How do you disrupt an industry that markets itself as the embodiment of “forever?” You bring it back to basics, says Lindsay Reinsmith, co-founder of Ada Diamonds, an online retailer of jewelry with lab-made gemstones in San Francisco. “Science is on our side,” she says. “We confront them with facts.” Machine-made gemstones are created in exactly … Continue reading “Propose With a Lab-Made Diamond? Diamond Tech Retailers Say, “Yes””
Category: Boston
15 For ’18: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 2)
[Corrected, 12/11/17, 1 p.m. ET. See below.] On Monday we posted the first part of our look at what should be some of 2018’s most important clinical data, including trials for lung cancer, heart disease, melanoma, Alzheimer’s disease, rare blood disorders, and more. With part two, we’re previewing studies for migraine, brain cancer, lymphoma, peanut … Continue reading “15 For ’18: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 2)”
After Humanitarian Honor, Flagship’s Afeyan States Case for Immigration
They embrace the unfamiliar, overcome adversity, and through it all, make the most of limited resources. These characteristics describe many entrepreneurs. But they also describe immigrants, says Noubar Afeyan, CEO of Cambridge, MA, venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering. It’s no coincidence that many successful company founders in the U.S. originally came from other countries, Afeyan … Continue reading “After Humanitarian Honor, Flagship’s Afeyan States Case for Immigration”
Gilman’s Next CEO Trick: Taming CAR-T Cells With Obsidian
Genetically modified medicine is here. Two CAR-T therapies, made from a patient’s living T cells, are on the market in the U.S., and many more are in various stages of clinical testing. As remarkable as they might seem, however, these medicines are still fairly crude, with no way to control them once inside a patient’s … Continue reading “Gilman’s Next CEO Trick: Taming CAR-T Cells With Obsidian”
Case’s $150M Rise of the Rest Fund Aims to Boost Flyover Startups
Author, investor, and AOL co-founder Steve Case today announced a new $150 million venture fund aimed at pumping investment capital into tech companies in so-called flyover states. Contributing to the fund is an impressive group of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country. Called the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, it will … Continue reading “Case’s $150M Rise of the Rest Fund Aims to Boost Flyover Startups”
NVBots Sold to Ohio Manufacturer as 3D Printing Interest Grows
[Updated 12/8/17, 3:00 pm, with co-founder’s comments.] Boston-area 3D printing startups have raised significant amounts of venture capital in the past couple of years. Now, they are starting to see some exits. New Valence Robotics, a three-year-old MIT spinout that goes by NVBots, announced Thursday it was acquired by Harrison, OH-based Cincinnati Inc., a manufacturer … Continue reading “NVBots Sold to Ohio Manufacturer as 3D Printing Interest Grows”
Black Venture Capitalists Are Transforming Tech
Would it surprise you to know that there are more than 100 black venture capitalists or that this nationwide ecosystem is growing? Most of the VCs in this expanding ecosystem made pivots from highly successful careers in other fields. They have very impressive academic credentials, business backgrounds comparable to their Silicon Valley peers, and a … Continue reading “Black Venture Capitalists Are Transforming Tech”
First Video Game Therapy Heads to FDA as Akili Touts ADHD Study Win
[Updated 12/4/17, 4:48 pm, with CEO comments.] For the first time ever, a mobile video game used to assess and treat a disease is headed for an FDA review. Akili Interactive Labs, a Boston and San Francisco Bay Area company created by PureTech Health, said Monday that AKL-T01, an experimental video game it has been … Continue reading “First Video Game Therapy Heads to FDA as Akili Touts ADHD Study Win”
ReWalk, Ekso Race to Sell Exoskeletons in Tough Rehab Market
Every day, Ashley Barnes straps a battery-powered device onto her waist, legs, and feet, which allows the paraplegic to stand up from her wheelchair and go for walks with the help of crutches. The wearable brace has motors located at Barnes’s hip and knee joints that move the “exoskeleton,” along with her legs and feet, … Continue reading “ReWalk, Ekso Race to Sell Exoskeletons in Tough Rehab Market”
Last Chance for Tickets to “What’s Hot in Cybersecurity” Tomorrow
Registration is closing soon for Xconomy’s “What’s Hot in Cybersecurity” conference. It’s all happening tomorrow, December 5, at the WGBH offices in Brighton, MA. We have lined up some of the most forward-thinking entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and innovators in cybersecurity. Join us for an afternoon of spotlight talks, chats, and panel discussions on topics such … Continue reading “Last Chance for Tickets to “What’s Hot in Cybersecurity” Tomorrow”
15 For ’18: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)
