Rocket Software, a Newton, MA-headquartered enterprise software maker, announced it will acquire data management company Computer Corporation of America. Financial details of the deal between Rocket and Waltham, MA-based CCA were not disclosed. Rocket pulled in $91.9 million in an equity offering in October and acquired Folio and NXT, two publishing products from Microsoft, in … Continue reading “Rocket to Acquire CCA”
Category: Boston
Lexalytics Moves to Boston to Exploit New Market for Sentiment Analysis
Lexalytics, whose text-analytics software can measure, among other things, whether a digital document is full of praise or insults, did not get off to a superlative start back in 2003. To begin with, its investors almost closed the company down. Lexalytics got started when the venture funders behind a Woburn, MA-based content management startup called … Continue reading “Lexalytics Moves to Boston to Exploit New Market for Sentiment Analysis”
Avila Teams With Leukemia Society
Avila Therapeutics, the Waltham, MA-based drug developer, is announcing today it will receive as much as $3.2 million from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to support development of a new therapy for B-cell related cancers. The drug, AVL-292, is designed to form a tight covalent bond to hit a target on immune system B-cells, called … Continue reading “Avila Teams With Leukemia Society”
Nuance Sees Opportunity in Health IT Reform, New Frontiers With iPhone Software
Count Nuance Communications among the Massachusetts-based providers of software for doctors that could benefit hugely from healthcare reforms and technology initiatives emerging from Washington. Healthcare customers are the biggest market for the Burlington, MA-based company’s (NASDAQ:[[ticker:NUAN]]) speech-recognition and phone-based products, accounting for about 40 percent of the firm’s $950.4 million in revenue for fiscal 2009. … Continue reading “Nuance Sees Opportunity in Health IT Reform, New Frontiers With iPhone Software”
Brightcove Sidestepping Lack of Flash Support on Apple iPad
Back in February I interviewed Jeff Whatcott, senior vice president of marketing at Cambridge, MA-based Brightcove, about the online video hosting company’s attempts to help its customers deliver video to as many Internet-connected devices as possible. At the time, the company was announcing software that will allow its customers to serve videos stored on its … Continue reading “Brightcove Sidestepping Lack of Flash Support on Apple iPad”
Rocket Software Acquires Computer Corporation of America for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1501ff1b-2e78-4b4e-a267-06bf7a82cf61&Preview=1 Date 3/29/2010 Company Name Computer Corporation of America Mailing Address 200 West St 3rd Floor West Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description Over the past four decades, Computer Corporation of America has revolutionized large-scale, high-performance, high-capacity data management with one breakthrough after another. Invention of hashing and bitmapped indexing technologies. First online … Continue reading “Rocket Software Acquires Computer Corporation of America for Undisclosed Sum”
Happy Crowds of Gamers Pack PAX East—Day 1 Report, Plus Photos
One thing was clear from the moment conference organizers opened the doors for the PAX East gaming expo at the Hynes Convention Center Friday afternoon: they’re going to need a bigger venue next year. Lines to enter the massive meeting, a three-day festival for fans of console and PC video gaming, online gaming, and even … Continue reading “Happy Crowds of Gamers Pack PAX East—Day 1 Report, Plus Photos”
PAX East—The Slide Show
NEXT IMAGE >> Made in MA — The night before PAX East began, the Mass Tech Leadership Council welcomed a crowd of 800 game enthusiasts to a “Made in MA” party (held at Microsoft’s New England R&D Center) designed to celebrate the work of local game developers. photo by Wade Roush
Azigo Gets $1.8M
Azigo, a Wellesley, MA-based maker of software that seeks to securely consolidate users’ various online account information, has pulled in a $1.8 million equity offering, an SEC filing reveals. Ten investors participated in the round for Azigo, which was originally named Parity Communications.
