With $32M, Boston Anti-Fungal Startup Morphs Into San Diego’s Cidara

Details about the new San Diego biotech headed by former Trius Therapeutics CEO Jeff Stein have been released today. I reported last week on the company’s regulatory filings. The company, founded two years ago in Boston as K2 Therapeutics, has been rechristened as Cidara Therapeutics in a restructuring that includes $32 million in Series A … Continue reading “With $32M, Boston Anti-Fungal Startup Morphs Into San Diego’s Cidara”

Boston Tech Roundup: MassChallenge, True Fit, SmashFly, & More

Here’s a collection of fundraising headlines that surfaced around the Boston-area technology scene in the past week, from cleantech companies and startup accelerators to enterprise software, e-commerce tools, and more: —Next Step Living, a Boston-based company that aids homeowners with energy-efficiency retrofits, has raised a $25 million Series D investment. The round was led by … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: MassChallenge, True Fit, SmashFly, & More”

May 10,000 Cloud Startups Bloom

The cloud services market has fueled a boom of immensely successful startups, most of which have raised millions in venture funding. Take analytics platform company Birst, which started off in the high end financial sector, raised $64 million in venture capital, and is now growing fast as a regular Silicon Valley-style pre-IPO company. Technology Business … Continue reading “May 10,000 Cloud Startups Bloom”

Saying Nothing With Style: The 2014 BioPharma Edition of BS Bingo

Several years ago, I wrote an article venting my frustrations with having to sift through the fog and jargon of poorly written analyses of the biotech/pharmaceutical industry. I recounted that, “years ago, a thoughtful co-worker passed along to me a copy of a game called ‘BS Bingo’ that was designed to keep you awake during … Continue reading “Saying Nothing With Style: The 2014 BioPharma Edition of BS Bingo”

Gridco Obtains $12,000,003 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bb810c09-3b75-4ff0-ac76-149906d46925 Date 6/30/2014 Company Name Gridco Mailing Address 10 L Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 USA Company Description The company provides solutions for electronic components. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $12,000,003 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology company for investment … Continue reading “Gridco Obtains $12,000,003 New Round”

Langer, Led Zeppelin, and Hookups: Three Days Behind the BIO Scenes

Don’t let the blind men groping the elephant fool you. No one can get their arms around the massive, 15,000-attendee BIO conference, the industry’s annual flagship convention, and tell you what the real zeitgeist is. It’s all selection bias: If, say, you’ve been keenly following cancer immunotherapy the past couple years, you probably went to … Continue reading “Langer, Led Zeppelin, and Hookups: Three Days Behind the BIO Scenes”

Innovation Hub: Is America Becoming the Next Japan?

For much of its history, the U.S. has been a place of innovation, where new ideas and products could flourish. But that era may be coming to an abrupt end, warns Clayton Christensen, who coined the term “disruptive innovation” and teaches at Harvard Business School. Christensen, author of “The Capitalist’s Dilemma,” believes that American business … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Is America Becoming the Next Japan?”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Vertex, Cubist, Editas, Polaris, & More

There was a lot of activity back East the past seven days, most of it in Boston and Cambridge, biotech’s ground zero. Vertex released excellent Phase 3 data, and Cubist got a green light from the FDA. Gene editing startup Editas Medicine found a new CEO, while the more advanced gene therapy firm Dimension Therapeutics … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Vertex, Cubist, Editas, Polaris, & More”

Calm Down: Aereo’s Supreme Court Loss Isn’t Chaos for Cloud Tech

After the U.S. Supreme Court smacked down online TV service Aereo for violating copyright law, worries instantly sprung up that the justices were putting a huge array of Internet and cloud-computing services at risk of similar treatment. That torch was carried highest by Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote for the court’s three-person minority that the Aereo … Continue reading “Calm Down: Aereo’s Supreme Court Loss Isn’t Chaos for Cloud Tech”

Five Annoying Tech Problems for the Next Hot Startup to Solve

Why is it that we can put a man on the Moon, but we can’t figure out how to screen jet passengers without making everyone take their shoes off? Well, the truth is, we can’t even put a man on the Moon—not anymore. It’s not a technical impossibility, but reconstituting the technologies that helped a … Continue reading “Five Annoying Tech Problems for the Next Hot Startup to Solve”

