Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=20104bbe-abe6-40ac-be0e-f4eab26e0a4f&Preview=1 Date 12/1/2009 Company Name Zorap Mailing Address 35 Fieldstone Lane Falmouth, ME 04105 Company Description Zorap is a privately funded startup with offices in Maine and California. Started in 2007, our mission was to create a new web experience; one that combines multipoint video conferencing with live media sharing, interactive games … Continue reading “Zorap Secures $1,350,000 New Financing”
Category: Boston
$2M for Cedar Point Communications
Derry, NH-based Cedar Point Communications has raised $2 million out of a planned $3.4 million round of debt, the company revealed in regulatory documents filed November 24. The company, which makes voice-over-Internet-Protocol switching hardware used by cable and telephone operators, has raised $70 million in venture funding to date from Ascent Venture Partners, Battery Ventures, … Continue reading “$2M for Cedar Point Communications”
Panraven Raises $2.7 Million
Cambridge, MA-based Panraven, which offers online image editing tools that allow users to create hard-bound photo books, has raised $2.7 million out of a planned $3 million funding round involving debt, equity, and warrants, according to regulatory documents filed last week. The company’s investors include Castanea Partners, Dace Ventures, and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, according to … Continue reading “Panraven Raises $2.7 Million”
Guardium Head Count Could Grow Under IBM Ownership, Big Blue Exec Says
Guardium, the Waltham, MA-based provider of database security software, is the latest Massachusetts company to be gobbled up by technology giant IBM, according to the companies. And Big Blue could grow the company here in the Bay State as it aims to increase its revenue from sales of software. Armonk, NY-based IBM (NYSE:[[ticker:IBM]]) announced today … Continue reading “Guardium Head Count Could Grow Under IBM Ownership, Big Blue Exec Says”
Boston Startup Weekend
Starting at 6 pm Friday at Microsoft’s New England R&D Center, teams of entrepeneurs, startup enthusiasts, software developers, marketers, and others will gather for an intense, 54-hour session of learning by creating. The goal of Startup Weekend—a tradition started in 2007 by TechStars employee Andrew Hyde—is to end the session with one or more developed … Continue reading “Boston Startup Weekend”
How to Build an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem for Women in Greater Boston
We’ve all had that moment of looking around the room at an event and wondering why there isn’t more representation by women in technology and entrepreneurship. Meetings like The Capital Network’s Women’s Breakfast may help add more balance in the future. For a list of speakers and registration information, please see the event web site.
MDG December 2009 SuperNetworking: Acquisitions – The Acquirer’s Perspective
For medical device start-ups, acquisition is emerging as an important route for financial return. Join the Medical Devices Group—an industry association—at this presentation about how acquirers approach acquisition targeting, evaluation and strategy. See the event web site for details and registration information.
Cracking the Carbon Equation
Everybody talks about controlling greenhouse gas emissions and sometimes it seems like everybody is doing something about it—or at least trying to. This MIT Enterprise Forum Event may help make sense of the opportunities and challenges in reducing carbon emissions—the emerging regulatory frameworks, the technologies designed to capture, sequester and re-use CO2, and the opportunities … Continue reading “Cracking the Carbon Equation”
Web Innovators Group (WebInno24)
WebInno is an informal gathering of people interested in Internet and mobile innovation—free and open to all in the community. “Main Dish” presentations include mobile voting for an audience favorite from among the presenters, while “side Dish” presentations offer a more informal look at other innovative startups throughout the evening. Registration is free, but an … Continue reading “Web Innovators Group (WebInno24)”
E-Retail Traffic Is Way Up This Holiday Season, Akamai Says—But Don’t Get Too Excited
Holiday shopping traffic on retail websites is up dramatically this year over 2008 levels, according to Cambridge, MA-based Akamai. The company’s Retail Net Usage Index—which includes a highly representative sample of companies engaged in e-commerce—hit a peak level on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, that was 35 percent higher than traffic for the same … Continue reading “E-Retail Traffic Is Way Up This Holiday Season, Akamai Says—But Don’t Get Too Excited”
FitnessKeeper Chases Down $400,000 in Seed Funding
FitnessKeeper, the Boston startup behind the GPS-based RunKeeper iPhone application used by thousands of runners to track and share their outings, has raised its first round of seed funding from a group of local angel and venture investors. It’s a small amount of capital by the standards of many technology startups—just $400,000—but FitnessKeeper founder and … Continue reading “FitnessKeeper Chases Down $400,000 in Seed Funding”
