Category: Boston

Rich Aldrich, Biotech Powerbroker, Breaks Silence on New $87M Longwood Founders Fund

The Boston biotech scene was abuzz about a year ago when news broke about three of the most influential figures in the sector—Rich Aldrich, Michelle Dipp, and Christoph Westphal—joining forces to form a new venture capital firm called Longwood Founders Fund. Yet this power trio has been mostly mum about what they are doing with … Continue reading “Rich Aldrich, Biotech Powerbroker, Breaks Silence on New $87M Longwood Founders Fund”

My Three Predictions for 2011

In 2011, the U.S. economy will come roaring back as our businesses and their customers gain confidence that the electorate has come to its senses and chosen not to grow governments but economies instead. In 2011, the last jihadist jerk will accidently blow himself up, at home without harming anyone else. In 2011, the progress … Continue reading “My Three Predictions for 2011”

Neuroptix Lands $4,621,750 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4d9897ab-f1aa-43d3-b25d-26c6a2a59d74&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2011 Company Name Neuroptix Mailing Address 20 Main Street Acton, MA 01720 Company Description Neuroptix develops, manufactures and distributes state-of-the-art products for extremely sensitive measurements of biophysical changes in the eye, including non-invasive instruments for diagnosis and monitoring Alzheimer’s disease undergoing clinical development. Adaptable and innovative, Neuroptix’s products are designed … Continue reading “Neuroptix Lands $4,621,750 New Round”

MoFuse Receives $1,268,343 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=de0e7d4f-e42c-4b1a-a16c-72e49daaab7a&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2011 Company Name MoFuse Mailing Address 566 Smith St. Providence, RI 02908 Company Description MoFuse is short for Mobile Fusion. MoFuse was founded in August of 2007 and released it’s first private beta in late September of 2007. MoFuse beta opened up to the public on November 1st, 2007. MoFuse … Continue reading “MoFuse Receives $1,268,343 New Funding Round”

Chiasma Secures $3,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=14852902-9800-4ac6-bd43-79e2689096f6&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2011 Company Name Chiasma Mailing Address 831 Beacon St. Newton Center, MA 02459 Company Description Chiasma develops innovative solutions for the non-invasive delivery of protein drugs. Chiasma’s technology enables drugs to be administered into the bloodstream without the need for injections Website http://www.chiasmacorp.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Chiasma Secures $3,000,000 New Financing Round”

EyeGate Pharmaceuticals Lands $5,900,000 Series D Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=117b60fa-4155-4855-95ce-8fd6fa402d74&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2011 Company Name EyeGate Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 100 Beaver Street Waltham, MA 02453 Company Description EyeGate Pharma is focused on replacing ocular injections and other invasive methods of ocular disease treatment. Our goal is to build a pipeline of safer, more effective and patient friendly ocular treatments based on our … Continue reading “EyeGate Pharmaceuticals Lands $5,900,000 Series D Funding Round”

Salesforce Acquires Dimdim for $31,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=866c86f8-33de-4612-8301-80ee7b7eb4fe&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2011 Company Name Dimdim Mailing Address 260 Broadway Methuen, MA 01844 Company Description Dimdim is the Open Source web conferencing company. With Dimdim you can show Presentations, Applications and Desktops to any other person over the internet. You can chat, show your webcam and talk with others in the meeting. … Continue reading “Salesforce Acquires Dimdim for $31,000,000”

Biogen Idec Nabs Doug Williams as R&D Head, Steve Holtzman as BD Chief To Fill Out Management Team

Biogen Idec, after a long search, has found a new scientist to spearhead its R&D group—Doug Williams, the former CEO of Seattle-based ZymoGenetics. The Weston, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]), the world’s largest maker of multiple sclerosis drugs, also added another heavy hitter from the Boston biotech scene to its management team—Steve Holtzman, the former … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Nabs Doug Williams as R&D Head, Steve Holtzman as BD Chief To Fill Out Management Team”

Boston Scientific Buys Intelect

Natick, MA-based medical devices giant Boston Scientific (NYSE:[[ticker:BSX]]) said today that it has acquired Intelect Medical, a developer of neuromodulation technologies for deep brain stimulation. Boston Scientific, which already owned an equity stake in Intelect, is buying the firm for about $60 million in cash. Intelect’s technology is expected to complement Boston Scientific’s existing deep … Continue reading “Boston Scientific Buys Intelect”

