It’s easier than ever to have premade food delivered to your doorstep, with any number of apps from Seamless to Favor to Instacart offering to bring customers almost anything they want. But what about those of us who have a tough time deciding what you want to eat? Every Labs has made an app, Chef … Continue reading “Boston’s Chef Nightly Helps Pick Dinner, and Delivers It Too”
Category: Boston
Is Disney-DraftKings a Done Deal? $250M Reasons to Say “No Comment”
Disney appears to be making a bet with DraftKings, the Boston startup that lets users make fantasy sports bets on a daily, per-game basis. The entertainment conglomerate’s wager is a little more substantial than a guess about a basketball or football player’s performance; Disney is investing $250 million in DraftKings and its digital media tool, … Continue reading “Is Disney-DraftKings a Done Deal? $250M Reasons to Say “No Comment””
Gene Therapy’s Rebirth Continues With Bristol, UniQure Cardio Deal
There’s no doubt at this point that gene therapy research, after a decade proceeding in relative obscurity, is back. A host of companies are racing to find the best way to harness the science to treat hemophilia, for instance. But a deal this morning between Bristol-Myers Squibb and UniQure focuses on a wider set of … Continue reading “Gene Therapy’s Rebirth Continues With Bristol, UniQure Cardio Deal”
Valore Acquires Boundless: The Netflix of Education Publishing?
A deal at the intersection of e-commerce and education technology is shining a light on some big trends in the publishing world. Those trends could help determine what higher-ed tools will look like years down the road. Valore, a Boston tech company formerly known as SimpleTuition, has acquired online-education startup Boundless for an undisclosed sum. … Continue reading “Valore Acquires Boundless: The Netflix of Education Publishing?”
Academia vs. BioPharma: Young Scientists Between A Rock and A Hard Place
I’ve reached the stage of my career where I’ve been invited to give “career retrospective talks” to grad students and post-docs at academic institutions. It’s been an interesting and enjoyable experience meeting a new generation of young scientists and hearing what’s on their minds. After delivering my seminar and sharing lots of stories and advice, … Continue reading “Academia vs. BioPharma: Young Scientists Between A Rock and A Hard Place”
Women in Engineering, and a Global Call for the Next MacGyver
Apparently, I’m pushy. I can’t help it. It’s my genes, and also all I’ve been through. When you’re a woman in engineering, there are a host of voices (some residing in your head, some not), telling you that you’re not good enough, not smart enough—that when you’re alone amid a sea of male faces at … Continue reading “Women in Engineering, and a Global Call for the Next MacGyver”
DraftKings Receives $250,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=59123710-6ccf-4939-a6c3-dfbc667eb66d Date 4/6/2015 Company Name DraftKings Mailing Address 47 Winter Street 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02108 USA Company Description DraftKings, which was recently named one of “Five you should follow” by Mass High Tech’s Startup Watch, allows people to not only play for one day, but they can bet through the website … Continue reading “DraftKings Receives $250,000,000 New Financing Round”
Valore Acquires Boundless Learning for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=09a5a3f5-316f-4652-ab2b-d1828dc9a93c Date 4/6/2015 Company Name Boundless Learning Mailing Address 207 South St. Boston, MA 02111 USA Company Description Boundless is making the world’s open educational content more useful for students by connecting them with the wealth of high quality, openly licensed, and free educational content that has been created by leading educators … Continue reading “Valore Acquires Boundless Learning for Undisclosed Sum”
CU, Feld Create Residency to Lure Foreign Entrepreneurs to Boulder
Boulder is opening its arms to entrepreneurs from around the world with a new program created by venture capitalist Brad Feld and the University of Colorado’s Silicon Flatirons center for entrepreneurship. The university announced this week that it has launched a new entrepreneur in residence program that will give up to four entrepreneurs a year … Continue reading “CU, Feld Create Residency to Lure Foreign Entrepreneurs to Boulder”
Robot Revolution: Disrupting the Workplace as We Know It
We’re on the brink of the Third Industrial Revolution, with robots moving off the factory floor and emerging in the white-collar office. These “software robots” are being leveraged by businesses across industries to tackle rules-based processes and improve overall operational agility. Operational roles are well-suited for automatons since they, by definition, automatically follow and execute … Continue reading “Robot Revolution: Disrupting the Workplace as We Know It”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: NY Bio Fund, Sarepta, ZappRx, & More
