Tokai Pharmaceuticals Obtains $35,500,000 Series E Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=50cdc04f-12f1-4462-8d8c-deee3027f758&Preview=1 Date 5/15/2013 Company Name Tokai Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge , MA 02142 Company Description The company develops biopharmaceutical products that focus on endocrine treatment. Website http://www.tokaipharmaceuticals.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $35,500,000 Transaction Round Series E Proceeds Purposes The proceeds will be used to expand the … Continue reading “Tokai Pharmaceuticals Obtains $35,500,000 Series E Round”

Walt Doyle, Former CEO of Where, Leaves PayPal: What’s Next?

A prominent leader in the tech-startup community is moving on. Walt Doyle, the longtime CEO of Where, which was acquired by PayPal in April 2011, has left the company as of today. Doyle served as general manager of PayPal Media Network after the acquisition. It has been two years since the deal, so Doyle’s departure … Continue reading “Walt Doyle, Former CEO of Where, Leaves PayPal: What’s Next?”

Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory

The online world can be a dangerous place for the unprepared. And it’s just going to get worse. It’s time to teach cyber security as integral part of the high school and college curriculum and to all corporate employees. I grew up in New York City and for a few years heaven on earth for … Continue reading “Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory”

Cloudant Raises $12M from Rackspace and Others, Opens SF Office

There’s some more fuel for the online database arms race today: Boston-based Cloudant has secured a new $12 million investment round. The money will bankroll Cloudant’s general growth, which includes a new office in San Francisco, complementing Cloudant’s previous footprint in Boston, Seattle, and Bristol, England. New investors in the new Series B round are Devonshire Investors, … Continue reading “Cloudant Raises $12M from Rackspace and Others, Opens SF Office”

LogMeIn’s Xively: An Amazon Web Services for the Internet of Things?

A couple of years back, business software company LogMeIn bought a little startup called Pachube. This happens all the time, of course—a public company snapping up a small fry, hoping to bring some scrappier DNA or a promising product into the fold. But this acquisition, more than many others, seemed to hint at an intriguing … Continue reading “LogMeIn’s Xively: An Amazon Web Services for the Internet of Things?”

Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)

Yesterday, we ran the first part of a wide-ranging interview with Henri Termeer, the legendary biotech entrepreneur and former CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme. He spoke about what kinds of startups he likes to get involved in, the trend toward drug companies working on rare diseases, and efforts to repair pharma’s damaged reputation. Today, he … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)”

Daktari Diagnostics Lands $7,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1b89a2c8-39a8-4878-99db-8feb0bd70138&Preview=1 Date 5/14/2013 Company Name Daktari Diagnostics Mailing Address 85 Bolton St Cambridge, MA 02140 Company Description Daktari Diagnostics, Inc., is a new diagnostics company focused exclusively on the most pressing challenges in global health. The company develops simple, accurate, and affordable products that deliver critical diagnostic information to clinicians and patients … Continue reading “Daktari Diagnostics Lands $7,000,000 New Financing Round”

Bootstrapping Products with Services

Because it’s often so difficult for entrepreneurs to obtain seed funding for their startups, bootstrapping is one of the best methods to self-fund their projects. And offering a service is one of the best ways to go. This, by the way, remains a controversial point of view, and most industry observers will take the position … Continue reading “Bootstrapping Products with Services”

Radius Health CEO: Skin Patch Data is the Value Driver

For Radius Health, it’s all about September. That’s when the Cambridge, MA-based biotech will unveil the mid-stage data on a version of its experimental osteoporosis drug, BAO58, which is administered through a patch affixed to the skin. CEO Michael Wyzga makes no bones about it: the moment is huge for Radius, despite the fact that … Continue reading “Radius Health CEO: Skin Patch Data is the Value Driver”

Dyn Gets More Mobile with Trendslide Analytics Acquisition

It’s time to catch up with Dyn. You know, the once-bootstrapped tech dynamo from Manchester, NH, which raised a big venture round last fall and has been making some acquisitions as of late. Today the Web infrastructure company said it has acquired fellow New Hampshire firm Trendslide, a business-analytics startup focused on mobile apps. No … Continue reading “Dyn Gets More Mobile with Trendslide Analytics Acquisition”

Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)