Biogen Idec Reaches Deal With Icahn, Ironwood CEO Shares IPO Strategy, Luke Maps out the Genetics Institute Diaspora, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
This week saw new leadership at a couple of New England’s life sciences companies, some wisdom from one of its newly public companies, and a new truce in one of its long-running power struggles. —Luke tracked down close to 200 alumni of legendary Boston-area biotech firm Genetics Institute, which was acquired in 1996 by Wyeth. … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Reaches Deal With Icahn, Ironwood CEO Shares IPO Strategy, Luke Maps out the Genetics Institute Diaspora, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
When Good Doctors Make Bad Decisions—The View from the Jury Box
On March 2, I reported to Suffolk County Superior Court for jury duty, certain that I’d be let go after my day of service or excused, just like every other time. So it was a bit of a shock to find myself seated, by the end of the day, as Juror No. 14 on a … Continue reading “When Good Doctors Make Bad Decisions—The View from the Jury Box”
Azigo Secures $1,800,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=04d60547-f59c-43e0-bffe-d9cc4fe67775&Preview=1 Date 3/26/2010 Company Name Azigo Mailing Address 30 Washington Street, 3rd Floor Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 Company Description The company web site is the best place for any business to communicate with its customers. But when customers leave your site, the discussion usually stops. Sure, there’s always email and advertising, but … Continue reading “Azigo Secures $1,800,000 New Funding Round”
Science Club for Girls Battle of the Bands
Looks like Xconomy isn’t the only tech and science organization to hold a battle of the bands. The Science Club for Girls will be hosting their own, pitting non-profits against each other. Everyone’s a winner in this event, though, as each participating non-profit will get a share of the ticket sales. Register here for this … Continue reading “Science Club for Girls Battle of the Bands”
Inaugural Genomes Environments Traits (GET) Conference
This event brings together nearly all 20 individuals who have had their genomes sequenced and made publicly available. Thought leaders, investors, and philanthropists will gather to explore the impact and future of the personal genomics field. Register for this all-day event here.
SDL Round Table Boston
Industry thought leaders from around the world will discuss their strategies and successes for localizing their companies and products, at this event put on by SDL, a global information management software provider. Sign up here.
Gemvara CEO Steps Down
Deborah Besemer has stepped down as CEO of the Lexington, MA-based jewelry customization business Gemvara, Boston Globe blogger Scott Kirsner first reported earlier this week. The company renamed itself last month from Paragon Lake, and shifted its virtual jewelry customization business model from being centered around in-store computer screens to a website that targets consumers … Continue reading “Gemvara CEO Steps Down”
Start Here Open House: Women Entrepreneurs @ Care.com
Come find out if Massachusetts is a hospitable environment for women entrepreneurs, at another event hosted by the New England Venture Capital Association. The open house features a panel of women entrepreneurs in the state, representing companies such as online caregiver directory Care.com, and Cloudswitch, an enterprise cloud computing company. Register for the free event … Continue reading “Start Here Open House: Women Entrepreneurs @ Care.com”
Start Here Open House: 1366 Technologies
Come learn what makes solar panel startup 1366 Technologies shine, at this open house hosted by the New England Venture Capital Association. Company execs will speak on 1366’s mission in making solar power a booming industry in the years to come. Sign up for this free event here.
Robotics: Growing Here – Starting and Growing your Robotics Company in Massachusetts
Learn why Massachusetts is a hot spot for robotics companies, at this event put on by the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council. VCs, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and policy makers will gather to explore the entrepreneurial opportunities in the field. RoboTuesday, a robotics industry networking event, will follow. Register at this Eventbrite site.