Many of biotech’s biggest stories in 2017 followed the highly anticipated data from clinical studies. There were monumental successes, like the first-ever approval of a genetically modified living cell therapy, the first FDA application for a gene therapy or a medicine using RNA interference. There were also stinging failures, such as the latest in a long … Continue reading “15 For ’18: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)”
Optum Unveils $250M Venture Fund as Healthcare A.I. Narrows Focus
Investors have pumped a record amount of money into digital health companies this year, according to recent data from StartUp Health. But even with rising interest in the sector, new venture funds continue to join the fray. Take Boston, where several first-time funds focused, at least in part, on healthcare technology have been announced in … Continue reading “Optum Unveils $250M Venture Fund as Healthcare A.I. Narrows Focus”
Milestones of Innovation 15: Entering the New Atomic World
A momentous step into the atomic age happened around 3:20 p.m. Central War Time on Dec. 2, 1942, seventy-five years ago, in a vast, unheated space (a former squash doubles court) under the abandoned University of Chicago football stands at Stagg Field. A cadmium control rod was pulled out from a huge, painstakingly assembled cube … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 15: Entering the New Atomic World”
Bio Roundup: Migraine Data, Cancer Drug Combos, Azar Hearing & More
A pair of migraine drugs made a splash in biotech news this week with published data suggesting that they can reduce the frequency of headaches. These drugs still await an FDA decision, and their impact on patients over the long term are being watched closely. As many as 38 million Americans suffer from migraines, according … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Migraine Data, Cancer Drug Combos, Azar Hearing & More”
Will Foundation’s FDA, CMS Nod Help Cancer DNA Tests Break Through?
In what could be an important step forward for the mainstream acceptance of broad cancer genetic tests, a product from Foundation Medicine has simultaneously won FDA approval and gotten a coverage determination from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Now the question is whether the ruling—the first decision of its kind—will help lead to … Continue reading “Will Foundation’s FDA, CMS Nod Help Cancer DNA Tests Break Through?”
Alexa Roundup: Amazon Improves Its Wish Fulfillment Device
From its earliest days, Amazon has built its business on removing the barriers between people and the things they want to buy. New voice computing technologies and business models unveiled at the company’s annual developer conference in Las Vegas this week represent the continuation of that vision. Alexa and the ecosystem of services and skills … Continue reading “Alexa Roundup: Amazon Improves Its Wish Fulfillment Device”
Former GE CEO Immelt Talks Uber, A.I., and a Rejected Bid for Epic
Artificial intelligence holds promise for healthcare in areas like radiology, but it could be tough sledding for businesses selling narrowly focused products to one customer at a time. The winners in this emerging sector will figure out how to integrate A.I. tools into a broader platform that offers clear value for doctors, hospitals, insurers, and … Continue reading “Former GE CEO Immelt Talks Uber, A.I., and a Rejected Bid for Epic”
Security Firm ReversingLabs Nabs $25M from JPMorgan Chase, Trident
Online threats are mounting, and so are the investments in Boston-area cybersecurity companies. ReversingLabs is one of the latest to raise money—a $25 million Series A round announced Wednesday, led by Trident Capital Cybersecurity and JPMorgan Chase. Cambridge, MA-based ReversingLabs’ software aims to help businesses and government entities detect advanced security threats and respond to … Continue reading “Security Firm ReversingLabs Nabs $25M from JPMorgan Chase, Trident”
“Responsive” Machine Learning Could Lessen Cybersecurity Tradeoffs
In the wake of the Equifax breach and the global WannaCry ransomware outbreak earlier this year, tensions around cybersecurity are running high. According to a recent study conducted by the Ponemon Institute and sponsored by Barkly, seven out of 10 organizations are reporting their security risk has significantly increased during the past 12 months. Only … Continue reading ““Responsive” Machine Learning Could Lessen Cybersecurity Tradeoffs”
With $114M Injection, Semma Continues Quest for Diabetes Cell Therapy
For all the excitement surrounding stem-cell based therapies in the early 2000s, the field still has little to show for it in terms of approved therapies. The many technical challenges of working with stem cells have not, however, deterred Semma Therapeutics, which today announced a whopping $114 million Series B round from a sizable list … Continue reading “With $114M Injection, Semma Continues Quest for Diabetes Cell Therapy”
Drug Prices, Industry Ties Take Spotlight at HHS Nominee Azar Hearing
