Fred Wilson opened the doors at Union Square Ventures last Thursday night to let folks from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (commonly referred to as NYU-Poly) talk up the jobs and other positive influences their incubators have had on New York’s economy. Alumni and current tenants came out to celebrate the fourth anniversary … Continue reading “A Night at Union Square Ventures: NYU-Poly Talks Up Incubator Success”
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.
Canary’s Call for Crowdfunding Answered More than Fourfold in 48 Hours
All the “cool kids” seem to have crowdfunding campaigns these days but Canary in New York is among the few who hit their goal with blinding speed. The startup is developing a home security device equipped with an HD camera, night vision, motion detection, and other sensors that can be monitored via smartphone. On Monday, … Continue reading “Canary’s Call for Crowdfunding Answered More than Fourfold in 48 Hours”
No Easy Climb as EquaMetrics Looks to Disrupt Trading and FinTech
New York may be hallowed ground for financial business but it can still be hard for some local startups to break into this sector. Chris Ivey, CEO and co-founder of New York-based EquaMetrics, believes companies such as his can insinuate themselves much deeper in this world. “They never really enter financial technology, and if they … Continue reading “No Easy Climb as EquaMetrics Looks to Disrupt Trading and FinTech”
Work-Bench Heeds Call of Enterprise Startups, Revamps Its Co-Op Space
Plenty of shared and cooperative startup spaces pop up in this city, but the crew at Work-Bench thinks they can help a rapidly rising yet somewhat unsung part of the tech community. Like other innovation hubs, New York is brimming with startups that create apps and software for consumers—while the creators of enterprise technology make … Continue reading “Work-Bench Heeds Call of Enterprise Startups, Revamps Its Co-Op Space”
Don’t Call Me “Girl,” Sir: Women, Tech, and a Chat with Olivia Munn
It is long past time to stop regarding the presence of women in technology as an anomaly—yet achieving widespread acknowledgment of their work remains a challenge. Multiple organizations in New York—including Girls Who Code, Cornell NYC Tech, and L’Oréal—and across the country are taking on this task while also encouraging new generations of women to … Continue reading “Don’t Call Me “Girl,” Sir: Women, Tech, and a Chat with Olivia Munn”
RRE Ventures Grows with Hire from Lerer Ventures, Sees NY Flourishing
New York venture capital firm RRE Ventures said Wednesday it has hired Steve Schlafman, previously with Lerer Ventures, as a principal. Schlafman made the move to focus more on Series A than seed stage deals, says Stuart Ellman, RRE’s co-managing partner. Schlafman brings with him a history of work in the technology world. Prior to … Continue reading “RRE Ventures Grows with Hire from Lerer Ventures, Sees NY Flourishing”
Deposit a Gift Adds Crowdfunding to Its Cash Gift Registry Business
New York-based Deposit a Gift relaunched its platform Tuesday morning to push its new crowdfunding services for fundraising needs that range from school donations to even buying a first home. Deposit a Gift started out as a cash gift registry for weddings, babies, and other events (and items people want). CEO Dana Ostomel says she … Continue reading “Deposit a Gift Adds Crowdfunding to Its Cash Gift Registry Business”
Shapeways CEO: 3D Printing Can Fully Disrupt Views on Manufacturing
Inside the Manhattan headquarters of 3D printing service Shapeways, engineers plug away at rows of workstations, the crisp clackety-clack of a table tennis match is underway in the break room, and CEO Peter Weijmarshausen sees a revolution building across his industry. “3D printing can completely disrupt the way we think about manufacturing,” he says. “We … Continue reading “Shapeways CEO: 3D Printing Can Fully Disrupt Views on Manufacturing”
Lingerie E-Commerce Site Adore Me, Developed at Harvard, Raises $8.5M
