Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0b716b09-5000-477b-88ef-3dec21e455f9&Preview=1 Date 5/12/2009 Company Name Myvu Corporation Mailing Address 31 Dartmouth Street Westwood, MA 02090 Company Description Myvu Corporation is the leading supplier of eyewear viewers for the portable electronics industry. Medical and military applications served as the company’s fundamental technology drivers, which provided the discipline for quality, adjustment, safety and usability … Continue reading “Myvu Corporation Garners $3,250,000 New Financing Round”
Category: Boston
Icahn Throws Down the Gauntlet, Attacks Biogen Idec’s “Failed Leadership”
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn made a relatively softball argument a year ago about why shareholders should throw out the management slate for the Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) board and vote for his nominees instead. It didn’t work. This time, he’s launching a blistering attack that accuses the company of botching its 2003 merger with Idec … Continue reading “Icahn Throws Down the Gauntlet, Attacks Biogen Idec’s “Failed Leadership””
MIT 100K and Energy Prize—Impressions From the Finalist Party
The five track winners for the MIT 100K business plan competition were announced on Friday. These teams will compete in the finals on Wednesday, along with the winner of its sister contest, the MIT Clean Energy Prize competition (that team will be announced next Tuesday). All five track winners, and three of the five Energy … Continue reading “MIT 100K and Energy Prize—Impressions From the Finalist Party”
Lankau New CEO at Logical
Logical Therapeutics, a Waltham, MA-based developer of drugs to treat inflammation, says that Peter Lankau has been named CEO of the company, according to a press release. Lankau was previously CEO of Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ENDP]]), a specialty drug firm headquartered in Chadds Ford, PA. Rebecca caught up the Logical in late 2007 and detailed how … Continue reading “Lankau New CEO at Logical”
Avedro Adds $10M to Coffers, Eyes New Vision-Correction Tech
[[Updated: please see editor’s note below]] Avedro, a Waltham, MA-based startup developing a vision-correction procedure, has landed $10 million in a Series B round of equity financing, according to an SEC filing. New investor Flagship Ventures of Cambridge, MA, led the financing round, which included all previous backers from the firm’s first-round financing, Avedro CEO … Continue reading “Avedro Adds $10M to Coffers, Eyes New Vision-Correction Tech”
Personalized Medicine—A Tall Mountain
Despite an avalanche of new genomic information, the slope upward to applying it widely in medicine looks steep. This picture was laid out bluntly by biology pioneers Walter Gilbert and George Church at Xconomy’s biotechnology forum on Thursday, April 30. They saw big problems with both investment and public awareness. Their remarks were particularly striking … Continue reading “Personalized Medicine—A Tall Mountain”
J&J Funds Deshpande Center
Johnson & Johnson Services, a subsidiary of global healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson, will donate $750,000 to MIT’s Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation over the next five years, the center announced today. As a new member of the center’s Corporate Program, J&J’s Corporate Office of Science and Technology will also advise projects and grantees at … Continue reading “J&J Funds Deshpande Center”
NBC Universal Invests in EveryZing; CEO Says Media Companies Have Gotten Religion About Search
EveryZing, the Cambridge, MA-based maker of search-related software for media companies, announced today that it has raised $8.25 million in Series C funding, including $3 million from Peacock Equity Fund, the venture investing wing of General Electric and NBC Universal. At the same time, EveryZing said NBC Universal will deploy its search technology across all … Continue reading “NBC Universal Invests in EveryZing; CEO Says Media Companies Have Gotten Religion About Search”
Battery Ventures Backs ExactTarget, $22M for Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Ironwood Banks $40M in European Deal, & Much Much More Boston-Area Deals News
Sheesh there were a lot of deals last week! Let’s get to it. —Ironwood Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, MA, earned $40 million in upfront payments as part of a deal giving Barcelona, Spain-based Laboratorios Almirall European development and commercial rights to linaclotide, Ironwood’s experimental drug for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. The Spanish firm will potentially … Continue reading “Battery Ventures Backs ExactTarget, $22M for Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Ironwood Banks $40M in European Deal, & Much Much More Boston-Area Deals News”
EveryZing Lands $8,250,000 Series C Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0e2f4be1-1996-43ca-8f8c-3e09b3db1d3b&Preview=1 Date 5/11/2009 Company Name EveryZing Mailing Address 10 Fawcett Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Company Description EveryZing is the most powerful digital media merchandising platform available today. Media companies of all sizes leverage our unique ability to drive the volume of online content consumption and create new and powerful revenue streams. Through … Continue reading “EveryZing Lands $8,250,000 Series C Financing Round”