Dune Medical Devices Receives $14,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bd2d1838-838b-4f7e-b10c-5a97d2e9ec27 Date 6/27/2014 Company Name Dune Medical Devices Mailing Address 69 Milk St. Westborough, MA 01581 USA Company Description Dune Medical Devices was founded in 2002 to realize the extraordinary medical potential of its proprietary tissue characterization technology. Offering surgeons and radiologists the ability to detect cancer in real time, this technology … Continue reading “Dune Medical Devices Receives $14,000,000 New Round”

TipTap Garners $200,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bf1699de-6605-4188-a60c-e4ab41400300 Date 6/27/2014 Company Name TipTap Mailing Address 43 Thorndike St. Cambridge, MA 02141 USA Company Description TipTap personalizes your buying experience by getting to know you and then matching your buying questions to the right people. Website http://www.tiptap.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $200,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “TipTap Garners $200,000 New Financing Round”

MA Warns Ride-Sharing, Car-Sharing Drivers of Insurance Risks

Changes in the transportation sector are happening pretty fast these days, spurred by the wide availability of smartphones and richly funded startups with a new take on old-school taxi and car rental services. That’s meant clashes with local regulators, established competitors, and even the startups’ own drivers. And lately, a seemingly dry topic has become … Continue reading “MA Warns Ride-Sharing, Car-Sharing Drivers of Insurance Risks”

Could Fallout from Aereo Ruling Have “Chilling Effect On Startups”?

Aereo’s legal war ended in the chambers of the U.S. Supreme Court, but other startups should be wary. In spite of CEO Chet Kanojia’s audacity, on Wednesday the New York-based company that thought it could trump television broadcasters lost its closely watched case. Since its introduction to the public in 2012, doubts swirled whether Aereo’s … Continue reading “Could Fallout from Aereo Ruling Have “Chilling Effect On Startups”?”

BIO 2014: Innovations in 3-D Tissue for Disease and Drug Discovery

Editor’s Note: Sharon Presnell discussed the use of bioprinting and 3D tissue to improve predictability in preclinical drug discovery this week at the BIO 2014 convention in San Diego. —BVB The human race consists of a large population of genetically diverse organisms. This inherent diversity is compounded daily by the individualistic way we go about … Continue reading “BIO 2014: Innovations in 3-D Tissue for Disease and Drug Discovery”

ZetrOz Obtains $2,019,998 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=745dcbaa-e7b2-4f09-b13d-228d51dc4c04 Date 6/26/2014 Company Name ZetrOz Mailing Address 56 Quarry Rd Trumbull, CT 06611 USA Company Description ZetrOZ was officially founded in 2009 after a year of work by Co-Founders Bryant Guffey—CEO, George Lewis—CSO and JoAnne Guarino— COO who all met at Cornell University with a passion in science and entrepreneurship. Website … Continue reading “ZetrOz Obtains $2,019,998 New Round”

NuoDB Garners New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5d979820-555b-4049-ae71-3b4dacb66e10 Date 6/26/2014 Company Name NuoDB Mailing Address 215 First Street Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description NuoDB is a NewSQL database. It looks and behaves like a traditional SQL database from the outside but under the covers it’s a revolutionary database solution. It is a new class of database for a … Continue reading “NuoDB Garners New Funding Round”

Coherent Path Garners $6,250,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7a450e87-c789-4351-a942-584c0aa91529 Date 6/26/2014 Company Name Coherent Path Mailing Address 23 Russell Street Arlington Heights, MA 02474 USA Company Description Coherent Path is changing the way retailers and consumers interact by focusing on the entire customer journey. We come from some of the most recognizable companies and universities in the world, and have … Continue reading “Coherent Path Garners $6,250,000 Series A Financing Round”

eCurv Secures $2,500,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=76036f19-329a-4486-9049-cf48f69500ff Date 6/26/2014 Company Name eCurv Mailing Address One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 USA Company Description eCurv introduces a new method for electricity distribution through the digital queueing of electric loads. eCurv offers business customers lower energy costs by queueing electricity access for a few seconds to minimize demand charges. … Continue reading “eCurv Secures $2,500,000 Series A Round”

CoPatient Garners $3,600,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6938c2d9-ab06-4c15-b6fc-f00df7211675 Date 6/26/2014 Company Name CoPatient Mailing Address 745 Atlantic Ave. 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02111 USA Company Description CoPatient medical billing advocates find errors on your medical bills and appeal insurance denials. Our years of medical billing experience, combined with the condition-and procedure-specific expertise of our dedicated team of advocates, are … Continue reading “CoPatient Garners $3,600,000 Series A Financing Round”