Biotech clusters don’t happen overnight. Entrepreneurs, government agencies, academics, and others have to build them from the ground up. It takes years, a committed, collaborative effort, and an awful lot of money. That’s the kind of thing that’s going on in New York right now. There’s a long, long way to go, of course—Boston and … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: NY Bio Fund, Sarepta, ZappRx, & More”
MX Orthopedics Garners $2,064,952 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=54ef2e9f-ddb0-4f08-9431-7536ec49c1fe Date 4/3/2015 Company Name MX Orthopedics Mailing Address 12 Suburban Park Drive Billerica, MA 01821 USA Company Description Mx Orthopedics has created a next generation hip implant device that it says minimizes future movement of the device. Website http://www.mxortho.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,064,952 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “MX Orthopedics Garners $2,064,952 New Financing Round”
Aircuity Lands $6,245,880 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=956830fd-8e7a-416d-9132-7bce4835390c Date 4/3/2015 Company Name Aircuity Mailing Address 55 Chapel Street Newton, MA 02458 USA Company Description Aircuity is the leading manufacturer of integrated sensing and control solutions that cost-effectively reduce building energy and operating expenses while simultaneously improving its indoor environmental quality. Website http://www.aircuity.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,245,880 … Continue reading “Aircuity Lands $6,245,880 New Funding”
Doudna’s Caribou Bio Raises $11M To Expand Uses For Gene Editing Tech
Caribou Biosciences, one of the biotech startups working to advance a much-watched new technology for precise gene editing, announced today it has raised an $11 million Series A round from venture capital firms and Swiss drug giant Novartis. The money will help Berkeley, CA-based Caribou speed up its efforts to adapt a versatile genome editing … Continue reading “Doudna’s Caribou Bio Raises $11M To Expand Uses For Gene Editing Tech”
Hawaii Project Taps Search to Suggest Right Books for the Beach
Finding the perfect book to take to the beach could be getting more scientific and serious, at least if Mark Watkins, founder of the Hawaii Project, is on to something. Watkins, a co-founder and former CEO of Goby, an MIT spinout that developed a search and recommendation engine for travelers, is trying to create the … Continue reading “Hawaii Project Taps Search to Suggest Right Books for the Beach”
Kayak Joins Growing Field of Tech Giants Hiring in Cambridge
The competition for technical talent in Kendall Square just got a little stiffer. Kayak, the online travel-search company, has recently moved into the neighborhood, and chief technology officer Giorgos Zacharia is spearheading an effort to build out the new office. Zacharia (pictured) leads a team of about 300 people spread out among four offices worldwide. … Continue reading “Kayak Joins Growing Field of Tech Giants Hiring in Cambridge”
Ex-NYT Editor’s Startup Takes Shape, Raises Business Questions
Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson filled in some more details about a journalism venture she’s starting with Steven Brill, saying it had hired writers and was “very close” to announcing an investor. Abramson, ousted from the Times in May 2014, and Brill, the serial entrepreneur best known for founding American Lawyer and … Continue reading “Ex-NYT Editor’s Startup Takes Shape, Raises Business Questions”
ZappRx Nabs $5.6M, Inks Zafgen Deal to E-Prescribe Obesity Meds
One of the many challenges startups face is finding the right niche for a business. After a few years of navigating choppy waters, ZappRx may be on its way to smoother sailing—as evidenced by some news the Boston startup is disclosing today. ZappRx is making two announcements. First, the company—which is developing a way to … Continue reading “ZappRx Nabs $5.6M, Inks Zafgen Deal to E-Prescribe Obesity Meds”
Ello Lands $5,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=45031322-1e1a-4582-84cc-6c52a28a9ec0 Date 4/2/2015 Company Name Ello Mailing Address 47 Maple Street Burlington, VT 05401 USA Company Description Ello is a simple, beautiful, and ad-free social network created by a small group of artists and designers. Website http://www.ello.co Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The company intends … Continue reading “Ello Lands $5,000,000 New Financing”
ZappRx Obtains $5,600,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7e0a5ca9-5a89-4edc-9807-ba1b06ac1afb Date 4/2/2015 Company Name ZappRx Mailing Address 192 South St. Boston, MA 02111 USA Company Description ZappRx is a prescription management system that allows healthcare providers, patients, and pharmacists to more easily interact and communicate. When a provider writes an e-prescription using ZappRx, the patient instantly receives the prescription on their … Continue reading “ZappRx Obtains $5,600,000 Series A Financing Round”
