Boston-based Chef Nightly has closed down after struggling to stand out in the jam-packed food-delivery app industry. CEO and co-founder Michael Sheeley announced the closure in a blog post Wednesday. Sheeley explained: “In any marketplace, you either tap into a unique supply (in our case it was existing restaurant food) and do it years before … Continue reading “Chef Nightly Shuts Down, Citing Crowded Food-Delivery App Market”
Category: Boston
TUGG 10th Annual Wine & Tequila Party
From the event organizer, TUGG (Technology Underwriting Greater Good): “Join over 1,500 of Boston tech’s entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and philanthropists for our knock-it-out-of-the-park 10th Annual Wine & Tequila Party. As a community we will raise $400K+ to catalyze six local nonprofits (while enjoying top-shelf wine and tequila). This event is 21+ and tickets are non-refundable. … Continue reading “TUGG 10th Annual Wine & Tequila Party”
Women in Tech: Careers Beyond Coding
From event organizers The Capital Network and She Geeks Out: “The conversation around women in tech these days seems to focus on (the lack of) female engineers. While an important conversation – there are a myriad of other job positions in tech – currently held by women – that go beyond coding and developing. This … Continue reading “Women in Tech: Careers Beyond Coding”
She Geeks Out Monthly Event Sponsored by AthenaHealth and Appcues
From the event organizer: “Please join Athenahealth, Appcues and She Geeks Out at The Hatch Fenway for a fun night of learning, networking, eating and drinking! You’ll walk away with more knowledge, new connections, and a full belly! Would you like to get full price off this event and other perks? Individual memberships available here!” … Continue reading “She Geeks Out Monthly Event Sponsored by AthenaHealth and Appcues”
Robot Tidbits: Toyota, Amazon, Humatics, Franklin, 6 River, More
As we gear up for our Robo Madness conference at the end of the month, it’s worth noting a slew of recent developments at robotics companies around town: —Toyota Research Institute in Cambridge, MA, has hired the 16-person software engineering team from Jaybridge Robotics, an autonomous-vehicle company also based in Cambridge. TRI is building up … Continue reading “Robot Tidbits: Toyota, Amazon, Humatics, Franklin, 6 River, More”
Vedanta Bio Names Ex-Genzyme Exec Roberts New CSO
Vedanta Biosciences, a developer of microbiome drugs and an operating subsidiary of PureTech Health, has named Bruce Roberts its chief scientific officer. Roberts most recently led Genzyme’s neuro-immunology and immune-mediated disease research. He’ll now head up the R&D efforts of Vedanta, which recently opened a new headquarters and research facility in Cambridge. … Continue reading “Vedanta Bio Names Ex-Genzyme Exec Roberts New CSO”
Volicon Garners $3,500,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f290f1d2-f363-42e9-976a-65d5f58cfb72 Date 3/16/2016 Company Name Volicon Mailing Address 111 South Bedford Street Burlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description Volicon provides turnkey digital video archiving and streaming solutions, including the award-winning Observer multichannel video monitoring and logging system, for the television broadcast industry, cable programmers, cable MSOs and corporate and government markets. Website … Continue reading “Volicon Garners $3,500,000 Series A Funding”
Verizon Digital Media Services Acquires Volicon for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a39a9ca7-29b0-40b7-a25a-2a6def18c532 Date 3/16/2016 Company Name Volicon Mailing Address 111 South Bedford Street Burlington, MA 01803 USA Company Description Volicon provides turnkey digital video archiving and streaming solutions, including the award-winning Observer multichannel video monitoring and logging system, for the television broadcast industry, cable programmers, cable MSOs and corporate and government markets. Website … Continue reading “Verizon Digital Media Services Acquires Volicon for Undisclosed Sum”
I Think, Therefore I Am: Startup Experts Talk A.I. at SXSW
Even executives of companies that develop the world’s leading artificial intelligence software have time to catch a few movies. True to form, it seems the flicks they pick are typically about artificial intelligence. “‘Her’ was particularly interesting, because this machine, this operating system… She was able to empathize with him, able to get him out … Continue reading “I Think, Therefore I Am: Startup Experts Talk A.I. at SXSW”
Blueprint, Roche Ink Milestone Deal for Cancer Immunotherapy
Blueprint Medicines has another deal on its plate that could net it hundreds of millions of dollars. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech raised $147 million in an initial public offering last year, two months before it received FDA approval to begin clinical trials on its two lead drug candidates in July. Now Blueprint has signed a deal … Continue reading “Blueprint, Roche Ink Milestone Deal for Cancer Immunotherapy”
Procrastinator’s Special Ends Today for NY’s Life Science Disruptors
We’re only two weeks away from New York’s Life Science Disruptors, and today is the last day to save with our Procrastinator’s Special. Join us on Tuesday, March 29, for an evening of insightful stories from life sciences executives and venture capitalists who are trying to build New York into the next big biotech hub. … Continue reading “Procrastinator’s Special Ends Today for NY’s Life Science Disruptors”
