When it comes to manufacturing, production and quality is everything. Systems to monitor manufacturing have been around for decades, but they aren’t always complete, sometimes only overseeing specific machines or locations. That’s a problem that Sight Machine aims to address with its software that analyzes the manufacturing process. Its technology uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, … Continue reading “Sight Machine Raises $29M to Connect Dots of Manufacturing Enterprises”
Category: San Francisco
Retailers, Startups Work to Offer Efficient E-Commerce Delivery
The on-demand delivery war in retail is on. In its quarterly earnings call Thursday, Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) announced it would switch to one-day shipping for Prime members, halving the time the 100 million-plus people who subscribe to the service must wait before receiving their purchases. The Seattle e-commerce giant told analysts the move would cost around … Continue reading “Retailers, Startups Work to Offer Efficient E-Commerce Delivery”
Publishers Cengage, McGraw-Hill Merge to Better Target Edtech Market
[Updated 5/1/19, 4;10 pm. See below.] Textbook and edtech companies Cengage and McGraw-Hill are merging to become the second-largest provider of educational materials in the US to compete in what’s proven to be a tough sector for traditional publishers being transformed by digital books and online learning. The deal, announced Wednesday, sets out an all-stock … Continue reading “Publishers Cengage, McGraw-Hill Merge to Better Target Edtech Market”
OncoResponse’s Anil Singhal Named Adicet Bio President & CEO
Anil Singhal has been appointed president and CEO of Adicet Bio. He succeeds Donald Santel, who had been interim CEO since founder and former CEO Aya Jakobovits retired last year. Santel will continue to serve as executive chairman of Adicet’s board of directors. Singhal is joining Menlo Park, CA-based Adicet from OncoResponse, where he was … Continue reading “OncoResponse’s Anil Singhal Named Adicet Bio President & CEO”
New Zagster CEO on Bike, Scooter Fleets: Don’t Rock the Boat
For transportation veteran Dan Grossman, the “move fast and break things” startup ethos has never really translated to the micro-mobility world of app-enabled motorized scooters and bike sharing. Grossman last week took the helm of Zagster, a startup that sets up and runs micro-mobility programs for towns, cities, colleges, and businesses. The company launches programs … Continue reading “New Zagster CEO on Bike, Scooter Fleets: Don’t Rock the Boat”
Ford, Lincoln Owners Can Get Amazon Packages Delivered to Their Cars
Many of us know that anxious feeling that comes when Amazon texts a notification that it has delivered your package, except you’re nowhere near home at the time to receive it. The mind races: is the package sitting out in plain view for would-be thieves to notice? Will it be destroyed by a passing downpour? … Continue reading “Ford, Lincoln Owners Can Get Amazon Packages Delivered to Their Cars”
Roche Spinout Nimble Therapeutics Bags $10M to Find New Peptide Drugs
For the past five years, Jigar Patel and a group of fellow Roche employees have been quietly developing drug discovery technology at the global pharma company’s outpost in Madison, WI. Now, they’re setting out on their own to see if their approach to identifying promising peptide-based therapies can have an impact on the sector. Patel … Continue reading “Roche Spinout Nimble Therapeutics Bags $10M to Find New Peptide Drugs”
Exosomes Head to Wall Street As Codiak Biosciences Lines Up IPO
Do Wall Street investors believe that exosomes, the tiny bubbles once thought to be just cellular garbage bins, may be the key to treating a slew of potential diseases? The coming IPO for Codiak Biosciences will present a test case. Codiak, a Cambridge, MA, company run by former Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) research chief Doug Williams, … Continue reading “Exosomes Head to Wall Street As Codiak Biosciences Lines Up IPO”
Another $568M, and a $7B Valuation, for Automation Firm UiPath
UiPath, which helps businesses automate tedious digital processes such as billing and inventory control, announced today it raised $568 million from investors who agreed on a $7 billion valuation for the company. New York-based UiPath is one of the automation software companies that have been raking in capital recently as they compete for enterprise customers … Continue reading “Another $568M, and a $7B Valuation, for Automation Firm UiPath”
Finding Your Startup Lawyer: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Successful management of any new enterprise, regardless of industry, is a process demanding of concerted effort to realize opportunity with a finite set of resources. As an entrepreneur, perfecting your vision, securing and managing funds, building a team, marketing and selling, and executing on plan, all while navigating unexpected obstacles, likely occupy your every day. … Continue reading “Finding Your Startup Lawyer: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know”
AppSheet Raises $15M To Help People Who Aren’t Pro Coders Build Apps
