Category: Boston

Aereo Cuts Back New York & Boston Staff, Says It’s Not Shutting Down

Still trying to tread water in a hostile sea, streaming television service Aereo is slashing away much of its staff, further casting its future as a company in doubt. In a brief statement sent to Xconomy, the New York-based startup, which halted its service in the summer, confirmed it is letting employees go, but has … Continue reading “Aereo Cuts Back New York & Boston Staff, Says It’s Not Shutting Down”

Gemr Garners $4,930,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=61d19395-433e-4177-bbba-158655e84e8e Date 11/7/2014 Company Name Gemr Mailing Address 51 Islington St. Portsmouth, NH 03801 USA Company Description Gemr is a mobile native application that allows users to easily find, collect, trade or sell an item simply by snapping a picture and sharing it with a community of interested peers. Website http://www.gemr.com Transaction … Continue reading “Gemr Garners $4,930,000 Series A Financing”

PopTech Rebels Rage Against the Tech Machine, From Within

The coastal town of Camden, Maine, is a beautiful setting in late October, even in a Nor’easter. The drive takes three and a half hours from Boston—a little longer in the pouring rain—but once you get there, it feels very far from the daily rat race. The Camden Opera House, built in 1894, is the … Continue reading “PopTech Rebels Rage Against the Tech Machine, From Within”

Struggling Aegerion Diversifies With Fat Disease Drug

Aegerion Pharmaceuticals has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. The launch of its rare disease drug, lomitapide (Juxtapid), has stalled. The company is worth less than a third of what it was last year. Today the Cambridge, MA-based company is trying to turn the conversation elsewhere—to an FDA-approved rare disease … Continue reading “Struggling Aegerion Diversifies With Fat Disease Drug”

How States Can Build a Cleantech Funding Pipeline

Research universities across the country regularly turn out science and technology that could be kernels for jobs-creating businesses. But many of those ideas have trouble finding bankers or venture investors willing to finance the slow, expensive development of a new company based on science. Massachusetts has developed one response to the problem of funding hard … Continue reading “How States Can Build a Cleantech Funding Pipeline”

Ximedica Lands New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5e17b97d-923f-427b-935c-46d5a7683a6d Date 11/6/2014 Company Name Ximedica Mailing Address 55 Dupont Drive Providence, RI 02907 USA Company Description Since 1985 Ximedica’s founders have helped hundreds of organizations and businesses innovate, execute and launch thousands of products successfully into the market. Website http://www.ximedica.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Ximedica Lands New Financing Round”

Math Toy Tiggly Counts Emerges, Demos at New York Tech Meetup

A dose of physical play can help kids learn, Tiggly CEO Phyl Georgiou says. In our rush to digitize everything, from books to games, he believes connections to the real world remain important. “There’s a question about how kids use their time,” Georgiou says. “They’re busier and use digital devices more and more. Those two … Continue reading “Math Toy Tiggly Counts Emerges, Demos at New York Tech Meetup”

How to Replace a Nuke Plant? One Utility Leans on Energy Storage

Energy storage technology from a few California startups will help fill a gap left by the closing of the San Onofre nuclear power plant in southern California. It’s a sign of the dramatic changes happening in some pockets of the U.S. electric grid. Southern California Edison today detailed how it intends to generate enough power … Continue reading “How to Replace a Nuke Plant? One Utility Leans on Energy Storage”

Sujal Patel Reflects on Isilon Legacy, Seattle’s Storage Leadership

Four years ago this month, technology giant EMC announced the $2.25 billion acquisition of Isilon Systems, a homegrown Seattle company that helped bolster the region’s standing as a center of data storage innovation. Isilon Systems’ legacy today is in EMC’s continuing large presence in Seattle; two well-funded startup companies, Qumulo and Igneous Systems, working on … Continue reading “Sujal Patel Reflects on Isilon Legacy, Seattle’s Storage Leadership”

Inotek, Chasing Aerie in Glaucoma, Sets Sights on IPO

Aerie Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AERI]]) has parlayed the potential of a new type of glaucoma drug into a publicly-traded company currently worth more than half a billion dollars. Inotek Pharmaceuticals is eyeing the same market, and now wants Wall Street’s help to go head to head with its Bedminster, NJ-based rival. Inotek filed for an IPO … Continue reading “Inotek, Chasing Aerie in Glaucoma, Sets Sights on IPO”

