I set off for five straight days at the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference last Monday, but on the way drove the carpool to my daughter’s high school that morning in a last ditch attempt to act like a responsible and caring parent. My poor daughter gets completely abandoned during JP Morgan week every year … Continue reading “JP Morgan: Where the Boys Are…And Not the Girls”
Category: San Francisco
PandoDaily Lands $2,500,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6f0c7452-11e8-4009-bb42-deb49e8f84e8&Preview=1 Date 1/16/2012 Company Name PandoDaily Mailing Address Undisclosed San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description We have one goal here at PandoDaily: To be the site-of-record for that startup root-system and everything that springs up from it, cycle-after-cycle. Website http://www.pandodaily.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “PandoDaily Lands $2,500,000 New Financing Round”
AQT Solar Receives $18,700,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9f1eb5fc-9fe0-4650-b124-a99290bf2d4c&Preview=1 Date 1/14/2012 Company Name AQT Solar Mailing Address 1145 Sonora Court Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Company Description AQT Solar is at the forefront of capital-efficient thin-film solar cell manufacturing technology. Its mission is to achieve the best cost/performance ratio of any solar cell manufacturer. Website http://www.aqtsolar.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “AQT Solar Receives $18,700,000 Series B Financing”
“Independent of Exit”: Talking Evernote with Gary Little
Earlier today I grabbed some time with Gary Little, who’s been a partner at Menlo Park, CA-based Morgenthaler Ventures since 1998 and has led the company’s investments in Evernote, the fast-growing Silicon Valley startup that aims to help you “remember everything.” I’ve long been intrigued by CEO Phil Libin’s publicly stated ambition to make Evernote … Continue reading ““Independent of Exit”: Talking Evernote with Gary Little”
Startup Exits: Early-Stage M&A
VentureArchetypes and Greenberg Traurig sponsors an evening event for startuppers. From the event website: “Step One: Recruit an all-star panel from the most active acquirers in Silicon Valley. Step Two: Get a Keynote speaker who’s sold a startup for $75M to tell how it’s done. Step Three: Cherry-pick only the best and brightest tech startup … Continue reading “Startup Exits: Early-Stage M&A”
With TV App, Dijit Hopes to Ride Out the Coming Apple Revolution in TV
I have a lot of Apple gear, and I’m pretty happy with it. There’s just one problem. The better Apple’s stuff gets, the less patience I have for everyone else’s clunky hardware and software. Televisions and all the boxes we hook up to them are the worst offenders. No two TV manufacturers or set-top-box makers … Continue reading “With TV App, Dijit Hopes to Ride Out the Coming Apple Revolution in TV”
How to Turn a Mobile Health Application into a Real Business
2011 has been a big year for health sciences technology and, specifically, mobile health. Venture capital investors, looking for the next big thing, are beginning to invest in companies developing mobile applications in the health and wellness sector. Smartphones are making new health care applications feasible, and one doesn’t have to look far to see … Continue reading “How to Turn a Mobile Health Application into a Real Business”
Senova Systems Obtains $6,700,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=98978acf-74f0-49cd-afb2-cad3cd7b07f0&Preview=1 Date 1/13/2012 Company Name Senova Systems Mailing Address 1230 Bordeaux Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Company Description Senova Systems , Inc. is a start-up company whose purpose is to commercialize a new break-through technology for measuring pH. Measurement of pH is a critical control parameter in virtually every process industry in the … Continue reading “Senova Systems Obtains $6,700,000 Series B Financing Round”
VirtuOz Says Virtual Agents are “Siri for the Enterprise”
2011 was a very big year for natural language processing (NLP)—the science of teaching computers to communicate with humans in plain English (or French, or Japanese). First IBM’s Watson beat Jeopardy champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Then Apple captivated mobile consumers with the iPhone 4S, which included an enhanced version of Siri, the voice-driven … Continue reading “VirtuOz Says Virtual Agents are “Siri for the Enterprise””
Microsoft Claims Patent Licenses on 70% of Android Phones
Microsoft’s “Android isn’t free” campaign continues to roll along, with the Redmond software behemoth today announcing a patent licensing deal with handset maker LG to cover Google’s mobile operating systems. With this deal, Microsoft says it’s got licenses covering more than 70 percent of all U.S.-sold smartphones running Google’s Android operating system. The LG deal … Continue reading “Microsoft Claims Patent Licenses on 70% of Android Phones”
