As top lawyers from Facebook, Google, and Twitter testify on Capitol Hill this week about Russians using their platforms to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, it’s becoming clearer that the fight against the spread of fake news won’t be won by humans alone. That’s according to Yann LeCun, a machine learning expert and … Continue reading “As Facebook Fights Fake News, LeCun Sees Bigger Role for A.I.”
Category: San Francisco
Recorded Future Nabs $25M to Advance Cyber Threat Intelligence
Boston-area cybersecurity firm Recorded Future said Tuesday it has raised $25 million in Series E venture financing. The round was led by Insight Venture Partners, a new investor. The new money brings Recorded Future’s total venture haul to about $55 million, by my count. The Somerville, MA-based company’s previous investors include Google Ventures (GV), In-Q-Tel, … Continue reading “Recorded Future Nabs $25M to Advance Cyber Threat Intelligence”
Brain Health Therapeutics Names Nick Poulios CEO
Nick Poulios has been named CEO of San Francisco-based Brain Health Therapeutics. Poulios was most recently head of medical outcomes, reimbursement, and economics at Roche Molecular Diagnostics. Brain Health is developing treatments for neurological disorders using new formulations and combinations of previously approved drugs.
As Russians Hacked U.S. Election, Did Big Tech Firms Break Any Laws?
News is constantly streaming out these days about the role of Facebook, Twitter, and Google in the 2016 presidential election; most disturbing to the public is the apparent use of social media, search, and video channels by Russian operatives seeking to influence U.S. voters. Critical lawmakers have blasted the big tech companies for failing to … Continue reading “As Russians Hacked U.S. Election, Did Big Tech Firms Break Any Laws?”
San Diego Positions Itself as Autonomous Technology Proving Ground
UC San Diego is becoming a test bed for self-driving vehicle technology. With a campus that encompasses more than 3.3 square miles and a daytime population of roughly 65,000, “It’s a small city,” said Henrik Christensen, who is leading the new project as director of the university’s Institute for Contextual Robotics. Christensen, who announced the … Continue reading “San Diego Positions Itself as Autonomous Technology Proving Ground”
Apple Asks Appeals Court to Reverse Judgment in WARF Patent Case
Apple has requested that an appeals court reverse or reduce a judgment ordering the company to pay $506 million for infringing on a patent held by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s technology transfer office. In a brief made public this week, Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]) says it didn’t infringe on a patent owned by the Wisconsin Alumni … Continue reading “Apple Asks Appeals Court to Reverse Judgment in WARF Patent Case”
Bio Roundup: CBO’s Praise, Celgene’s Shock, Trump’s Opioid Plan & More
The White House and the FDA turned the spotlight on the nation’s opioid crisis. Blockbuster drugs from Alexion and Tesaro gained expanded approvals, but bad earnings news from Celgene and Biogen brought stocks down. Academics in the U.S. and China made progress with the gene editing technology CRISPR. And as the week’s biggest biotech deal … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CBO’s Praise, Celgene’s Shock, Trump’s Opioid Plan & More”
Watch Out, VCs: A.I. Program Judges Startups at Boston Pitch Event
I rarely attend startup pitch competitions anymore. They’ve grown hackneyed over the past few years, thanks to a proliferation of such events and the popularity of the TV show “Shark Tank.” But a startup contest held Tuesday at a machine learning conference in Cambridge, MA, put a twist on the typical scenario: the startups were … Continue reading “Watch Out, VCs: A.I. Program Judges Startups at Boston Pitch Event”
After Delays, “Social Robot” Jibo Enters Home Assistant Fray
After three years of hype and shipping postponements, Jibo is finally delivering its eponymous “social robot” to customers. The Boston-based company announced Wednesday that its robot is now for sale to the general public, with shipping set to begin in November. The price tag? $899. Jibo (pronounced JEE-bo) launched a crowdfunding campaign for the product … Continue reading “After Delays, “Social Robot” Jibo Enters Home Assistant Fray”
Occipital Acquires Paracosm, Plans Collaborative 3D Mapping Projects
Occipital, the spatial computing company based in San Francisco and Boulder, CO, announced this week that it has acquired Paracosm, a Gainesville, FL company developing 3D mapping technology. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Paracosm’s entire team of 13 people, which will remain in Florida, has been absorbed by Occipital. Adam Rodnitzky, … Continue reading “Occipital Acquires Paracosm, Plans Collaborative 3D Mapping Projects”
As Drugs Fail, Some Researchers Urge a Return to Alzheimer’s Roots
