Category: San Francisco

PellePharm Appoints Sanuj Ravindran to CEO Post

PellePharm has appointed Sanuj Ravindran CEO of the Menlo Park, CA, company. Ravindran comes to PellePharm from San Diego-based aTyr Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LIFE]]), where he was chief business officer. Before working at aTyr, Ravindran was senior vice president of corporate development for The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDCO]]). PellePharm develops drugs to treat rare skin disorders. … Continue reading “PellePharm Appoints Sanuj Ravindran to CEO Post”

Beyond the Demo: 2018 Could Be Year for Longer, Profitable VR Content

René Pinnell says he and his wife Selena Pinnell were “blown away” by the virtual reality projects their friends were creating in 2014, so they looked for an entrepreneurial niche that would allow them to support such artists. That year the couple, both trained in design, founded a startup in San Francisco, then called KaleidoscopeVR. … Continue reading “Beyond the Demo: 2018 Could Be Year for Longer, Profitable VR Content”

Venture Activity Comes to (Unicorn) Point in 2017, and Top 10 Deals

[Updated 1/10/18 1:30 pm. See below.] In China, 2017 was the year of the rooster. But in the United States, it was the year of the unicorn—at least according to the Venture Monitor report released today by Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. A record number of unicorn financings—venture-backed companies valued at $1 … Continue reading “Venture Activity Comes to (Unicorn) Point in 2017, and Top 10 Deals”

Axovant Neuro Drug Stumbles and Falls in Phase 2, Shares Drop 50%

A drug intended to treat a form of dementia has failed in a pair of mid-stage clinical studies, and the company that developed it, Axovant, now says it will stop work on the compound altogether. Axovant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AXON]]) was testing its drug intepirdine as a treatment for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), a progressive brain … Continue reading “Axovant Neuro Drug Stumbles and Falls in Phase 2, Shares Drop 50%”

E-Commerce Innovations in the Mix at Consumer Tech Conference

Alexa is now mobile. Seattle-based e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) is expected to unveil its first augmented-reality glasses to pair with Alexa, its digital assistant, at the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, in Las Vegas this week. The glasses were developed for Amazon by Vuzix, a Rochester, NY -based wearable tech company, and can communicate … Continue reading “E-Commerce Innovations in the Mix at Consumer Tech Conference”

Alder Plans for FDA Filing After Migraine Drug Posts Strong Results

Alder Biopharmaceuticals’ migraine-prevention drug hit its main goal in a late-stage study, and the drug developer these early results keep it on track to file for FDA approval later this year. Bothell, WA-based Alder (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALDR]]) tested its drug, eptinezumab, in patients who have chronic migraine—more than 15 headaches per month. The company reported that … Continue reading “Alder Plans for FDA Filing After Migraine Drug Posts Strong Results”

Chet Kanojia Paints Vision of a New Kind of ISP at Starry Internet

[Updated, 10:10am. See below] When it comes to buying home broadband service, there hasn’t been an abundance of choices. If you have at least two decent options­—say, Comcast and Verizon—you’re in the lucky half of the population. One-quarter of U.S. households have no choice at all. But that’s all starting to change, and the cable … Continue reading “Chet Kanojia Paints Vision of a New Kind of ISP at Starry Internet”

Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures

Jill Ford, the city of Detroit’s former head of entrepreneurship and innovation, says she was already interested in the mobility field when she landed a new job last month with Toyota AI Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based investment arm of the Toyota Research Institute. “After hearing about Toyota AI Ventures and its mission, I was fascinated by … Continue reading “Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures”

Xconomy Bookclub: “Troublemakers” Charts the Birth of Silicon Valley

In 1968, a little-read article in a soon-to-fail magazine prophesied an age of networked machines that could be more than passive, oversized calculators to become digital partners in solving problems alongside humans. “In a few years, men will be able to communicate more effectively through a machine than face to face,” wrote JCR “Lick” Licklider … Continue reading “Xconomy Bookclub: “Troublemakers” Charts the Birth of Silicon Valley”

