Category: Boston

Five Takeaways from “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech”

“What’s Hot in Boston Biotech” can change with the wind. One week it might be a multi-billion dollar buyout, the next a high profile startup. Keeping up with the latest high-flying companies and issues can be tricky when you’re running an event in one of biotechnology’s epicenters. This year, before a packed house at Biogen’s … Continue reading “Five Takeaways from “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech””

A Pivotal Factor In M&A Deals: Cyber Risk

Big merger and acquisition proposals trigger intense examinations of the benefits and risks of the deal from both sides—valuations, assets, legal liabilities, operational risk exposures, and compatibility, among others. However, it is also critical that companies elevate another factor to the top of the priority list: their cyber risk exposure. The pending acquisition of Starwood … Continue reading “A Pivotal Factor In M&A Deals: Cyber Risk”

GE Can Help Boston Lead Internet of Things Era, Steve Case Says

The U.S. tech industry’s center of gravity shifted from Boston to Silicon Valley during the rise of consumer Internet companies. But the Boston area has an opportunity to be a leader in software’s next era, particularly around the emerging “Internet of things,” according to AOL co-founder Steve Case. And GE’s move here will give Boston … Continue reading “GE Can Help Boston Lead Internet of Things Era, Steve Case Says”

Steve Case’s Rules for Building Startups in Internet’s “Third Wave”

Software could be poised to truly transform entrenched sectors like healthcare, education, financial services, and more. But the next wave of software companies will take longer to build than some entrepreneurs have grown accustomed to in the smartphone era, and success will require more patience and willingness to work closely with policymakers and industry stakeholders. … Continue reading “Steve Case’s Rules for Building Startups in Internet’s “Third Wave””

TiE StartupCon 2016

Information and registration here. On Friday, April 15, TiE-Boston will bring you TiE StartupCon, New England’s largest startup conference, with over 1,000 attendees, all-day panels and networking. This year the conference promises to be even bigger and better, featuring keynotes by renowned biotechnologist and inventor Bob Langer; author of the Innovator’s Dilemma and Co-Founder of … Continue reading “TiE StartupCon 2016”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: PfizerGan, Nimbus, Intercept, Tesaro & More

This past week started out with a big alliance between Gilead Sciences and Nimbus Therapeutics in one of biotech’s biggest contests—the race to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. Those who packed Biogen on Wednesday for our biotech forum, “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech,” got an inside look at what led to that deal and where … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: PfizerGan, Nimbus, Intercept, Tesaro & More”

The Case For An Internet Franchise Model

Internet service in America is not what it should be. Most consumers have two choices for access: the phone company or the cable company. By a quirk of fate, networks built with cables designed for television service can deliver more Internet bandwidth than networks built with cables designed for telephone service. So, the cable company … Continue reading “The Case For An Internet Franchise Model”

RiskRecon Secures $3,000,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a77fffc7-7099-4fa0-8850-7d73a3ae5106 Date 4/8/2016 Company Name RiskRecon Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02108 USA Company Description RiskRecon enables you to control third party risk by providing vendor security assessments that are comprehensive, actionable and available on demand. Website http://www.riskrecon.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “RiskRecon Secures $3,000,000 Seed Round”

NanoComp Technologies Lands $3,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e6976f41-b238-44ce-a845-a611bf14fe14 Date 4/8/2016 Company Name NanoComp Technologies Mailing Address 57 Daniel Webster Highway Merrimack, NH 03054 USA Company Description NanoComp Technologies Inc (NCTI) was formed in 2004 as a spin-out of Synergy Innovations, Inc. a Concord, NH based technology development company. Website http://www.nanocomptech.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “NanoComp Technologies Lands $3,000,000 New Funding”

Advisory Panel Backs Intercept’s Liver Drug, FDA Ruling up Next

A panel of FDA advisors gave a thumbs-up today to obeticholic acid, a drug from New York-based Intercept Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICPT]]) that the agency is considering as a treatment for a rare autoimmune liver disease. The outside advisors, mainly medical specialists from around the U.S., recommended that the FDA approve obeticholic acid, or OCA, by … Continue reading “Advisory Panel Backs Intercept’s Liver Drug, FDA Ruling up Next”