Revolutionary Angels Defends Business Plan Competition Amidst Widespread Criticism
A post last week on the New York Times’ “You’re the Boss” small business blog examined the phenomenon of business plan competitions with high entry fees, with the focus largely on Revolutionary Angels, a Cambridge, MA-based competition we profiled in early October. The post questioned whether the $4,995 entry fee that Revolutionary Angels charges companies … Continue reading “Revolutionary Angels Defends Business Plan Competition Amidst Widespread Criticism”
A Smarter War on Cancer
[Editor’s Note: this editorial was co-authored by Jay (Marty) Tenenbaum of CollabRx and Leroy Hood of the Institute for Systems Biology.] One of society’s great challenges is to advance health care while deflecting its rising cost. Achieving this objective requires that we capitalize upon the immense potential of personalized medicine. Cancer is a case in … Continue reading “A Smarter War on Cancer”
Hyper-Analytical “Insanity” Cripples Drug R&D, Says Alnylam CEO John Maraganore
There’s one thing drug makers love to use to figure out which drugs to invest in: spreadsheets. Not Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, though. Estimates of future cash flows and other financial analysis tools are one of the big reasons why drugmakers spend so much on R&D that creates so few important drugs, says CEO John Maraganore. “I … Continue reading “Hyper-Analytical “Insanity” Cripples Drug R&D, Says Alnylam CEO John Maraganore”
Lighter Living Lands $3,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=07e548dc-8239-4da5-b16e-9a50dfa6378b&Preview=1 Date 11/30/2009 Company Name Lighter Living Mailing Address 36 Lopez Avenue Cambridge, MA 02141 Company Description Lighter Living Inc is a Health care firm. Website http://www.lighterliving.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Flybridge Capital Partners
FitnessKeeper Receives $400,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=17f7a330-beea-4fff-be27-ac69a5204b87&Preview=1 Date 11/30/2009 Company Name FitnessKeeper Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02101 Company Description RunKeeper is a mobile fitness platform that we are building with a simple mission—to make fitness tracking and training easier to use and more fun. No need for expensive standalone devices, now you can use your iPhone (and … Continue reading “FitnessKeeper Receives $400,000 New Financing”
Panraven Secures $2,700,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a124aec5-c39c-4f7c-9762-0a0bbfa22d06&Preview=1 Date 11/30/2009 Company Name Panraven Mailing Address 84 Hamilton Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Company Description Panraven was founded in June 2005 to offer rich new ways for people to capture, express, and share their life experiences through words, pictures, audio and video…richly and effortlessly…online and in print. Website http://www.panraven.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Panraven Secures $2,700,000 New Financing”
Cedar Point Communications Lands $2,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ff7824cb-c737-4cd8-8fe2-f3bb76155900&Preview=1 Date 11/30/2009 Company Name Cedar Point Communications Mailing Address 16 Route 111 Building 3 Derry, NH 03038 Company Description Cedar Point Communications, a leader in integrated packet-based voice and multimedia switching development for the cable industry. Website http://www.cedarpointcom.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Cedar Point Communications Lands $2,000,000 New Funding Round”
IBM Acquires Guardium for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=85eb8093-3b00-495d-99b3-c8f653e183b6&Preview=1 Date 11/30/2009 Company Name Guardium Mailing Address 230 Third Avenue Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description Guardium (www.guardium.com) develops and delivers innovative database security solutions that remove complexity, and provide visibility and effective controls over database access activities of IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, and Sybase environments. Website http://www.guardium.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount … Continue reading “IBM Acquires Guardium for Undisclosed Sum”
Renewable Energy Trust Moves to Clean Energy Center
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation this week that gives the Renewable Energy Trust, formerly a unit of the quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a new home: the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. The Renewable Energy Trust—an investment fund that comes from surcharge on Massachusetts electrical consumers of about $6 per ratepayer per year—supports a range of … Continue reading “Renewable Energy Trust Moves to Clean Energy Center”
Xconomy Innovators’ Lunch Is at Noon Today—Free Pizza at our Cambridge Office