Denali, Takeda Reach $155M Deal to Develop Alzheimer’s Drug & Others

Denali Therapeutics and Takeda Pharmaceutical have agreed to work together to develop up to three drugs for neurodegenerative diseases, including a compound that could treat Alzheimer’s disease. The deal announced Friday calls for Takeda to pay Denali (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNLI]]) $155 million, a combination of cash and stock purchases. If South San Francisco, CA-based Denali successfully … Continue reading “Denali, Takeda Reach $155M Deal to Develop Alzheimer’s Drug & Others”

Bio Roundup: Trump, Gottlieb, Gene Therapy Prices, IPO Hopes & More

Welcome to the new year. What will it bring? Hopefully a lot less hatred, greed, stupidity, and angst than 2017. But we’re not holding our breath. We emerged from the winter break pondering several of the year’s burning biopharma questions, including the volatility of the U.S. president and what it means for the biopharmaceutical business, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump, Gottlieb, Gene Therapy Prices, IPO Hopes & More”

A VC’s Wish for 2018: More Efficient Entrepreneurs

Tech companies continued to rake in massive amounts of venture capital last year, while the exit market was underwhelming. Xconomy reached out to Boston-area investor Eric Paley to put 2017 in perspective and find out what might be in store for the coming year. Paley’s early-stage venture firm, Founder Collective, has backed companies such as … Continue reading “A VC’s Wish for 2018: More Efficient Entrepreneurs”

What Can Seattle Learn from Amazon’s HQ2 Search? 3 Takes

Perhaps the biggest story in Seattle last year was Amazon’s decision to seek a second headquarters elsewhere in North America. The tech and retail juggernaut has transformed this city and its economy over the last decade, for good and for ill. So, what lesson should Seattle take from Amazon’s move? We put that question to … Continue reading “What Can Seattle Learn from Amazon’s HQ2 Search? 3 Takes”

E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry

Nathaniel Borenstein, chief scientist at e-mail management company Mimecast, wears many hats: he’s a pioneer in the development of e-mail, a lay theologian, a grandfather who is married to his high school sweetheart, a vegetarian, a former “cyber banker,” and a pacifist. However, he is best known for successfully sending the world’s first e-mail attachment … Continue reading “E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry”

WP Engine Gets $250M From Silver Lake as PE’s Hunger For Tech Grows

Austin—WP Engine, a seven-year-old company that hosts and manages WordPress websites for businesses, is taking a $250 million investment from private equity giant Silver Lake Partners. WP Engine says it helps some 75,000 businesses around the world build and operate their websites on WordPress, working with customers on anything from technical issues when building pages … Continue reading “WP Engine Gets $250M From Silver Lake as PE’s Hunger For Tech Grows”

Gene Therapy 2.0: New Startups Aim to Fine-Tune Gene Delivery and Control

This past month brought a major milestone for gene therapy, a cutting edge type of medicine meant to permanently alter a patient’s genes to treat disease. For the first time, a gene therapy is available in the U.S., adding to other treatments previously approved in Europe. More are likely on the way, ushering in a … Continue reading “Gene Therapy 2.0: New Startups Aim to Fine-Tune Gene Delivery and Control”

Barracuda Buys PhishLine, Maker of Cybersecurity Education Software

The proverb “a stitch in time saves nine” would seem especially apt in the cybersecurity world. Employers can in theory save time and money by training their workers to identify suspicious links and avoid clicking on them, rather than having to deal with the potentially costly fallout from a phishing attack. That’s the idea behind … Continue reading “Barracuda Buys PhishLine, Maker of Cybersecurity Education Software”

Six West Coast Tech Leaders Share Top Developments of 2017

Xconomy asked technology and innovation leaders around our network to reflect on the most important developments in their industries during 2017, and the answers were appropriately wide-ranging. Responses from individuals in Seattle and San Diego touch on the rapid advance of machine learning, tech’s full-scale invasion of digital health, dramatic growth in blockchain and cryptocurrency, … Continue reading “Six West Coast Tech Leaders Share Top Developments of 2017”