As the quest to find treatments for Alzheimer’s disease keeps crashing against rocks, a group of researchers in the field want their peers to pay more attention to the part of the brain where Alzheimer’s disease first wreaks havoc. A new paper from the researchers, published this month in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, is … Continue reading “As Drugs Fail, Some Researchers Urge a Return to Alzheimer’s Roots”
Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Without Cable, 2017 Edition
Hey folks. If you’re thinking about breaking away from the cable monopolies and getting your data, music, and video in other ways, congratulations, I’m with you. I cut the cord back in 2009, and now millions of people are doing the same every year. With the growing interest in cord-cutting, you’d think it would be … Continue reading “Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Without Cable, 2017 Edition”
Five Prime Therapeutics Promotes Aron Knickerbocker to CEO
Five Prime Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FPRX]]) did not have to go far to find its next CEO. Aron Knickerbocker, currently the chief operating officer of the South San Francisco, CA, biotech, has been named its new CEO. Knickerbocker will succeed Lewis “Rusty” Williams, who will become executive chairman. The change will become effective Jan. 1. Knickerbocker … Continue reading “Five Prime Therapeutics Promotes Aron Knickerbocker to CEO”
What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech on Dec. 6: Early Bird Rate Ends Soon
Grab your ticket to attend Xconomy’s annual biotech event in San Francisco, What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech. Leaders in gene editing, microbiome, neuroscience, and other fields will discuss the opportunities and pitfalls, and emerging technologies in their industry. Join us on Dec. 6 at UCSF Mission Bay, home to QB3, the University of California’s … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech on Dec. 6: Early Bird Rate Ends Soon”
Delphi to Buy NuTonomy for $400M+ as Driverless Car Tie-ups Continue
Another big move today in the race to develop self-driving cars: Delphi Automotive has inked a deal to acquire NuTonomy, an autonomous vehicle software startup, for up to $450 million. The U.K.-based automotive supplier (NYSE: [[ticker:DLPH]]) will pay $400 million up front to acquire Boston-based NuTonomy, plus earn-outs of about $50 million, according to a … Continue reading “Delphi to Buy NuTonomy for $400M+ as Driverless Car Tie-ups Continue”
With $50M of His Fortune, AppDynamics Founder Creates a Startup Factory
Jyoti Bansal, who was raised in a small town in India, earned a computer science degree in 1999, worked for three successful Silicon Valley startups, founded his first company in 2008 while still in his 20’s, and led it through its acquisition by Cisco early this year for $3.7 billion. He clearly had a knack … Continue reading “With $50M of His Fortune, AppDynamics Founder Creates a Startup Factory”
DOTS Technology Pulls in $20M for Rapid Food Allergen Detector
DOTS Technology, a stealthy startup developing rapid diagnostics technologies, has raised about $20.4 million from investors, according to a document filed with the SEC. The fresh capital includes Series B preferred stock and common stock that is issuable upon the conversion of the preferred stock, according to the regulatory filing. Natick, MA-based DOTS previously raised … Continue reading “DOTS Technology Pulls in $20M for Rapid Food Allergen Detector”
Xconomy Q&A: An Update with Arcturus Therapeutics CEO Joseph Payne
Things have been moving quickly in recent weeks for the San Diego RNA drug developer Arcturus Therapeutics. After initiating a reverse merger last month, Arcturus signed a research collaboration and worldwide licensing agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of the Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]) family of companies. In a statement last week, Arcturus said it … Continue reading “Xconomy Q&A: An Update with Arcturus Therapeutics CEO Joseph Payne”
Devoted Health, Led by Athenahealth Alums Ed & Todd Park, Bags $62M
[Updated 10/23/17, 12:27 pm. See below.] Devoted Health, a new healthcare company created by former Athenahealth leaders, has raised nearly $62 million from investors, according to a document filed with the SEC. Devoted has now raised a total of $69 million from Venrock and other groups and individual investors, spokesman Kenneth Baer said in an … Continue reading “Devoted Health, Led by Athenahealth Alums Ed & Todd Park, Bags $62M”
Solvvy Raises $12M Series A for AI-Enhanced Customer Self-Service
[Corrected 10/23/17, 9:30 am. See below.] Customers who try to get straight answers from retail support desks or telecom companies often end up leaning on their phone’s “Operator” button after a robot voice comes on the line and says, “How can I help you? I can understand spoken questions.” Nope. And how many people have … Continue reading “Solvvy Raises $12M Series A for AI-Enhanced Customer Self-Service”
Bio Roundup: Kite’s CAR-T Approved, Obamacare Fix & Lilly mRNA Deal
