Keeping tabs on what we eat should be easier thanks to technology—but the many different apps catering to health-conscious consumers can make it confusing. It is a crowded space, with calorie and exercise trackers such as MyFitnessPal and LoseIt among the competing options. This month, BagIQ in New York launched its app that CEO and founder … Continue reading “BagIQ Tries Its Hand at Streamlining Food Tracking While Gathering Data”
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.
Trustev Offers Anti-Fraud Tech, From Cork to New York
Being able to trust online transactions is a major part of e-commerce. But given the data breaches du jour, the technology meant to prevent fraud may also stop legitimate business. What’s a website to do? Trustev, founded in Cork, Ireland, and with U.S. offices in New York and Dallas, is trying to solve this problem. … Continue reading “Trustev Offers Anti-Fraud Tech, From Cork to New York”
Justworks Looks to Scale Up Its HR Software Service with $6M Round
For startups that survive long enough to grow their ranks, learning to handle payroll and employee benefits can be an unwanted new headache. At least that’s what New York-based Justworks has been banking on, and its new backers seem to agree. The company has developed software to simplify various tasks associated with human resources; it also pools … Continue reading “Justworks Looks to Scale Up Its HR Software Service with $6M Round”
Orchard Platform Grabs $12M from Spark Capital and Canaan Partners
A developer of investment and analytics software for the online direct lending scene has raised some money of its own. New York-based Orchard Platform on Tuesday announced it brought in $12 million in a Series A round led by Spark Capital and Canaan Partners, with participation from others. Orchard created software that enables institutional investors and … Continue reading “Orchard Platform Grabs $12M from Spark Capital and Canaan Partners”
Security Software Provider SilverSky Snapped Up by BAE Systems
SilverSky, a Milford, CT-based provider of cloud-based managed services and security software, said Tuesday it agreed to be acquired for $232.5 million by Britain’s BAE Systems and become part of the larger company’s applied intelligence division. SilverSky has offices in Boston, New York, Denver, Colorado Springs, CO, and Morrisville, NC, as well as in Florida … Continue reading “Security Software Provider SilverSky Snapped Up by BAE Systems”
NYU Offers Guidance to Military Veterans Looking to Be Entrepreneurs
After serving our country, many veterans want to take on the challenge of creating opportunities for themselves. New York University has started some outreach to help former servicemen and women among its student body learn about becoming entrepreneurs. Last week, the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute brought together a panel to speak to veterans about using their … Continue reading “NYU Offers Guidance to Military Veterans Looking to Be Entrepreneurs”
Smart Youths Create “Spark” Smartwatch That Keeps People Awake
For folks who fear nodding off on the job or during class, the team at Blanc believes their smartwatch can solve the problem. At last night’s Getgeeked gadget show in New York, CEO Eddy Zhong, a 17-year-old high schooler, showed off his startup’s Spark watch, which detects if someone may be dozing and vibrates to … Continue reading “Smart Youths Create “Spark” Smartwatch That Keeps People Awake”
Influenster Has Its Eyes on Amazon’s Crown for Product Reviews
Reaching tastemakers who can sway the masses is one way to win the marketing game. Influenster in New York developed software that links brands to well-connected folks who can talk up products and services to the public. On Wednesday, the company rolled out the newest version of its mobile app, which makes it easier for … Continue reading “Influenster Has Its Eyes on Amazon’s Crown for Product Reviews”
R/GA Accelerator Grad Footmarks Lands Investor and New Team Member
Footmarks on Tuesday announced it closed a $1.85 million seed round that also brought an experienced entrepreneur to the team. Shawn Englund, founder of LearnLive Technologies, led the round and joined Footmarks as head of sales and operations. The company graduated in March in the inaugural class of the R/GA Techstars Accelerator in New York, … Continue reading “R/GA Accelerator Grad Footmarks Lands Investor and New Team Member”
Bob Johnston Talks Less Adtech, More Diversity for NY Investments
It is time for a bit of a shakeup in the New York startup landscape, if you ask Robert (Bob) Johnston. He is founder of The Executive Council, which operates the New York Venture Capital Association. Johnston is also co-founder and CEO of SponsorHub in New York. Plenty of startups here chase ideas in adtech, he … Continue reading “Bob Johnston Talks Less Adtech, More Diversity for NY Investments”