Calling all startup entrepreneurs, tech & life sciences veterans, and Xconomy fans: If you haven’t left town for Thanksgiving yet and you fancy a free slice or two, come on over to our Cambridge office today at noon for an impromptu pizza party. We’re at 101 Rogers Street, Suite 402, in the Old Foundry Works … Continue reading “Xconomy Innovators’ Lunch Is at Noon Today—Free Pizza at our Cambridge Office”
Novartis Parts Ways with Idera Pharma
Idera Pharmaceuticals said this morning that it’s losing one of its three key Big Pharma partners. Swiss drug giant Novartis has told Cambridge, MA-based Idera (NASDAQ:[[ticker:IDRA]]) that it will terminate their four-year-old collaboration to develop drugs for respiratory diseases in February. Novartis has been funding research at Idera under this partnership since 2005 to develop … Continue reading “Novartis Parts Ways with Idera Pharma”
AutoVirt Adds Another $5M
AutoVirt just keeps adding to its Series A round. In January 2008, the Nashua, NH-based data migration startup announced it had raised $4 million from Kepha Partners and Sigma Partners. In November 2008, the same funders pitched in $4 million more. And according to regulatory documents filed this month, it has now raised another $5 … Continue reading “AutoVirt Adds Another $5M”
Ironwood Pharma Eyes $172.5M IPO, Biogen CEO Pay Under Fire, & More Boston Life Sciences News
Xconomy’s life sciences coverage this past week featured a mix of exclusive feature stories—such as Luke’s analysis of the PML side effect from Biogen Idec’s natalizumab (Tysabri)—and breaking news stories like Ironwood Pharmaceuticals’ ambition to become a publicly traded biotech company. —Cambridge, MA-based Ironwood revealed late Friday that the company is seeking to raise as … Continue reading “Ironwood Pharma Eyes $172.5M IPO, Biogen CEO Pay Under Fire, & More Boston Life Sciences News”
BioSystems Obtains $1,400,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b8da65ff-30fd-444e-b058-91d08d82f021&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name BioSystems Mailing Address 651 South Main St Middletown, CT 06457 Company Description Biosystems, LLC, a Sperian Protection Company, is a leading supplier of gas detectors, respiratory maintenance equipment and monitoring systems, worldwide. Founded in 1981, Biosystems is headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut. Website http://www.biosystems.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “BioSystems Obtains $1,400,000 New Round”
AutoVirt Receives $5,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9abd6518-274a-467c-b5f4-f7e5c1947bb8&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name AutoVirt Mailing Address 12 Murphy Drive Nashua, NH 03062 Company Description AutoVirt’s mission is to increase IT productivity by replacing manual labor with automation and virtualization. Virtualization separates the purpose and benefit of a service from its physical implementation and is often the key to greater automation. … Continue reading “AutoVirt Receives $5,000,000 Series A Financing”
The Pizza is On Us at Xconomy’s Innovators’ Lunch, Noon Wednesday
How do you tell the hardcore innovators and entrepreneurs from the sissies? They’re the ones who are still working on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. To celebrate all that hard work—and to nourish our loyal readers with some authentic startup food before we all have to endure a weekend of turkey—we’re inviting all Xconomy fans who … Continue reading “The Pizza is On Us at Xconomy’s Innovators’ Lunch, Noon Wednesday”
Cyberposium Speakers Tout the Importance of Scarcity Management, User Experience
This past Saturday, almost 700 people showed up for Cyberposium 15 at Harvard Business School, arguably the premier student-organized business school technology conference in the world, with past guests including Yahoo’s Jerry Yang, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google’s Marissa Mayer. The crowd consisted mostly of MBA students and other local students but had significant representation … Continue reading “Cyberposium Speakers Tout the Importance of Scarcity Management, User Experience”
Harvard Unveils New Alumni Entrepreneurship Contest
Harvard Business School (HBS) says that it will hold a new business plan competition open to HBS alumni from all over the world. Qualified ventures will compete for a cash prize of $25,000. The contest—which was formally announced online by the business school’s Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Relations—will be open to teams … Continue reading “Harvard Unveils New Alumni Entrepreneurship Contest”
Progressive Business Leaders Meet for “Davos on The Charles” Policy Summit
The annual World Economic Forum confab in Davos, Switzerland is famous for gathering business and policy leaders to discuss the big issues of the day. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and private equity professionals, big company CEOs and world leaders gather in a unique environment for mingling, collaboration, and idea sharing. In a similar but more local … Continue reading “Progressive Business Leaders Meet for “Davos on The Charles” Policy Summit”
