Want to peer into the mind of an entrepreneur who’s starting over after nearly nine years in the trenches? Or maybe you’d like a glimpse of the Next Big Thing through the eyes of a deep technologist? Me too. That’s why I caught up with Mok Oh yesterday. The founder and former chief technology officer … Continue reading “EveryScape Founder Mok Oh Leaves Firm, Looks for New Ways to Map Online to the Real World”
Category: Boston
Patients’ Parents Upset By FDA Panel’s Rejection of Lilly/Alnara’s Cystic Fibrosis Drug
Sometimes it takes a parent’s perspective on the regulatory process for drugs in this country to understand what is really at stake for patients. Last week an FDA advisory panel shot down Eli Lilly’s (NYSE:[[ticker:LLY]]) enzyme therapy for cystic fibrosis that has deep roots in the Boston area. And two parents of children with cystic … Continue reading “Patients’ Parents Upset By FDA Panel’s Rejection of Lilly/Alnara’s Cystic Fibrosis Drug”
Exit41 Adds New CEO
Andover, MA-based Exit41, a provider of social media-based platforms for online orders from restaurants, announced yesterday that it has brought on a new CEO, Chet Barnard. He’ll work on driving the company’s growth strategy, which includes strengthening relationships with restaurant customers and developing roadmaps for rolling out its social ordering system on an enterprise level, … Continue reading “Exit41 Adds New CEO”
Boston Scientific Acquires Atritech
Natick, MA-based medical devices maker Boston Scientific has expanded its cardiovascular products business with the purchase of Atritech, a Plymouth, MN, developer of a device alternative to treating patients with atrial fibrillation who are at risk of stroke, the company says today. Boston Scientific (NYSE:[[ticker:BSX]]) is paying $100 million upfront for Atritech as up to … Continue reading “Boston Scientific Acquires Atritech”
An Innovation Walk in the Snow: Can You Guess My Route?
The streets of Cambridge, MA, are wind blown and snow-ridden these days. Quiet and beautiful in their way. The breeze is up, but only laggards have not yet cleared their sidewalks. So I thought it was a perfect time to slip on my snow pants, lace up my boots, and set out for a little … Continue reading “An Innovation Walk in the Snow: Can You Guess My Route?”
Top Trends to Watch in 2011 From Experts in Infotech, Biotech, Cleantech
Innovators have to be very optimistic to believe they can create new technologies that will shake up a market. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that the high tech business leaders Xconomy writes about are looking forward to big things to come in 2011. But these people—from diverse backgrounds in high tech, life sciences, and … Continue reading “Top Trends to Watch in 2011 From Experts in Infotech, Biotech, Cleantech”
NetApp Buys Akorri, Mascoma Nabs Deal With Valero, Sonian Gets Cash From Amazon, & More Boston-Area Deals News
We saw acquisitions, partnerships, and financings from tech and life sciences firms in New England this week. —Bloomberg News reported that Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:TMO]]), a Waltham, MA-based provider of lab instruments and services, planned to sell two lab test units for a total of up to $1 billion. Those businesses include Athena Diagnostics … Continue reading “NetApp Buys Akorri, Mascoma Nabs Deal With Valero, Sonian Gets Cash From Amazon, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Ironwood, One of the Big Boys Now, Strikes Deal With Tiny Protagonist Therapeutics
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals has shown it is one of those rare biotechs that can take a new drug all the way through clinical trials, and entice investors to buy into an IPO in an economic downturn. Now the Cambridge, MA-based company is flexing its new muscle to not just discover its own drugs, but also to … Continue reading “Ironwood, One of the Big Boys Now, Strikes Deal With Tiny Protagonist Therapeutics”
Momentum Summit @ MIT Sloan School
Info and registration here. How do small start-ups with a brilliant idea turn into big businesses? The Momentum Summit explores that question with a series of in-depth conversations and strategy talks from notable local founders and CEOs. It’s a chance to hear from innovative leaders about what they’ve done that has truly moved the needle, … Continue reading “Momentum Summit @ MIT Sloan School”
New CEO Jim Crowley on BuyWithMe’s Mobile Expansion and the Future of Social Commerce
Jim Crowley wants to have it both ways. The new CEO of BuyWithMe, the online deals site, insists the company is based in both Boston and New York. (Yes, well, this is a sensitive topic to me this week.) “The company exists in two spots,” Crowley says. It has about 100 employees total—roughly two-thirds of … Continue reading “New CEO Jim Crowley on BuyWithMe’s Mobile Expansion and the Future of Social Commerce”
GlassHouse Gets $5M From Citrix