$12M for Life Image

Life Image, a Newton, MA-based firm, has apparently found more investment to support its business of providing software for the exchange of digital medical images via the Internet cloud. The firm told the Boston Globe’s Scott Kirsner that it has boosted its Series B round—which Xconomy first reported in September—to $12 million with investments from … Continue reading “$12M for Life Image”

Five Technology Trends to Watch in 2011

“Real” 4G Mobile broadband. Verizon recently launched its 4G LTE network (via laptop modem cards). The Verizon network speed dwarfs the “4G” networks being advertised by Sprint and T-Mobile. Verizon’s 4G will be users’ first taste of true mobile broadband and will further drive mobile data usage and the percentage of time users spend on … Continue reading “Five Technology Trends to Watch in 2011”

Todd Park, HHS Tech Chief, Headlines Xconomy’s Health IT Evening on Feb. 9

Got plans for the evening of February 9? If you’re involved or deeply interested in health IT, and how the digitization of medicine could improve the healthcare system, then join us and sign up here for Xconomy Xchange: HHS CTO Todd Park and Friends on the Future of Health IT. Park, who is the keynote … Continue reading “Todd Park, HHS Tech Chief, Headlines Xconomy’s Health IT Evening on Feb. 9”

NeuroMetrix Announces Staff Cuts, Strategy Change

NeuroMetrix, a Waltham, MA-based diagnostics and medical device company, announced today that it plans to focus its business around diabetes and the treatment of diabetic neuropathy, a complication of the disease. The company’s website says it developed products for diagnosing and treating peripheral nerve disorders and for providing regional anesthesia and pain control. NeuroMetrix is … Continue reading “NeuroMetrix Announces Staff Cuts, Strategy Change”

MindShift Gets Alpheon

MindShift Technologies, a Waltham, MA-headquartered provider of IT management and Internet cloud services, announced it has acquired Alpheon, a provider of IT services to healthcare organizations. MindShift, whose technical operations are in Fairfax, VA, said the acquisition of Morrisville, NC-based Alpheon will bring healthcare clients access to its cloud technology and enable it to better help … Continue reading “MindShift Gets Alpheon”

Qteros Raises $22M More, Signs Deal to Commercialize Biofuels

The biofuels industry is still chugging along in Massachusetts. Marlborough, MA-based Qteros said today it has closed $22 million in the first tranche of its Series C financing. The investors in the round were not disclosed, but Qteros said both new and existing ones participated. The company’s previous backers include Battery Ventures, Venrock Associates, Long … Continue reading “Qteros Raises $22M More, Signs Deal to Commercialize Biofuels”

Labtiva Laps Up $2M

Cambridge, MA-based software maker Labtiva has brought in $2 million in equity-based funding, according to an SEC filing.The startup, which works out of the Polaris Venture Partners Dogpatch Labs, is in private beta mode for its online software for scientists, according to its website.

Zafgen Weight Loss Drug Shows Promise in First Human Test

People working on new drugs for obesity had a pretty crummy 2010 on the whole, but now an intriguing startup in Cambridge, MA, called Zafgen is starting the new year with a bang. Zafgen is announcing today that its experimental weight loss drug for severe obesity was well-tolerated, and able to help people lose about … Continue reading “Zafgen Weight Loss Drug Shows Promise in First Human Test”

SCVNGR Scares Up $15M, Genocea Gets $35M, Zeo Zeros in on $12.3M, & More Boston-Area Deals News

2001 is off to a running start for dealmakers in New England’s tech and life sciences sectors, it seems. —Cambridge, MA-based Genocea Biosciences pulled in a tidy $35 million in a Series B funding round. The vaccine developer, a spinout of Harvard, saw contributions from new investors Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, MP Healthcare Venture … Continue reading “SCVNGR Scares Up $15M, Genocea Gets $35M, Zeo Zeros in on $12.3M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

