Constant Contact and Endurance International Group Holdings have followed similar paths. Both got their start in the 1990s, offering Web services to small businesses. Both survived the dot-com crash, built up their companies, and went public. And now, their paths have collided in a $1.1 billion deal that combines two of Massachusetts’ major software companies … Continue reading “Parallel Paths of Constant Contact, Endurance Converge in $1.1B Union”
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.
Confer Snags $17M as Endpoint Security Competition Stiffens
As software breaches multiply, cybersecurity companies are parrying with more comprehensive offerings—and a lot more money—to fight hackers. Boston-based Confer is trying to make a splash in the cybersecurity industry, and it got a boost today with $17 million in a Series B funding round led by Foundation Capital, with participation from earlier investors Matrix … Continue reading “Confer Snags $17M as Endpoint Security Competition Stiffens”
Greentown Labs Grows, Wants to Make Somerville a Global Cleantech Hub
In recent years, Boston’s neighbor to the northwest, Somerville, MA, has become increasingly known for its influx of young professionals, artists, and hipsters. If Greentown Labs has its way, the city will become synonymous with cleantech, too. Greentown, the Somerville incubator for cleantech startups and research and development teams from large companies, yesterday announced an … Continue reading “Greentown Labs Grows, Wants to Make Somerville a Global Cleantech Hub”
DraftKings CEO Endorses Boston Consumer Tech at MassChallenge Awards
The CEO of DraftKings, one of Boston’s fastest-growing and most controversial startups, used his speech at last night’s MassChallenge awards ceremony to endorse the Bay State’s capacity to build great consumer tech companies. It’s been a tumultuous few weeks for Jason Robins and his staff, who have faced legal and regulatory questions about their daily … Continue reading “DraftKings CEO Endorses Boston Consumer Tech at MassChallenge Awards”
MassChallenge Chooses Jerusalem For Next Startup Accelerator Outpost
MassChallenge’s international expansion continues with today’s announcement that the Boston-based startup accelerator will launch a new outpost in Jerusalem next year. The move establishes a stronger connection with Israel. MassChallenge has had a “feeder program” for three years that has so far brought 32 Israeli startups to Boston and London to participate in the nonprofit’s … Continue reading “MassChallenge Chooses Jerusalem For Next Startup Accelerator Outpost”
Death in the Digital Age: Tech Startups Help Us Cope With Mortality
How do you want to be remembered? It’s a weighty question that we’ve all thought about at one time or another. Everybody hopes to have meaningful impact on the world while they’re here, whether that means touching the lives of millions or even just one person. That’s never going to change. But the ways in … Continue reading “Death in the Digital Age: Tech Startups Help Us Cope With Mortality”
Stratasys, Big VCs Bet $14M on 3D Printing Startup Desktop Metal
Sometimes an idea and a track record are enough to score big bucks from venture capitalists. The latest example: Desktop Metal, a nearly two-month-old 3D printing startup in Cambridge, MA, just announced $14 million in its first funding round—despite not having a working prototype or even a website. The 11-person company includes MIT materials science … Continue reading “Stratasys, Big VCs Bet $14M on 3D Printing Startup Desktop Metal”
E-Mail Testing Company Litmus Nabs $49M in First VC Round
Mobile apps might represent the future for brands selling their wares, but e-mail remains a crucial tool for digital marketers. At least, that’s the bet that Spectrum Equity made with a $49 million investment in Litmus, a Cambridge, MA-based company that helps marketers create and test e-mail messages and then analyze their campaigns. The funding … Continue reading “E-Mail Testing Company Litmus Nabs $49M in First VC Round”
Wisconsin Beertech: Savvo Adding Features to BeerMapper App