Framingham, MA-based IT consulting firm GlassHouse Technologies has received a $5 million equity investment from Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTXS]]) in exchange for Series F preferred stock, according to a filing with the SEC. GlassHouse, which last year filed for an IPO worth up to $75 million, announced earlier this month that it had received an investment from … Continue reading “GlassHouse Gets $5M From Citrix”
Join Mobile Leaders from New England (and Beyond) on March 9 for Mobile Madness 2011—Getting Down to Business
We all know that there’s no turning back on the path toward mobility. Sales of mobile devices will soon eclipse sales of PCs. By 2015—and probably sooner—the number of people accessing the Web from their phones and tablet devices will surpass the number using desktops and laptops. That doesn’t mean the PC and the desktop … Continue reading “Join Mobile Leaders from New England (and Beyond) on March 9 for Mobile Madness 2011—Getting Down to Business”
Amazon Backs Sonian In $9M Deal
Sonian, a Needham, MA-based maker of cloud-powered e-mail archiving technology, announced today that it has raised $9 million in a Series B financing. The money comes from new strategic investors Amazon.com and Webroot Software, who joined existing Sonian backers Summerhill Venture Partners and Prism VentureWorks. Last month we reported that Sonian, which uses Amazon’s cloud technology … Continue reading “Amazon Backs Sonian In $9M Deal”
Ariad Pharma Stock Up More than 25 Percent on Positive Phase III Data
Cambridge, MA-based Ariad Pharmaceuticals’ (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ARIA]]) stock is up more than 25 percent this morning. It’s to be expected; the firm is reporting today that its top cancer drug candidate, which the drug giant Merck (NYSE:[[ticker:MRK]]) is developing through a licensing deal with Ariad, is making strides in a pivotal trial for patients with soft-tissue and … Continue reading “Ariad Pharma Stock Up More than 25 Percent on Positive Phase III Data”
Sproxil Eyes VC Funding and New Customers for Its Technology for Fighting Medication Counterfeiting
Sproxil has been a bit of a darling of tech business plan competitions in the last six months. We first heard about the company, which started in Somerville, MA, and has developed technology to intercept medicine counterfeiters in developing nations, when it won IBM’s SmartCamp competition in June, taking home 12 weeks of mentoring from … Continue reading “Sproxil Eyes VC Funding and New Customers for Its Technology for Fighting Medication Counterfeiting”
What Does Biotech Really Suffer From? Information Overload, or Underload?
Cognitive dissonance is defined as “an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously.” I’m suffering from a serious case of discomfort as I try to figure out which is the bigger problem facing biotech scientists: too much information, or too little. Information overload is a serious issue in biomedical research, if not virtually all … Continue reading “What Does Biotech Really Suffer From? Information Overload, or Underload?”
Tilera, Lonely Survivor in Multi-Core Chip Business, Gathers $45 Million for Push Into Cloud Computing
Tilera, an MIT spinoff in San Jose, CA, that makes chips with 64 separate processors (or cores) for special applications such as networking and digital video, has raised $45 million in its fourth, and presumably last, round of venture funding. The only survivor among a small group of multi-core chipmakers founded in 2003 and 2004, … Continue reading “Tilera, Lonely Survivor in Multi-Core Chip Business, Gathers $45 Million for Push Into Cloud Computing”
Sonian Lands $9,000,000 Series B Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0ddb8182-18ef-4297-bf0e-7d848e3f9fa0&Preview=1 Date 1/18/2011 Company Name Sonian Mailing Address 100 Crescent Rd Needham, MA 02494 Company Description Sonian is a technology platform and hosted services company on a mission to help millions of organizations world-wide manage their critical IT functions such as archiving, search, compliance, e-discovery and storage management. The Sonian platform is … Continue reading “Sonian Lands $9,000,000 Series B Round”
Boston Vs. New York: Tech Startups and Investors Add New Spice to Classic Rivalry
I’ll come right out and say it: I hate New York. OK, maybe it’s worse during football and baseball season. Maybe it’s especially bad this week as the J-E-T-S and their loudmouth coach (see right) are talking trash about the Pats. Maybe I just need an excuse to wind people up. But tech investors love … Continue reading “Boston Vs. New York: Tech Startups and Investors Add New Spice to Classic Rivalry”
Dogpatch Labs Cambridge Moving to New Kennel—But Will Still Be in Kendall Square
Dogpatch Labs Cambridge, the tech startup incubator run by Polaris Venture Partners, is moving out of its space in the American Twine Building on Third Street, Xconomy has learned from multiple sources. The original tip came from a Dogpatch resident who shall remain nameless. After being contacted by us, Paul Jin, founder of Plummelo and … Continue reading “Dogpatch Labs Cambridge Moving to New Kennel—But Will Still Be in Kendall Square”