King of BIO: The Chairwoman of Biotech’s Top Trade Org Talks Policy

Rachel King is CEO of GlycoMimetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GLYC]]), a Gaithersburg, MD-based drug developer, and the current chairwoman of the Biotechnology Industry Organization. As a heavily regulated industry, biopharma’s interactions with politicians and policy makers are crucial, and BIO has grown in recent years to become a Washington, DC power broker. Look no further for proof … Continue reading “King of BIO: The Chairwoman of Biotech’s Top Trade Org Talks Policy”

San Diego Biotech Raises Over $30M to Fight Deadly Fungal Infections

A new San Diego biotech, led by former Trius Therapeutics CEO Jeff Stein, has raised over $30 million to advance new drugs to treat life-threatening invasive fungal infections, according to a recent regulatory filing. Stein declined to discuss the financing by phone this morning, saying a press release is planned next week for the seed-stage … Continue reading “San Diego Biotech Raises Over $30M to Fight Deadly Fungal Infections”

The Series A Story in Boston Tech: $270M Invested in Past Year

It’s a busy news week for established tech companies around here—see Aereo, Imprivata—but let’s take a look at the other side of the market: the early-stage startups. For all the talk of a Series A crunch and the limited number of Boston venture capitalists investing in A rounds for local tech companies, we saw at … Continue reading “The Series A Story in Boston Tech: $270M Invested in Past Year”

Medical Software Maker Imprivata Raises $66.3M in IPO

The Boston-area tech industry saw another company graduate to the public markets on Wednesday with Imprivata’s IPO, which netted the healthcare software provider an estimated $66.3 million. Imprivata shares (NYSE: [[ticker:IMPR]]) traded slightly higher in early market activity, which is a good sign that the company and its earlier investors didn’t leave too much money … Continue reading “Medical Software Maker Imprivata Raises $66.3M in IPO”

Supreme Court: High-Tech Aereo Is Really Just a Cable Knockoff

The stakes for online TV streaming startup Aereo were always really high.  In the eyes of the law, it was either going to be an innovative way to send consumers the shows they deserved or a clever workaround that really just made money from someone else’s work. On Wednesday, Aereo lost that battle in convincing … Continue reading “Supreme Court: High-Tech Aereo Is Really Just a Cable Knockoff”

MVPs in Health: Minimum Viable Product or Mightily Vexing Problem?

One thing the tech software industry is great at is failing fast. This concept of “failing fast” means, at least in part, rapidly bringing a “minimum viable product” to market, even if it’s a little rocky and feature-light, and then fixing it as it gets adopted by iterating with new releases. We see this all … Continue reading “MVPs in Health: Minimum Viable Product or Mightily Vexing Problem?”

BIO 2014: Two Cities, One Economy, and a Unique Innovation Ecosystem

Editor’s note: Mary Walshok will discuss how Mexican policy is using public-private partnerships to spur biotech innovation and investment in a breakout session Thursday at the BIO 2014 convention in San Diego. —BVB One of the under-appreciated features of the San Diego innovation ecosystem is the increasing significance of its proximity to one of North … Continue reading “BIO 2014: Two Cities, One Economy, and a Unique Innovation Ecosystem”

Don’t Want Google in Your House? Some Home-Tech Startups to Watch

Google’s thirst for connected-home products means that entrepreneurs in the growing sector have another deep-pocketed competitor to outfox. But they’ve also got a new sales pitch: We’re not Google. “We certainly have not been shy,” says Jason Hanna, CEO of home heating-automation startup Embue. “It’s definitely something that we talk about.” Questions about the advertising … Continue reading “Don’t Want Google in Your House? Some Home-Tech Startups to Watch”

OnePIN Lands $235,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bcb20257-be59-405b-ac40-50154f5c9ae3 Date 6/25/2014 Company Name OnePIN Mailing Address 2200 West Park Drive Westborough, MA 01581 USA Company Description OnePIN delivers innovative communication and collaboration applications via web and wireless services. OnePIN’s permission-based contact management system enables individuals and organizations to keep their personal contact information current. Website http://www.onepin.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “OnePIN Lands $235,000 New Funding”