PowerToFly at New York Tech Meetup, Helping Women Get Hired in Tech
Various efforts are underway to support women entrepreneurs and founders, but what about those who are looking for jobs in the technology scene? How can they find the right positions to put their skills to work in a male-dominated field? Those are some of the questions that the developers of PowerToFly in New York want … Continue reading “PowerToFly at New York Tech Meetup, Helping Women Get Hired in Tech”
LumiFi App Brings Curated Mood Lighting to the Connected Home Scene
In the mind of Beatrice Witzgall, fumbling through the dark to turn on the lights will someday be a memory—if people starting using smartphones to control illumination. “I think the light switch is going to die out,” she says. Her New York-based startup, LumiFi, has developed an app that lets users turn on and alter … Continue reading “LumiFi App Brings Curated Mood Lighting to the Connected Home Scene”
After Alibaba: Marissa Mayer on Yahoo’s Evolving Content Strategy
A renewed focus on content continues to be a big part of Yahoo’s game plan. On Thursday, CEO Marissa Mayer visited New York and gave a little look at what her company is up to now that e-commerce giant Alibaba is public. Yahoo sold about $8 billion worth of shares in the Chinese company but … Continue reading “After Alibaba: Marissa Mayer on Yahoo’s Evolving Content Strategy”
App Judges Relationships, Green Beret Tackles Trucking at ERA Demo Day
Featuring an eclectic mix of ideas, on Tuesday the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator held a demo day in New York for its latest class of 10 graduates. The slideshow above offers a taste of each startup’s plans—which ranged from professional services to perfume ordering—but a couple of their ideas caught my attention. Traansmission, presented by CEO … Continue reading “App Judges Relationships, Green Beret Tackles Trucking at ERA Demo Day”
Kemp Trying to Ride Wave of Change Coming to Networking Technology
The way networks run is getting an overhaul. Software rather than hardware, says Ray Downes, is doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to steering data traffic for applications. Downes is the CEO of Kemp Technologies in New York and believes this movement is shaking up a landscape long dominated by network … Continue reading “Kemp Trying to Ride Wave of Change Coming to Networking Technology”
A Quick Stroll Through the Microsoft Technology Center at Times Square
Eager for the world to see its digs in Times Square, Microsoft recently invited me over for a visit to its New York technology center. Equal parts showroom, demo ground, and cloud services hub, this is one of several locations the company maintains around the world to let enterprise clientele check out its technology. Keith … Continue reading “A Quick Stroll Through the Microsoft Technology Center at Times Square”
Dmitry Grishin Talks Ugly Robots and Mistakes Hardware Startups Make
Robots may be tiptoeing closer to the mainstream, but they have some ways to go before they are in every household. Dmitry Grishin, a prominent tech investor, sees big potential in startups building robots for the consumer market—if they come up with appealing designs and clear other hurdles. “Nobody will buy ugly robots,” he says. … Continue reading “Dmitry Grishin Talks Ugly Robots and Mistakes Hardware Startups Make”
Aimee Mullins, L’Oréal Talk Progress for Women in Innovation
If you ask Aimee Mullins how to drive innovation, she responds with an athlete’s point of view. Exploring new ideas should be part of a routine, like training for a sport, not just done in a crisis, the athlete and model told me in an interview at L’Oréal USA’s NEXT Generation Awards in New York. … Continue reading “Aimee Mullins, L’Oréal Talk Progress for Women in Innovation”
New Ideas for Media and Edtech Surface at Matter’s NYC Demo Day
Creating change in the media world sometimes means connecting with other sectors. From the start, the Matter accelerator in San Francisco has been about nurturing media startups. Some of the companies in the program’s third class, though, are putting their ideas to work in the education market. Matter held a demo day in New York … Continue reading “New Ideas for Media and Edtech Surface at Matter’s NYC Demo Day”
Heidi Messer, Alan Patricof, Others on What It Takes to Grow in NYC
At a gathering of players from the New York innovation scene, there was blunt talk and optimism about the city’s future in technology. This week, AlwaysOn founder Tony Perkins hosted the annual OnMedia NYC summit at the NASDAQ Marketsite in Times Square. The event brought out the honchos of Collective[i], Greycroft Partners, First Round Capital, … Continue reading “Heidi Messer, Alan Patricof, Others on What It Takes to Grow in NYC”
Can nRelate Cut Down the Noise in Web Content Recommendations?
