Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e9f49d97-69b4-4a28-9d9d-a34d97ad68cb Date 5/20/2015 Company Name BookBub Mailing Address Undisclosed Cambridge, MA 94304 USA Company Description BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover great deals on acclaimed ebooks while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Website http://www.bookbub.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “BookBub Lands $7,000,000 Series A Funding”
Category: Boston
SciAps Obtains $3,117,548 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a2353886-5c13-47b7-82aa-dd0fa5ce3165 Date 5/20/2015 Company Name SciAps Mailing Address 2 Constitution Way Woburn, MA 01801 USA Company Description SciAps, Inc., is a Boston-based instrumentation company specializing in portable analytical instruments. Our mission is to provide durable, field-tested, portable instruments to identify any compound, any mineral, any element — anyplace on the planet. Website … Continue reading “SciAps Obtains $3,117,548 New Funding Round”
Black Duck Software Lands $5,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8ce8c122-89a5-4ab4-904e-edb8818b4948 Date 5/20/2015 Company Name Black Duck Software Mailing Address 8 New England Executive Park Burlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description Black Duck Software is the leading provider of products and services for automating the management, governance and secure use of open source software in multi-source development at enterprise scale. Website http://www.blackducksoftware.com … Continue reading “Black Duck Software Lands $5,000,000 New Funding”
WellTok Acquires Predilytics for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a1bb009c-b2f2-4b44-be34-13c67570d499 Date 5/20/2015 Company Name Predilytics Mailing Address 1 New England Executive Park Burrlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description We are currently exploring new and interesting approaches in the predictive analytics space witin the healthcare industry. Website http://www.predilytics.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms … Continue reading “WellTok Acquires Predilytics for Undisclosed Sum”
Welltok Buys Predilytics to Improve Health Optimization Software
A health IT startup that wants to use IBM’s Watson supercomputer to make personalized recommendations might be getting a bit smarter about which customers to seek out and how to motivate them, following a deal that was announced Tuesday. Welltok, a Denver-based company, has acquired Predilytics, a Burlington, MA-based company, for an undisclosed amount. Welltok … Continue reading “Welltok Buys Predilytics to Improve Health Optimization Software”
BookBub Snags $7M for Discounted Book Tool
[Corrected 5/19/15, 1:20 pm. See below] BookBub, an online service that helps users find new e-books for free or at a discounted rate, has received $7 million in debt and equity financing. The Cambridge, MA-based company plans to use the funding to continue its expansion, which has already brought it 5 million members since its … Continue reading “BookBub Snags $7M for Discounted Book Tool”
Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale
Mark Organ thinks very differently about how to evolve as a founder-CEO now that he’s on his second company. A decade ago, Mark co-founded customer relations management software company Eloqua. “I held on too long to all the details of the business,” he says. Even though the company had reached several million dollars in revenue, … Continue reading “Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale”
Bluebird, Regulators Map Out Approval Plan For Gene Therapy
One of gene therapy’s major unanswered questions is just what it’ll take to convince U.S. regulators to approve one of these treatments. With a gene therapy that’s already produced promising results in a few patients in clinical trials, Bluebird Bio has a chance to pave the way. And today it’s cut a deal with the … Continue reading “Bluebird, Regulators Map Out Approval Plan For Gene Therapy”
Scratch Wireless Unveils New “Wi-Fi First” Smartphone for $99
Scratch Wireless is trying to make bills from wireless companies a relic of the past. It’s an ambitious dream, and the Cambridge, MA, startup has taken a step forward by partnering with a Chinese manufacturer to release an inexpensive smartphone that could move it a little closer to its goal. The new Coolpad Arise is … Continue reading “Scratch Wireless Unveils New “Wi-Fi First” Smartphone for $99”
Weathernews Acquires Weathermob for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bd2c31e5-7e74-4969-bcac-9ac30b75199f Date 5/19/2015 Company Name Weathermob Mailing Address 40 Dana Street Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Company Description Weathermob lets you share, discover, and discuss the weather with people from around the world. It’s a free, entertaining, and easy way to share your weather–whether you’re basking in sunshine or running from the hail–on … Continue reading “Weathernews Acquires Weathermob for Undisclosed Sum”
Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols
[Updated 5/19/15, 10:40 a.m. See below.] The push to regulate increasingly popular ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft has shifted from city halls to state capitol buildings—with implications for the companies’ reputations and expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide. Last year saw passage of the first rules for ridesharing companies—or … Continue reading “Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols”
Cree Sheds Light on IPO Plans for Power & RF Business
Cree, the LED lighting and semiconductor technologies company, is laying the groundwork to spin off one of its business units as a separate company, supported by an initial public stock offering. Durham, NC-based Cree (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CREE]]) disclosed Monday that it has confidentially filed documents with securities regulators for an IPO for the company’s Power & … Continue reading “Cree Sheds Light on IPO Plans for Power & RF Business”
Drizly Digs Up $13M to Fuel Expansion of Alcohol-Delivery App
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking. Boston alcohol-delivery startup Drizly has raised $13 million in Series A financing from investors including Polaris Partners, First Beverage Group, Suffolk Equity Partners, and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. Drizly makes a mobile app that lets users order beer, wine, and liquor from … Continue reading “Drizly Digs Up $13M to Fuel Expansion of Alcohol-Delivery App”
Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite
“It’s like a mini-Davos.” That’s the way one leading venture capitalist describes Xconomy’s Napa Summit. And while he is perhaps a bit effusive, we do believe our annual retreat in wine country is something special. Maybe you can judge for yourself. We are just two weeks away from Napa Summit 2015, which will take place … Continue reading “Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite”
Eleven Bio’s Shares Routed as Dry Eye Drug Flunks Phase 3 Test
Eleven Biotherapeutics has been trying to show that it’s got a prospective rival to Allergan’s blockbuster dry eye disease drug, Restasis, in the works. The results that have come back from the Cambridge, MA-based company’s first big test, however, indicate otherwise. Eleven (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EBIO]]) said this morning that its lead drug, EBI-005, failed both primary … Continue reading “Eleven Bio’s Shares Routed as Dry Eye Drug Flunks Phase 3 Test”
Drizly Lands $11,984,886 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b31fe1ed-2e7f-41e8-ba07-6d221db530af Date 5/18/2015 Company Name Drizly Mailing Address 9 Peckham Hill Rd. Sherborn, MA 01770 USA Company Description We demand convenience in all facets of life, Uber with transportation or OpenTable with reservations, the liquor store should not be different. A Drizly delivery brings the liquor store to you in 30-60 minutes, … Continue reading “Drizly Lands $11,984,886 New Funding”
Trumpit Unlocks New Way to Share Photos on Mobile Phones
You might not think there’s room in the market—or on your smartphone—for another photo-sharing app, but Bill Gianoukos thinks you’re wrong. He also thinks he’s got the app that will trump them all—which is fittingly named Trumpit. Gianoukos is a Boston-area entrepreneur and former chief product officer of HeyWire, a messaging app. He is back … Continue reading “Trumpit Unlocks New Way to Share Photos on Mobile Phones”
Gener8tor Strikes Up the UW Band to Send Off Latest Startup Class
A year ago, Wisconsin startup accelerator Gener8tor kicked off the closing pitch event for its winter session in Madison with a laser light show and smoke machines. This year, attendees were treated to a mini-pep rally by members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison band. A small group of trumpet players, trombone players, percussionists, and a … Continue reading “Gener8tor Strikes Up the UW Band to Send Off Latest Startup Class”
TechU Angels Looking for a Few Good MIT Startups, Not Just in Boston
You still hear it a lot around town: it’s hard to raise money for early-stage startups. The truth is it’s hard to raise money for anything. But there are an increasing number of options for entrepreneurs coming out of places like MIT and Harvard. One of the most recent is TechU Angels, a seed-stage angel … Continue reading “TechU Angels Looking for a Few Good MIT Startups, Not Just in Boston”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Vertex, Moderna, Sage, ASCO & More
Memorial Day is just around the corner, and in biotech that doesn’t just mean barbecues; it means the year’s big cancer meeting, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) annual bash in Chicago, is on tap. There’s still some time before the festivities, however, so don’t fire up those grills just yet. We’re looking back … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Vertex, Moderna, Sage, ASCO & More”
