It is not easy making a physical product—particularly when using biotechnology—and the results may be surprising. That was the key message this past weekend from Jonathan Wolfson, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based Solazyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SZYM]]) at the NYU Entrepreneurs Festival. At the event, Wolfson, an alumnus of the university, sat with me for a … Continue reading “A Chat with Solazyme’s Jonathan Wolfson at NYU Entrepreneurs Festival”
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.
Shark Tank’s Daymond John Talks Digital Gap in Workers’ Skills
The continued growth of innovation does not just rest on the shoulders of engineers and developers from the country’s top tech schools. With more industries increasingly relying on new software and systems, the breadth of the workforce likewise needs to be savvy in coding and other skills. That was the message at an event held … Continue reading “Shark Tank’s Daymond John Talks Digital Gap in Workers’ Skills”
Spinning Wheels and Breaking Leases at the New York Tech Meetup
What started out as a plan to build a software-based company became an exercise in creating hardware and software from the ground up. That was the tale of Peloton, one of the demos at Tuesday night’s New York Tech Meetup (see slideshow), a monthly gathering of innovators from the city and beyond. Last night’s batch … Continue reading “Spinning Wheels and Breaking Leases at the New York Tech Meetup”
SOLS Puts $11.1M from Carmelo Anthony, Others to Work in 3D-Printed Footwear
Is there a real mainstream play finally in the making for 3D printing? Creating custom wearables has been one of the hyped proposed uses for 3D printing. New York-based SOLS is putting the technology to work in footwear. The startup recently closed on a Series B round of $11.1 million from investors that include Lux Capital … Continue reading “SOLS Puts $11.1M from Carmelo Anthony, Others to Work in 3D-Printed Footwear”
Jesse Jackson and Anil Dash Call Out Tech to Embrace More Diversity
In a fireside chat on Wednesday, the founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the CEO of ThinkUp voiced their wishes to see the technology scene be more inclusive. Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson sat down with entrepreneur Anil Dash for the session at the Social Media Week conference in New York. Each has … Continue reading “Jesse Jackson and Anil Dash Call Out Tech to Embrace More Diversity”
Martha Stewart Talks Maker Movement and Desire for 3D Printed Roses
It might seem strange to see an icon of the do-it-yourself homewares and culinary scene chat about drones and 3D printers, but Martha Stewart calls herself an early adopter of technology. She took the stage Tuesday as part of the Social Media Week conference here in New York, sharing a few thoughts on the maker … Continue reading “Martha Stewart Talks Maker Movement and Desire for 3D Printed Roses”
Online Men’s Underwear Seller Mack Weldon Sews Up $4M Series A Round
Every startup goes mining for glittery fortune—this one has actual silver woven into its garments. New York-based Mack Weldon announced Tuesday it raised $4 million in a Series A round for its direct-to-consumer premium undergarments. Investors in the round included RiverPark Ventures, Bridge Investments, and Lyrical Partners. Along with the funding, the company added Howard … Continue reading “Online Men’s Underwear Seller Mack Weldon Sews Up $4M Series A Round”
Conductor Looks to Double Engineering Staff Again with Latest Funding
It seems the fight is still on to become the Web marketing software of choice. New York-based Conductor plans to double its engineering staff this year, says CEO and founder Seth Besmertnik, thanks to a recently raised $27 million Series D round. The company developed a software dashboard that helps marketers with Web search optimization for … Continue reading “Conductor Looks to Double Engineering Staff Again with Latest Funding”
Under a New Light: MPOWERD Switches to New CEO, Gets New Chair
There has been a change at the top at MPOWERD. Co-founder Jacques-Philippe Piverger is out and Scott Kling has taken over as CEO of the New York-based startup, which develops a line of inflatable, solar powered lights. On Wednesday, MPOWERD put out word that Kling had become its top executive, having previously served as president and chief operating officer. … Continue reading “Under a New Light: MPOWERD Switches to New CEO, Gets New Chair”
R/GA Techstars Accelerator Charts New Path with Internet of Things
The tone has shifted at the R/GA Accelerator, with its latest class largely focused on enterprise and business uses for the Internet of Things. Initially built to nurture ideas in connected devices, largely related to consumer markets, the New York-based accelerator took a new approach with its second class of startups. This is part of an … Continue reading “R/GA Techstars Accelerator Charts New Path with Internet of Things”
