From a venture investment perspective, digital health is having a record year—one that has come as something of a surprise against the backdrop of federal policy uncertainty. But is investor interest extending into artificial intelligence applications for healthcare? That’s a topic we’ll explore at Xconomy’s Healthcare + A.I. Northwest event in Seattle on Nov. 9 … Continue reading “Investors Navigate Promise, Hype, in Funding A.I. for Healthcare”
Category: Boston
Q&A: Xconomy Award Winner Nikhil Wagle on Building Patient Partnerships
[Updated 10/30/ 9:33 am ET to include news of the data release and new tweets, see below.] You only have to see a few tweets from metastatic breast cancer patients and patient groups to see how they feel about the Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Project and its leader, Nikhil Wagle (pictured). The breast cancer oncologist … Continue reading “Q&A: Xconomy Award Winner Nikhil Wagle on Building Patient Partnerships”
Boston Blockchain Firms Shrug Off ICO Critics, Hunt for Talent
Blockchain technologies and digital currencies are arguably the most hyped and least understood areas of tech right now. Unbridled optimism about these emerging sectors—as well as interesting questions about how they’ll play out—were on display Thursday night at an event in Boston’s financial district featuring three local companies pitching virtual token sales. The main takeaway? … Continue reading “Boston Blockchain Firms Shrug Off ICO Critics, Hunt for Talent”
CyberArk, BitSight, Gigavation Join Cybersecurity Lineup on Dec. 5
In the post-Equifax world, companies and individuals are trying to figure out the best way to shore up their tech defenses and keep their data, networks, and devices as safe as possible. On December 5, Xconomy is gathering a who’s who of cybersecurity leaders from Boston and beyond to discuss emerging threats, new tactics in … Continue reading “CyberArk, BitSight, Gigavation Join Cybersecurity Lineup on Dec. 5”
Bio Roundup: CBO’s Praise, Celgene’s Shock, Trump’s Opioid Plan & More
The White House and the FDA turned the spotlight on the nation’s opioid crisis. Blockbuster drugs from Alexion and Tesaro gained expanded approvals, but bad earnings news from Celgene and Biogen brought stocks down. Academics in the U.S. and China made progress with the gene editing technology CRISPR. And as the week’s biggest biotech deal … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CBO’s Praise, Celgene’s Shock, Trump’s Opioid Plan & More”
Watch Out, VCs: A.I. Program Judges Startups at Boston Pitch Event
I rarely attend startup pitch competitions anymore. They’ve grown hackneyed over the past few years, thanks to a proliferation of such events and the popularity of the TV show “Shark Tank.” But a startup contest held Tuesday at a machine learning conference in Cambridge, MA, put a twist on the typical scenario: the startups were … Continue reading “Watch Out, VCs: A.I. Program Judges Startups at Boston Pitch Event”
Gilt Groupe & Glam Squad’s Wilson Zeroes In On Your Closet With Fitz
Fitz wants to get in the closet with you. The New York-based company will send stylists to your clothes closet, help analyze what you wear and why, and reorganize the clothing and accessories that make the cut. “It’s really kind of cathartic,” says Fitz co-founder Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. “We help clients manage their wardrobes and … Continue reading “Gilt Groupe & Glam Squad’s Wilson Zeroes In On Your Closet With Fitz”
One Week Left to Register for Healthcare + A.I. at Pfizer
We’re in the final countdown to Xconomy’s newest event, Healthcare + A.I. Don’t worry, there are still a few seats available—but they’re going fast. On Nov. 2, we’ll gather innovative minds from across machine learning and healthcare to share their insights on the intersection of these fields. It’s all happening at Pfizer’s office in Cambridge, … Continue reading “One Week Left to Register for Healthcare + A.I. at Pfizer”
After Delays, “Social Robot” Jibo Enters Home Assistant Fray
After three years of hype and shipping postponements, Jibo is finally delivering its eponymous “social robot” to customers. The Boston-based company announced Wednesday that its robot is now for sale to the general public, with shipping set to begin in November. The price tag? $899. Jibo (pronounced JEE-bo) launched a crowdfunding campaign for the product … Continue reading “After Delays, “Social Robot” Jibo Enters Home Assistant Fray”
CRISPR Pioneer Zhang Details New Editing System Downstream From DNA
[Updated 10/25/17 4:26pm ET] Researchers at the Broad Institute have adapted the CRISPR-Cas gene editing system so that it can change the sequence of RNA, rather than edit DNA. RNA transports instructions from DNA in the nucleus to the cell’s protein-making machinery. CRISPR/Cas9-based drugs, which aim to correct genetic disease by making permanent changes to … Continue reading “CRISPR Pioneer Zhang Details New Editing System Downstream From DNA”
As Drugs Fail, Some Researchers Urge a Return to Alzheimer’s Roots
