Category: Boston

East Coast Biotech Roundup: StartUp Health, Constellation, Highline & More

Nothing like a little drama to end your summer, right? Market volatility dragged biotech down this week, and then lifted it back up—at least as of Friday morning. But if you’re confused by the tumult and looking for some distractions, we’ve got plenty of them below. Read on for details of some biotech and digital … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: StartUp Health, Constellation, Highline & More”

Our Plan for Reinventing Alzheimer’s Disease R&D at UC San Diego

When the late Dr. Leon Thal, renowned neurologist and chairman of the Neurosciences Department at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, first imagined a research network able to conduct clinical trials of new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, it was an idea ahead of its time. The degenerative condition was poorly understood, with no existing … Continue reading “Our Plan for Reinventing Alzheimer’s Disease R&D at UC San Diego”

XL Hybrids Garners $10,500,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=120ed426-0431-48db-a5cc-26a487f7364f Date 8/28/2015 Company Name XL Hybrids Mailing Address 145 Newton Street Boston, MA 02135 USA Company Description XL Hybrids provides hybrid vehicle solutions for commercial fleet owners. XL Hybrids delivers value to our customers by improving fleet fuel economy, reducing maintenance costs and significantly lowering emissions. Website http://www.xlhybrids.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “XL Hybrids Garners $10,500,000 New Round”

Klaviyo Obtains $1,500,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2af49921-6c42-48f2-8a5c-51a09cff4505 Date 8/28/2015 Company Name Klaviyo Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02108 USA Company Description Klaviyo is using technology to reinvent email marketing from the ground up. For too long marketing has been pretty selfish. Companies blast everyone with the same email, not because they think that’s what customers want, but because … Continue reading “Klaviyo Obtains $1,500,000 New Round”

Boston Tech Tidbits: C.A. Webb, DraftKings, Onapsis & More

[Updated, 8/28/15] A smattering of technology startup and VC news around town as summer winds down: —New England Venture Capital Association head C.A. Webb is leaving the organization as of Aug. 31 to start a new venture firm. She will be working with Michael Skok, formerly of North Bridge Venture Partners, and John Pearce, formerly … Continue reading “Boston Tech Tidbits: C.A. Webb, DraftKings, Onapsis & More”

Digital Textiles Printer Spoonflower Sews Up $25M Investment

Textiles startup Spoonflower is reviving North Carolina’s legacy in the fabrics business with a new, digital twist. Now the company has $25 million in additional capital to expand its reach. Durham, NC-based Spoonflower announced the new funding Wednesday. North Bridge Growth Equity, a Boston-based firm, led the investment, which included participation from Bull City Venture … Continue reading “Digital Textiles Printer Spoonflower Sews Up $25M Investment”

Mobee Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1572e599-9ae9-4100-8f6f-372c145c106b Date 8/26/2015 Company Name Mobee Mailing Address 1 Cambridge Center Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Company Description The easiest way to earn cash & rewards by visiting business you already frequent. Website http://www.getmobee.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The company intends to use the … Continue reading “Mobee Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Round”

Onapsis Receives $13,824,346 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b02048cb-fea1-4eac-8428-8339cd52e0d4 Date 8/26/2015 Company Name Onapsis Mailing Address 101 Arch Street 17th Floor Cambridge, MA 02110 USA Company Description Onapsis Inc. is the leading provider of solutions to protect ERP systems from cyber-attacks. Through our innovative software solutions, our global customers can secure their SAP and Oracle business-critical platforms from espionage, sabotage … Continue reading “Onapsis Receives $13,824,346 Series B Funding”

ClearSky Combining Storage, Networking to Advance IT Infrastructure

[Updated, 12:45pm. See below] The Boston tech industry is entering a new age of enterprise IT. Long known for its companies in data storage, networking, and business software, the local sector is seeing a boom in startups that have a new spin on these traditional fields. One of them is ClearSky Data, a roughly two-year-old … Continue reading “ClearSky Combining Storage, Networking to Advance IT Infrastructure”

