A year ago, Wisconsin startup accelerator Gener8tor kicked off the closing pitch event for its winter session in Madison with a laser light show and smoke machines. This year, attendees were treated to a mini-pep rally by members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison band. A small group of trumpet players, trombone players, percussionists, and a … Continue reading “Gener8tor Strikes Up the UW Band to Send Off Latest Startup Class”
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.
Fujifilm Buys TeraMedica to Push Better Patient Data Archiving, Sharing
TeraMedica, a Wauwatosa, WI-based healthcare informatics company, has been acquired by Fujifilm Medical Systems U.S.A., a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based conglomerate best known for selling camera film. The deal is the second one this week involving a Wisconsin healthtech company, following Green Bay-based IOD’s merger with HealthPort. It also marks the second acquisition by Fujifilm … Continue reading “Fujifilm Buys TeraMedica to Push Better Patient Data Archiving, Sharing”
New WERCBench Labs Accelerator Gets $350K WEDC Grant
[Updated 5/14/15, 8:54 a.m. See below.] The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) has awarded a $350,000 grant to help launch the Mid-West Energy Research Consortium’s new startup accelerator in Milwaukee this summer. On Friday, Xconomy reported new details about the accelerator, dubbed WERCBench Labs, including how each startup that completes the program will receive a … Continue reading “New WERCBench Labs Accelerator Gets $350K WEDC Grant”
Wisconsin Roundup: Marquette, NorthStar, Forte Research, & More
Here’s a smattering of the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation and technology community: —Madison-based NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes said it completed its first large-scale test run of producing molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), the parent isotope used to make technetium-99m (Tc-99m), the most widely used radioisotope in medical diagnostic imaging. The work was done at the University of Missouri … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Marquette, NorthStar, Forte Research, & More”
Wisconsin Healthtech Company IOD Merges With Georgia Rival
IOD, a Green Bay, WI-based healthcare information software company, will merge with Georgia-based competitor HealthPort, according to a press release. The terms of the proposed deal weren’t disclosed, but it creates a combined company with annual revenue of more than $450 million and 6,000 employees serving more than 18,000 hospitals and clinics nationwide. The move … Continue reading “Wisconsin Healthtech Company IOD Merges With Georgia Rival”
M-WERC Seeks Startups For Pilot Milwaukee Hardware Accelerator
The details are starting to emerge about the Midwest Energy Research Consortium’s planned startup accelerator program to be housed in the organization’s space on Milwaukee’s north side. The consortium, aka M-WERC, is currently accepting applications for its pilot three-month program that starts in June. The program, dubbed WERCBench Labs, is seeking startups with products related … Continue reading “M-WERC Seeks Startups For Pilot Milwaukee Hardware Accelerator”
Epic, IBM Unleash Watson Supercomputer on Electronic Health Records
In yet another high-profile partnership for Epic Systems, the healthcare software giant is teaming up with IBM to bring the supercomputing prowess of Watson to the medical records at the Mayo Clinic and beyond. Epic, based in the Madison, WI, suburb of Verona, has grown into a powerhouse in the electronic health records software industry … Continue reading “Epic, IBM Unleash Watson Supercomputer on Electronic Health Records”
Cellular Dynamics Sale a Windfall For Founders, Execs, & Board Members
Fujifilm’s $307 million acquisition of Cellular Dynamics International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICEL]]) is officially a done deal, and that means a big payday for the company’s top executives and board members. The biggest winner in the deal was CDI co-founder and stem cell pioneer James Thomson (pictured right), who earned $16.9 million, according to SEC documents. The … Continue reading “Cellular Dynamics Sale a Windfall For Founders, Execs, & Board Members”
Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More
Here are some of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill late Friday night that enacts statewide regulation of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. The bill had bipartisan support in the Legislature, but has drawn opposition by some Democratic legislators and city officials in Milwaukee and … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More”
Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company
As healthcare technology grows increasingly important in our everyday lives—from the software that manages our medical records to the explosion of health and fitness-monitoring devices and apps—different cities around the country are trying to claim the mantle of “America’s healthtech capital.” Madison, WI, is among the places vying for that title. And while it can … Continue reading “Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company”