Kite Pharma wasn’t expecting a regulatory decision for its non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment until November, but this week, the company got the FDA’s O.K. The approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) marks the second time in the two months that the FDA has given the nod to a CAR-T therapy, a treatment made from a patient’s own … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Kite’s CAR-T Approved, Obamacare Fix & Lilly mRNA Deal”
Techstars Mobility Event: Detroit’s Momentum Clear as Startups Shine
Eleven startups that spent the summer working in the Techstars Mobility accelerator program took to the stage to pitch their technologies to a packed house of investors, entrepreneurs, media, and other stakeholders at the Detroit Film Theatre Wednesday. According to Techstars, this demo day event is the world’s largest of its kind. Each company was introduced by … Continue reading “Techstars Mobility Event: Detroit’s Momentum Clear as Startups Shine”
Leerink’s Cozzens on New Health IT Fund, A.I.’s Future as a Platform
Despite uncertainty over the future of the Affordable Care Act, investors continue to see opportunities to build successful businesses in healthcare technology and related services. For several years, the common refrain among healthtech investors has been that the implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs) and the shift from a fee-for-service payments structure to so-called value-based … Continue reading “Leerink’s Cozzens on New Health IT Fund, A.I.’s Future as a Platform”
JPMorgan Chase to Buy WePay; Venmo Adds Merchant Payments
Banks and financial technology companies are scrambling for territory in the online payments arena, as they compete to offer the safest and most convenient digital transaction mechanisms for both consumers and merchants. This week, JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire WePay, a Redwood City, CA-based company that helps software makers build a payment function … Continue reading “JPMorgan Chase to Buy WePay; Venmo Adds Merchant Payments”
Level Playing Field? How Big Company Dominance May Hinder Innovation
The conventional wisdom about Silicon Valley is that it’s a playground for the underdogs, a fertile ground for young entrepreneurs building startups that are going to “change the world.” Instead, the Bay Area—while, yes, still home to thirsty young entrepreneurs—is increasingly the stomping grounds of a few major tech companies that have come to dominate … Continue reading “Level Playing Field? How Big Company Dominance May Hinder Innovation”
With Pitches for HQ2 Made, Cities Wait on Amazon’s 2018 Decision
From Portland to Pittsburgh, it’s likely that every city in the U.S. with more than 1 million people has made its case to Amazon to locate the company’s second headquarters there. At least, hopefully they have already, because today—if you haven’t heard—was the deadline to apply. Amazon sent North America into a frenzy after announcing … Continue reading “With Pitches for HQ2 Made, Cities Wait on Amazon’s 2018 Decision”
Kite Nabs First Adult CAR-T Approval With Notable Uptick Of Cures
For the second time in two months, remarkable recoveries from desperate cases of cancer have led to early approval of a cutting-edge therapy called CAR-T, which is made from a patient’s own genetically engineered cells. More than a month before the decision was due, the FDA has given the nod to axicabtagene ciloleucel, now branded … Continue reading “Kite Nabs First Adult CAR-T Approval With Notable Uptick Of Cures”
GE & Apple Unite to Bring Industrial Apps to iPhones & iPads
General Electric’s push to remake itself as a software-focused industrial manufacturer took another step forward today with the announcement of a partnership with Silicon Valley giant Apple. The companies are rolling out a software development kit that enables developers to create apps for Apple’s iPhone and iPad that use GE’s Predix, a cloud-based software platform … Continue reading “GE & Apple Unite to Bring Industrial Apps to iPhones & iPads”
Ann Arbor Unicorn: After $70M Series D, Duo Security Valued at $1.1B
[Updated at 1:05 p.m. on 10/17/2017 to add comments from Duo CEO Dug Song; see below.] Ann Arbor, MI-based cybersecurity startup Duo Security today announced that it has closed on a Series D financing round valued at $70 million, bringing the company’s total valuation to $1.17 billion just seven years after its inception. According to … Continue reading “Ann Arbor Unicorn: After $70M Series D, Duo Security Valued at $1.1B”
Veo Grabs $12M, Led by GV & Lux, to Help Industrial Robots “See”
True artificial intelligence is likely decades away, if it ever comes. In the meantime, companies are making robots “smarter” in less dramatic ways that nevertheless could prove quite useful. Veo Robotics is one of the players trying to boost the intelligence of industrial robots by enhancing their perception and responsiveness to their surroundings—thereby making it … Continue reading “Veo Grabs $12M, Led by GV & Lux, to Help Industrial Robots “See””
Vir Biotech Vies for Global Approach to Tackling Infectious Disease