Constellation Pharma Plots IPO Run As Genentech Passes on Buyout Deal

For all the hoopla that surrounds option-to-buy deals in biotech, the “buy” part is really just an option. Sometimes such deals lead to an acquisition, and sometimes they don’t. Case in point: Constellation Pharmaceuticals, which is plotting a new course after longtime partner Genentech decided against buying the company, Xconomy has learned. Keith Dionne, the … Continue reading “Constellation Pharma Plots IPO Run As Genentech Passes on Buyout Deal”

RainDance Technologies Cancels Long-Awaited IPO

RainDance Technologies, the Billerica, MA-based company that provides tools used by research institutions and diagnostic companies, has canceled its planned $60 million initial public offering because of market conditions, the company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said it might consider raising money through a private offering. Funding … Continue reading “RainDance Technologies Cancels Long-Awaited IPO”

New CEO and $80M Later, Syndax Looks Prepped for Second IPO Try

If Syndax Pharmaceuticals’ latest financing is any indication, the Waltham, MA-based firm looks to have another shot at an initial public offering in mind. Syndax has closed a $80 million Series C financing round from a large swath of “crossover” investors that back both public and private companies. Several of the firms in Syndax’s financing … Continue reading “New CEO and $80M Later, Syndax Looks Prepped for Second IPO Try”

Versant Walks Biotech “High Line” With a New Manhattan Incubator

Versant Ventures is about to launch its latest biotech incubator. And it’s picked the emerging New York life sciences scene as its home. This morning, Versant, the San Francisco Bay Area VC firm, is announcing the formation of what’s being called “Highline Therapeutics.” Named after the elevated walkway and park that runs along the lower … Continue reading “Versant Walks Biotech “High Line” With a New Manhattan Incubator”

In New York, A Digital Health ‘Mashup’ Builds A Startup Army

[Corrected 8/24/15, 12:40 pm. See below.] The booming field of digital health means different things to different people. Even the president of StartUp Health, a New York-based firm that wants to help build 1,000 digital health startups—yes, literally—acknowledges his company is a little tough to define. “We’ve had a challenge with how people bin us … Continue reading “In New York, A Digital Health ‘Mashup’ Builds A Startup Army”

Syndax Pharmaceuticals Garners $80,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ce961ddf-31b2-405b-a093-f1ee8f55cec0 Date 8/24/2015 Company Name Syndax Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 400 Totten Pond Road Waltham, MA 02451 USA Company Description Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a Waltham, MA-based, oncology-focused biotechnology company that is building a portfolio of new oncology products to extend and improve the lives of patients by developing and commercializing novel cancer … Continue reading “Syndax Pharmaceuticals Garners $80,000,000 New Financing”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: WaVe, Shkreli, Intarcia & More

The top story in biotech this week was the FDA’s approval of the first drug meant to boost women’s sex drive. The controversial flibanserin (Addyi) had been rejected in the past by the agency, and even post-approval faces questions about potential safety issues, effectiveness, and potential market reach. Nonetheless, Valeant Pharmaceuticals quickly snapped up the … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: WaVe, Shkreli, Intarcia & More”

AppInside Secures $2,300,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=22a6d31a-a5c5-46b7-9f81-3ed350efcf3f Date 8/21/2015 Company Name AppInside Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02140 USA Company Description AppInside is a mobile application security platform which identifies security vulnerabilities. We have developed a unique technology that enables us to scan automatically and without any integration to the development process, mobile apps and find their flaws. … Continue reading “AppInside Secures $2,300,000 Seed Funding Round”

Carbon3D Gains Google’s $100M Backing for 3-D Printing Tech

[Updated 8/20/15, 5 p.m. See below.] Is Carbon3D the next step in 3-D printing? Google seems to think so. Google Ventures led a $100 million round in the San Francisco-based company, which has developed a method of “printing” objects from a liquid resin using a photochemical process that it says is based on a a character … Continue reading “Carbon3D Gains Google’s $100M Backing for 3-D Printing Tech”

Grand Rounds Doctor Matching Service Raises $55 M

San Francisco-based Grand Rounds, which helps patients find the best doctors for their specific ailments, announced today it has raised $55 million in a Series C financing. The money comes from existing investors including Venrock and Greylock, along with an undisclosed new investor described as a “global mutual fund.” Grand Rounds was founded in 2011 … Continue reading “Grand Rounds Doctor Matching Service Raises $55 M”

AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston

As you might expect, mobile apps are pretty vulnerable to security breaches. That means hackers can get at users’ personal, financial, or health-related information via the apps on their phones. Plenty of tech companies are trying to protect against these mounting threats. One of them is AppInside, which says today it has raised $2.3 million … Continue reading “AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston”

Bright Cellars Garners $1,800,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bccbf379-010f-403c-b2ef-3e5dfb9f71e7 Date 8/20/2015 Company Name Bright Cellars Mailing Address Undisclosed Cambridge, MA 94107 USA Company Description We have a passion for wine, and our goal is to help our members discover the fantastic world of wine. Website http://www.brightcellars.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,800,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Bright Cellars Garners $1,800,000 New Financing Round”

Fertility-Focused Kindara Lands $5.3M Seed Round

Kindara, the Boulder, CO-based company with a digital health tool that helps women get pregnant or avoid pregnancy, has raised $5.3 million of seed funding to finish manufacturing and launch its device, called Wink. The funding will also help the company expand into other areas of tracking women’s health. Founded in 2012, Kindara developed an … Continue reading “Fertility-Focused Kindara Lands $5.3M Seed Round”

CoPatient Gets New CEO, Looks to Expand in Consumer Health Billing

There comes a time in many a startup’s life when it needs to hire a more experienced chief executive. That time is now for CoPatient, a Boston healthcare IT company that helps people manage and negotiate their medical bills. CoPatient said today it has appointed Tom Torre as CEO. He was previously the founder and … Continue reading “CoPatient Gets New CEO, Looks to Expand in Consumer Health Billing”

Peach Obtains $8,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6c83320-fc6d-4d01-92f1-426e6c8d9bea Date 8/19/2015 Company Name Peach Mailing Address 1770 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02140 USA Company Description We created Peach to fix the problems in your top two drawers, by putting an end to the misery of shopping for bras and other intimate apparel. What’s more, we’ve thought about how every product … Continue reading “Peach Obtains $8,000,000 New Round”

Kala Pharmaceuticals Lands $6,999,999 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=40b3a46c-2f89-49d0-b008-3a4e51aac3ba Date 8/19/2015 Company Name Kala Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 100 Beaver St. Waltham, MA 02453 USA Company Description Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded upon a proprietary drug delivery technology. By utilizing this unique technology, Kala aims to address unmet therapeutic needs of various diseases and conditions in a fundamentally … Continue reading “Kala Pharmaceuticals Lands $6,999,999 New Financing Round”

TetraScience Obtains $120,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4853c9e6-76f4-44b0-b830-360ed32dc024 Date 8/19/2015 Company Name TetraScience Mailing Address 125 Western Ave. Boston, MA 02134 USA Company Description TetraScience allows you to monitor & manage your experiments from anywhere. Website http://www.tetrascience.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount $120,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the proceeds to accelerate its initial development. … Continue reading “TetraScience Obtains $120,000 Seed Funding”

Cloudstitch Garners $120,000 Seed Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4fd96333-e436-4fa7-92f2-1bec0a598db7 Date 8/19/2015 Company Name Cloudstitch Mailing Address 26 Antrim St. Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Company Description Build sites quickly, lower support costs, and easily reuse code. Cloudstitch-based projects work with every CMS. Aggregate RSVPs, power schedules, update your speaker lists, all from Google Docs. Website http://www.cloudstitch.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Cloudstitch Garners $120,000 Seed Financing”

Nuance Adapts Its Desktop Dragon Dictation Software For Mobile Devices

People who find it easier to write reports and other text documents by using Nuance Communications’ Dragon dictation software for the desktop will soon have another option—dictating from their mobile devices. Burlington, MA-based Nuance (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]) announced the launch of four new products today—including updates of its desktop software. But the really new twist is … Continue reading “Nuance Adapts Its Desktop Dragon Dictation Software For Mobile Devices”

Bright Cellars Snags $1.8M to Expand Wine Delivery Service

Bright Cellars, a subscription wine service that started in Boston and now calls Milwaukee home, has raised about $1.8 million in a funding round that could reach $2 million, according to a regulatory filing. CEO Richard Yau and CTO Joe Laurendi, who met while living in the same dorm at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, … Continue reading “Bright Cellars Snags $1.8M to Expand Wine Delivery Service”

