Category: Boston

Consumption Rules, E-mail Thrives, Enterprise Agreements are Dead

Microsoft opened its Office suite to play with other cloud services, Box debuted on Wall Street, and Google reinvented the inbox. Not even three months into 2015, and we’ve already had several interesting developments in the online collaboration software market. Here’s how these announcements fit into trends we’re seeing at Smartsheet. Consumption-Based Pricing Eats Per-User … Continue reading “Consumption Rules, E-mail Thrives, Enterprise Agreements are Dead”

AdvanDx Secures $2,500,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=36211dbf-c5be-4eb0-a1a1-0eb6ce9064e6 Date 3/18/2015 Company Name AdvanDx Mailing Address 400 TradeCenter Woburn, MA 01801 USA Company Description AdvanDx develops and markets molecular-based, in vitro diagnostic tests that aid in the diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases. The rapid test results are available in hours instead of days and allow healthcare providers to make … Continue reading “AdvanDx Secures $2,500,000 New Funding Round”

Nimbus Therapeutics Obtains $43,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c743d311-23cd-4307-b885-27d031ddb5ce Date 3/18/2015 Company Name Nimbus Therapeutics Mailing Address 25 First Street Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description Nimbus Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that is pioneering a new computational technology-driven paradigm to rapidly advance a diverse pipeline of novel small molecule product candidates into clinical development. We are designing highly selective … Continue reading “Nimbus Therapeutics Obtains $43,000,000 Series B Funding”

Help Scout Obtains $6,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=36b85ae3-bbdb-4601-ab1e-34cee9eb8f32 Date 3/18/2015 Company Name Help Scout Mailing Address 500 Harrison Ave Floor 3R Boston, MA 02118 USA Company Description Help Scout is completely invisible to your customers. Every email looks just like a personal email thread. Even for a big company with 100 agents, your customers get a personal response from … Continue reading “Help Scout Obtains $6,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

Glooko Gets $16M Injection to Upgrade Digital Diabetes Product

Digital health firm Glooko has a new round of cash to expand its diabetes management product, but it’s not ready to say how much the product is actually helping diabetics. The Palo Alto, CA-based company has raised a $16.5 million Series B round, led by Canaan Partners. With the cash, Glooko will add more ways … Continue reading “Glooko Gets $16M Injection to Upgrade Digital Diabetes Product”

Red Rock Biofuels Raises Cash, Gets Ready for First Refinery

If you’re a biofuels startup that has breakthrough technology and a business strategy that could succeed, you probably have faced a few skeptical questions. Promising startups have come and gone as their new processes have proven to be economically unviable or unable to scale from the lab to commercial production. Investors have lost money, work … Continue reading “Red Rock Biofuels Raises Cash, Gets Ready for First Refinery”

In Mental Health Therapy, Cautious Steps Toward the Pharmacodigital

[Corrected 3/17/15, 7:55 pm. See below.] The phrase “better living through chemistry,” derived from an old DuPont corporate slogan, has accumulated all kinds of ironic and wink-wink connotations over the decades. But there’s a fascinating revival and upgrade underway. For people with debilitating mental health problems, many researchers, doctors, and businesspeople think the new phrase … Continue reading “In Mental Health Therapy, Cautious Steps Toward the Pharmacodigital”

Echodyne Targets Drones, Self-Driving Cars with Metamaterials Radar

Echodyne, a secretive Seattle-area startup company backed by investors including Bill Gates and Paul Allen, is developing a novel, high-performance radar suitable for drones, robots, and self-driving cars. The technology could potentially allow such vehicles to operate independently in a range of conditions. The company, housed in a drab, unmarked building just off State Route 520 in Bellevue, … Continue reading “Echodyne Targets Drones, Self-Driving Cars with Metamaterials Radar”

Admetsys Wins Top Prize at SXSW Hatch Pitch, Astroprint and Plum Follow

Part of the value pitching in a competition at South by Southwest is getting to speak to a room packed with potential investors and users. But winning, and the prizes that come with it, never hurts. At the Hatch pitch competition Monday, five companies came away victorious, including a few big winners. Here they are, as … Continue reading “Admetsys Wins Top Prize at SXSW Hatch Pitch, Astroprint and Plum Follow”