Avedro, Inc. Receives $10,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=02fb7635-7abe-4d01-aeb4-eb8aacc3cb99&Preview=1 Date 5/11/2009 Company Name Avedro, Inc. Mailing Address 230 Third Avenue Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description The company is developing vision correction technologies. Website http://www.avedro.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Flagship Ventures Venture Investor … Continue reading “Avedro, Inc. Receives $10,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
A Fireside Chat with Irwin Jacobs
The Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center, the Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum, and MassNetComms present a fireside chat with Qualcomm co-founder and former CEO Irwin Jacobs, who grew up in New Bedford, MA, and has become a major philanthropist supporting educational and non-profit activities in the New Bedford and San Diego areas. The discussion, moderated by … Continue reading “A Fireside Chat with Irwin Jacobs”
So You *Really* Want a Kindle DX? Get One This Month from E Ink for Only $4,000
E Ink, the Cambridge, MA, company that invented the electronic paper technology behind Amazon’s Kindle e-book devices and Sony’s PRS-500 line, announced today that the same 9.7-inch screen going into the new Kindle DX will be available as part of prototype kit that will go on sale this month, before Amazon ships its own device. … Continue reading “So You *Really* Want a Kindle DX? Get One This Month from E Ink for Only $4,000”
Why Kindle 2 is the Goldilocks of E-Book Readers
Fans of this column know that I spent months dithering over whether to buy Amazon’s Kindle 2 e-book reader. I had mercilessly panned the original Kindle, mainly for its ungainly looks. And while I was much more impressed by the Kindle 2 when it came out in February, I was put off by the $359 … Continue reading “Why Kindle 2 is the Goldilocks of E-Book Readers”
Novartis Leases Cambridge Property
Swiss drug giant Novartis has signed a long-term lease on property at 181 Massachusetts Ave., in Cambridge, MA, according to a report today in the Boston Globe. MIT reportedly owns the land, where it has a two-acre parking lot. Novartis, which already has the global headquarters of its R&D unit, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, … Continue reading “Novartis Leases Cambridge Property”
Soteira Snags $6.6M in Equity Round
Soteira, a Natick, MA-based medical devices startup, has raised $6.6 million of a proposed $12 million round of private equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The filing does not list the investors in the round, and Soteira CEO Larry Jasinski couldn’t be reached at his office yesterday or today. The company is developing a … Continue reading “Soteira Snags $6.6M in Equity Round”
From MIT Blackjack Team to Amazon Acquisition: The Lexcycle Story
Neelan Choksi says he has an “addictive personality.” That might explain why he carefully orders an orange juice at the espresso bar, while I jack up my caffeine intake with another 12-ounce latte. We’re sitting at the Espresso Vivace in South Lake Union on a quintessentially rainy Seattle afternoon in early May. Choksi’s company, Lexcycle, … Continue reading “From MIT Blackjack Team to Amazon Acquisition: The Lexcycle Story”
Soteira, Inc. Receives $6,600,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4f933920-fb71-4901-8cc3-0a1b8fa5f76d&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2009 Company Name Soteira, Inc. Mailing Address 14 Tech Circle Natick, MA 01760 Company Description Soteira, Inc. is developing a system for treatment of vertebral compression fractures in patients with osteoporosis, cancer or traumatic injuries. Soteira’s design provides a superior biomechanical structure and better control of cement flow than other … Continue reading “Soteira, Inc. Receives $6,600,000 New Funding Round”
Tokai Pharmaceuticals Lands $22,000,000 Series D Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=03837a8c-060e-4fd9-9d12-520740733417&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2009 Company Name Tokai Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address One Broadway, 11th floor Cambridge , MA 02142 Company Description The company develops biopharmaceutical products that focus on endocrine treatment. Website http://www.tokaipharmaceuticals.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $22,000,000 Transaction Round Series D Proceeds Purposes Proceeds from the financing will be used to … Continue reading “Tokai Pharmaceuticals Lands $22,000,000 Series D Funding Round”
Tokai Pharma Reports $22M Round, Developing Drug for Prostate Cancer
[[Updated: see editor’s note below]] Tokai Pharmaceuticals, a Cambridge, MA-based drug developer, says it has landed $22 million in a Series D round of private equity financing. The startup says that its main focus is advancing a new drug for prostate cancer that is unable to be treated with standard testosterone-blocking therapies, according to its … Continue reading “Tokai Pharma Reports $22M Round, Developing Drug for Prostate Cancer”
RainDance Reports $6M Financing
RainDance Technologies, a Lexington, MA-based provider of life sciences research products, has raised $6 million of a $12 million round of private equity financing, according to an SEC filing. It’s unclear from the document who invested in the financing, but the firm lists its previous investors on its website. RainDance says its flagship product is … Continue reading “RainDance Reports $6M Financing”
The Promise of Tissue Engineering: Making Regenerative Medicine a Reality
This MIT Enterprise Forum Innovation Series event will address progress in the field of tissue engineering, the future of the science, and the industry that will grow to commercialize it. Program details and registration information on the event web site.