With $8.5 million from a Series B round, New York-based lingerie e-commerce site Adore Me said on Tuesday it has a plan to crack the hold Victoria’s Secret has on the intimate apparel market—at least online. Adore Me offers rotating collections of new designer bras and panties. In addition to purchases by general consumers, the … Continue reading “Lingerie E-Commerce Site Adore Me, Developed at Harvard, Raises $8.5M”
Filip Technologies Drafts New CEO from Virgin Group, Plans NY Office
A British developer of a wearable communicator for kids has hired Jonathan Peachey, previously CEO of Virgin Management USA, and plans to open a U.S. headquarters in New York that will include tech talent in mobile, Web, and backend software development. Filip Technologies is putting the final touches on a device that functions as a … Continue reading “Filip Technologies Drafts New CEO from Virgin Group, Plans NY Office”
NY Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Stories That Got This City Talking in Q2
With Xconomy’s mission of highlighting how innovation can drive exponential growth in the economy, it’s important to look back at stories that speak to the character of the cities we cover. My esteemed colleagues in Boston, San Francisco, Boulder/Denver, and Seattle have already shared some of their favorites from the second quarter of this year. … Continue reading “NY Editor’s Picks: Xconomy Stories That Got This City Talking in Q2”
TechMediaNetwork Acquires Bestofmedia Group to Challenge CNET
TechMediaNetwork, which owns New York media outlets LAPTOP, Space.com, and Newsarama, said Monday it acquired Bestofmedia Group to load up its portfolio and take on media giant CBS’s tech site CNET. TechMediaNetwork, with headquarters in Ogden, UT and offices in New York, said the acquisition will give it some 72 million readers across all of … Continue reading “TechMediaNetwork Acquires Bestofmedia Group to Challenge CNET”
Despite Shakeup, the Show Goes On at TechStars NYC Demo Day
Eleven bright-eyed startups pitched ideas for 3-D imaging, enterprise software, and ad technology at a demo day last Thursday in New York to a crowded house of potential investors, entrepreneurs, and other looky-loos (myself included). Though the show ran much like others TechStars puts on, it would be remiss to ignore the recent reshuffling at … Continue reading “Despite Shakeup, the Show Goes On at TechStars NYC Demo Day”
New York’s Next Top Makers Finalist MyBell Wins Slot to Demo at CES
When is a bicycle bell more than a bicycle bell? Combine it with technology from New York’s MyBell, and it can blast with the force of a truck horn. Last night, as part of the CE Week festivities in the city, MyBell founder Peter Pottier pitched his idea for an electronic bicycle bell before a … Continue reading “New York’s Next Top Makers Finalist MyBell Wins Slot to Demo at CES”
General Motors Cruises into CE Week in a Spark EV, Talks Connected Cars
Tuesday night, at the onset of CE Week in New York, carmaker General Motors talked up some of the concepts it is bringing to autos, including new ways to control devices connected to vehicles. GM also opened the doors on its Chevy Spark EV all-electric city car, which went on sale this month in select … Continue reading “General Motors Cruises into CE Week in a Spark EV, Talks Connected Cars”
Whistle Trots out Dog Activity Tracker in a Night Full of Gadgets
In an anime-inspired night in New York full of gadgets and characters from “Sailor Moon,” San Francisco startup Whistle showed off its activity tracking device for dogs alongside Samsung’s hot new Galaxy NX camera. For Whistle, it was a chance to reveal some of its plans two weeks after announcing it had raised $6 million … Continue reading “Whistle Trots out Dog Activity Tracker in a Night Full of Gadgets”
New York Coaxes eFaqts and Plot to Expand from Netherlands to the U.S.
Startups from Portugal, the Netherlands, and other countries recently made the rounds in New York, looking for potential collaborators, investors, and new ways to set up shop in the United States. These individual efforts—run by organizations such as VentureOutNY and the Dutch consulate—may seem small but could slowly swell into an innovation front when viewed … Continue reading “New York Coaxes eFaqts and Plot to Expand from Netherlands to the U.S.”
