The issue of gender and diversity is not a new challenge but one that has recently come to the forefront in a lot of our communities. There seems to be an awareness of the issues and an inherent need to address, but many are still conflicted how to best move forward. I think the best … Continue reading “Dallas Entrepreneur Center Aims to Bridge Tech’s Diversity Divide”
Category: Boston
Hepatitis C Commercial Game Theory
Anyone either celebrating or fearing the start of a Hepatitis C drug price war should take a break from the excitement to consider that a far more nuanced and profound game is at hand, one where the rules of tacit collusion (the legal kind) constrain price erosion—and each new entrant with a “good enough” drug … Continue reading “Hepatitis C Commercial Game Theory”
The Small Business Revolution Will Be Measured
In 2015 I predict we will see a rise in the number of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that collect and analyze data for improving operational efficiencies, reducing risk, and better meeting customer needs. People tend to think of big data and business intelligence as living mostly in the realm of the big enterprise. Large … Continue reading “The Small Business Revolution Will Be Measured”
What Was the Biggest Surprise of 2014?
As we close out the year, we at Xconomy have been asking our network of sources and informal advisors (the Xconomists) a series of questions. An obvious but telling one was to inquire about the biggest surprise of 2014, from their point of view. We’ve been posting their answers on a variety of topics as … Continue reading “What Was the Biggest Surprise of 2014?”
Yottaa Obtains $10,445,469 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=247a3bc6-1274-4a3d-a983-73938886dc62 Date 12/31/2014 Company Name Yottaa Mailing Address 160 Federal St. 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 USA Company Description Founded in April 2009, Yottaa Inc is a Boston and Beijing based cloud computing company. Driven by the pursuit for a better Internet, Yottaa aspires to empower a new generation of interactive experience … Continue reading “Yottaa Obtains $10,445,469 New Financing”
Playrific Lands $3,000,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2e8b1794-ace4-4a07-9cc5-f193e09d838a Date 12/31/2014 Company Name Playrific Mailing Address 7 Esquire Rd. Billerica, MA 01862 USA Company Description Playrific is the only service to allow children to safely explore a broad range of parent-and-educator-approved digital content: videos, online games, books, songs, drawing and coloring apps and more — all on their own. Playrific’s … Continue reading “Playrific Lands $3,000,000 Series A Funding Round”
Improve Education with Great Expectations for All Students
If I could change one thing about our K-12 education system, it would be to end the curse of low expectations in Washington’s public schools. Numerous studies have shown that teacher and principal expectations have a profound effect on school culture and student performance. A student treated as if she or he can accomplish anything … Continue reading “Improve Education with Great Expectations for All Students”
Attracting, Retaining Talent Key to Driving Economy Forward
A major issue continues to be how to attract and train the necessary talent to drive forward both individual businesses and the economy as a whole. This issue is being addressed in pockets (such as some nascent, innovative programs in Michigan), but not nearly at the scope that is needed. Among other things, it involves … Continue reading “Attracting, Retaining Talent Key to Driving Economy Forward”
5 Tips for Students to Get Ahead in Technology and Business
What advice would you give students interested in your field? That’s a question we posed to our network of Xconomists around the country. They range from academic leaders to startup founders to venture capitalists. What we found was that their answers were generally bigger than their particular field of expertise. Taken together, the tips provide … Continue reading “5 Tips for Students to Get Ahead in Technology and Business”
NanoComp Technologies Garners $15,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dbbb5f32-41f9-4d9c-a3f8-2db4453a3d2f Date 12/30/2014 Company Name NanoComp Technologies Mailing Address 57 Daniel Webster Highway Merrimack, NH 03054 USA Company Description NanoComp Technologies Inc (NCTI) was formed in 2004 as a spin-out of Synergy Innovations, Inc. a Concord, NH based technology development company. Website http://www.nanocomptech.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $15,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “NanoComp Technologies Garners $15,000,000 New Financing”
14 for ’14: Xconomy’s Top Innovation Stories of the Year