Casenet Captures $5M Financing
Casenet, a Bedford, MA-based provider of clinical care management software, has chased down $5 million in a round of venture capital, according to an SEC filing. The company says that it previously raised $7.5 million in a Series B round of financing announced in November 2007 and led by Boston’s HLM Venture Partners. The firm’s … Continue reading “Casenet Captures $5M Financing”
The Recovery Starts Here—Xconomy Announces XSITE 2009 Event to Celebrate Innovation in New England
In case you haven’t noticed it, the recovery is underway. The economy is affecting all aspects of business, of course. But every day here at Xconomy we write about the unrelenting pace of innovation and see firsthand how, if anything, the pace has picked up during the recession—nothing like hard times to get the creative … Continue reading “The Recovery Starts Here—Xconomy Announces XSITE 2009 Event to Celebrate Innovation in New England”
Kalido Collects $5.1 Million for Data Warehouse Management
Burlington, MA-based Kalido, which makes software that helps companies make better use of historical business data, has secured $5.15 million in Series E venture funding, according to documents filed yesterday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing investors Atlas Venture and Matrix Venture Partners led the round, $3.1 million of which has been collected so … Continue reading “Kalido Collects $5.1 Million for Data Warehouse Management”
Battery in $70M Round at ExactTarget
Battery Ventures, a venture firm with an office in Waltham, MA, has led a $70 million financing round for e-mail marketing software firm ExactTarget, according to a press release. ExactTarget, which is headquartered in Indianapolis, has also withdrawn plans for an initial public offering. As part of the sizable venture deal, Battery general partner Michael … Continue reading “Battery in $70M Round at ExactTarget”
A123Systems Founder and MIT’s Cima Behind Startup Entra Pharmaceuticals
More clues about stealthy drug-delivery startup Entra Pharmaceuticals surfaced yesterday on Boston Globe columnist Scott Kirsner’s blog. It turns out that the technical whizzes behind Entra are Yet-Ming Chiang, an MIT engineering professor and founder of Watertown, MA-based advanced battery developer A123Systems, and Michael Cima, another MIT engineering professor, who is a co-founder of life … Continue reading “A123Systems Founder and MIT’s Cima Behind Startup Entra Pharmaceuticals”
XSITE 2009: The Recovery Starts Here
High-tech, life-sciences, and energy innovation may well hold the key to the nation’s economic health and long-term competitiveness. And as a hotbed of American innovation, New England is poised to become a key driver of economic recovery in the U.S. This full-day conference will celebrate New England innovation and showcase the panorama of transformative efforts … Continue reading “XSITE 2009: The Recovery Starts Here”
Genzyme Offers Glimpse at Growth Engine, New Drugs for High Cholesterol, Gaucher’s
Genzyme is getting to the point where the law of large numbers start to look really daunting. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company has been so successful for so long, it gets harder every year to sustain the breakneck sales and profit growth that investors in the company have come to expect. So what to do? … Continue reading “Genzyme Offers Glimpse at Growth Engine, New Drugs for High Cholesterol, Gaucher’s”
Brighter Planet Rolls Out Social Web App to Lower Carbon Footprints
Most of us want to help curb global warming, but the tricky part can be how to do our part without splurging on a shiny new Prius or some other expensive measure. Vermont’s Brighter Planet has spent the last few years building a business around providing products and services that help people and businesses cut … Continue reading “Brighter Planet Rolls Out Social Web App to Lower Carbon Footprints”
Ironwood Inks $40M Deal with Laboratorios Almirall, CombinatoRx and Novartis Seek Combo Cancer Drugs, NABsys Nabs $4M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences Deals
This past week produced a cornucopia of life sciences news, including new partnerships, personnel and real estate changes, venture deals, and some intriguing science. —A team led by UMass Medical School researcher Michael Czech, co-founder of Worcester, MA-based RXi Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RXII]]), reported in the journal Nature that it has come up with an oral … Continue reading “Ironwood Inks $40M Deal with Laboratorios Almirall, CombinatoRx and Novartis Seek Combo Cancer Drugs, NABsys Nabs $4M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences Deals”
Will Mobile Apps Live Up to the Hype? A View from the iPhone Trenches