Genzyme Rival Seeks European Approval
Shire (LSE:[[ticker:SHP]])—an Ireland-based drug company that has its Human Genetic Therapies unit based in Cambridge, MA—reports that it has asked European regulators to approve its treatment for Gaucher disease, velaglucerase alfa. If approved by the European Medicines Agency, Shire’s enzyme-replacement treatment will compete with Cambridge-based biotech Genzyme’s (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]) market-leading imiglucerase (Cerezyme), which has faced supply … Continue reading “Genzyme Rival Seeks European Approval”
Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles
In a state that prides itself on leadership in tomorrow’s energy technologies, Ian Bowles is the point man. He’s Secretary of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, a new position created under Gov. Deval Patrick to oversee a hodgepodge of state agencies controlling everything from utility regulation to agriculture to the state’s parks … Continue reading “Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles”
Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation
The Boston area is a breeding ground for life sciences and technology innovation. Startups and more established companies are everywhere—and so are the engineers, scientists, CTOs, and operating, finance, and sales whizzes that make these enterprises hum. But what are all these folks paid—in salary, bonus, and stock? Are CEOs really the best compensated? How … Continue reading “Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation”
How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs
When Deborah Dunsire, CEO of Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, talked about what makes the Boston area an attractive place to do business at a recent Xconomy Forum, she singled out the work of J. Wade Harper at Harvard Medical School. And after a little more follow up, I’ve found that Harper is helping Millennium … Continue reading “How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs”
Ingenico Invests in Roam Data
Boston-based Roam Data, which makes software that allows merchants to process payments via cell phones, said last week that it has raised $6.5 million in new funding. Ingenico Ventures—a unit of payment solutions provider Ingenico SAS—and George Wallner, founder and former CEO of Hypercom, were the lead investors in the round, the company said.
Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3
Ever since Google released more details about its Chrome OS project last week, tech blogs and the Twittersphere have been burning up with arguments about the merits of Google’s idea for a Web-based operating system for a new generation of netbook computers. InfoWorld has already declared that “Chrome OS will fail—big time,” given that a … Continue reading “Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3“
Leostream Finds $2M
Leostream, a Waltham, MA-based provider of application-management software for virtual desktop infrastructures, has raised $2 million in an equity financing, according to an SEC filing. VentureWire reports that Meakem-Becker Venture Capital, of Sedwickley, PA, provided Leostream with the $2 million capital infusion, which the company hopes will be enough to support its operations until it … Continue reading “Leostream Finds $2M”
Nexx Systems Gets Next $4M
Nexx Systems, a Billerica, MA-based maker of equipment used in the metallization and packaging of silicon wafers used in both electronics and photovoltaic applications, has raised $4 million in a sale of convertible preferred stock, according to a November 13 regulatory filing. The funds for the eight-year-old firm came from existing investors Enterprise Partners Venture … Continue reading “Nexx Systems Gets Next $4M”
Sun Catalytix Gets $1M More from Polaris, Exclusive License to Solar Fuel Tech from MIT
Polaris Venture Partners has pumped an additional $1 million in seed capital into Cambridge, MA-based solar fuel startup Sun Catalytix, bringing its total investment in the MIT spinout to $3 million, Polaris general partner and company director Bob Metcalfe tells Xconomy. The startup, which we first covered in April, has also gained an exclusive license … Continue reading “Sun Catalytix Gets $1M More from Polaris, Exclusive License to Solar Fuel Tech from MIT”
Receptos, Led By Biogen Idec Vets and Scripps Stars, Snags $25M For Drug Discovery Engine
Receptos, a San Diego-based biotech startup formed by a number of Biogen Idec veterans, has nailed down $25 million in venture capital to develop a vivid new way to look at certain protein structures on cells that it hopes will ultimately take a lot of the guesswork out of drug discovery. The cash infusion is … Continue reading “Receptos, Led By Biogen Idec Vets and Scripps Stars, Snags $25M For Drug Discovery Engine”
Report from the Russian (Entrepreneurial) Front