“Click bait” runs rampant on some Web pages these days, much the way ads cover paper placemats at some diners. In the margins of many media sites, it is common to find suggested stories and promoted links that have nothing to do with the material that originally brought the reader there. The (over)use of eye-catching … Continue reading “Can nRelate Cut Down the Noise in Web Content Recommendations?”
Filip’s Wearable Phone for Kids Gets New Design, New VP of Engineering
Filip Technologies unveiled an updated design this week for the second generation of its wearable communicator and locator for kids—a revamp intended to make the device harder to slip off. The company, founded in Norway in 2009 and headquartered in New York, developed the FiLIP wristwatch-style device that lets kids keep in touch with their … Continue reading “Filip’s Wearable Phone for Kids Gets New Design, New VP of Engineering”
Mayor de Blasio Announces Chief Tech Officer for New York at NYTM
In his first appearance at the New York Tech Meetup, freshman New York Mayor Bill de Blasio made a statement about the role technology will have in his administration. “Clearly what’s happening here is an example of where this city is going,” he said. “It’s powerful to see the creativity and understand what it’s going … Continue reading “Mayor de Blasio Announces Chief Tech Officer for New York at NYTM”
Ex-Googlers Get Seed Funding, Launch Cord App to Make Gadgets Chatty
Sure, smartphones let people make calls, but text messages often dominate communication these days. A duo who previously worked at Google Creative Lab in New York developed an app they believe will inject voice back into the conversation. Brooklyn-based Cord Project released its Cord app last week for iOS devices, which lets people quickly record … Continue reading “Ex-Googlers Get Seed Funding, Launch Cord App to Make Gadgets Chatty”
How Data Scientists Helped Revamp Info Network About.com
Neil Vogel is pretty blunt about the old About.com. “Not only was the site not engaging, it was downright uninviting,” he says. On Tuesday, the information site introduced a redesign that CEO Vogel says is the result of data science and not just a new coat of paint. “This is a big step forward, but … Continue reading “How Data Scientists Helped Revamp Info Network About.com”
Sprinklr’s Social Marketing Rollup Now Includes Branderati
It is safe to say Mark Curtis was on a mission to team up his company, Branderati, with Sprinklr. In fact, he practically chased down Sprinklr’s CEO, Ragy Thomas, at this year’s South by Southwest festival to talk about a collaboration between their respective New York-based companies. Today, Sprinklr announced it has acquired Branderati for … Continue reading “Sprinklr’s Social Marketing Rollup Now Includes Branderati”
Data Meets Federer: How IBM and the US Open Mesh Tennis & Tech
Last night, while tennis star Roger Federer took Marinko Matosevic to school in Queens, IBM processed the data captured from the first serve to match point. It was one of many matches at the US Open tennis tournament being analyzed and visualized, for fans and the pros alike, through mobile apps and cloud-based technology. IBM … Continue reading “Data Meets Federer: How IBM and the US Open Mesh Tennis & Tech”
Video Chatting and Watching Gets a Social Makeover from Rabbit
Catching a video online is usually a solitary affair. One startup is hoping to turn that into a shared experience. The company, Redwood City, CA-based Rabbit, lets visitors to its website create video chat sessions with up to 10 friends or coworkers, where they can watch online media or collaborate on documents together. That can … Continue reading “Video Chatting and Watching Gets a Social Makeover from Rabbit”
Shopping App Spring, Founded by Fab and Techstars Alums, Has Arrived
It may be the tail end of summer, but Spring has bloomed. The New York-based startup launched its shopping app late last week, giving consumers a mobile way to discover and buy products directly from brands and designers. Currently available for iOS devices, Spring is a bit different from other marketplaces that sell curated items, says … Continue reading “Shopping App Spring, Founded by Fab and Techstars Alums, Has Arrived”
Business Intel Firm L2 Hires New CEO Scott Ernst, Looks to Scale Up
Looking to grow and expand its reach, business intelligence company L2 has drafted Scott Ernst as its new CEO. New York-based L2 uses data to help brands figure out how much traction they have in the digital world, which includes e-commerce, social media, and mobile devices. Prior to L2, Ernst was president of Millward Brown … Continue reading “Business Intel Firm L2 Hires New CEO Scott Ernst, Looks to Scale Up”
MongoDB Chair Dwight Merriman Discusses Scaling Up, R&D, and Change