Genalyte Takes Aim at Lab Testing Giants with Cloud-Based Service

Genalyte, a biomedical diagnostics company that has maintained a low profile in San Diego while raising almost $92 million, is getting ready to debut technology that targets a market long dominated by centralized lab services providers. Kevin Lo, an Internet veteran who recently joined Genalyte as president, said in a telephone interview the company is … Continue reading “Genalyte Takes Aim at Lab Testing Giants with Cloud-Based Service”

Clean Energy Entrepreneur Desai on Tech’s Pitfalls & Promise in 2017

A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Nisha … Continue reading “Clean Energy Entrepreneur Desai on Tech’s Pitfalls & Promise in 2017”

First U.S. Gene Therapy, Approved for Vision Loss, to Cost $850,000

The first gene therapy approved in the United States will cost $850,000, its developer Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONCE]]) announced today. Spark hopes to reduce the sticker shock by offering refunds and other creative pricing ideas, but those carve-outs, at best, are limited, and some are unlikely to come to fruition, according to healthcare economists. The … Continue reading “First U.S. Gene Therapy, Approved for Vision Loss, to Cost $850,000”

Cybersecurity Firm Illumio’s Alan Cohen on the Tech Backlash of 2017

One of the largest and most consequential data breaches in 2017 afflicted credit reporting agency Equifax, and it was hardly the only victim. Any year-end review of technology news must also include reports on Russian hacking of the 2016 election campaign, and the manipulation of social media channels to spread false and divisive political messages. These … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Firm Illumio’s Alan Cohen on the Tech Backlash of 2017”

After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News

Life science companies are continuing to raise cash, keeping pace with the financing trends of recent years. Fourth quarter figures are still being tallied but in the third quarter, 171 companies raised $3.2 billion, according to the Healthcare Moneytree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights. Those totals compare to 166 companies that raised $3.3 billion … Continue reading “After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News”

Trump v. Drug Makers? And 6 More Burning Biopharma Questions for 2018

Next week, a big slice of the biomedical industry is gathering in San Francisco for the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and other life sciences events that have emerged like sprouts around the base of an old redwood tree. One year ago, the pharmaceutical folks—by far the largest delegation to this annual mosh pit of … Continue reading “Trump v. Drug Makers? And 6 More Burning Biopharma Questions for 2018”

Six Useful Things You Can Do With Your New Smart Speaker

TL;DR: It’s time to buy a smart speaker. They’re ridiculously cheap—$30 for the Amazon Echo Dot, and $29 for the Google Home Mini—and increasingly powerful. It will be a long time before they’re as empathetic as Samantha in Her or as industrious as Rosie in The Jetsons. But they can already make your life easier, … Continue reading “Six Useful Things You Can Do With Your New Smart Speaker”

Storage Trends for 2018: Cloud Storage 2.0 Players Poised to Ascend

In March 2006, Amazon launched Simple Storage Service (S3). Although few people paid much attention at the time, the announcement of S3 marked the beginning of a great migration of data from on-premises storage to the cloud. The first generation of cloud storage products—as represented by Amazon S3, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure—made the best … Continue reading “Storage Trends for 2018: Cloud Storage 2.0 Players Poised to Ascend”

Family & Kids’ Advocate Shum Preston on the Tech Backlash of 2017

Much attention was focused this past year on the impact of social media on the 2016 presidential election, as reports emerged about the use of these platforms by entities linked with Russia to spread false, misleading, or inflammatory political messages. Aside from these revelations about “fake news,” the year brought reports on major data breaches … Continue reading “Family & Kids’ Advocate Shum Preston on the Tech Backlash of 2017”

Houston Investor Murthy Reflects on Tech’s High & Low Points in 2017

A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Neal … Continue reading “Houston Investor Murthy Reflects on Tech’s High & Low Points in 2017”

Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe on the Tech Backlash of 2017

It’s time to ring out the old year. Or perhaps in the case of 2017, with its litany of data security breaches, social media manipulations, and allegations of sexual harassment, to just wring out the old. As the year drew to a close, Xconomy asked a variety of tech industry observers for their perspective on … Continue reading “Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe on the Tech Backlash of 2017”