Midaxo Obtains $1,600,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=92160303-493c-40f8-9f08-bb264418b1ea Date 4/2/2015 Company Name Midaxo Mailing Address 15 New England Executive Park Burlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description Midaxo is an M&A software company. We operate with a Software-as-a-Service concept and deliver our M&A platform to our customers over the web. Website http://www.midaxo.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,600,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Midaxo Obtains $1,600,000 New Financing Round”
Days After $22M Raise, Gelesis Files for IPO
Gelesis may have raised $22 million just last week, but apparently it had more up its sleeve than just a private equity financing. The Boston-based startup filed papers this afternoon to go public. It intends to use the proceeds from the offering to fund ongoing clinical trials for the anti-obesity pill it’s developing, known as … Continue reading “Days After $22M Raise, Gelesis Files for IPO”
H-1Bs And How Changing The System Will Help Startups
In order for the American economy to thrive, we must rely on our ability to innovate. The U.S. government now estimates that job growth is almost three times faster in the innovation-rich fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics than the rest of the economy. Yet despite the explosion in demand, the steady supply of … Continue reading “H-1Bs And How Changing The System Will Help Startups”
Equity Crowdfunding Backers Clash Over Fundraising Limits in States
After five years of bootstrapping his startup, Instancy, Harvey Singh’s company has a finished education software product, revenue, and a growing roster of employees. As Singh looks overseas to expand Instancy’s sales reach, he says he is now ready for outside investors. He wants to raise that capital through crowdfunding. The federal Jumpstart Our Business … Continue reading “Equity Crowdfunding Backers Clash Over Fundraising Limits in States”
Garabedian’s Rocky Road at Sarepta Ends With Abrupt Resignation
[Updated, 8:55 am ET] It’s been a strange journey for Chris Garabedian. As the CEO of Sarepta Therapeutics, he steered the company from a biotech afterthought to one of Wall Street’s darlings, earning the support of a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patient community desperate for an effective treatment. Yet there’s been another, more controversial side to … Continue reading “Garabedian’s Rocky Road at Sarepta Ends With Abrupt Resignation”
Openbay CEO: Diagnosis Software for Connected Cars Is a Big Market
Just as GPS navigation and power windows eventually became standard in vehicles, being connected to the Internet is the next automotive luxury upgrade that will become commonplace, according to Rob Infantino. He’s the CEO and founder of Openbay, an online marketplace for finding quotes on auto repairs. Openbay, a Boston company backed by Google Ventures … Continue reading “Openbay CEO: Diagnosis Software for Connected Cars Is a Big Market”
Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q1 2015: Editor’s Picks
One of our key tenets at Xconomy is to provide a deeper treatment of the most important or telling news of the day, month, or year. To that end, we like to look back on our top stories of the quarter and remind you of some of the headlines. A lot happened in technology and … Continue reading “Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of Q1 2015: Editor’s Picks”
Hydra Biosciences Receives $10,507,500 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=490c7af0-be68-4f29-b7bf-01c7e8d15ee7 Date 4/1/2015 Company Name Hydra Biosciences Mailing Address 45 Moulton Street Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Company Description Hydra Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company developing molecular regeneration medicines, novel cardiovascular therapies and drugs targeting novel ion channels. Website http://www.hydrabiosciences.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,507,500 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Hydra Biosciences Receives $10,507,500 New Financing”
VCharge Secures $320,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e4a56363-342c-4877-9eae-86c5e71b2412 Date 4/1/2015 Company Name VCharge Mailing Address 235 Promenade Street Providence, RI 02908 USA Company Description VCharge uses decentralized, market-based principles to enable residential electric heaters, electric cars, and other transactive loads with embedded storage to engage in rapid demand response. VCharge technology brings real value to utilities, grid operators, and … Continue reading “VCharge Secures $320,000 New Round”
Fresh Off Boston Move, CoLucid Plots IPO For Migraine Drug Push
CoLucid Pharmaceuticals has barely finished unpacking after relocating to Massachusetts last week, but it has already pulled one thing out of its moving boxes—a document outlining plans for an initial public offering. According to CoLucid’s IPO prospectus, the company could raise up to $86 million. But that figure is just a placeholder. The details won’t … Continue reading “Fresh Off Boston Move, CoLucid Plots IPO For Migraine Drug Push”
The Innovator’s Gender Dilemma and Venture Rites of Passage
