Seed investments in early-stage companies around the country are slowing down, but some seed-stage venture firms in the Boston area apparently are having little trouble raising new funds. The latest example is NextView Ventures, which on Wednesday announced it closed a $50 million fund, the firm’s third. NextView was started in 2010 and raised $21 … Continue reading “NextView Ventures Raises $50M for Third Early-Stage Tech Fund”
Category: Boston
Artaic Assembles $2.1M, Aims to Put Custom Mosaics in More Homes
Ted Acworth is inching closer to his goal of making the ancient art form of mosaics accessible to most 21st century homeowners. Acworth, a mechanical engineer and world traveler, started the Boston-based company Artaic a decade ago after he looked into decorating his home with custom tile mosaics, but discovered it would be too expensive … Continue reading “Artaic Assembles $2.1M, Aims to Put Custom Mosaics in More Homes”
With FDA Nod, Agios, Celgene Get Speedy OK For Blood Cancer Drug
[Updated, 2:10 pm ET, see below] The FDA approved a new blood cancer drug today. Called enasidenib (Idhifa), it’s the latest therapy sold by Celgene, the big cancer drugmaker from Summit, NJ. But the news is significant for other reasons. The drug is the first product to come from the labs of Agios Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “With FDA Nod, Agios, Celgene Get Speedy OK For Blood Cancer Drug”
Athenahealth Looks to Make Changes in Health IT Strategy, Leadership
Change is coming to one of the biggest companies in healthcare IT. Watertown, MA-based Athenahealth said today that its board and management team are reviewing its operations, strategy, and leadership in an effort to cut costs and boost profits, among other things. The news comes on the heels of the 20-year-old company’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ATHN]]) quarterly … Continue reading “Athenahealth Looks to Make Changes in Health IT Strategy, Leadership”
LogMeIn to Buy Israeli A.I. Company Nanorep for $45M
LogMeIn has agreed to acquire Nanorep, an Israeli firm that makes customer service software using artificial intelligence technologies, for around $45 million. The Boston-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LOGM]]) said it expects to pay up to an additional $5 million in “contingent cash payments to certain continuing employees of Nanorep upon their achievement of milestone and retention targets” … Continue reading “LogMeIn to Buy Israeli A.I. Company Nanorep for $45M”
Homology Med Bags $83.5M More, Fueling Push For Gene Editing Twist
One day after the release of a Nature Medicine paper warning of the potential hazards of testing CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in humans, Homology Medicines, a startup advancing a different genetic surgery technique, has just grabbed a big round of funding to make its own clinical push. Homology, of Bedford, MA, wrapped up an $83.5 million … Continue reading “Homology Med Bags $83.5M More, Fueling Push For Gene Editing Twist”
Flex Pharma Picks Interim Executive William McVicar for CEO
Flex Pharma’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FLKS]]) interim CEO, William McVicar, is now officially the company’s top executive. McVicar had been serving as interim CEO of Boston-based Flex since June. He first joined Flex in April as president of research and development. Before joining Flex, McVicar was chief scientific officer of Lexington, MA-based Inotek Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ITEK]]). Last … Continue reading “Flex Pharma Picks Interim Executive William McVicar for CEO”
Invitae Expands Gene Test Menu With Good Start, CombiMatrix Deals
Gene tester Invitae has been clear about the company’s ambitions to make genetic information a standard part of medical practice at all stages of patient care. The San Francisco company is now aiming to offer genetic testing at the earliest stages of life by acquiring two companies that specialize in screening prospective parents and newborns. … Continue reading “Invitae Expands Gene Test Menu With Good Start, CombiMatrix Deals”
CRISPR Pioneer Zhang Preaches Extra Caution In Human Gene Editing
A leading genome-editing researcher is urging extra caution as drug companies race to turn the landmark technology he helped create into human medicine. In a paper published today in Nature Medicine, Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and colleague David Scott argue that researchers should analyze the DNA of patients before … Continue reading “CRISPR Pioneer Zhang Preaches Extra Caution In Human Gene Editing”
Disrupt Indy: Can Data Forge the Path to Inclusive Tech Ecosystems?
U.S. tech startups and investment firms have long been thought of as the domain of white men—because historically, they have been. Although that may be changing as more big tech corporations are pressured to release their diversity statistics and change hiring policies, one only needs to look at the statistics to confirm that women, members … Continue reading “Disrupt Indy: Can Data Forge the Path to Inclusive Tech Ecosystems?”
