The world of tablets may be flat, but Tiggly in New York is bringing new dimensions to iPads with physical shapes it says can teach motor skills to preschoolers and younger tikes. Starting Tuesday, Tiggly’s package of “appcessories” will be on shelves at Apple stores with the rollout planned to span locations in North America, … Continue reading “Tiggly Brings Edtech Apps and Shapes for Preschoolers to Apple Stores”
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.
Gotham Gal & Eric Hippeau Talk Good Money, Bad Money at Springboard
Springboard Enterprises let the media have a closer look last week at what its accelerator for women-led companies has been up to. The annual forum, held in New York, gave 10 startups in digital media and technology the chance to demo their ideas. A pair of high-profile players from the New York investing scene also … Continue reading “Gotham Gal & Eric Hippeau Talk Good Money, Bad Money at Springboard”
Schumer on Privacy & Flint Talks Mobile Payments at Street Fight Summit
Technology really does not get any more intimate than the gadgets carried by a person so it is no surprise that a conference on location-based and hyperlocal services leaned heavily on what’s up in the mobile scene. Last Friday during the two-day Street Fight Summit in New York, mobile payments company Flint announced it raised … Continue reading “Schumer on Privacy & Flint Talks Mobile Payments at Street Fight Summit”
SnakBlox, Out of Stealth, Measures Social Data for Hearst Digital
There must be a way to get tons more customers by marketing across social media—at least that is what many brands hope for as they double down on this sector. New York-based SnakBlox says its technology puts dollar signs on “likes,” social impressions, and app installations. The company emerged from stealth late last week with … Continue reading “SnakBlox, Out of Stealth, Measures Social Data for Hearst Digital”
Cleaning Houses and Content Recommendation Get Funding in New York
A couple of deals have perked up this week among New York-based startups in digital media and dirty jobs. Content recommendation platform Outbrain announced Wednesday it raised $35 million in a round led by HarbourVest. Others participating in the round include new backer Vintage Partners and existing investors Index Ventures, Carmel Ventures, GlenRock Israel, Gemini … Continue reading “Cleaning Houses and Content Recommendation Get Funding in New York”
Buzzcar’s Robin Chase Drops by Springboard’s Opening Night in New York
When Robin Chase comes to town, expect lessons in influence and driving change in executive leadership. Chase—the co-founder of Zipcar and founder of Buzzcar—spoke last night at a reception in New York ahead of Wednesday’s Springboard Annual Forum. Addressing the women-led media and tech startups that graduated from the Springboard Enterprises accelerator, Chase offered a … Continue reading “Buzzcar’s Robin Chase Drops by Springboard’s Opening Night in New York”
Tagged, Yelp, Bing, EasilyDo Talk Up “Small Data” at Glimpse NYC
The public is relatively comfortable sharing information across the social sphere, barring spying by government entities, and companies are finding new ways to figure out what people want through their status updates and tweets. At last week’s Glimpse NYC social discovery conference, a panel of executives from EasilyDo, Yelp, Tagged, and Microsoft, moderated by Cadie … Continue reading “Tagged, Yelp, Bing, EasilyDo Talk Up “Small Data” at Glimpse NYC”
Artful.ly Business Management Platform for the Arts Gets Wide Release
Independent arts organizations everywhere on Monday got the chance to sign up for Fractured Atlas’s Artful.ly, a Web-based business management platform for the arts that had been in beta for three years. After lots of practice, practice, practice (the best way to get to Carnegie Hall), Fractured Atlas announced the platform’s wide release to help … Continue reading “Artful.ly Business Management Platform for the Arts Gets Wide Release”
Kapitall Puts Up Cash Prize to Get the Young Dabbling in Virtual Stocks
Playing the stock scene can be tricky, but New York-based Kapitall thinks it can use a bit of gamification—and real prize money—to get younger folks interested in investing. This month the online investment platform introduced a monthly competition to encourage young investors to try their hands at overseeing virtual stock portfolios. There is a shot … Continue reading “Kapitall Puts Up Cash Prize to Get the Young Dabbling in Virtual Stocks”
Bootstrapped F# Emerges With Music Streaming Platform for Ads
[Updated 10/17/13 9:34 am. See below.] Eager to become the Buddy Media of digital music, F# in New York came out of stealth mode Wednesday with a platform that pairs a music player with digital ads. Co-founder and COO Pete Jimison says his bootstrapped company (pronounced “F Sharp”) is already working with music streaming providers … Continue reading “Bootstrapped F# Emerges With Music Streaming Platform for Ads”
JOBS Act Fallout: Do New Rules Mean Don’t Talk Money on Demo Day?