From Funding to Fabrics, This Week’s Boston Tech Highlights

This week in Boston’s technology scene, we’re tracking new capital for startups, executives on the move, a local fintech company’s foray across the pond, and Staples’ unexpected move to bring more people into its stores. Read on for details. —LevelUp, a Boston-based mobile payments software company, raised $5 million from investors, according to a new … Continue reading “From Funding to Fabrics, This Week’s Boston Tech Highlights”

How Startups Can Run Better Landing Page Tests

In today’s fast-changing world, new product teams are constantly pushed to do more faster. They need to run fast to keep up with rapidly changing market conditions. Oftentimes it means making decisions about what to invest in with very little information. How can teams validate hypotheses without over-investing on speculative engineering projects, and potentially losing … Continue reading “How Startups Can Run Better Landing Page Tests”

Lola Travel Secures $19,700,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44e3e4f9-5b0f-4593-9547-03c612ed199c Date 4/7/2016 Company Name Lola Travel Mailing Address 250 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Lola is a new kind of travel service that provides real human travel expertise on-demand through our smartphone app. We research vacation dreams, book flights, hotels, and whatever else our members need, and we’re … Continue reading “Lola Travel Secures $19,700,000 Series A Financing Round”

Bind Therapeutics Sheds Employees, Considers New Capital or Deals

Bind Therapeutics, the Cambridge, MA-based biotech that hired a Bristol-Myers Squibb oncology researcher as its chief scientific officer in December, is laying off 38 percent of its workforce this month to limit the amount of cash it burns through, the company said in a prepared statement. Bind (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIND]]) expects it will have 61 employees … Continue reading “Bind Therapeutics Sheds Employees, Considers New Capital or Deals”

Announcing Xconomy Indiana—11th Region in Our Network

Just over two years ago, when we launched Xconomy Wisconsin as the ninth region in our network, I wrote: “There are no flyover zones in the United States. That’s the way Xconomy views the map, anyway, because we see innovation happening all over America.” Since that time, we expanded again, to Raleigh-Durham. And I am … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Indiana—11th Region in Our Network”

As Rivals Make News, Intercept Heads To Daylong Hearing For Liver Drug

Tuesday morning, FDA scientists published a thick document describing their view of the drug obeticholic acid as a treatment for a rare form of liver disease called primary biliary cirrhosis. With that document in mind, a panel of outside advisors will spend Thursday grilling the drug’s maker, New York-based Intercept Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICPT]]), and recommend … Continue reading “As Rivals Make News, Intercept Heads To Daylong Hearing For Liver Drug”

Tablelist Secures $1,175,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d1c97c59-be5c-4bf9-9d5f-02c673d25413 Date 4/6/2016 Company Name Tablelist Mailing Address 665 Washington St. Boston, MA 02111 USA Company Description Tablelist provides an unparalleled level of access to the world of nightlife. By seamlessly connecting table bookers through our apps, we make cities more accessible, creating memorable experiences for our members and more business for … Continue reading “Tablelist Secures $1,175,000 New Funding”

Jobble Receives $1,200,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=87286b1e-0ccc-44ef-9a05-fbf586921b1e Date 4/6/2016 Company Name Jobble Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02119 USA Company Description Jobble puts the power of recruiting and managing an on-demand workforce in the hands of companies and agencies. You get the operational efficiencies of a staff management platform plus a professional and vetted on-demand workforce, with ratings … Continue reading “Jobble Receives $1,200,000 New Funding Round”

Paul English’s Lola Nabs $20M For “Conversational Commerce” Play

Paul English is more convinced than ever that something he calls “conversational commerce” is the way of the future. He’s talking about consumers ordering stuff via text messages with a software bot or, if you’d believe it, an actual human being. The Kayak co-founder’s new travel technology startup, Boston-based Lola, is part of this emerging … Continue reading “Paul English’s Lola Nabs $20M For “Conversational Commerce” Play”