It has been quite a year for one-word headlines: Ebola, Sony, Uber, WhatsApp, to name a few. Behind those headlines are complex issues in business and technology that came to the fore in 2014. Things like impediments to vaccine development; mounting threats in cybersecurity and privacy; the regulatory and cultural struggles of high-flying startups; and … Continue reading “14 for ’14: Xconomy’s Top Innovation Stories of the Year”
To Diversify the Innovation Community, Jump-Start Female Entrepreneurship
Just about a year ago at this time, I read a report that made me ask myself whether I was doing enough—and the right kind of “enough”—to encourage diversity in our technology startup community and innovation ecosystem here in Boston/Cambridge. Fortunately, when I looked at the startups in my portfolio of seed investments, I found … Continue reading “To Diversify the Innovation Community, Jump-Start Female Entrepreneurship”
Expand Our Notion of Success from Wealth Creation to Value Creation
We have too narrow a view of success in the tech community, fueled by investors wanting big returns, business schools reinforcing these values, and universities trying to maximize financial returns on their research. Young people see this. Many children of immigrants want to help their parents’ homelands. Many young people want to build a more … Continue reading “Expand Our Notion of Success from Wealth Creation to Value Creation”
10 Bits of Advice for Students Interested in Drug Development
Here are my 10 crucial pieces of advice for students who aspire to a career in pharmaceutical labs: 1. You need a solid foundation in science. Master the basics, and learn how to apply that knowledge. 2. But, try to also take classes and build skills in complementary areas like business, legal topics (especially intellectual … Continue reading “10 Bits of Advice for Students Interested in Drug Development”
Kicking the Cyber Attack Can Down the Road
By far the most important issue where the can got “kicked down the road” is any kind of concerted effort to deter or dissuade cross-border cyber-crime, cyber-attacks, cyber-vandalism and other various forms of hacking mischief. As more and more people become reliant of digital devices and networks for their livelihoods and leisure, their vulnerability to … Continue reading “Kicking the Cyber Attack Can Down the Road”
From STEM to C-Suite, Steps to Improve Technology’s Gender Balance
Gender and diversity problems certainly aren’t new for either the technology community or for business in general. Over the past several decades, women and minorities have worked to gain access to higher levels within organizations, and many white males already in senior roles have also worked to address these issues. However, progress has been slow, … Continue reading “From STEM to C-Suite, Steps to Improve Technology’s Gender Balance”
Biggest Surprises in 2014: Apple After Steve Jobs
What was the biggest surprise of the year? The continued success of Apple. It’s been a quiet period after Jobs’s disappearance and it is very difficult to step into those shoes, I had not counted on the success. The iPhone 6 is a marvel even if it’s not a groundbreaking innovation. But the Apple Watch … Continue reading “Biggest Surprises in 2014: Apple After Steve Jobs”
Simple Steps Toward More Inclusive Entrepreneurship
At conferences, meetups, and events, my colleagues and I often lament the lack of diversity in the audience, particularly the lack of women. Organizations like the Doyenne Group here in Madison, WI, are doing great things to cultivate entrepreneurship among women. Some recent changes in my life, however, have given me a new perspective on … Continue reading “Simple Steps Toward More Inclusive Entrepreneurship”
A Bad Week for North Korea’s Rickety Internet, But Who’s to Blame?
It’s not clear how it happened. But following a massive leak of stolen Sony information—blamed on North Korea after the company filmed a movie about assassinating Kim Jong Un—the reclusive communist nation’s fragile Internet connections have spent a few days getting hammered by outages. Thanks to a company based in Manchester, NH, we can get an idea of … Continue reading “A Bad Week for North Korea’s Rickety Internet, But Who’s to Blame?”
What’s Missing From Education? Critical Thinking
There is too little emphasis on teaching critical thinking skills in schools. Many adults have little understanding of important science and technology issues, which leaves them open to poor decision making on matters that will affect both their families as well as society in general. A good example would be a failure to understand and … Continue reading “What’s Missing From Education? Critical Thinking”
What’s the Most Important Issue That Didn’t Get Addressed in 2014?
Immigration. Very sad and shows how deeply dysfunctional our system is. This is really hurting innovation—and other countries, like Canada, U.K., Chile and Spain, have moved way ahead of us. Very frustrating. [Editor’s note: To tap the wisdom of our distinguished group of Xconomists, we asked a few of them to answer this question heading … Continue reading “What’s the Most Important Issue That Didn’t Get Addressed in 2014?”
