Paul English is more convinced than ever that something he calls “conversational commerce” is the way of the future. He’s talking about consumers ordering stuff via text messages with a software bot or, if you’d believe it, an actual human being. The Kayak co-founder’s new travel technology startup, Boston-based Lola, is part of this emerging … Continue reading “Paul English’s Lola Nabs $20M For “Conversational Commerce” Play”
Author: Jeff Bauter Engel
Jeff, a former Xconomy editor, joined Xconomy from The Milwaukee Business Journal, where he covered manufacturing and technology and wrote about companies including Johnson Controls, Harley-Davidson and MillerCoors. He previously worked as the business and healthcare reporter for the Marshfield News-Herald in central Wisconsin.
He graduated from Marquette University with a bachelor degree in journalism and Spanish. At Marquette he was an award-winning reporter and editor with The Marquette Tribune, the student newspaper. During college he also was a reporter intern for the Muskegon Chronicle and Grand Rapids Press in west Michigan.
Veering Off Topic With VoltDB CEO Bruce Reading
Next up in my series of conversations with executives that take a bit of a left turn: Bruce Reading, chief executive of VoltDB. The Bedford, MA-based startup makes database technology geared toward speed. It was founded in 2009 by Mike Stonebraker, the MIT computer scientist and prolific entrepreneur, and Scott Jarr, a former vice president … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With VoltDB CEO Bruce Reading”
Boston Tech Watch: Akamai HQ, HubSpot Book, DraftKings, More
This week, we’re tracking the latest news about Akamai’s headquarters, Massachusetts daily fantasy sports regulations, a controversial book about HubSpot, a new robotics startup from former Kiva Systems executives, and an acquisition of a local cloud software startup. Read on for details. —Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey released rules regulating the daily fantasy sports industry … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Akamai HQ, HubSpot Book, DraftKings, More”
From Alexa to Watson, Boston Children’s Hospital Ups Digital Focus
John Brownstein spends a lot of time thinking about how to build the hospital of the future. One thing the chief innovation officer of Boston Children’s Hospital is sure of: digital technologies will be a cornerstone. “Brick and mortar will always be incredibly important,” Brownstein says, referring to treating patients within a hospital’s walls. But … Continue reading “From Alexa to Watson, Boston Children’s Hospital Ups Digital Focus”
OpenView Backs Corporate Training Software Startup Lesson.ly
As companies grow, employees naturally amass a treasure trove of useful habits that help them do their jobs better. But spreading that tribal knowledge across the company isn’t always easy or efficient. That’s one of the problems Lesson.ly has been trying to solve with Web-based learning automation software that centralizes a company’s policies and best … Continue reading “OpenView Backs Corporate Training Software Startup Lesson.ly”
Hopper Snags $16M to Accelerate Flight-Search App’s Growth
[Updated 12/15/16, 8:06 am. See below.] Hopper spent several years building a travel discovery website powered by a gigantic trove of data, only to switch gears in favor of an app that helps consumers find and book cheap flights. It’s still early, but that decision seems to be bearing fruit. More than 3 million people have … Continue reading “Hopper Snags $16M to Accelerate Flight-Search App’s Growth”
Kuvée Gulps $6M For Smart Wine Bottle as Keurig Model Proliferates
Keurig’s popular single-serve coffee makers have inspired a host of startups trying to replicate the approach with smoothies, craft beer, cocktails, soup, and more. Convince people that purchasing your appliance will make their lives easier, the theory goes, and they won’t mind getting locked into buying a steady supply of the desired goods from your … Continue reading “Kuvée Gulps $6M For Smart Wine Bottle as Keurig Model Proliferates”
As Equity Crowdfunding Debuts in U.S., Will More Regulations Follow?
Ready or not, equity crowdfunding is coming to the U.S. this spring. The funding mechanism allows companies to sell shares of their firms to the general public (not just accredited investors) through online portals. The practice has already gained traction in places like the U.K. in recent years, but it has taken a while to … Continue reading “As Equity Crowdfunding Debuts in U.S., Will More Regulations Follow?”
