cycle. A recent funding round is giving SevenFifty fuel to grow. The … Continue reading “Can the Digital World Change the Wine and Spirits Industry?”
Mobile Real Estate Platform Developer Real Moves from Houston to NY
Things literally just got real in New York. Real, a digital mobile real estate brokerage that got its start in Houston, recently relocated its headquarters to the Flatiron District. CEO Tamir Poleg says via e-mail that the startup’s platform is aimed at independent, licensed residential real estate agents to help them manage leads and other services for … Continue reading “Mobile Real Estate Platform Developer Real Moves from Houston to NY”
TripSafe Debuts Smartphone-Controlled Security for Travelers in Hotels
Developed by a squad of veterans from several branches of the military, New York-based TripSafe on Tuesday unveiled a smartphone-controlled security monitoring system that alerts travelers, and others if they desire, to any unauthorized entry to their hotel rooms. TripSafe is something like a travel version of other home monitoring systems, such as Canary, that are … Continue reading “TripSafe Debuts Smartphone-Controlled Security for Travelers in Hotels”
Impact Radius Acquires Online Ad Fraud Monitor Forensiq
A local advertising fraud detector got snapped up today by a West Coast adtech player. Santa Barbara, CA-based Impact Radius acquired New York-based Forensiq, whose software and data scientists work to catch bogus impressions in online ads, such as from click fraud and “cookie stuffing.” Terms of the deal were not disclosed. David Sendroff, CEO and … Continue reading “Impact Radius Acquires Online Ad Fraud Monitor Forensiq”
NY Tech Meetup Merges with NY Tech Council, Forms NY Tech Alliance
A pair of advocate organizations for the New York technology community joined forces today to form one supergroup. The New York Tech Meetup, an organization that hosts monthly tech demos and took political action on net neutrality in 2014 speaking out against the Stop Online Piracy Act, merged with the New York Tech Council to form the … Continue reading “NY Tech Meetup Merges with NY Tech Council, Forms NY Tech Alliance”
Flatiron School Helps Refugees; Cornell Tech Hires Ex-Yahoo Scientist
The technology education scene in the city has seen interesting moves of late—particularly at the Flatiron School and Cornell Tech. Today, New York-based Flatiron School announced it is working with Re:Coded, a humanitarian nonprofit, to provide a curriculum to Syrian refugees in Iraq to help them find work as software developers. And last week, Cornell … Continue reading “Flatiron School Helps Refugees; Cornell Tech Hires Ex-Yahoo Scientist”
Steve Blank Hails NYU Engineering Grads, Talks Building Businesses
Make the most of the days to come while ignoring a few rules along the way was some of the advice Steve Blank shared Monday in a commencement speech for this year’s graduates at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Known for his methodologies that helped drive the lean startup movement, Blank is a former serial entrepreneur who … Continue reading “Steve Blank Hails NYU Engineering Grads, Talks Building Businesses”
A Peek Into Boxbee’s Pivot From a Storage Service to Software
[Updated 5/18/16, 6:50 am. See below.] Change is not always easy, but for some startups it is a shot at evolving into something tangible. Confronted with uncertain prospects for growth, the team at Boxbee, based in New York, pivoted away from its original business—which was managing the pickup and storage of personal property for its customers. … Continue reading “A Peek Into Boxbee’s Pivot From a Storage Service to Software”
Finance Platform YieldStreet Trying to Democratize Asset-Based Lending
Everyone wants to see their money grow, but relying on the whims of the stock market is not the only way to build wealth these days. Milind Mehere says his company’s alternative lending marketplace and finance platform aims to create access to different types of investment opportunities. New York-based YieldStreet lets accredited investors, as defined by federal … Continue reading “Finance Platform YieldStreet Trying to Democratize Asset-Based Lending”
From Appboy to VTS: A New York Funding Roundup
Springtime has brought to the city a batch of recent funding for local startups across industries from mobile to real estate. —New York-based commercial real estate technology developer VTS, which created an asset management and leasing platform, closed on a $55 million funding round led by Insight Venture Partners, with prior investors OpenView and Trinity Ventures … Continue reading “From Appboy to VTS: A New York Funding Roundup”
Flatiron School Tapped to Offer Web Dev Training to Immigrants in NYC
In yet another collaboration with the NYC Tech Talent Pipeline and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, a New York-based coding academy called the Flatiron School is inviting more folks to its classrooms. The Flatiron School announced a new fellowship program Tuesday created specifically to help low-income, legal immigrants in New York get the skills they … Continue reading “Flatiron School Tapped to Offer Web Dev Training to Immigrants in NYC”
Freshly Expands Its Reach, Looks to Challenge Sprig in Meal Delivery