100 Years But Only One Drug: Sickle Cell Patients Wait For Help

Last week, 100,000 Americans with sickle cell disease and millions more around the world got encouraging news. Investors gave a vote of confidence, in the form of a $120 million IPO, to Global Blood Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GBT]]), a four-year-old biotech working on a pill that could become the biggest medical advance ever for the disease. … Continue reading “100 Years But Only One Drug: Sickle Cell Patients Wait For Help”

WaVe Joins the Crossover Party With $66M Series B for RNA Drugs

Another week, another startup biotech that has amassed the type of investor group that can support an initial public offering. This time, it’s Boston-based WaVe Life Sciences. WaVe, a startup trying to develop so-called “stereopure” RNA drugs, today raised a $66 million Series B round from a group of crossover investors that back both private … Continue reading “WaVe Joins the Crossover Party With $66M Series B for RNA Drugs”

Coalfire’s Larry Jones Talks Future Cyber Threats and Taking Charge

Waiting for the next big data breach to hit is probably not the best way to test how protected a company’s information is. With more businesses storing and using sensitive data, security is a top concern—especially when the government establishes rules on the matter that businesses must adhere to. Financial institutions, companies that handle medical … Continue reading “Coalfire’s Larry Jones Talks Future Cyber Threats and Taking Charge”

Food Tech Peach Raises $8M as First Course, Plans Entrée in Boston

After expanding to San Diego in May, Seattle-based Peach says it has raised $8 million in venture funding to bring its lunch ordering technology to Boston this October, and to Washington D.C. by early next year. In a statement today, Peach says Seattle’s Madrona Venture Group led the current Series A financing round, which was … Continue reading “Food Tech Peach Raises $8M as First Course, Plans Entrée in Boston”

WAVE Life Sciences Garners $66,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b9fa2e2b-b4a1-4d26-9185-2b7a3a2b8e02 Date 8/18/2015 Company Name WAVE Life Sciences Mailing Address 419 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02135 USA Company Description WaVe Life Sciences is leading a revolution in nucleic acid therapeutics and was founded on the core principle that medicines should possess precisely controlled molecular structures. We and our strategic partners are advancing … Continue reading “WAVE Life Sciences Garners $66,000,000 Series B Funding”

Cignifi Lands $461,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fce11296-4d11-4a68-b54c-a565fea6e4fa Date 8/18/2015 Company Name Cignifi Mailing Address 101 Main St. 14th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description Cignifi is revolutionizing the way financial service companies meet the needs of 2.7 billion people worldwide with a mobile phone but no access to formal financial services. The company has developed the first … Continue reading “Cignifi Lands $461,000 New Funding”

Tracksmith Garners $4,100,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=43316dc1-5869-42ad-af6b-d5b2b5e70e20 Date 8/18/2015 Company Name Tracksmith Mailing Address Undisclosed Wellesley, MA 02482 USA Company Description Tracksmith creates premium performance apparel that celebrates the style and culture of running. We’re located at the halfway point of the Boston Marathon in Wellesley, Massachusetts. We’d love to hear from you. Website http://www.tracksmith.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Tracksmith Garners $4,100,000 Series A Funding”

Wayfair Learning E-Commerce Lessons From Amazon, Zulily

With a couple of online retail giants making headlines this week—and not in a good way—it’s time to check in on a local e-commerce star, Wayfair. The Boston home-goods seller (NYSE: [[ticker:W]]) has surged on the stock market the past few days, following its announcement of better-than-expected financials in the second quarter. Wayfair reported $491.8 … Continue reading “Wayfair Learning E-Commerce Lessons From Amazon, Zulily”

Aveo, Still Breathing, Cuts New Deal With Novartis

Aveo Oncology was all but left for dead a few years ago after an FDA advisory panel panned its experimental cancer drug, tivozanib. But the Cambridge, MA-based company showed a little life this morning, cutting a deal with Novartis that reflects some confidence in the types of things Aveo has been doing since. As is … Continue reading “Aveo, Still Breathing, Cuts New Deal With Novartis”

