Catching the attention of customers can hinge on timing and placement. That’s the thinking behind New York’s LiveIntent, which offers advertisers and publishers a way to tailor banner ads in e-mails for the recipients. The two-year-old startup closed an $8 million Series B funding round in September and, according to chief operating officer David Hendricks, … Continue reading “LiveIntent, with $8M from Series B, Plans New Hires and Weighs Overseas Opportunities”
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.
Solve Media, Backed by First Round Capital and AOL, Uses Online Ads to Tell People and Spambots Apart
New York’s Solve Media, funded by AOL Ventures, New Atlantic Ventures, First Round Capital, and others, is putting Web advertising in hard-to-miss places. The two-year-old startup combines ads with the verification systems users must respond to when joining websites or requesting lost passwords. Solve Media’s CEO and co-founder Ari Jacoby says the idea is to … Continue reading “Solve Media, Backed by First Round Capital and AOL, Uses Online Ads to Tell People and Spambots Apart”
A Few Details Surface on Tribeca Venture Partners
A new venture firm focused on early-stage technology companies in New York has debuted, according to reports by Fortune and Dow Jones VentureWire. Because of regulatory rules, Brian Hirsch, managing director of New York’s GSA Venture Partners, could not discuss the birth of Tribeca Venture Partners when contacted by Xconomy, but Tribeca’s website offers a … Continue reading “A Few Details Surface on Tribeca Venture Partners”
Sonar, Pearescope, and Other NYC Companies Take Aim in Battle to Connect New Contacts
When New York startup Sonar rolled out the latest version of its networking app on Sept. 15, it included for—the first time—data from LinkedIn. Now armed with contact information gleaned from a business-oriented social network, Sonar’s app is trying to attract more professionals to the ranks of its users. This is the latest competitive move … Continue reading “Sonar, Pearescope, and Other NYC Companies Take Aim in Battle to Connect New Contacts”
Sailthru Turns $8M Series A, Led by RRE Ventures, Into Plan to Double Staff
New York’s Sailthru plans to expand with its freshly minted $8 million Series A funding and nearly double its staff within 12 months, according to its CEO and founder Neil Capel. The startup announced last week it completed the financing round, which was led by RRE Ventures with participation from AOL Ventures, DFJ Gotham Ventures, … Continue reading “Sailthru Turns $8M Series A, Led by RRE Ventures, Into Plan to Double Staff”
Donovan Data Systems to Merge with MediaBank, Form MediaOcean
New York’s Donovan Data Systems agreed to merge with Chicago’s MediaBank to form a new company called MediaOcean, according to a press release. MediaBank and Donovan Data Systems both provide media management software for advertising agencies that deal with print, television, radio, and online ads. Through MediaOcean, the merged company plans to create a universal … Continue reading “Donovan Data Systems to Merge with MediaBank, Form MediaOcean”
Calorie Count, owned by The New York Times, Taps Technology from Startup iSpeech
When New York-based website Calorie Count wanted a way to set its app apart from the competition, co-founder and vice president Igor Lebovic literally talked up its latest feature. Calorie Count’s iPhone app uses speech-recognition technology supplied by iSpeech, a startup in Newark, NJ, to help dieters keep track of what they eat. While demonstrating … Continue reading “Calorie Count, owned by The New York Times, Taps Technology from Startup iSpeech”
YoYo.com, Brainchild of Amazon-Owned Quidsi, Debuts Its Version of Toyland
A new online retailer of toys, YoYo.com, goes live today, out to grab its share of the coming holiday gift buying season. YoYo is the latest addition to Jersey City-based Quidsi’s gallery of online specialty shops, which also includes Wag.com, Diapers.com, Soap.com, and BeautyBar.com. Quidsi is part of the Seattle giant Amazon.com. “There was a huge opportunity … Continue reading “YoYo.com, Brainchild of Amazon-Owned Quidsi, Debuts Its Version of Toyland”
Wizard World Jumps Off Printed Page and Into Digital Age
There has never been a better time to be a self-professed geek. Gareb Shamus, CEO and founder of New York’s Wizard World, is out to feed fans of comic books and superhero movies more of the news and content they crave. What began some 20 years ago with Wizard magazine, a publication devoted to the … Continue reading “Wizard World Jumps Off Printed Page and Into Digital Age”
Gojee Gets $1.2M in Seed Round, Adds Ustream’s Brad Hunstable as Advisor
New York startup Gojee says it raised $1.2 million in a seed round led by Kapor Capital. Gojee CEO Michael LaValle said via e-mail that Brad Hunstable, co-founder and president of Ustream, will serve as an advisor. Gojee curates recipes for its members based on ingredients ostensibly from their own kitchens. The recipes come from food … Continue reading “Gojee Gets $1.2M in Seed Round, Adds Ustream’s Brad Hunstable as Advisor”