Not all cool ideas make good businesses. And sometimes an intriguing technology might have business potential, but the creators aren’t interested in commercializing it. The latter situation is the case with BeerMapper, the subject of the fourth installment in our ongoing Wisconsin beertech series. The app was created as a side project by former University … Continue reading “Wisconsin Beertech: Savvo Adding Features to BeerMapper App”
Boston Tech Roundup: Xamarin, Mobiquity, CIC, Outlearn, & More
This week, we’re tracking new funding for several Boston tech companies, an acquisition, and a new outpost for the Cambridge Innovation Center. Here are the details: —San Francisco-based Xamarin, which has an office in Boston, said it purchased Swedish software company RoboVM for an undisclosed price. Both companies offer a software platform for developing mobile … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Xamarin, Mobiquity, CIC, Outlearn, & More”
Mimecast Adds to (Slight) Tech IPO Momentum in Down Year
The tech IPO pipeline has a pulse after all. Last week, a burst of tech companies going public, or announcing plans to do so, brought a bit of excitement in a slow year for tech IPOs. The headline grabbers were Square filing for a $275 million initial public offering and First Data raising $2.6 billion … Continue reading “Mimecast Adds to (Slight) Tech IPO Momentum in Down Year”
Y Combinator, AngelList, Techstars Shake Up VC World With Big Funds
[Updated 10/19/15, 2:26 pm, with comments from Y Combinator.] Y Combinator, the 10-year-old pioneer of the now-ubiquitous startup seed accelerator model, is evolving to invest in later-stage companies that have graduated its program. The question is what happens when early-stage accelerators enter the space normally occupied by traditional venture capital firms. Clearly, it opens up … Continue reading “Y Combinator, AngelList, Techstars Shake Up VC World With Big Funds”
3 Reasons App Startup Amino Planted Roots in Boston & China
Running a company that has employees located on opposite sides of the globe can be a daunting endeavor fraught with logistical challenges and the occasional cultural disconnect. Those potential pitfalls didn’t faze Amino, the mobile app startup that has firmly planted one foot in Boston and the other in Shanghai, China. It helps that co-founder … Continue reading “3 Reasons App Startup Amino Planted Roots in Boston & China”
Wisconsin Beertech: SpotHopper Adds Marketing Biz to Suck in Bar Data
Here’s an interesting case study of how a consumer-app startup is going about attracting users while also picking up customers in the food and beverage industry. Next up in our series on Wisconsin beertech companies: SpotHopper. The Milwaukee-based startup pitches its mobile app as a sort of Pandora for bar hoppers. Answer a few questions … Continue reading “Wisconsin Beertech: SpotHopper Adds Marketing Biz to Suck in Bar Data”
Aquto CEO Talks Parenting, Tech Bubble, Mobile Engagement
Susie Kim Riley likes to compare entrepreneurship with childbirth. “When you’re in the throes of it, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’m never doing it again,” the mother of two says. “Then you have the kid, things are wonderful, and you’re like, ‘Hey, let’s do it again.’” Just as Riley and her husband decided to … Continue reading “Aquto CEO Talks Parenting, Tech Bubble, Mobile Engagement”
Post-IPO, Rapid7 Buys Logentries to Grow Data Analytics Offerings
Rapid7 scooped up Logentries for $68 million today in the Boston cybersecurity company’s first acquisition since going public in July. The acquisition of Boston-based Logentries broadens the capabilities of Rapid7 (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RPD]]), which primarily sells software that helps organizations find security flaws in their IT infrastructure, check whether they’ve been fixed, and detect and respond … Continue reading “Post-IPO, Rapid7 Buys Logentries to Grow Data Analytics Offerings”
Map of Boston Coworking Spaces: Healthy Mix or Bubble Trouble?
For tech industry observers, coworking giant WeWork is the perfect symbol of the bubble that we may or may not be in right now. The New York-based company—which operates coworking spaces in 12 U.S. cities, as well as locations in the U.K., Israel, and the Netherlands—raised $433.9 million in its latest funding round at a … Continue reading “Map of Boston Coworking Spaces: Healthy Mix or Bubble Trouble?”