Datadog Acquires Big Data Analytics & App-Building Platform Mortar Data
Just weeks after raising new funding, New York-based Datadog went shopping. On Wednesday, cloud monitoring service Datadog announced it acquired Mortar Data, a startup also based in New York that provides analytics and developed a software platform used by companies to build their own big data applications. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Datadog Acquires Big Data Analytics & App-Building Platform Mortar Data”
Paper Airplanes and Retro Cameras Led NY Kickstarter Campaigns in 2014
There is plenty of ambition to be found on Kickstarter. The Brooklyn-based crowdfunding platform is used around the country to help new ideas get off the ground. But how do New York-based innovators fare when trying to raise cash? In recent years, top New York-launched campaigns have raised large amounts of funding for a horror-themed board … Continue reading “Paper Airplanes and Retro Cameras Led NY Kickstarter Campaigns in 2014”
Qualia, formerly LocalResponse, Out to Prove Legitimacy of Its AdTech
The game keeps changing for marketers who use technology to reach customers. A few years ago, New York-based LocalResponse used its software to help businesses direct ads to consumers according to their location-based check-ins—the technology du jour. Let’s be frank: There are a lot of companies, especially in New York, pushing software for targeting consumers … Continue reading “Qualia, formerly LocalResponse, Out to Prove Legitimacy of Its AdTech”
Vidyo Promotes New CEO and Hires New Chief Technology Officer
Video conference technology company Vidyo said this week it promoted Eran Westman to be its CEO. Co-founder Ofer Shapiro shifted into a vice chairman role, the Hackensack, NJ, company also said. Westman joined Vidyo last February as its chief revenue officer. Prior to joining the company, Westman was an executive vice president with Israel-based Ceragon Networks. … Continue reading “Vidyo Promotes New CEO and Hires New Chief Technology Officer”
New York Tech Meetup Recap: Pager Brings Doctors to the Doorstep
Some of the ideas demoed at New York Tech Meetup can use a bit of TLC before they get on their feet, but Tuesday night brought out an app that literally books house calls from doctors. The other demos (see slideshow) featured at the monthly gathering for new ideas in tech included a Web service for stealthily searching for new jobs … Continue reading “New York Tech Meetup Recap: Pager Brings Doctors to the Doorstep”
Stratasys Takes Write-Down on MakerBot; Is 3D Printing Due a Reckoning?
[Updated 2/3/15 5:30 pm. See below.] Last evening, 3D printing company Stratasys lowered its expectations for its 2014 financial results, putting its subsidiary MakerBot Industries, based in Brooklyn, in a different kind of spotlight. In its preliminary 2014 financials, Stratasys (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SSYS]]) said it would take a write-down, which is a reduction in the book value … Continue reading “Stratasys Takes Write-Down on MakerBot; Is 3D Printing Due a Reckoning?”
Taykey Putting $15M Round Towards New Online Marketing Software
New York-based Taykey says its software is evolving from being used like an ad network into a tool for broader marketing strategies. Taykey tries to help marketers sort out how best to reach an audience whose attention is increasingly diffuse. CEO and founder Amit Avner says since its inception, his company has helped push its … Continue reading “Taykey Putting $15M Round Towards New Online Marketing Software”
Cloud Monitoring Service Datadog Raises $31M, Plans to Ramp Up Hiring
Looking to expand its ranks and deepen the development of its technology, Datadog, based in New York, raised $31 million in a Series C funding round led by Index Ventures, with RTP Ventures, OpenView Partners, and others participating. Datadog is a monitoring service used by IT teams and developers who work with cloud-based software. CEO … Continue reading “Cloud Monitoring Service Datadog Raises $31M, Plans to Ramp Up Hiring”
LG Display Inks New Deals to License OLED Tech from Universal Display
The details are somewhat vague, but Ewing, NJ-based Universal Display on Monday increased its ties to LG Display, one of the biggest makers of electronic displays in the world, with new agreements for materials and patent licensing. Universal Display develops technology and materials for the creation of organic LEDs (OLEDs), which are used for lighting … Continue reading “LG Display Inks New Deals to License OLED Tech from Universal Display”
Howard Lerman, CEO of Yext, Talks Location Data, Big Data, & Beacons
With more businesses trying to connect to customers through their mobile phones, via apps and the Web, company information must not only be up to date, it needs to be localized. That is where Howard Lerman, CEO and co-founder of New York-based Yext, sees his company continuing to grow—even as the race to capture localized … Continue reading “Howard Lerman, CEO of Yext, Talks Location Data, Big Data, & Beacons”