Rapid-fire plans are taking shape at open-source database company MongoDB. Last week, New York-based MongoDB announced Dev Ittycheria would join the company as CEO in September, taking over from Max Schireson. Also this month, MongoDB gave New York Tech Meetup a glimpse of new software tools for managing clusters of servers. With changes happening at … Continue reading “MongoDB Chair Dwight Merriman Discusses Scaling Up, R&D, and Change”
Fiverr, With $30M More, Looks to Build eBay, Amazon for Freelancers
With more cash in hand, Fiverr plans to connect more freelancers with gigs around the world. On Monday, the company announced it raised $30 million in a Series C round from Bessemer Venture Partners, Accel Partners, Qumra Capital, and private investors. Fiverr, headquartered in Tel Aviv with U.S. offices in New York, is an online … Continue reading “Fiverr, With $30M More, Looks to Build eBay, Amazon for Freelancers”
Consumer Review Site Trustpilot Expands Its New York Footprint
Online review site Trustpilot is ramping up its New York staff. The Danish company opened new offices here in late July as it expands operations around the world. Trustpilot lets people review their experiences with e-commerce companies in such industries as travel, retail, and online services. The site also lets the reviewed businesses interact with those … Continue reading “Consumer Review Site Trustpilot Expands Its New York Footprint”
DreamIt NY Demo Day Spotlights Fashion Tech, Mobile Payments, Others
The DreamIt Ventures accelerator brought its show to Times Square this week, hosting a demo day for eleven startups from its latest New York class. A highly mixed bag of companies took the stage, including fashion and e-commerce startup Browsy and Acorn, whose app triggers reminders and messages based on the user’s location (Read about the … Continue reading “DreamIt NY Demo Day Spotlights Fashion Tech, Mobile Payments, Others”
Hardware and Software Converge at the August New York Tech Meetup
The digital and real worlds came together at this month’s New York Tech Meetup. Monday night’s gathering featured demos by the likes of Ringly, a type of “smart jewelry” which alerts the wearer to incoming messages; MongoDB talking up its new server management tools; and online library MyMiniFactory, which features 3D printing designs people can … Continue reading “Hardware and Software Converge at the August New York Tech Meetup”
Jenny Fielding Talks Plans for Next R/GA Techstars Accelerator Class
A few things have changed at the R/GA Accelerator in New York. When it was created last summer through a partnership between Techstars and New York-based digital marketing agency R/GA, the focus was on new ideas in connected devices. But for the forthcoming class, the scope has broadened a bit to include the Internet of … Continue reading “Jenny Fielding Talks Plans for Next R/GA Techstars Accelerator Class”
VenueBook Grabs $2M, Wants To Be the OpenTable for Booking Events
Reserving a spot for dinner is easy these days, thanks to apps and websites, but booking the right spot to host an event can still take a fair amount of legwork. VenueBook, a New York-based startup, believes it can change that, particularly at so-called middle-tier locations, says Kelsey Recht, CEO and founder. Her cloud-based software … Continue reading “VenueBook Grabs $2M, Wants To Be the OpenTable for Booking Events”
Knoa Puts $5.1M to Work Bringing Efficiency to Enterprise Software
Piling on software for workers to use does not necessarily mean they will be better at their jobs. Even if employees clamor away at their computers to meet a quota or other targets, it can be hard to know if they are getting the most out of the software they use. New York-based Knoa Software … Continue reading “Knoa Puts $5.1M to Work Bringing Efficiency to Enterprise Software”
Colombia & New York Connect To Chat about the Future of Commerce
Commerce has come a long way from the early days of digital shopping, and future innovations connecting companies to their customers could make it even easier for startups to compete—especially on the international stage. In the past, consumers were just getting comfortable with ordering books or making travel plans on the Web. Now, they can … Continue reading “Colombia & New York Connect To Chat about the Future of Commerce”
JW Player Gets into Chromecast, Puts Second Screen Strategy in Play
New York-based JW Player on Tuesday said its Web video player had come to Google Chromecast, with plans to stream content on more connected devices. Never heard of the JW Player? CEO and co-founder Dave Otten says that it is possible you have already used it: “If you watch video off of YouTube, there’s a decent … Continue reading “JW Player Gets into Chromecast, Puts Second Screen Strategy in Play”