If Wednesday’s hearing for Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee Alex Azar is any indication, reining in drug prices and insurance premiums are the policy priorities that will guide Congress’s interaction with the department under a new leader. For the better part of the three-hour hearing by the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, … Continue reading “Drug Prices, Industry Ties Take Spotlight at HHS Nominee Azar Hearing”
Pwnie Express Wrangles $8M, Names Board Member DeSisto CEO
[Updated 11/29/17, 4:56 pm. See below.] Pwnie Express, a Boston cybersecurity company that helps businesses detect rogue devices on their networks, has pulled in more venture capital and appointed a new CEO. Pwnie (pronounced “pony”) announced Wednesday it received an $8 million investment and named board member Todd DeSisto as its chief executive. DeSisto takes … Continue reading “Pwnie Express Wrangles $8M, Names Board Member DeSisto CEO”
Saver Rate Ending—Grab Your Ticket to What’s Hot in Cybersecurity
Next week Xconomy will host our second cybersecurity conference, “What’s Hot in Cybersecurity”—and we’re offering you a chance to save $145 if you register now. The afternoon conference features spotlight talks, fireside chats, and panel discussions that will address how top names in cybersecurity are working to advance the field. It all takes place on … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ending—Grab Your Ticket to What’s Hot in Cybersecurity”
VCs Put More Dollars Into Exosomes as Codiak Bio Lands $76M
Codiak BioSciences, the startup run by former Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) research chief Doug Williams, has rung up its third big round of cash in two years. The Cambridge, MA, company has closed a $76.5 million Series C round from a large group of investors, among them founding backers Flagship Pioneering and Arch Venture Partners, and … Continue reading “VCs Put More Dollars Into Exosomes as Codiak Bio Lands $76M”
Joining Trend, WI Creates New Business Entity: Benefit Corporations
On Monday, Wisconsin enacted legislation allowing companies to incorporate as benefit corporations. Although this may sound like routine, small-time legislative business, it is just as significant as major policy initiatives being debated in the halls of Congress. On issues from net neutrality to workers’ rights, corporations are perceived to—and often do—engage in practices that maximize … Continue reading “Joining Trend, WI Creates New Business Entity: Benefit Corporations”
Boston Tech Watch: Casa IPO Plan, Rapid7 HQ, Optimus Deal & More
[Updated 11/29/17, 1:33 pm. See below.] Now that everyone has sufficiently recovered from their turkey comas, it’s time to catch up on some recent headlines from the Boston-area tech scene: —Casa Systems could be the area’s second tech IPO of 2017, if it follows through on plans disclosed in a recent SEC filing. The Andover, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Casa IPO Plan, Rapid7 HQ, Optimus Deal & More”
Prognos Adds $20.5M for A.I. That Aims to Diagnose Diseases Earlier
This year, money has been funneling into companies that apply artificial intelligence to healthcare, from diagnostics to speech recognition software. The latest recipient is New York-based Prognos, which says it just closed a $20.5 million Series C round from a group of prominent insurers, drug makers, and venture capital investors. Prognos’s A.I.-related software aims to … Continue reading “Prognos Adds $20.5M for A.I. That Aims to Diagnose Diseases Earlier”
BetterLesson Collects $10M to Push Teacher Development Software
As more K-12 schools adopt technologies meant to help deliver an education customized to each student, the methods for coaching teachers are becoming more digital and personalized, too. The latest sign comes from BetterLesson, a Cambridge, MA-based edtech company that today announced it raised a $10 million Series B funding round to expand the use … Continue reading “BetterLesson Collects $10M to Push Teacher Development Software”
Agenda Posted for Xconomy’s What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech on Dec. 6
Next month, Xconomy will convene an elite group of biotech executives, researchers, and investors from the San Francisco Bay Area to discuss how they are building new organizations and bringing new projects and products forward to address major healthcare challenges. We have a full roster of speakers for the Dec. 6 event. The full agenda … Continue reading “Agenda Posted for Xconomy’s What’s Hot in Bay Area Biotech on Dec. 6”
As AMD Race Tightens, Regeneron’s Second Eye Drug Combo Falls Short
Another attempt to use a combination of drugs to improve upon the current treatments for age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in the elderly, has failed. The news is a setback for Tarrytown, NY-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:REGN]]), which is trying to fend off the competition for its most successful drug, a … Continue reading “As AMD Race Tightens, Regeneron’s Second Eye Drug Combo Falls Short”