Fab.com’s Daily Deals Brings Designer Wares Picked by Fast Company to the Masses
When Fast Company sought a way to showcase 76 products made in the United States, the magazine turned to New York’s Fab.com, a flash sales site for design. Fab created online pop-up shops unveiled today on its existing website to sell items featured in Fast Company‘s U.S. Design app, also debuting today, for the iPad. … Continue reading “Fab.com’s Daily Deals Brings Designer Wares Picked by Fast Company to the Masses”
Angelsoft to Become Gust, Rebrands Platform for Finding Financing
New York-based Angelsoft—a platform for entrepreneurs to connect with 600 angel investor groups around the world—is revamping at midnight tonight with the new name Gust, according to its CEO David Rose. And one new customer with ambitious goals will tap its services. According to Rose, Startup America Partnership—an organization launched in January and chaired by … Continue reading “Angelsoft to Become Gust, Rebrands Platform for Finding Financing”
10gen Raises $20M, Plans New Overseas Offices
New York’s 10gen said in a press release Monday it raised $20 million in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital. Prior investors participating in the round include Union Square Ventures and Flybridge Capital. 10gen developed and maintains MongoDB, an open source database used by such companies as Viacom, Foursquare, and Disney. So far 10gen … Continue reading “10gen Raises $20M, Plans New Overseas Offices”
Jeffrey Carr of NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship Talks About Need for Mentors in NY Startup Scene
Let’s be honest; the rush to grab funding in the New York startup community has brought out committed entrepreneurs as well as the ne’er-do-wells looking to make a quick buck. Not everyone is born with the savvy to create a killer idea, but Jeffrey Carr works to help those who—with the right mentors—can produce solid … Continue reading “Jeffrey Carr of NYU Stern’s Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship Talks About Need for Mentors in NY Startup Scene”
HookLogic Raises $9.5M in Growth Capital, Will Nearly Double Staff
New York’s HookLogic said in a press release Thursday it raised $9.5 million in financing from Bain Capital Ventures in Boston. This marks the first institutional funding for HookLogic. Jonathan Opdyke, CEO of HookLogic, said in an interview with Xconomy the funding will help his company nearly double its staff. “We’ll hire at least 50 … Continue reading “HookLogic Raises $9.5M in Growth Capital, Will Nearly Double Staff”
Bloomberg Sports Kicks Off New Season of Fantasy Football
As the 2011 pro football season officially kicks off tonight, New York’s Bloomberg Sports hopes managers of fantasy teams will turn to the latest version of its Decision Maker software to help them choose their starting lineups. Backed by analytics developed by media and information services giant Bloomberg LP, Decision Maker aims to serve football … Continue reading “Bloomberg Sports Kicks Off New Season of Fantasy Football”
Ideeli’s Paul Hurley Talks About Winning Over Investors and Making His Mark in Online Fashion
The dynamics of shopping, especially for fashion, may never be the same again with growth of websites such as New York’s ideeli, which offers limited time “flash sales.” The five-year-old company carries the clout of venture backing that lets it strut through the industry with the confidence of a runway model. “Flash sales are part … Continue reading “Ideeli’s Paul Hurley Talks About Winning Over Investors and Making His Mark in Online Fashion”
500 Startups Brings Its Latest Grads to New York
Armed with gusto and a microphone, Bay Area Internet guru Dave McClure and his gang from 500 Startups brought their latest batch of hatchlings to New York at last night’s demo day at General Assembly. A handful of locally bred startups stood among the twenty-one exuberant presenters—all graduates of McClure’s Mountain View, CA-based accelerator program—who … Continue reading “500 Startups Brings Its Latest Grads to New York”
Spongecell, Backed by Eric Schmidt, Squeezes Social Media and Video Into Banner Ads
Ben Kartzman wants banner ads to do more than sit and wait to be clicked. As common as that mode of marketing has become, he believes his company, Spongecell, can more efficiently engage the public by weaving rich content—video, social media, or interactive features—into typically idle ads. “We don’t think static ads should exist anymore,” … Continue reading “Spongecell, Backed by Eric Schmidt, Squeezes Social Media and Video Into Banner Ads”
EnergyHub Gets $14.5M in Series B Round to Power Its Play in Home Energy Efficiency