Henri Termeer could have easily faded away into obscurity a couple years ago. The biotech pioneer could have relaxed at his oceanside home in Maine, played a little golf. Or, if he wanted, he could have made loads of money at a private equity firm. Certainly, he didn’t need to mess around with hungry little … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)”

Laser Light Engines Lands $1,500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4f4c7b0b-4dbe-42bb-9d2d-c281e1900ddf&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Laser Light Engines Mailing Address 8C Industrial Way Salem, NH 03079 Company Description Laser Light Engines is a new company developing an innovative digital light source to upgrade the future cinema experience. Website http://www.laserlightengines.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Laser Light Engines Lands $1,500,000 New Funding”

Amid Ridesharing Wars, Hailo Sticks to Cabs (and Loves It)

In the rush to revolutionize taxicabs, the hot new property isn’t a fancy black sedan or a network of hustling cabbies. Instead, digital entrepreneurs are suddenly racing toward the 21st century version of hitchhiking. So-called “ridesharing” services, which enlist everyday people to make some money by picking up other folks, have been spreading from the … Continue reading “Amid Ridesharing Wars, Hailo Sticks to Cabs (and Loves It)”

East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Dunsire, Good Start, Nimbus, & More

It was a busy week of big promise and big moves for biotechs on the East Coast. One biotech added to a string of partnerships and awaits results from a key mid-stage study for one of its own drugs. Another signed its first deal with Big Pharma. And one well-respected life sciences executive abruptly left. … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Dunsire, Good Start, Nimbus, & More”

Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling

Not every speech is improved by visual aids. Abraham Lincoln made do without PowerPoint at Gettysburg (though wags have tried to reimagine that), and Franklin Roosevelt’s voice on the radio in 1933 calmed a nation rattled by the Great Depression and cemented the New Deal. But there’s high oratory, and then there’s the old-fashioned presentation, … Continue reading “Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling”

Butucu Garners $18,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=81b0fe94-78c0-46d3-ad20-47ac4b0334b5&Preview=1 Date 5/10/2013 Company Name Butucu Mailing Address Uncisclosed Cambridge, MA 02140 Company Description Butucu allows businesses to interact with their in-store customers via mobile web by allowing them to push custom content, like coupons and incentivized surveys, and proving a live chat/help desk. Butucu also simultaneously gathers high-level analytics on a … Continue reading “Butucu Garners $18,000 Seed Funding”

EagerPanda Lands $18,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4225a484-6ed5-4069-b5c5-503ff568f41f&Preview=1 Date 5/10/2013 Company Name EagerPanda Mailing Address Uncisclosed Boston, MA 02201 Company Description EagerPanda aims to be the world’s most powerful real-time knowledge sharing interface. It is best understood through its use cases. For our Beta, we have signed up Institutes such as Digital Photo Academy and Taichi Institute of Boston … Continue reading “EagerPanda Lands $18,000 Seed Round”

Dunsire Out at Millennium as Takeda Reorganizes, Cuts Costs

[Updated: 10:25 pm ET] Deborah Dunsire, the CEO who led Millennium Pharmaceuticals to prominence in cancer treatment, is leaving the company in an abrupt departure five years after it was acquired by Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Dunsire exits as the company is seeking to merge operations around the globe and cut costs as it braces for … Continue reading “Dunsire Out at Millennium as Takeda Reorganizes, Cuts Costs”

ExtremeReach Adds $50M from Spectrum to Expand Video Ad-Tech

Digital advertising hasn’t cracked the TV industry’s dominant market share yet. But some players are signaling a push for online ads, particularly video, to take a bigger slice of the pie. That brings us to ExtremeReach, a Needham, MA-based company that provides online video ad distribution systems. ExtremeReach, which has been profitable for some time … Continue reading “ExtremeReach Adds $50M from Spectrum to Expand Video Ad-Tech”

How Boston Tech Will Lead the World: Find Out at XSITE June 19

It’s as simple as A, B, C. Akamai. Actifio. BzzAgent. Bolt. Crashlytics. Crunchbutton… The list goes on and on, filled with Boston-area companies of old and new. The common theme? They have laid a strong foundation for the tech community to come together and embrace its strengths—and its challenges—as it seeks to lead the business … Continue reading “How Boston Tech Will Lead the World: Find Out at XSITE June 19”

