DailyWorth.com in New York, an online community and daily e-mail which offers women personal finance and career information, raised $2 million, according to a press release. Joanne Wilson and Howard Lindzon, the co-founder of StockTwits, led the round. Thus far DailyWorth has raised more than $3 million, which includes backing from angel investor group Robin Hood … Continue reading “DailyWorth Gets $2M in Round Led by Joanne Wilson and Howard Lindzon”
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.
Survey: Tech Executives Saw More Pay in 2011, Life Sciences Inched Up
[Updated 1:45 p.m. ET] Executive compensation held relatively steady in 2011 among privately-held life sciences companies, while their peers in the technology sector continued to see salary increases, according to the annual CompStudy survey produced by executive search firm J. Robert Scott and law firm WilmerHale in collaboration with Noam Wasserman, associate professor of business administration … Continue reading “Survey: Tech Executives Saw More Pay in 2011, Life Sciences Inched Up”
IAC Subsidiary Proust Shutting Down At End of Month
Nearly two years after it was founded within Internet company IAC (Nasdaq: [[ticker:IACI]]) in New York, social scrapbook Proust.com will be no more. E-mails sent out Wednesday announced the website will shut down on Jan. 31. Proust, for now, is an online scrapbook that lets users selectively share personal stories along with photos and videos … Continue reading “IAC Subsidiary Proust Shutting Down At End of Month”
2tor Elevates Chip Paucek to CEO, Shifts Headquarters to Maryland
Education technology startup 2tor in New York said Wednesday it appointed president and co-founder Chip Paucek as its CEO. John Katzman, the founding CEO, remains with the company as executive chairman. With Paucek’s appointment, 2tor’s headquarters shifts to its Landover, MD offices. The company will maintain its New York operations and also has offices in … Continue reading “2tor Elevates Chip Paucek to CEO, Shifts Headquarters to Maryland”
TechStars NYC Alum Wantworthy Got A $860,000 Year-End Funding Boost
New York’s Wantworthy, an online fashion wish list, raised some $860,000 according to a regulatory filing. The company wants to raise about $1 million in total for the round. Wantworthy was among the graduates of the New York TechStars summer 2011 accelerator program. Wantworthy, founded in 2010, developed a platform that lets users create lists … Continue reading “TechStars NYC Alum Wantworthy Got A $860,000 Year-End Funding Boost”
Google Becomes Technology Partner with IncubateNYC Campaign in Harlem
Google has signed on as a technology partner with IncubateNYC’s campaign to establish a technology incubator in Harlem, says Marcus Mayo, co-founder of IncubateNYC. The group is competing to be chosen by the New York City Economic Development Corporation to fulfill a request for proposals for a new incubator to be established near 125th Street. … Continue reading “Google Becomes Technology Partner with IncubateNYC Campaign in Harlem”
Tutorspree Reveals Sequoia Capital Led Its Seed Round
New York-based startup Tutorspree revealed that its $1 million seed round was led by Sequoia Capital with participation from Founder Collective, Lerer Ventures, Thrive Capital, SV Angel, and individual investors. Tutorspree is an online platform that lets tutors across the country post profiles to offer their expertise and receive reviews from the students they work … Continue reading “Tutorspree Reveals Sequoia Capital Led Its Seed Round”
HopStop Keeps its Edge in Pedestrian Navigation Despite Competition
Even for natives of busy cities, it is not always easy to know the fastest way to get around town on foot or by public transit. It would be nice to find out about planned changes to subway lines and bus routes, for example, before rushing to stops that might not be in service. That … Continue reading “HopStop Keeps its Edge in Pedestrian Navigation Despite Competition”
Appssavvy, Backed by AOL Ventures, Raises $7.1M in Series 1-A Round
Advertising technology company appssavvy in New York said in a press release issued Tuesday it raised $7.1 million in a Series 1-A round that included new investor AOL Ventures as well as current investors. Three-year-old appssavvy developed an activity-based advertising platform called adtivity. In 2010, the company raised $3.1 million in a round that included … Continue reading “Appssavvy, Backed by AOL Ventures, Raises $7.1M in Series 1-A Round”
MediaBrix Raises $4M with Edison Ventures, Plans to Grow Staff in 2012
MediaBrix, a New York-based developer of a social media advertising platform, closed a $4 million Series B funding round. MediaBrix CEO Ari Brandt says Edison Ventures was the sole investor in the round. Edison Ventures principal Ryan Ziegler, and Mike Leo, CEO of the advertising software maker Operative in New York, joined MediaBrix’s board in … Continue reading “MediaBrix Raises $4M with Edison Ventures, Plans to Grow Staff in 2012”
GameChanger Media Makes a Play to Broaden Sports Stats App in 2012