Latest MA-NY Deals: GreatHorn, Tinkergarten, Greentown Labs, NYC ACRE
Massachusetts and New York are bitter sports rivals, but when it comes to business, the exchanges often end in handshakes, not heckling. Here are some of the latest examples of partnerships happening along the Northeast corridor: —GreatHorn, a Belmont, MA-based provider of security software for cloud communications (think Google apps and Microsoft Office 365), snagged … Continue reading “Latest MA-NY Deals: GreatHorn, Tinkergarten, Greentown Labs, NYC ACRE”
DraftKings, FanDuel Cease New York Operations, Eye Legislation
DraftKings and FanDuel have stopped operating paid online fantasy sports contests in New York as part of a deal with the state’s attorney general. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been trying to shut down the daily fantasy sports sites since late last year, when he issued a cease-and-desist letter and a state court … Continue reading “DraftKings, FanDuel Cease New York Operations, Eye Legislation”
Deathtech Rising: Mylestoned Unveils Interactive Memorial Software
A startup industry around “deathtech” seems to be emerging. Last fall, Xconomy was among the first to explore new business approaches to death in the digital age. At the time, Boston serial entrepreneur Dave Balter was mum about what he was developing with one of the companies we featured, Mylestoned. That changes today with the … Continue reading “Deathtech Rising: Mylestoned Unveils Interactive Memorial Software”
Maxwell Health Gets $22M More to Simplify Health Benefits
Veer Gidwaney admits that he and his brother were probably a “little bit naïve” about the complexity of the healthcare industry when they started up Maxwell Health in 2012. Their startup provides Web-based software for buying and managing health insurance plans and other benefits, and runs an online marketplace for other human resources and health-related … Continue reading “Maxwell Health Gets $22M More to Simplify Health Benefits”
Next Step Living, Once a Promising Energy Startup, Shuts Down
Next Step Living, one of Boston’s biggest bets in energy efficiency, has shut down. Greentech Media first reported the news Thursday, and Next Step Living confirmed on its website that it is ending operations, effective today. “After eight years, and tens of thousands of customers served, we are incredibly grateful to all of our team … Continue reading “Next Step Living, Once a Promising Energy Startup, Shuts Down”
Chef Nightly Shuts Down, Citing Crowded Food-Delivery App Market
Boston-based Chef Nightly has closed down after struggling to stand out in the jam-packed food-delivery app industry. CEO and co-founder Michael Sheeley announced the closure in a blog post Wednesday. Sheeley explained: “In any marketplace, you either tap into a unique supply (in our case it was existing restaurant food) and do it years before … Continue reading “Chef Nightly Shuts Down, Citing Crowded Food-Delivery App Market”
Boston Tech Watch: Accelerators, Acquisitions, Hiring & Firing, More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking the latest news about local accelerators, company acquisitions, office expansions, and more. Read on for details. Accelerators rise and fall —A new accelerator program serving digital health startups and run by MassChallenge will soon open in the Hatch Fenway startup co-working space in Boston, located in the Landmark … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Accelerators, Acquisitions, Hiring & Firing, More”
Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner
Jon von Tetzchner has been trying to perfect the Web browser for two decades. The Iceland native co-founded Norway-based Opera Software in 1995 and led the maker of browsers and other online tools until 2010. He stayed on as an advisor until the following year, when he stepped down amid disagreements with Opera’s board and … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner”
Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis”
Now that emojis have become a fundamental mode of communication in the mobile age, it’s no surprise that businesses are trying to capitalize. One such company, two-year-old advertising technology startup Inmoji, just grabbed $5 million to advance its business that connects consumers and companies via “branded interactive emojis” used in mobile messaging apps. The Series … Continue reading “Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis””
Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?
By the end of June, Lita Nelsen will retire from MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, where she has worked for 30 years. She has been director of the office since 1993 and has seen a lot of things. Nelsen recently sat down with Xconomy to talk about trends in tech transfer and entrepreneurship. One timely issue: … Continue reading “Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?”
Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase
There are plenty of problems in government that technology might be able to help fix, like boosting transparency and increasing the efficiency of public services. But governments—from municipalities on up to the feds—have always been tough customers for startups to crack, thanks to long sales cycles, tight budgets, rules for maintaining fair bidding processes, and … Continue reading “Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase”
Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits
Software companies and their investors see a huge opportunity to help big firms squeeze useful insights out of the vast troves of data they’re accumulating. The latest example is Newton, MA-based Attivio, which today announced it raised $31 million in financing. The data-analysis software provider has now raised $102 million total from its investors, which … Continue reading “Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits”
After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M
Marketers care more about what you ate for breakfast this morning than your friends and family do. The rise of social media has spawned a host of software companies dedicated to tracking and analyzing what people are saying (and eating) online. These companies mine reams of social media posts for nuggets of information and trends … Continue reading “After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M”
Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions
This week in Boston, we’re tracking the latest tech legislation on Beacon Hill, layoffs at startups and big companies, and announcements of new companies, products, and offices. Read on for details. On the hill —Massachusetts lawmakers are once again considering regulations for ride-hailing app companies like Uber and Lyft. Under a new bill backed by … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions”
Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner
Bill Wagner took the reins of Boston-based LogMeIn (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LOGM]]) a few months ago, succeeding founding CEO Michael Simon. The 13-year-old company got its start by selling software that enables users to remotely access computers, but LogMeIn has since broadened its cloud-based offerings to include things like online collaboration tools and software that serves as … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner”
Boston Startup LTG Grabs Money For Standardized Test Prep Apps
Studying for standardized tests like the SAT can be expensive and tedious, with students (and their parents) shelling out hundreds of dollars for classes or private tutors. With its set of mobile apps, Boston edtech startup LTG Exam Prep Platform is trying to deliver a cheaper, more convenient, and more personalized alternative to traditional test … Continue reading “Boston Startup LTG Grabs Money For Standardized Test Prep Apps”
Making the Web More Open: Drupal Creator Floats an “FDA for Data”
When Dries Buytaert created the open-source Web publishing system Drupal in his college dorm room in Belgium 15 years ago, the ways people interacted with the Internet looked a lot different. Google was still a small private company. Facebook, Twitter, and the iPhone didn’t exist. Only 7 percent of the world’s population had Internet access. … Continue reading “Making the Web More Open: Drupal Creator Floats an “FDA for Data””
Cengage Continues Down Edtech Path, Unveils Remedial Math Software
Education’s ongoing shift toward digital content and learning experiences has pushed entrenched textbook publishers to try to reinvent themselves as software companies. Boston-based Cengage Learning, one of those industry stalwarts, seems to be making progress on that transformation. CEO Michael Hansen projects that digital products will make up the majority of Cengage’s revenue within two … Continue reading “Cengage Continues Down Edtech Path, Unveils Remedial Math Software”
Wayfair, Amazon Led Boston Tech’s 2015 Hiring Binge—What’s Next?
Boston-area software companies just capped off their busiest year of hiring since 2012, but there are signs of a possible slowdown on the horizon. Local digital-tech companies added approximately 755 net new jobs in the fourth quarter last year, according to the most recent quarterly study of local data compiled by John Barrett, a Boston-area … Continue reading “Wayfair, Amazon Led Boston Tech’s 2015 Hiring Binge—What’s Next?”
Boston Tech Watch: Telehealth, Fantasy Sports, Cleantech, More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking a win for DraftKings and the daily fantasy sports industry, a pair of cleantech announcements, Wayfair’s rapid expansion, and more. Read on for details. —Virginia’s legislature became the first to pass a bill regulating daily fantasy sports, despite concerns from gambling support organizations that argue the proposal doesn’t … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Telehealth, Fantasy Sports, Cleantech, More”
MIT Spinout Arctic Sand Surges With $19M From Murata, GE, Others
Arctic Sand Technologies announced Thursday it raised $19 million to boost its business selling power conversion semiconductors used in mobile devices and data centers. The Cambridge, MA-based company’s Series B round was led by Murata Manufacturing, along with co-investors GE Ventures, Northwater Capital and Arsenal Venture Partners. Arctic Sand raised $9.6 million in a Series … Continue reading “MIT Spinout Arctic Sand Surges With $19M From Murata, GE, Others”