Many of today and tomorrow’s high-paying jobs require a command of computing concepts and programming languages, but learning such skills from the ground up can be a time-intensive and expensive endeavor. While there’s high demand in the job market for people with these technical skills, some companies, such as Seattle-based AppSheet, are offering services designed … Continue reading “AppSheet Raises $15M To Help People Who Aren’t Pro Coders Build Apps”
Elanco Bolsters Pet Products Pipeline With $234M Deal for Aratana
Drugs that treat dogs and cats are some of Elanco’s fastest growing products, and the animal health company is poised to make that category even bigger through a deal to buy pet medicines developer Aratana Therapeutics. Greenfield, IN-based Elanco (NYSE: [[ticker:ELAN]]) announced Friday an agreement to acquire Aratana (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PETX]]) in a stock deal valued … Continue reading “Elanco Bolsters Pet Products Pipeline With $234M Deal for Aratana”
Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Strategy, Drug Price Convo, NASH News & More
The road to every new drug approval is littered with the remains of earlier failures. Biopharmaceutical companies don’t like to talk about the failures. But it’s earnings season now, so some of them don’t have much choice. Biogen’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) earnings call this week was the first since its Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab failed in a Phase … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Strategy, Drug Price Convo, NASH News & More”
Francisco Partners Buys Stake in PayScale, Exiting Warburg Pincus
PayScale, a Seattle-based compensation data company, announced Thursday it is selling a majority stake in the business to private equity fund Francisco Partners for an undisclosed amount of funding. The deal terms value PayScale at $325 million, the company says. People use PayScale to get an idea of how much particular professions and employers pay. … Continue reading “Francisco Partners Buys Stake in PayScale, Exiting Warburg Pincus”
With $103M Raise, Edtech Firm Coursera Graduates to Unicorn Status
Online education company Coursera announced today it raised $103 million in a Series E equity funding round to expand the international reach of its coursework, degree offerings, and workforce training programs. The fundraising round brings in new investor SEEK Group, an Australia-based job search, education, and workforce matchmaking firm whose affiliated businesses operate in 18 … Continue reading “With $103M Raise, Edtech Firm Coursera Graduates to Unicorn Status”
After NASH Drug’s 2nd Failure, Gilead Pins Hopes on Combo Therapies
[Updated 1:49 p.m. ET. See below.] An experimental Gilead Sciences treatment for the severe fatty liver disease NASH failed to beat a placebo in Phase 3 testing—the second time the drug has failed in a late-stage clinical trial. Gilead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) developed its drug selonsertib to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, more commonly referred to as NASH, … Continue reading “After NASH Drug’s 2nd Failure, Gilead Pins Hopes on Combo Therapies”
To Help Boost Female-led Startups, More Women Join Investor Ranks
Houston—Men have long leveraged their networks to succeed in business, and the tech industry has been no exception. Women, finding themselves outside of the club, are now creating their own networks to do the same. Katelyn O’Shaughnessy already had a solid track record, selling TripScope, a travel startup she co-founded in 2013, to Travefy two … Continue reading “To Help Boost Female-led Startups, More Women Join Investor Ranks”
Announcing Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet
The first short message went out over Arpanet, the precursor to the internet, 50 years ago this year—and it changed everything. Much of the change has been wonderful—as the internet has revolutionized communication, commerce, and access to information, in the process transforming and improving the lives of billions of people. But as we are ever … Continue reading “Announcing Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet”
Midwest Growth Capital Symposium to Feature VC University Seminar
Later next month, the Midwest Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS) will kick off its 38th annual two-day event dedicated to showcasingthe region’s high-growth companies to a cadre of local and out-of-town investors. During the symposium, 32 companies actively seeking funding will pitch to an audience of more than 500 attendees. There will also be a tech … Continue reading “Midwest Growth Capital Symposium to Feature VC University Seminar”
The Designer’s AI Apprentice: Starck & Autodesk Create “AI Chair”
Can an artistic genius and a whip-smart computer get along? French designer Philippe Starck—whose work is a mainstay of museum exhibitions—decided to find out. About two years ago, Starck heard that 3D engineering software company Autodesk (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADSK]]) was using artificial intelligence software to churn out images of possible products, guided by the design specifications … Continue reading “The Designer’s AI Apprentice: Starck & Autodesk Create “AI Chair””