Greenwashing
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] In both of my fields of distributed renewable energy infrastructure and environmental composites, I would throw a punch at corporations and/or public sector … Continue reading “Greenwashing”
Q4 Venture Deals, Dollars Stayed Strong, Making 2011 Best in a Decade
Venture capital deals backed off just a tad during the last three months of 2011, but remained strong enough to carry VC activity during the year to a new high-water mark, according to data being released today by CB Insights, a financial data firm that maintains a venture capital database. VCs invested $7.6 billion in … Continue reading “Q4 Venture Deals, Dollars Stayed Strong, Making 2011 Best in a Decade”
Jumio Obtains $25,556,014 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c162721e-0cc4-422b-88e9-4b0be6a790d7&Preview=1 Date 1/12/2012 Company Name Jumio Mailing Address 1971 Landings Dr. Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description The company provides an online and mobile payment system. Website http://www.jumio.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $25,556,014 Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Undisclosed
Facebook’s Parikh: Mum on Google+, Lots to Say About Infrastructure
First things first: Yes, Facebook engineering director Jay Parikh has some thoughts about Google’s move to boost Google Plus above other social sources in its search stream. And no, he can’t say anything about it. Twitter has been out front in criticizing Google’s newest social-signals revamp—named Search Plus Your World—and Facebook Seattle adviser Hadi Partovi … Continue reading “Facebook’s Parikh: Mum on Google+, Lots to Say About Infrastructure”
How to Create Buzz Around Your Startup
SecondMarket sponsors an evening panel discussion on startup marketing. From the event listing: “In the current climate of constant innovation and emergence of new startups, it’s essential to generate buzz around your company to attract new investors, customers, and talent. Join SecondMarket for an evening of Cocktails & Conversations and a candid discussion on ‘How to … Continue reading “How to Create Buzz Around Your Startup”
Rock Health Gathers Healthcare & Technology Stars: A Photo Gallery
In short order, startup incubator Rock Health has become one of the Bay Area’s hubs for entrepreneurs working on technology ideas that could change healthcare delivery. Formed last year to test whether the startup accelerator model pioneered by organizations like Y Combinator and TechStars will work in the healthcare industry, Rock Health has already graduated … Continue reading “Rock Health Gathers Healthcare & Technology Stars: A Photo Gallery”
From Flingo to Lantos to Shodogg: U.S. Startups Carve Out Niche at CES
For the first time ever, the International Consumer Electronics Show created a zone called Eureka Park specifically to showcase startups from across the country. Fledgling companies have come to CES before and can still be found elsewhere at the conference, but Eureka Park is a new way to highlight them at the 2012 show. At … Continue reading “From Flingo to Lantos to Shodogg: U.S. Startups Carve Out Niche at CES”
Me-Too Drugs
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] The FDA is the easy target for those of us who are in drug development. But what I am most mad about is … Continue reading “Me-Too Drugs”
Ex-Groupon Exec Puts Indie Movies Online at Startup Prescreen
When Shawn Bercuson and his family went to Park City, UT, exactly one year ago, they may have been the only people not in town to attend the famous Sundance Film Festival, which is held there every January. “I do enjoy movies, but my family and I go skiing every year during Sundance,” he says. … Continue reading “Ex-Groupon Exec Puts Indie Movies Online at Startup Prescreen”
Regulatory Overkill
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] Regulatory overkill. We spend so much time and resources in the USA due to regulations that, while well-intentioned when conceived, are set into … Continue reading “Regulatory Overkill”
Spruce Media Lands $517,010 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7903c44a-bb9c-440e-966d-6ed9c4d207d4&Preview=1 Date 1/11/2012 Company Name Spruce Media Mailing Address 500 Third Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description The company provides performance advertising services for the Facebook platform. Website http://www.sprucemedia.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $517,010 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms … Continue reading “Spruce Media Lands $517,010 New Round”
A .data Top-Level Internet Domain?