A.I. Chip Race Redraws Competitive Map Among Tech Firms, Chipmakers
It’s been a long time since tech’s biggest companies could be sorted into discrete buckets according to the products they pioneered—-Google, the search software giant; Apple, the computer and mobile device innovator; e-commerce leader Amazon; business software stalwart Microsoft; and social media engine Facebook. Since then, these major innovators have built on a common resource—increasingly … Continue reading “A.I. Chip Race Redraws Competitive Map Among Tech Firms, Chipmakers”
Five Questions For … Tom Luby, Head of JLabs @ TMC in Houston
Houston—The business of healthcare is in Tom Luby’s blood. It started during a childhood often spent in a family room in the back of his parents’ pharmacy listening to them interact with patients and their caregivers. Those experiences led him to a biology degree at the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh and … Continue reading “Five Questions For … Tom Luby, Head of JLabs @ TMC in Houston”
Agtech Perspectives From Two Days With the Crop Chemicals Crowd
Spraying chemicals on crops has been a standard farming practice for decades. Pesticides and fungicides aren’t going away, but they are ceding some ground to new biological products that aim to help plants in different ways. The past year has seen market launches for microbial products developed to help plants resist stresses from pests and … Continue reading “Agtech Perspectives From Two Days With the Crop Chemicals Crowd”
Bio Roundup: GOP Drama, Immunotherapy Setbacks, Pharma Revamps
Two failed cancer studies this week provided a fresh reminder how little researchers and clinicians understand about immunotherapy’s vagaries: why it works for some people and not for others. The results, in lung cancer and head-and neck cancer, add to recent failures in multiple myeloma and bladder cancer and splash cold water on a sector … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: GOP Drama, Immunotherapy Setbacks, Pharma Revamps”
Modeled After Google’s, ScaleFT Security Tech Entices Rackspace, VCs
Austin and San Antonio—Technology, of course, gives us all greater access to information than ever before. In the context of security, however, that’s often a big problem. Companies have historically set up boundaries around the information they’re trying to protect—firewalls and virtual private networks that either aim to keep unwanted people out or allow restricted … Continue reading “Modeled After Google’s, ScaleFT Security Tech Entices Rackspace, VCs”
DataCamp Nabs $4M for Data Science Courses, Moves to NY
Data scientists remain in high demand. But these days, many types of professionals can boost their career prospects if they have at least a basic level of “data literacy,” says Jonathan Cornelissen. That’s part of the reason why he says his online education company, DataCamp, has been growing over the past couple of years. DataCamp, … Continue reading “DataCamp Nabs $4M for Data Science Courses, Moves to NY”
Tesaro Cashes In Again on PARP Blocker With $100M Takeda Deal
Tesaro rode the clinical success of a cancer drug called niraparib (Zejula) to a three-fold increase in value over the past year. Today it’s cashed in the drug again, striking a licensing deal with Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical. Takeda is paying Waltham, MA-based Tesaro (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TSRO]]) $100 million up front for the rights to niraparib in … Continue reading “Tesaro Cashes In Again on PARP Blocker With $100M Takeda Deal”
Immunotherapy Shakeup: AstraZeneca Inks Merck Deal as Drug Combo Fails
Despite all the great progress made harnessing the immune system to fight cancer, there is still much work to be done to maximize its potential. The latest evidence: disappointing results today from a roughly 1,100-patient study called “Mystic,” a highly anticipated trial from AstraZeneca testing a combination of immunotherapies in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. … Continue reading “Immunotherapy Shakeup: AstraZeneca Inks Merck Deal as Drug Combo Fails”
IRobot Buys French Distributor as Home Robotics Plan Picks Up Steam
[Corrected 7/28/17, 3:36 pm. See below.] Roomba vacuum maker iRobot says it has struck an agreement to acquire Robopolis, a Lyon, France-based distributor of iRobot products, for $141 million in cash. The deal is aimed at boosting iRobot’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) distribution network and ensuring “global brand consistency,” the Bedford, MA-based company says in a press … Continue reading “IRobot Buys French Distributor as Home Robotics Plan Picks Up Steam”
Warehouse Robotics Maker 6 River Systems Grabs $15M
[Updated 7/26/17, 4:56 pm, with comments from co-CEO.] 6 River Systems has scooped up $15 million from investors to help push its robots into more warehouses. The new funding round was led by Norwest Venture Partners, with contributions from earlier backers, including venture firm Eclipse and consumer robotics company iRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]), according to a … Continue reading “Warehouse Robotics Maker 6 River Systems Grabs $15M”
Tetraphase Claws Back From Failed Study, Eyes FDA Filing With New Data