What started off as the usual demo day for the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator in New York quickly showed how the JOBS Act’s new rules on fundraising have clamped down the way startups pitch—or have they? Over and over, the audience at last month’s ERA demo day was told the companies on stage were not seeking funding, … Continue reading “JOBS Act Fallout: Do New Rules Mean Don’t Talk Money on Demo Day?”
Cover Brings an Uber-Style Answer to Splitting Bills at Restaurants
Dining with friends at a restaurant can be a hassle when it comes time to sort out who ordered the shepherd’s pie, but an app from New York-based Cover lets people instantly split the bill, pay, and go. The app launched at the beginning of the month after a year-long private beta in the city, … Continue reading “Cover Brings an Uber-Style Answer to Splitting Bills at Restaurants”
GroupMe Co-Founder Steve Martocci’s New Project for Music: Splice
Splice may still be in private beta, but the music creation and sharing software for musicians already has quite the pedigree. On Wednesday, the New York-based startup co-founded by Steve Martocci announced it has raised $2.75 million led by Union Square Ventures. Other participants in the funding round include Lerer Ventures, True Ventures, First Round … Continue reading “GroupMe Co-Founder Steve Martocci’s New Project for Music: Splice”
Going Big and Bad: Custom PC Makers Build Hot Rods for 4K Gaming
Sleek and slim maybe the way of the tablet world, but a niche of custom computer makers sees the market for big supercharged PCs growing as a new breed of high-end gaming content emerges. These monolithic, bespoke machines can top 27 inches in height, are loaded with multiple graphics processors, sport bright liquid coolant tubing, … Continue reading “Going Big and Bad: Custom PC Makers Build Hot Rods for 4K Gaming”
Wearable Comms from Filip Technologies to Get U.S. Entry With AT&T
[Updated 10/7/13 2:13 pm. See below.] Thanks to an agreement announced today with AT&T in Dallas, Filip Technologies got a little closer to bringing its wearable communicators for kids to the U.S. The smartwatch-like devices have yet to be released, but are designed to be personal locators and phones that parents can use to keep … Continue reading “Wearable Comms from Filip Technologies to Get U.S. Entry With AT&T”
IBM Grabs Push Notification Developer Xtify for Mobile Marketing Tech
Adding another tool to its already extensive belt, IBM announced Thursday that it’s acquired Xtify, a New York-based developer of mobile messaging software. Xtify’s software is used by organizations to send personalized offers and messages via mobile devices to the public with the goal of boosting sales and increasing brand loyalty. Terms of the deal … Continue reading “IBM Grabs Push Notification Developer Xtify for Mobile Marketing Tech”
Growth and Branding Ideas from Birchbox, Batali, Chevy, Qualcomm
It is not often that startups, big companies, and a celebrity chef come together to talk growth strategies, but that was the scene at the annual Executive Marketing Summit at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. Offering tips on brand development—and how to choose the best tomatoes each season—television personality and chef Mario Batali … Continue reading “Growth and Branding Ideas from Birchbox, Batali, Chevy, Qualcomm”
Eniac Ventures Opens Its Pockets Wider for Mobile With Second Fund
Four-year-old Eniac Ventures in New York, which also has a general partner in San Francisco, plans to get hip deep in mobile technology with a new $12.9 million fund announced late last week. At least seven startups have already received backing from the new fund, which is six times larger than Eniac’s first. The venture … Continue reading “Eniac Ventures Opens Its Pockets Wider for Mobile With Second Fund”
Reselling Tractors & Guiding High Schoolers: Report From ERA Demo Day
Backhoes, bulldozers, and forklifts typically do not pop up in the world of startups. But that changed at Wednesday’s showcase of the latest graduates from the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator. The demo day for this summer’s class of 10 startups featured ideas in fashion, education, and advertising technology, which are bread-and-butter markets in New York, but … Continue reading “Reselling Tractors & Guiding High Schoolers: Report From ERA Demo Day”
Backed by $6M, BetterCloud Is Tuning Up Its Software for Salesforce.com
Looking to grow beyond its roots in Google Apps, New York-based BetterCloud announced today it has raised $6 million in a Series B round led by Flybridge Capital Partners with participation from Greycroft Partners, BLH Venture Partners, TriBeCa Venture Partners, Bear Creek Capital, and Hallett Capital. A provider of enterprise cloud management and security software, … Continue reading “Backed by $6M, BetterCloud Is Tuning Up Its Software for Salesforce.com”
Snaps Grabs $2.25M from Steve Kantor, Others, & Gets Bostonian Prez