Out of Bezos’s Shadow: 7 Startup Secrets from Amazon’s Andy Jassy

If you want to understand Amazon’s culture of innovation—and the lessons it holds for startups, big companies, and the tech world at large—you could do a lot worse than talk to Andy Jassy. Jassy is senior vice president of Amazon Web Services (AWS). In his 16 years at the Seattle-based Internet giant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), he … Continue reading “Out of Bezos’s Shadow: 7 Startup Secrets from Amazon’s Andy Jassy”

The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare

The healthcare industry is slow moving. While beginning to adopt technology for logistical issues including electronic medical records and appointment scheduling, the focus of these efforts is narrow and off-base. True impact on human health now requires technology architecture which addresses the critical data issues faced by the healthcare industry today. Over the last 10 … Continue reading “The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare”

Boston Roundup: EMC, MyEnergy, Nuance, Balter, ‘Midas’ VCs

Downsizing, buyouts, deals, and investors galore dot this run-through of recent news around the Boston area innovation sector: —EMC is laying off about 1,000 people. The restructuring had been previously announced, but Hopkinton, MA-based EMC—which sells digital storage services—specified the number of job cuts in its latest quarterly report. The company (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]) says the jobs will … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: EMC, MyEnergy, Nuance, Balter, ‘Midas’ VCs”

Good Start Genetics Receives $28,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=08f2d027-edeb-4638-88cd-329cfb65f71e&Preview=1 Date 5/9/2013 Company Name Good Start Genetics Mailing Address 237 Putnam Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Company Description Good Start Genetics’ advanced DNA sequencing technology is designed to deliver a higher detection rate and improved clinical performance compared to currently available screening methods. Website http://www.goodstartgenetics.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $28,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Good Start Genetics Receives $28,000,000 New Financing”

Extreme Reach Obtains $50,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=db9d3786-e16a-41b0-b0c8-ddf704591675&Preview=1 Date 5/9/2013 Company Name Extreme Reach Mailing Address 75 2nd Avenue Needham, MA 02494 Company Description Our video advertising technology platform enables advertisers and agencies to manage, execute and track video campaigns across all video mediums (broadcast, cable, online publishing, mobile, VOD). Unlike other platforms, Extreme Reach provides a single-source solution … Continue reading “Extreme Reach Obtains $50,000,000 New Financing Round”

Nimbus Discovery, Shire to Co-Develop Oral Rare Disease Drugs

Nimbus Discovery splashed onto the scene in 2011 with a big-name investor group that included Bill Gates and a plan to discover drugs with the help of computer software. On Tuesday, that idea turned into a potentially big partnership with Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPG]]) to help conquer currently untouchable rare diseases. Neither Shire nor Cambridge, MA-based … Continue reading “Nimbus Discovery, Shire to Co-Develop Oral Rare Disease Drugs”

From U.S. Beachhead, MediaTek Faces Qualcomm & Other Mobile Giants

A big Taiwanese tech company you probably haven’t heard of is starting to make noise in the U.S. Based out of several hubs around the country, it is positioning itself to gain a foothold in the local market for chips used in smartphones, tablets, and wireless networks. In recent years, Hsinchu, Taiwan-based MediaTek has opened … Continue reading “From U.S. Beachhead, MediaTek Faces Qualcomm & Other Mobile Giants”

As HubSpot Eyes IPO, Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Competitors

There’s no more obvious IPO candidate among Boston-area technology companies than HubSpot—especially if you ask HubSpot. The marketing software company, founded in 2006, has been keen to discuss its hopes of going public. And it’s not alone in those ambitions: HubSpot is one of the bigger technology bets in the Boston region, having raised about … Continue reading “As HubSpot Eyes IPO, Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Competitors”

Will $28M in Debt Financing Push Good Start Genetics to Big Finish?

Six years ago, Good Start Genetics was just an idea in the genetics research labs of Harvard. Today, it is a full-fledged company with more than 85 employees, a diagnostic testing system on the market, and now another $28 million in its pocket to continue growing. Capital Royalty, a Houston, TX-based investment firm that works … Continue reading “Will $28M in Debt Financing Push Good Start Genetics to Big Finish?”