Persado, With $21M More, Tools Up Its Software for Persuasion
On Thursday, New York-based Persado announced it raised $21 million in a Series B round led by StarVest Partners, with participation from Bain Capital Ventures, American Express Ventures, and Citi Ventures. The funding will go towards marketing and various development efforts for Persado’s software, which uses natural language processing to help marketers pick the right … Continue reading “Persado, With $21M More, Tools Up Its Software for Persuasion”
Design Icon Diane von Furstenberg Talks Entrepreneurship at NYU
Last night, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg shared some frank insights on her early challenges building a business—and being heard—when she gave the keynote address for the Women Entrepreneurs Festival held at New York University. In a fireside chat, von Furstenberg spoke with New York-based angel investor Joanne Wilson, who cofounded the two-day event. Von … Continue reading “Design Icon Diane von Furstenberg Talks Entrepreneurship at NYU”
Canary Hires Ex-Googler as COO, Ships Its Smart Home Sensor
The team at New York-based Canary has beefed up its leadership with a seasoned executive from the technology scene. On Tuesday, the company named Julio Pekarovic as its chief operating officer. He previously was chief financial officer and chief administrative officer at Quantcast, which develops technology for audience measurement. Prior to that, he was a … Continue reading “Canary Hires Ex-Googler as COO, Ships Its Smart Home Sensor”
Shapr Launches App for Matching Up Business Leads, Raises $3.1M
With a dose of the matchmaking mechanics found in dating services, on Tuesday a startup called Shapr unveiled its app that connects professionals looking for leads, jobs, and opportunities. The startup also raised $3.1 million in a seed round with private investors that include BlaBlaCar CEO Frédéric Mazzella. Based in New York and Paris, Shapr … Continue reading “Shapr Launches App for Matching Up Business Leads, Raises $3.1M”
A Year Later, Tech Education Startup Thinkful Has More Cash, New Plans
When we last caught up with Thinkful, a New York-based technology education company, it was dabbling in adding offline lessons to its curriculum. This week, the startup announced it raised $4.25 million, in a round led by Floodgate Fund, and has plans to more directly help its students find new jobs. Thinkful offers primarily online … Continue reading “A Year Later, Tech Education Startup Thinkful Has More Cash, New Plans”
To OLED, or Not to OLED for the Future of High-End Television Screens
The fight to own the living room is getting more convoluted, as LG Electronics doubles down on organic LEDs (OLEDs) for its future screens while rival Samsung turns to a competing technology. Each year, television makers attempt to introduce some new feature or gimmick, from 3D to curved screens, to draw consumer attention. Less than … Continue reading “To OLED, or Not to OLED for the Future of High-End Television Screens”
MakerBot CEO Jenny Lawton Talked New 3D Printing Materials at CES
The New Year brings new ingredients for desktop 3D printer maker MakerBot Industries to work with. Last week, the New York-based company rolled out new composite materials which mimic the look and feel of metal, stone, and wood, and can be used with some of MakerBot’s desktop 3D printers. The company also showed off the … Continue reading “MakerBot CEO Jenny Lawton Talked New 3D Printing Materials at CES”
Startup to Watch at CES: A Chat with Captureproof’s CEO Meghan Conroy
Medical diagnosis may get more mobile and visual through Captureproof’s app. The San Francisco-based startup is trying to reduce the need for patients to see their doctors in person. Through an iPhone app and mobile Web portal, Captureproof lets people send images and video to their physicians to help assess their recovery from surgery, as … Continue reading “Startup to Watch at CES: A Chat with Captureproof’s CEO Meghan Conroy”
Need for New Approaches to Encourage Women to Join, and Stay in, Tech
The ongoing paucity of women in the technology world has led to various efforts to tackle this imbalance—but so far the results of such campaigns have been debatable. Now many voices are rising to share their thoughts on what more needs to be done. Despite the emergence across the country of advocacy organizations such as … Continue reading “Need for New Approaches to Encourage Women to Join, and Stay in, Tech”
That OnDeck $200M IPO, and Keeping Things Real in the New York Scene
It may be a rosy holiday for OnDeck (NYSE: [[ticker:ONDK]]) after its $200 million IPO, but this city’s tech scene needs to stay grounded as 2015 approaches. New York-based OnDeck, an online service for small business loans, went public last week in one of the largest IPOs in the history of local technology companies. Prior … Continue reading “That OnDeck $200M IPO, and Keeping Things Real in the New York Scene”