Immelt Puts Human Face, and Dollar Amounts, on GE’s Move to Boston

On any other day, the State Room on the 33rd floor of 60 State Street would afford sweeping views of Boston’s financial district, state house, and waterfront. But on Monday, it was shrouded in a snow squall—a reminder that few things come easy in New England, least of all springtime. Inside the room, elite politicians … Continue reading “Immelt Puts Human Face, and Dollar Amounts, on GE’s Move to Boston”

Software Study Ranks San Diego #7, Cites Prowess in Scientific R&D

A study to assess the strength of San Diego’s software sector has determined that it ranks seventh among the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, according to a “software power index” that weighs a variety of economic factors. The study, released last week by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., is the first comprehensive analysis … Continue reading “Software Study Ranks San Diego #7, Cites Prowess in Scientific R&D”

DigiFabCon 2016

From the event organizer: “Partially funded by Chevron, the fourth DigiFab Conference this year joins the Cambridge Science Festival to explore how digital fabrication technologies including 3D Printing are changing the world. Attendees at the Microsoft NERD Center will hear first hand stories from Cambridge & around the world on fostering startups, workforce development for … Continue reading “DigiFabCon 2016”

Making the Price Right: Ideas To Change Drug Costs Gain Momentum

If the U.S. presidential primaries continue their current trajectories, the two contenders come autumn will have at least one thing in common: a stated desire to do something about high drug prices. Maybe you believe them, and maybe you think they’re blowing smoke up our nether regions. But momentum is momentum. With consumers, doctors, and … Continue reading “Making the Price Right: Ideas To Change Drug Costs Gain Momentum”

Entasis Therapeutics Garners $50,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=af8db5a7-600e-4f81-bba3-28aa4d799a4b Date 4/5/2016 Company Name Entasis Therapeutics Mailing Address 35 Gatehouse Drive Waltham, MA 02451 USA Company Description Entasis Therapeutics is developing a portfolio of innovative cures for serious drug-resistant bacterial infections, a global health crisis affecting the lives of millions of patients. Our deep pipeline of novel clinical and preclinical antibacterial … Continue reading “Entasis Therapeutics Garners $50,000,000 Series B Funding”

AstraZeneca Spinout Entasis Snags $50M For Anti-Infective Treatments

Entasis Therapeutics, the AstraZeneca spinout developing novel antibiotics, has raised a $50 million Series B round to push forward the creation of a portfolio of treatments for drug-resistant bacterial infections. AstraZeneca announced it was creating Entasis in July, having funded the company with a $40 million Series A. This newest round was led by Clarus … Continue reading “AstraZeneca Spinout Entasis Snags $50M For Anti-Infective Treatments”

Napa Summit 2016: Request Your Invite to Our Most Special Event

There are all sorts of reasons for requesting an invitation to Xconomy’s Napa Summit, which will take place in just six weeks—on May 16-17.  One is the fantastic array of speakers: John Maeda, design partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, and Byers; virtual reality virtuoso Mary Lou Jepsen of Facebook/Oculus; tech investor Esther Dyson; computing visionary … Continue reading “Napa Summit 2016: Request Your Invite to Our Most Special Event”

Nimbus’s LLC Origins Pay off As Gilead Shells Out $400M For Liver Drug

When Nimbus Therapeutics started out as a company called Nimbus “Discovery,” it was structured in a way that would allow it to easily sell one of its assets to an acquirer. Though the company has since changed its name, that original decision paid off today: Gilead Sciences is paying as much as $1.2 billion for … Continue reading “Nimbus’s LLC Origins Pay off As Gilead Shells Out $400M For Liver Drug”

Robo Madness: The A.I. Explosion, in Pictures and Takeaways

Our second annual robotics event in Boston was a huge success—and a lot of fun. It covered a vast amount of ground: not just the latest advances in robot technologies and businesses, but also the rise of artificial intelligence in tech companies and the mainstream vernacular. Big thanks to Google, our hosts, for providing a fantastic space … Continue reading “Robo Madness: The A.I. Explosion, in Pictures and Takeaways”