High school and youth sports teams may lack the deep pockets of the pros, but they can still take advantage of technology for tracking game stats thanks to a New York startup. Angel investor-backed GameChanger Media offers coaches of young athletes a mobile platform that evolves record keeping from pen and paper to smartphones and … Continue reading “GameChanger Media Makes a Play to Broaden Sports Stats App in 2012”
Lot18 Uncorks European Wine Market with Vinobest Acquisition
Members of online wine and gourmet food club Lot18 can expect to see more offerings of European vintages in the future, thanks to the New York-based company’s expansion into France and Britain. Backed by proceeds from a $30 million Series C round in November led by Accel Partners, Lot18 on Dec. 9 purchased wine e-commerce … Continue reading “Lot18 Uncorks European Wine Market with Vinobest Acquisition”
LocalResponse Expands to Chicago, Plans to Double Staff in 2012
With eyes pointed westward, New York-based LocalResponse announced today it opened a new office in Chicago and is considering plans for an office in California. LocalResponse, backed by Cava Capital and others, puts a business-to-business spin on the “check-in” market. The startup created a platform that lets brands and other marketers respond with relevant ads … Continue reading “LocalResponse Expands to Chicago, Plans to Double Staff in 2012”
Outbrain Raises $35M in Series D Round Led by Index Ventures
New York-based startup Outbrain said in a press release issued Wednesday that it raised $35 million in a Series D funding round led by Index Ventures with participation from existing investors Carmel Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Founded in 2006, Outbrain created a recommendation engine that suggests stories and other material to readers who visit … Continue reading “Outbrain Raises $35M in Series D Round Led by Index Ventures”
TV Stylist Stacy London’s Style for Hire Raises $1M in Series A Round
Three-year-old Style for Hire in Brooklyn raised more than $1 million in a Series A round led by Golden Seeds in New York according to a press release issued Monday. Co-founded by Stacy London, co-host of television show What Not to Wear on TLC, Style for Hire is a network of trained and certified personal … Continue reading “TV Stylist Stacy London’s Style for Hire Raises $1M in Series A Round”
Angel-Funded GoldRun Helps Nike Augment Its Reality
Shoppers with iPhones will be able to discover Nike products in a virtual way at Finish Line stores today, thanks to technology from GoldRun in New York. GoldRun raised $1.2 million in a seed round in April with a plan to conquer an emerging field: augmented reality, which is technology that adds images, sounds, or … Continue reading “Angel-Funded GoldRun Helps Nike Augment Its Reality”
Digital Media Center Looks Ahead at Financing Scene for 2012
Investment bankers, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists gathered Tuesday morning at the New York offices of accounting and consulting firm Deloitte near Bowling Green to listen to a panel discuss the financing outlook for technology startups in 2012. The event was the first to be presented by the Digital Media Center, a new group formed by … Continue reading “Digital Media Center Looks Ahead at Financing Scene for 2012”
IncubateNYC Hopes to Stir A New Harlem Renaissance With Startups
A campaign to win the contract to bring a technology incubator to Harlem went into high gear on Monday with the launch of a new website. IncubateNYC, a group of entrepreneurs and investors co-founded by Marcus Mayo and Brian Shields, believes it has the answer to the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s request for … Continue reading “IncubateNYC Hopes to Stir A New Harlem Renaissance With Startups”
Kogeto Brings Panoramic Video to iPhones With Its Dot iCONIC Lenses
User-generated videos are getting a new perspective, thanks to Kogeto’s Dot, a lens attachment that lets the iPhone 4 family of smartphones shoot panoramic footage. Jeff Glasse, founder and CEO of New York-based Kogeto has been busy in his offices in the Soho neighborhood developing what he calls an “ecosystem” for users to share videos … Continue reading “Kogeto Brings Panoramic Video to iPhones With Its Dot iCONIC Lenses”
BarkBox, Led by Uber and Meetup Veterans, Bites Into Curated Gifts for Dogs
BarkBox in New York launched its website today ready to ship monthly boxes of new toys and treats to dog lovers who want to pamper their four-legged companions. Co-founder Carly Strife says subscribers will receive, for a fee, well-designed, curated products chosen by BarkBox. Though not affiliated with cosmetics sample service Birchbox, also in New … Continue reading “BarkBox, Led by Uber and Meetup Veterans, Bites Into Curated Gifts for Dogs”
EZBZ in Talks for Seed Funding Less than One Month after Launch