MakerBot and Stratasys Make it Official and Ink $403M Merger Deal
After more than a week of merger rumors, desktop 3-D printer developer MakerBot Industries in Brooklyn today announced it agreed to be acquired by Stratasys (Nasdaq: [[ticker:SSYS]]) in Minneapolis, MN, in a stock-for-stock deal valued at $403 million. The news is the latest major deal for a New York-based startup after Yahoo acquired Tumblr one … Continue reading “MakerBot and Stratasys Make it Official and Ink $403M Merger Deal”
Venture Arms of Samsung, Verizon, & Others Hungry for Deals with Hot Ideas
If startups want to seek funding from venture capitalists linked to major companies, they face a few different considerations compared with making deals with other types of backers. So on Tuesday, venture capitalists from Verizon, Shell, Samsung, Applied Materials, and other companies at the annual New York Venture Summit discussed the mojo they want to … Continue reading “Venture Arms of Samsung, Verizon, & Others Hungry for Deals with Hot Ideas”
Content Galaxy Thinks its Video Streaming Platform Can Trump YouTube
In the free-for-all of the online video sector, it can be tough to stand out. But today New York’s Content Galaxy rolled out a platform it believes can give print media a new way to engage audiences who watch streaming videos. Content Galaxy offers paid subscribers access to content such as video from authors, publishers, … Continue reading “Content Galaxy Thinks its Video Streaming Platform Can Trump YouTube”
FitBark Digs Up Dogs’ Activity Data for Their Owners
Seeing dogs riding in cars with their ears flapping in the wind is common in summer, but canines need much more exercise than sticking their heads out of windows. FitBark, based in the Forest Hills section of Queens, believes its wearable activity-tracking device for dogs will help pet owners understand how much running around their … Continue reading “FitBark Digs Up Dogs’ Activity Data for Their Owners”
Betterment, Scivantage Fight to Bring Innovation to Wall Street
Technology continues to surge through the financial world like a gust of wind. But at times, it’s taken a bit of coaxing to bring about change. At the New Jersey Technology Council’s recent FinTech Conference in Jersey City, technologists and financial experts discussed how wealth management platforms, mobile transactions, and other tools are reshaping this … Continue reading “Betterment, Scivantage Fight to Bring Innovation to Wall Street”
Dataminr Raises $30M in New Funding Round Led by Venrock and IVP
Social media analytics company Dataminr in New York announced today it raised $30 million in a funding round led by Institutional Venture Partners and Venrock. Dataminr, founded in 2009, uses Twitter’s firehose of public tweets to analyze events happening around the world and identify trends on behalf of customers in financial services and government. The … Continue reading “Dataminr Raises $30M in New Funding Round Led by Venrock and IVP”
Acquisition Rumors About MakerBot Aside, 3-D Printing Poised to Grow
A hornet’s nest of gossip buzzed up over the weekend about alleged talks between desktop 3-D printer producer MakerBot Industries in Brooklyn and Minnesota’s Stratasys. Though neither company will comment, the rampant speculation about an acquisition deal speaks to the fast rise of 3-D printing. Zack Schildhorn, vice president and director of operations with New … Continue reading “Acquisition Rumors About MakerBot Aside, 3-D Printing Poised to Grow”
Salaries Up for IT Security Managers, Systems Analysts, Says Mondo
Anxious to put technology to work reaching audiences, marketers helped shoot adrenaline into IT workers’ salaries, according to a recent study. Technology recruiting firm Mondo in New York last week released findings of a survey based on IT job placements the company made in 2012 and 2013. Among the professionals surveyed, experienced IT security managers … Continue reading “Salaries Up for IT Security Managers, Systems Analysts, Says Mondo”
Floored’s CEO Talks About Bringing 3-D Image Modeling to Real Estate
Injecting new technology into a long-established industry is a big enough task for most new companies. So is tying your fortune to a brand-new technology application that is still finding its place in the market. New York-based Floored must like a good challenge—it’s trying to climb both of those mountains. The startup’s aim is to … Continue reading “Floored’s CEO Talks About Bringing 3-D Image Modeling to Real Estate”
SAP Snaps Up E-commerce Tech Biz Hybris, Plans to Keep It Independent
Enterprise software company SAP announced Wednesday it acquired e-commerce software company hybris, which has its U.S. headquarters in New York and offices in Boston. The deal is expected to close by the third quarter with hybris operating as an independent business within its new parent company. Germany-based SAP said it plans to combine its technology … Continue reading “SAP Snaps Up E-commerce Tech Biz Hybris, Plans to Keep It Independent”
Zynga to Shutter Offices in New York, Dallas, LA—Game Over for OMGPOP
The crops seem to be withering in the land of “FarmVille.” When social game company Zynga (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ZNGA]]) announced on Monday plans to cut 520 employees, about 18 percent of its overall staff, its New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas offices reportedly landed on the chopping block. Zynga did not immediately respond to requests for … Continue reading “Zynga to Shutter Offices in New York, Dallas, LA—Game Over for OMGPOP”