In an expansion effort that brings its service to 28 states, New York-based meal delivery startup Freshly says it is also stepping into competitor Sprig’s turf—at a time when this sector is ripe for consolidation. On Monday, Freshly announced it scaled up its coverage area, including in states, such as Illinois, where San Francisco-based Sprig … Continue reading “Freshly Expands Its Reach, Looks to Challenge Sprig in Meal Delivery”
Apester Raised $17M in Series A Round Led by Blumberg Capital
Last week, New York-based Apester, a platform brands and publishers can use to tell stories with digital content, announced it closed a $17 million Series A round led by Blumberg Capital. Finding new ways to hold the audience’s attention with digital content is a problem other startups such as Contextly, an alum of the Matter accelerator, have also been … Continue reading “Apester Raised $17M in Series A Round Led by Blumberg Capital”
AOL and Cornell Tech’s Connected Experiences Lab Births First Idea
A bit of new technology has emerged from a partnership between AOL and New York-based Cornell Tech. Last week, AOL and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech announced in a press statement they had come up with something called immersive recommendations technology. This would let users opt in to use their personal digital information from one platform to … Continue reading “AOL and Cornell Tech’s Connected Experiences Lab Births First Idea”
Shapeways CEO Calls Again for 3D Printing Revolution in Manufacturing
At this afternoon’s Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo held in New York, Shapeways CEO and co-founder Peter Weijmarshausen will give a keynote address on the potential he sees in the long-promised age of digital manufacturing—which, frankly, still has a ways to go before it takes hold with the masses. Shapeways, based in New York, produces 3D-printed … Continue reading “Shapeways CEO Calls Again for 3D Printing Revolution in Manufacturing”
Techstars Gets Industrial With Launch of IoT Accelerator in New York
Trying a different strategy to nurture startups in the Internet of Things niche, Techstars announced on Monday the formation of another accelerator that will be based in New York. Ten spots are up for grabs for startups in the new program, which is another effort by Boulder, CO-based Techstars to foster companies working on ideas that connect … Continue reading “Techstars Gets Industrial With Launch of IoT Accelerator in New York”
Verizon, Cornell Tech, and CUNY Form NY Women in Tech Initiative
Bringing together public and private support, a tech education program has taken shape in New York to encourage more women to get trained to pursue careers in the industry. Verizon Communications, alongside Cornell Tech and the City University of New York, recently announced the Women in Technology and Entrepreneurship in New York Initiative (WiTNY)—which aims … Continue reading “Verizon, Cornell Tech, and CUNY Form NY Women in Tech Initiative”
Sisense Plans Another US Office As It Scales Up in Big Data Analytics
There is a race on to develop analytics software that can turn the vast amounts of data generated these days into something useful for businesses—and it will likely get harder to keep up. Not only is there more data to deal with, new sources of information continue to emerge, further complicating the matter, says Amir … Continue reading “Sisense Plans Another US Office As It Scales Up in Big Data Analytics”
MakerBot Deepens Ties to Syfy Labs for 3D Models Based on TV Shows
Following up on its January debut at CES, the newly minted Syfy Labs is working again with MakerBot Industries in Brooklyn to use 3D printing as a way to connect audiences with its lineup of television shows. As much as this is a possible windfall for MakerBot, it speaks more broadly to an effort to … Continue reading “MakerBot Deepens Ties to Syfy Labs for 3D Models Based on TV Shows”
Handshake Raises $14M Series B Round for E-Commerce Platform
In a Series B financing deal led by Sozo Ventures, New York-based Handshake raised $14 million, the company announced Thursday. Handshake developed a mobile sales and business-to-business e-commerce platform and works with distributors and manufacturers of various consumer goods. The company basically wants to offer for business-to-business what Shopify and Square do for retailers who sell … Continue reading “Handshake Raises $14M Series B Round for E-Commerce Platform”
Payoneer Acquires Armor Payments in Fintech Tie-Up
New York-based business-to-business online payments service Payoneer on Tuesday announced it acquired Armor Payments, a Silicon Valley-based, escrow-as-a-service payment company. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Armor’s software will be integrated into Payoneer’s platform to offer a service that lets business-to-business buyers and suppliers conduct escrow payments to accounts around the world. Under the combined service, … Continue reading “Payoneer Acquires Armor Payments in Fintech Tie-Up”
CoverWallet Raises $2M in Seed Round with Two Sigma Ventures, Others
Coming out of stealth mode this week, New York-based CoverWallet, an online business insurance manager, said it raised $2 million in a seed round with Two Sigma Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Founder Collective, and angel investors. CoverWallet specializes in serving small businesses that need help navigating commercial insurance. Its co-founder and CEO, Inaki Berenguer, was … Continue reading “CoverWallet Raises $2M in Seed Round with Two Sigma Ventures, Others”
International Women’s Day: “How Do We Teach Our Girls to Be Brave?”