Formlabs Grows, Counts Millions in Sales Despite Patent Lawsuit

Patent lawsuits from a deep-pocketed competitor can crush a young company before it really gets going. But at the bustling headquarters of 3D printer startup Formlabs, you’d never know the past two years have been spent fighting accusations that its flagship product is a brazenly illegal knock-off. The company now employs about 90 people, and … Continue reading “Formlabs Grows, Counts Millions in Sales Despite Patent Lawsuit”

Wanderu Adds $5.6M, Wants to Become Big Consumer Travel Brand

Is consumer tech finally taking off in the Boston startup community? The broad answer still seems to be no. The city’s enterprise-focused roots remain dominant. But there are exceptions. Wanderu is one of them. The online travel-search company has just raised a $5.6 million Series A funding round led by new investor Metamorphic Ventures. Other … Continue reading “Wanderu Adds $5.6M, Wants to Become Big Consumer Travel Brand”

Urban Agriculture Takes Root on a Roof in Boston

Can cities grow their own food? That’s the premise behind urban agriculture, a movement to convert urban spaces into growing spaces. An experiment in urban agriculture is taking place at the Boston Design Center, a huge building in a formerly industrial space in South Boston. I visited Higher Ground farms and talked with one of … Continue reading “Urban Agriculture Takes Root on a Roof in Boston”

Wanderu Secures $5,600,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=abeca817-24ab-429c-a078-0a59bc7f0bf8 Date 11/5/2014 Company Name Wanderu Mailing Address 80 Bedford Street 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02111 USA Company Description Wanderu makes it effortless for you to find and book inter-city buses and trains between any two points in the Northeast. We are expanding quickly and will be offering cheap bus tickets throughout … Continue reading “Wanderu Secures $5,600,000 Series A Financing”

Stratoscale Garners $32,000,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e1ed2f3f-15b1-48e5-8623-5b549806e945 Date 11/5/2014 Company Name Stratoscale Mailing Address 241 Boston Post Rd. West Marlborough, MA 01752 USA Company Description Stratoscale’s added value is its founding team and advisors, which include an incredible cast of talented and accomplished technologists and entrepreneurs. The company currently has the backing of first class investors such as … Continue reading “Stratoscale Garners $32,000,000 Series B Round”

Proteostasis, Astellas Join up on Genetic Disease Drugs

Proteostasis Therapeutics got a new CEO a few months ago; now the Cambridge, MA-based startup has a new development deal to work on, and a new high-profile investor too. Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma inked a partnership today with Proteostasis to try to discover and develop new drugs for an unspecified genetic disease and, potentially, other … Continue reading “Proteostasis, Astellas Join up on Genetic Disease Drugs”

Nitro Raises $15M from Battery Ventures

[Corrected 11/4/14, 8:45 am. See below.] Nitro Software, a San Francisco-based startup competitor to digital media giant Adobe (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADBE]]), has raised $15 million from Battery Ventures to expand the market for its document creation and sharing products. [The term “PDF” has been omitted from the lead sentence in an earlier version of this story. Although Nitro’s software … Continue reading “Nitro Raises $15M from Battery Ventures”

History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy

Any book about life science innovation that starts with quotes from Frank Zappa and Albert Einstein promises to be a good read. The Biologist’s Imagination holds to that promise, as authors William Hoffman and Leo Furcht, both of the University of Minnesota Medical School, take several forays back in history to explain the “crossroads”—perhaps an … Continue reading “History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy”

Prelert Obtains New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6013d2f2-51a1-461d-b3a3-2fa92dbe2871 Date 11/4/2014 Company Name Prelert Mailing Address 20 Speen St. Framingham, MA 01701 USA Company Description Our Incident Cause Analysis software employs advanced pattern detection algorithms, used in DNA sequencing the human genome, to quickly and accurately analyze terabytes of IT incident data. Our product self-learns how IT resources interact and … Continue reading “Prelert Obtains New Financing”

Iontera Secures $1,597,538 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7c38ed9b-1abb-4634-9c2d-918c85ed1af0 Date 11/4/2014 Company Name Iontera Mailing Address 3 Allied Drive Dedham, MA 02026 USA Company Description Iontera is the maker of BIOBLISS, a toxin-free skin rejuvenation via transdermal patch technology. The BIOBLISS Patch operates using its proprietary ion technology, gently pushing dermatologist-approved anti-wrinkle ingredients to the skin reducing the appearance of … Continue reading “Iontera Secures $1,597,538 New Financing”