Five Things To Look For In The Coming Year In Healthcare/Life Sciences

1. Data‐Driven Healthcare. In 2011 and into this next decade, the rate of data generation from biological measurement will continue to accelerate. Making sense of this deluge of data from sources as disparate as electronic medical records, biometric sensors, population statistics, environmental factors, and genomics will be the interesting part! Nimble start‐ups that can aggregate … Continue reading “Five Things To Look For In The Coming Year In Healthcare/Life Sciences”

Daily Grommet, With New Financing (and Attention), Looks to “Pour Fuel on the Fire”

A quick update from one of the darlings of the Boston consumer tech scene. Lexington, MA-based Daily Grommet says it has raised just over $475,000 in financing as an extension to its $3.4 million Series A round last April. The new money came from the company’s existing angel investors, including John Landry, Nancy Peretsman, LaunchCapital, … Continue reading “Daily Grommet, With New Financing (and Attention), Looks to “Pour Fuel on the Fire””

Labtiva Lands $2,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8645ee37-80bc-4edd-ab8d-ba53491c9886&Preview=1 Date 1/5/2011 Company Name Labtiva Mailing Address 222 3rd St., Fourth Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description The company is developing research management tools for the life sciences and academic literature industries. Website http://www.labtiva.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Labtiva Lands $2,000,000 New Round”

Qteros Garners $22,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9e7b1761-ed0d-46b9-8323-ec94a25fd1a1&Preview=1 Date 1/5/2011 Company Name Qteros Mailing Address 100 Campus Drive Marlborough, MA 01752 Company Description SunEthanol is commercializing a breakthrough discovery with the potential to enable ethanol manufacturers to produce ethanol from biomass (plant life) in a simple and cost-effective manner, thereby reducing our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels while helping … Continue reading “Qteros Garners $22,000,000 New Financing”

Life Image Garners $6,800,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bcb26ce2-cc48-44b4-8341-e2d514392c09&Preview=1 Date 1/5/2011 Company Name Life Image Mailing Address One Gateway Center Newton, MA 02458 Company Description Life Image, Inc. is a venture-backed startup company developing Web-based applications and services that help eliminate the problems associated with lack of access to patients’ medical-imaging history.The founders of the company are veterans of this … Continue reading “Life Image Garners $6,800,000 Series B Funding Round”

Follica Co-Founder and Team Find New Clues About Male Baldness

Hold on to your toupees. Scientists have spotted a trend in scalp samples from men with pattern baldness that could lead to a new way to treat hair-loss. The discovery hits close to home for Follica, a startup focused on hair-loss treatments, whose scientific co-founder was one of the main researchers behind the new findings. … Continue reading “Follica Co-Founder and Team Find New Clues About Male Baldness”

Redstar, From ATG Founders, Reveals Funding Strategy, Sets Up Office Space, Looks to Hire Entrepreneurs

Redstar, the stealthy new venture from the founders of e-commerce software maker Art Technology Group (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARTG]]), is coming a bit more out of the woodwork. Redstar, which has been described by co-founder and ATG veteran Jeet Singh as “a company that builds companies,” has moved into a temporary space in Harvard Square this week … Continue reading “Redstar, From ATG Founders, Reveals Funding Strategy, Sets Up Office Space, Looks to Hire Entrepreneurs”

Skytap, Fresh Off Boston-Led $10M Financing, Seeks to Make Cloud Computing Work Better

[Update: 3:45 pm] Turn on a TV, and you’ll see Microsoft running commercials touting something few men on the street know much about—cloud computing. So if the concept is starting to go mainstream, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of Seattle’s early movers in the space, Skytap, has already made some serious headway … Continue reading “Skytap, Fresh Off Boston-Led $10M Financing, Seeks to Make Cloud Computing Work Better”

Vaccine Innovations That Will Expedite Access for the Next Generation of Treatments

As viral pandemics and drug resistant bacteria become more common, it is imperative that the pharmaceutical industry increases its efforts to develop truly revolutionary treatments to combat infectious diseases. One area of focus is the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. When a pandemic strikes, the traditional vaccine development and manufacturing process is cumbersome … Continue reading “Vaccine Innovations That Will Expedite Access for the Next Generation of Treatments”