RedTail Solutions Secures $110,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e9f841ef-d255-4d30-ad41-560063eca2cd Date 6/25/2014 Company Name RedTail Solutions Mailing Address 112 Turnpike Road Westborough, MA 01581 USA Company Description Its customer base consists of mid-market suppliers to retail, grocery and industrial segments, handling the exchange of thousands of their purchase orders, invoices, and shipping transactions every month with more than 150 of the … Continue reading “RedTail Solutions Secures $110,000 New Round”

Vertex Stock Up 40 Percent After Cystic Fibrosis Trial Results

This is one of the biggest and most anticipated biotech stories of the year—and it’s based right here in Boston. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is flying high after releasing the results of two Phase 3 studies of a two-drug combination treatment for cystic fibrosis, a deadly genetic disease that affects the lungs. Some 30,000 people have cystic … Continue reading “Vertex Stock Up 40 Percent After Cystic Fibrosis Trial Results”

Katrine Bosley, Former Avila CEO, Takes Helm at Editas

Out on the cutting edge of gene therapy, Editas Medicine nabbed a huge round of early funding. Now it has nabbed one of the highest profile CEOs of the Boston biotech scene. Katrine Bosley and Editas said today she is the Cambridge, MA-based firm’s new chief executive, her first full-time role since she led Avila Therapeutics … Continue reading “Katrine Bosley, Former Avila CEO, Takes Helm at Editas”

BIO 2014: Training Bio-Entrepreneurs to Use Coffee, Yoga, and Data

Editor’s note: Court Turner was a speaker in the bootcamp for biotechnology entrepreneurship at this week’s BIO 2014 Convention in San Diego. —BVB As a venture partner at San Diego’s Avalon Ventures, I divide my work day into three distinct activities: Coffee (at the best coffee shop in San Diego); Yoga (at a studio near … Continue reading “BIO 2014: Training Bio-Entrepreneurs to Use Coffee, Yoga, and Data”

True Fit Lands $10,590,407 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dfc49a3b-bc95-4899-a864-1e2437b0e694 Date 6/24/2014 Company Name True Fit Mailing Address 800 West Cummings Park Woburn, MA 01801 USA Company Description My True FitSM is an e-commerce site powered by proprietary True FitSM software that deftly matches individuals to the items of clothing and shoes that best fit their personal style and unique body … Continue reading “True Fit Lands $10,590,407 New Funding”

Next Step Living Obtains $24,583,084 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b297048b-7d5a-43c1-82af-912105b3ac11 Date 6/24/2014 Company Name Next Step Living Mailing Address 21 Drydock Ave 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Next Step Living is a residential energy efficiency company, providing home energy diagnostics and improvements to the greater New England area. We are a socially-conscious. Website http://www.nextsteplivinginc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Next Step Living Obtains $24,583,084 New Funding Round”

OnHand Lands $500,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c53334e3-769c-406a-b8e6-bcbc49ac80a0 Date 6/24/2014 Company Name OnHand Mailing Address 703B Main St. Waltham, MA 02451 USA Company Description At OnHand we have identified a disconnect in our increasingly technological world. Our online reputations are becoming more visible and in some cases more influential than our physical presence. Website http://www.getonhand.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “OnHand Lands $500,000 Seed Funding”

Continuity Engine Garners $1,050,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=660a7815-7947-4435-972b-d39bd16315e2 Date 6/24/2014 Company Name Continuity Engine Mailing Address 59 Elm Street New Haven, CT 06510 USA Company Description Our mission is to help community financial institutions survive and thrive by cutting their Compliance Tax through the use of cutting edge technology. Website http://www.continuity.net Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,050,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Continuity Engine Garners $1,050,000 New Funding Round”

Innovation Beers: 8 Great Tasting, Low ABV Brews

Summer is (gleefully for me) upon us. As the heat rises, innovators need fuel of all types—but perhaps most especially the beer type. At least that’s the way I see it. But not all beers fit the mold, so to speak, for what I have in mind: to be innovation beers, they need to be … Continue reading “Innovation Beers: 8 Great Tasting, Low ABV Brews”

BIO 2014: Why San Diego is a Hub for RNA R&D and Drug Development

Editor’s note: Arcturus CEO Joe Payne is set to give a company presentation Wednesday at the BIO 2014 convention in San Diego. —BVB Medicinal chemistry has come a long way since the first opiates were “prescribed” in 3500 B.C. Since then, we have seen advancements of science usher in over 1,100 FDA-approved drugs—with a substantial … Continue reading “BIO 2014: Why San Diego is a Hub for RNA R&D and Drug Development”

