Sarah Lacy—award-winning Web 2.0 journalist, BusinessWeek’s “Valley Girl” columnist, co-host of Yahoo! Finance’s Tech Ticker, and author of the new book, Once You’re Lucky, Twice You’re Good: The Rebirth of Silicon Valley and the Rise of Web 2.0—will be at Boston’s Good Life bar meeting with the local Web 2.0 community as part of her … Continue reading “Sarah Lacy’s User-Generated Book Tour”
Category: Boston
Born Digital: Understanding The First Generation of Digital Natives
A book talk and reception for Born Digital: Understanding The First Generation of Digital Natives, a new book by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser of Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Free and open to the public, no RSVP required. More information here.
Management Guru Michael Hammer Dies at Age 60
Updated: Michael Hammer, the business management guru and author of the 1990s business bestseller Reengineering the Corporation (co-authored by James Champy) and three other books, has died at age 60 after collapsing from apparent cranial bleeding on August 22 while he was on vacation in the Berkshires, his company and various news organizations are reporting. … Continue reading “Management Guru Michael Hammer Dies at Age 60”
Ze-gen Hit by Patent Suit
Fall River, MA-based Quantum Catalytics and an affiliated Houston company called Texas Syngas have filed a patent infringement suit against Boston-based waste gasification startup Ze-gen in federal district court in Boston, the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA, first reported on Tuesday. The suit alleges that Ze-gen’s gasification technology is based on trade secrets obtained through … Continue reading “Ze-gen Hit by Patent Suit”
Xconomy Needs An Entrepreneur-Tennis Player to Take on the VCs
With the second annual VC vs. Entrepreneur Davis Cup 2008 Challenge just around the corner—set for the afternoon of September 16 on the grass at Longwood—Xconomy is looking for one more entrepreneur to round out its doubles team. This is a golden opportunity to serve up your message to top VCs (pun intended). More importantly—really, … Continue reading “Xconomy Needs An Entrepreneur-Tennis Player to Take on the VCs”
The Answer, My Friend, Is Certainly Not Blowing in the Wind—or the Corn
This is the last of my articles taking cleantech investing to task sector by sector (keep the hate mail coming, hippies!). The next few will focus on some areas I really like, including storage, solar thermal, water, and others. But first, a bit more constructive bludgeoning. This is a bit of a “two for one … Continue reading “The Answer, My Friend, Is Certainly Not Blowing in the Wind—or the Corn”
Pharmas Flock to Sermo, Biogen Idec Takes Another Tack with MS, $400M More for the Broad Institute, & More Life Sciences News
This week’s Boston-area life sciences news has a little bit of everything—venture deals, new drugs, lawsuits, and a big-time donation. And for the entrepreneurs among you looking for an alternative to the typical venture capital firm, check out Ryan’s directory of corporate VC operations. —The ranks of New England life sciences companies with their own … Continue reading “Pharmas Flock to Sermo, Biogen Idec Takes Another Tack with MS, $400M More for the Broad Institute, & More Life Sciences News”
The “Augmenix” Question: Can Amar Sawhney Do It Again with Latest Hydrogel Startup?
Amar Sawhney has turned a number of products based on his hydrogel inventions into FDA-approved products and rich paydays for his investors. With several successful hydrogel ventures already under his belt, Sawhney is at it again with Augmenix, a Waltham, MA, medical-devices startup developing the versatile materials for an unproven use: To prevent radiation damage … Continue reading “The “Augmenix” Question: Can Amar Sawhney Do It Again with Latest Hydrogel Startup?”