$7M for Satori Pharmaceuticals

Satori Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, has raised $7 million in equity funding, according to an SEC filing. The funding is part of Satori’s previously disclosed $22 million round of financing, according to an e-mail from company director Daphne Zohar, a managing partner at PureTech Ventures in Boston. Satori’s investors … Continue reading “$7M for Satori Pharmaceuticals”

Foundation Medicine and Novartis Collaborate

Foundation Medicine, a Cambridge, MA-based personalized cancer medicine firm, said today it will conduct a pilot collaboration with the drug giant Novartis. The companies will work together to optimize Foundation’s cancer genome panel to fit Novartis’s needs, according to Foundation. Based on the pilot, Foundation and Novartis will determine whether to commercialize the test. The … Continue reading “Foundation Medicine and Novartis Collaborate”

SCVNGR Scoops Up $15M for European Expansion and More Game Mechanics

Seth Priebatsch strikes again. The wunderkind CEO’s location-based gaming startup, SCVNGR, announced today it has raised $15 million in a new venture financing round led by London-based Balderton Capital. SCVNGR’s existing investors, Google Ventures and Highland Capital Partners, also participated in the round, which was raised at a valuation of just over $100 million, according … Continue reading “SCVNGR Scoops Up $15M for European Expansion and More Game Mechanics”

CQuotient, With $3M from Bain, Looks to Help Retailers Adjust to Customers’ Buying Behavior

There’s certainly no shortage of intriguing new tech startups around town. One stealthy company that has come to light in the past week is CQuotient, a Belmont, MA-based developer of analytics software for retailers. The startup confirmed it recently raised $3 million in Series A financing from Bain Capital Ventures. Founder and CEO Rama Ramakrishnan … Continue reading “CQuotient, With $3M from Bain, Looks to Help Retailers Adjust to Customers’ Buying Behavior”

Relay: An App for Finding the Next Top Scientists and Discoveries

[Clarification. 11:07 AM Eastern time. 01/04/11. See editor’s note.] For every superstar scientist like MIT professor Bob Langer or his colleague and Nobel laureate Phillip Sharp, there are many lab researchers who are seeking their first big commercial success with their work. Three former Tufts University researchers have created a search and analytics engine that … Continue reading “Relay: An App for Finding the Next Top Scientists and Discoveries”

Affirmed Networks Garners $1,700,010 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bafea099-cabc-4392-92a3-5cc5701631a5&Preview=1 Date 1/4/2011 Company Name Affirmed Networks Mailing Address 35 Nagog Park, Second Floor Acton, MA 01720 Company Description Affirmed Networks is an exciting new company located in the Boston area developing new technologies for the wireless industry. Website http://www.affirmednetworks.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,700,010 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Affirmed Networks Garners $1,700,010 New Financing”

SCVNGR Obtains $15,000,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b7ef4181-0775-4607-9840-63fcb8d212ac&Preview=1 Date 1/4/2011 Company Name SCVNGR Mailing Address 580 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 Company Description SCVNGR is a geo-gaming platform that enables anyone to quickly and easily build location-based mobile games, tours, and interactive experiences that can be enjoyed from any mobile device. Website http://www.scvngr.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “SCVNGR Obtains $15,000,000 Series C Round”

Satori Pharmaceuticals Receives $7,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8f47bc87-d19f-4980-b315-895f0b183fcc&Preview=1 Date 1/4/2011 Company Name Satori Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 75 Rogers Street Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description Satori Pharmaceuticals is a neuroscience company focused on the discovery and development of innovative disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Website http://www.satoripharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Satori Pharmaceuticals Receives $7,000,000 New Financing Round”

KnowledgeVision Systems Secures $2,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=04154f3a-a93a-46da-b6d7-c439dc6fd1bc&Preview=1 Date 1/4/2011 Company Name KnowledgeVision Systems Mailing Address 676 Elm St. Concord, MA 01742 Company Description Finally, an enterprise-level tool for synchronizing video, PowerPoint, footnotes, handout attachments, and images together into engaging, informative experiences available at any time! Website http://www.knowledgevision.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Series A … Continue reading “KnowledgeVision Systems Secures $2,000,000 Series A Funding”