What the Grad Students at Cornell Tech Have Been Working On
Last week, graduate students from Cornell Tech demoed a few of the ideas they developed this semester in collaboration with companies. It was a chance to display the early work in data and technology emerging from the applied sciences and engineering graduate school being established by Cornell University. Construction continues on the $2 billion Cornell … Continue reading “What the Grad Students at Cornell Tech Have Been Working On”
CoInvent Summit Triggers Debate About Passion for Entrepreneurship
At the CoInvent Startup Summit held on Tuesday in New York, differing opinions on some founders’ intentions emerged among the discussions. (The slideshow above offers a taste of the investors and entrepreneurs who spoke at the daylong conference.) During the panel on “Getting Star Investors for Your Startup,” Brian Cohen, chairman of New York Angels, … Continue reading “CoInvent Summit Triggers Debate About Passion for Entrepreneurship”
Wagepoint Raises $2M As Competition Mounts in Payroll Software Scene
Cloud-based software for doling out payroll seems to be the flavor of the season with some investors. This month, New York-based Wagepoint raised a $2 million seed round led by Extreme Venture Partners, and with participation from Businesses Development Bank of Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and angel investors. The startup was born from a … Continue reading “Wagepoint Raises $2M As Competition Mounts in Payroll Software Scene”
Audicus Thinks It Can Be the Warby Parker of Hearing Aids E-tailing
Devices that could improve sound for the hearing impaired are a few mouse-clicks away. New York-based startup Audicus wants to cut out the middleman and position itself as the Warby Parker for hearing aid sales online. Audicus founder Patrick Freuler says a pair of hearing aids can cost as much as $7,000 and might not be … Continue reading “Audicus Thinks It Can Be the Warby Parker of Hearing Aids E-tailing”
Out of Stealth, Zype Launches Video Service for Publishers
On Wednesday, Zype came out of stealth mode to launch its cloud-based video service for publishers who want to go beyond using YouTube to connect directly to consumers. Zype lets publishers draw upon their video libraries on Hulu, YouTube, Crunchyroll, and elsewhere on the Web, and put the content on branded websites and apps for … Continue reading “Out of Stealth, Zype Launches Video Service for Publishers”
Microbe Monitors & Microchips At the NYC Internet of Things Fair
Down in the Financial District on Monday, at the first-ever NYC Internet of Things Fair, a score of companies demoed ideas to bridge data, the cloud, and real-world devices. The technology on display ranged from a monitor that keeps tabs on the microbes that clean wastewater to a type of tiny LED that could be … Continue reading “Microbe Monitors & Microchips At the NYC Internet of Things Fair”
Ad Tech Company Collective Beefing Up Its Software and Big Data
New York-based ad technology firm Collective recently moved into new offices and, in the fall, bulked up its management ranks as it competes in this increasingly noisy industry. John Vandermay, the company’s new chief technology officer, joined Collective in what the company calls a move to increase its focus on technology and new software. Given the … Continue reading “Ad Tech Company Collective Beefing Up Its Software and Big Data”
Rachel Haot Revisits NY Tech Meetup, Talks State’s Innovation Plans
Last night, Rachel Haot returned to the New York Tech Meetup stage for the first time since becoming Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s chief digital officer and deputy secretary of technology. Before the evening’s scheduled monthly demos of technology and ideas began (see slideshow above), Haot talked up ways Cuomo’s administration wants to collaborate more with the … Continue reading “Rachel Haot Revisits NY Tech Meetup, Talks State’s Innovation Plans”
Tripda Makes a Play for the Road Trip Ridesharing Market
Have we been looking at the ridesharing scene from the wrong angle? The team at Tripda thinks so. Rather than go after the for-hire car service market with aggressive players such as Uber, Tripda in New York focused their attention on simply connecting folks who want to share costs on road trips. Listing a planned … Continue reading “Tripda Makes a Play for the Road Trip Ridesharing Market”
LexShares, Out of Stealth, Brings Crowdfunding to Litigation Financing
There may be money to be made in the courtroom, and not just by the parties facing off. That is the proposition from a New York-based startup that recently came out of stealth mode. LexShares developed a crowdfunding platform for financing commercial lawsuits. The idea is to help plaintiffs with limited resources—but a potentially lucrative case … Continue reading “LexShares, Out of Stealth, Brings Crowdfunding to Litigation Financing”