CI Security Raises $9.6M to Help Customers Manage Cyber Threats
CI Security, a startup that provides its customers with cybersecurity software and expertise in detecting and responding to digital intrusions and threats, announced Monday it has raised $9.6 million in new funding. Seattle-based CI Security, which was previously known as Critical Informatics, says it plans to use some of the new cash to continue developing … Continue reading “CI Security Raises $9.6M to Help Customers Manage Cyber Threats”
Join Xconomy for Our 8th Annual Napa Summit, June 13-14
Google. Amazon. Genentech. Those are some of the companies you’ll hear from at this year’s Napa Summit, the Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. This is our most special event of the year—the eighth year we’ve held it—and it’s limited to about 100 VIP guests. We’ll tackle big trends, challenges, and opportunities in areas … Continue reading “Join Xconomy for Our 8th Annual Napa Summit, June 13-14”
ServiceNow Alum’s Perspectium Adds $8M More for Integration Tools
ServiceNow, one of the most valuable software companies ever founded in San Diego, launched in 2003, before enterprise software-as-a-service became a topic of mainstream discussion. Today’s tech landscape is dotted with companies that investors have valued at $1 billion or more—an elite club, members of which have come to be known as “unicorns,” and dozens … Continue reading “ServiceNow Alum’s Perspectium Adds $8M More for Integration Tools”
SPECIAL REPORT: 2019 Blockchain Outlook — Reality Check
After a breakout year in 2017, the blockchain sector suffered a series of blows in 2018, from crashing cryptocurrency prices to increased regulatory scrutiny of crypto ventures and deepening skepticism about whether the technology was actually useful. Now, the industry has entered a crucial phase where blockchain developers need to overcome the limitations of the … Continue reading “SPECIAL REPORT: 2019 Blockchain Outlook — Reality Check”
Can We Afford to Be Cured? A Conversation With ICER’s Steve Pearson
[Corrected, 4/23/19, 7:10 p.m. See below.] New cell and gene therapies bring the possibility of cures once hardly imaginable. But the potential cures could also cost millions of dollars, like Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]), the owner of the gene therapy Zolgensma, has suggested in advance of an imminent FDA approval decision. As public backlash against high … Continue reading “Can We Afford to Be Cured? A Conversation With ICER’s Steve Pearson”
Aptiv Expands Driverless Car Testing, Opens Chinese Mobility Center
Aptiv, a global automotive technology company, announced last week that it has opened a new innovation hub in China—the fastest growing front in the self-driving tech wars. The new entity is called the China Autonomous Mobility Center, and as a result of the move, Shanghai joins Aptiv’s roster of driverless car testing locations, which also … Continue reading “Aptiv Expands Driverless Car Testing, Opens Chinese Mobility Center”
Pfizer’s Dimitry Nuyten Jumps to Aduro for Chief Medical Officer Job
Aduro Biotech (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADRO]]) has appointed Dimitry Nuyten to serve as its chief medical officer. Nuyten comes to Berkeley, CA-based Aduro from Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]), where he was vice president and immuno-oncology clinical development leader. Prior to Pfizer, Nuyten was an executive at Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]). Earlier this year, Aduro announced a corporate restructuring … Continue reading “Pfizer’s Dimitry Nuyten Jumps to Aduro for Chief Medical Officer Job”
Bio Roundup: Nationwide’s Rise, a Surgeon’s Quest, CRISPR USA & More
Persistence and perseverance were the themes of two of our top stories this week. First there’s the story of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Columbus, Ohio, hospital chose to invest in gene therapy when the field was in its darkest days. After some ups and downs, the team it put in place helped advance some of … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Nationwide’s Rise, a Surgeon’s Quest, CRISPR USA & More”
Hookipa’s IPO Raises $84M for Drugs to Reprogram the Immune System
Hookipa Pharma has raised $84 million in an initial public offering that will fund development of experimental treatments developed to reprogram the immune system to treat infectious diseases and cancer. But Hookipa (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HOOK]]) had to downsize its IPO, offering only 6 million shares at $14 apiece. That was the low end of its targeted … Continue reading “Hookipa’s IPO Raises $84M for Drugs to Reprogram the Immune System”
Redox Wrangles $33M to Become Healthcare’s Go-To Data Integrator
[Updated 5/3/19, 12:55 pm CT. See below.] As hospitals and clinics have shifted from paper-based records to digital systems, one of the biggest challenges has been sharing patient data between healthcare providers, and between providers and outside software applications. This “interoperability” problem has created a market for companies such as Redox, a Madison, WI-based startup … Continue reading “Redox Wrangles $33M to Become Healthcare’s Go-To Data Integrator”