Tech Industry Must Implement Old-School Corporate Best Practices

There is little doubt that Silicon Valley has taken a reputational hit in 2017, partly as a result of the media’s usual star-making and -breaking process, but mostly through self-inflicted wounds. However, while specific details in the press may be shocking, the problems were predictable: Bad behavior often follows when there is an imbalance in … Continue reading “Tech Industry Must Implement Old-School Corporate Best Practices”

UTD’s Guengerich on the Promise and Peril of Tech Innovation in 2017

A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Steve … Continue reading “UTD’s Guengerich on the Promise and Peril of Tech Innovation in 2017”

Tamr’s Andy Palmer on Diversity in Tech & A.I.’s Data Challenge

As 2017 comes to a close, we’re surveying business and technology leaders from around our network to get their perspectives on the year in tech—and what’s next. Below are the highlights from our e-mail exchange with entrepreneur and investor Andy Palmer, the co-founder and CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Tamr, a “data unification” software company. (Palmer … Continue reading “Tamr’s Andy Palmer on Diversity in Tech & A.I.’s Data Challenge”

WatchHerWork CEO Hamilton: “We Are All Ready for Tech to Grow Up”

A series of highly publicized events in 2017—from the Equifax data breach to the exposure of rampant sexual harassment in parts of the tech industry—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to cybersecurity and tech culture. In a bid to put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy … Continue reading “WatchHerWork CEO Hamilton: “We Are All Ready for Tech to Grow Up””

Privacy Advocate Richard Holober on the Tech Backlash of 2017 

We’ve just passed a year full of news about the role of technology companies in U.S. elections, democracy, free speech, fairness in hiring, sexual harassment, privacy, data security, and the future job market for humans in the age of robots and artificial intelligence. Speculation is rampant about a possible sea change in consumer attitudes toward … Continue reading “Privacy Advocate Richard Holober on the Tech Backlash of 2017 “

Despite Scandal-Filled Year, Mark Cuban Says “Tech Is Just Tech”

A series of highly publicized events this year—from the Equifax and Uber data breaches to foreign use of social media and Web services to influence the U.S. election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to cybersecurity and big tech companies. In a bid to put things in perspective … Continue reading “Despite Scandal-Filled Year, Mark Cuban Says “Tech Is Just Tech””

Flipside Crypto’s Balter Talks Uber, #MeToo, Cryptocurrencies

The past year was a turbulent one for the tech industry. There was a new controversy seemingly every week, whether it was Uber’s myriad scandals; more personal data breaches; Russia’s use of social media and other online platforms to try and influence U.S. voters; growing concerns over tech giants’ power; and a series of sexual … Continue reading “Flipside Crypto’s Balter Talks Uber, #MeToo, Cryptocurrencies”

Cybersecurity Expert Ash Mozano on the Tech Backlash of 2017

There may be nothing more subjective than trying to gauge public attitudes about technology. Yet a series of highly publicized events in 2017—from the massive exposure of personal data in the Equifax breach to the use of Twitter and Facebook to manipulate voters in the U.S. Presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Expert Ash Mozano on the Tech Backlash of 2017”

Achaogen’s Blake Wise to Succeed Kenneth Hillan as CEO

Blake Wise is set to become CEO of Achaogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAO]]). Wise, who is currently president and chief operating officer of the South San Francisco, CA, drug developer, will start his new role on Jan. 1. He will succeed Kenneth Hillan, who will move into the newly created position of president, R&D, in addition to … Continue reading “Achaogen’s Blake Wise to Succeed Kenneth Hillan as CEO”

Bio Roundup: Tax Cuts, Drug Approval Record, New Flagship Cash & More

[Updated 12/22/17, 2:37 p.m. See below.] This year is wrapping up as one of the strongest on record for FDA drug approvals. As of this morning, the regulator has approved 46 novel drugs in 2017—a total that beats the mark set two years ago. With one week left in the year, the FDA could add … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Tax Cuts, Drug Approval Record, New Flagship Cash & More”