3Derm Systems Garners $675,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5e451947-749f-4379-8005-18b6d1247d07 Date 12/24/2014 Company Name 3Derm Systems Mailing Address 55 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06510 USA Company Description 3Derm Systems is developing a low-cost skin monitoring solution that allows patients to take clinical-quality 3D images from the comfort of their own homes. Dermatologists can use the uploaded images to efficiently monitor … Continue reading “3Derm Systems Garners $675,000 New Financing Round”
iWalk Garners $6,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7b28f54c-63b0-4861-9a15-1a6ab002c6d0 Date 12/24/2014 Company Name iWalk Mailing Address 4 Crosby Drive Bedford, MA 01730 USA Company Description iWalk’s Mission is to be the leader in wearable devices for human augmentation. Website http://www.iwalkpro.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact … Continue reading “iWalk Garners $6,000,000 New Funding”
Libboo Receives $278,978 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9d996182-4d08-4c60-8e5f-656ab6e863fd Date 12/24/2014 Company Name Libboo Mailing Address One Marina Park Drive 14th Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Libboo is a platform that connects buzzers (readers who love to share and talk about books) with books they’ll enjoy, to create the next digital bestseller and help talented authors get discovered. … Continue reading “Libboo Receives $278,978 New Financing”
Blu Homes Secures $21,675,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=00c55c9d-7c20-4f46-bb5b-eab09f8d0a9a Date 12/24/2014 Company Name Blu Homes Mailing Address 130 Turner Street Waltham, MA 02453 USA Company Description Founded in 2008, Blu makes beautiful green homes suitable for a wide range of residential, commercial and institutional buyers. Blu’s breakthrough computer modeling, unique use of steel and wood and revolutionary folding technology makes … Continue reading “Blu Homes Secures $21,675,000 New Round”
FlexEnergy Receives New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=05462264-e4a0-47f7-8641-007183d298c5 Date 12/23/2014 Company Name FlexEnergy Mailing Address 30 New Hampshire Avenue Portsmouth, NH 03801 USA Company Description FlexEnergy Inc is committed to clean energy for the planet by designing and building powerful solutions for eliminating greenhouse gases and generating clean energy for generations to come. Website http://www.flexenergy.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “FlexEnergy Receives New Funding Round”
Swoop.com Lands $2,100,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=48e6cdac-5b67-46fc-a32a-4abbbdf9b375 Date 12/23/2014 Company Name Swoop.com Mailing Address 125 Cambridgepark Drive Cambridge, MA 02140 USA Company Description Swoop is a Native Advertising service that seamlessly integrates relevant information about products and services – at times in the form of sponsored content or advertising – into the content that consumers are engaged with … Continue reading “Swoop.com Lands $2,100,000 New Financing”
ANDalyze Obtains $266,732 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d34d89dc-e917-4766-b7fe-a3b28322976e Date 12/23/2014 Company Name ANDalyze Mailing Address 800 Boylston Street 16th Floor Boston, MA 02199 USA Company Description ANDalyze offers products for testing water contamination using catalytic DNA technologies. The company has developed a methodology for detecting and quantifying chemical levels based on the recent discovery of the catalytic properties of … Continue reading “ANDalyze Obtains $266,732 New Funding”
The Sony Wake-Up Call
[Corrected, see below] The Sony saga continues. Last week, the FBI said there is enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for the Sony cyberattack. Now some are beginning to wonder how the U.S. should retaliate. Surely, new developments will continue to unfold, but our focus remains on what this breach … Continue reading “The Sony Wake-Up Call”
ImmusanT Grabs $12M as Celiac Vaccine Hits Critical Proving Ground
[Updated, 12/22/14, 4:02 pm ET] ImmusanT is trying to prove that a vaccine it’s developing can help celiac patients eat gluten without getting sick. Today, the Cambridge, MA-based company got enough dough to test that theory in real patients. ImmusanT has raised a $12 million Series B round from Vatera Healthcare Partners, the New York … Continue reading “ImmusanT Grabs $12M as Celiac Vaccine Hits Critical Proving Ground”
Rethinking Venture Philanthropy After the Kalydeco Windfall
The Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation’s big win in venture philanthropy can fuel constructive competition among companies developing innovative CF drugs, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system by increasing future treatment options and reducing their cost. CF is a fatal genetic disease affecting around 30,000 people in the U.S. that is caused by mutations in … Continue reading “Rethinking Venture Philanthropy After the Kalydeco Windfall”