Scenes from JP Morgan 2011: The Photo Gallery
The marathon biotech schmoozefest known as the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference is officially over, and I’ll say two things first off. Wow, it was fun. And wow, I’m glad to be home. Xconomy’s bookkeeper will surely get a chuckle out of what my Amex card says about my activity this week in San Francisco’s Union … Continue reading “Scenes from JP Morgan 2011: The Photo Gallery”
One Big Cancer Story from 2010, and Four Trends to Watch in 2011
Top innovative news from 2010: • Amgen’s 147 trial was the first study to ever show a delay in the onset of bone metastases in men with prostate cancer, for the denosumab (Xgeva) investigational clinical program. This result showed that you can prevent or delay skeletal metastases by making the bone microenvironment an inhospitable place … Continue reading “One Big Cancer Story from 2010, and Four Trends to Watch in 2011”
Liprotamase Drug Slowed by FDA Panel
Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) announced today that an FDA advisory panel recommended that the agency not approve liprotamase, a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy that Lilly acquired when it bought Cambridge, MA-based Alnara Pharmaceuticals last summer. The panel, whose recommendations the FDA is not required to follow, questioned the effectiveness of the drug and recommended that Lilly … Continue reading “Liprotamase Drug Slowed by FDA Panel”
The Instapaper Effect-Or, The Dilemma of Long-Form Writing on the Web
goat-choker (n.) An article of inordinate and suffocating length, produced to gratify the vanity of the author and the aspirations of the publication. (John McIntyre) I regularly write articles that, by Web standards, are obscenely long. My November article on ShopWell was 6,500 words long, and my series last week on Google’s mobile ambitions ran … Continue reading “The Instapaper Effect-Or, The Dilemma of Long-Form Writing on the Web”
Report: Sanofi To Up Genzyme Bid
French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]), which has been courting Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) with a buyout offer, could be willing to pay up to $76 per share for the biotech, according to reports by the French newspaper Le Figaro. Last month, Sanofi said it would give Genzyme until January 21st to accept its … Continue reading “Report: Sanofi To Up Genzyme Bid”
Rib-X Wrappes Up $20M, Oxford Closes $66M on Sixth Fund, Ocular Adds $6M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
The big Nor’easter this week didn’t get in the way of big news from New England’s life sciences firms. —Civitas Therapeutics, a startup operating out of Alkermes’ (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]) leased facility in Chelsea, MA, is working to commercialize inhaled drug delivery from Waltham, MA-based Alkermes. The firm has about $20 million in first-round funding to … Continue reading “Rib-X Wrappes Up $20M, Oxford Closes $66M on Sixth Fund, Ocular Adds $6M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Mobile Madness 2011-Getting Down to Business
In our age of ubiquitous feature phones, smartphones, and tablets, the mobile revolution is now irreversible. But how are Internet entrepreneurs, application developers, and platform providers adapting to the new era? Which monetization strategies are really working? And how is it all changing the habits and expectations of consumers? Xconomy’s third annual spring mobile forum … Continue reading “Mobile Madness 2011-Getting Down to Business”
Mercury Acquires LNX
Chelmsford, MA-based IT firm Mercury Computer Systems said yesterday that it bought LNX, a provider of receiver systems for intelligence technology. Mercury (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRCY]]) paid $31 million in cash for the Salem, NH-based company, and could pay up to an additional $5 million if LNX hits certain financial targets in 2011 and 2012, according to … Continue reading “Mercury Acquires LNX”
Valero Energy Takes Key Role in Mascoma’s Michigan Ethanol Project
Lebanon, NH-based Mascoma has found a key piece of funding for a commercial-scale ethanol plant in northern Michigan. The oil firm Valero Energy has inked a non-binding agreement to invest up to $50 million to fund construction of a refinery that would use wood-based materials to make ethanol. Frontier Renewable Resources, a joint venture of … Continue reading “Valero Energy Takes Key Role in Mascoma’s Michigan Ethanol Project”
Biotech Startup Vet Daphne Zohar on PureTech, Follica, and Doing Rather Than Talking
If you’re a biotech entrepreneur, this might be the one week of the year when you hope to have the most interesting things to say about what you’re doing professionally. That’s because this is the week of the JP Morgan Health Care Conference in San Francisco, arguably the industry’s most important investor meeting. I knew … Continue reading “Biotech Startup Vet Daphne Zohar on PureTech, Follica, and Doing Rather Than Talking”