Kayak Alum Plays to Strengths and Origins With 1st Startup, Drafted
As a first-time startup CEO, Vinayak Ranade has taken the old adage “play to your strengths” to heart. When running a startup, “everything is fundamentally hard. There are 100 different ways you could fail,” says Ranade, who started Boston-based Drafted, a job recruiting and referral software company, in September 2014. “I try to leverage every … Continue reading “Kayak Alum Plays to Strengths and Origins With 1st Startup, Drafted”
Techstars Boston’s Latest Class Signals Accelerator’s Diversity Push
Six months after Techstars announced a plan to boost the diversity of its accelerator programs around the world, the Boston group seems to be making some progress on that front. Techstars Boston announced the companies in its latest session today. Of the 14 startups, two are led by women and another four firms have at … Continue reading “Techstars Boston’s Latest Class Signals Accelerator’s Diversity Push”
Database Startup NuoDB Grabs $17M From Previous Backers
[Corrected and updated 2/23/16, 7:42 a.m. See below.] NuoDB, part of a pack of database-technology startups in the Boston area, just scooped up $17 million from investors as it tries to make a bigger dent in the sector. Founded in 2008, the Cambridge, MA-based company has now raised $59.7 million total in venture capital, a spokeswoman … Continue reading “Database Startup NuoDB Grabs $17M From Previous Backers”
Former Apple Exec: Biometrics Could Help Prevent a Backdoor for Feds
As Apple and federal authorities lock horns over whether the tech giant should provide software to weaken the defenses of an iPhone belonging to one of the shooters in San Bernardino, CA, a former Apple executive says his startup’s technology could help resolve such situations. Chuck Goldman—founder and former CEO of mobile app management company … Continue reading “Former Apple Exec: Biometrics Could Help Prevent a Backdoor for Feds”
From Funding to “Failure,” Boston Tech’s Roller Coaster Week
The past week in Boston demonstrated the range of emotions that people can experience working at a tech company. From the highs of snagging millions of investment dollars and launching products, to the lows of pulling the plug on a startup, this week had it all. Read on for details. —Indigo, a two-year-old Cambridge, MA, … Continue reading “From Funding to “Failure,” Boston Tech’s Roller Coaster Week”
Jana Grabs $57M to Bring Mobile Internet to India and Rest of World
Increasingly, U.S. tech companies aren’t battling for users on their home turf—they’re competing in the developing world. The latest reminder of that is Jana, a Boston-based software startup that today announced a $57 million Series C round led by new investor Verizon Ventures. Previous backers Spark Capital and Publicis Groupe also invested. That brings Jana’s … Continue reading “Jana Grabs $57M to Bring Mobile Internet to India and Rest of World”
In Return to Roots, Understory Raises $7.5M & Relocates HQ to WI
Understory is coming home to Wisconsin with $7.5 million in tow. The weather technology startup, formerly known as Subsidence, was founded in Madison, WI, in 2012 and went through Wisconsin startup accelerator Gener8tor’s first session. A year later, the company received an investment and hands-on mentorship from Bolt in the hardware venture firm’s Boston space. … Continue reading “In Return to Roots, Understory Raises $7.5M & Relocates HQ to WI”
Akili CEO Gives Inside Look at Startup’s Therapeutic Video Game Play
Akili Interactive Labs is a medical device company that makes mobile video games—and not the other way around. That’s an important distinction for co-founder and CEO Eddie Martucci. “We’re not a consumer company, nor do we want to be,” Martucci told me recently, as we chatted in a conference room at Akili’s new downtown Boston … Continue reading “Akili CEO Gives Inside Look at Startup’s Therapeutic Video Game Play”
BetterLesson Grabs $6M to Make Teacher Development More Personal
When former teachers Alex Grodd and Erin Osborn started BetterLesson in 2008, their startup was part of a surge of companies creating online repositories of lesson plans and helping educators collaborate with peers near and far. Now, the Cambridge, MA-based company has its sights set on another growing trend in education technology: personalized professional development … Continue reading “BetterLesson Grabs $6M to Make Teacher Development More Personal”
Asics Buys Runkeeper as Apps & Athletic Gear Continue to Merge
[Updated 2/12/16, 3:32 p.m., to include deal price and details from Asics’s press release.] Japanese shoemaker Asics just acquired one of Boston’s best-known consumer tech companies, Runkeeper, for $85 million, as the virtual and physical worlds continue to collide in athletics. Runkeeper co-founder and CEO Jason Jacobs announced the acquisition in a Medium blog post … Continue reading “Asics Buys Runkeeper as Apps & Athletic Gear Continue to Merge”
Constant Contact Cuts 15 Percent of Staff After Its Acquisition