Vista Equity Reportedly Seeks Buyer after Moving Websense to Texas

[Updated 3/17/15 10:40 am. See below.] Vista Equity Partners, the private equity firm that acquired San Diego’s Websense in 2013 and moved 445 jobs to Austin, TX, has hired Citigroup to assist in the company’s sale, according to a recent Bloomberg News report. Websense spoksman Charles Saunders declined comment, writing in an e-mail this morning, … Continue reading “Vista Equity Reportedly Seeks Buyer after Moving Websense to Texas”

Six Takeaways From “New York’s Life Science Disruptors”

What’s it take to build a successful biotech in New York? Teamwork, perseverance—and perhaps getting Roy Vagelos, the longtime Merck CEO, to head your board of directors. That was just one of the many takeaways from our latest biotech event, “New York’s Life Science Disruptors.” The packed house at the Alexandria Center for Life Science … Continue reading “Six Takeaways From “New York’s Life Science Disruptors””

Innovation Hub: Wadhwa’s Dystopian Future

Vivek Wadhwa is a big-picture guy. A guy whose vision of the future includes printing meat, banning humans from the road, and sidelining Wall Street. Wadhwa currently juggles appointments at Stanford, Duke, and Singularity Universities, and he says that massive technological advances will reroute our lives, a shift that may lead to massive dislocation, perhaps … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Wadhwa’s Dystopian Future”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Sync Project, Epizyme, Bristol & More

If you missed our latest biotech event, “New York’s Life Science Disruptors” this past Thursday, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. This week we’ll post an overview of the festivities, complete with a slideshow look at the action. In the meantime, though, grab your Monday morning coffee and have a look at this past week’s East … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Sync Project, Epizyme, Bristol & More”

CoolChip Technologies Lands $3,306,185 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=030963e4-8b09-47c7-a520-4539ab113a3c Date 3/16/2015 Company Name CoolChip Technologies Mailing Address 28 Dane Street Somerville, MA 02143 USA Company Description A rising need for low-cost, high-performance electronics cooling has given rise to commercial opportunities for technology innovations. Website http://www.coolchiptechnologies.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,306,185 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “CoolChip Technologies Lands $3,306,185 New Financing Round”

CyPhy Works Lands New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7cb31f12-3ab2-4ca2-a10e-93ab9b8173b5 Date 3/16/2015 Company Name CyPhy Works Mailing Address 16C Electronics Ave. Danvers, MA 01923 USA Company Description The company is a robotics startup that is developing unmanned aerial vehicle technologies. Website http://www.cyphyworks.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms … Continue reading “CyPhy Works Lands New Financing”

LocalVox Acquires MarketMeSuite for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=57288ff3-746f-441a-a850-a06edd7cf347 Date 3/16/2015 Company Name MarketMeSuite Mailing Address 1 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description Launched in 2009, MarketMeSuite is a unique end-to-end social media solution, providing a platform for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to engage, manage, curate and measure the ROI of their social marketing activity. Website http://www.marketmesuite.com Transaction … Continue reading “LocalVox Acquires MarketMeSuite for Undisclosed Sum”

Robo Madness Boston: The Photos and Takeaways

Our first-ever dedicated robotics event in Boston was a smash hit. Here’s hoping the local community can keep the momentum going and solidify its standing as a worldwide leader in the field. Huge thanks to our event sponsors who made the conference possible: Argosight, BDO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, IDA Ireland, and iRobot. And … Continue reading “Robo Madness Boston: The Photos and Takeaways”

Detroit’s Ash & Anvil Offers Clothes for Hard-to-Fit Shorter Guys

If your body type deviates from “standard” proportions for your age or gender, it can be challenging to find clothes that fit off the rack. That frustration has led to a new, Detroit-based online clothing store for “shorter guys” called Ash & Anvil. Its founders hope to get it off the ground in partnership with … Continue reading “Detroit’s Ash & Anvil Offers Clothes for Hard-to-Fit Shorter Guys”

Delivery App Favor Grabs $13M Series A for National Expansion

Favor, the app that offers to deliver anything, is starting off South By Southwest with some big news: a $13 million Series A financing. The Austin, TX-based company, which is focused on delivery from grocery stores and restaurants, is going to use the money to improve customer service and expand into more new cities, with … Continue reading “Delivery App Favor Grabs $13M Series A for National Expansion”

Massachusetts Tech Jobs, Investment Growing—But Not Fast Enough?