Vir Biotechnology CEO George Scangos aims to develop new infectious disease drugs that can treat people in the U.S. and other developed countries. But he also wants to make these therapies available to the developing world, where the need is great but the financial means to pay for medicine is scarce. To accomplish both goals, … Continue reading “Vir Biotech Vies for Global Approach to Tackling Infectious Disease”
After Trump Sounds Off, Senate Has Adult Conversation on Drug Prices
In advance of an anticipated Senate hearing on drug prices, President Donald Trump once again denounced drug companies as “getting away with murder.” The first time he did so, using the same phrase just before his inauguration, the markets shuddered. He also said at the time that “we’re going to start bidding,” a reference to … Continue reading “After Trump Sounds Off, Senate Has Adult Conversation on Drug Prices”
After FDA Nod, TransEnterix Preps to Bring Surgical Robot to Market
TransEnterix now has regulatory clearance to bring its surgical robot to the market, but don’t expect to see surgeries performed with the technology in U.S. hospitals for at least a year, perhaps longer. Hospitals need four to six quarters to work through purchasing decisions for new capital equipment, says CEO Todd Pope. In the meantime, … Continue reading “After FDA Nod, TransEnterix Preps to Bring Surgical Robot to Market”
From UCSF, New Sequencer Reveals Cancer Blueprints, Cell By Cell
Cells within a single tumor can have a variety of genetic fingerprints. Understanding that variety is likely a key to fighting cancer in the near future. A new biotech firm has developed a device that analyzes tumors cell by cell. Single-cell analysis is nothing new. But Mission Bio, of South San Francisco, says it taken … Continue reading “From UCSF, New Sequencer Reveals Cancer Blueprints, Cell By Cell”
Vinod Khosla on A.I., Health, and the Future of Working (or Not)
Entrepreneur-turned-venture capitalist Vinod Khosla made big headlines almost six years ago when he wrote a blog post called “Do We Need Doctors or Algorithms?” In it, he said medicine needed to be reinvented and he predicted a new era in which artificial intelligence might replace most of the functions that doctors do now—and do it … Continue reading “Vinod Khosla on A.I., Health, and the Future of Working (or Not)”
SutroVax Appoints Alan Kimura Chief Medical Officer
Alan Kimura is joining Foster City, CA, vaccine developer SutroVax as chief medical officer. Kimura’s experience includes senior positions at Translate Bio, Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]) and Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPG]]). Earlier this year, SutroVax raised $64 million in financing to start clinical testing of its vaccine candidate for pneumococcal infections. In other moves, SutroVax named Durga … Continue reading “SutroVax Appoints Alan Kimura Chief Medical Officer”
JLABS Takes Stock of Its Experiment in Life Sciences Innovation
What began as a kind of business experiment in innovation has acquired a life of its own. The idea in 2011 was to create a space at what was then Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical research and development facility in San Diego for an “innovation center,” a place where 18 to 20 life sciences startups could … Continue reading “JLABS Takes Stock of Its Experiment in Life Sciences Innovation”
Join Xconomy in December for What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech
The earlier a disease is spotted, the sooner it can be treated. New diagnostic approaches are promising ways for physicians to detect cancer earlier from a small blood sample. Advances are also reaching consumers, who now have new ways to learn what their genes or microbiomes can say about their health. Xconomy is bringing together … Continue reading “Join Xconomy in December for What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech”
MIT Inclusive Innovation Awards Stress Optimism as Tech Reshapes Work
Digital technologies have helped create immense wealth and societal progress, but not everyone has shared in that prosperity. The MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy created the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge to highlight and support businesses and nonprofits that use technology to improve economic opportunities for people with low- and mid-level incomes. The winners of … Continue reading “MIT Inclusive Innovation Awards Stress Optimism as Tech Reshapes Work”
Bio Roundup: Light For Spark, California Drug Law, IPO Queue & More
In a year of tragedies across the U.S., natural or otherwise, it seemed this week was California’s turn. Fueled by high winds, low humidity, and ample dry vegetation, fires swept through several towns across the state and, as of this writing, have barely been contained. With our minds on friends and loved ones affected by … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Light For Spark, California Drug Law, IPO Queue & More”
Armo BioSciences Appoints Joseph Leveque Chief Medical Officer