Napa Summit 2018

Napa Summit 2018 makes the seventh convening of an intimate and interdisciplinary gathering where far-seeing technologists and exemplary business leaders and investors come together to explore what’s over the horizon. Together we’ll discuss insights, challenges, and proposed solutions to big issues spanning global markets and the economy, and fields such as venture capital, virtual reality, … Continue reading “Napa Summit 2018”

Fintech in 2018: Blockchain Apps, A.I. Interfaces, Crypto Rules

For the financial technology sector, the year’s headlines were dominated by breathless blockchain hype, cryptocurrency bubble talk, and a never-ending barrage of initial coin offerings. To help put things in perspective—and get a read on what might come next in fintech—Xconomy caught up with David Jegen (pictured), a Boston-based partner with F-Prime Capital, who invests … Continue reading “Fintech in 2018: Blockchain Apps, A.I. Interfaces, Crypto Rules”

GV Tops Off $74.5M Haul for Paper Digitization Startup Ripcord

The co-founders of Hayward, CA-based startup Ripcord got together in 2015 to solve a mundane problem that plagues every office: big piles of paper records. To do that, they had to make use of the complete array of high-end tools in the advanced technology arsenal, from robotics and AI to computer vision and language processing. … Continue reading “GV Tops Off $74.5M Haul for Paper Digitization Startup Ripcord”

Social Media Cyber Threats: 3 Predictions for 2018

1. Ransomware: Social media will be the number one vehicle for ransomware distribution in 2018. Currently, there are nearly 1 million social media accounts compromised every day, and that number will continue to rise, thanks to the plethora of easily identifiable targets. And with new channels comes new costs: the average cost of a ransomware ticket will go up … Continue reading “Social Media Cyber Threats: 3 Predictions for 2018”

Net Neutrality Repeal Means The Battle Is Just Beginning

From businesses and consumers to politicians and tech industry leaders, the furor over last week’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to repeal net neutrality can be felt across America. People everywhere are stepping up to show their support for a free and open Internet. In my view, the battle to preserve net neutrality is still … Continue reading “Net Neutrality Repeal Means The Battle Is Just Beginning”

Retailers’ Holiday Wishlist? More Sales Powered By New Technologies

From products designed by artificial intelligence to virtual reality systems that help shoppers picture merchandise in their homes, retailers are deploying technology like never before this holiday season, betting that they can win business back from the default of online shopping. These innovations run the gamut, including sensors and cameras that can monitor in-store movements, … Continue reading “Retailers’ Holiday Wishlist? More Sales Powered By New Technologies”

Two Months Ahead of Schedule, FDA Clears Aerie Glaucoma Drug

The FDA has just approved a new medicine for glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness that affects close to 3 million Americans. Now the question is how eye doctors will use the drug, a treatment from Aerie Pharmaceuticals known as netarsudil (Rhopressa), and whether payers will cover the treatment. In a statement late Monday, Aerie … Continue reading “Two Months Ahead of Schedule, FDA Clears Aerie Glaucoma Drug”

Andreessen Horowitz Backs Asimov’s Synthetic Biology CAD Software

Synthetic biology continues to capture the attention of technology investors. Last week, it was Boston-based Ginkgo Bioworks announcing a $275 million Series D funding round backed by the likes of Y Combinator and Bill Gates’s private investment vehicle, Cascade Investment. This week, it’s Asimov, another Boston-area synthetic bio startup, raising money. The amount—$4.7 million in … Continue reading “Andreessen Horowitz Backs Asimov’s Synthetic Biology CAD Software”

Financing Boosts for Silicon Valley AI Companies Maana, Digital Genius

Two Bay Area AI startups announced merry company news for the holiday season on Tuesday. Palo Alto, CA-based Maana, which bills itself as a productivity booster for big industrial companies such as Shell, Chevron, Saudi Aramco, and Airbus, says it has raised $28 million in a Series C fundraising round led by investment bank China … Continue reading “Financing Boosts for Silicon Valley AI Companies Maana, Digital Genius”