SavingStar Garners $3,090,925 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=41ec8685-572d-4cd6-88f0-f25cc4598a48 Date 5/15/2015 Company Name SavingStar Mailing Address 400 Totten Pond Road Waltham, MA 02451 USA Company Description SavingStar enables consumer packaged goods brands and retailers to promote their products and services to all consumers through fully digital promotion, distribution, and rewards fulfillment. Website http://www.savingstar.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,090,925 Transaction … Continue reading “SavingStar Garners $3,090,925 New Funding Round”
Hybrids and the Slash Generation: John Maeda Breaks the Funk
John Maeda is a hybrid kind of guy. Engineer/designer. Scientist/artist. Educator/venture capitalist. East Coast/West Coast. Asian/American. Able to straddle many worlds, without losing the essence of any of them. All those slashes make him hard to pin down—and that’s exactly how he likes it. Maeda is the design partner at VC firm Kleiner Perkins—he works … Continue reading “Hybrids and the Slash Generation: John Maeda Breaks the Funk”
Brand Networks Buys Social Marketer Shift for $50M, Adds New Product
Social-media marketing and advertising firm Brand Networks has acquired another marketing company, Shift, which specializes in advertising across Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, for $50 million in cash and stock, the companies announced today. With the deal, Boston-based Brand Networks says it is announcing a new product called RelevanceRank, which uses an algorithm to help marketers … Continue reading “Brand Networks Buys Social Marketer Shift for $50M, Adds New Product”
Denali Rises With $217M and Genentech Alumni to Fight Brain Diseases
A group of investors is betting $217 million that a new drug company led by three Genentech alumni can break the frustrations of what, to now, has been a Sisyphean task: Finding treatments for the world’s most vexing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The new startup, Denali Therapeutics, is debuting today with Marc Tessier-Lavigne … Continue reading “Denali Rises With $217M and Genentech Alumni to Fight Brain Diseases”
Drones, Pills, and Gold: Boston Celebrates Startup Winners
In a hectic month for deals, product advances, and bogus NFL investigations, New England is taking time out to recognize emerging leaders in its tech and life sciences scene. Let’s get right to the highlights: —The third annual NEVY awards, organized by the New England Venture Capital Association, was a blast (with a “Solid Gold” … Continue reading “Drones, Pills, and Gold: Boston Celebrates Startup Winners”
After Shift to Duchenne and Cholesterol Drugs, Catabasis Files For IPO
Catabasis Pharmaceuticals appeared headed for the Nasdaq a few years ago when it brought in some investors known better for backing public companies than biotech startups. The Cambridge, MA-based company has since done some strategic tinkering, however, and now finally appears ready to take the plunge. Catabasis outlined plans yesterday for an IPO to advance … Continue reading “After Shift to Duchenne and Cholesterol Drugs, Catabasis Files For IPO”
Sage Preps For Final Test As Epilepsy Drug Holds Up in Small Study
The patient numbers keep growing for Sage Therapeutics, but, at least for now, the story is the same—its experimental epilepsy drug remains promising. Now comes the hard part: testing it in a big, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Cambridge, MA-based Sage (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SAGE]]) is announcing the full results from a Phase I/II trial of its lead drug, … Continue reading “Sage Preps For Final Test As Epilepsy Drug Holds Up in Small Study”
Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding
After reading that angels would be the No. 1 losers due to the explosive growth of crowdfunding, angels like me have been keeping a wary eye on equity crowdfunding. Some reports in the press have suggested that crowdfunding could actually replace angels as a capital source. So far, the warnings have turned into a big … Continue reading “Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding”
Myomo Obtains $5,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=994bf209-c387-4f4c-935d-d3effb0d6e65 Date 5/14/2015 Company Name Myomo Mailing Address One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description Myomo is pioneering NeuroRobotics, a new category of non-invasive medical device technology to help people relearn how to move severely weak or partially paralyzed limbs. Originally an acronym for Muscle-Motion, Myomo (pronounced MY-O-MO) was … Continue reading “Myomo Obtains $5,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
A $350M Acquisition and a Glimpse of the Future at a Robot Carnival