Aver Informatics Growing Fast After Moving HQ From Wisconsin To Ohio
Aver Informatics, which disappointed Wisconsin startup advocates when it moved its headquarters to Ohio last year, appears to be thriving in its new digs. Aver raised $8.5 million in Series A money from Drive Capital and GE Ventures last May. Three months later, word got out that the healthtech startup was moving its headquarters from … Continue reading “Aver Informatics Growing Fast After Moving HQ From Wisconsin To Ohio”
“Hardware Meets Software” In New Launch Milwaukee Hackathon
Milwaukee entrepreneurs, engineers, and designers with software or hardware backgrounds will soon have a new outlet for their ideas: Launch Milwaukee. The weekend hackathon was announced this week and will be held June 5-7 at Ward4, the new co-working space being opened in the Historic Pritzlaff Building by Milwaukee venture fund CSA Partners. Brandon Alberti … Continue reading ““Hardware Meets Software” In New Launch Milwaukee Hackathon”
UW-Madison Accelerator D2P Poised to Hatch First Few Companies
Discovery to Product, an experimental accelerator launched on University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus last year, is starting to churn out its first few companies, organizers say. The program, dubbed D2P, is charged with shepherding promising ideas born on campus to the point of licensing the technology or forming a company that has a good shot at … Continue reading “UW-Madison Accelerator D2P Poised to Hatch First Few Companies”
Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More
Here’s a collection of recent announcements from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Cellular Dynamics International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICEL]]) has reached a proposed settlement in three similar class-action lawsuits challenging the Madison-based company’s proposed $307 million sale to Tokyo-based Fujifilm, according to an SEC filing. The lawsuits alleged that Cellular Dynamics’s sale process was flawed and that … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More”
What’s On Tap? Bendyworks
Next up in our ongoing series exploring the beers on tap at the headquarters of Wisconsin tech companies: Bendyworks. The 11-person app development shop has a prime location just off Madison’s Capitol Square that lends itself to occasional parties tied to bigger events happening nearby. Bendyworks has a number of craft beer enthusiasts on staff, … Continue reading “What’s On Tap? Bendyworks”
Wisconsin Roundup: Arrowhead, Cellular Dynamics, Madworks, & More
Here are a few of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Arrowhead Research (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) said it received FDA approval to begin a Phase 2b study of its experimental RNA interference (RNAi) drug for treating hepatitis B. In January, the FDA put a partial hold on the trial, partly because it wanted … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Arrowhead, Cellular Dynamics, Madworks, & More”
Symphony Corp. Plans Healthtech Startup Incubator in Madison HQ
Symphony Corp., the Wisconsin-based healthcare technology consultant with employees in the U.S. and India, is planning an incubator space in its Madison headquarters for healthtech startups, company leaders say. Symphony, founded in 1997 by India native and University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering graduate Ravi Kalla, provides a variety of information technology services to the healthcare industry, … Continue reading “Symphony Corp. Plans Healthtech Startup Incubator in Madison HQ”
UW-Milwaukee, Medical College Continue Healthcare App-Making Program
More than a year ago, Milwaukee-area trauma surgeon Jeremy Juern had an idea for a mobile app. He and some colleagues at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) had published research on the analysis of acid levels in the blood and had come up with some equations to help interpret the readings. Not enough base … Continue reading “UW-Milwaukee, Medical College Continue Healthcare App-Making Program”
Catalyze Snags $4M To Grow Cloud Computing Business For Healthcare
Catalyze, a Madison, WI-based provider of cloud hosting and other services for the healthcare industry, has raised $4 million from investors, a new SEC filing shows. Catalyze went through Gener8tor’s Milwaukee accelerator program in summer 2013 and raised a $2 million Series A round three months later. That round was led by Baird Capital’s venture … Continue reading “Catalyze Snags $4M To Grow Cloud Computing Business For Healthcare”
The Story Behind Cellular Dynamics’ Sale to Fujifilm
Last week, Cellular Dynamics International CEO Bob Palay described the $307 million acquisition of his company by Fujifilm as a union of two businesses that “share a common strategic vision for achieving leadership in the field of regenerative medicine.” In a March 30 press release announcing the deal, Palay predicted that combining their technologies—and tapping … Continue reading “The Story Behind Cellular Dynamics’ Sale to Fujifilm”
After Crowdfunding Campaign, MobCraft Eyes Milwaukee For First Brewery