After 40 years as a professional woman who by many standards has “made it,” I am struck by the extent to which young and highly educated—even Ivy-league educated—employees are challenged by the ambiguities and realities of the contemporary competitive workplace. Having always been exceptional, and having done what was expected of them, usually by their … Continue reading “The Innovator’s Gender Dilemma and Venture Rites of Passage”
Spruce Nabs $15M Series A to Connect Dermatologists and Patients
Startups have been trying to digitize real world businesses for years in an attempt to make the experience easier, more cost effective, and efficient. Spruce, a company with an app that acts as a digital doctor’s office, has closed a $15 million Series A round to do just that for diagnosing and treating dermatological conditions. … Continue reading “Spruce Nabs $15M Series A to Connect Dermatologists and Patients”
Pivoting From IPO, Syndax Inks Combo Trial Deal With Merck
Syndax Pharmaceuticals sidestepped an IPO a few months back when it found its cancer drug, entinostat, might have a benefit it didn’t originally anticipate. Now the Waltham, MA-based company is putting that thesis to the test through a deal with Merck. The two companies announced this morning that they’ll run a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial … Continue reading “Pivoting From IPO, Syndax Inks Combo Trial Deal With Merck”
Mobiquity Acquires European Mobile Consultant Morgan Clark
Even in the high-tech business of enterprise mobile, it can help to have some feet on the ground. Mobiquity, a mobile-app maker and marketer for businesses, is acquiring a European technology-focused business consultant, Morgan Clark & Company. The deal is helping Boston-based Mobiquity add to its European-based mobile consulting business, as well as expand its … Continue reading “Mobiquity Acquires European Mobile Consultant Morgan Clark”
From Iceland to White House, Precision Medicine’s Promises & Hurdles
[Updated and corrected, 4/5/15, 6:51 pm. See below.] There is talk, and there is action. In the drive toward healthcare tailored for smaller and smaller groups of people, there was both last week, and both illustrated not just the promise of precision medicine, but the long haul until that promise is fulfilled. First, Iceland’s deCODE … Continue reading “From Iceland to White House, Precision Medicine’s Promises & Hurdles”
Advanced Practice Strategies Obtains $12,000,000 Series C Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e2f11ebb-56c1-46a1-9912-852b66f5fa00 Date 3/31/2015 Company Name Advanced Practice Strategies Mailing Address 470 Atlantic Avenue 14th Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description The world of health care delivery is changing very fast, and APS is committed to building the support system that will make it possible for caregivers to evolve with those changes … Continue reading “Advanced Practice Strategies Obtains $12,000,000 Series C Funding Round”
Convergent Dental Lands $9,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca992fb7-9a01-4801-a97e-88ec661c1e0a Date 3/31/2015 Company Name Convergent Dental Mailing Address 2 Vision Drive Natick, MA 01760 USA Company Description Convergent Dental, Inc., is a privately owned dental equipment and technology company and developer of Solea™, the world’s first computer-aided, CO2 laser system to ever be cleared by the FDA for both hard and … Continue reading “Convergent Dental Lands $9,000,000 New Funding”
Arch, Flagship to Anchor NYCEDC’s $150M NY Biotech Fund
[Updated, 3/31/15, 3:35pm ET] New York biotech entrepreneurs have been asking the same question for years: How can Manhattan ever truly foster life sciences startups and build a biotech cluster when there just isn’t enough funding to go around for biotech startups in the city, or affordable lab space to grow them? Today, the New York … Continue reading “Arch, Flagship to Anchor NYCEDC’s $150M NY Biotech Fund”
Security Innovation Raises $4M to Connect Cars, Fight Hackers
Security Innovation, a Boston-area company that makes software that connects cars and programs that teach employees how to avoid security breaches, has raised $4 million in growth capital. Existing investor Brook Venture Partners led the round and was joined by Gordon M. Burns, a director of Compass Diversified Holdings. The funding brings the amount the … Continue reading “Security Innovation Raises $4M to Connect Cars, Fight Hackers”
CoachUp Recruits NBA Star Stephen Curry as Part Owner, Looks to Grow
In today’s consumer startup world, celebrities can play a big role in getting companies noticed. Actors like Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Aniston, and Jessica Alba have given immediate buzz to their startup projects. Retired sports stars like Magic Johnson, Steve Nash, and Derek Jeter are involved in various new ventures. Now a Boston startup has signed … Continue reading “CoachUp Recruits NBA Star Stephen Curry as Part Owner, Looks to Grow”
Peter Thiel Brings Libertarian Standup Routine to Harvard