Despite what movies such as “Avengers: Age of Ultron” depict, robots are not taking over the planet—but they are on the rise. On Wednesday, Universal Robots agreed to be acquired by Teradyne (NYSE: [[ticker:TER]]), based in North Reading, MA, in a deal worth up to $350 million. Universal Robots is based in Denmark and has … Continue reading “A $350M Acquisition and a Glimpse of the Future at a Robot Carnival”
Startups Tackle Personalized Recommendations in Business, Education
From artificial intelligence startup Nara Logics to professional review site Dunwello, Boston-area startups are making progress in improving online recommendations through personalization. Consumer recommendation sites for things like travel or restaurants are not new, of course. Companies such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Angie’s List have built massive businesses around user reviews. Since 2011, Newton, MA-based … Continue reading “Startups Tackle Personalized Recommendations in Business, Education”
Gelesis, PureTech’s Weight-Loss Hopeful, Postpones IPO
Gelesis gobbled up some cash from private investors just a few months ago. But it looks like public investors don’t have the same type of appetite for the Boston startup’s hydrogel weight-loss pills. According to research firm Renaissance Capital, Gelesis has postponed its planned initial public offering. Gelesis had been hoping to sell 4 million … Continue reading “Gelesis, PureTech’s Weight-Loss Hopeful, Postpones IPO”
Acquia, Actifio, Startup Institute Join Boston 2035 Lineup on June 17
‘Tis high season for tech and innovation events in New England. Just this week we have the NEVYs, the MITX Awards, and Tech State House Day. Now let’s talk about next month—and the next 20 years. On June 17, Xconomy is organizing a full-day conference at Babson College called Boston 2035. The big theme is … Continue reading “Acquia, Actifio, Startup Institute Join Boston 2035 Lineup on June 17”
Selecta Takes Nanotech to Gene Therapy, Celiac With New Deals
Selecta Biosciences looks to have found two new potential niches for its nanoparticle technology. The Watertown, MA-based company is announcing two deals this morning. First, Selecta said that Sanofi has chosen to license a potential immunotherapy treatment for celiac disease, the allergic disorder that renders people unable to digest gluten. Sanofi got the option as … Continue reading “Selecta Takes Nanotech to Gene Therapy, Celiac With New Deals”
1776’s Top Edtech Startups: Handsfree Learning, LearnLux, Cognotion
With the explosion of online education, plenty of technology professionals are using skills they learned on their laptops rather than in university lecture halls. But how would you feel about a doctor who picked up surgical techniques the same way? Year-old startup Handsfree Learning is starting to make that kind of online physician training possible—and … Continue reading “1776’s Top Edtech Startups: Handsfree Learning, LearnLux, Cognotion”
An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health
[Updated, 12:05 pm ET] There’s a parable about the elephant and the rider that’s been used by Chip and Dan Heath, and that originated with Jonathan Haidt, to describe how humans make decisions. A person’s mind can be thought of as consisting of a rider, representing the rational part of human thinking, and the elephant … Continue reading “An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health”
Wallflower Garners $1,500,000 Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0bd8a526-5cf3-411c-a443-741159969da8 Date 5/13/2015 Company Name Wallflower Mailing Address One Thompson Square Cambridge, MA 02129 USA Company Description Wallflower is a company working on developing technologies for a safer home and work environment. Wallflower has a patent-pending system to detect the proximity of people and advanced control of appliances and devices. Website http://www.wallflower.com … Continue reading “Wallflower Garners $1,500,000 Seed Financing”
FDA Panel Backs Vertex’s Two-Drug Combo For Cystic Fibrosis
An FDA advisory panel this afternoon recommended approval of a new combination treatment for cystic fibrosis from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, potentially paving the way for billions of dollars in future sales if the agency ultimately approves the drug. The panel of outside experts voted 12 to 1 in favor of a CF therapy Boston-based Vertex (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “FDA Panel Backs Vertex’s Two-Drug Combo For Cystic Fibrosis”
Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?
The hourly job market is the bedrock of the American workforce, 76 million members strong. While the growth in retail and hospitality positions, representing one third of these jobs, is pacing our economic recovery, the sector still spends an astonishing $1 billion annually on hiring. A thought provoking question: Can the industry create more than … Continue reading “Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?”