Mobile branding app developer Snaps based in New York, announced Monday it raised $2.25 million in a round led by Steve Kantor, CEO of merchant banking firm S2K Partners, with participation from other angel investors including Ben Barokas, co-founder of AdMeld (acquired by Google); Jonathan Carson, chief revenue officer at Vevo; and Michael Kassan, CEO … Continue reading “Snaps Grabs $2.25M from Steve Kantor, Others, & Gets Bostonian Prez”
The Work Revolution Summit: Creating a Cure for Doing Work You Hate
Brilliant ideas may help entrepreneurs launch startups and grow companies, but at the end of the day the tedium and toils of the job can wear on most anyone. The culture within a business, tiny or huge, can influence the performance potential of its team. So last Friday and Saturday, entrepreneurs, experts in technology, investors … Continue reading “The Work Revolution Summit: Creating a Cure for Doing Work You Hate”
Xbox, TV, & Asexual Phones: Microsoft’s Bing Talks Design and Tech
Sporting a new fall look, Microsoft’s search engine Bing showed off an updated logo Tuesday night in New York as the company called attention to the relevance of design across various types of technology. On an evening populated with luminaries from the fashion and home décor worlds, Microsoft hosted a chat about how websites and … Continue reading “Xbox, TV, & Asexual Phones: Microsoft’s Bing Talks Design and Tech”
Sonar Sinks Under the Waves: Blog Post by CEO Brett Martin Says Why
Brett Martin sent an e-mail Tuesday night that declared the end of his startup, Sonar, the New York-based developer of a social networking mobile app that introduced its users to people of interest nearby. The app shared information users opted to reveal about themselves, and though it raised almost $2 million from undisclosed investors, the … Continue reading “Sonar Sinks Under the Waves: Blog Post by CEO Brett Martin Says Why”
Scivantage Scoops Up Portfolio Director From Scottrade Financial
Financial technology provider Scivantage in Jersey City, NJ, announced Monday it acquired Portfolio Director, a supplier of investment managemen technology, from Scottrade Financial Services. Terms were not disclosed. For Scivantage, which offers platforms for tax and portfolio reporting, the deal brings into the fold Portfolio Director’s performance reporting software used by investment advisors, banks, brokerages, … Continue reading “Scivantage Scoops Up Portfolio Director From Scottrade Financial”
ActionX Emerges From Stealth With $3M From SoftBank, Verizon, Others
New York-based ActionX, a developer of a platform that brands can use to reach more consumers via their behavior on mobile apps, emerged from stealth mode Monday. The company announced it raised $3 million in Series A funding from SoftBankCapital, Verizon Investments, AOL Ventures, Lerer Ventures, and Golden Venture Partners, with participation by angel investors. … Continue reading “ActionX Emerges From Stealth With $3M From SoftBank, Verizon, Others”
CB Insights, Silicon Valley Bank, Others See Rise in NY Investments
Deals and venture capital investments in New York startups are on track to set a new five-year high, according to projections in a report released Thursday. Venture data firm CB Insights based in New York gathered the stats for the New York Venture Capital Almanac, sponsored by Silicon Valley Bank and law firm Orrick, Herrington … Continue reading “CB Insights, Silicon Valley Bank, Others See Rise in NY Investments”
Green Tech Wants Its Say in the Race for New York’s Next Mayor
Last night while ballots were cast in the mayoral primaries, part of the New York innovation community gathered at the Green Spaces coworking and event venue to display and discuss ideas for creating a greener cityscape. In addition to being a shared space for startups, Green Spaces, which also has a site in Denver, wants … Continue reading “Green Tech Wants Its Say in the Race for New York’s Next Mayor”
Songza Tunes In for $4.7M, Amps Up Ad Technology
Streaming music geared for your mood seems to flow well with Songza’s backers. The Long Island City, NY-based startup announced Tuesday it raised $4.7 million in equity financing from its investors that include Gary Vaynerchuk, Lerer Ventures, and Amazon.com. Songza is a platform that curates music for listeners based on their lifestyle and situation, such … Continue reading “Songza Tunes In for $4.7M, Amps Up Ad Technology”
Livestream and Roku to Pump Live Video on Connected TVs
Opening up another digital pathway to reach audiences, Livestream announced last week its live video platform has landed on Roku media players. The arrangement brings New York-based Livestream’s service to the connected television market for the first time and gives Roku its first-ever live video feed, offering concerts, sports, and news content. Broadcasters that use … Continue reading “Livestream and Roku to Pump Live Video on Connected TVs”
Danish Robots Storm New York, Establish Beachhead in U.S.