As the quest to find treatments for Alzheimer’s disease keeps crashing against rocks, a group of researchers in the field want their peers to pay more attention to the part of the brain where Alzheimer’s disease first wreaks havoc. A new paper from the researchers, published this month in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, is … Continue reading “As Drugs Fail, Some Researchers Urge a Return to Alzheimer’s Roots”
Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Without Cable, 2017 Edition
Hey folks. If you’re thinking about breaking away from the cable monopolies and getting your data, music, and video in other ways, congratulations, I’m with you. I cut the cord back in 2009, and now millions of people are doing the same every year. With the growing interest in cord-cutting, you’d think it would be … Continue reading “Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Without Cable, 2017 Edition”
MassMutual Ventures Launches Second $100M Fund
MassMutual is doubling down on its startup investments. MassMutual Ventures (MMV), the venture capital arm of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, on Tuesday announced the creation of its second $100 million venture fund. MMV, launched in 2014, has so far backed 20 companies with about $80 million from its $100 million first fund, according to … Continue reading “MassMutual Ventures Launches Second $100M Fund”
Bruno Lucidi Appointed CEO of AgenTus Therapeutics
Bruno Lucidi has been named CEO of AgenTus Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Lexington, MA, cancer drug developer Agenus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AGEN]]). AgenTus is also developing cancer treatments, but it will focus specifically on cell therapies. Lucidi’s industry experience includes senior roles at GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]), and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]).
Delphi to Buy NuTonomy for $400M+ as Driverless Car Tie-ups Continue
Another big move today in the race to develop self-driving cars: Delphi Automotive has inked a deal to acquire NuTonomy, an autonomous vehicle software startup, for up to $450 million. The U.K.-based automotive supplier (NYSE: [[ticker:DLPH]]) will pay $400 million up front to acquire Boston-based NuTonomy, plus earn-outs of about $50 million, according to a … Continue reading “Delphi to Buy NuTonomy for $400M+ as Driverless Car Tie-ups Continue”
Massachusetts Leads the Fight for a More (Cyber) Secure Future
Last month, more than 143 million Americans potentially had their credit information, social security numbers, birth dates, and other sensitive information stolen in one of the worst data breaches in modern history. Prior to that, rogue cyber attackers infiltrated the networks of major U.S. and European energy providers, with the potential to cause massive disruptions. … Continue reading “Massachusetts Leads the Fight for a More (Cyber) Secure Future”
TUGG Gives Back, GE Struggles, Foodler Fades & More Boston Tech News
[Updated 10/24/17, 11:07 am. See below.] Before we dive into this week’s Boston tech news roundup, I want to give a shout-out to TUGG (Technology Underwriting Greater Good), a local nonprofit that mobilizes the tech community to give money and time to support charities and social ventures. Last Thursday, TUGG held its seventh annual “Tech … Continue reading “TUGG Gives Back, GE Struggles, Foodler Fades & More Boston Tech News”
DOTS Technology Pulls in $20M for Rapid Food Allergen Detector
DOTS Technology, a stealthy startup developing rapid diagnostics technologies, has raised about $20.4 million from investors, according to a document filed with the SEC. The fresh capital includes Series B preferred stock and common stock that is issuable upon the conversion of the preferred stock, according to the regulatory filing. Natick, MA-based DOTS previously raised … Continue reading “DOTS Technology Pulls in $20M for Rapid Food Allergen Detector”
Arsanis Eyes IPO to Support Clinical Testing of Pneumonia Drug
Arsanis is joining the IPO queue, filing for a stock offering that would raise cash to support a drug that combines two monoclonal antibodies with the goal of preventing pneumonia infections. The filing comes seven months after the Waltham, MA, company raised $45.5 million in a Series D investment round to finance Phase 2 studies … Continue reading “Arsanis Eyes IPO to Support Clinical Testing of Pneumonia Drug”
Xconomy Q&A: An Update with Arcturus Therapeutics CEO Joseph Payne
Things have been moving quickly in recent weeks for the San Diego RNA drug developer Arcturus Therapeutics. After initiating a reverse merger last month, Arcturus signed a research collaboration and worldwide licensing agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of the Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]) family of companies. In a statement last week, Arcturus said it … Continue reading “Xconomy Q&A: An Update with Arcturus Therapeutics CEO Joseph Payne”
Devoted Health, Led by Athenahealth Alums Ed & Todd Park, Bags $62M