Virtual Computer Exits Stealth Mode—Sort Of
A Westford, MA, startup called Virtual Computer threw off its contentless stealth name on Tuesday (it had been called “Old Road Computing Corporation,” which wasn’t even an allusion to its address, on LAN Drive) and revealed that it’s working on virtualization technology for corporate PCs. But that’s about as far as the company went. For … Continue reading “Virtual Computer Exits Stealth Mode—Sort Of”
Vanu, Inc. Lands $32,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a770aa75-fc0e-4f8b-9bd1-10d5a40a0131&Preview=1 Date 9/4/2008 Company Name Vanu, Inc. Mailing Address One Cambridge Center Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description Vanu® software radio is the first wireless infrastructure solution that enables individual base stations to simultaneously operate GSM, CDMA, iDEN and beyond. With wireless standards developed entirely in software instead of specialized, single-purpose hardware, the … Continue reading “Vanu, Inc. Lands $32,000,000 New Funding”
Histogenics Corporation Garners $9,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5547a2a4-7653-4555-a866-d7e9087f0773&Preview=1 Date 9/4/2008 Company Name Histogenics Corporation Mailing Address 830 Winter Street, 3rd Floor Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description Histogenics Corporation’s approach to cartilage regeneration is to use a technology platform that employs advances in cell biology, tissue culture, engineering, and materials science to affect tissue repair. Website http://www.histogenics.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Histogenics Corporation Garners $9,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
Broad Institute Gets $400M Endowment From Namesakes
Updated Sept. 4 (see below): The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, which is focused on genomic research, is planning to announce Thursday morning its receipt of a $400 million endowment from its founding benefactors Eli and Edythe Broad, according to well-placed sources. The $400 million is expected to enhance the resources that investigators at … Continue reading “Broad Institute Gets $400M Endowment From Namesakes”
Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Department Opening Beijing Office
The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Economic Development is opening a new office in Beijing, the agency said today in a statement. The office, led by Daniel Ding, will maintain a satellite contact office in Shanghai that previously had been shared with four other states. Ding will concentrate on helping Massachusetts companies take advantage of … Continue reading “Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Department Opening Beijing Office”
New Roomba Vacuums Tackle Pet-Hair Woes
Sadly, my old Roomba Red robot vacuum cleaner is now collecting dust—and not in the way it’s supposed to. Its rechargeable battery no longer recharges, and iRobot charges $70 for a replacement. I figure that’s money I might as well put toward a newer model. And now I’m sorely tempted: today Bedford, MA-based iRobot launched … Continue reading “New Roomba Vacuums Tackle Pet-Hair Woes”
Longworth Raising New Fund
Waltham, MA-based Longworth Venture Partners plans to raise $180 million for a new fund, its third, according to regulatory filings cited today by Private Equity Hub. The firm’s first fund of $20.5 million closed in 1999 and its second fund of $120 million closed in 2003; recent payoffs for the firm’s portfolio include Softricity (which … Continue reading “Longworth Raising New Fund”
The Parking Spot Wars
Back in February, I told you about SpotScout, a startup working on a system that drivers can use to search for vacant short-term and on-street parking spots from their computers or mobile phones. At the time, SpotScout was getting a lot of pre-launch publicity (CEO Andrew Rollert had recently appeared on NBC’s Today Show), and … Continue reading “The Parking Spot Wars”
Take You Out to the Ball Game? Sox Will Tie the Sellout Record Today—and We Have Two Tickets for Xconomy Fans
UPDATE: TICKETS GONE! THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE! The Sox are driving for the playoffs, and today they will notch the 455th consecutive Fenway Park sellout to tie the major league record set by the Cleveland Indians in a stretch that ran from 1995-2001. To celebrate, we are giving away two bleacher seats to the historic … Continue reading “Take You Out to the Ball Game? Sox Will Tie the Sellout Record Today—and We Have Two Tickets for Xconomy Fans”
Corporate Life Sciences VCs on the Rise in New England—the List
Some of the most exclusive clubs in the Boston area aren’t actually clubs at all, they are venture capital firms, where partners hold the power to turn ideas into companies—and make themselves a lot of money in the process. So perhaps it’s not surprising that some big companies would want to get in on the … Continue reading “Corporate Life Sciences VCs on the Rise in New England—the List”