Sexism and Misogyny in Tech: How Investors Can Help Drive Change
The image of some technology startups has been tarnished of late by bad behavior. It might be up to investors who are board members to ensure changes get made. Accusations of sexism and misogyny have circled Tinder, the dating-app startup owned by IAC. If the charges prove to be true, it is just one recent … Continue reading “Sexism and Misogyny in Tech: How Investors Can Help Drive Change”
German Accelerator Makes NY Debut, Brings More Startups to the City
After winning it all at the World Cup, this week Germany introduced another team eager to score big. The German Accelerator, which helps startups from Deutschland make headway in the U.S., has expanded its operations to New York. The three-month program was originally launched in 2011 as the German Silicon Valley Accelerator in San Francisco. … Continue reading “German Accelerator Makes NY Debut, Brings More Startups to the City”
Fusar Rides in with Wearable Gear for Bikers at TechLaunch Demo Day
Sometimes seeing the world from multiple vantage points can help avoid trouble. At least that’s the intent behind Fusar Technologies and its smart helmets for motorcycle riders. Last night, CEO Ryan Shearman pitched his startup’s Guardian helmets at the seed-stage TechLaunch accelerator’s demo day, held a short trip from New York at Montclair State University in … Continue reading “Fusar Rides in with Wearable Gear for Bikers at TechLaunch Demo Day”
Birchbox Goes Bricks-and-Mortar with Store in SoHo
Another player in e-commerce has opened up a real-world outlet. Birchbox in New York took the wraps off its first retail location, set in the SoHo district of the city, on Friday. Since its founding in 2010, Birchbox has offered a monthly, online subscription service for curated samples of beauty products, and has built up … Continue reading “Birchbox Goes Bricks-and-Mortar with Store in SoHo”
Handybook Bringing Its Household-Help Booking Service to London
[Updated 7/8/2014, 1:15pm. See below.] Handybook is putting its new venture investment to work. The New York-based startup, which helps consumers arrange for cleaners and other home services, is expanding its offerings to London. Handybook was founded in Boston in 2012 by Harvard Business School students who later moved the company to New York. Its app and … Continue reading “Handybook Bringing Its Household-Help Booking Service to London”
Data Creates a View from Outer Space at New York Tech Meetup
The Earth never looked so three-dimensional. At July’s New York Tech Meetup, the intrepid team from The Satellite showed off their out-of-this-world idea for a real-time, big-screen exhibit that lets people see our planet as if they were looking down from the International Space Station. The Satellite isn’t a business in the making—it’s an art project, … Continue reading “Data Creates a View from Outer Space at New York Tech Meetup”
72Lux Making It Easier for Consumers to Buy What They Want Online
Heather Marie is betting folks want to simplify how they shop around the Web. As CEO and founder of New York-based 72Lux, she previously created a universal checkout that lets people complete purchases in one place on items they found at different websites. The idea was to get impulse buyers to not abandon their online … Continue reading “72Lux Making It Easier for Consumers to Buy What They Want Online”
Songza, With Music Streams to Fit Your Mood, Acquired by Google
With a rather understated mention on its website, music streaming platform Songza of Long Island City, NY, said yesterday it was becoming part of Google. Terms have not been disclosed, though some reports suggest the deal could have been anywhere from $15 million to more than $39 million. This is the second acquisition this week … Continue reading “Songza, With Music Streams to Fit Your Mood, Acquired by Google”
Twitter Buys TapCommerce, Increases Its Strength in Mobile Adtech
[Updated 7/1/2014, 4:30pm. See below.] Twitter has snapped up a mobile ad retargeting startup from New York as it beefs up its digital advertising technology muscle. On Monday, news broke that the social media network acquired TapCommerce. Re/code reported the deal to be around $100 million; however, no official price has been given. This is … Continue reading “Twitter Buys TapCommerce, Increases Its Strength in Mobile Adtech”
CE Week Takeaway: Device Makers Want to “Connect All the Things”
This year’s CE Week is a wrap, and the consumer electronics world is still in a tizzy to connect with every part of our lives. It was to be expected, this rise of devices beyond smartphones that share data wirelessly and learn about their users. But it finally seems manufacturers are embracing the notion that … Continue reading “CE Week Takeaway: Device Makers Want to “Connect All the Things””