Venture-Backed Buyouts at Record Volume as Increasing Pace of Exits Mark Possible Recovery

Initial public offerings and acquisitions surged for venture-backed companies during the fourth quarter of 2010. The results suggest a recovery in the overall pace of “liquidity events” since the capital crisis of 2008, which triggered a painful economic recession throughout the U.S. and elsewhere. Most of the IPO activity was driven by Chinese companies going … Continue reading “Venture-Backed Buyouts at Record Volume as Increasing Pace of Exits Mark Possible Recovery”

How 2011 Will Unfold in Healthcare

It’s the beginning of the year—an opportune time to forecast how 2011 will unfold in healthcare. We are likely to see some surprises, such as the sharply rising importance of primary care physicians. Here are some predictions about the new year: • More consolidation is on its way in healthcare under Obamacare, which heightens the … Continue reading “How 2011 Will Unfold in Healthcare”

Augmenix Adds $3M

Augmenix, a Waltham, MA-based maker of hydrogel implants for reducing the side effects of radiation therapy, has raised $3 million in an equity and debt financing round, according to an SEC filing. The filing does not list the investors. Some of the firm’s previous backers include Catalyst Health Ventures, Pinnacle Ventures, and Versant Ventures. Last … Continue reading “Augmenix Adds $3M”

Longwood Raises $85M First Fund

Longwood Founders Management, a Boston venture firm focused on biotech investments, announced last week that it capped its first fund at $85 million, according to a press release. The firm’s partners—Rich Aldrich, Christoph Westphal, and Michelle Dipp— previously worked together on Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, which British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline acquired for $720 million in 2008. Glaxo … Continue reading “Longwood Raises $85M First Fund”

Skytap Scores $10M More, Led by Boston Investor OpenView

Cloud-computing startups are getting older and wiser. Seattle-based Skytap announced today it has raised $10 million in Series C financing led by new investor OpenView Venture Partners, based in Boston. Skytap’s existing investors Madrona Venture Group, Ignition Partners, and Washington Research Foundation also participated in the round. OpenView senior managing director Scott Maxwell is joining … Continue reading “Skytap Scores $10M More, Led by Boston Investor OpenView”

Rave Grabs $4M

Framingham, MA-based Rave Wireless, a maker of security and emergency alert software for mobile phones, has brought in $4 million in an equity offering, according to an SEC filing. The startup raised a $7 million Series D round in November 2008. Its previous investors include Sigma Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and RRE Ventures.

Genocea Biosciences Raises $35M from J&J and Others for Vaccines Business

[Updated. 5:15 Eastern time, 01/03/11. See editor’s note.] Genocea Biosciences has found some new investors as well as new executives. The Cambridge, MA-based vaccine discovery and development firm has raised $35 million in a Series B funding round, according to a press release. And the company has recently seen some changes in its top executive … Continue reading “Genocea Biosciences Raises $35M from J&J and Others for Vaccines Business”

GSN Digital Sees Booming Business in Putting Traditional Game Show Games On Facebook

You might not think of avid Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune viewers as the most technologically savvy population, but that’s not stopping GSN Digital from taking its classic products to Facebook. “People say traditional brands don’t work on Facebook; we never believed that,” says GSN Digital executive vice president Peter Blacklow. “We always believed that … Continue reading “GSN Digital Sees Booming Business in Putting Traditional Game Show Games On Facebook”

John Mendlein, Biotech Exec With Surfer Look, Follows Winding Path as “Parallel Entrepreneur”

When John Mendlein walks down the street, most people think one thing: surfer dude. But for those who know better in the biotech industry, Mendlein represents a lot more than a laid-back stereotype. The tall guy with long blond hair is an intense driving force behind one of the big success stories of the past … Continue reading “John Mendlein, Biotech Exec With Surfer Look, Follows Winding Path as “Parallel Entrepreneur””

Five Popular Predictions for 2011 That Are Wrong

1. Prediction in Vogue: 2011 will be the year of the “Super Angel” Reality: Given all the angel investment activity, and the fact that it has never been easier to start a new company (low cost of computer power, plenty of talented people, plenty of real estate, etc), too many “me too” companies will be … Continue reading “Five Popular Predictions for 2011 That Are Wrong”