MobCraft Beer, the Wisconsin startup that brews a different beer each month based on online voting, moved closer this week to opening its own production facility. Fresh off completing one of the state’s first equity crowdfunding campaigns, the Madison-based brewer has proposed leasing a 13,000-square-foot building in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood that would significantly increase … Continue reading “After Crowdfunding Campaign, MobCraft Eyes Milwaukee For First Brewery”
Tasso, GenTegra Push Ahead With DARPA-Backed Home Blood-Draw Device
[Corrected 4/7/15, 1:00 p.m. See below.] Collecting a blood sample for lab testing can be a hassle and, for patients who fear needles, a scary proposition. That’s something the leaders of Madison, WI-based startup Tasso want to help change with HemoLink, a small, cylindrical device that is designed to adhere to a patient’s arm or … Continue reading “Tasso, GenTegra Push Ahead With DARPA-Backed Home Blood-Draw Device”
Wisconsin Roundup: Ebola, Kiio, The Water Council, Uber, & More
Here’s a collection of the latest updates from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —A new experimental vaccine to battle Ebola has shown early but promising results in protecting monkeys exposed to the virus. The vaccine, which is being co-developed by virus expert and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, takes a different approach than some … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Ebola, Kiio, The Water Council, Uber, & More”
Shareholder Challenges Fujifilm’s Cellular Dynamics Acquisition
Fujifilm’s $307 million purchase of Wisconsin stem cell company Cellular Dynamics International is being challenged in court by a shareholder who claims the deal unfairly benefits the company’s board members and fleeces outside investors, according to online court records and the Wisconsin State Journal. Fujifilm, the Tokyo-based international conglomerate that has been expanding further into … Continue reading “Shareholder Challenges Fujifilm’s Cellular Dynamics Acquisition”
Bioforward, Wisconsin Biotech Trade Group, Names 2nd CEO in 7 Months
Wisconsin’s top life sciences trade group has named its second new CEO in the past seven months. Bioforward said today that Lisa Johnson, currently the vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC), will take over for current CEO Laura Bray in early May. Bray was named Bioforward CEO in … Continue reading “Bioforward, Wisconsin Biotech Trade Group, Names 2nd CEO in 7 Months”
Cancer Groups Tap The Crowd To Boost Clinical Trial Participation
Pushing a cancer therapy through clinical trials typically takes years and millions of dollars. But before trial organizers can even begin evaluating a drug’s safety and effectiveness in humans, they must first, of course, sign up patients to test it. Easier said than done, it turns out. At least a quarter of cancer clinical trials, … Continue reading “Cancer Groups Tap The Crowd To Boost Clinical Trial Participation”
Fujifilm Snaps Up Cellular Dynamics To Grow Stem Cell Business
Cellular Dynamics International, an up-and-coming player in the stem cell field and one of Wisconsin’s more promising biotech companies, is being acquired by Fujifilm for $307 million in cash. At first glance, the Tokyo-based international conglomerate—which dates back to 1934 and is best known for selling camera film—might seem like an odd suitor for Madison-based … Continue reading “Fujifilm Snaps Up Cellular Dynamics To Grow Stem Cell Business”
Drifty Adds $2.6M To Build Ionic’s Popularity With App Developers
Drifty executives weren’t sure what they had on their hands in late 2013 when they released the first version of Ionic—an open-source software development kit intended to make it easier for Web developers to build mobile applications that work across iOS, Android, and Windows devices. Drifty co-founder and CEO Max Lynch built some initial buzz … Continue reading “Drifty Adds $2.6M To Build Ionic’s Popularity With App Developers”
Northwestern Mutual Scoops Up Fintech Startup LearnVest
Consumer demand for quicker, simpler, and more affordable money management advice is increasingly pushing the financial industry’s big incumbents to adapt and evolve, oftentimes by snapping up startups that have already built sought-after technology. The latest example is yesterday’s announcement that Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual is buying New York-based financial technology startup LearnVest. “There’s been a … Continue reading “Northwestern Mutual Scoops Up Fintech Startup LearnVest”
Wisconsin Roundup: Fetch Rewards, Scale Up Milwaukee, MobCraft, & More
Here’s a collection of recent headlines in Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Microscopy Innovations, a Marshfield-based company that makes tools for microscopy labs, has raised about $750,000 from investors, increasing the size of a funding round reported last year by about $340,000, according to SEC documents. —Madison-based Fetch Rewards received a $500,000 loan from the … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Fetch Rewards, Scale Up Milwaukee, MobCraft, & More”