[Updated 10/23/17, 12:27 pm. See below.] Devoted Health, a new healthcare company created by former Athenahealth leaders, has raised nearly $62 million from investors, according to a document filed with the SEC. Devoted has now raised a total of $69 million from Venrock and other groups and individual investors, spokesman Kenneth Baer said in an … Continue reading “Devoted Health, Led by Athenahealth Alums Ed & Todd Park, Bags $62M”
Xconomy Young Innovator Award Winner Armon Sharei—CEO Before 30
It was by accident that Armon Sharei first discovered the technology that his startup, SQZ Biotech, is now using to develop cell therapies for cancer. As a grad student at MIT, he and his collaborators developed a relatively quick and simple way to deliver large molecules such as proteins into cells—by squeezing those cells enough … Continue reading “Xconomy Young Innovator Award Winner Armon Sharei—CEO Before 30”
Solvvy Raises $12M Series A for AI-Enhanced Customer Self-Service
[Corrected 10/23/17, 9:30 am. See below.] Customers who try to get straight answers from retail support desks or telecom companies often end up leaning on their phone’s “Operator” button after a robot voice comes on the line and says, “How can I help you? I can understand spoken questions.” Nope. And how many people have … Continue reading “Solvvy Raises $12M Series A for AI-Enhanced Customer Self-Service”
Boston Biomedical Brings on Board Edgar Braendle as Head of R&D, CMO
Boston Biomedical has appointed Edgar Braendle to serve as executive vice president, head of research and development, and chief medical officer. Before joining the Boston-based cancer drug developer, Braendle was president and CEO of ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City. He also previously worked at Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]), where he was global head of the … Continue reading “Boston Biomedical Brings on Board Edgar Braendle as Head of R&D, CMO”
Athenahealth Cuts Jobs and Offices; Wall Street Cheers Profit Focus
Investors are rewarding Athenahealth’s cost-cutting plan to shore up its bottom line. The Watertown, MA-based healthcare IT company’s stock (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ATHN]]) shot up more than 10 percent during Friday trading. (As of this writing Friday afternoon, it’s trading around $125, up about 8 percent from the previous day’s closing price.) On Thursday, Athenahealth said it … Continue reading “Athenahealth Cuts Jobs and Offices; Wall Street Cheers Profit Focus”
Clinical Trial Lab Intrinsic Imaging Joins Rise of AI in Radiology
San Antonio — Algorithms are now a silent, ever-present part of life, turning the wheels that operate our favorite apps, games, television programs, and more. As the complexity of those equations expands, artificial intelligence and deep-learning algorithms are increasingly extending into fields such as healthcare, including diagnostics, which aim to catch health problems in patients. IBM’s … Continue reading “Clinical Trial Lab Intrinsic Imaging Joins Rise of AI in Radiology”
Bio Roundup: Kite’s CAR-T Approved, Obamacare Fix & Lilly mRNA Deal
Kite Pharma wasn’t expecting a regulatory decision for its non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment until November, but this week, the company got the FDA’s O.K. The approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) marks the second time in the two months that the FDA has given the nod to a CAR-T therapy, a treatment made from a patient’s own … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Kite’s CAR-T Approved, Obamacare Fix & Lilly mRNA Deal”
Techstars Mobility Event: Detroit’s Momentum Clear as Startups Shine
Eleven startups that spent the summer working in the Techstars Mobility accelerator program took to the stage to pitch their technologies to a packed house of investors, entrepreneurs, media, and other stakeholders at the Detroit Film Theatre Wednesday. According to Techstars, this demo day event is the world’s largest of its kind. Each company was introduced by … Continue reading “Techstars Mobility Event: Detroit’s Momentum Clear as Startups Shine”
Leerink’s Cozzens on New Health IT Fund, A.I.’s Future as a Platform
Despite uncertainty over the future of the Affordable Care Act, investors continue to see opportunities to build successful businesses in healthcare technology and related services. For several years, the common refrain among healthtech investors has been that the implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs) and the shift from a fee-for-service payments structure to so-called value-based … Continue reading “Leerink’s Cozzens on New Health IT Fund, A.I.’s Future as a Platform”
JPMorgan Chase to Buy WePay; Venmo Adds Merchant Payments
Banks and financial technology companies are scrambling for territory in the online payments arena, as they compete to offer the safest and most convenient digital transaction mechanisms for both consumers and merchants. This week, JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire WePay, a Redwood City, CA-based company that helps software makers build a payment function … Continue reading “JPMorgan Chase to Buy WePay; Venmo Adds Merchant Payments”