A startup out to make homes more energy efficient continues to draw investor support. Brooklyn’s EnergyHub said in a press release Thursday it raised $14.5 million in a series B funding round that included Acadia Woods, .406 Ventures, the New York City Investment Fund, and Physic Ventures. EnergyHub makes software and systems for energy management … Continue reading “EnergyHub Gets $14.5M in Series B Round to Power Its Play in Home Energy Efficiency”
CityPockets Acquires DealBurner
Consolidation comes to the daily deals arena. New York startup CityPockets said in a blog post Wednesday it acquired instant deals service DealBurner. No financial terms were disclosed. One-year-old CityPockets is a secondary marketplace for reselling daily deals. DealBurner, founded in July, is a text message–based service that aggregates instant deals from such sources as … Continue reading “CityPockets Acquires DealBurner”
GlobalOne Lands $25M, Gets New CEO
Software-as-a-service provider GlobalOne in New York said in a press release Wednesday it secured an initial funding commitment of more than $25 million from Columbia Capital. Four-year-old GlobalOne plans to use the funds to expand its services and market coverage. GlobalOne also appointed David Northington as its CEO. He previously served as chief operating officer … Continue reading “GlobalOne Lands $25M, Gets New CEO”
ToutApp, Back from Silicon Valley, Aims to Make Repetitive E-mails Easier
Fresh from a three-month stint in California, Tawheed Kader, founder and CEO of New York’s ToutApp, is back home to build the ranks of his startup and pursue his next round of funding. Last Wednesday he and the other graduates from this summer’s 500 Startups business accelerator program in Mountain View, CA, showed off their … Continue reading “ToutApp, Back from Silicon Valley, Aims to Make Repetitive E-mails Easier”
Skype Snaps Up GroupMe
Communications service Skype in Luxembourg said in press release Sunday it entered into an agreement to acquire New York’s GroupMe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the companies but a post at AllThingsD pegs the price at about $85 million. One-year-old GroupMe‘s app lets users send messages and start conference calls with groups … Continue reading “Skype Snaps Up GroupMe”
Roadify Clears Up Confusion on the Streets and Rails
Every commuter wants to find better ways to traverse busy cities. Subway delays and bus route changes may throw carefully timed travel plans into disarray. To ease such headaches, New York startup Roadify has developed a mobile app that delivers updates from transit agencies and input from users on the street. The app has already … Continue reading “Roadify Clears Up Confusion on the Streets and Rails”
TouchTunes Rakes in $45M, Plans Expansion
New York’s TouchTunes Interactive Networks raised $45 million according to a press release issued Wednesday. Thirteen-year-old TouchTunes provides digital jukeboxes to restaurants and bars across North America. The new funding comprises a $40 million investment from 3i, for a minority stake in TouchTunes, and a $5 million investment from majority shareholder VantagePoint Capital Partners. TouchTunes … Continue reading “TouchTunes Rakes in $45M, Plans Expansion”
Tutorspree Preps for Back-to-School Market
With summer ending, classrooms will soon fill with students who may need some help tackling tough academic subjects. Searching for tutors can be a haphazard process of scouring classified ads. New York startup Tutorspree offers a more streamlined platform for students to find potential tutors local to them. One-year-old Tutorspree is an online service that … Continue reading “Tutorspree Preps for Back-to-School Market”
Umami Gets $1.65M in Seed Funds
New York startup Umami said in a press release Tuesday it raised $1.65 million in seed funding from Battery Ventures, NEA, and angel investors. Umami is a platform that broadcasters can use to publish additional content for television shows that viewers are watching. Umami said it has a free iPad app currently in a closed … Continue reading “Umami Gets $1.65M in Seed Funds”
Cinchcast Lands $6M in Series B Round
New York’s Cinchcast, formerly known as BlogTalkRadio, said in a press release Wednesday it raised $6 million in a series B funding round led by Guggenheim Partners. Cinchcast provides services to record, publish, and share audio content over the Internet using telephones and web browsers. The company said the new funding will go toward expansion … Continue reading “Cinchcast Lands $6M in Series B Round”
Go Try It On Raises $3M in Series A Round, Adds Board Members
New York’s Go Try It On, the developer of a mobile app that lets users ask for opinions on their fashion choices, says in a press release it raised $3 million in a series A round. Investors include Len Blavatnik, Alex Zubillaga, and Index Ventures. Zubillaga and Index Ventures’s Danny Rimmer will join Go Try … Continue reading “Go Try It On Raises $3M in Series A Round, Adds Board Members”
Gojee Finds Its Way Into the Food Spotlight, Enters Talks for First Round of Funding