In Amazon’s Purchase of Shelfari, a Possible Front in the Battle with Borders—and a Triumph for Social Book Sites
Last week, we reported that Amazon is acquiring Seattle-based Shelfari, a literary social networking site. We also noted that Cambridge, MA-based LibraryThing (which Amazon also owns 40 percent of) had some harsh words for its West Coast rival. John Cook of the Seattle P-I provided some useful insights and comments here (e.g., the deal is … Continue reading “In Amazon’s Purchase of Shelfari, a Possible Front in the Battle with Borders—and a Triumph for Social Book Sites”
Old Road Computing Secures $6,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d0746881-f4eb-4ed2-a177-3006db55bd89&Preview=1 Date 9/3/2008 Company Name Old Road Computing Mailing Address 3 Lan Drive Westford, ME 01886 Company Description Old Road Computing (stealth name) is an exciting new start-up in Westford, MA which will solve the growing problem of managing mobile devices on enterprise networks. Using technology only recently available on these platforms … Continue reading “Old Road Computing Secures $6,000,000 Series A Financing”
Interlace Medical Inc. Garners $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=917681f6-2058-42de-8e9b-7c95a15065c7&Preview=1 Date 9/3/2008 Company Name Interlace Medical Inc. Mailing Address Undisclosed Newton, MA 02462 Company Description The company is developing medical devices for the in-office polypectomy and myomectomy market. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture … Continue reading “Interlace Medical Inc. Garners $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
IRobot Co-Founder Brooks Leaves to Launch New Robotics Firm Aiming to Revitalize U.S. Workforce
MIT roboticist Rod Brooks, one of three co-founders of iRobot and mentor to the other two (chairman Helen Greiner and CEO Colin Angle), is stepping down from his role as the company’s CTO in order to launch his own robotics firm, iRobot announced today. Brooks’ startup, called Heartland Robotics, will focus on industrial and workplace … Continue reading “IRobot Co-Founder Brooks Leaves to Launch New Robotics Firm Aiming to Revitalize U.S. Workforce”
GT Solar Wins $173M Contract with Korean Chemical Firm
In a call with journalists after the release of his company’s first-ever quarterly earnings report last Tuesday, Tom Zarella, CEO of GT Solar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SOLR]]), the Merrimack, NH-based maker of equipment for manufacturing solar photovoltaic cells, said the company had just won a $177 million contract to supply 48 polysilicon reactors to DC Chemical of … Continue reading “GT Solar Wins $173M Contract with Korean Chemical Firm”
Cyberposium 14 — Emerging and Converging
Cyberposium 14? What sounds like a new addition on the periodic table is actually a conference organized by current MBA students at the Harvard Business School to facilitate “an interactive network of current and future business leaders to engage in a provocative dialog about technology and its impact on business and society.” More information on … Continue reading “Cyberposium 14 — Emerging and Converging”
IRobot Wins Open-Ended, $200M Army Contract: Could Extend Beyond Packbot
Bedford, MA-based iRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) said today that the U.S. Army has awarded it a contract for military robots, spare parts, training, and repair services that could bring the company up to $200 million over the next 5 years and give the Army more flexibility to order robots for new missions. The Army uses iRobot’s … Continue reading “IRobot Wins Open-Ended, $200M Army Contract: Could Extend Beyond Packbot”
Targanta Antibiotic Shown Effective in Less-Frequent Dose
Targanta Therapeutics, the Cambridge,MA-based developer of potent hospital-based antibiotics, is on the rise today. The company’s oritavancin treatment, in a single dose or an infrequent dose, showed comparable safety and effectiveness to a three-to-seven day course of therapy tested in previous trials against complicated skin infections. The new results came from a mid-stage clinical trial … Continue reading “Targanta Antibiotic Shown Effective in Less-Frequent Dose”
Hepregen Raises $3 Million To Screen Drugs for Liver Damage
Hepregen, an MIT spinoff company developing a way to screen drugs in development for liver toxicity, has raised $3 million out of a $5 million first round of venture capital, according to a regulatory filing cited by Private Equity Hub. The backers of the company include Battelle Ventures and Innovation Valley Partners. Sangeeta Bhatia and … Continue reading “Hepregen Raises $3 Million To Screen Drugs for Liver Damage”
Noble Environmental Power Sets IPO Size
Noble Environmental Power has set the size of its planned IPO at 23.4 million shares, according to a filing with the SEC. The Essex, CT-based wind-power firm still hasn’t specified a price for the shares; when it initially filed for the offering back in May, it put the maximum price at $375 million.