Five Predictions for Technology in 2011
Here are a few of my predictions for how 2011 will be remembered: 1. Passive television viewing starts a long slow slide to oblivion. Despite Google’s planned delay of its IPTV launch, 2011 will be the year where Internet Television hits the consumer market and a fundamental shift begins from passive to interactive TV viewing. … Continue reading “Five Predictions for Technology in 2011”
December Surge of Internet Deals Carries Venture Capital to Two-Year High
A wave of Internet deals helped venture funding during the fourth quarter of 2010 reach a two-year high-water mark in both the number of deals and capital invested, according to CB Insights, a New York information and data services company tracking the innovation economy. Venture capital firms poured a total of more than $6.5 billion … Continue reading “December Surge of Internet Deals Carries Venture Capital to Two-Year High”
NetApp, Novell, and Greylock Top List of Boston-San Francisco Tech Tidbits
What do Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area have in common today? Certainly not the weather. Tech news is a different story, though. We spotted a trio of headlines involving firms with a strong presence in both regions: —Sunnyvale, CA-based storage and data management firm NetApp (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NTAP]]) announced it is buying Akorri Networks of … Continue reading “NetApp, Novell, and Greylock Top List of Boston-San Francisco Tech Tidbits”
Microsoft’s Gus Weber Leaves to Become Entrepreneur In Residence at Dogpatch Labs
From one Kendall Square institution to another—that’s my take on this news, which is reverberating throughout the local startup community. Gus Weber, the business development and community relations manager at Microsoft’s New England Research & Development Center (N.E.R.D.), is leaving Microsoft this week to join Dogpatch Labs in Cambridge (run by Polaris Venture Partners) as … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Gus Weber Leaves to Become Entrepreneur In Residence at Dogpatch Labs”
Ocular Therapeutix Adds $6M to C Round
Ocular Therapeutix, a Bedford, MA-based developer of therapies for the eye, has brought in an additional $6 million for its Series C round, which now totals $21 million, company co-founder and CEO Amar Sawhney confirmed via e-mail today. The SEC posted a record of the financing on its website today. The company, previously known as … Continue reading “Ocular Therapeutix Adds $6M to C Round”
BuyWithMe Hires New CEO
BuyWithMe, an online group-buying startup founded in Boston and based in New York, said today it has named Jim Crowley its new chief executive. Crowley, the former CEO of Turbine and chief operating officer of m-Qube, succeeds Cheryl Rosner, who stepped down in December. It’s a key hire for BuyWithMe as the company ramps up … Continue reading “BuyWithMe Hires New CEO”
Women Health & Wellness Technology
This event will take a look at how technology both boosts wellness and opens up career opportunities for women. Event speakers come from Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Healthrageous, and Hitachi Data Systems.
Two Thermo Fisher Units on Block, Bloomberg Reports
Waltham, MA-based Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:[[ticker:TMO]]), a major provider of lab instruments and services, aims to sell two of its lab test businesses in deals that could bring the firm in the neighborhood of $1 billion, Bloomberg News reported today, citing three anonymous sources. The two Thermo businesses on the block include Worcester, MA-based Athena … Continue reading “Two Thermo Fisher Units on Block, Bloomberg Reports”
615 Human Genomes? Another Cheap, Fast Sequencing Machine? Complete Genomics, Illumina Steal Show at Healthcare Meeting
Most of the major life sciences reporters in the U.S. are gathered this week in San Francisco, so you know what that means—most of us missed the big story. While pretty much everyone here at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference—me included—was listening and learning about the latest hot new drug or device, the real news … Continue reading “615 Human Genomes? Another Cheap, Fast Sequencing Machine? Complete Genomics, Illumina Steal Show at Healthcare Meeting”
$12.7M Blows in for Wind Power Holdings, Epizyme Forges Alliance with GlaxoSmithKline, & Many More Boston-Area Deals
Dealmaking activity in New England’s tech and life sciences sectors continued at a blizzardy pace this week. Hold on to your hat… —Marlborough, MA-based biofuels developer Qteros raised $22 million from new and existing investors in the first tranche of a Series C financing. —IT services provider MindShift Technologies of Waltham, MA, acquired Alpheon, a … Continue reading “$12.7M Blows in for Wind Power Holdings, Epizyme Forges Alliance with GlaxoSmithKline, & Many More Boston-Area Deals”