Exit Early and Often: A New Age of Limited Options for Entrepreneurs

I rarely meet an entrepreneur (or one of their investors) who doesn’t believe their venture will be a runaway hit. In three to five years, I hear over and over, we’ll be able to go public or sell big, providing huge returns for those who got into the deal early. Many won’t reach that mark. … Continue reading “Exit Early and Often: A New Age of Limited Options for Entrepreneurs”

NetSuite Acquires OrderMotion for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2adbd47b-06b5-4855-92f5-c9590214c251&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2013 Company Name OrderMotion Mailing Address 5 Burlington Woods Drive Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description OrderMotion, with offices in Boston, New York and Toronto, is a leading provider of order transaction software for direct marketers and retailers. Website http://www.ordermotion.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A … Continue reading “NetSuite Acquires OrderMotion for Undisclosed Sum”

Pebble, RunKeeper Team Up as Wearable Computing Gains Steam

Way back in 2012, when the folks behind the Pebble smartwatch were still trying to get their dream gadget built, a hunt began for applications that would show off the miniature wearable computer’s best features. It would be waterproof, with an e-paper screen that wearers could read in outdoor light. Its Bluetooth connection would bring … Continue reading “Pebble, RunKeeper Team Up as Wearable Computing Gains Steam”

Moju Labs Building Smart Digital Photo Albums Using Big Data

What do you get when you add Silicon Valley mojo to Korean soju (rice liquor)? You get Moju Labs, the latest startup from Boston-bred entrepreneur Mok Oh. The former chief scientist of PayPal and current entrepreneur-in-residence at North Bridge Venture Partners has been working on a “consumer big data” startup on the West Coast for … Continue reading “Moju Labs Building Smart Digital Photo Albums Using Big Data”

To ‘Lean In’ or Not to ‘Lean In:’ Is That the Real Question?

Steve Jobs famously said that you cannot “connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” For me, one of those moments of clarity in connecting the dots—looking back and seeing a logic and pattern in my life … Continue reading “To ‘Lean In’ or Not to ‘Lean In:’ Is That the Real Question?”

The VC Will See You Now at the “World’s Largest Office Hours”

The three laws of getting a meeting with a VC: 1) If you don’t know somebody who can provide a referral, don’t even try. 2) Start about four months in advance. 3) Once the meeting is on the books, assume that it will be rescheduled at least twice, and probably again on the day of … Continue reading “The VC Will See You Now at the “World’s Largest Office Hours””

Rallyt Receives $400,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a0d1f41c-325d-405f-a77b-d87aed72e215&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2013 Company Name Rallyt Mailing Address 119 1/2 Sciarappa Street Cambridge, MA 02141 Company Description Rallyt is a team of organizers and engineers on a mission to connect people and empower communities through self-organizing groups. We redefine the way groups work together by applying successful community organizing principles to an … Continue reading “Rallyt Receives $400,000 New Funding Round”

DraftKings Receives $7,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=910dbad4-1e41-4f9d-b8d1-e12541c21d5f&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2013 Company Name DraftKings Mailing Address 376 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 Company Description DraftKings, which was recently named one of “Five you should follow” by Mass High Tech’s Startup Watch, allows people to not only play for one day, but they can bet through the website and find out … Continue reading “DraftKings Receives $7,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

BMC Software Agrees to $6.9B Sale to Group Led by Bain, Golden Gate

BMC Software, an IT services and cloud computing provider, announced Monday it has signed a definitive agreement with four private equity investors who will pay $6.9 billion in cash to take the Houston-based company private. Bain Capital and Golden Gate Capital lead the investor group, which includes GIC Special Investments and Insight Venture Partners. The … Continue reading “BMC Software Agrees to $6.9B Sale to Group Led by Bain, Golden Gate”

Concert Pharma To Get $300M+ Per Drug in Celgene Pact

The past 15 months have turned into a partnership symphony for Concert Pharmaceuticals. On Monday, the Lexington, MA-based company snagged its latest collaborative partner, revealing that it will team with Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) to use its technology— which adds deuterium elements into existing drugs to boost their abilities—to develop cancer and inflammation drugs. Concert has … Continue reading “Concert Pharma To Get $300M+ Per Drug in Celgene Pact”