Two Guys, a Connected Home, and Kickstarter: The Water Hero Story
[Updated, 12/24/14. See below] In a newfangled world of connected homes, crowdfunded projects, 3D printers, and mobile apps, it’s refreshing to see a couple of guys in their 50s put it all together and try to make something meaningful. I write not only in striking range of said demographic, but as a concerned citizen and … Continue reading “Two Guys, a Connected Home, and Kickstarter: The Water Hero Story”
ImmusanT Receives $12,000,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e48dbfe2-f2e1-4146-ac45-949863ed90f4 Date 12/22/2014 Company Name ImmusanT Mailing Address One Kendall Square Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Company Description ImmusanT is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing a treatment, and a set of diagnostic and monitoring tools to manage patients with celiac disease. Website http://www.immusant.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $12,000,000 … Continue reading “ImmusanT Receives $12,000,000 Series B Financing”
Enanta Pockets $75M As AbbVie, Gilead Hep C Battle Begins
A high-stakes biotech turf war is about to break out over a very lucrative market, and at the same time, a big check is on its way to Watertown, MA-based Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ENTA]]). The FDA today approved a double-pill regimen for hepatitis C to be sold by Chicago-area pharma giant AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]), for … Continue reading “Enanta Pockets $75M As AbbVie, Gilead Hep C Battle Begins”
Acme Packet Vets Raise $12M for Stealthy Startup, 128 Technology
The entrepreneurs behind one of the biggest corporate buyouts in Boston’s technology sector are getting their team back together with a new startup whose name hints at the region’s critical role in an earlier computing revolution. Andy Ory and Patrick MeLampy, co-founders of the former IP communication tech company Acme Packet, are listed respectively as … Continue reading “Acme Packet Vets Raise $12M for Stealthy Startup, 128 Technology”
Arrowhead, Despite Ailing Stock, Reloads in RNAi Hepatitis B Fight
Arrowhead Research has had a rough couple of months, but that hasn’t put CEO Christopher Anzalone in panic mode—far from it. The Pasadena, CA-based biotech company’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) stock price has fallen off a cliff, largely a result of investors getting spooked by some early data in the company’s ongoing Phase 2a study of its … Continue reading “Arrowhead, Despite Ailing Stock, Reloads in RNAi Hepatitis B Fight”
Boston Tech Roundup: Freight Farms, Autodesk, Mavrck, Atlas
Startups are raising money, a small developer shop has been acquired, and the split-up of a venture capital firm motors along in this collection of recent deals around the Boston-area tech sector: —Freight Farms, a Boston-based startup that sells hydroponic vegetable-growing systems housed in shipping containers, has raised $3.7 million in new investment led by Spark Capital. … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Freight Farms, Autodesk, Mavrck, Atlas”
Metamaterials Moguls: Gates, Allen Back New Radar Startup Echodyne
Microsoft’s co-founders are backing a Seattle-area startup that wants to apply proprietary metamaterials technology to radar. Bill Gates is co-leader with Madrona Venture Group of a $15 million Series A funding round for Echodyne, which will seek to commercialize the metamaterials technology portfolio of Intellectual Ventures “for a wide range of new radar applications,” Gates … Continue reading “Metamaterials Moguls: Gates, Allen Back New Radar Startup Echodyne”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Yumanity, Padlock, CAR-T Fever, & More
One lesson from this week: Regardless how hard biotech is, entrepreneurs will always come back for more. As Tony Coles told me this week after he announced his new company, retirement “never sounded very appealing.” Michael Gilman similarly returned to biotech after selling Stromedix to Biogen Idec, and is moving ahead with his own new … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Yumanity, Padlock, CAR-T Fever, & More”
XLerant Garners $200,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fbbf5800-cd89-420b-b666-3d1d904f2a93 Date 12/19/2014 Company Name XLerant Mailing Address 400 Main Street Stamford, CT 06901 USA Company Description BudgetPak helps control budget inflation by making each decision that impacts the budget transparent, and by making it easy for line managers to develop a valid budget to begin with. Best of all, BudgetPak integrates … Continue reading “XLerant Garners $200,000 New Financing Round”