L’Oréal, New Coalition, & Others Seek Increased Role for Women in Tech
Campaigns to elevate the presence of women in technology have sprung up of late in New York, and one of the latest efforts was last week’s formation of the NY Tech Meetup: Coalition for Women in Technology. Co-founded by NY Tech Meetup, Control Group, and Girl Develop It, the new alliance wants to raise awareness … Continue reading “L’Oréal, New Coalition, & Others Seek Increased Role for Women in Tech”
Venture for America’s 2nd Class Brings out LinkedIn and HuffPo Bosses
Last night Venture for America celebrated its second, and much larger, class of fellows with the help of The Huffington Post’s president, Arianna Huffington, and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner. Venture for America recruits seniors and recent grads from top universities to work for two years at startups in urban areas across the country. Later this … Continue reading “Venture for America’s 2nd Class Brings out LinkedIn and HuffPo Bosses”
ChaCha’s Dan Hodges Expects Guided Answers to Rival Web Searches
When “guided search” platform ChaCha hired Dan Hodges in March to be its president the company also set up a New York office for him to head up its growth. ChaCha is a mobile Web platform for getting questions answered with the help of human guides. Users can submit questions via text message, the ChaCha … Continue reading “ChaCha’s Dan Hodges Expects Guided Answers to Rival Web Searches”
Postmates Sets Up Shop in New York—Right in Seamless’s Backyard
Today Postmates revealed it has expanded its app-driven, shopping and delivery service to New York with a team operating in the Flatiron neighborhood. This puts the San Francisco startup in three cities, including Seattle, and on New York-based Seamless’s home turf. Postmates lets consumers order prepared food, groceries, and even office supplies that will be … Continue reading “Postmates Sets Up Shop in New York—Right in Seamless’s Backyard”
Blippar Believes Its Image Recognition App Goes Beyond Augmented Reality
Among the tricks that smartphones can learn, augmented reality is still maturing its way towards the mainstream, but Blippar hopes its app will become as common as tweeting. Augmented reality is a way to view one’s surroundings using cameras on mobile devices to see virtual layers of images and information inserted into the scene. Blippar’s … Continue reading “Blippar Believes Its Image Recognition App Goes Beyond Augmented Reality”
Shutterstock CEO Jon Oringer Speaks About Deciding to Go Public
Selling digital images and video helped Shutterstock in New York make its mark. Now CEO and founder Jon Oringer sees potential to expand into other content and media. He spoke as part of Internet Week New York, discussing why his company went public last October and new ways in which he wants to expand its … Continue reading “Shutterstock CEO Jon Oringer Speaks About Deciding to Go Public”
Crunchyroll Upgrades Anime Site to Connect Fans with Merchandise
Much of the media world makes its money by pairing merchandise with television programs and movies. Now Web-streaming service Crunchyroll has updated its platform to improve the way it sells toys and other show-related products to fans. Kun Gao, co-founder and CEO of Crunchyroll in San Francisco, is in New York this week to speak … Continue reading “Crunchyroll Upgrades Anime Site to Connect Fans with Merchandise”
Boston and Other “Digital Cities” Visit Internet Week New York
A bit of friendly rivalry is healthy for cities with growing technology ecosystems, but sometimes they set aside the hype and find ways to collaborate. At the onset of this week’s Internet Week New York citywide festivities, representatives from 11 cities from the U.S. and beyond spoke about how their administrations are leverage technology to … Continue reading “Boston and Other “Digital Cities” Visit Internet Week New York”
Yahoo Locks in $1.1B Deal for Tumblr, Promises Not to Screw Up
David Karp’s wallet just got a lot fatter. After a flurry of speculation over the weekend, Tumblr in New York is being acquired by Sunnyvale, CA-based Yahoo, in a deal announced early Monday at the previously reported price of $1.1 billion, mostly in cash. Yahoo put out a statement on the acquisition with a pledge to … Continue reading “Yahoo Locks in $1.1B Deal for Tumblr, Promises Not to Screw Up”
Going Beyond Early Promises, NY Works On Its Follow-Through (Part 2)
For cities to truly thrive in this economy, fresh ideas must be cross-pollinated from beyond their borders—and New York offers its share of honey to lure in startups. This international gateway can be the place for companies to break into the U.S. market, meet new collaborators, and tap the resources of well-heeled investors. A panel … Continue reading “Going Beyond Early Promises, NY Works On Its Follow-Through (Part 2)”
Going Beyond Early Promises, NY Works On Its Follow-Through (Part 1)
After much clamor about becoming a sanctuary for startups, New York faces the “now what?” stage of its growth as a tech hub. Plans have been laid down to fill the streets with engineers—in another decade or two. But that does not mean this community is waiting around for the Cornell NYC Tech campus to … Continue reading “Going Beyond Early Promises, NY Works On Its Follow-Through (Part 1)”