Today marks International Women’s Day, a celebration of achievements and aspirations, but the effort to bring more women to the fore in the innovation scene is year-round. Last Friday, a pair of events in New York put the matter into perspective. Professional services company Accenture held its own International Women’s Day conference, and the annual New … Continue reading “International Women’s Day: “How Do We Teach Our Girls to Be Brave?””
Eight Raises $6M in Seed Round for Its Sleep-Tracking Mattress Cover
Not to be caught napping, New York-based Eight Sleep, the developer of a sleep-tracking mattress cover, last week raised $6 million in a seed round—the follow up to a $1.2 million Indiegogo campaign that ended last March. Eight, previously known as Luna, developed its mattress cover to gather data on sleeping patterns. It can also … Continue reading “Eight Raises $6M in Seed Round for Its Sleep-Tracking Mattress Cover”
FinTech Central Recap: The Changing Face of Wealth Management
[Updated 3/4/16, 12 pm. See below.] Opportunities are increasing, thanks to technology and new federal regulations, for the layperson to get into the investing game—but a few hurdles remain before the broad masses can fully participate. That was one of the takeaways from last night’s FinTech Central panel hosted by early-stage venture firm Canaan Partners … Continue reading “FinTech Central Recap: The Changing Face of Wealth Management”
Tech Savvy Students, Women Founders, & Government Transparency at NYTM
It seems there was no escaping talk of government Tuesday night even at the New York Tech Meetup—but at least the focus was on how to make technology work rather than dysfunctional politics. The demos at the monthly gathering included three teams of high schoolers who created apps and websites under the Code/Interactive program, software that … Continue reading “Tech Savvy Students, Women Founders, & Government Transparency at NYTM”
Andela and Codementor Collaborate to Help Train Coders in Africa
New York-based Andela and Codementor, an alumnus of Techstars and Y Combinator, announced Tuesday they have formed a partnership to train aspiring coders in Africa. Andela, which finds software developer prospects across Africa, will train and help place the entry-level coders at jobs with U.S. companies. Once placed, Codementor, a Mountain View, CA-based marketplace for … Continue reading “Andela and Codementor Collaborate to Help Train Coders in Africa”
Social Media Week Recap: Startups to Watch & No End to Entrepreneurship
Even if hard times are ahead, founders will continue to crank out ideas and chase funding. That was the sentiment of Tim Devane, principal with New York- and Boston-based seed fund NextView Ventures. He spoke late last week during the Startups to Watch session of the Social Media Week conference in New York, where ten … Continue reading “Social Media Week Recap: Startups to Watch & No End to Entrepreneurship”
Code/Interactive Hosts Its First-Ever Diversity in Tech Awards
A celebration makes for a good reason to reflect on work that still needs to be done. Last night in New York, Code/Interactive held the city’s first Diversity in Tech Awards to honor standout students and advocates who have been shaking up the homogeny in the technology scene. Code/Interactive is a Bronx-based nonprofit organization that brings education … Continue reading “Code/Interactive Hosts Its First-Ever Diversity in Tech Awards”
Funnster Takes Party Planning Mobile with App Launch
A few weeks after taking the stage at this month’s New York Tech Meetup, New York-based Funnster officially launched its iOS app on Tuesday. A desktop version was previously available. Funnster, founded in 2015, was created to take some of the pain out of planning and hosting events by having attendees list what they will contribute. … Continue reading “Funnster Takes Party Planning Mobile with App Launch”