Padlock Therapeutics Obtains $23,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=80a69791-324c-44c4-97d2-52d937d8ff17 Date 12/19/2014 Company Name Padlock Therapeutics Mailing Address 25 First Street Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description At Padlock, we’re taking a whole new approach to treating destructive autoimmune diseases by extinguishing autoantigens at their source instead of targeting the immune system like current medicines. Website http://www.padlocktherapeutics.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Padlock Therapeutics Obtains $23,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
EnterpriseDB Lands New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5ab4b75f-2fce-4f52-ae77-ea03f290692f Date 12/19/2014 Company Name EnterpriseDB Mailing Address 34 Crosby Dr. Bedford, MA 01730 USA Company Description EnterpriseDB provides and supports enterprise-class database products that are based on time-tested open source, that are broadly compatible with proprietary databases and that are robustly reliable and scalable. Website http://www.enterprisedb.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “EnterpriseDB Lands New Financing”
Olympics, NFL Lessons Guide Integrate’s Bloom in First Year as CEO
A lot of entrepreneurs have circuitous career paths before becoming a first-time CEO. Few have the Olympics or the National Football League on their resumes. But that’s the case for Jeremy Bloom, co-founder and CEO of Integrate, a venture-backed marketing software company. Bloom has been in the top spot for about eight months as the … Continue reading “Olympics, NFL Lessons Guide Integrate’s Bloom in First Year as CEO”
Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis
There’s a shortage of radioactive material that few people outside the medical community know about. And the best hope for solving the problem—and reduce nuclear proliferation risks linked to it—rests in the hands of a handful of startups operating on a mix of government and private money. The medical isotope technetium-99 is injected into tens … Continue reading “Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis”
Déjà Vu For Gilman as New Immunology Startup, Padlock, Gets $23M
Michael Gilman has been in this position before. About 10 years ago, he left an executive research position at Biogen Idec, hooked up with Atlas Venture, and formed a startup called Stromedix—one that got funded, developed a drug, and incidentally was later sold to the big biotech, bringing Gilman back into the Biogen fold. Now … Continue reading “Déjà Vu For Gilman as New Immunology Startup, Padlock, Gets $23M”
Houston’s Bellicum Pharma Rides T-Cell Therapy Wave to $140M IPO
Bellicum Pharmaceuticals has made a little bit of Houston history. In becoming the latest in a new wave of cancer immunotherapy companies to go public, Bellicum has managed another feat—it’s the first Houston biotech to make it to the Nasdaq in nearly 15 years. Bellicum priced 7.35 million shares Wednesday night at $19 apiece, raising $139.65 million before … Continue reading “Houston’s Bellicum Pharma Rides T-Cell Therapy Wave to $140M IPO”
CAMX Power Quietly Develops 200-Mile Electric Car Battery
Claims of a breakthrough in battery performance are fairly commonplace—and often disappointing. A little-known startup has been toiling on a material that isn’t a radical break with today’s batteries. But by improving on materials that are already widely used, it could be a commercial success nonetheless. CAMX Power, based in Lexington, MA, has only existed … Continue reading “CAMX Power Quietly Develops 200-Mile Electric Car Battery”
From American Well to Venture Capitalists, Health IT on the Rise
Companies in healthcare IT have been percolating for the past five-plus years. Now, with the regulatory climate evolving and big companies like Apple getting more serious about health and wellness, it looks like 2015 could be when it’s all going to pop. Let’s connect a few dots: —American Well has raised $80 million in Series … Continue reading “From American Well to Venture Capitalists, Health IT on the Rise”
In New Era of Cyber Threats, Rapid7 Reloads With $30M
Cyber attacks and data breaches aren’t going away anytime soon. Neither are the technology companies trying to protect against them—nor the venture investors looking to cash in. Rapid7, a Boston-based company, says today it has raised $30 million more from previous investors Bain Capital Ventures and Technology Crossover Ventures. The deal brings its total funding … Continue reading “In New Era of Cyber Threats, Rapid7 Reloads With $30M”
Adelphic Advancing Mobile Ads With Apple Deal, New Funding
The field of mobile advertising has been evolving steadily but fairly quietly in the past year. Now startups are ready to make more noise, thanks in part to the world’s biggest tech company. Boston-area startup Adelphic says today it has raised $11 million in Series B venture money, which brings its total funding to $23 … Continue reading “Adelphic Advancing Mobile Ads With Apple Deal, New Funding”