Terrafugia Unveils New TF-X Project, Talks Future of Flying Cars

Yes, this company makes a flying car. And apparently, it works—at least the prototype does. Now how about this, a little further down the road: a self-flying car. Perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. But what if the technology were feasible? Here’s the thing: it could be. In fact, some observers predict we’ll have … Continue reading “Terrafugia Unveils New TF-X Project, Talks Future of Flying Cars”

Fantasy Sports, Real Money: Atlas Re-Ups with $7M in DraftKings

We’re in the middle of a frenzied period in major American sports: the NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs, and regular-season Major League Baseball all competing for attention, along with the draft and offseason reshuffling in the NFL. All in all, not a bad time to reload with more investment cash if you’re a fantasy-sports startup. … Continue reading “Fantasy Sports, Real Money: Atlas Re-Ups with $7M in DraftKings”

Former Keryx Exec’s Mission: Turn TG Into the Next Pharmacyclics

Seven years running a publicly-traded biotech are likely to give anyone a sense of the manic nature and the volatile ups and downs of drug development. And Mike Weiss, who headed Keryx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KERX]]) from 2002 to 2009, has both the scars and the trophies to prove it. But those lessons have left Weiss … Continue reading “Former Keryx Exec’s Mission: Turn TG Into the Next Pharmacyclics”

Lessons For Drug Development From The Aveo Buzzsaw

Drug development is a tough business. Small companies that dare to try often end up in public train wrecks when they head to Washington to meet the FDA. It’s a shame, a colossal waste, every time a company gets that far and stumbles. And it doesn’t have to be that way. The folks at Cambridge, … Continue reading “Lessons For Drug Development From The Aveo Buzzsaw”

NeuroPhage Pharmaceuticals Secures $6,400,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b5118b94-342d-4512-bb0a-51b945378589&Preview=1 Date 5/6/2013 Company Name NeuroPhage Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 222 3rd St. Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description NeuroPhage is developing a breakthrough protein dissaggregation platform for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Our lead Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug candidate, NPT001, safely and effectively dissaggregates existing Aß plaque in preclinical animal models, which is unique … Continue reading “NeuroPhage Pharmaceuticals Secures $6,400,000 New Funding Round”

Zadspace Secures $521,010 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=91f33d05-cf47-4c37-8d24-960c9fba0b9d&Preview=1 Date 5/6/2013 Company Name Zadspace Mailing Address 40 Richards Ave., 6th Floor Norwalk, CT 06854 Company Description Zadspace Inc is a provider of targeted advertising and product placement solutions. Zadspace was founded in 2006 by Todd Outten and James Ho. A venture-backed company, we have filed two utility patents surrounding our … Continue reading “Zadspace Secures $521,010 New Funding Round”

Do You Need an Extended Warranty? Do the Math, Says SquareTrade

Consumer Reports, the nation’s most respected source of product reviews and buying advice, does not mince words about extended warranties. It calls them a bad idea and money down the drain. The website Consumerist agrees, calling extended warranties useless and usually a bad deal. So why on earth would you consider shelling out an extra … Continue reading “Do You Need an Extended Warranty? Do the Math, Says SquareTrade”

East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Aveo, Forma, Regeneron, RainDance, & More

The big news here at Xconomy this week was the launch of our new Texas bureau. But out on the East Coast, the life sciences industry was buzzing from top to bottom as well. Nine-figure partnerships, FDA advisory panel debacles, venture financings, and more all dominated headlines from New York to Boston. —Cambridge, MA-based Aveo … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Aveo, Forma, Regeneron, RainDance, & More”

FeedHenry Lands $9,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=227517a2-6a2f-475a-83db-adcef908cbb4&Preview=1 Date 5/3/2013 Company Name FeedHenry Mailing Address 15 New England Executive Park Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description FeedHenry provides a Mobile Application Platform to enterprises to simplify their mobile initiatives and empower them to engage more effectively with employees, customers and partners through the mobile channel. The platform is cloud-based and … Continue reading “FeedHenry Lands $9,000,000 New Round”

ResearchGATE Lands $20,000,002 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1adcd89c-5441-4aa5-acff-d93b4dee29c3&Preview=1 Date 5/3/2013 Company Name ResearchGATE Mailing Address 350 Third Street Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description The company operates a website and social network for scientific communities. Website http://www.researchgate.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $20,000,002 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture … Continue reading “ResearchGATE Lands $20,000,002 New Financing”