A123 Systems Drafting Settlement With Apple on “Poaching” Lawsuit
A123 Systems, the electric-car battery maker that is suing Apple for allegedly “poaching” employees, is in the final steps of drafting a settlement with the electronics giant, according to a court filing. A123 and Apple have reached an agreement and signed a term sheet, according to a document filed yesterday in Massachusetts district court. A123 … Continue reading “A123 Systems Drafting Settlement With Apple on “Poaching” Lawsuit”
Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross
Cancer is a humbling thing: Our own cells gone bad, killing us from the inside, and so often able to rebound from attack or avoid it entirely. There has been progress fighting some types of cancers, but in no way equal to the resources (or rhetoric) the human race has aimed at the problem. On … Continue reading “Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross”
Moderna’s Third mRNA Startup, Elpidera, Sets Sights on Rare Diseases
With $900 million in the bank, three pharma partners, and the shareholder base of a large publicly traded company—all well before its first clinical trial–Moderna is no typical biotech. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to call it part-biotech, part-startup incubator. Witness today’s news: Moderna has launched a new company called Elpidera to target rare … Continue reading “Moderna’s Third mRNA Startup, Elpidera, Sets Sights on Rare Diseases”
The Future of Marketing Technology
The digital age has revolutionized marketing, increasing its complexity as well as creating the opportunity to dramatically improve customer experiences. As consumers, we live in an always-on and always-available world and we have come to expect our favorite brands to be one click or swipe away. As a consequence, the rapid advancements in technology that … Continue reading “The Future of Marketing Technology”
Precision BioSciences Lands $26M for Gene-Editing Technology
The idea of modifying genes is heralded by some as holding the potential for new therapies addressing rare, genetic diseases, or producing agricultural products with certain desirable characteristics. Precision BioSciences believes that its technology can beat out other emerging gene-editing technologies and it has closed on $25.6 million to prove it. The Durham, NC, company’s … Continue reading “Precision BioSciences Lands $26M for Gene-Editing Technology”
“RoboRoach” Startup Hopes Partners, TED Talk Help Usher In Profits
Backyard Brains, an Ann Arbor, MI-based startup founded by two neuroscientists from the University of Michigan, is making a name for itself by selling a plethora of fun, do-it-yourself science projects for budding makers and researchers—including what it calls the world’s first commercially available cyborg. If you’re picturing Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator,” think again: … Continue reading ““RoboRoach” Startup Hopes Partners, TED Talk Help Usher In Profits”
With $200M Raised, Joule Still Pushing Biofuels Production Facility
Surviving an industry crash is one thing. Scaling up and seizing a place in a global market—especially with a commercially unproven technology—is another thing entirely. That’s the position Joule Unlimited, the Bedford, MA-based biofuels company that uses genetically engineered microorganisms to create fuel such as gasoline, diesel, and ethanol, finds itself in. But Joule weathered … Continue reading “With $200M Raised, Joule Still Pushing Biofuels Production Facility”
Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite
We are just three weeks away from the Napa Summit 2015: The Xconomy Retreat on the Economy, Jobs, and Growth. Quite simply, it is my favorite event of the year. Beyond the incredible setting, this exclusive, invitation-only conference features some of the world’s leading innovators and investors in a uniquely intimate format—offering an unprecedented view … Continue reading “Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite”
GITR Lands $1,500,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ed01f8b5-a888-4752-9564-48d2c1e81ca8 Date 5/11/2015 Company Name GITR Mailing Address 47 Thorndike Street Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description The company is developing novel approaches to immunomodulatory responses to cancer. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact … Continue reading “GITR Lands $1,500,000 Series A Financing Round”
NXT-ID Receives $1,575,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=38abe676-fd7c-44ee-b5a6-8ceb83d4b2ca Date 5/11/2015 Company Name NXT-ID Mailing Address 288 Christian Street Oxford, CT 06478 USA Company Description The founders of NXT-ID were an integral part of the senior management teams at Technest Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiary Genex Technologies. Genex Technologies was founded in 1995 to develop and commercialize the unique Rainbow … Continue reading “NXT-ID Receives $1,575,000 New Financing”
Joule Secures $40,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ad9e0bbf-b7b9-442b-8089-f9377ee4059b Date 5/11/2015 Company Name Joule Mailing Address 18 Crosby Drive Bedford, MA 01730 USA Company Description Joule is pioneering the production of Liquid Fuel from the Sun, surpassing today’s barriers to abundant, sustainable, cost-competitive supply. Website http://www.jouleunlimited.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $40,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The proceeds … Continue reading “Joule Secures $40,000,000 New Financing”