CyPhy Captures $22M as New FAA Drone Rules Lift Off
The Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to green-light commercial drone use earlier this year appears to be spurring the deployment of even more capital into the fledgling sector. The latest beneficiary is CyPhy Works, the Danvers, MA-based drone startup founded by iRobot co-founder Helen Greiner. CyPhy announced a $22 million Series B round today led by … Continue reading “CyPhy Captures $22M as New FAA Drone Rules Lift Off”
LogMeIn Pays $110M+ For LastPass To Go Big In Password Management
LogMeIn has focused much of its business expansion efforts on the “Internet of Things” industry over the past several years, but on Friday it turned its attention toward cybersecurity in a big way. The Boston-based software company announced an agreement to purchase Fairfax, VA-based LastPass in a deal that could top out at $125 million … Continue reading “LogMeIn Pays $110M+ For LastPass To Go Big In Password Management”
Wisconsin Beertech: CraftFund Forges Ahead With Equity Crowdfunding
Market timing is key for any startup. CraftFund, the subject of this second installment in Xconomy’s series about Wisconsin “beertech” companies, is a reminder of that fact. The Milwaukee-based website is in the vanguard of the equity crowdfunding movement in the U.S., and it’s still too early to tell if founder David Dupee’s bet will … Continue reading “Wisconsin Beertech: CraftFund Forges Ahead With Equity Crowdfunding”
Boston Tech Roundup: Skyworks, EzCater, OnCorps, Aquto, & More
It was a busy week of fundraising and mergers and acquisitions in Boston tech. Here are some of the latest deals: —Skyworks Solutions (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SWKS]]), the Woburn, MA-based chipmaker whose customers include Apple, said it will acquire Sunnyvale, CA-based semiconductor company PMC-Sierra (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PMCS]]) for $2 billion in cash. —EzCater, the Boston-based online marketplace for … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Skyworks, EzCater, OnCorps, Aquto, & More”
CyberArk’s $30.5M Viewfinity Deal Continues Cybersecurity Alliances
[Corrected 10/7/15, 12:46 p.m. See below.] It’s been a busy week for consolidation in the cybersecurity industry. CyberArk (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CYBR]]) said today it will acquire Waltham, MA-based Viewfinity for $30.5 million in cash. The tie-up follows yesterday’s announcement that Waltham-based Digital Guardian has acquired Code Green Networks, a Silicon Valley data-protection firm, for an undisclosed … Continue reading “CyberArk’s $30.5M Viewfinity Deal Continues Cybersecurity Alliances”
Exact Sciences Shares Plunge, Questions Arise for Insurers, Doctors
Wall Street punished Exact Sciences on Tuesday for an unexpected federal guideline that proposes to identify its colorectal cancer diagnostic product as an “alternative” screening method, leaving it out of a group of recommended tests. Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) stock closed Tuesday at $9.98 per share, down a whopping 46 percent from the previous day’s close … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Shares Plunge, Questions Arise for Insurers, Doctors”
Exact Sciences Shares Crater After Disappointing Federal Decision
Exact Sciences is getting pummeled on Wall Street after an unexpected result in a long-awaited federal report that positions the company’s colorectal cancer diagnostic product as an “alternative” screening method—instead of putting it in a more coveted group of recommended tests. Shares of Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) sank below $11 per share this morning, … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Shares Crater After Disappointing Federal Decision”
LogMeIn Makes Case for Internet of Things at Tech-Celebrity Gala
There are a lot of ballyhooed tech sectors right now, perhaps none more hyped than the “Internet of Things”—the movement to connect machines to the Internet so they can, essentially, talk to each other and to us. That excitement was on display last week in Boston at “Xperience,” LogMeIn’s business conference that explored IoT innovation … Continue reading “LogMeIn Makes Case for Internet of Things at Tech-Celebrity Gala”
Logz.io, With Backers in Boston & Israel, Aims to Sniff Out IT Bugs
If you had trouble streaming a video on Netflix or posting in a Reddit thread on Sept. 20, you can thank an Amazon Web Services outage that impacted a number of apps and websites for a few hours. These types of outages are only minor annoyances for most people, but they can have real effects … Continue reading “Logz.io, With Backers in Boston & Israel, Aims to Sniff Out IT Bugs”
Wisconsin Beertech: MobCraft Fundraising to Open Brewery in Spring
As a fan of craft beer, I’ve been spoiled to live in places with plenty of savory options, between spending the past eight years in Wisconsin, and now with my new digs in Boston. Every once in a while, I’m able to convince my editors to let me write about beer (cheers!). I took advantage … Continue reading “Wisconsin Beertech: MobCraft Fundraising to Open Brewery in Spring”
Boston Tech Roundup: IBM, Flywire, Workable, Alignable, & More
This week, we’re tracking funding rounds and acquisitions in Boston edtech, payments software, IT infrastructure services, social networks, and more. Here are the details: —Hiring software startup Workable raised a $27 million Series B round led by Balderton Capital, with participation by Notion Capital and 83North. All three investors are based in Europe. Workable has … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: IBM, Flywire, Workable, Alignable, & More”