Topcon Scoops Up Digi-Star To Grow ‘Precision Agriculture’ Business
Japan’s Topcon scooped up Wisconsin agriculture technology company Digi-Star today in a move that underscores the growing excitement over connected devices in seemingly every industry, including farming. Topcon Positioning Group, a division of Tokyo-based Topcon Corp., acquired Digi-Star for an undisclosed price from the private equity arm of Baird Capital. Digi-Star’s products and services will … Continue reading “Topcon Scoops Up Digi-Star To Grow ‘Precision Agriculture’ Business”
Somna Makes Case for Simple Device Before Drugs, Surgery for Reflux
Somna Therapeutics has just completed a three-year push to bring its medical device from prototype to marketable product, culminating this month with the FDA clearing it for sale. That’s got Somna’s small team in Germantown, WI, feeling good, but they’re not pausing to celebrate for long. Now, they must quickly turn their attention to the … Continue reading “Somna Makes Case for Simple Device Before Drugs, Surgery for Reflux”
Wisconsin Roundup: Gener8tor, Epic, Lucigen, 3D Printing, & More
Here are some of the latest headlines in Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Gener8tor, the startup accelerator with locations in Milwaukee and Madison, came in at number 14 in a ranking of the best-performing accelerators nationwide. It was the first time Gener8tor submitted data to the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project, an annual study conducted by … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Gener8tor, Epic, Lucigen, 3D Printing, & More”
Healthfinch Snags $1.5M, Swoops In To Automate Mundane Hospital Tasks
Investors in Wisconsin and around the country are increasingly paying attention to the budding healthtech cluster in the state capital of Madison, placing bets on the startups they view as most promising. Count Healthfinch among the latest winners. The company, which makes software to automate routine hospital tasks, has just raised $1.5 million from investors, … Continue reading “Healthfinch Snags $1.5M, Swoops In To Automate Mundane Hospital Tasks”
Swallow Solutions Gulps $1.1M To Push Oral Muscle Rehab Device Sales
[Updated 8/7/2015, 6:16 p.m. See below.] Swallow Solutions has raised $1.1 million from investors to make a stronger push into the market with its device intended to boost the rehabilitation regimen of patients trying to overcome swallowing disorders by strengthening their mouth and throat muscles. The funding round was led by the Wisconsin Super Angel … Continue reading “Swallow Solutions Gulps $1.1M To Push Oral Muscle Rehab Device Sales”
What’s On Tap? Scanalytics
We featured Madison companies in the first two installments of our ongoing series exploring the beers on tap at the headquarters of Wisconsin startups. Today, we venture to Milwaukee to see what the group of nearly 20 employees at Scanalytics—developer of a smart floor sensor—likes to drink when they put their feet up at the … Continue reading “What’s On Tap? Scanalytics”
Stratatech Eyes Phase 3 Trial Of Regenerative Tissue For Burn Wounds
Stratatech moved closer this week to commercializing its skin-like tissue intended to coax patients with burn wounds to naturally regrow skin. The Madison, WI-based company on Tuesday announced top-line results from a mid-stage clinical trial evaluating the safety and effectiveness of its “StrataGraft” skin tissue in patients with deep second-degree burns. Each patient received a … Continue reading “Stratatech Eyes Phase 3 Trial Of Regenerative Tissue For Burn Wounds”
HealthMyne Snags $4.5M To Boost Health Records Analytics Software
HealthMyne has raised nearly $4.5 million in Series A money to move its healthcare software into the market this year, the startup said today. Madison, WI-based HealthMyne, which Xconomy profiled in November, has developed data analytics software and a search engine that can comb hospitals’ vast stores of electronic health records and medical images, such … Continue reading “HealthMyne Snags $4.5M To Boost Health Records Analytics Software”
Madison Vaccines Expands Series A To Advance Prostate Cancer Drugs
Madison Vaccines’ backers have injected around $2 million more into the startup to help advance three clinical trials of its experimental DNA vaccines that aim to treat prostate cancer. The expansion of the Series A funding round ups the total to $11 million, Madison Vaccines co-founder, president, and CEO Rick Lesniewski told Xconomy today. The … Continue reading “Madison Vaccines Expands Series A To Advance Prostate Cancer Drugs”
Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Exact, Elli Health, StartupChicks, & More
Here is a collection of recent headlines in Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Elli Health, a Delafield-based startup whose software enables virtual doctor visits, raised more than $774,000 from investors, a new SEC filing shows. The company previously raised $200,000 last year, according to an SEC document. —Madison-based AquaMost has raised more than $168,000 in … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Exact, Elli Health, StartupChicks, & More”
Arrowhead’s Novartis RNAi Deal: Big Boost or ‘Stale Potato Chips’?