Xconomy’s Diversity Award Winners Show How to Foster an Inclusive Workforce
How did Joan Reede, Harvard Medical School’s head of diversity, decide to pursue a medical career? Credit television. As a young girl, Reede says she was interested in nursing. Her aunt was a nurse and she thought nursing was a woman’s job. But while in junior high, she stumbled upon the popular 1960s TV medical … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Diversity Award Winners Show How to Foster an Inclusive Workforce”
ClimaCell Bags $15M to Predict Weather from Wireless Network Signals
Local meteorologists might avoid being the butt of so many jokes, if the latest crop of weather technology startups have their way. A number of young companies are trying to improve the methods for tracking and predicting the weather. Some are tackling the problem from space, like Spire Global, whose network of small satellites gather … Continue reading “ClimaCell Bags $15M to Predict Weather from Wireless Network Signals”
Cytokinetics Pivots to Another ALS Drug After Phase 3 Failure
Cytokinetics’ bid to offer a new drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was dealt a setback after the company’s lead experimental treatment for the disease failed in a late-stage clinical trial. The results mean the end for tirasemtiv, one of the drugs furthest along in clinical development for the muscle-weakening condition also known as Lou … Continue reading “Cytokinetics Pivots to Another ALS Drug After Phase 3 Failure”
Biogen Finds Clancy’s Replacement, Names Capello New CFO
Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) has named Jeffrey Capello its new executive vice president and chief financial officer. Capello, a former Boston Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:BSX]]), Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, and PerkinElmer (NYSE: [[ticker:PKI]]) executive, will start on December 11. Biogen has been searching for a CFO ever since Paul Clancy, who spent more than 16 years at the company, … Continue reading “Biogen Finds Clancy’s Replacement, Names Capello New CFO”
Two Weeks Til What’s Hot in Cybersecurity: Startups Can Win Tickets!
We are only two weeks away from “What’s Hot in Cybersecurity”—and we’re offering you a chance to save $145 on regular registration. Join us for an afternoon of spotlight talks, fireside chats, and panel discussions that will delve into a variety of cutting-edge cybersecurity topics. It all takes place on Tuesday, December 5, at WGBH’s … Continue reading “Two Weeks Til What’s Hot in Cybersecurity: Startups Can Win Tickets!”
Locus Robotics Gets $25M to Help Warehouse Owners Compete With Amazon
As we head into holiday shopping season, here’s some news on the e-commerce warehouse front. Locus Robotics, based in Wilmington, MA, says it has secured $25 million in Series B funding led by Scale Venture Partners. The new money brings Locus Robotics’ total venture haul to at least $33 million. Founded in 2015, Locus Robotics makes … Continue reading “Locus Robotics Gets $25M to Help Warehouse Owners Compete With Amazon”
Ed Kaye on Sarepta’s Duchenne Quest, Rising to CEO & His New Startup
[Updated, 2:45 pm ET, see below] Ed Kaye never thought he’d run a biotech —until waking up one day in 2015 realizing not only that he could, but that Sarepta Therapeutics, where he was chief medical officer at the time, may fall apart if he didn’t. In March 2015, Kaye (pictured) was one of many … Continue reading “Ed Kaye on Sarepta’s Duchenne Quest, Rising to CEO & His New Startup”
Adams Pivots From Advisory Role, Takes on Head Seat At Gamida Cell
Julian Adams, the former Infinity Pharmaceuticals R&D chief who famously helped shepherd along the multiple myeloma drug bortezomb (Velcade), has re-emerged as a full-time senior executive at a biotech company. Adams has been named the chairman and CEO of Jerusalem-based immunotherapy developer Gamida Cell, one of the portfolio companies of Israeli venture firm Clal Biotechnology … Continue reading “Adams Pivots From Advisory Role, Takes on Head Seat At Gamida Cell”
Cengage Defends Value of Digital Course Materials Amid Print Decline
Textbook publishers are making progress on shifting their businesses from print to mostly digital products. Now comes the hard part: figuring out how to reverse revenue declines when your business is built on digital course offerings that are generally much cheaper than books. Take Cengage, one of the largest education publishers. Digital products now comprise … Continue reading “Cengage Defends Value of Digital Course Materials Amid Print Decline”
Stratim CEO Sees Future with Costly Driverless Cars, but Low Ride Fares
Like many tech entrepreneurs, Sean Behr had a young business that was popular with consumers, but was also losing money. So in February of 2016, he decided to refocus his San Francisco startup on the small, but unexpectedly profitable aspect of his service that could operate in the black. That pivot put Behr in a … Continue reading “Stratim CEO Sees Future with Costly Driverless Cars, but Low Ride Fares”