Dyax Raises $51.8M in Stock Deal
Dyax (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DYAX]]), the Cambridge, MA-based maker of a drug for a rare inflammatory disease, said today it has raised $51.8 million in a stock offering. The company sold 17 million shares at $3.25 apiece in a deal underwritten by Jefferies & Company and Needham & Company. Dyax plans to use the money on the … Continue reading “Dyax Raises $51.8M in Stock Deal”
The Games Begin at PAX East, A Seattle Transplant Uniting Gamers and Developers
The largest gaming expo on the East Coast, this weekend’s PAX East festival, will be preceded by what’s likely to be the biggest party the Boston gaming scene has ever witnessed, tonight at Microsoft’s New England R&D Center in Cambridge, MA. A packed house of 800 guests is expected at the PAX East “Made in … Continue reading “The Games Begin at PAX East, A Seattle Transplant Uniting Gamers and Developers”
Flying Under the Radar in February: Nine New England Startup Deals Under $1 Million
When it came to raking in venture dollars, things slowed down in Massachusetts in the month of February. Maybe it was the shorter calendar month, the typically frigid and dreary weather, or the fact New Englanders are just antsy for spring. In February Bay State startups pulled in $203 million across 26 financings in the … Continue reading “Flying Under the Radar in February: Nine New England Startup Deals Under $1 Million”
Reinventing Progress Software—Boston’s Next Billion-Dollar Company? Part 2
Yesterday we published the first part of an extended Xconomy interview with Progress Software CEO Richard Reidy and chief technology officer John Bates. While Bedford, MA-based Progress (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PRGS]]) is one of the largest software makers in Massachusetts and was founded just a couple of years after EMC, its profile is nowhere near as high … Continue reading “Reinventing Progress Software—Boston’s Next Billion-Dollar Company? Part 2”
Jackson Labs CEO Leaving
The Jackson Laboratory, a Bar Harbor, ME-based nonprofit provider of genetic research and lab mice, said yesterday that its president and CEO Richard Woychik is stepping down from his post. Woychik, who took over as chief executive in 2002, told the nonprofit’s board of trustees that he is open to staying on while the firm … Continue reading “Jackson Labs CEO Leaving”
$10.1M for Akorri
Akorri Networks, a Littleton, MA, maker of IT infrastructure management software, has wrapped up a $10.1 million round of equity-based funding, according to an SEC filing. The round included 13 investors. In September, Akorri pulled in $5 million in an equity offering. Akorri’s website lists Matrix Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners, Globespan Capital Partners, BlueStream … Continue reading “$10.1M for Akorri”
FDA Takes Enforcement Action on Genzyme’s Manufacturing
Genzyme’s manufacturing operations are facing further scrutiny in the aftermath of viral contamination found at its Allston Landing plant last June. The FDA informed the Cambridge, MA-based company (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]) yesterday that the agency is taking action to make sure that the firm is making its products in compliance with manufacturing regulations, according to the company. … Continue reading “FDA Takes Enforcement Action on Genzyme’s Manufacturing”
FDA OK’s IMDx H1N1 Test
IntelligentMDx, a Cambridge, MA-based maker of molecular diagnostic tests, has garnered FDA emergency use authorization for its product for detecting the H1N1 virus, the company announced today. No test has been approved for identifying H1N1, but the emergency use authorization allows the IntelligentMDx diagnostic assay to be used while the flu outbreak is still in … Continue reading “FDA OK’s IMDx H1N1 Test”
Epizyme Entices Broad Institute Player, Robert Gould, to Take Over as CEO
Epizyme, a high-flying startup focused on the hot field of epigenetics, has recruited a new CEO and a new chief dealmaker. Robert Gould started work this week as chief executive of the Cambridge, MA-based biotech, having resigned from a big job at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Gould has served on the board … Continue reading “Epizyme Entices Broad Institute Player, Robert Gould, to Take Over as CEO”
Wistia Raises $775K
Lexington, MA-based Wistia, whose software helps businesses measure customer interaction with online videos, has raised an additional $775,000 from a group including existing and new angel investors, according to co-founder and CEO Chris Savage. One of the new investors is Renesys CEO Ashton Peery, who is also an investor in BzzAgent and Gazelle. “Raising this … Continue reading “Wistia Raises $775K”
Reinventing Progress Software—Boston’s Next Billion-Dollar Company?
Most businesspeople around Boston can give you a thumbnail description of anchor companies like EMC (storage devices and information management) or Nuance (speech recognition) or Boston Scientific (medical devices). But what does Progress Software do, exactly? Considering that it’s the largest software-only company headquartered in Massachusetts—with $500 million in annual revenues, 1,800 employees around the … Continue reading “Reinventing Progress Software—Boston’s Next Billion-Dollar Company?”