Joseph Leveque has joined Armo BioSciences as chief medical officer. Leveque will oversee the late-stage clinical testing of Armo’s lead cancer immunotherapy candidate, as well as the rest of the Redwood City, CA, company’s pipeline. Before Armo, Leveque held executive and senior management roles at EMD Serono, Merck Group, Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]), Onyx Pharmaceuticals, … Continue reading “Armo BioSciences Appoints Joseph Leveque Chief Medical Officer”
Detroit Workspace Aims to Connect Mobility Startups, Auto Industry
Many tech companies are feverishly working to develop self-driving cars and other mobility-related innovations, but that’s only the first step. Once startups have a prototype or working concept, the next step is introducing it to the region’s automotive ecosystem—a complicated web of proprietary projects, collaborations, and legacy relationships that can seem impenetrable to outsiders. A … Continue reading “Detroit Workspace Aims to Connect Mobility Startups, Auto Industry”
Android Founder on VR, Voice & the Future of Human-Machine Collaboration
Within 20 years, computer keyboards will be relegated to the technology dustbin, says Android co-founder Rich Miner. Miner helped shape the smartphone era with Android, a mobile operating system startup that Google acquired in 2005. Android software now powers over 2 billion devices. On Tuesday, Miner spoke at a mobile software developer conference in Boston … Continue reading “Android Founder on VR, Voice & the Future of Human-Machine Collaboration”
Mapbox, Bill.com, Standard Cognition, Empowered by New Cash
—Mapbox announced Tuesday it had raised a hefty $164 million in a Series C financing round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund, which was joined by Foundry Group, DFJ Growth, DBL, and Thrive. The new capital will speed up Mapbox’s progress in vehicle navigation and autonomous driving, enlarge its virtual reality and augmented reality gaming capabilities, and fund its … Continue reading “Mapbox, Bill.com, Standard Cognition, Empowered by New Cash”
FDA To Advisors: What If One-Time Gene Therapy Needs Extra Doses?
In the run-up to a key vote on an experimental gene therapy, the FDA raised no major flags about the drug’s track record but said its long-term effect remains an open question. That question should receive a thorough airing Thursday, when a meeting of FDA outside advisors will weigh a recommendation of the one-shot gene … Continue reading “FDA To Advisors: What If One-Time Gene Therapy Needs Extra Doses?”
Black Fellowship Students Headed From HBCUs to VC Boardrooms
In mid-October, eleven college students will be flying to California for an opportunity that would be the envy of any Ivy League MBA candidate—they’ll meet the venture capital firm partners who will personally mentor them throughout the school year. The students—all but one are undergraduates—come from campuses in Prairie View, Texas; Tallahassee, Florida; and Nashville, … Continue reading “Black Fellowship Students Headed From HBCUs to VC Boardrooms”
VC Funding Surges in Fewer Deals in Third Quarter, and Top 10 Deals
[Updated 10/11/17, 12:25 am. See below.] “More dollars, fewer deals” has been a prevailing trend in venture funding over the past couple of years, and it was evident again in the three months that ended September 30, according to the latest Venture Monitor report. Venture firms invested $21.5 billion in 1,699 startups nationwide during the … Continue reading “VC Funding Surges in Fewer Deals in Third Quarter, and Top 10 Deals”
Blockchain, Banks & the New Web: Q&A With Ethereum Co-founder Lubin
Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin is calm and soft-spoken when he shares his vision of how blockchain technology and digital currencies could transform the Internet, the global economy, and many aspects of our daily lives. But what he’s talking about could become a raging tempest, and it’s worth paying attention to—especially given the vast sums of … Continue reading “Blockchain, Banks & the New Web: Q&A With Ethereum Co-founder Lubin”
Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest Shines Spotlight on Emerging Tech Hubs
Steve Case, venture capitalist, author, and co-founder of AOL, is preparing to hit the road this week on his sixth Rise of the Rest tour, where he travels to emerging innovation hubs in search of investment-worthy tech startups and to highlight the growth happening outside of places like Silicon Valley and Boston. In the years … Continue reading “Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest Shines Spotlight on Emerging Tech Hubs”
Bio Roundup: Nobel Pursuit, Fundraising Fruit, A Rhythmic IPO & More
The 2017 Nobel Prizes with a biomedical bent were announced this week. Three researchers shared the physiology and medicine prize for their work shining light on the circadian rhythms that govern the wake-and-sleep cycles of all organisms. That basic research is working its way into applications such as drugs that help regulate our body clocks. … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Nobel Pursuit, Fundraising Fruit, A Rhythmic IPO & More”