Veering Off Topic With VoltDB CEO Bruce Reading

Next up in my series of conversations with executives that take a bit of a left turn: Bruce Reading, chief executive of VoltDB. The Bedford, MA-based startup makes database technology geared toward speed. It was founded in 2009 by Mike Stonebraker, the MIT computer scientist and prolific entrepreneur, and Scott Jarr, a former vice president … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With VoltDB CEO Bruce Reading”

Single Digits Secures $1,558,500 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e5569d21-0f9b-4afa-8bc3-107cbbb3fd3c Date 4/4/2016 Company Name Single Digits Mailing Address 4 Bedford Farms Drive Bedford, NH 03110 USA Company Description Single Digits is a leading global provider of High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) management and support solutions, guest management software and technical support services. Website http://www.singledigits.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,558,500 … Continue reading “Single Digits Secures $1,558,500 New Financing”

At Long Last, First Drug Approval in Sight for Amicus

It’s an understatement to call Amicus Therapeutics’ quest to get its first drug approved a roller coaster ride. But it looks like the twists and turns might soon be over for the Cranbury, NJ-based company—at least in Europe. The committee of medicinal products for human use (CHMP) on Friday recommended approval of Amicus’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FOLD]]) … Continue reading “At Long Last, First Drug Approval in Sight for Amicus”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: NY Disruptors, Commense, Regeneron, & More

Our East Coast drive started in New York this week, where we took a close look at the state of the city’s biotech ecosystem and the road ahead through the eyes of some of the area’s scientific entrepreneurs and investors. Over in the suburbs, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ partnership with Sanofi continued to pay dividends, with some … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: NY Disruptors, Commense, Regeneron, & More”

Trading Quality for Ease: Confessions of an Earbud Junkie

This is the story of a reawakening. I’ve come home to the world of real home stereo sound, after too many years hooked on music trickling through smartphone earbuds and devices with small, crappy speakers. Don’t worry, I haven’t turned into an audiophile. I’m not going to preach to you about some $40,000 turntable with … Continue reading “Trading Quality for Ease: Confessions of an Earbud Junkie”

What’s Ahead for Biotech in 2016: Q&A With BIO Chair Ron Cohen

Biotechnology is a tricky business. We all know the trials and tribulations—and costs—of bringing novel drugs to market. In the past six months or so, a new round of drug pricing upheaval (think Martin Shkreli) and corporate tax “inversions” (think Pfizer-Allergan merger with new headquarters in Ireland) have ignited public debate. Ron Cohen has been … Continue reading “What’s Ahead for Biotech in 2016: Q&A With BIO Chair Ron Cohen”

New PureTech Startup Commense Aims to Protect Babies From Disease

[Updated, 12:15 pm ET, see below] Boston company creator PureTech Health already has one microbiome startup in its portfolio, Vedanta Biosciences. Today it’s unveiled a second one, Commense, with a different plan to harness the power of the trillions of microbes in and on our bodies. Vedanta is developing a mix of bacteria to be … Continue reading “New PureTech Startup Commense Aims to Protect Babies From Disease”

Boston Tech Watch: Akamai HQ, HubSpot Book, DraftKings, More

This week, we’re tracking the latest news about Akamai’s headquarters, Massachusetts daily fantasy sports regulations, a controversial book about HubSpot, a new robotics startup from former Kiva Systems executives, and an acquisition of a local cloud software startup. Read on for details. —Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey released rules regulating the daily fantasy sports industry … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Akamai HQ, HubSpot Book, DraftKings, More”

Nexamp Secures $1,856,459 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1c337d00-7a67-4247-a66c-d186c6f54716 Date 3/31/2016 Company Name Nexamp Mailing Address 4 Liberty Square Boston, MA 02109 USA Company Description Nexamp is a full service clean energy solutions company. Nexamp analyzes, designs, finances, builds and maintains clean energy projects that reduce energy costs and carbon emissions for businesses, governments, and homeowners. Our solutions include renewable … Continue reading “Nexamp Secures $1,856,459 New Round”