It’s a time of big economic and political changes in the Bay State. Massachusetts has a new governor, Boston has a relatively new mayor, and the University of Massachusetts will have a new president, to name just a few transitions. So it’s also a good time to take stock of where the local technology industry … Continue reading “Massachusetts Tech Jobs, Investment Growing—But Not Fast Enough?”

Zagster Lands $440,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3b4aaaf0-0a94-4743-aad7-adc1510eae5c Date 3/13/2015 Company Name Zagster Mailing Address 24 Thorndike Street Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description 71% of Americans say they’d like to bicycle more yet list access to a bike as the number one barrier to doing so. Zagster provides bikes where people live, work and visit; giving them access … Continue reading “Zagster Lands $440,000 New Round”

Alibaba, Rakuten Push Into U.S. Startups With Snapchat and Lyft

Major competitors from Asia are vying for a large stake in online car-booking and other tech markets. Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten announced today it is piling $300 million into San Francisco-based Lyft, the mobile-app car service that competes with Uber. Chinese retail giant Alibaba Group has had a stake in Lyft since April of last year, … Continue reading “Alibaba, Rakuten Push Into U.S. Startups With Snapchat and Lyft”

Epizyme Buys Back Control of Cancer Drug From Eisai For up to $110M

Throughout its history, Epizyme has always kept an eye on staying independent. When it was accumulating partnerships for its epigenetics research a few years ago, it made sure to preserve its ability to maneuver and keep some upside for its work. In a broad deal with Celgene for instance, it kept U.S. rights to a … Continue reading “Epizyme Buys Back Control of Cancer Drug From Eisai For up to $110M”

After Raising $60M, Kura Oncology Renews Work on Shelved Cancer Drug

[Updated 3/12/15 9:55 am.] Even after the FDA refused to approve the anti-cancer drug tipifarnib in 2005, some experts could see a tantalizing glimmer of potential for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other forms of cancer. [Updated to add Kura’s presence in Cambridge, MA] Now the oral drug is getting a second chance … Continue reading “After Raising $60M, Kura Oncology Renews Work on Shelved Cancer Drug”

CashStar Garners $9,526,320 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d176832e-5d8a-4346-966e-4be7c0ea730e Date 3/12/2015 Company Name CashStar Mailing Address 25 Pearl Street Portland, ME 04101 USA Company Description CashStar is leading the multi-channel payments evolution as the only digital gifting and incentives company for top brands. The company works with national retailers to offer highly-personalized eGift Cards delivered to consumers via email. Website … Continue reading “CashStar Garners $9,526,320 New Funding”

Microsoft to Create Free Online Programming Courses for EdX

Microsoft is dipping its toe in the world of free online education, partnering with Cambridge, MA-based EdX to create courses for software developers. EdX announced Tuesday that the courses would be the latest addition to its curriculum of interactive and massive open online courses, or MOOCs. EdX is a nonprofit founded by the Massachusetts Institute … Continue reading “Microsoft to Create Free Online Programming Courses for EdX”

Apple: A123’s Lawsuit “Baseless Conjecture,” Not Actionable Under Law

Apple is asking a Massachusetts federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that A123 Systems, an electric-car battery maker, filed against the computing giant for allegedly poaching A123’s employees. Apple filed a 13-page memo Monday that details why it believes claims in the suit, which also named five current Apple and former A123 employees as defendants, … Continue reading “Apple: A123’s Lawsuit “Baseless Conjecture,” Not Actionable Under Law”

Music As Therapy? PureTech’s “Sync Project” Aims to Prove It

There’s an old lyric by Bob Seger about Rock and Roll: “That kind of music just soothes the soul.” Listen to an upbeat song while depressed, and you might forget your sorrows. Indeed, music has always seemed therapeutic. Now a new venture from Boston-based startup creator PureTech is going to try to prove it with … Continue reading “Music As Therapy? PureTech’s “Sync Project” Aims to Prove It”

Playrific Prepares for Education App Bubble, With $4.7M in Tow

Get ready for some major consolidation in mobile apps for kids and education. So says one of the sector’s keen observers, tech entrepreneur Beth Marcus. Marcus is the CEO and co-founder of Playrific, a Boston-area software startup that works with brands and organizations to publish apps and content for kids. It’s not clear yet whether … Continue reading “Playrific Prepares for Education App Bubble, With $4.7M in Tow”