Healthcare Reform Gave Biotech Everything It Wanted, and More
And so we embark on a new era of healthcare—one that may take many years to fully reach its potential for good or ill. But there are two small bits in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that are immediately relevant and timely for the biotechnology industry. One provides tax breaks for smaller biotechnology … Continue reading “Healthcare Reform Gave Biotech Everything It Wanted, and More”
Novell Turns Down Buyout Offer, Alnylam Pulls In $20M from Takeda, $16M Stock Deal Goes to RXi, & More Boston-Area Deals News
It was a lighter deals week for us, but we still saw headlines of funding rounds, partnerships, and stock offerings for companies in Internet, software, and life sciences. —Boston-based Swaptree, an online marketplace for trading books, CDs, DVDs, and video games, grabbed $4.8 million of a planned $6 million offering based in equity, options, and … Continue reading “Novell Turns Down Buyout Offer, Alnylam Pulls In $20M from Takeda, $16M Stock Deal Goes to RXi, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Akorri Networks Garners $10,100,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=980a4b5a-0771-488a-b3f6-4f3f832aae86&Preview=1 Date 3/24/2010 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 Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Akorri Networks Garners $10,100,000 New Round”
SmartCells Grabs $1.75M
SmartCells, a Beverly, MA-based company developing a daily, self-regulating injection for treating diabetes, has raised $1.75 million of a planned $4 million equity offering, according to an SEC filing. The company, whose SmartInsulin product is in pre-clinical testing, declined to comment at this time on what round the funding represents. In July, SmartCells completed the … Continue reading “SmartCells Grabs $1.75M”
RXi Raises $16M in Stock Deal
RXi Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RXII]]), the Worcester, MA-based developer of RNA interference treatments, said today it has raised $16.2 million through a stock offering. Investors have agreed to buy 2.7 million shares at $6 apiece, plus warrants to buy another 540,000 shares. The investors got a 26 percent discount on the stock, based on RXi’s closing … Continue reading “RXi Raises $16M in Stock Deal”
Simmons Leadership Conference
This forum of women business leaders and professionals is in its 31st year, and this year’s speakers will range from media personalities to execs from top corporations. Session topics will include workplace leadership, marketing, the interconnectedness of global markets, and entrepreneurship for women. Register here.
MIT Sustainability Summit
Students, professionals, alumni, and faculty will gather at this MIT event to address sustainability in a gamut of industries, such as architecture, engineering, law, biotech, and chemicals. Panels, breakout sessions, and informal networking slots will allow attendees to connect and explore the environmental and social implications of sustainability. Register here.
Alnylam Gets $20M From Takeda
Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) said today it has earned a $20 million milestone payment from Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals for handing over certain RNA interference documents, materials and know-how. The payment is part of the partnership between the two companies, first formed in May 2008, which could be worth more than $1 billion over … Continue reading “Alnylam Gets $20M From Takeda”
Ironwood Pharma CEO Peter Hecht Breaks Silence on Company’s Big Biotech IPO
Peter Hecht is finally able to speak to the press about Ironwood Pharmaceuticals‘s landmark initial public offering, breaking the silence he was required to keep until last week to comply with quiet-period rules. And the CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Ironwood gave Xconomy a front-row perspective on the most talked about biotech IPO in recent history. … Continue reading “Ironwood Pharma CEO Peter Hecht Breaks Silence on Company’s Big Biotech IPO”
Cyber Security in the Age of the Cloud
TiE Boston sponsors an evening event at the Microsoft NERD Center in Cambridge. From the event description: The iPhone has an AppStore. Google’s Android too. As computing breaks the wire tethers, is our information exposed to “Skippy on his skateboard”? What does the argument between Google and China portend? Driven by cost pressures of the … Continue reading “Cyber Security in the Age of the Cloud”
Former Targanta CEO Leuchtenberger Lands New Gig at Rib-X, Another Antibiotic Company