There’s been very little change in top-level internet domains (like .com, .org, .us, etc.) for a long time. But a number of years ago I started thinking about the possibility of having a new .data top-level domain (TLD). And starting this week, there’ll finally be a period when it’s possible to apply to create such a thing. … Continue reading “A .data Top-Level Internet Domain?”
Microsoft’s Ballmer Focuses on Windows 8 in His Last CES Keynote
At his curtain call—for the moment anyway—at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer hyped his company’s efforts to innovate and compete across multiple platforms. Microsoft announced previously that after 2012 it will no longer give the keynote at CES. As they waited for seats Monday evening, some members of the press … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Ballmer Focuses on Windows 8 in His Last CES Keynote”
The Situation at the FDA: We Are All to Blame
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] It takes a lot to get me riled-up—I’m overly rational, if anything. Outside of the bad behavior we were supposed to outgrow in … Continue reading “The Situation at the FDA: We Are All to Blame”
Google Revamps Search Results To Feature Personal and Social Content
Google is changing its mind about what’s relevant. In a sweeping technical overhaul that will start to go into effect today, the search giant is altering the way it ranks search results to highlight content that users have shared, or that has been shared with them. If you’re logged into Google (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GOOG]]), links to … Continue reading “Google Revamps Search Results To Feature Personal and Social Content”
Join Us Friday for a Tweetchat with Evernote Board Member Gary Little
If you tune your Twitter client to the hashtag #xcevernote this Friday at 11:00 am Pacific time / 2:00 pm Eastern time, you’ll be able to join me and Gary Little, a partner at Morgenthaler Ventures in Menlo Park, for a public conversation about what it takes to build startups that will survive and thrive … Continue reading “Join Us Friday for a Tweetchat with Evernote Board Member Gary Little”
Of Patent Rats and Blaming Teachers
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What issues would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] There are two. The first is the state of the patent system, particularly as it affects computing hardware and software (broadly construed). … Continue reading “Of Patent Rats and Blaming Teachers”
TaskRabbit Burrows Further Into New York, Buys SkillSlate
Entrepreneurs in the crowdsourced-services niche must be feeling a lot like the knights battling the killer rabbit in Monty Python and the Holy Grail these days. San Francisco service-networking site TaskRabbit, fresh off a $17.8 million funding round, is eating up the competition. According to an e-mail received Tuesday night from TaskRabbit marketing staffer Johnny … Continue reading “TaskRabbit Burrows Further Into New York, Buys SkillSlate”
Aria Diagnostics Obtains $52,700,000 Series C Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3df2370b-c5ec-4635-9504-a41d1d6fcab8&Preview=1 Date 1/10/2012 Company Name Aria Diagnostics Mailing Address 5945 Optical Court San Jose, CA 95138 Company Description Aria Diagnostics is a privately funded biotechnology company based on a strong scientific foundation. Our novel blood tests equip pregnant women with the right information to make decisions regarding the health of their baby … Continue reading “Aria Diagnostics Obtains $52,700,000 Series C Financing”
Canaan Partners Survives VC Turmoil, Raises New $600M Tech/Biotech Fund
Canaan Partners was fortunate to raise its last big venture fund just before the global financial crisis hit in 2008, and now it has a real reason to be thankful again. The Menlo Park-based venture firm is announcing today that it has closed on Canaan IX, a new $600 million venture fund. Canaan plans to … Continue reading “Canaan Partners Survives VC Turmoil, Raises New $600M Tech/Biotech Fund”
Ford to Open New Research Lab in Silicon Valley
The Ford Motor Company announced Friday that it plans to open its first-ever dedicated R&D center on the West Coast in Silicon Valley early this year—a move in line with the automaker’s vision of becoming a company that builds mobile computers on wheels. K. Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader for open innovation with Ford Research and … Continue reading “Ford to Open New Research Lab in Silicon Valley”
Lack of Funding For Innovative Biotech Companies
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] The most important issue facing Aastrom and many other companies in biotechnology is the lack of adequate funding to support innovative new companies, … Continue reading “Lack of Funding For Innovative Biotech Companies”
Bayer, Keeping Tabs on the ‘Hood, to Open Labs For Mission Bay Startups
Bayer has been working hard the past couple years to get its finger on the pulse of innovation in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, and today it’s making another move in that direction by offering up some of its lab space to startups. The Germany-based pharmaceutical company, which already has about 65 people in its … Continue reading “Bayer, Keeping Tabs on the ‘Hood, to Open Labs For Mission Bay Startups”