Collegium Pharmaceutical Garners $50,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=42e4c741-c8c6-4b4d-8049-ce5f38b61a43 Date 3/11/2015 Company Name Collegium Pharmaceutical Mailing Address 780 Dedham Street Canton, MA 02021 USA Company Description Collegium Pharmaceutical is dedicated to the development of proprietary, late stage pharmaceutical products that add market value and clinical benefit to existing drugs. Website http://www.collegiumpharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $50,000,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Collegium Pharmaceutical Garners $50,000,000 New Round”

Flashnotes Receives New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b616185a-75bc-43a6-92e1-d2bd5bcd4b4a Date 3/11/2015 Company Name Flashnotes Mailing Address 2 South Market Bldg 5th Floor Boston, MA 01209 USA Company Description Flashnotes powers the student-to-student exchange of high quality academic materials to help supplement and complement the learning experience by harnessing commerce and the latest technologies. Website http://www.flashnotes.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Flashnotes Receives New Funding Round”

White House’s $100M TechHire Initiative Echoes with General Assembly

One of the criticisms often leveled at New York’s innovation scene, particularly from out-of-towners, is a need for more local people with skills in technology to help fill positions from entry-level jobs to rock-star developer opportunities. A new federal program could help change that for people in different parts of the job market. On Monday, … Continue reading “White House’s $100M TechHire Initiative Echoes with General Assembly”

In Oncology Shuffle, Amgen To Shutter Onyx, Lay Off About 300

[Updated 3/10/15 4:48 pm. See below.] Amgen subsidiary Onyx Pharmaceuticals delivered good news last week. But it has received bad news in return. Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]), which bought Onyx in August 2013 for $10.4 billion, is shutting down Onyx’s South San Francisco, CA, facility and plans to lay off about 300 people, … Continue reading “In Oncology Shuffle, Amgen To Shutter Onyx, Lay Off About 300”

Hope to See You Thursday at “New York’s Life Science Disruptors”

The weather is warming up just in time for a little disruption in New York biotech. Come join us and celebrate the respite from the deep freeze: our latest event, “New York’s Life Science Disruptors,” will kick off Thursday afternoon at 5 pm at the Alexandria Center for Life Science in East Manhattan. We’ve brought … Continue reading “Hope to See You Thursday at “New York’s Life Science Disruptors””

Ocular’s Long-Lasting Eye Drug Tech Passes First Late-Stage Test

Eye drops are a pain. Depending on the type, they can sting the eyes or cause other side effects, and remembering to use them every day is a nuisance. Ocular Therapeutix is one of the companies trying to come up with an alternative—a sustained-release drug delivery device that’s implanted in the eye, and dissolves when … Continue reading “Ocular’s Long-Lasting Eye Drug Tech Passes First Late-Stage Test”

SimpliVity Becomes Rare $1B Unicorn Following $175M Round

It took SimpliVity, an IT infrastructure company based in Westborough, MA, a few years to get out of the gates. But now the company is off to the races, following a $175 million Series D round that gives the company a post-money valuation north of $1 billion, making it a rare “unicorn” for the New … Continue reading “SimpliVity Becomes Rare $1B Unicorn Following $175M Round”

LiquiGlide Receives $7,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=304da881-7e45-4663-9cfb-1203aa27e358 Date 3/10/2015 Company Name LiquiGlide Mailing Address 75 Sidney St. Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Company Description LiquiGlide is an exclusive, IP platform technology. We don’t manufacture anything. LiquiGlide custom develops slippery coatings for any viscous liquid to meet the specific requirements and conditions defined by our client, such as longevity, temperature … Continue reading “LiquiGlide Receives $7,000,000 New Funding”

haystagg Secures $299,525 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5de4e43a-a4e7-4120-a735-4dcf3dc10505 Date 3/10/2015 Company Name haystagg Mailing Address 795 Elm Street Manchester, NH 03102 USA Company Description Our technology excels at making high-speed, real-time decisions. Computers do the heavy lifting. This allows for more complex decision-making at the time of the impression and removes the need for cookies, opening us up to … Continue reading “haystagg Secures $299,525 New Funding”