E-mail Clutter Killer Unroll.Me Acquired by Rakuten’s Slice
New York-based startup Unroll.Me, which helps people unsubscribe from unwanted e-mails, said Monday it was acquired by Slice, a Palo Alto-based developer of an e-commerce and package tracking app. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Unroll.Me, founded in 2011 by Jojo Hedaya and Josh Rosenwald, is a service that lets people see all … Continue reading “E-mail Clutter Killer Unroll.Me Acquired by Rakuten’s Slice”
Verizon Wireless Pulls Curtain Back a Bit on Its Innovation Program
At a gathering held for reporters last night in New York, folks from Verizon Wireless sought to talk up some of the ways the wireless carrier works with third-party technology developers. Nothing groundbreaking was announced, yet Verizon Wireless of Basking Ridge, NJ, seemed anxious to prove that it has its hands in more than just smartphones and tablets—even though they … Continue reading “Verizon Wireless Pulls Curtain Back a Bit on Its Innovation Program”
Eyeview Gets $15M from Marker to Scale Up Its Video Ad Platform
New York-based Eyeview has raised $15 million from venture capital firm Marker, one of its existing investors, to help grow its personalized online video ad platform. Eyeview’s software lets marketers push digital video ads personalized and tweaked for consumers, says CEO and co-founder Oren Harnevo. The company was founded in 2007 and thus far has … Continue reading “Eyeview Gets $15M from Marker to Scale Up Its Video Ad Platform”
With $12M More, HR Software Startup Namely to Double Staff in 2015
After tripling its headcount to 50 in the past year, Namely in New York plans to keep growing fast. “We will absolutely double in staff over the next year,” says Matt Straz, the company’s CEO and founder. Namely developed a cloud-based, human resources and payroll platform and early this month raised $12 million in a … Continue reading “With $12M More, HR Software Startup Namely to Double Staff in 2015”
Ultra HD Momentum & Modest Growth Expected for Consumer Electronics
This week, the Consumer Electronics Association offered up a mild, though positive forecast for the winter holidays—as far as anticipated sales are concerned. At the CES Unveiled New York show, the trade group talked up the quiet gains being made across the consumer electronics scene. The event is one of the annual preambles to January’s … Continue reading “Ultra HD Momentum & Modest Growth Expected for Consumer Electronics”
Quirky’s CEO Declares Death of the Thermostat—Even the Smart Ones
Despite the hype, widespread adoption of technology for connected homes has thus far been little more than a dream. New York startup Quirky and partner General Electric are on a mission to change that. At a press conference on Tuesday, Ben Kaufman, Quirky’s CEO, unveiled seven new products developed by inventors who brought their ideas … Continue reading “Quirky’s CEO Declares Death of the Thermostat—Even the Smart Ones”
From Bluetooth Gloves to Teaching Robots: Gadgets at Expand NY
For folks who want free hands while operating mobile devices, the team at Easier to Use hopes the GoGlove will be the right fit. I met Easier to Use co-founder Ben Harris over the weekend at Engadget Expand New York, a technology show held at the Javits Center. GoGlove is equipped to remotely control Bluetooth-enabled devices such … Continue reading “From Bluetooth Gloves to Teaching Robots: Gadgets at Expand NY”
Aereo Cuts Back New York & Boston Staff, Says It’s Not Shutting Down
Still trying to tread water in a hostile sea, streaming television service Aereo is slashing away much of its staff, further casting its future as a company in doubt. In a brief statement sent to Xconomy, the New York-based startup, which halted its service in the summer, confirmed it is letting employees go, but has … Continue reading “Aereo Cuts Back New York & Boston Staff, Says It’s Not Shutting Down”
Math Toy Tiggly Counts Emerges, Demos at New York Tech Meetup
A dose of physical play can help kids learn, Tiggly CEO Phyl Georgiou says. In our rush to digitize everything, from books to games, he believes connections to the real world remain important. “There’s a question about how kids use their time,” Georgiou says. “They’re busier and use digital devices more and more. Those two … Continue reading “Math Toy Tiggly Counts Emerges, Demos at New York Tech Meetup”
NimbleTV Trying to Make Good on Potential for Streaming Television
The technology seems ready, so why aren’t we all streaming TV on portable devices? This idea has been long gestating, but thus far has only seen trickles of real-world use. “TV everywhere as a concept has never really happened,” says Anand Subramanian. He believes his company, NimbleTV in New York, can make streaming television on … Continue reading “NimbleTV Trying to Make Good on Potential for Streaming Television”