Safari Books Buys Threepress, Forges Ahead In Digital Publishing Jungle
What is the future of electronic books and digital publishing in Boston? We might be getting a glimpse of it today. The news is that Safari Books Online, a joint venture between O’Reilly Media and Pearson Education, is acquiring Threepress, a Boston-area software and consulting shop specializing in tools for digital publishing. Terms of the … Continue reading “Safari Books Buys Threepress, Forges Ahead In Digital Publishing Jungle”
Benefits and Roadblocks of Corporate Partnering for Startups
Fifteen years ago, the expansion model of a startup was fairly linear: The first three years were dedicated to building the business domestically. Year four generally saw European expansion. And by year five, the company was starting to explore the Asian markets. The emergence of the Web as a viable commerce vehicle, though, brought about … Continue reading “Benefits and Roadblocks of Corporate Partnering for Startups”
Five Myths You’ll Hear This Week at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference
Biotech pilgrims are gathering today for the biggest industry frenzy of the year, the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. This confab in San Francisco’s Union Square is the singular place each year where essentially all industry mover/shakers—and many wannabes—gather for a marathon week of investment scouting, dealmaking, publicity seeking, job-hunting, and schmoozing. I’ve been going to … Continue reading “Five Myths You’ll Hear This Week at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference”
Thumbtack Receives $4,500,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0bbee86b-511b-42df-ae6c-552194cb77b7&Preview=1 Date 1/9/2012 Company Name Thumbtack Mailing Address 1001 Page Street San Francisco, CA 94117 Company Description Why can you go online right now and buy any product you want but you can’t do the same for tutors, handymen, dog walkers, or other local services? Thumbtack is changing that. Website http://www.thumbtack.com Transaction … Continue reading “Thumbtack Receives $4,500,000 Series A Financing”
Avinger Garners $22,500,000 Series C Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c5093bc-989d-46e6-82ec-73672f582651&Preview=1 Date 1/9/2012 Company Name Avinger Mailing Address 400 Chesapeake Dr. Redwood City, CA 94063 Company Description The company is developing medical device treatments for peripheral artery disease. (PAD) Website http://www.avinger.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $22,500,000 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes The funding will allow Avinger to continue on … Continue reading “Avinger Garners $22,500,000 Series C Funding Round”
Practice Fusion Secures $8,165,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=448c2833-bcff-4f36-9e29-bb757432f19f&Preview=1 Date 1/9/2012 Company Name Practice Fusion Mailing Address 501 Folsom Street First Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description Practice Fusion addresses the critical needs of today’s healthcare environments by providing a revolutionary application and delivery model for physicians and patients at no cost. Website http://www.practicefusion.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Practice Fusion Secures $8,165,000 New Funding”
Affine Systems Secures $4,999,999 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f82ac9a9-f014-47bf-a2e0-5fb25d633cf4&Preview=1 Date 1/9/2012 Company Name Affine Systems Mailing Address 2 Bryant Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description We are a computer vision company that’s changing the way online video is viewed and sold. Our technology analyzes the visual content of videos and images — not just the metadata — to provide … Continue reading “Affine Systems Secures $4,999,999 New Financing”
Flotype Lands $1,400,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c60652cf-5285-47b2-9020-7ab38ceae362&Preview=1 Date 1/7/2012 Company Name Flotype Mailing Address 2020 Milvia St Berkeley, CA 94709 Company Description Flotype Inc. is a venture-backed company building a suite of enterprise technology for real-time messaging. Flotype takes a unique approach by building developer-friendly technologies focused on ease-of-use and simplicity, while still exceeding enterprise-grade performance expectations. Website … Continue reading “Flotype Lands $1,400,000 Seed Funding Round”
Astellas Scraps Antibiotic Partnership With Theravance
South San Francisco-based Theravance said today that Astellas Pharma, its longtime partner in marketing a new antibiotic, has decided to walk away from its collaboration. Theravance (NASDAQ: [[ticker:THRX]]) said Japan-based Astellas has exercised its right to terminate its worldwide license agreement to co-market telavancin (Vibativ) as a once-daily injectable drug for bacterial infections. Astellas has … Continue reading “Astellas Scraps Antibiotic Partnership With Theravance”
Steven Burrill on the State of the Biotech Industry
In conjunction with the JPMorgan healthcare industry conference, Steven Burrill gives his annual State of the Biotech Industry address at UCSF on Monday, January 9. The event is sponsored by the UCSF Center for BioEntrepreneurship. Register here.