Sometimes a startup needs to pivot a few times until it finds just the right idea. Similar to chefs trying out new dishes, Gojee co-founder Michael LaValle says his one-year-old company changed its own formula twice before its latest idea caught on this summer. The New York startup curates recipes based on the ingredients its … Continue reading “Gojee Finds Its Way Into the Food Spotlight, Enters Talks for First Round of Funding”
Opinionaided Raises $4.3M, Forms Board
New York’s Opinionaided, a mobile question-and-answer startup, said in a blog post Friday it raised $4.3 million in a Series A round led by SoftBank Capital and BlueRun Ventures. Other investors in the round include General Catalyst, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, ENIAC Ventures, as well as Mark Wachen, managing partner with DreamIt Ventures; Jonah Goodhart, co-founder … Continue reading “Opinionaided Raises $4.3M, Forms Board”
BankSimple Raises $10M, Adds Partnerships
Brooklyn’s Simple Finance Technology Corp., which does business as BankSimple, said in a blog post Wednesday that it raised $10 million in a round led by IA Ventures. Shasta Ventures and other investors also participated in the round. BankSimple is a startup working with charter banks to offer personal banking services. It plans to use the new … Continue reading “BankSimple Raises $10M, Adds Partnerships”
DreamIt Ventures Brings Its Startup Accelerator Program to New York
Making their debut within throwing distance of Radio City Music Hall, the first 14 startups to graduate from the New York version of the DreamIt Ventures accelerator program presented to investors on Wednesday. Demo day brought to a close three months of mentoring that helped these fledgling companies strengthen their plans. Now that they have … Continue reading “DreamIt Ventures Brings Its Startup Accelerator Program to New York”
ChallengePost Picks Up $4.1M in Series A Funding to Help Run Online Contests for New Ideas
Finding the best answers to big problems can mean looking to an outside party with bright ideas. The trouble is finding those fixes immediately. New York’s ChallengePost, a Web-based platform for running competitions, gives organizations and individuals a way to attract contenders who think they have got the right stuff. Brandon Kessler, CEO of ChallengePost, … Continue reading “ChallengePost Picks Up $4.1M in Series A Funding to Help Run Online Contests for New Ideas”
Taap.it Makes the Rounds in the New York Startup Trenches
New York’s evolving startup community offers a bevy of forums for fledgling companies to pitch their ideas to potential investors and collaborators. Duy Huynh, CEO and co-founder of startup Taap.it, has been to a menagerie of such events this summer, including the New York Venture Summit, NY Tech Meetup, and the NY Entrepreneurs Business Network. … Continue reading “Taap.it Makes the Rounds in the New York Startup Trenches”
On Deck Capital Gets $4M in Follow to Series C Round
New York’s On Deck Capital said in a press release Thursday that it raised $4 million in follow-on funding. Five-year-old On Deck, a technology platform for connecting so-called Main Street businesses to capital, received $15 million in a series C round in January. On Deck evaluates the financial health of small businesses through data aggregation … Continue reading “On Deck Capital Gets $4M in Follow to Series C Round”
Company Art Market Raises $1.6 Million
New York’s Company, an online art market, said in a press release Wednesday it raised $1.6 million in seed funding. The website lets art collectors sell and exchange pieces from their own collections. Investors in five-month-old Company include Ten Paces Capital Partners and the Reen Family Office. Company also runs networking events and has a reality television … Continue reading “Company Art Market Raises $1.6 Million”
New York Throws Down Silicon Gauntlet at Boston’s Feet at Tech Meetup
A bit of chest-thumping kicked off last night’s NY Tech Meetup, a large gathering of startups grown in New York. Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel took the stage with Seth Pinsky, president of the New York Economic Development Corp., at the onset to push Applied Sciences NYC—a plan to build up the … Continue reading “New York Throws Down Silicon Gauntlet at Boston’s Feet at Tech Meetup”
Spanfeller Media Group Lands $6M Series B
New York’s Spanfeller Media Group, a producer of online content, said Tuesday in a press release that it closed on $6 million in Series B financing led by VantagePoint Capital Partners. A prior funding round, to the tune of some $2 million, was led by SoftBank Capital NY and included investments from GSA Venture Partners, … Continue reading “Spanfeller Media Group Lands $6M Series B”
Bedrocket Media, backed by ex-HuffPo chairman, raises $9M