$100M for Talaris Gives Surgeon a Shot to Reinvent Organ Transplants
When Novartis dissolved its gene and cell therapy unit a few years ago, a bunch of projects the Swiss pharma giant had incubated were tossed aside. One of them was the work of surgeon Suzanne Ildstad, who has spent decades trying to develop a new way to improve the health outcomes of patients who need … Continue reading “$100M for Talaris Gives Surgeon a Shot to Reinvent Organ Transplants”
New Microsoft, Intel Accelerator Seeks Tech to Make Houston Smart
Houston—Sensors that can measure rising waters in real time through internet-connected digital road signs, preventing commuters from driving into flooded underpasses. Traffic signals that use cameras and analytics to adjust the time allowed to cross streets, depending on the individual who is in the crosswalk. Those are among the types of technologies that could be … Continue reading “New Microsoft, Intel Accelerator Seeks Tech to Make Houston Smart”
Cyber Madness Photos & Takeaways: Honeypots, Espionage Plots & More
There are many front lines in the battle to secure cyberspace for any given business: hackers, nation states, corporate espionage, supply chain security, AI-powered cyber tools, and ratcheting-up risks with the Internet of Things. All these facets—together with the tech companies carving a path through the dangers to take control in the ever-shifting state of … Continue reading “Cyber Madness Photos & Takeaways: Honeypots, Espionage Plots & More”
Qualcomm, Apple End Worldwide Legal Fights with Settlement Agreement
Wireless giant Qualcomm and smartphone maker Apple have been publicly feuding in courts around the globe, accusing one another of illegal business practices for more than two years. On Tuesday, the companies announced that the litigation between the two tech firms would be dismissed. San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]])—which, among other products, makes sophisticated components … Continue reading “Qualcomm, Apple End Worldwide Legal Fights with Settlement Agreement”
Former Jazz Pharma Exec Vanhove Named Surrozen Chief Medical Officer
Trudy Vanhove has joined regenerative medicine biotech Surrozen as chief medical officer. Vanhove most recently worked at Jazz Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:JAZZ]]), where she was vice president of medical affairs as well as vice president of R&D search and evaluation. South San Francisco-based Surrozen is developing drugs that activate and regulate tissue repair in the body.
6sense Raises $27M to Uncover Hidden Interests of B2B Buyers
Let’s say you’re wondering whether another software provider could do a better job for your business than the one you already use. You start a web search on its competitors. Suddenly, you get a friendly message from your current software provider, asking how things are going. Was it a sixth sense? Nope, as you can … Continue reading “6sense Raises $27M to Uncover Hidden Interests of B2B Buyers”
Metamoto’s Jeff Blackburn on AV Testing and Why Waymo Leads the Pack
In the development of self-driving cars, once a vehicle is ready for the validation stage, it’s not always practical or affordable to test them on open roads. Given the hundreds of different scenarios developers want autonomous vehicles to experience and react to—weather, traffic conditions, pedestrian activity, land markings, and more—simulation offers an alternative to on-road … Continue reading “Metamoto’s Jeff Blackburn on AV Testing and Why Waymo Leads the Pack”
Insitro Lands Three-Year Deal With Gilead to Find New NASH Drugs
Drug discovery startup Insitro burst onto the scene last year with ambitions of using machine learning techniques to find new therapies. Now the company has its first pharmaceutical partner. Gilead Sciences will work with Insitro to find medicines to treat a liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), that is fast becoming a global epidemic fueled by … Continue reading “Insitro Lands Three-Year Deal With Gilead to Find New NASH Drugs”
Achaogen Eyes Sale in Bankruptcy Auction a Year After FDA Approval
Achaogen wants to sell itself through an auction as a part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, which the antibacterial-product maker announced it filed for this morning. Achaogen plans to continue its normal business operations through the Chapter 11 process and took out a $25 million loan from Silicon Valley Bank to do so. The … Continue reading “Achaogen Eyes Sale in Bankruptcy Auction a Year After FDA Approval”
How an Ohio Kids’ Hospital Quietly Became Ground Zero for Gene Therapy
[Updated, 4/22/19, see below] If a once-modest regional hospital and its new biotech allies have their way, the capital of Ohio could one day rival America’s other biomedical hubs. “Our goal is to make Columbus the center of the universe for gene therapy,” says Doug Ingram, CEO of Sarepta Therapeutics. Sarepta (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRPT]]) is based … Continue reading “How an Ohio Kids’ Hospital Quietly Became Ground Zero for Gene Therapy”
Alnylam Makes Case For 2nd RNAi Drug at Big Liver Disease Meeting