Idera Receives Milestone Payment from Novartis For Asthma and Allergy Collaboration
Idera Pharmaceuticals, the Cambridge, MA-based developer of treatments for autoimmune and infectious diseases, said today it has received an undisclosed milestone payment from drug giant Novartis. Idera (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IDPH]]) received the payment because Novartis started an early-stage clinical trial of QAX935, a drug that stimulates Toll-Like Receptor 9. The companies entered a partnership in June … Continue reading “Idera Receives Milestone Payment from Novartis For Asthma and Allergy Collaboration”
Teradyne to Pay $250M for Eagle Test Systems
Teradyne (NYSE: [[ticker:TER]]) has agreed to pay approximately $250 million ($15.65 a share) to acquire Eagle Test Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EGLT]]) of Illinois, the North Reading, MA-based maker of electronics testing equipment announced today. Teradyne said it had secured bridge financing—the amount was not disclosed—to help complete the deal. Eagle makes analog, mixed-signal and radio frequency … Continue reading “Teradyne to Pay $250M for Eagle Test Systems”
Investors Radio in $32M for Vanu, JumpTap’s Bank Balance Hops up by $26M, Quanterix Pinpoints $15M, & More Deals News
While many of us were cutting out early for the holiday weekend, and to enjoy the last week of summer, New England tech and life sciences firms were cutting a surprising number of deals. —Tufts spinoff Quanterix closed the second half of a $15 million financing round from Arch Venture Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and … Continue reading “Investors Radio in $32M for Vanu, JumpTap’s Bank Balance Hops up by $26M, Quanterix Pinpoints $15M, & More Deals News”
Ariad Pharmaceuticals Edging Toward Becoming a Commercial Cancer Drug Company
Investors may not be in the mood to hear it when most portfolios are in the gutter, but life goes on during downturns at smallcap biotechs. One example is Cambridge, MA-based Ariad Pharmaceuticals, (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARIA]]), the developer of cancer drugs. Without generating much buzz in the market, the company is edging closer to becoming a … Continue reading “Ariad Pharmaceuticals Edging Toward Becoming a Commercial Cancer Drug Company”
Ideas Boston
IDEAS Boston is all about highlighting and promoting innovation. To that end, it brings cutting-edge thinkers together across their traditional boundaries. As the event description puts it: “The core of IDEAS Boston is an annual conference where leading innovators present their latest—or sometimes their next—big ideas in a fast-paced format that combines succinct and lively … Continue reading “Ideas Boston”
MassTLC Innovation2008 Unconference
Repeat after me, it’s not a conference—it’s an unconference. The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council is hosting this event, which brings selected entrepreneurs, or hopeful entrepreneurs, together with key experts to help them evolve their ideas. As the event describes itself: “These small group meetings are focused on building relationships and helping move new ideas/companies forward. … Continue reading “MassTLC Innovation2008 Unconference”
NCI Funding Opportunities Forum
Need some money for an early-stage business? Michael Weingarten, director of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) at the National Cancer Institute, will be the featured guest at a breakfast in the offices of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council in Kendall Square. Weingarten will give the skinny on the early-stage funding opportunities the NCI has to … Continue reading “NCI Funding Opportunities Forum”
BIF-4 Collaborative Innovation Summit
It’s business story-telling on steroids. No PowerPoints allowed. That’s the agenda for this year’s—the fourth in an ongoing series—Collaborative Innovation Summit put on by the non-profit Business Innovation Factory in Providence, RI. One co-host is Xconomy board member Bill Taylor, bestselling author of Mavericks at Work. You can also hear Xconomist John Abele, who’ll speak … Continue reading “BIF-4 Collaborative Innovation Summit”
Boston Scientific Gets Damages Reduced in Patent Case with Medtronic
Boston Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:BSX]]) said today it scored a victory with a U.S. District Court in Texas. A jury had previously determined the Natick, MA-based medical device company violated Medtronic’s patents on balloon catheters and stent delivery systems, awarding damages of $250 million. The court today found that two patents held by Medtronic (NYSE: [[ticker:MDT]]) … Continue reading “Boston Scientific Gets Damages Reduced in Patent Case with Medtronic”
Greenfield Ditches Quadrangle, Merges with Microsoft in $468M Deal
Wilton, CT-based Greenfield Online (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRVY]]), which owns a network of Internet-based consumer survey and comparison shopping sites, announced a complex sequence of changes today. The company is backing out of a previously announced merger with New York-based Quadrangle Group. Simultaneously, it’s selling its Internet survey business to an as-yet-unnamed buyer from the financial services … Continue reading “Greenfield Ditches Quadrangle, Merges with Microsoft in $468M Deal”
Two MIT Groups Win $275K Google Android Top Prize
(Updated–see Hal Abelson and Clare Bayley comments below:) Google announced the winners of the first round of its Android Developer Challenge yesterday—and at least two teams with core members from MIT (one also had a Harvard member) were among the 10 teams taking home the $275,000 top prize. The teams were selected from 50 finalists … Continue reading “Two MIT Groups Win $275K Google Android Top Prize”