Bio Roundup: ICER Eyes Cost, Azar at HHS, Gates’s ALZ Cash & More
In our roundup this week, Alzheimer’s disease is in the news, thanks to billionaire Bill Gates and his personal pledge of $100 million toward R&D. That could equal the amount one startup hopes to raise in an IPO to develop drugs for Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. If a treatment became available, could our health … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ICER Eyes Cost, Azar at HHS, Gates’s ALZ Cash & More”
Healthcare + A.I. in Boston: The Photos
Our first forum focused on the intersection of healthcare and artificial intelligence was a truly standout event. We struck a nerve with this topic and timing, as healthcare and pharma companies are all trying to figure out (and implement) their A.I. and machine learning strategies. And it’s not easy. There’s no way to summarize the … Continue reading “Healthcare + A.I. in Boston: The Photos”
At Seattle Children’s, Another Piece of Ambitious CAR-T Plan in Place
The researchers and doctors at Seattle Children’s are embarking upon a complicated quest, involving multiple clinical studies of cutting-edge CAR-T cell therapies, to help kids and young adults with an aggressive form of leukemia. As of today, one key part of their plan can begin, thanks to a green light from the FDA. New clinical … Continue reading “At Seattle Children’s, Another Piece of Ambitious CAR-T Plan in Place”
After Quadrupling in Size, Lessonly Raises $8M Series B
Lessonly, the Indianapolis-based startup focused on team training software, this week announced it has raised an $8 million Series B funding round. Led by Boston’s OpenView Partners, the round also drew contributions from Rethink Education, High Alpha Capital, and Allos Ventures. Max Yoder, Lessonly CEO and co-founder, says the company has quadrupled in size over … Continue reading “After Quadrupling in Size, Lessonly Raises $8M Series B”
IRobot’s Colin Angle on the Home Run of Robotics (It’s Not A.I.)
When it comes to consumer robotics, iRobot has to be the poster child. It was born 27 years ago out of MIT, founded by legendary roboticist Rodney Brooks, now professor emeritus, and two of his students, Helen Greiner and Colin Angle. Over the years, the company has made many forays into various products—including the My … Continue reading “IRobot’s Colin Angle on the Home Run of Robotics (It’s Not A.I.)”
Balter Steps Down as Mylestone CEO, Shifts to Chairman
[Updated 11/16/17, 10:47 am. See below.] Dave Balter, a serial entrepreneur and startup investor in the Boston area, has stepped down as CEO of one of his latest ventures, Mylestone. Balter has shifted to the role of chairman, and Mylestone head of product Drew Condon is now the chief executive, Balter announced in a blog … Continue reading “Balter Steps Down as Mylestone CEO, Shifts to Chairman”
X4 Pharma Pulls In $27M for Immune Drug in Cancer, Rare Diseases
The immune system can’t fight disease if its cells don’t reach their targets. In some cancers and rare immune deficiency disorders, immune cell levels are too low. X4 Pharmaceuticals has developed drugs that it says can help restore these counts to normal, and the company now has $27 million to test them in key clinical … Continue reading “X4 Pharma Pulls In $27M for Immune Drug in Cancer, Rare Diseases”
Self-Driving Stampede: Why Mobility Startup Prices Keep Going Up
When automotive supplier Delphi forked over approximately $450 million to buy Boston-based software startup NuTonomy last month, it was the latest in a spate of high-dollar acquisitions involving companies that develop self-driving technologies. NuTonomy, founded by MIT researchers, was only four years old and had raised $16 million in a Series A round the previous … Continue reading “Self-Driving Stampede: Why Mobility Startup Prices Keep Going Up”
Vanu Bose Tribute, Plus Latest Boston Tech Headlines
We start this week’s Boston tech watch on a somber note: Vanu Bose, a local technology executive and MIT alumnus, passed away Saturday from a sudden pulmonary embolism, according to an announcement from MIT. He was 52. Bose was the founder and CEO of 19-year-old wireless networking company Vanu, which recently donated some of its … Continue reading “Vanu Bose Tribute, Plus Latest Boston Tech Headlines”
CarGurus Stock Up After First Report to Wall Street: 3 Takeaways
CarGurus’ stock price is up around 10 percent Wednesday after the company delivered positive financial results in its first quarterly report since going public. The Cambridge, MA-based software company’s stock (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CARG]]) was trading just under $33 per share as of this writing Wednesday morning, up from Tuesday’s closing price of $29.82. CarGurus released its … Continue reading “CarGurus Stock Up After First Report to Wall Street: 3 Takeaways”