BIO 2014: Antisense and Disruptive Technologies for Drug Discovery

Editor’s note: The BIO 2014 convention begins today in San Diego. Stanley Crooke is among the speakers at a breakout session Wednesday titled Blazing New Trails in Disruptive Innovation: Stem Cells, RNA and Epigenetics-Based Therapeutics. —BVB For the past 25 years I, with my colleagues at Isis Pharmaceuticals, have persevered in the creation and validation … Continue reading “BIO 2014: Antisense and Disruptive Technologies for Drug Discovery”

WHOOP Garners $5,999,999 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=80783537-af7b-4902-bd9f-7439c9b65330 Date 6/23/2014 Company Name WHOOP Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02451 USA Company Description We are a technology and data analytics company for human performance optimization. Website http://www.whoop.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,999,999 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology company … Continue reading “WHOOP Garners $5,999,999 New Financing Round”

Dimension Therapeutics Lands $30,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d24a8539-9080-4277-9ff8-ec63e4fae9e6 Date 6/23/2014 Company Name Dimension Therapeutics Mailing Address 850 Memorial Drive 4th Floor Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Company Description Dimension Therapeutics is a gene therapy company focused on developing novel treatments for rare diseases. The company was launched in 2013 by Fidelity Biosciences and REGENX Biosciences. Dimension has now raised $30M … Continue reading “Dimension Therapeutics Lands $30,000,000 New Funding”

Cubist Wins FDA Approval for New Antibiotic Aimed at Skin Infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CBST]]) antibiotic targeting a variety of skin infections, most notably those caused by the so-called MRSA bacteria, which has been named a serious public health threat by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a Cubist announcement. More specifically, … Continue reading “Cubist Wins FDA Approval for New Antibiotic Aimed at Skin Infections”

Innovation Hub: Stop Listening to the Same People

How do you break out of your old mindset, in a way that will fuel innovation? Try heading to 16th-century Florence, according to Frans Johansson, the best-selling author of The Medici Effect. Johansson notes that the wealthy Medici family corralled a truly diverse set of thinkers, put them in the same place, and watched creativity … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Stop Listening to the Same People”

Pogoplug: One Service to Back Up All Your Devices

I’m a little obsessive when it comes to backups. In my Windows days, in the early 2000s, I used to make complete CD-ROM copies of my PC’s hard drive every couple of months. Until last year, I had two separate online backup services running on my Macbook Pro—Carbonite and Backblaze—along with an external hard drive … Continue reading “Pogoplug: One Service to Back Up All Your Devices”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Bluebird, Moderna, Navitor, & More

New gene therapy data. New startups. More IPOs. Even more deals. Plenty of news to catch up on in this week’s roundup, all before your deputy biotech editor heads out of town for a vacation. Have a great week everyone, see you in July. But before that, here are your East Coast headlines: —Gene therapy … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Bluebird, Moderna, Navitor, & More”

Boston Tech Roundup: Bain Capital, Polaris, Onapsis, & More

[Updated 12:45 pm] We’ve got news on venture funds and startups around the greater Boston area raising money in this week’s collection of innovation sector headlines: —Bain Capital Ventures has filed SEC paperwork for a new investment pool of about $850 million, spread across two funds. Boston-based Bain Capital Ventures also has offices in New … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Bain Capital, Polaris, Onapsis, & More”

Putney Lands $16,056,308 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4443d22d-f840-43f0-a6c1-0270a6922c50 Date 6/20/2014 Company Name Putney Mailing Address One Monument Square Portland, ME 04101 USA Company Description Putney is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of high quality drugs for pets. We focus on developing generics for frequently used drugs where cost is a barrier to prescribing, compliance or use. Website … Continue reading “Putney Lands $16,056,308 New Funding Round”

Mitralign Garners $8,053,717 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0d46793b-fbd1-4917-b0a9-339220767179 Date 6/20/2014 Company Name Mitralign Mailing Address 3 Highwood Drive Tewksbury, MA 01876 USA Company Description We are currently developing an innovative, catheter- based mitral valve repair system that not only provides an alternative to open heart surgery but emulates the traditional surgical repair technique. The condition treated,mitral valve regurgitation (MR), … Continue reading “Mitralign Garners $8,053,717 New Financing”