I could not be more bullish about smartphones as a platform. The center of gravity in computing is shifting, and the mobile device in your pocket will play a greater and greater role in your life in ways that the non-dreamers among us never thought possible. As the capabilities of these devices increase, there are … Continue reading “Will Mobile Apps Live Up to the Hype? A View from the iPhone Trenches”
Tokai Pharmaceuticals Receives $10,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=03837a8c-060e-4fd9-9d12-520740733417&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2009 Company Name Tokai Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address One Broadway, 11th floor Cambridge , MA 02142 Company Description The company develops biopharmaceutical products that focus on endocrine treatment. Website http://www.tokaipharmaceuticals.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor … Continue reading “Tokai Pharmaceuticals Receives $10,000,000 New Round”
VKernel Garners $7,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5b2eeeac-a132-41db-bdb2-87db06c6ac5c&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2009 Company Name VKernel Mailing Address 222 International Drive Portsmouth, NH 03801 Company Description VKernel is dedicated to developing best-of-breed virtual appliances that enhance performance, lower costs, and simplify management of virtual environments of all sizes. As a certified VMware partner, VKernel offers the industry’s only VMware certified virtual appliances … Continue reading “VKernel Garners $7,000,000 Series B Funding”
CaseNET Inc. Lands $5,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=249e70ae-4b9b-4800-8f50-b01ca46e9a77&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2009 Company Name CaseNET Inc. Mailing Address 23 Crosby Drive Bedford, MA 01730 Company Description The company is a developer of care management software for workers’ compensation and health care organizations. Website http://www.casenetinc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “CaseNET Inc. Lands $5,000,000 New Financing”
SeeWhy Raises $4.5M, Launches Free Tool
Andover, MA-based SeeWhy makes “abandonment tracking” tools that websites can use to reconnect with Web visitors who leave before consummating a purchase or finishing an online form, application, or registration. Today the company announced that it has connected with new investor Scottish Enterprise and existing investors Logispring, Pentech Ventures, and Delta Partners to add $4.5 … Continue reading “SeeWhy Raises $4.5M, Launches Free Tool”
VKernel Raises $7.1M B Round
Portsmouth, NH-based VKernel, which makes software that helps companies extract better performance from virtualized servers, has raised $7.06 million in Series B venture funding, according to documents filed yesterday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New investor Longworth Venture Partners led the round, which was joined by existing investors Polaris Venture Partners and Hummer Winblad … Continue reading “VKernel Raises $7.1M B Round”
A New Nexus for Nomadic Entrepreneurs at the Cambridge Innovation Center
As any freelancer or self-employed person will tell you, working alone can be isolating—but the alternative, hanging out at Starbucks all day, can drain your wallet and lead to overcaffeination. Fortunately, if you’re the type who needs a little company, collaboration, and commotion to get real work done, there are a few new places to … Continue reading “A New Nexus for Nomadic Entrepreneurs at the Cambridge Innovation Center”
Archemix Names Bate CEO
Archemix, a Cambridge, MA-based biotech startup developing aptamer drugs, reports that Kenneth Bate will replace Duncan Higgons as CEO of the company. Higgons, who had become chief executive of the firm in January, is taking a job with another private biotech firm, according to Archemix. Bate was most recently president and CEO of Lexington, MA-based … Continue reading “Archemix Names Bate CEO”
CombinatoRx Cuts Deal for Cancer Drug Discovery with Novartis
CombinatoRx, the Cambridge, MA-based firm focused on the discovery and development of combination drugs, says it has inked a new alliance with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis to use its technology to find combo treatments for cancer. The deal provides CombinatoRx (NASDAQ:[[ticker:CRXX]]) with an upfront payment of $4 million and a bit of good news after … Continue reading “CombinatoRx Cuts Deal for Cancer Drug Discovery with Novartis”
Take a Deep Breath, Collect Cash: Zendesk Wins Venture Financing for Help-Desk Software