The CEO of a Boston biotech company that crashed a little more than a year ago is getting a second chance in the antibiotic business. Mark Leuchtenberger, 53, the former CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Targanta Therapeutics, has been hired as president, CEO, and a member of the board at New Haven, CT-based Rib-X Pharmaceuticals. The … Continue reading “Former Targanta CEO Leuchtenberger Lands New Gig at Rib-X, Another Antibiotic Company”
Dodd Bill Could Render Startups Too Small to Succeed
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) recently introduced sweeping legislation that aims to rein in the excesses that led large financial institutions to become “too big to fail.” Somewhat ironically, it also has the potential, as one commentator put it, to make startups “too small to succeed.” In the rush to prevent future problems, we risk taking … Continue reading “Dodd Bill Could Render Startups Too Small to Succeed”
Calling All Carriers: Mobile Software Startups Question Relevance of CTIA Wireless Expo
The mobile technology extravaganza known as the International CTIA Wireless Conference starts today in Las Vegas. Many thousands will attend. Keynotes will be given by such luminaries as Dan Hesse, the CEO of Sprint Nextel; John Stanton of Western Wireless and McCaw Cellular fame (also former CEO of T-Mobile USA); Randall Stephenson, the CEO of … Continue reading “Calling All Carriers: Mobile Software Startups Question Relevance of CTIA Wireless Expo”
SmartCells Receives $1,750,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a17cef74-3b6d-4005-bf62-e2ef0fbc44d8&Preview=1 Date 3/23/2010 Company Name SmartCells Mailing Address 100 Cummings Center Beverly, MA 01915 Company Description SmartInsulin™ consists of a layered, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer-therapeutic that is bound to an engineered glucose-binding molecule. Insulin is released from SmartInsulin only when the therapeutic is unbound by the presence of a specific glucose concentration. … Continue reading “SmartCells Receives $1,750,000 New Financing”
Wistia Obtains $775,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1bfe41dd-4dec-4aa7-a821-458524e04cb6&Preview=1 Date 3/23/2010 Company Name Wistia Mailing Address 430 Marrett Road Lexington, MA 02421 Company Description We’re dedicated to developing simple tools that help you and your business bring video into any conversation with any audience. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts, Wistia, Inc. is a provider of business video … Continue reading “Wistia Obtains $775,000 New Financing”
Novell Rejects $2B Bid
Novell, a Waltham, MA-based network software maker, announced that its board rejected a $2 billion buyout bid from private equity firm Elliott Associates, saying that the $5.75-per-share offer undervalues the company’s growth prospects. Novell said that the board would examine alternatives for increasing stockholder value through methods such as stock repurchases, cash dividends, partnerships, or … Continue reading “Novell Rejects $2B Bid”
Aulet Appointed Managing Director of MIT Entrepreneurship Center
Bill Aulet, an Xconomist and active innovation advocate, has been appointed managing director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, which seeks to work with MIT students, faculty, and others outside the school to foster entrepreneurship. Aulet is an MIT Sloan School of Management senior lecturer who began his career at IBM, ran two private companies, and … Continue reading “Aulet Appointed Managing Director of MIT Entrepreneurship Center”
Icahn Gets One More Seat on Biogen Board
[Updated — 3/22/10, 11:30 am Eastern time] There will be no proxy battle between billionaire Carl Icahn and Biogen Idec this year. Cambridge, MA-based Biogen (NASDAQ:[[ticker:BIIB]]) says this morning it has struck a deal with Icahn in which two new members have been added to Biogen’s board of directors, including one of the candidates Icahn … Continue reading “Icahn Gets One More Seat on Biogen Board”
The Genetics Institute Alumni: Where Are They Now?
[Updated: 11:50 am, 8/27/12] Genetics Institute stopped making biotech headlines a long time ago. But almost 15 years after it was acquired, this high-flier from the industry’s first big wave in the 1980s is still having a ripple effect on the Boston biotech scene. It was one of the key companies that recruited, inspired, and … Continue reading “The Genetics Institute Alumni: Where Are They Now?”
“Atmos Inside”: EMC’s Grand Plan to Unify Public and Private Clouds
It may not be a coincidence that the companies most closely associated with the idea of cloud computing, such as Google, Amazon, and Rackspace, are known mainly as Web or Software-as-a-Service companies rather than as makers of actual computer hardware or shrink-wrapped software. After all, the whole idea of the cloud is to outsource your … Continue reading ““Atmos Inside”: EMC’s Grand Plan to Unify Public and Private Clouds”