PacBio CEO Hugh Martin Resigns, Being Replaced by Mike Hunkapiller
Pacific Biosciences is bringing in an industry pioneer, Michael Hunkapiller, as its new CEO after a disappointing first year on the market with its new breed of DNA sequencing instrument. The Menlo Park, CA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PACB]]) said today that CEO Hugh Martin has resigned effectively immediately, and is being replaced by Mike Hunkapiller, who … Continue reading “PacBio CEO Hugh Martin Resigns, Being Replaced by Mike Hunkapiller”
Piazza, Klout, Lithium: Bay Area BizTech Deals by the Numbers
Time for our first deals roundup of 2012. As usual, we’re gathering some of this week’s most interesting investment and M&A updates from around the San Francisco Bay Area, and arranging them in order of descending value. $75 million—The size of a planned IPO by San Mateo, CA-based health benefit management firm Extend Health. $53.4 … Continue reading “Piazza, Klout, Lithium: Bay Area BizTech Deals by the Numbers”
Gathering Around the Tablet: A Glimpse of the Future
How will the media habits of families, especially those with young kids, evolve in the era of the tablet computer? I got an interesting perspective on that question over the holidays, which I spent with my brother and his family in Alaska. Jamie and his wife Jen Athey have two loveable children, aged four (Kieran) … Continue reading “Gathering Around the Tablet: A Glimpse of the Future”
Gene Security Network, Now Natera, Adds $20M For Prenatal Tests
A little more than 4 million children are born in the U.S. every year, and quite a few of those prospective parents are curious about potential genetic defects in their offspring. And so a group of investors are betting $20 million today that Redwood City, CA-based Gene Security Network is going to make some serious … Continue reading “Gene Security Network, Now Natera, Adds $20M For Prenatal Tests”
Piazza Secures $6,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3a1de076-60da-4ce7-87c9-212837bd7298&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2012 Company Name Piazza Mailing Address PO Box 19148 Palo Alto, CA 94309 Company Description Piazza is a free, online collaboration platform for students and teachers to communicate about complex problems in real time. Website http://www.Piazza.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “Piazza Secures $6,000,000 Series A Financing”
Natera Lands $20,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=575e4fb3-9b6f-40df-98c0-8261b0085c81&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2012 Company Name Natera Mailing Address 2686 Middlefield Road Redwood City, CA 94063 Company Description Natera is a genetic testing company that has developed a proprietary bioinformatics technology (Parental Support) to deliver accurate and comprehensive high throughput testing for reproductive indications from tiny quantities of DNA – as small as … Continue reading “Natera Lands $20,000,000 New Financing Round”
KIT Digital Acquires Sezmi for $27,000,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=13c25921-f0c7-4c55-b160-2f50ad75259a&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2012 Company Name Sezmi Mailing Address 1301 Shoreway Road Belmont, CA 94002 Company Description Sezmi provides endless entertainment including local and cable TV, movies, and web videos–plus, a massive on-demand catalog of shows and movies. Website http://www.sezmi.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $27,000,000 Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms KIT … Continue reading “KIT Digital Acquires Sezmi for $27,000,000”