Five-month-old New York startup Bedrocket Media Ventures, a video studio for Web and TV content, raised $9 million and wants to raise another $2.5 million in this round according to a regulatory filing. Bedrocket CEO and co-founder Brian Bedol previously founded television channels Class Sports Network and College Sports Television. Bedrocket co-founder Kenneth Lerer was chairman … Continue reading “Bedrocket Media, backed by ex-HuffPo chairman, raises $9M”
Lot18, Backed by NY and Silicon Valley VCs, Creates Exclusive Wine Club
Wine aficionados can be rather choosy about what they will imbibe. The casual drinker may simply pair any red wine with steak, but New York’s Lot18 wants to serve those with highly discerning tastes. Lot18 is a members-only website that sells wine and gourmet food products that are available in limited supply. Though the website … Continue reading “Lot18, Backed by NY and Silicon Valley VCs, Creates Exclusive Wine Club”
Yext Gets $10 Million, Plans to Grow Its Business Listing Platform
New York’s Yext, a business listings company, said Thursday in a press release it raised $10 million in a funding round led by WGI Group. Other investors participating in the round include Sutter Hill Ventures and Institutional Venture Partners. Five-year-old Yext plans to use the funds to grow its PowerListings platform, which lets businesses edit and … Continue reading “Yext Gets $10 Million, Plans to Grow Its Business Listing Platform”
AHAlife Nabs $6 Million, Adds New Board Members
AHAlife.com in New York says it raised $6 million in a financing round led by venture firm DCM, according to a press release. AHAlife.com is an e-commerce site for purchasing hard-to-find lifestyle products curated by so-called tastemakers that include fashion designer Donna Karan, filmmaker (and famously protective wife) Wendi Murdoch, and chef Daniel Boulud. FirstMark … Continue reading “AHAlife Nabs $6 Million, Adds New Board Members”
Crowdtap Raises $7M in Series A Round, Plans New Hires
New York’s Crowdtap said in a press release today that it has raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by Foundry Group. Crowdtap is an online network that lets marketers of brands—including Old Navy, Adidas, Pepperidge Farm, Pinkberry, and Bing—reach out to targeted groups of consumers for word-of-mouth marketing. The consumers who participate receive … Continue reading “Crowdtap Raises $7M in Series A Round, Plans New Hires”
Qrious Seeks to Crack Smartphone App Market, Capture Data on Folks You Meet at Events
Conferences and other business events offer the chance to make new professional contacts, but wading through the masses of attendees can be a nightmare. Marching around with a guest list does not make it much easier. Enter seven-month-old Qrious, a New York startup working on an app that lets smartphones sift through contacts people make … Continue reading “Qrious Seeks to Crack Smartphone App Market, Capture Data on Folks You Meet at Events”
Fab.com Raises $8M, Investors Include Ashton Kutcher
New York’s Fab.com raised $8 million in a series A funding round led by Menlo Ventures, according to a press release. Participating investors include Baroda Ventures, First Round Capital, The Washington Post Company, SoftTech VC, SV Angel, Zelkova Ventures, Fab.com CEO Jason Goldberg, and A Grade Investments, which was co-founded by actor Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, … Continue reading “Fab.com Raises $8M, Investors Include Ashton Kutcher”
Hotlist, Raising Series A Round, Moves to New Office, Looks to Make Socializing More Efficient
Offering what it says is a different spin on location-based services, four-year-old New York startup Hotlist is pursuing more funding and plans to expand its staff to fill its new offices. Billed as a social discovery engine, Hotlist lets users see where their friends and acquaintances plan to be, rather than where they have already … Continue reading “Hotlist, Raising Series A Round, Moves to New Office, Looks to Make Socializing More Efficient”
Venture for America Recruiting College Grads for Startup Jobs in Detroit, Providence, and More, Says Founder
New companies struggling to hire fresh talent may find help in the form of a nonprofit organization that debuted last Wednesday in New York. Venture for America says it will match a select group of college grads with early-stage companies, particularly in cities that face employment challenges. “Our main goal is to create U.S. jobs,” … Continue reading “Venture for America Recruiting College Grads for Startup Jobs in Detroit, Providence, and More, Says Founder”
Sean Cross Discusses Deals and Froth at New York Venture Summit
Thursday’s New York Venture Summit, hosted by Staten Island’s youngStartup Ventures, brought venture capitalists and other investors together in New York’s financial district to hear pitches from startups out to impress them. The seventy-five companies that were there presented ideas in technology, life sciences, and clean technology at a time one investment banker described as … Continue reading “Sean Cross Discusses Deals and Froth at New York Venture Summit”