Sprint Picks uLocate to Power Location Services on WiMax Service
Overland Park, KS-based Sprint, which is building a nationwide WiMax network called XOHM, has picked Boston’s uLocate to power the local information and mapping services for XOHM subscribers. XOHM, a so-called “4G” network, will cover entire metropolitan areas with broadband wireless data at speeds approaching those of cable Internet service. In an announcement yesterday, uLocate … Continue reading “Sprint Picks uLocate to Power Location Services on WiMax Service”
Photographing Spaces, Not Scenes, with Microsoft’s Photosynth
Up to now, software giant Microsoft has largely missed out on the digital photography revolution. The most popular photo editing tools come from Microsoft competitors like Adobe and Apple. Flickr, every geek’s favorite photo-sharing site, was invented in Microsoft’s backyard in Vancouver, BC, but went on to become part of Yahoo. And Corbis, Bill Gates’ … Continue reading “Photographing Spaces, Not Scenes, with Microsoft’s Photosynth”
North Shore Biotech Accelerator Wins State Grant
The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the state’s development agency for the innovation economy, says it awarded a $50,000 planning grant to support the eventual launch of the North Shore Life Sciences Accelerator in Beverly, MA. The North Shore LS Accelerator plans to provide life sciences startups with low-cost lab space, intros to investors, and other assistance. … Continue reading “North Shore Biotech Accelerator Wins State Grant”
Quanterix Developing Instrument to Detect Cancer at its Earliest, Most Curable Stages
Quanterix made the news this week when it raised the second half of a $15 million financing round from Arch Venture Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and Flagship Ventures. The Cambridge, MA-based company has no trouble commanding attention, since its technology comes from the lab of Tufts University researcher David Walt, a co-founder of Illumina (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Quanterix Developing Instrument to Detect Cancer at its Earliest, Most Curable Stages”
Hepregen Inc. Garners $3,000,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ae691d2-9c80-4e1a-9d09-aa364da9bd90&Preview=1 Date 8/29/2008 Company Name Hepregen Inc. Mailing Address 24 Calumet Road Winchester, ME 01890-3535 Company Description The company is focused on developing products that reduce the liver toxicity of existing pharmaceuticals Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Hepregen Inc. Garners $3,000,000 Series A Round”
North Bridge, Canaan Pitch In $80M for Active Network
Private Equity Hub reported yesterday that San Diego-based Active Network has raised $80 million in a sixth round of funding led by existing investors North Bridge Venture Partners of Waltham, MA, Canaan Partners of Westport, CT, and ESPN. Existing investor Charles River Ventures of Waltham did not return for this round, which brings the firm’s … Continue reading “North Bridge, Canaan Pitch In $80M for Active Network”
After Cutting Deals With Most of the Big Drug Cos, Sermo CEO Offers Health 2.0 Survival Tip: You Will Not Pay Your Bills with “Ads by Google”
Sermo has garnered the interest of the popular press by drawing doctors into the social networking sphere. Yet among venture capitalists and entrepreneurs the Cambridge, MA, startup has attracted more attention for devising a value proposition to convince the pharmaceutical industry and others to pay for access to its coveted online community of doctors; the … Continue reading “After Cutting Deals With Most of the Big Drug Cos, Sermo CEO Offers Health 2.0 Survival Tip: You Will Not Pay Your Bills with “Ads by Google””
Red Sox Owner’s Simulation Startup, iRacing.com, Waves the Green Flag
In Boston and Seattle, the professional sports teams aren’t just for entertainment—they’re managed by some of the biggest movers and shakers in the two regions’ high-tech economies. In the Seattle area, the Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers are part of Vulcan Inc., owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The Kraft Group, owner of the … Continue reading “Red Sox Owner’s Simulation Startup, iRacing.com, Waves the Green Flag”
Acquia Expands Beta Testing of Commercial Drupal
At the Drupalcon Boston conference back in March, Acquia, the Andover, MA, startup formed as a commercial home for the open-source Drupal social publishing system, showed off a demonstration version of its nascent product, code named “Carbon.” A select group of beta users have been testing Carbon for some time, and today Acquia vice president … Continue reading “Acquia Expands Beta Testing of Commercial Drupal”
Salient Surgical Cuts $86M IPO
Salient Surgical Technologies (formerly TissueLink), of Dover, NH, filed papers with the SEC to withdraw its proposed $86.25 million initial public offering. The maker of medical devices to seal blood vessels during surgery made its initial filing for the IPO in March.
$10M for Expressor Software
Burlington, MA-based Expressor Software, whose products rely on semantic descriptions to simplify the integration of data from disparate sources into data warehouses, announced today that it has raised $10 million in a Series B venture round led by Commonwealth Capital Ventures. Existing investors Globespan Capital Partners and Sigma Partners also participated in the round.