6 River Systems Receives $6,000,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=488d4a51-71c0-4595-8057-d381a214bf75 Date 3/31/2016 Company Name 6 River Systems Mailing Address 117 Beaver Street Waltham, MA 02452 USA Company Description Our mission is to redefine automation fulfillment for e-commerce and retail operations. 6 River Systems was founded in 2015 by former Kiva Systems and Mimio executives and is based in Boston. We are … Continue reading “6 River Systems Receives $6,000,000 Seed Funding”

eNow Receives $125,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5928eebb-5cb6-4185-8cbc-28b42dceac9e Date 3/31/2016 Company Name eNow Mailing Address 133 Hallene Road Warwick, RI 02886 USA Company Description The trucking industry plays a major role in our economy, and the business community relies on them to keep costs down, meet regulatory requirements and deliver product on-time, all while protecting the environment. Website http://www.enowenergy.com … Continue reading “eNow Receives $125,000 New Round”

“Raw Potential” And Three Other Takeaways from NY’s Life Science Disruptors

The Alexandria Center for Life Science currently houses some of the most ambitious biotech startups in New York, not to mention some outposts for pharma companies like Roche and Pfizer. Not bad for something that, as Alexandria Real Estate Equities CEO Joel Marcus said, “was a contaminated laundry site” just a short time ago. The … Continue reading ““Raw Potential” And Three Other Takeaways from NY’s Life Science Disruptors”

Ex-Alexion Exec Islam to Join Moderna as CBO

Saqib Islam, who had been leading Alexion Pharmaceuticals’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALXN]]) business development efforts, has been hired by Cambridge, MA-based Moderna Therapeutics. He’ll reprise a similar role at Moderna, where he’ll begin serving as the company’s chief business officer effective May 9. Moderna and Alexion are already quite familiar with one another. The two inked a … Continue reading “Ex-Alexion Exec Islam to Join Moderna as CBO”

With New Execs, Sanofi Backing, ImmuneXcite Begins Clinical Push

It’s not unusual for the team that founds a biotech startup to hand the reins to someone else once it’s time to take the next step. That’s where ImmuneXcite is, now that the Lexington, MA-based startup has gotten the support of some big-name investors. The VC arm of Sanofi (Sanofi-Genzyme BioVentures), Cormorant Asset Management, and … Continue reading “With New Execs, Sanofi Backing, ImmuneXcite Begins Clinical Push”

The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part II

There’s no such thing as failure, as long as you view it in the proper light. That’s the philosophy of scientist-entrepreneurs Darrick Carter, vice president of adjuvant technology at Seattle-based IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute) and biotech company founder, and Aaron Feaver, co-founder and chief technology officer of energy-storage materials company EnerG2, who shared their … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part II”

From Alexa to Watson, Boston Children’s Hospital Ups Digital Focus

John Brownstein spends a lot of time thinking about how to build the hospital of the future. One thing the chief innovation officer of Boston Children’s Hospital is sure of: digital technologies will be a cornerstone. “Brick and mortar will always be incredibly important,” Brownstein says, referring to treating patients within a hospital’s walls. But … Continue reading “From Alexa to Watson, Boston Children’s Hospital Ups Digital Focus”

Interior Design Startup Havenly Adds $5.8M to Series A

On-demand interior design startup Havenly is adding $5.8 million to a Series A funding the Denver-based company announced in November—bringing the round to $13.3 million total. Havenly wasn’t actively seeking more funding, according to a spokeswoman. The latest financing was instead brought on by new investor interest, she says. The add-on was led by San … Continue reading “Interior Design Startup Havenly Adds $5.8M to Series A”

OpenView Backs Corporate Training Software Startup Lesson.ly

As companies grow, employees naturally amass a treasure trove of useful habits that help them do their jobs better. But spreading that tribal knowledge across the company isn’t always easy or efficient. That’s one of the problems Lesson.ly has been trying to solve with Web-based learning automation software that centralizes a company’s policies and best … Continue reading “OpenView Backs Corporate Training Software Startup Lesson.ly”