Highland’s Graham Gardner Takes New Shot at Health IT Startup with Kyruus
Boston has a new health IT startup in its midst. Kyruus has quietly formed in the hub and, according to its website, brings “transparency, credibility, and efficiency to physician-industry engagements.” The startup’s co-founders include Graham Gardner, a principal at Highland Capital Partners in Lexington, MA, and Julie Yoo, an early employee of one of Gardner’s … Continue reading “Highland’s Graham Gardner Takes New Shot at Health IT Startup with Kyruus”
Top Things to Look for in Wireless in 2011
1) 4G. 4G services will become available on a near nationwide basis in 2011. At its best (and what is called “4G” gets murkier every day), 4G offers a true mobile broadband experience. In order to be successful, 4G operators must have a comprehensive go-to-market strategy, with compelling devices, exciting and differentiated applications, and innovative … Continue reading “Top Things to Look for in Wireless in 2011”
SeeClickFix Lands New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bc7a68bc-31b0-44d9-9c17-46a14a067426&Preview=1 Date 1/12/2011 Company Name SeeClickFix Mailing Address 746 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06510 Company Description The company has developed an online service that makes it easy for individuals to report issues to their city government. Website http://www.seeclickfix.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “SeeClickFix Lands New Financing”
Wind Power Holdings Garners $12,730,242 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=882a2b66-13e5-4495-84f1-da1c76a23ba8&Preview=1 Date 1/12/2011 Company Name Wind Power Holdings Mailing Address 29 Pitman Road Barre, VT 05630 Company Description Northern Power (owned by Wind Power Holdings) has been delivering innovative wind energy solutions in a changing landscape for over 34 years. The company’s commitment to performance, reliability and cutting-edge technology has made it … Continue reading “Wind Power Holdings Garners $12,730,242 New Financing”
Ocular Therapeutix Receives $21,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9b9ea9d6-6d64-40d6-b71c-fa095d8e4174&Preview=1 Date 1/12/2011 Company Name Ocular Therapeutix Mailing Address 36 Crosby Dr. Bedford, MA 01730 Company Description Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. is a privately held company focused on the development and commercialization of ophthalmic therapeutic products using its proprietary hydrogel technology to address unmet or underserved needs in ophthalmology and ophthalmic surgery. Website … Continue reading “Ocular Therapeutix Receives $21,000,000 New Round”
NetApp Acquires Akorri Networks for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5f0920b6-6d97-4af9-93fe-fa9e98e1f079&Preview=1 Date 1/12/2011 Company Name Akorri Networks Mailing Address 305 Foster Street Littleton, MA 01460 Company Description Akorri is the first to enable IT organizations to intelligently balance application performance and infrastructure utilization. Akorri delivers sophisticated analytics software unifying the management of siloed infrastructure components. Website http://www.akorri.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount … Continue reading “NetApp Acquires Akorri Networks for Undisclosed Sum”
iWalk Steps Up with $15M More, Report Says
Cambridge, MA-based iWalk, the developer of an advanced prosthetic ankle and foot, has raised $15 million in its third round of financing, according to a report by Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe. Boston-area venture firms Sigma Partners and General Catalyst participated in the round, as well as New York-based WFD Ventures, the report says. … Continue reading “iWalk Steps Up with $15M More, Report Says”
The Intersection of Technology, Media and Entertainment: A MITX Fireside Chat with Nicholas Negroponte
This MITX event invites One Laptop Per Child founder Nicholas Negroponte to share his view on the current and future state of technology, media, and entertainment, and how they all fit together. Registration is online.
Founder Dialogues IV
This installment of the event series focused on successful founders will spotlight Andy Palmer, who’s had a part in launching Recorded Future, Goby, CloudSwitch, and Vertica Systems, to name a few. Founder Collective managing partner Eric Paley will moderate. Register here for this free event.
Evergreen Solar to Shut Down Massachusetts Plant, Lay Off 800 Workers
Bad news for the Massachusetts cleantech industry—and a lot of factory workers. Marlboro, MA-based Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ESLR]]), a developer and manufacturer of solar panels, said today it will shut down its manufacturing plant in Devens, MA, and lay off 800 workers there by the end of the first quarter of 2011. The plant represented … Continue reading “Evergreen Solar to Shut Down Massachusetts Plant, Lay Off 800 Workers”