Level Playing Field? How Big Company Dominance May Hinder Innovation
The conventional wisdom about Silicon Valley is that it’s a playground for the underdogs, a fertile ground for young entrepreneurs building startups that are going to “change the world.” Instead, the Bay Area—while, yes, still home to thirsty young entrepreneurs—is increasingly the stomping grounds of a few major tech companies that have come to dominate … Continue reading “Level Playing Field? How Big Company Dominance May Hinder Innovation”
With Pitches for HQ2 Made, Cities Wait on Amazon’s 2018 Decision
From Portland to Pittsburgh, it’s likely that every city in the U.S. with more than 1 million people has made its case to Amazon to locate the company’s second headquarters there. At least, hopefully they have already, because today—if you haven’t heard—was the deadline to apply. Amazon sent North America into a frenzy after announcing … Continue reading “With Pitches for HQ2 Made, Cities Wait on Amazon’s 2018 Decision”
For Key Study, UniQure Allowed to Swap Hemophilia Gene Therapies
UniQure is trying to get to the finish line for a hemophilia B gene therapy by switching horses mid-race—and it says it has the blessing from regulators to make the unusual change. The company had been testing a gene therapy candidate called AMT-060 in early-stage clinical trials, with good data to show for it. But … Continue reading “For Key Study, UniQure Allowed to Swap Hemophilia Gene Therapies”
Kite Nabs First Adult CAR-T Approval With Notable Uptick Of Cures
For the second time in two months, remarkable recoveries from desperate cases of cancer have led to early approval of a cutting-edge therapy called CAR-T, which is made from a patient’s own genetically engineered cells. More than a month before the decision was due, the FDA has given the nod to axicabtagene ciloleucel, now branded … Continue reading “Kite Nabs First Adult CAR-T Approval With Notable Uptick Of Cures”
GE & Apple Unite to Bring Industrial Apps to iPhones & iPads
General Electric’s push to remake itself as a software-focused industrial manufacturer took another step forward today with the announcement of a partnership with Silicon Valley giant Apple. The companies are rolling out a software development kit that enables developers to create apps for Apple’s iPhone and iPad that use GE’s Predix, a cloud-based software platform … Continue reading “GE & Apple Unite to Bring Industrial Apps to iPhones & iPads”
Eli Lilly to Pursue mRNA Cancer Vaccines with CureVac Pact
[Updated, 10/19/17, 3:17 pm. See below.] Eli Lilly is getting a foothold in messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccines through a deal with CureVac that could develop up to five new therapies. Indianapolis-based Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) will pay CureVac, headquarted in Germany, $50 million up front, plus make an equity investment in the company valued at … Continue reading “Eli Lilly to Pursue mRNA Cancer Vaccines with CureVac Pact”
Veo Grabs $12M, Led by GV & Lux, to Help Industrial Robots “See”
True artificial intelligence is likely decades away, if it ever comes. In the meantime, companies are making robots “smarter” in less dramatic ways that nevertheless could prove quite useful. Veo Robotics is one of the players trying to boost the intelligence of industrial robots by enhancing their perception and responsiveness to their surroundings—thereby making it … Continue reading “Veo Grabs $12M, Led by GV & Lux, to Help Industrial Robots “See””
Kayyem Joins Lineup for What’s Hot in Cybersecurity on Dec. 5
Join Xconomy for its second annual cybersecurity event on December 5 at WGBH. This year, we will discuss how Boston-area cybersecurity companies are working to advance the state of the art in security automation, behavioral analytics, anti-phishing systems, and other arenas, as venture investment picks up in hot sectors like cryptocurrencies, blockchain and identity management, … Continue reading “Kayyem Joins Lineup for What’s Hot in Cybersecurity on Dec. 5”
Two Accelerator Programs Open in Austin as Texas Bolsters Ecosystem
Austin—Two new startup programs have launched in Austin in the last week: One is a Boston-based program that doesn’t take an equity stake in the startups it helps accelerate, while the second is a new branch of Techstars that’s focused on social and environmental businesses. Austin is the newest city in a growing list in … Continue reading “Two Accelerator Programs Open in Austin as Texas Bolsters Ecosystem”
Vir Biotech Vies for Global Approach to Tackling Infectious Disease
Vir Biotechnology CEO George Scangos aims to develop new infectious disease drugs that can treat people in the U.S. and other developed countries. But he also wants to make these therapies available to the developing world, where the need is great but the financial means to pay for medicine is scarce. To accomplish both goals, … Continue reading “Vir Biotech Vies for Global Approach to Tackling Infectious Disease”