Almost by definition, anyone who gets to the point of submitting an online help request to a software or services company is frustrated, possibly even angry. Responding to a flood of help requests constructively takes calmness and strength—and that’s what Zendesk, a help desk management outsourcing company, tries to supply to its own customers, including … Continue reading “Take a Deep Breath, Collect Cash: Zendesk Wins Venture Financing for Help-Desk Software”
SeeWhy Inc Receives $4,500,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d8447797-9d33-4679-abf3-9cf90c012b34&Preview=1 Date 5/6/2009 Company Name SeeWhy Inc Mailing Address 200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 Company Description SeeWhy delivers breakthrough improvements in website conversion with its Abandonment Tracker family of “on demand” services. Re-marketing to abandoned visitors using the SeeWhy service re-converts up to 50% of visitors who abandon their shopping carts, … Continue reading “SeeWhy Inc Receives $4,500,000 Series B Financing Round”
Zendesk Garners Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0ffabb8a-04fb-4634-a9aa-bc6820baeeb4&Preview=1 Date 5/6/2009 Company Name Zendesk Mailing Address 107 South Street Boston, MA 02211 Company Description Zendesk is inspiring the help desk 2.0 movement through a focus on enlightened customer support. By leveraging the benefits of Web-based communications and social media, Zendesk extends good help desk karma to any company looking to … Continue reading “Zendesk Garners Series A Round”
MIT Sloan Business in Gaming
What’s the BiG idea? At this, the first annual installment of the Business in Gaming conference, it’s “Marketing and Distribution in the Digital Age”—which will examine innovative ways to market and distribute games cheaply but effectively through digital media. Bonus for distracted conference attendees—gaming stations available all day! Details and registration information at the conference … Continue reading “MIT Sloan Business in Gaming”
Evolving National Energy Policy: Opportunities in the Future
This AIChE Boston event will explore the topic “How do we transition from Petroleum to alternative energy in the time frame required?” The discussion will touch on policy, the role for the U.S., and opportunities for chemical engineers, investors, and entrepreneurs. Registration web site.
Group Names IBM, Zeemote, Infinity, Wolfe Executives as Leading Women Entrepreneurs
A study last year by Cristian Dezsö, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland’s business school, found that the more women a company has as senior managers, the better it performs financially—and that the advantage comes from a “female management style” that emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. To highlight women executives in Massachusetts who … Continue reading “Group Names IBM, Zeemote, Infinity, Wolfe Executives as Leading Women Entrepreneurs”
Fresh Capital Flows to Arsenal, Azuki, Synageva, and Viximo
It’s pouring venture deals in Boston today. So rather than flood our dear readers with multiple posts, we’ve compiled the news on deals recently completed by Arsenal Medical, Azuki Systems, Synageva BioPharma, and Viximo into a single story. Given the unsavory climate for raising venture dollars, we’ll call these companies the “Fortunate Four.” Watertown, MA-based … Continue reading “Fresh Capital Flows to Arsenal, Azuki, Synageva, and Viximo”
Diabetes Drug Application May Be New Factor in Amylin Proxy Battle
Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMLN]]), which is engaged in a proxy fight, has submitted a new drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for exenatide, its once weekly drug for type 2 diabetes. The San Diego biotech made the announcement today with Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]), its marketing partner, and Cambridge, MA-based drug developing … Continue reading “Diabetes Drug Application May Be New Factor in Amylin Proxy Battle”
Innovating Through the Downturn: The View from the Nantucket Conference
At the Nantucket Conference, an invitation-only gathering of New England-area CEOs, entrepreneurs, venture partners, and select others, first-time attendees get a single blue dot on their nametags. Alumni get another dot for every year they’ve attended, and veterans of five or more conferences get a gold starfish pin. About a third of the participants at … Continue reading “Innovating Through the Downturn: The View from the Nantucket Conference”
TiECON East 2009
TiE Boston sponsors TiECON East 2009, the annual conference where attendees learn from executives, founders, and entrepreneurs, connect with funders, and find inspiration from fellow innovators. Keynote talks will include Boston-Power CEO Christina Lampe-Onnerud, Athenahealth CEO Jonathan Bush, iRobot CEO Colin Angle, and Lionbridge CEO Rory Cowan. Xconomy’s Wade Roush will chair a panel discussion … Continue reading “TiECON East 2009”