Arrowhead Research CEO Christopher Anzalone thinks he just got a massive bargain. For just $35 million, his company grabbed Novartis’ last remaining RNA interference assets: a group of patents and preclinical drug candidates that give Arrowhead more technological tools to play with. If all goes as Anzalone hopes, this one small deal could “substantially” expand … Continue reading “Arrowhead’s Novartis RNAi Deal: Big Boost or ‘Stale Potato Chips’?”
Study: Best Places For Women in Tech are Outside Silicon Valley
A new report suggests that the best opportunities for women in technology may be located outside of the industry’s hotbed in Silicon Valley. The analysis last week by SmartAsset, a New York-based financial technology and data analytics company, indicates that the best cities for women in computer-related jobs are found primarily on the East Coast … Continue reading “Study: Best Places For Women in Tech are Outside Silicon Valley”
The Water Council’s Accelerator Now Wants a Piece of Startups
The training wheels are coming off of The Water Council’s Milwaukee accelerator program for water tech startups. The accelerator—dubbed “Business. Research. Entrepreneurship. In Wisconsin,” or the BREW—is housed near downtown Milwaukee in the council’s Global Water Center that brings together research and development teams from big water-related companies, academic researchers, and business service providers. In … Continue reading “The Water Council’s Accelerator Now Wants a Piece of Startups”
WI’s Badger Fund of Funds Unlocks State Money, Eyes First Recipients
Nearly two years ago, Wisconsin passed a law creating a government-backed “fund-of-funds” that would invest in venture capital funds in the state, in the hopes of boosting the meager amounts of local cash available to local startups. Now, after months of gathering additional commitments from private sources, the Badger Fund of Funds is poised to … Continue reading “WI’s Badger Fund of Funds Unlocks State Money, Eyes First Recipients”
WeMontage’s James Oliver On Being An Entrepreneur/Husband/Father
Building a company from scratch is a grueling endeavor that, if done right, can bring great rewards and a feeling of fulfillment. The same goes for being a husband and a father. Balancing all three roles simultaneously is not for the faint of heart, and can seem damn near impossible at times. Just ask James … Continue reading “WeMontage’s James Oliver On Being An Entrepreneur/Husband/Father”
Shoutlet Snags $5M More to Help Big Brands Boost Social Marketing
Shoutlet has raised $5 million to continue growing its social media analytics and marketing business, a new SEC filing shows. Including the new financing, which is a combination of debt and stock options, Madison, WI-based Shoutlet appears to have raised a total of at least $31.2 million, according to SEC documents and past press releases. … Continue reading “Shoutlet Snags $5M More to Help Big Brands Boost Social Marketing”
Exact Sciences’ Stock Stumbles on Early Cologuard Launch Data
Exact Sciences’ stock dipped on Tuesday after Wall Street got spooked by the company’s early sales results from the launch of Cologuard, its stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer. Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) saw its stock drop as much as 18 percent from its opening bell price yesterday of $24.86 per share, before closing … Continue reading “Exact Sciences’ Stock Stumbles on Early Cologuard Launch Data”
Mpirik Expands Orthopedic Software Suite, Aided by $1.7M Investment
It’s a dilemma that many tech startups face: How quickly should they expand beyond their first product? Adding new products and services might help grow sales, but young, small companies need to be careful that they don’t bite off more than they can chew. Milwaukee healthcare technology startup Mpirik wrestled with that question, and decided … Continue reading “Mpirik Expands Orthopedic Software Suite, Aided by $1.7M Investment”
Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, Arrowhead, MCW, Marquette, & More
Here are some of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Exact Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) could receive up to $9 million in state tax credits if it creates more than 750 jobs and invests $26 million in capital purchases here by 2020. The Madison-based company has been beefing up its staff after receiving … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, Arrowhead, MCW, Marquette, & More”
UW-Madison IoT Lab Honing its Role Amid Campus Entrepreneurship Push
When a small group of University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty and staff launched a campus lab for developing connected devices just over a year ago, they weren’t sure what kind of response they’d get. Turns out, students are just as intrigued by the budding “Internet of Things” movement as the business world. In each of its … Continue reading “UW-Madison IoT Lab Honing its Role Amid Campus Entrepreneurship Push”