Shana Schlossberg believes her startup, EZBZ in New York, can help small businesses reach customers at the moment they are needed most. With its Web portal that launched on Nov. 8, EZBZ lets consumers post requests for goods and professional services that rival businesses make competing bids on as potential providers. Thus far, EZBZ is … Continue reading “EZBZ in Talks for Seed Funding Less than One Month after Launch”
Social Passport Goes After Retailers and Consumers with Its Own Take on Loyalty Cards and Deals
New York’s Social Passport wants to appeal to retailers and restaurateurs who are not quite sold on the other check-in deal programs on the market. CEO David Merel founded the startup last December and brought his company’s technology out of beta this October. Thus far Social Passport has raised some $350,000 from angel investors, and … Continue reading “Social Passport Goes After Retailers and Consumers with Its Own Take on Loyalty Cards and Deals”
Lascaux, Funded by Betaworks, Launches Social Art App Mixel for iPad
There are plenty of art and photo-sharing websites and apps on the market, but New York startup Lascaux Co. believes its free app Mixel offers a fresh angle by letting users share images to create collages. The company was co-founded by Khoi Vinh, former digital design director with The New York Times, and Scott Ostler, … Continue reading “Lascaux, Funded by Betaworks, Launches Social Art App Mixel for iPad”
Waggit Takes Startup Weekend NYC
The New York startup scene is literally going to the dogs. Waggit, a platform for finding potential dog sitters among other local pet lovers, on Sunday won the grand prize at Startup Weekend New York City. Like many other Startup Weekend events, the hackathon started off with a massive collision of ideas—some more original than … Continue reading “Waggit Takes Startup Weekend NYC”
Hunch, Backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Acquired by EBay
New York’s Hunch, which uses its technology to provide data insights on what consumers want, said on its blog Monday that it was acquired by online auction heavyweight eBay (Nasdaq: [[ticker:EBAY]]) in San Jose, CA. Financial terms were not disclosed by the companies. However, reports valued the deal at $80 million. EBay says it plans to … Continue reading “Hunch, Backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Acquired by EBay”
New York Startups Shapeways, Chloe + Isabel, and HowAboutWe.com Rake in Cash
An array of New York startups, including a 3D manufacturer and a dating website, has raised funding recently: Shapeways, a 3D printing company says in a blog post it raised $5.1 million in a funding round with prior investors Union Square Ventures and Index Ventures. The company’s 3D printing services let customers create products from … Continue reading “New York Startups Shapeways, Chloe + Isabel, and HowAboutWe.com Rake in Cash”
Medivo Raises $7M in Series A Funding Round Led by Safeguard Scientifics
Health care IT company Medivo in New York raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: [[ticker:SFE]]) in Wayne, PA according to a press release issued Thursday. Medivo, founded in 2010, provides a platform for data analytics and connects lab testing services with physicians and patients. According to the press statement, … Continue reading “Medivo Raises $7M in Series A Funding Round Led by Safeguard Scientifics”
BillGuard, Backed by Khosla Ventures, Wants to Stop Sneaky Credit Card Charges
Yaron Samid, CEO and co-founder of BillGuard in New York, likens his company to Robin Hood and his merry band on a mission to return pilfered money to the masses. With $10 million raised in October in a Series B funding round led by Khosla Ventures, BillGuard has set out to further develop its technology, … Continue reading “BillGuard, Backed by Khosla Ventures, Wants to Stop Sneaky Credit Card Charges”
NYC BigApps Hackathon Gives Young Whizzes a Jumpstart at Entrepreneurship
Eric Rafaloff, creator of the Can I Park Here app, may have been destined to join New York’s startup community. After he got his first computer when he was eight years old, he wanted to learn how software worked at deeper levels. Now a young man of 19, Rafaloff took first place at last weekend’s … Continue reading “NYC BigApps Hackathon Gives Young Whizzes a Jumpstart at Entrepreneurship”
Salorix Raises $3.5M in Series A Round with Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners
Social media marketing and analytics firm Salorix in Santa Clara, CA said in a press release Monday it raised $3.5 million in a Series A round co-led by Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners. Salorix, which also has offices in New York, was founded in 2009. Its platform is used by brands and ad … Continue reading “Salorix Raises $3.5M in Series A Round with Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners”
Bluefin Labs and SocialGuide Push Competing Technology to Make Social Data Useful to TV Networks and Advertisers