The “attacks,” as they’re known, are debilitating and even possibly fatal. A patient with the ultra-rare genetic disease acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is struck with excruciating abdominal pain and rushes to a doctor’s office or hospital for some type of pain relief—even a surgery—to feel better. And then another attack could come, and another, driving … Continue reading “Alnylam Makes Case For 2nd RNAi Drug at Big Liver Disease Meeting”
Lyft, Uber, and the Changing Disclosure Rules For Unicorn IPOs
When a much-watched tech company such as Lyft, Uber, or Pinterest files for an initial public stock offering, people eagerly scour the sudden trove of information that such a private business must finally disclose when it begins to offer shares to the general public, rather than only to sophisticated inside investors such as venture capital … Continue reading “Lyft, Uber, and the Changing Disclosure Rules For Unicorn IPOs”
Thwarting Opposition, Bristol Gets Shareholder OK for $74B Celgene Buyout
The early opposition has turned out to be just noise. Shareholders of Bristol-Myers Squibb today approved the pharma giant’s planned buyout of Celgene, paving the way for a deal that will create one of the largest biopharma organizations in the world, and send ripples throughout the sector. Bristol (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) said Friday that more than … Continue reading “Thwarting Opposition, Bristol Gets Shareholder OK for $74B Celgene Buyout”
Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
The SAE World Congress Experience, a three-day conference featuring discussions, networking, and exhibits of new technologies pertaining to the mobility industry, took place in Detroit this week and covered a ton of topics. SAE, originally known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, began in 1905 and was intended to be an umbrella organization for the … Continue reading “Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium”
Bio Roundup: EASL Does It, Alnylam’s BFF, Gene Therapy Deals & More
A major conference devoted to liver disease kicked off with updates from the race for approval of the world’s first drug to treat a form of advanced liver disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. The gene therapy field continued to attract venture cash and industry interest, and it was a busy week in Washington for … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: EASL Does It, Alnylam’s BFF, Gene Therapy Deals & More”
EvoNexus Gets Bank, Investment Firm Backing for Fintech Incubator
Financial firms are facing competition from legacy players and disruptive fintech startups as technology continues to reshape the heavily regulated industry. Two financial firms are betting on a nonprofit incubator program in San Diego in hopes of identifying top talent and potential targets for investment or acquisition. The incubator, EvoNexus, said this week that Royal … Continue reading “EvoNexus Gets Bank, Investment Firm Backing for Fintech Incubator”
AskBio Reels In $235M to Advance Gene Therapy Clinical Trials
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) has raised $235 million in financing to support its research and development of gene therapies for rare, genetic disorders. The funding came from TPG Capital and Vida Ventures, which together invested $225 million and gained a minority stake in the Research Triangle Park, NC, company. Concurrent with that investment, AskBio’s founders and … Continue reading “AskBio Reels In $235M to Advance Gene Therapy Clinical Trials”
Active Capital Leads $1.8M Round for Back Office’s AI Bookkeeping
San Antonio—Active Capital is leading a $1.8 million seed funding round for West Palm Beach, FL-based automated bookkeeping software maker Back Office. 500 FinTech, PlugNPlay Ventures, and angel investors also participated, according to Active. Back Office says it uses artificial intelligence-driven software to automate revenue and expense reporting (among other accounting measures) for businesses. It … Continue reading “Active Capital Leads $1.8M Round for Back Office’s AI Bookkeeping”
Jintel Health Taps Former Zimmer Biomet Exec Dvorak for CEO Post
David Dvorak has been appointed chairman of the board and CEO of Jintel Health. Ping Zhang, founder of Richmond, CA-based Jintel, will become president of the company. Dvorak is the former chief executive of medical devices giant Zimmer Biomet (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBH]]). Jintel says it has developed technology that uses analytics and machine learning for clinical … Continue reading “Jintel Health Taps Former Zimmer Biomet Exec Dvorak for CEO Post”
Senators Grill Pharmacy Benefit Execs About Skyrocketing Drug Prices
Executives from five of the companies that negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers testified Tuesday before the Senate finance committee. It was the latest in a series of hearings centered on the rising cost of prescription medication, which has captured attention on both sides of the political aisle and is likely to become a … Continue reading “Senators Grill Pharmacy Benefit Execs About Skyrocketing Drug Prices”