[Updated 2/12/16, 2:57 p.m. See below.] Constant Contact laid off about 15 percent of its employees worldwide this week, casualties of the integration process with its new parent company, Endurance International Group Holdings. Endurance (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EIGI]]) confirmed the job cuts in an e-mail to Xconomy Thursday night, two days after Burlington, MA-based Endurance’s $1.1 billion … Continue reading “Constant Contact Cuts 15 Percent of Staff After Its Acquisition”
Boston Tech Watch: Disney, DraftKings, Carbon Black, MassChallenge
[Updated 2/11/16, 10:52 a.m., to include the DataCamp announcement.] This week, we’re tracking the latest news about DraftKings, Disney’s local research lab, startup funding announcements, and layoffs at tech companies. Read on for details. —Disney is closing its Cambridge, MA, research lab that opened five years ago, the Boston Herald reported. The lab, one of … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Disney, DraftKings, Carbon Black, MassChallenge”
Homeyou Takes Page From Wayfair Playbook for Home-Contractor Site
Quick, name this Boston-area consumer Web company: It flew under the radar for years, bootstrapped its way to a thriving business built on technology developed in-house and a sharp emphasis on customer service across multiple websites, and then rose to new heights after rebranding itself. If you said Wayfair, you’re right. Another correct answer: Homeyou. … Continue reading “Homeyou Takes Page From Wayfair Playbook for Home-Contractor Site”
Hexadite Nabs $8M as Cybersecurity Urgency Grows
This week brought more reminders that cybersecurity remains top of mind for leaders from the White House to boardrooms everywhere. President Barack Obama grabbed headlines with a $19 billion initiative—$5 billion higher than the federal government’s current cybersecurity spending—to battle cyber threats, overhaul federal computer systems, and boost cybersecurity training. The investment, part of Obama’s … Continue reading “Hexadite Nabs $8M as Cybersecurity Urgency Grows”
Thinking IPO? ThinkingPhones Dials Up $112M, Adopts the Name Fuze
Tech IPOs are sparse in the Boston area (and the rest of the country), but the pipeline seems to grow more crowded every day. The latest local IPO candidate is Cambridge, MA-based ThinkingPhones, which today announced a $112 million growth equity round and a new name. The company—which provides cloud-based business communications software—now goes by … Continue reading “Thinking IPO? ThinkingPhones Dials Up $112M, Adopts the Name Fuze”
Boston Tech Watch: Localytics, Walt Doyle, Flyp, NuTonomy & More
This week in Boston, we’re tracking a bunch of funding announcements, trouble at Localytics, additions to the resume of local entrepreneur and investor Walt Doyle, and a new direction for a young co-working space. Read on for details. —Waltham, MA-based advanced battery maker SolidEnergy raised $12 million in a Series B round led by an … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Localytics, Walt Doyle, Flyp, NuTonomy & More”
Starry Not Looking for a Fight, but Broadband Vision Draws Skeptics
Starry probably won’t suffer the same fate as its founders’ previous venture, Aereo, which lost a high-stakes legal battle with broadcast television titans that ended at the highest court in the land. But in trying to change the way people access broadband Internet, Starry’s path to success is perhaps equally daunting. The startup, based in … Continue reading “Starry Not Looking for a Fight, but Broadband Vision Draws Skeptics”
Atlas5D Snags $3M For Sensor Devices That Balance Data & Privacy
For all the hype and investments in wearable devices, they have yet to deliver widespread, meaningful impact on healthcare, outside of narrow applications like measuring blood pressure and the number of steps a person walks in a day. Count Zeb Kimmel among the skeptics, at least when it comes to solving harder problems for patients … Continue reading “Atlas5D Snags $3M For Sensor Devices That Balance Data & Privacy”
PTC Sketches Vision of Augmented Reality for Big Companies
Augmented reality, like its sister technology, virtual reality, is still in its infancy and has yet to live up to the hype. For many consumers, the most salient example of AR to date was a high-profile flop: Google Glass. AR boosts a person’s experience of the surrounding environment through computer-generated elements, like images superimposed on … Continue reading “PTC Sketches Vision of Augmented Reality for Big Companies”
Insurify Races Into Car Insurance Search With Online & Texting Tools
The process of booking a vacation looks a lot different today than it did 20 years ago. Since then, the traditional method of calling a travel agent to book a trip has been largely replaced by websites like Kayak, Expedia, and others that allow users to quickly compare prices and purchase flights, hotels, rental cars, … Continue reading “Insurify Races Into Car Insurance Search With Online & Texting Tools”
DataXu Snaps Up $10M Strategic Investment From Sky
One of Boston’s most heavily funded private tech companies just got another injection of capital. Advertising software company DataXu received a $10 million investment from Sky, the European media and broadcasting giant. DataXu has now raised at least $65 million since it was founded in 2007, according to SEC filings. Previous backers include Thomvest Ventures, … Continue reading “DataXu Snaps Up $10M Strategic Investment From Sky”