SimpliVity Secures $175,000,000 Series D Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2d0aa396-52b6-4441-918c-67877f48c95e Date 3/10/2015 Company Name SimpliVity Mailing Address 8 Technology Drive Westborough, MA 01581 USA Company Description SimpliVity is an exciting high-tech startup, developing radically new IT infrastructure technology for the modern data center and the cloud. SimpliVity is led by a team of veterans with proven track records of building successful … Continue reading “SimpliVity Secures $175,000,000 Series D Funding”

CTI Goes Up, And Down, And Back Up On Phase 3 Myelofibrosis News

Seattle’s CTI Biopharma (NADSAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) just ended a rollercoaster trading day. First thing Monday, the firm released positive Phase 3 trial results for its myelofibrosis treatment, pacritinib, and shares shot up 11 percent higher than the Friday closing price of $2.65. Before noon, shares had given back all those gains, then immediately began to rise … Continue reading “CTI Goes Up, And Down, And Back Up On Phase 3 Myelofibrosis News”

Grishin, Raibert, and More: Join Us at Robo Madness Boston on Wednesday

The robots are coming. So, apparently, are you. We are expecting a packed house at Google in Kendall Square this Wednesday, March 11. The occasion is Robo Madness Boston, our first-ever dedicated robotics event locally (hard to believe, I know). You can get registration info here, as well as the full agenda. It will be … Continue reading “Grishin, Raibert, and More: Join Us at Robo Madness Boston on Wednesday”

Arrowhead’s Novartis RNAi Deal: Big Boost or ‘Stale Potato Chips’?

Arrowhead Research CEO Christopher Anzalone thinks he just got a massive bargain. For just $35 million, his company grabbed Novartis’ last remaining RNA interference assets: a group of patents and preclinical drug candidates that give Arrowhead more technological tools to play with. If all goes as Anzalone hopes, this one small deal could “substantially” expand … Continue reading “Arrowhead’s Novartis RNAi Deal: Big Boost or ‘Stale Potato Chips’?”

Study: Best Places For Women in Tech are Outside Silicon Valley

A new report suggests that the best opportunities for women in technology may be located outside of the industry’s hotbed in Silicon Valley. The analysis last week by SmartAsset, a New York-based financial technology and data analytics company, indicates that the best cities for women in computer-related jobs are found primarily on the East Coast … Continue reading “Study: Best Places For Women in Tech are Outside Silicon Valley”

My Best Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Tech Startups

What an incredible time to be a tech startup! The opportunities out there are just tremendous. Digital payments, wearable technology, mobile healthcare, virtual reality and gamification, predictive analytics, and green tech—these are just a few of the startup areas that are expected to be big this year, according to venture capitalists and industry experts. “Full … Continue reading “My Best Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Tech Startups”

NIH Director Hails “Stunning Case” as Example of Genomic Revolution

A pregnant mom who got a non-invasive prenatal test because she knew at age 40 that her baby was a higher risk for Down syndrome has become a case study in the potential power of precision medicine. The certified blood test, developed by San Diego-based Sequenom (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SQNM]]), is sensitive enough to identify bits of … Continue reading “NIH Director Hails “Stunning Case” as Example of Genomic Revolution”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Varmus, Bristol, Aerie, Aura & More

Big news in the oncology world this week, with much of the action on the East Coast. The National Cancer Institute’s director is stepping down—and heading back to New York. The first so-called “checkpoint” inhibitor was approved for lung cancer. And one of the biggest biotech deals ever was made around a single cancer drug. … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Varmus, Bristol, Aerie, Aura & More”

Gweepi Medical Obtains $420,003 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cd9ef495-1934-49ec-90d5-d3616175a59c Date 3/6/2015 Company Name Gweepi Medical Mailing Address 1 Cambridge Center 5th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description The company has developed the Smart Brief system, which streamlines incontinence management by placing a sensor in the diaper, reducing direct and indirect costs for a skilled nursing facility. Website http://www.gweepi.com Transaction … Continue reading “Gweepi Medical Obtains $420,003 New Funding Round”

Early VC Arch Exits Ikaria with $2.3B Sale to Mallinckrodt

Ikaria, the private healthcare startup that failed a stab at the public markets in 2010, is being sold by its private equity owner for $2.3 billion to global biopharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt. The sale provides a pretty exit for more than just Madison Dearborn, the Chicago firm that bought a majority stake in late 2013 (a … Continue reading “Early VC Arch Exits Ikaria with $2.3B Sale to Mallinckrodt”