A Denmark-based maker of lightweight industrial robots announced Thursday it has set up its U.S. headquarters near Stony Brook, Long Island. The office and warehouse space will serve as a distribution, sales, and tech support center for Universal Robots. The company also plans to offer training seminars and demos at the facility. Universal Robots established … Continue reading “Danish Robots Storm New York, Establish Beachhead in U.S.”
72Lux Unwraps New Platform to Scale Up With More Online Merchants
Looking to draw a bit more attention, 72Lux, based in New York, introduced on Wednesday a new platform called Shoppable for Merchants that lets e-retailers selling most any type of product market their wares on publishers’ Web pages. This marks a new approach for 72Lux, which previously developed a white-label platform for selling high-end apparel … Continue reading “72Lux Unwraps New Platform to Scale Up With More Online Merchants”
Zazma Comes Out of Stealth, Scores $10M from Sequoia and Spark
New York–based Zazma has emerged from stealth, announcing Tuesday it raised $10 million from Sequoia Capital and Spark Capital to help expand its team and services. The startup, founded in 2011, offers short-term credit through an online platform to small businesses. That credit is for small sums, up to $5,000 per transaction, to pay invoices … Continue reading “Zazma Comes Out of Stealth, Scores $10M from Sequoia and Spark”
Verizon Takes Full Grip of Verizon Wireless in $130B Deal with Vodafone
While much of the country gathered for barbecues on Labor Day, Verizon Communications (NYSE: [[ticker:VZ]]), based in New York, announced it worked out a $130 billion cash and stock deal to take complete ownership of joint venture Verizon Wireless. The transaction, expected to close by the first quarter of 2014, will give Verizon the remaining … Continue reading “Verizon Takes Full Grip of Verizon Wireless in $130B Deal with Vodafone”
An Accelerator with No Publicity or Demo Day?! That’s Just Crazy Talk!
Running an accelerator that does not promise funding or trot out its startups to woo backers may sound nuts—or maybe it’s a strategy to differentiate a program in a crowded scene. Edward M. Zimmerman, founder of New York-based First Growth Venture Network, says his four-year-old accelerator might not generate the buzz of other organizations, but … Continue reading “An Accelerator with No Publicity or Demo Day?! That’s Just Crazy Talk!”
Microsoft Research Grabs More Room for Data Science in Silicon Alley
The New York branch of Microsoft Research, where computer scientists are brewing up new ideas in machine learning, prediction engines, and other fields, is getting space to bring in more collaborators. Though Microsoft maintains a massive office on the Avenue of the Americas, the research lab moved this month to a permanent new 22,000-sq.-ft. home … Continue reading “Microsoft Research Grabs More Room for Data Science in Silicon Alley”
Copia’s E-Reader Finds Audience in Classrooms After Shift to Edtech
As students reluctantly get into back-to-school mode, the likelihood of them finding digital platforms such as e-readers in classrooms is increasing. More companies want in on the education technology (edtech) scene, and Copia Interactive in New York believes lessons it learned from the consumer e-reader market can help it ace this subject. Taking a device-agnostic … Continue reading “Copia’s E-Reader Finds Audience in Classrooms After Shift to Edtech”
Bonus.ly Platform Lets Managers Put Employee Rewards Up for Voting
For bosses who hate poring over performance ratings to decide just how much of a bonus each employee deserves, a startup in Brooklyn has created a Web app that can put part of the task in the hands of the staff. The nitty-gritty of telling workers which skills they need to improve may always reside … Continue reading “Bonus.ly Platform Lets Managers Put Employee Rewards Up for Voting”
Techstars Pieces Together Connected Devices Accelerator with R/GA
The hardware sector, regarded by some as the black sheep of the innovation world, is enjoying a bit of renewed interest from the startup community. On Monday the folks at Techstars in Boulder, CO latched on to this rising trend, announcing a new connected devices accelerator that will be in partnership with digital marketing agency … Continue reading “Techstars Pieces Together Connected Devices Accelerator with R/GA”
Zillow Makes $50M Acquisition Move on StreetEasy, Plans Stock Offer
[Updated 8/19/13 7:00 pm. See below.] On Monday, Seattle-based real estate marketplace Zillow (NASDAQ: [[ticker:Z]]) announced it inked a $50 million cash deal to acquire residential real estate website StreetEasy, based in New York. Also this morning, Zillow revealed plans for a public offering of 2.5 million shares of its Class A common stock, along with … Continue reading “Zillow Makes $50M Acquisition Move on StreetEasy, Plans Stock Offer”