NewStore Lands $38M to Help Retailers Win Mobile Shoppers
Amazon’s e-commerce dominance and consumers’ increased shopping via smartphones have got brick-and-mortar retailers and brands scrambling to adapt. A young Boston startup, NewStore, thinks it has the answer for retailers. It’s certainly got a lot of cash to try and prove it. NewStore launched today with $38 million in funding from lead investor General Catalyst … Continue reading “NewStore Lands $38M to Help Retailers Win Mobile Shoppers”
Panorama Unveils Playbook, an Online Community for Teachers
Panorama Education has built a fast-growing business selling software for surveying K-12 students and teachers—and then analyzing that data to help school officials understand where they can improve. Now, the Boston-based edtech startup is taking things a step further with a product that helps teachers devise a plan for addressing those shortcomings. The new offering, … Continue reading “Panorama Unveils Playbook, an Online Community for Teachers”
Narvii Nabs $6.5M for Amino Apps Connecting Doctor Who, Anime Fans
[Updated 11:55 a.m. with CEO comments.] Narvii, the Techstars Boston alumni startup that runs Amino, a group of mobile app communities for people interested in everything from Harry Potter to makeup, has raised $6.5 million from investors, according to a new SEC filing. Boston-based Narvii has raised at least $8.3 million from investors since its 2011 founding, … Continue reading “Narvii Nabs $6.5M for Amino Apps Connecting Doctor Who, Anime Fans”
Onshape Nabs $80M From Andreessen, Others for Mobile CAD Software
Hardware engineers designing and tweaking products with computer software have traditionally been chained to their desks. But like most industries, these employees are increasingly going mobile, using smartphones and tablets to complete their work. That requires new computer-aided design software that lives on the Web, allowing scattered colleagues to quickly share files and automatically update … Continue reading “Onshape Nabs $80M From Andreessen, Others for Mobile CAD Software”
Stemina, Eyeing Boston VC, Launches Large Autism Diagnostic Study
With a new $2.7 million federal grant in hand, Stemina Biomarker Discovery has launched a 1,500-patient study of its experimental test to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder. According to the company, it’s the largest clinical trial ever of this type of autism test—one that measures residues in the blood called metabolites. Stemina, a Madison, … Continue reading “Stemina, Eyeing Boston VC, Launches Large Autism Diagnostic Study”
SevOne’s $50M the Latest VC Bet on New England IT Infrastructure Firms
Big dollars continue to pour into New England tech companies that help enterprises manage the flood of data that has become the norm with the rise of mobile apps and cloud computing. The latest recipient is Boston-based SevOne, which today announced a $50 million Series C round led by Westfield Capital Management and Bain Capital … Continue reading “SevOne’s $50M the Latest VC Bet on New England IT Infrastructure Firms”
Whoop CEO on New Funding, Name, & Why Fitbit and Jawbone are “B.S.”
Boston wearable device startup Whoop, which just raised $12 million and came out of stealth mode, is initially going after “elite athletes”—professional players in major sports leagues, college athletes, Olympians, and even the U.S. military. But founder and CEO Will Ahmed says the company’s technology—a wrist-worn strap that measures certain biometrics 24 hours a day … Continue reading “Whoop CEO on New Funding, Name, & Why Fitbit and Jawbone are “B.S.””
Whoop Wearable Brings 24/7 Performance Tracking to Elite Athletes
The noisy wearable device sector just got louder today with Boston startup Whoop leaping out of stealth mode with a $12 million Series B round. Whoop, formerly known as Bobo Analytics, had already quietly raised more than $9 million. Today, along with announcing the new money, it unveiled its wrist-worn strap that measures certain biometrics … Continue reading “Whoop Wearable Brings 24/7 Performance Tracking to Elite Athletes”
Chef Nightly CEO’s Recipe For Building Boston Consumer Tech Startups
Successfully growing a consumer tech company can be a tall order, given the volume of users it usually requires to achieve relevance. But Boston serial entrepreneur Michael Sheeley thinks he might have the recipe down, even if his latest venture—Chef Nightly, an app made by parent company Every Labs—is trying to carve out a place … Continue reading “Chef Nightly CEO’s Recipe For Building Boston Consumer Tech Startups”
At MIT, Commerce Secretary Recruits Techies, Pushes R&D Increase
With most of today’s political news coverage looking ahead to the 2016 presidential election, it’s easy to forget that the Obama administration still has more than a year left. The prospects are bleak for Congress to pass much of the president’s remaining agenda, but that doesn’t keep him and members of his cabinet from pushing … Continue reading “At MIT, Commerce Secretary Recruits Techies, Pushes R&D Increase”
MassChallenge Talks Global Expansion: 9 More Cities, 20,000 New Jobs
MassChallenge already calls itself the world’s largest accelerator, with more than 200 startups currently participating in its programs in Boston and London. And it’s only getting bigger. The Boston-based nonprofit, which also has a presence in Israel, plans to expand to nine more cities worldwide over the next five years. To help craft a cohesive … Continue reading “MassChallenge Talks Global Expansion: 9 More Cities, 20,000 New Jobs”