New data have given new life to Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TTPH]]), which now has a shot to bring an experimental antibiotic to market despite a failed trial in the past. The Watertown, MA, company reported positive results late Tuesday in a 500-patient Phase 3 study of its lead antibiotic, eravacycline, in patients with complicated intra-abdominal … Continue reading “Tetraphase Claws Back From Failed Study, Eyes FDA Filing With New Data”
Illumina Accelerator Sees ‘Huge Impact in Genomics’ in New Startups
Genomics startups are increasing in number and quality, so much so that three-year-old Illumina Accelerator has expanded with its latest class to accommodate five of them. Xconomy got an early look at the specialty accelerator’s sixth cohort, which includes a company named for a butterfly and the accelerator’s first digital health startup. Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]), … Continue reading “Illumina Accelerator Sees ‘Huge Impact in Genomics’ in New Startups”
Toast Devours $101M for Restaurant Tech, Plans to Hire 1,000
Toast, the fast-growing restaurant technology company, has just been served a heaping portion of venture capital to continue expanding. On Tuesday, the Boston-based company announced a $101 million investment led by new backers Generation Investment Management—whose co-founder and chairman is former Vice President Al Gore—and Lead Edge Capital. Bessemer Venture Partners and other earlier Toast … Continue reading “Toast Devours $101M for Restaurant Tech, Plans to Hire 1,000”
Biogen, Opening Bottlenecks, Sees Spine Drug Sales, Shares Rise
Another quarter is in the books for Biogen’s nusinersen (Spinraza), the first ever approved drug for spinal muscular atrophy. And despite the drug’s high price and the logistical bottlenecks involved in rolling it out in treatment centers across the country, the Cambridge, MA, company is starting to gain traction. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) reported $203 million … Continue reading “Biogen, Opening Bottlenecks, Sees Spine Drug Sales, Shares Rise”
Investors Pump $10.5M Into Circulation for Medical Transport Software
Technology companies are developing a wide array of healthcare products and services that get deployed in hospitals and homes. Few are focused on what happens in between—the ride to and from medical appointments. Circulation is one of the tech businesses trying to make non-emergency medical transportation more effective and efficient. The company’s software coordinates rides … Continue reading “Investors Pump $10.5M Into Circulation for Medical Transport Software”
Boston Tech Watch: Vets First Choice, nToggle, VoltDB, Embark & More
[Updated 7/25/17, 9:21 am. See below.] Here are some of the recent deals in New England’s tech sector: —Vets First Choice, a Portland, ME-based maker of software for veterinary clinics, announced it raised $223 million from a group of investment firms, including Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Hillhouse Capital Group. —Boston advertising technology startup nToggle … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Vets First Choice, nToggle, VoltDB, Embark & More”
With Helix’s Help, Lose It Adds Genetic Insights to Weight Loss App
Does your genetic code contain information that can help you lose weight? It’s a serious question in science, and in business. Now, the makers of Lose It aim to find out. The nine-year-old mobile app—from Boston-based parent company FitNow—was early in the field of using smartphones to log workouts and meals, and track progress toward … Continue reading “With Helix’s Help, Lose It Adds Genetic Insights to Weight Loss App”
Bio Roundup: Obamacare Persists, FDA Approves, Vertex Wows & More
The attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act took a major hit this week from Senate GOP holdouts who said the Better Care Reconciliation Act either tore down Medicaid too much or left too much of the ACA in place. A straight-up repeal, floated by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, was also shot … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Obamacare Persists, FDA Approves, Vertex Wows & More”
New Frontier: Space Center Crowdfunds for Mission Control Facelift
[Updated 7/25/17 5:18 pm. See below.] Houston—Houston, Mission Control has a problem. The storied control room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston—recognizable to many of us from 1960s news clips of the dawn of the Space Age––is in need of a face-lift. And so, Space Center Houston, the visitor’s center for the JSC, has turned … Continue reading “New Frontier: Space Center Crowdfunds for Mission Control Facelift”
Christopher Ahlberg: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview
The second episode of Xconomy’s new podcast, Xconomy Voices, features Recorded Future co-founder and CEO Christopher Ahlberg. His Somerville, MA-based cybersecurity company monitors both the public, visible Web and the Internet’s darker corners for “threat intelligence” that can help its clients prepare for, and fend off, cyber attacks. Ahlberg’s background in data analytics and his … Continue reading “Christopher Ahlberg: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview”
Will Federal Regulations Nullify State Autonomous Driving Laws?