It is not even Thanksgiving and it has already been a busy November for Bluefin Labs, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of analytics gleaned from the wealth of comments in the social sphere about television shows. Bluefin Labs, backed by Acacia Woods Ventures, Lerer Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, and others, was among the startups presenting their ideas … Continue reading “Bluefin Labs and SocialGuide Push Competing Technology to Make Social Data Useful to TV Networks and Advertisers”
Evidon, Backed by Warburg Pincus, Ups Its Funding to $16.75M
According to a regulatory filing posted on Tuesday, ad-privacy compliance tech company Evidon in New York amended the funding it has raised to $16.75 million—up from $12.5 million in July. The company is backed by private equity firm Warburg Pincus. Evidon did not immediately respond to requests for more details on the funding amendment. Evidon, … Continue reading “Evidon, Backed by Warburg Pincus, Ups Its Funding to $16.75M”
HackNY Connects Future Innovators to New York’s Startup Scene
Eager to build on the momentum in New York’s burgeoning startup community, the hackNY program offers college students from across country a taste of the city’s tech scene. The program, started some 18 months ago, is led by co-founders Evan Korth, faculty liaison for technology entrepreneurship at NYU, and Chris Wiggins, associate professor in the … Continue reading “HackNY Connects Future Innovators to New York’s Startup Scene”
LoCreep Launches with Laughs at NY Tech Meetup
The college students behind New York’s LoCreep deserve credit for the showmanship they displayed at the NY Tech Meetup on Nov. 2, when they officially launched of a Web app designed to hinder so-called creeps in the dating pool. LoCreep team members Andres Campanella and Misha Ponizil, with a little help from former TechStars NY … Continue reading “LoCreep Launches with Laughs at NY Tech Meetup”
Former DoubleClick CEO Takes the Reins at Benchmark Capital-Backed 1stdibs
David Rosenblatt has taken a seat in the chief executive’s office again, this time at online luxury marketplace 1stdibs in New York. Rosenblatt, former CEO of DoubleClick, was appointed CEO of 1stdibs on Nov. 3 in conjunction with an undisclosed investment from Benchmark Capital. Rosenblatt says this is 1stdibs’s first outside funding since its founding … Continue reading “Former DoubleClick CEO Takes the Reins at Benchmark Capital-Backed 1stdibs”
Yahoo Snatches Up Interclick for $270M to Enhance Its Ad Targeting
New York’s interclick (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICLK]]), an advertising technology company, agreed to be acquired by Yahoo (NASDAQ: [[ticker:YHOO]]) for $270 million in cash, according to a press statement on Tuesday. Five-year-old interclick developed a platform to help advertisers process large volumes of data from multiple sources to better understand and target their audiences with online display … Continue reading “Yahoo Snatches Up Interclick for $270M to Enhance Its Ad Targeting”
GramercyOne, Profitably, and Erply Carve Out Territory in Cloud-Based Management Services; VCs Follow
A crop of New York startups is growing by providing other companies niche software via the Internet cloud. By leveraging the lower cost of offering Web-based software, these technology companies are out to attract new business customers and please their investors. In recent weeks, sales and marketing software firm GramercyOne closed $14.5 million in Series … Continue reading “GramercyOne, Profitably, and Erply Carve Out Territory in Cloud-Based Management Services; VCs Follow”
Aussie-Born PlayUp Brings its Social Game to U.S. Sports Fans
As the gridiron gladiators of the National Football League continue their march toward the Super Bowl, PlayUp USA in New York has put its mobile social network in the hands of sports fans in the United States. Parent company PlayUp in Australia developed the free iPhone and iPad app for sports fans with the help … Continue reading “Aussie-Born PlayUp Brings its Social Game to U.S. Sports Fans”
IBM Names Virginia Rometty CEO and President
On Tuesday, IBM (NYSE: [[ticker:IBM]]) in Armonk, NY, said in a press statement there would be a changing of the guard at the onset of 2012. The company’s board elected Virginia Rometty to serve as CEO and president—as well as take a seat on the board—effective January 1. She succeeds Samuel J. Palmisano, who will … Continue reading “IBM Names Virginia Rometty CEO and President”
StarVest Partners’ Laura Sachar Talks About Bringing New York Savvy to the National Investment Scene
The fashion, advertising, and finance sectors are teeming with startups, but it takes more than a catchy gimmick to impress Laura Sachar, general partner with StarVest Partners in New York. She says her venture capital firm this year has made new investments across the country in prosaic but solid companies such as Seattle’s Lucid Commerce, … Continue reading “StarVest Partners’ Laura Sachar Talks About Bringing New York Savvy to the National Investment Scene”
Kgbdeals and Mobile Spinach Hunt for Opportunities in Troubled Daily Deals Market