Birchbox Now Sees More than One-Quarter of Its Business from E-commerce
More consumers are picking up full-size products through the Birchbox Shop portal, according to information announced Thursday by the New York-based “discovery retailer.” Birchbox ships monthly product samples to its subscribers and today pulled the curtain back a tiny bit on its progress in general e-commerce. The company says sales of full-size products now comprise … Continue reading “Birchbox Now Sees More than One-Quarter of Its Business from E-commerce”
Clearpath Updates its “TurboTax for Immigration Paperwork” Platform
While politicians trade verbal jabs over immigration reform, a New York company has unveiled a new version of its software that simplifies paperwork—and may whittle down some costs—for filing immigration documents. Alan Samuels, the CEO of Clearpath, says his company has been working on a new design and multi-language platform that presents such government forms … Continue reading “Clearpath Updates its “TurboTax for Immigration Paperwork” Platform”
DreamIt Ventures Goes to School on Edtech, Furthers Reach in Israel
The more startup accelerators pop up in the nation’s tech hubs, the harder they have to work to differentiate themselves. The team at DreamIt Ventures in New York is emphasizing niches such as education technology, and is also working increasingly with startups from Israel. Last week’s demo day in New York demonstrated some of DreamIt’s … Continue reading “DreamIt Ventures Goes to School on Edtech, Furthers Reach in Israel”
G2, New Flagship Smartphone for LG, Makes Glitzy Debut in New York
Most device makers in the smartphone wars try to one-up each other with features such as upgraded built-in cameras and dazzling high definition display screens. From that perspective, the new LG G2 is yet another “hot new phone” out to trounce its rivals—except it breaks one common industry convention. LG Electronics had the audacity to … Continue reading “G2, New Flagship Smartphone for LG, Makes Glitzy Debut in New York”
GetTaxi at Last Launches Its Car Hailing Service App in NY, Raises $12M
More than a year after setting up its U.S. headquarters in New York, Israel’s GetTaxi announced today that its app is now live in this city for hailing black cars—yellow taxi service is still pending here. The company also announced it raised $12 million in a Series C round led by Kreos Capital with existing … Continue reading “GetTaxi at Last Launches Its Car Hailing Service App in NY, Raises $12M”
SAP and Hybris Plot New Strategies Together as Commerce Evolves
Even a doggedly independent entrepreneur can have a change of heart. Ariel Luedi, CEO of hybris software, scoffed at the very notion of selling his company—until he did just that. “Early last year I said ‘Only over my dead body would I let SAP buy us,’” he says. “That’s where I was at that time.” … Continue reading “SAP and Hybris Plot New Strategies Together as Commerce Evolves”
Run, Olapic, Maker’s Row Find Funding in Mobile Ad Tech, E-Commerce
New York-based ad technology company Run said late last week it raised $1.5 million from Verizon Ventures, the funding arm of Verizon Communications. This is one of several recent deals garnered by local startups across a variety of industries. Run developed a management platform for serving ads on mobile devices, video, and desktop computers. The … Continue reading “Run, Olapic, Maker’s Row Find Funding in Mobile Ad Tech, E-Commerce”
Dave McClure Rides a “Sharknado” into NY for 500 Startups Demo Day
Leave it to Dave McClure, founding partner of 500 Startups, to compare the intensity of running a startup to chain sawing one’s way “out of a great white shark’s stomach.” At Wednesday’s demo day in New York, the latest batch of 29 startups to emerge from the Mountain View, CA-based accelerator program gave the expected … Continue reading “Dave McClure Rides a “Sharknado” into NY for 500 Startups Demo Day”
Fractured Atlas Acquires Gemini SBS, Plans Wide Release for Artful.ly
When nonprofit Fractured Atlas in New York acquired software developer Gemini SBS, also of New York, it brought in-house the talent to create more platforms to help the arts community be more efficient. The deal, announced on Monday, comes as Fractured Atlas readies the wide release of Artful.ly, its cloud-based business management software for individual … Continue reading “Fractured Atlas Acquires Gemini SBS, Plans Wide Release for Artful.ly”
Sprint Amps Its Rooftop Signal, Joins Transit Wireless Subway Project
Through the labyrinthine stairwells that led to the roof of the Holiday Inn near Columbus Circle in New York, I followed Joe Meyer, vice president of network service management with Sprint, to see one of Sprint’s new base stations. The array of components and antennae are part of the wireless provider’s upgrades to its above-ground … Continue reading “Sprint Amps Its Rooftop Signal, Joins Transit Wireless Subway Project”