Butterfly Network Lands $100,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=12db89a1-2e7f-4622-96a8-cc9b233cd4db Date 11/4/2014 Company Name Butterfly Network Mailing Address 530 Old Whitfield St. Guilford, CT 06437 USA Company Description Transforming Diagnostic and Therapeutic Imaging with Devices, Deep Learning, and the Cloud. Website http://www.butterflynetinc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $100,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms … Continue reading “Butterfly Network Lands $100,000,000 New Funding Round”

Bio-Techne Acquires CyVek for $95,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f584170a-0520-440a-bb9d-f2f23ac0f3c6 Date 11/4/2014 Company Name CyVek Mailing Address 2 Barnes Industrial Road South Wallingford, CT 06492 USA Company Description The objective of the CyVek technology is to provide a robust platform for multiplexed proteomics, particularly to serve the market needs of biomarker validation. Website http://www.cyvek.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $95,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Bio-Techne Acquires CyVek for $95,000,000”

Irish Brothers’ Startup Makes 3D Printers Fed By Office Paper

Irish brothers Conor and Fintan MacCormack were into 3D printing before it was cool. In fact, Conor first discovered the concept in 1986, when he was in secondary school, watching a BBC television special. The technology hooked the 16-year-old right away, just like motorcycles, rocket ships, and computers already had. He was in awe watching … Continue reading “Irish Brothers’ Startup Makes 3D Printers Fed By Office Paper”

Butterfly Network Seeks to Slash Price of 3-D Medical Imaging

Entrepreneur Jonathan Rothberg, who led sequencing startups 545 Life Sciences and Ion Torrent before they were acquired, has a new venture that also applies the power of Moore’s Law to medicine. The Rothberg-founded Butterfly Network on Monday said it has raised $80 million from investors that include several family offices and Stanford University. It’s the … Continue reading “Butterfly Network Seeks to Slash Price of 3-D Medical Imaging”

The Future of Cleantech Is Here—It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed

[Updated on Nov. 4] Entrepreneurs and investors in the U.S. are facing dueling narratives about cleantech: either it’s a failed experiment, or it’s central to our future economy. Which one is closer to the truth really depends on where you operate. Venture capitalists—and their fund investors–have figured out that expensive, multi-year investments in solar, biofuels, and … Continue reading “The Future of Cleantech Is Here—It’s Just Not Evenly Distributed”

Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation

Immigration policy reform is a hot-button issue right now, but it’s affecting the innovation economy in unexpected ways. U.S. companies are having a hard time recruiting enough skilled workers to fill all their high-level science, tech, and engineering positions. I discussed the issue with Stanford Law School professor Dan Siciliano and Silicon Valley Leadership Group … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation”

New Cubist CEO Joins Our Healthcare Summit Nov. 18—Get Your Invite

We’ve got two big announcements for our annual Xconomy Healthcare Summit, which is coming up on November 18 here in the Boston area. The first is that incoming Cubist Pharmaceuticals CEO Rob Perez has joined the lineup. I will be doing a keynote chat with him to discuss his views on Cubist, infectious diseases, and … Continue reading “New Cubist CEO Joins Our Healthcare Summit Nov. 18—Get Your Invite”

Boston Tech Roundup: Harvest Power, North Bridge, Visible Measures

We’ve got some companies in software and clean energy raising money, and a big VC firm shedding more partners in this quick catch-up on innovation news around the Boston area: —Harvest Power, a Waltham, MA-based company that converts yard waste and food scraps into energy and soil products, has raised another $20 million. The money was … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Harvest Power, North Bridge, Visible Measures”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Sarepta, Aegerion, Syros, Aileron & More

All types of scary news in the life sciences world in time for Halloween, from the highest levels of Big Pharma, where Sanofi’s board unceremoniously dumped CEO Chris Viehbacher, to biotech, where three local companies were put in the Wall Street penalty box. Details from the East Coast scene below: —Shares of Cambridge, MA-based Sarepta … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Sarepta, Aegerion, Syros, Aileron & More”