Boston Tech Roundup: Flywire, DraftKings, Blade, & More
[Updated 9/17/15, 3:44 p.m. See below.] There has been a flurry of funding, acquisitions, hiring and firing, and other movement in the Boston-area startup scene over the past week or so. Time for a quick roundup of the latest local tech news: —PeerTransfer has changed its name to Flywire and moved into new digs overlooking … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Flywire, DraftKings, Blade, & More”
How NetBlazr, Webpass Court Cord-Cutters and Nibble Comcast’s Lunch
Sometimes what it takes to compete with a heavyweight is a series of small, methodical steps. At least, that’s the strategy that upstart wireless Internet service providers like NetBlazr and Webpass have chosen as they try to nibble off market share from Comcast and other huge incumbents in the cable, phone, and satellite industry. When … Continue reading “How NetBlazr, Webpass Court Cord-Cutters and Nibble Comcast’s Lunch”
LearnLaunch Accelerator Picks Startups in Games, Payments, & Books
The opportunities for new technology to improve education are much broader than assisting the core interactions between student, teacher, and subject matter. Edtech startups are trying to solve problems in everything from administrative operations to educational affordability. Boston’s LearnLaunch Accelerator is one example of the mix of ideas sprouting from the edtech industry. The organization … Continue reading “LearnLaunch Accelerator Picks Startups in Games, Payments, & Books”
Plexxi Nabs $35M to Build Enterprise Data Fast Lanes
In today’s business world, the flood of software applications and humongous data sets that accompany them have put pressure on enterprise companies to figure out better ways to effectively manage the flow of all that information. These new challenges in data networking have given rise to new players taking aim at a market that has … Continue reading “Plexxi Nabs $35M to Build Enterprise Data Fast Lanes”
MassChallenge Touts Gender Diversity Stats As Wider Dialogue Builds
Lalita Booth is the CEO of a six-person startup, Navitome, which includes two women and four men. But such is the state of the tech industry that sometimes when she walks into a room for a business meeting, she said, people on the other side of the table look at her male colleagues and ask … Continue reading “MassChallenge Touts Gender Diversity Stats As Wider Dialogue Builds”
Stealthy Boston-Area Startup DOTS Devices Raises $8M
DOTS Devices, a stealthy new startup based outside of Boston, has raised about $8 million in equity and other securities, according to a document filed with the SEC today. The company could raise another $500,000 in this funding round, as the SEC filing shows a total offering amount of $8.5 million. A Google search didn’t … Continue reading “Stealthy Boston-Area Startup DOTS Devices Raises $8M”
Apperian Raises $12M to Continue Momentum in Enterprise Mobility
Sometimes tech companies must raise venture capital out of necessity, in order to keep the business afloat until they get enough cash flowing in from customers to survive. Other times, companies have the luxury of choosing to raise money from investors to accelerate already-strong sales growth. The latter is the position Boston-based Apperian says it … Continue reading “Apperian Raises $12M to Continue Momentum in Enterprise Mobility”
Forward Fest Panel: UW-Madison Could Do More to Support Tech Transfer
In the early 2000s, JoAnne Robbins was considering turning her research on swallowing disorders into a company. But Robbins was “not really encouraged” by her superiors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to commercialize her research. “There was an unspoken message that you don’t go into entrepreneurial activities until you have tenure,” she said. “It was … Continue reading “Forward Fest Panel: UW-Madison Could Do More to Support Tech Transfer”
Building Community, VC Funds, and $1B Businesses at Forward Festival
“We’re not here for the weather, obviously, but for the community.” That was Andrew Foxwell speaking at last week’s Forward Festival in Madison, WI, about why the Wisconsin native and his wife, Gracie—after stints in Washington, DC, Chicago, and driving 30,000 miles exploring cities nationwide—decided to put down roots in Wisconsin’s capital and build their … Continue reading “Building Community, VC Funds, and $1B Businesses at Forward Festival”
WERCBench Out to Make Milwaukee “Machine Shop” For The 21st Century
Milwaukee has long been known as a community that makes things, from the beer of Miller and Pabst to Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The leaders of the Mid-West Energy Research Consortium (M-WERC) want the city—which has been trying to adapt to global changes in business that have threatened its manufacturing-heavy economy—to “be once again the machine shop … Continue reading “WERCBench Out to Make Milwaukee “Machine Shop” For The 21st Century”
BluDiagnostics Gets Shot at Silicon Valley VCs After WI Pitch Contest
BluDiagnostics is still a three-person startup that hasn’t raised any outside capital, but it will soon have a chance to scoop up some serious cash in California. The Madison, WI-based healthtech company on Tuesday night won the second annual “Pressure Chamber” pitch contest organized by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. The event was held … Continue reading “BluDiagnostics Gets Shot at Silicon Valley VCs After WI Pitch Contest”