November 20, 2009, Moscow, Russia—I write this from the Moscow airport on my way home to Massachusetts after teaming with MIT colleagues Howard Anderson and Peter Kurzina to teach a week-long boot camp on entrepreneurship for the first class of MBAs at the new Skolkovo Business School. Skolkovo* is a private business school strongly supported … Continue reading “Report from the Russian (Entrepreneurial) Front”
Under the Radar Deals: 10 (+1) New England October Financings You Never Heard About
The big picture is great. But at Xconomy, we also like the smaller details, which often fill in or round out the big picture—and make everything more clear. So it is when it comes to company financing rounds. We always bring you stories about the main venture deals in the region and a list of … Continue reading “Under the Radar Deals: 10 (+1) New England October Financings You Never Heard About”
Leostream Corp. Obtains $2,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=48d94b10-24c8-48ab-8999-1c397a33ed75&Preview=1 Date 11/23/2009 Company Name Leostream Corp. Mailing Address 411 Waverley Oaks Road Waltham, MA 02452 Company Description The Leostream Connection Broker dynamically assigns users to Terminal Services or Hosted Desktops – running on virtual or physical machines (including Blades). Website http://www.leostream.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “Leostream Corp. Obtains $2,000,000 New Financing”
Sun Catalytix Garners $1,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e6426eb5-65cb-449f-b5fa-317f6f8e0b82&Preview=1 Date 11/23/2009 Company Name Sun Catalytix Mailing Address 200 Technology Square Cambridge, MA 02139 Company Description Located in Cambridge, MA, Sun Catalytix is an early-stage renewable energy startup founded on groundbreaking science from the research lab of Professor Daniel Nocera at MIT. With Nature as our inspiration, we seek to combine … Continue reading “Sun Catalytix Garners $1,000,000 New Financing”
Roam Data Secures $6,500,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a9cd204f-8198-4b37-8412-91f5525d340e&Preview=1 Date 11/23/2009 Company Name Roam Data Mailing Address 280 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210 Company Description Despite huge advances in device and network capabilities, only a tiny fraction of mobile merchants and direct sellers have access to payments and other commerce capabilities via their own mobile phones. Direct Selling organizations and … Continue reading “Roam Data Secures $6,500,000 New Funding”
NEXX Systems Obtains $4,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=66e4e0b9-9bbe-41e9-abda-9cfd1d1e764f&Preview=1 Date 11/23/2009 Company Name NEXX Systems Mailing Address 900 Middlesex Turnpike Bldg. 6 Billerica, MA 01821 Company Description NEXX Systems was founded in August 2001 through the acquisition from MKS Instruments of the ASTeX systems group. The sale comprised the purchase of the Nimbus product line of sputter deposition systems and … Continue reading “NEXX Systems Obtains $4,000,000 New Financing”
Ironwood Files to Go Public, Seeks to Raise as Much as $172.5M
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is gearing up for the possibility of an IPO. The Cambridge, MA-based developer of a new treatment for bowel disorders like for irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation said it may raise as much as $172.5 million from investors through the deal, according to a prospectus filed late today. The proposed offering would … Continue reading “Ironwood Files to Go Public, Seeks to Raise as Much as $172.5M”
Day Software, Web 2.0 Content Management Specialist, Moving U.S. Headquarters to Boston
Wails of lamentation spread across the local tech community every time an entity like Zendesk or Greylock or Y Combinator departs Boston for parts west. But today we have a different tale to report. Day Software (SIX: [[ticker:DAYN]]) a Zurich, Switzerland-based content management software specialist that builds interactive websites for Fortune-1000 giants like Adobe and … Continue reading “Day Software, Web 2.0 Content Management Specialist, Moving U.S. Headquarters to Boston”
Biogen Idec Accused Again of Excessive CEO Pay, Lousy Performance, By Big Shareholder
[Update: 1:55 pm Eastern, 11/20/09] After a bitter standoff earlier this year with billionaire investor Carl Icahn over alleged mismanagement, Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec now faces another sharp attack from a major shareholder. New York-based HealthCor Management, a hedge fund that invests in health and biotech companies, said today in a regulatory filing that Biogen … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Accused Again of Excessive CEO Pay, Lousy Performance, By Big Shareholder”
Mind, Body, & Cash: Lighter Living Raises $3M
Pilates is famous for shaping up peoples’ buttocks, tummies, and thighs. But what can the popularity of this fitness phenomenon and the market for health products do for investment portfolios? Cambridge, MA-based Lighter Living, which operates a health and fitness website that features Pilates expert and company founder Marjolein Brugman, has raised $3 million in … Continue reading “Mind, Body, & Cash: Lighter Living Raises $3M”