New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started

Since I got involved in the big data and analytics world a few years ago, I’ve become the person that friends come to (and refer their friends to) for answers to questions about data. Recently I’ve been asked a few times by entrepreneurs how they can make sure their company is prepared to do analytics, … Continue reading “New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started”

Taking the Copenhagen Wheel for a Spin in Cambridge

I’ve long been a bicycle commuter. And with the rise of urban bike-share programs, many more people are finding the benefits of biking, both for individuals and cities. More bikes on the road means less car congestion and less pollution, and it’s a good way to get exercise. But what if biking to work or … Continue reading “Taking the Copenhagen Wheel for a Spin in Cambridge”

FINsix Obtains $2,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d60d2b3f-1830-405d-9891-00f610430c17 Date 10/31/2014 Company Name FINsix Mailing Address 27 Drydock Avenue 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description FINsix Corporation, the worldwide leader in VHF power conversion technology (30 to 300MHz switching frequency), is bringing to market highly miniaturized power conversion products that offer excellent performance, high power density and superior … Continue reading “FINsix Obtains $2,000,000 New Financing”

Affinivax Garners $4,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9e5b557e-8aa9-460a-96cf-4bdc1b20800d Date 10/31/2014 Company Name Affinivax Mailing Address Undisclosed Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Company Description Affinivax is a biotechnology company developing a novel conjugation technology with the goal of designing vaccines that provide broad protection against challenging diseases afflicting children and adults in both the developing and developed worlds. Website http://www.affinivax.com Transaction … Continue reading “Affinivax Garners $4,000,000 New Round”

MEARS Technologies Obtains $6,102,666 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7d493fd9-ffea-460e-915a-afdadfb818a7 Date 10/31/2014 Company Name MEARS Technologies Mailing Address 189 Wells Ave 3rd Floor Newton, MA 02459 USA Company Description MEARS Technologies is dedicated to delivering a stream of innovative solutions to the global semiconductor industry. We focus on enabling the continued improvement of silicon semiconductor performance at ever finer geometries and … Continue reading “MEARS Technologies Obtains $6,102,666 New Round”

More Speakers for Tech Agenda 2015: Rae, Andre, Seseri

We’re adding more amazing speakers to The Tech Agenda 2015, our year-end conference that offers an insider’s debriefing on the biggest issues facing some of our most innovative industries. They make an already strong group even more impressive, and their resumes shine a spotlight on the diversity of topics that our experts will dive into once … Continue reading “More Speakers for Tech Agenda 2015: Rae, Andre, Seseri”

Digital Lumens Bags Growth Capital Buoyed by Internet of Things Buzz

Digital Lumens is showing that an unlikely industry—industrial lighting—can be a high-tech business with room for growth. The Boston-based company today announced that it’s raised $23 million in a Series C round to fuel its growth geographically and into new product areas. The round brought in three new investors: Nokia’s venture arm Nokia Growth Partners, … Continue reading “Digital Lumens Bags Growth Capital Buoyed by Internet of Things Buzz”

The Future of Dublin Tech, Part 2: Startups Look West, Grow Diverse

Just up the stairs from Munchies, a sandwich shop owned by his mother, Ben Harris shows me his startup’s digs. It has the intense feel of people getting stuff done on deadline. Ten employees cram into one room, a mix of young programmers, designers, and business folks. Harris’s startup is called Drop, and it’s getting … Continue reading “The Future of Dublin Tech, Part 2: Startups Look West, Grow Diverse”

With DNA From DEC and HP, Galway Builds Startup Hub Outside Dublin

Irish entrepreneur Michael FitzGerald still gets calls from investors and potential partner companies in the U.S. who ask him “How’s Dublin?” when making small talk—even though his startup, OnePageCRM, is located a two-hour drive west in the coastal city of Galway. FitzGerald usually doesn’t bother to correct them. “They just presume we’re in Dublin,” he … Continue reading “With DNA From DEC and HP, Galway Builds Startup Hub Outside Dublin”

SurgaColl Aims to Fix Your Bones and Joints Without Drugs or Grafts

When you’ve got osteoarthritis in your knee or hip, there’s a good chance you may have to get that joint replaced—a costly procedure often followed by a lengthy stretch of rehab. Short of that, you may get some drugs to deal with the pain, but they don’t tackle the real cause of the problem, that … Continue reading “SurgaColl Aims to Fix Your Bones and Joints Without Drugs or Grafts”