NY’s Tech Evolution Viewed by the Master of the Webutante Ball
In a city where people know people who know people, Richard Blakeley sits at the heart of a web that connects New York’s tech community. That enviable position stems in part from his annual Webutante Ball. While preparing for next Thursday’s big gala, he spoke to Xconomy about the city’s evolution into a place not … Continue reading “NY’s Tech Evolution Viewed by the Master of the Webutante Ball”
How John Frankel Fished a Deal from Reality Show “Shark Tank”
The search for potential investments has led the team at ff Venture Capital in New York into strange waters. John Frankel, a partner with the firm, says he decided to back UniKey Technologies after hearing about its founder’s appearance last year on the television show “Shark Tank.” In spite of early misgivings about approaching an … Continue reading “How John Frankel Fished a Deal from Reality Show “Shark Tank””
NY Digital Health Accelerator Graduates First Class, Sees an Acquisition
One year after it was announced, the New York Digital Health Accelerator birthed its first clutch of startups on Wednesday at a demo day—including one acquisition deal in the mix. Pared down from some 250 applicants from across the U.S. and 10 countries, the eight startups in this class created platforms for referrals for post-acute … Continue reading “NY Digital Health Accelerator Graduates First Class, Sees an Acquisition”
PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup
Sometimes it feels like all technology roads lead to the New York Tech Meetup. Fresh from Boulder, CO, David Mandell and the team from PivotDesk took the stage at last night’s gathering here to introduce themselves to the New York tech community. PivotDesk helps startups find space they can rent by connecting them with other … Continue reading “PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup”
VentureOutNY, NYCEDC, and iCatapult Bring European Startups to NY
The campaign to attract more startups to New York is reaching across international borders. Last night a coalition of private and city organizations introduced a group of 15 startups from Europe to the New York tech and investor community. The mission was to build local business connections for these companies and the event organizers say … Continue reading “VentureOutNY, NYCEDC, and iCatapult Bring European Startups to NY”
Vidyo Brings Videoconferencing to Doctors in Remote Parts of Alaska
[Updated with comments from CEO Ofer Shapiro. See below] Imagine being a doctor with patients scattered across the rural reaches of Alaska. Booking face-to-face visits might not be that easy—unless you also happen to be a bush pilot—but having access to videoconferencing technology can be away to conduct visual exams regardless of the distance. Vidyo, … Continue reading “Vidyo Brings Videoconferencing to Doctors in Remote Parts of Alaska”
LG Parties with Optimus G Pro, Pulls a Note or II from Samsung
Trumpeting the upcoming debut of the Optimus G Pro phablet, last night LG Electronics brought the press, analysts, and other guests to the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York to check out the device. With dusky lighting and indie rock band Atlas Genius taking the stage part way through the night, the company tried put some … Continue reading “LG Parties with Optimus G Pro, Pulls a Note or II from Samsung”
The Muse’s CEO: Tech Needs More Visible Female Role Models
Diversifying what is considered the face of technology could encourage more women to become founders, says Kathryn Minshew, CEO and co-founder of New York career advice site The Muse and sister news site The Daily Muse. She chatted with me after speaking at last night’s Made in New York event, which promotes tech companies based … Continue reading “The Muse’s CEO: Tech Needs More Visible Female Role Models”
Partnership for New York City Wants Urban Tech Campuses Across City
With the recent release of the NYC Jobs Blueprint, the Partnership for New York City makes it pretty clear it wants the next mayor to embrace the innovation community. In addition to laying out several policy proposals, the Partnership also offered $20 million for the city’s next administration to put towards the establishment of urban … Continue reading “Partnership for New York City Wants Urban Tech Campuses Across City”
Fab.com Expands, Acquires, and Goes Brick-and-Mortar
The ambitions for the future of New York-based flash sales site Fab are taking shape. Jason Goldberg, the company’s CEO, detailed in a blog post today his company’s plans for expansion on a variety of fronts. Fab has relaunched as a design store selling original products, as well as items from outside suppliers, and has expanded its Web … Continue reading “Fab.com Expands, Acquires, and Goes Brick-and-Mortar”
Analytics Woven Into Fashion Among the Ideas at ERA Demo Day
Showing off the results of a longer, more robust program, the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator held a demo day last Friday at IAC’s headquarters in the Chelsea neighborhood. This fourth batch of startups to graduate from the accelerator put data and software to work in such sectors as retail apparel, online dating, residential real estate, and … Continue reading “Analytics Woven Into Fashion Among the Ideas at ERA Demo Day”