In staccato, stand-up comic style, Peter Thiel brought his version of libertarianism to Harvard, a notable cheering section for positive government. Last Wednesday, a packed lecture hall heard the investor and co-founder of PayPal and secretive data-analysis company Palantir Technologies say, “You can’t do it on a government scale. So I work on the business … Continue reading “Peter Thiel Brings Libertarian Standup Routine to Harvard”
Handy Garners $15,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2a501b1e-2f82-471d-95f1-8ae3b27415d6 Date 3/30/2015 Company Name Handy Mailing Address One Broadway 16th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description Handy is quite simply the easiest way to get stuff done around the house. Within a couple of minutes, you can book a pre-approved cleaner or handyman for whatever time you like. All you … Continue reading “Handy Garners $15,000,000 New Funding Round”
Terascala Receives $450,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ab8ba77-d51d-4dcc-bc1d-8b048aacde5a Date 3/30/2015 Company Name Terascala Mailing Address 145 Bodwell Street Building 1 Floor 2 Avon, MA 02322 USA Company Description Terascala is designing new scalable storage appliances that balance the needs of Linux clusters from moderate sizes to the largest clusters being employed. Website http://www.terascala.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $450,000 … Continue reading “Terascala Receives $450,000 New Funding”
Aponia Laboratories Lands $1,169,025 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ace0455b-2308-4762-8188-c3bb39121793 Date 3/30/2015 Company Name Aponia Laboratories Mailing Address 67 Orchard Place Greenwich, CT 06830 USA Company Description Aponia Laboratories, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company that produces a series of clinically proven prescription pain relief products. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,169,025 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Aponia Laboratories Lands $1,169,025 New Funding Round”
Innovation Hub: XPRIZE Founder Tackles Entrepreneurship
Peter Diamandis is, I think it’s fair to say, an optimist. After all, how many other space-obsessed kids ended up founding an International Space University? Or inaugurated an XPRIZE, to inspire a new generation of passenger spacecrafts? But Diamandis’s current obsession is entrepreneurship, and the idea that the economy is radically shifting to accommodate a … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: XPRIZE Founder Tackles Entrepreneurship”
In New Gene-Editing World, Doudna Applies Both Brake and Gas Pedal
Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, led the group of 18 scientists who published a letter last week in Science magazine calling for urgent discussions on efforts to change the DNA of sperm, eggs, and embryos—known collectively as the human germline. Through the work of Doudna and others, what once seemed like science … Continue reading “In New Gene-Editing World, Doudna Applies Both Brake and Gas Pedal”
The Incredible Shrinking Seed Stage and Other Venture Trends of 2014
By now the 2014 data for venture capital investments from the most important regions of the world have been compiled and disseminated. When laid out next to each other, some fascinating themes emerge. It’s no surprise that the U.S. continues to set the pace with over $48 billion invested in 4,356 companies, compared to 2013, … Continue reading “The Incredible Shrinking Seed Stage and Other Venture Trends of 2014”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Hemophilia, Levin, Vertex, Semma & More
[Updated, 3/30/15, 8:20 am ET, see below] For those looking to get away from the broader biotech indices’ plummet this week (the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IBB]]) fell 7 percent), we’ve got your comfort food here: a feature about gene therapy’s long quest to cure hemophilia, a scientific journey that began in the 1980s. We’ve … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Hemophilia, Levin, Vertex, Semma & More”
As Pharma Collaborations Gain Importance, GSK Opens Second Outpost
After establishing a “first-of-its-kind collaboration” with San Diego’s Avalon Ventures in 2013, the British pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has opened a small office in San Diego to manage its R&D partnerships and to prospect for more deals on the West Coast. The move reflects an effort by GSK to get closer to the scientific innovators … Continue reading “As Pharma Collaborations Gain Importance, GSK Opens Second Outpost”
Facebook Looks to Double Boston Headcount, Bring Talent From Outside
V-shaped drones that beam Internet signals to the world? Virtual-reality experiences for social networking? Facebook may be working on such far-out projects, but the social media giant’s Boston-area office remains focused on grittier areas like data storage, compilers, networking, and security. Those are traditional strengths of the region, after all—though so is robotics. What’s new … Continue reading “Facebook Looks to Double Boston Headcount, Bring Talent From Outside”