After Trump Sounds Off, Senate Has Adult Conversation on Drug Prices
In advance of an anticipated Senate hearing on drug prices, President Donald Trump once again denounced drug companies as “getting away with murder.” The first time he did so, using the same phrase just before his inauguration, the markets shuddered. He also said at the time that “we’re going to start bidding,” a reference to … Continue reading “After Trump Sounds Off, Senate Has Adult Conversation on Drug Prices”
After Shutdown, Bridj Restarts Engine in Australia Under New Owner
[Updated 10/18/17, 2:01 pm. See below.] Bridj, the Boston-based, app-enabled transit service that shut down in the spring, is apparently making a comeback—in Australia. In a Facebook post on Friday, Bridj said its business was acquired by Australian public transportation operator Transit Systems, which plans to implement Bridj’s service in Sydney, Australia, later this year. … Continue reading “After Shutdown, Bridj Restarts Engine in Australia Under New Owner”
Gemini Reels In $42M to Target Root Causes of Age-Related Blindness
One of the biggest risk factors for vision loss is age. As people grow old, the central part of the retina can become damaged, leading patients to lose the central part of their vision in a condition called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In recent years, scientists have found genetic factors associated with the eye damage … Continue reading “Gemini Reels In $42M to Target Root Causes of Age-Related Blindness”
AirFox ICO, XFactor’s 1st Investments & Other Boston Funding News
[Updated 10/17/17, 9:54 am. See below.] It’s time to catch up on the latest venture capital investments and other funding news from the Boston tech scene: —XFactor Ventures announced its first eight investments. The $3 million fund—formed by Flybridge Capital Partners and a group of women entrepreneurs in Boston, New York, and the Bay Area—plans … Continue reading “AirFox ICO, XFactor’s 1st Investments & Other Boston Funding News”
Boston Tech Watch: Akamai, DraftKings, Grapevine, M33, Zemcar & More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking another new growth equity fund focused on healthcare and software, acquisitions by Akamai Technologies and Grapevine, layoffs at video game maker Disruptor Beam, DraftKings’ expansion, and more. Read on for details. —There’s another new venture capital firm in town: M33 Growth announced it raised $180 million for its … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Akamai, DraftKings, Grapevine, M33, Zemcar & More”
Bridge Project Q&A: “Big Idea” Winners on Connecting Cancer Experts
In the Boston area, two major centers of academic cancer research are separated by the Charles River, which, as local residents know, acts as a barrier in many ways. On the Boston side, the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DFHCC) brings together researchers from seven Harvard-affiliated hospitals and schools, while in Cambridge, MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative … Continue reading “Bridge Project Q&A: “Big Idea” Winners on Connecting Cancer Experts”
Vinod Khosla on A.I., Health, and the Future of Working (or Not)
Entrepreneur-turned-venture capitalist Vinod Khosla made big headlines almost six years ago when he wrote a blog post called “Do We Need Doctors or Algorithms?” In it, he said medicine needed to be reinvented and he predicted a new era in which artificial intelligence might replace most of the functions that doctors do now—and do it … Continue reading “Vinod Khosla on A.I., Health, and the Future of Working (or Not)”
Don’t Miss Your Chance to Save on Healthcare + A.I. on Nov. 2
In just a few weeks, Xconomy is going to host our newest event, Healthcare + A.I., at Pfizer’s offices in Cambridge, MA. The Nov. 2 event will bring together CEOs, doctors, academic researchers, and investors to discuss how artificial intelligence is being applied to the healthcare industry—and what’s coming next. We have a great lineup … Continue reading “Don’t Miss Your Chance to Save on Healthcare + A.I. on Nov. 2”
Synlogic Taps Andrew Gengos for Chief Operating Officer Post
Andrew Gengos has been named chief operating officer and head of corporate development for Cambridge, MA, biotech Synlogic (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SYBX]]). Gengos was most recently president and CEO of Westlake Village, CA-based ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (NYSE MKT: [[ticker:IMUC]]). Synlogic, which genetically engineers microbes for therapeutic applications, went public earlier this year in a reverse merger.
JLABS Takes Stock of Its Experiment in Life Sciences Innovation
What began as a kind of business experiment in innovation has acquired a life of its own. The idea in 2011 was to create a space at what was then Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical research and development facility in San Diego for an “innovation center,” a place where 18 to 20 life sciences startups could … Continue reading “JLABS Takes Stock of Its Experiment in Life Sciences Innovation”