Although the development of self-driving vehicles is well under way, there are still a lot of questions about potential safety regulations and which segment of government will oversee them. Because the federal government has so far not drafted any rules governing the testing and operation of autonomous cars, it has been left up to state … Continue reading “Will Federal Regulations Nullify State Autonomous Driving Laws?”
NeuroVia Raises $14M to Test Drug for Rare, Fatal Metabolic Disease
Patients who have the rare genetic disorder cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy have few options to stave off the progressive decline of brain and muscle function. Within three to five years of diagnosis, the disease typically becomes fatal. A startup called NeuroVia has developed a drug that it says treats the metabolic defects that lead to the disease’s … Continue reading “NeuroVia Raises $14M to Test Drug for Rare, Fatal Metabolic Disease”
A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests
This story is part of an Xconomy series on artificial intelligence in healthcare. Some of the other stories cover a genomics hackathon, A.I. and radiology, and the impact on doctors and patients. In the classic 1967 film “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s just-out-of-college character gets one word of career advice from a family friend: plastics. In … Continue reading “A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests”
SoftBank-Led $114M Round Puts Qualcomm’s Brain Corp. on New Path
San Diego’s Brain Corp., founded in 2009 as a Qualcomm-incubated startup to develop software and computer systems that emulate the human brain, seems to have found a new path forward. SoftBank’s new Vision Fund has led a $114 million investment to advance the company’s artificial intelligence technology. Qualcomm Ventures, which previously invested about $11 million … Continue reading “SoftBank-Led $114M Round Puts Qualcomm’s Brain Corp. on New Path”
Biotech Week Boston 2017
Biotech Week Boston is dedicated to accelerating the business of biotechnology through new ideas, science, technology and partnerships to make a positive impact on patient health. It is a festival of leading events spanning the drug development value chain, giving you access to the most inventive scientific minds and business leaders in Boston and around … Continue reading “Biotech Week Boston 2017”
Adrian Senderowicz Joins Constellation Pharma as Chief Medical Officer
Constellation Pharmaceuticals has appointed Adrian Senderowicz senior vice president and chief medical officer. Before joining Constellation, a Cambridge, MA-based cancer immunotherapy developer, Senderowicz was chief medical officer at Waltham, MA-based Cerulean Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CERU]]). His experience includes positions at Ignyta (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RXDX]]), Sanofi Oncology (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]), Tokai Pharmaceuticals, and AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]). Senderowicz also worked … Continue reading “Adrian Senderowicz Joins Constellation Pharma as Chief Medical Officer”
Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future
On our new Xconomy Voices podcast, we find the smartest, most successful entrepreneurs and innovators in Xconomy’s network of cities and regions, and we ask them to open up about what they’re working on, what they’re excited about, and why they think their company, product, or idea is going to take the world by storm. … Continue reading “Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future”
Vertex Touts Positive Triple-Drug Data For Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) continued its march away from being the biggest loser in the hepatitis C wars and toward increasing dominance in cystic fibrosis. The Boston firm announced Tuesday that studies of three experimental drug combinations all reported notable improvement in patients who have a different underlying genetic pattern than patients already eligible for … Continue reading “Vertex Touts Positive Triple-Drug Data For Cystic Fibrosis Patients”
Google Glass Upgrades to Business Class, With Enterprise Edition
When Ian Shakil co-founded a company in 2012 to deploy Google Glass in doctor’s offices, his team had never possessed a set of the computer-enhanced eyewear that Google debuted that year. Google wasn’t yet selling the augmented reality glasses, which were being touted as the next big thing in consumer electronics, not as business tools. … Continue reading “Google Glass Upgrades to Business Class, With Enterprise Edition”
Rapid7 Buys Jen Andre’s Startup, Komand, to Automate Security Tasks
[Updated 9/21/18, 11:13 am. See below.] Rapid7 says it has acquired Komand, a small deal between two Boston companies that nevertheless fits into bigger trends in cybersecurity. The acquisition price wasn’t disclosed in the initial deal announcement. Rapid7 (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RPD]]) later revealed it paid $14.8 million in cash, plus it offered potential payments of up … Continue reading “Rapid7 Buys Jen Andre’s Startup, Komand, to Automate Security Tasks”