In spite of companies crumbling in the daily deals space, New York’s kgbdeals and San Mateo, CA’s Mobile Spinach believe they can survive in this now-brutal sector. Kgbdeals, part of directory assistance company kgb, acquired New York’s TheDealist last Wednesday to expand its reach with customers. Before kgbdeals could uncork the champagne, a rival deals … Continue reading “Kgbdeals and Mobile Spinach Hunt for Opportunities in Troubled Daily Deals Market”
OpenSky Raises $30M in Series C Round with Providence Equity Partners, Others
New York’s OpenSky said in a press release today it raised $30 million in a Series C financing round led by Providence Equity Partners. Existing investors Canaan Partners, Highland Capital Partners, and The Raine Group participated in the round. In two prior funding rounds, OpenSky raised a total of $19 million. OpenSky, which launched its … Continue reading “OpenSky Raises $30M in Series C Round with Providence Equity Partners, Others”
RRE Ventures-Backed Bitly Offers Reputation Monitoring for Professional Users, Plans More Services
The folks at New York’s bitly want to be known for more than shortened links. So the company, funded by investors such as RRE Ventures and AOL Ventures, started a beta trial early this month for a service that monitors the reputations of its enterprise customers. Though it is best-known for those shortened and shared … Continue reading “RRE Ventures-Backed Bitly Offers Reputation Monitoring for Professional Users, Plans More Services”
BuyWithMe Slashes Staff, Reportedly Looking for a Buyer
According to published reports by BetaBeat, TechCrunch and others, New York group-buying deals site BuyWithMe has laid off about 100 people today—about half of its staff—and is seeking a buyer. BuyWithMe, which started in Boston and has offices there, is backed by Bain Capital Ventures and Matrix Partners. BuyWithMe’s CEO Jim Crowley issued the following … Continue reading “BuyWithMe Slashes Staff, Reportedly Looking for a Buyer”
LED Company EcoSense, Flush With $13M From Bain Capital Ventures, Eyes Expansion
Things are looking brighter for New York’s EcoSense Lighting, which on Tuesday said it raised $13 million in a Series B round led by Bain Capital Ventures in Boston. Jeffrey Glass, managing director of Bain, says his firm was attracted to the experience of EcoSense’s management in the LED lighting sector. EcoSense, founded in 2009 … Continue reading “LED Company EcoSense, Flush With $13M From Bain Capital Ventures, Eyes Expansion”
Founders Fund-Backed Knewton And Other Education-Tech Companies Move to the Head of the Class
School is in session with education technology startups earning good grades from investors. Last Thursday, New York’s Knewton raised $33 million in a funding round led by Founders Fund and education and media company Pearson. The new cash will go towards further development of Knewton’s adaptive learning platform, which customizes education content for each student. … Continue reading “Founders Fund-Backed Knewton And Other Education-Tech Companies Move to the Head of the Class”
NYC TechStars Holds Demo Day for Startups from Its Summer Program
On a drizzly Tuesday morning in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, the twelve graduates from the New York TechStars summer program took the stage to pitch their companies to investors and mentors. Though many of the startups hail from the city, some came from as far as Venezuela to participate in the New York branch of … Continue reading “NYC TechStars Holds Demo Day for Startups from Its Summer Program”
Mayor Bloomberg Announces New Advisory Council on Technology at NY Tech Meetup
Tuesday night’s NY Tech Meetup took on a new spin when a special guest took the stage. Though it was interesting to spot David Tisch of TechStars in the audience, what was most notable was that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spoke at the monthly gathering of local technology entrepreneurs and innovators for the first time … Continue reading “Mayor Bloomberg Announces New Advisory Council on Technology at NY Tech Meetup”
Wanderfly’s Technology Feeds Wanderlust on The New York Times’ Travel Pages
For vacationers who are unsure of where to go for their next trip, New York’s Wanderfly is bringing its recommendation technology to a broad audience of travelers. Last Wednesday, technology from Wanderfly began running on some 1,000 travel pages hosted by The New York Times, according to Christy Liu, co-founder and director of marketing for … Continue reading “Wanderfly’s Technology Feeds Wanderlust on The New York Times’ Travel Pages”
Enterproid Continues Development of App With $11M Series A From Comcast, Google, Qualcomm
Bruce V. Bigelow in San Diego contributed to this story. With $11 million from a Series A that was announced yesterday, New York-based Enterproid is moving closer to a full release of its app, which allows users to set their smartphones for business or personal use. Comcast Ventures (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CMCSA]]) led the round, with participation from … Continue reading “Enterproid Continues Development of App With $11M Series A From Comcast, Google, Qualcomm”