Tech Heritage in Ireland Spawns Internet of Things Activity

The tech industry first took root in Ireland in the 1980s, a time when the word “computer” typically meant a refrigerator-size office machine or a boxy home PC. Now Irish companies are building tools and services for a new era, in which computing is spread throughout the physical world. They’re betting that the emerging Internet … Continue reading “Tech Heritage in Ireland Spawns Internet of Things Activity”

Craft Beer and Coffee: The Rise of Dublin’s Innovation Culture

Seamus O’Hara made the career leap from life sciences venture capitalist to full-time craft beer brewer. A more lucrative industry? Perhaps. O’Hara’s brewery is in County Carlow, about an hour south of Dublin. He started the Carlow Brewing Company with his brother in 1998, while working in the biotech sector. Back then, Ireland’s only other … Continue reading “Craft Beer and Coffee: The Rise of Dublin’s Innovation Culture”

Uber CEO Kalanick Takes a Victory Lap in Boston

Two years ago, smartphone car-hailing startup Uber ran into the kind of bruising regulatory battle in Boston that it seems to start just about everywhere. Faced with a statewide shutdown for using an unapproved taxi meter, the company rallied fans and media boosters to its cause and won a swift reprieve from Gov. Deval Patrick. … Continue reading “Uber CEO Kalanick Takes a Victory Lap in Boston”

Backed by Gates, Affinivax Ramps up Velcro-like Vaccine Tech

Prevnar 13 is a vaccine that, as its name suggests, protects against 13 of the most common strains of pneumococcal bacteria, which can cause deadly pneumonia and meningitis infections. There’s just one problem: there are around 90 total strains of pneumococcus that can cause disease. What about the other ones? A new startup with backing … Continue reading “Backed by Gates, Affinivax Ramps up Velcro-like Vaccine Tech”

I Believe in Angels

My colleague and friend Jeb Spencer recently wrote a piece for Xconomy about angel investors looking for “Unicorns,” those rare early stage companies with valuations—justified or not—of $1 billion or more. He wondered if angels are flying too close to the sun by misunderstanding their chances of success and failing to do their homework on … Continue reading “I Believe in Angels”

Co3 Systems Obtains $10,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cd093315-8cec-47e0-bd0d-5d5568ca1994 Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Co3 Systems Mailing Address One Alewife Center Cambridge, MA 02140 USA Company Description Founded in early 2010, Co3 Systems is led by a team of privacy experts, security professionals, and proven software entrepreneurs. We are proud to have built products currently used by thousands of organizations in … Continue reading “Co3 Systems Obtains $10,000,000 New Financing”

Linkable Networks Obtains $8,037,272 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1e53c7e0-794e-42d2-8c8b-79745c827e05 Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Linkable Networks Mailing Address 51 Melcher Street 1st Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Linkable Networks is the bridge between advertisers, consumers, and financial Institutions, delivering to advertisers unprecedented accountability from online, mobile, email, print, TV, and radio advertising through online and in-store purchasing. Consumers receive … Continue reading “Linkable Networks Obtains $8,037,272 New Round”

Digital Lumens Lands $23,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=41b25253-3ff2-42d7-bcae-df538efdade5 Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Digital Lumens Mailing Address 374 Congress Street 6th Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Founded by a group of engineers and executives with years of experience in solid-state lighting and distributed networking, Digital Lumens is creating lighting solutions that deliver 100% of the light at 10% … Continue reading “Digital Lumens Lands $23,000,000 New Round”

Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report

Until earlier this October, the only time I had visited Ireland was in April of 1989, on the World B. Tour. A group of American former collegiate basketball players came to the Emerald Isle on a hoops tour, taking part in an international tournament outside Dublin and playing exhibition games against Irish all-stars and holding … Continue reading “Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report”

The Future of Dublin Tech, Part 1: U.S. Firms Tout Market, Talent

If it were warmer, the Docklands area of Dublin could almost pass for a mini Silicon Valley. In the span of a mile or two, you’ll come across the massive offices of Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other international Web giants. These companies employ hundreds, and in some cases, thousands, of people in Dublin. And … Continue reading “The Future of Dublin Tech, Part 1: U.S. Firms Tout Market, Talent”