Reframing the Conversation About Technology and Government

When the conversation turns to government and technology, all too frequently the narrative becomes one of hopelessness. Healthcare.gov, the ancient computer sitting on the desk at the DMV, and the recent attacks by hackers on various government departments all help to reinforce this story of futility. And, inevitably, the questions get framed as, “Why can’t … Continue reading “Reframing the Conversation About Technology and Government”

RapidSOS Secures $5,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=89b3a200-f21b-4807-be03-84bb156a95cf Date 8/17/2015 Company Name RapidSOS Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02119 USA Company Description RapidSOS’ team has developed mission critical code at two national labs, developed back-end and mobile products for a number of tech start-ups, and collectively has helped commercialize over 70 technology companies. Website http://www.rapidsos.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “RapidSOS Secures $5,000,000 New Funding”

Tricast Snags $3.3M to Expand Push Into Pharmacy Benefits Software

Tricast, a Milwaukee-area healthcare insurance consulting business that started selling analytics software last year, has raised nearly $3.3 million from investors to grow its software business, president and CEO Greg Rucinski says. Rucinski founded Tricast in 1997, which has primarily conducted health insurance audits and provided other consulting services for customers such as public employee … Continue reading “Tricast Snags $3.3M to Expand Push Into Pharmacy Benefits Software”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Editas, Checkmate, Ovid & More

Investors in the broader biotech indices may have been losing money this week, but East Coast startups were finding it fairly easy to come by. A gene editing startup corralled $120 million and a portfolio of big-name investors. A scientist working for decades in the RNA drug space emerged with funding for his latest startup. … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Editas, Checkmate, Ovid & More”

Rift.io Garners $16,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7145a229-b13c-430e-b059-cc27587c4dfe Date 8/14/2015 Company Name Rift.io Mailing Address 77 South Bedford Street Burlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description Our goal from day one was to build a platform that would provide everyone with the same capabilities and technology enjoyed by the largest networking technology companies. Website http://www.riftio.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Rift.io Garners $16,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

Rift.io Raises $16M for Network Virtualization Software

Score another one for IT infrastructure startups in the Boston area. Burlington, MA-based Rift.io, which has been in stealth mode, said Thursday it has completed a $16 million round of Series A funding. The deal was led by North Bridge Venture Partners, with unnamed strategic investors also participating. At least some of the money in … Continue reading “Rift.io Raises $16M for Network Virtualization Software”

To Fight “Superbugs,” Roche Shells Out $190M For Bay Area’s GeneWEAVE

Swiss cancer drug giant Roche has used acquisitions to beef up its diagnostics business over the past few years. And today marks the latest example: an agreement to buy a Bay Area startup in a deal that could be worth as much as $425 million. Roche is paying $190 million up front, and potentially another … Continue reading “To Fight “Superbugs,” Roche Shells Out $190M For Bay Area’s GeneWEAVE”

Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Obtains $20,000,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=500a8917-3bbb-4e10-83c0-7a963f828786 Date 8/13/2015 Company Name Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 1 Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description Checkmate Pharma is developing a new approach for cancer immunotherapy, by specifically activating the immune system to recognize and kill tumor cells throughout the body, without harming normal tissues. We have exclusively licensed … Continue reading “Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Obtains $20,000,000 Series A Round”

CRISPR Tx Adds Former McKinsey, Pfizer Execs to Management Team

CRISPR Therapeutics has added two executives to its management team. Former McKinsey and Co. partner Samarth Kulkarni is now the company’s chief business officer, and Michael Bruce, most recently a Pfizer executive, is CRISPR’s senior vice president of program portfolio and alliance management. CRISPR was formed in Basel, Switzerland, but recently opened up an office … Continue reading “CRISPR Tx Adds Former McKinsey, Pfizer Execs to Management Team”

Asterand Buys AdeptBio to Capitalize on Precision Medicine’s Rise

Asterand Bioscience, the Detroit, MI-based provider of biospecimens to drug discovery and research customers, announced it has acquired Memphis, TN-based AdeptBio, a biobank specializing in the custom procurement of human tissue samples. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but John Canepa, Asterand’s COO and CFO, said the acquisition positions the company to better … Continue reading “Asterand Buys AdeptBio to Capitalize on Precision Medicine’s Rise”