What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)
The Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf came to San Diego recently on an unusual quest—to meet with dozens of local technology leaders and assess what the region has to offer in terms of innovation. It was Veni, Vidi, Vinti. He came. He saw. He Cerfed. The visit was unusual in part because of Cerf himself. As … Continue reading “What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)”
NewStore Rings Up $50M to Help Retailers Win “Mobile Influence”
Online shopping is going to become a “mobile-only world,” says Stephan Schambach. The entrepreneur has been building e-commerce companies since the early days of the Web in the early 1990s. But with the exploding popularity of smartphones, the day is coming when “we are going to look at desktop commerce with a sense of nostalgia,” … Continue reading “NewStore Rings Up $50M to Help Retailers Win “Mobile Influence””
Amazon Alexa Accelerator Begins in Seattle With Nine Startups
Amazon and Techstars announced the nine companies selected for the Amazon Alexa Accelerator, which began its initial 13-week program in Seattle Monday. Why it matters: Seattle is already a hub of artificial intelligence research and commercialization activity at technology giants including Microsoft and Amazon, and research institutions such as the University of Washington and the … Continue reading “Amazon Alexa Accelerator Begins in Seattle With Nine Startups”
Desktop Metal Grabs $115M, Preps September Launch of First Product
Desktop Metal has added $115 million in venture capital to its coffers. The Series D funding round announced Monday ups the already-high expectations for the Burlington, MA-based metal 3D printing company, one of New England’s biggest technology bets. Two-year-old Desktop Metal has hauled in a total of $212 million from investors—all before shipping its first … Continue reading “Desktop Metal Grabs $115M, Preps September Launch of First Product”
Radius Health Ramps Up for Market as FDA Rejects Rival Amgen Drug
Radius Health has tapped Novo Nordisk veteran Jesper Hoiland to become its new CEO as the company prepares to bring its new osteoporosis drug to the market. The appointment follows rival Amgen’s (NYSE: [[ticker:AMGN]]) Sunday night announcement that its own osteoporosis drug fell short of FDA approval. That rejection keeps the narrow field of approved … Continue reading “Radius Health Ramps Up for Market as FDA Rejects Rival Amgen Drug”
Techstars Mobility Announces 2017 Class, New Industry Partners
The Detroit-based Techstars Mobility program announces its third cohort today, and managing director Ted Serbinski says it’s the most international class yet with startups from five countries. There are also new corporate partners coming on board and additions to the accelerator’s in-house support staff, including two people who have relocated to the Motor City from … Continue reading “Techstars Mobility Announces 2017 Class, New Industry Partners”
Seattle Tech Delegation Heads to Japan, Seeking A.I. Business
Eleven Seattle-area tech companies are heading to Japan this week, carrying with them this region’s credentials in artificial intelligence in hopes of winning new business. The visit follows five meetups organized in Seattle over the last two years in which representatives of large Japanese corporations have heard pitches and discussed business deals with Northwest companies. … Continue reading “Seattle Tech Delegation Heads to Japan, Seeking A.I. Business”
Boston Tech Watch: Amazon, Kayak, Runkeeper, Kaspersky & More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking Amazon’s local expansion plans, a new venture fund that will invest in women-led companies, executive moves at Asics-owned Runkeeper and The Finally Light Bulb Company, and more. Read on for details. —At a press event, Amazon announced plans to hire 900 people that will work at an office … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Amazon, Kayak, Runkeeper, Kaspersky & More”
Akcea Slashes IPO Price Ahead of Filing for Rare Disease Drug
Akcea Therapeutics is joining the parade of biotechs going public, but the company had to cut its stock price and sell more shares in order to pull it off. Cambridge, MA-based Akcea had planned on raising $125 million from the initial public offering, and it hit that target. But the biotech priced its offering of … Continue reading “Akcea Slashes IPO Price Ahead of Filing for Rare Disease Drug”
Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More
Government and industry are rife with awkward acronyms. Take PDUFA, for example. First passed in 1992, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act allows the FDA to collect fees from biopharmaceutical companies when they apply for drug approval; those funds are designated for the regulator’s drug evaluation work. Congress must reauthorize the law every five years … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More”