Racing Zika: For Every Short Cut, There’s An Open Question
[Updated 3/15/16, 7:16pm; corrected 3/16/16, 7:00pm. See below.] In the Luganda language, zika means “overgrown.” It’s also the name of the Ugandan forest where, in the mid-20th century, researchers discovered the now-notorious virus. Dense forest is an appropriate and vivid image for the latest global health threat. So much about the virus and its effects … Continue reading “Racing Zika: For Every Short Cut, There’s An Open Question”
Raffling Roombas at Robo Madness; Saver Bot Ends Tonight
There’s no doubt robotics and artificial intelligence will be an even bigger part of our daily lives in the next few years. Look how far we’ve come with Siri, Amazon’s Echo, and iRobot’s Roomba. In a couple of weeks, Xconomy is bringing together Boston’s top entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to discuss future opportunities in these … Continue reading “Raffling Roombas at Robo Madness; Saver Bot Ends Tonight”
Boston Tech Watch: Accelerators, Acquisitions, Hiring & Firing, More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking the latest news about local accelerators, company acquisitions, office expansions, and more. Read on for details. Accelerators rise and fall —A new accelerator program serving digital health startups and run by MassChallenge will soon open in the Hatch Fenway startup co-working space in Boston, located in the Landmark … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Accelerators, Acquisitions, Hiring & Firing, More”
Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner
Jon von Tetzchner has been trying to perfect the Web browser for two decades. The Iceland native co-founded Norway-based Opera Software in 1995 and led the maker of browsers and other online tools until 2010. He stayed on as an advisor until the following year, when he stepped down amid disagreements with Opera’s board and … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner”
Inmoji Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b5865efd-c125-4914-8512-db59c4304b16 Date 3/14/2016 Company Name Inmoji Mailing Address 9 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02216 USA Company Description Inmoji are clickable icons that enable users to share their favorite brands, products, and experiences directly within messaging apps. Simply tap an Inmoji to access content without ever leaving the message. Website http://www.inmoji.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Inmoji Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis”
Now that emojis have become a fundamental mode of communication in the mobile age, it’s no surprise that businesses are trying to capitalize. One such company, two-year-old advertising technology startup Inmoji, just grabbed $5 million to advance its business that connects consumers and companies via “branded interactive emojis” used in mobile messaging apps. The Series … Continue reading “Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis””
GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future
According to reports in Fortune and other media outlets, GM has forked over more than $1 billion in cash and stock to acquire Bay Area startup Cruise Automation, a producer of “after-market” kits that can turn existing cars into autonomous vehicles. If the figure is correct, that makes company co-founder Kyle Vogt a “two-time unicorn … Continue reading “GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future”
Hear Lew Cantley, Others on Shaping NY Biotech on March 29
Lewis Cantley is best known for discovering a key enzyme that’s become the target for a slew of cancer drugs. But he’s also a longtime entrepreneur who is amongst a crop of local scientists trying to prove that startup biotechs can grow and succeed in New York. Cantley, a Weill Cornell Medical College biochemist, is one … Continue reading “Hear Lew Cantley, Others on Shaping NY Biotech on March 29”
CRISPR Tx Taps Former rEVO, Genzyme Exec As New CFO
Basel, Switzerland and Cambrige, MA-based CRISPR Therapeutics has named Marc Becker its chief financial officer. Becker is coming off a stint as senior vice president and CFO of rEVO Biologics—where he helped prep the company for its 2014 IPO—and was a finance executive at Genzyme before that. CRISPR Therapeutics is one of three companies with … Continue reading “CRISPR Tx Taps Former rEVO, Genzyme Exec As New CFO”
Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?
By the end of June, Lita Nelsen will retire from MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, where she has worked for 30 years. She has been director of the office since 1993 and has seen a lot of things. Nelsen recently sat down with Xconomy to talk about trends in tech transfer and entrepreneurship. One timely issue: … Continue reading “Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?”
Failed Alzheimer’s Drug To Get Another Shot, If Investors Pony Up
Alzheimer’s disease has been a pharmaceutical minefield the past decade, with several experimental drugs backed by pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer, Roche, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson blowing up after being tested in thousands of patients. The first of those failures, nearly a decade ago, was a drug called tramiprosate. But now, after a … Continue reading “Failed Alzheimer’s Drug To Get Another Shot, If Investors Pony Up”
Constant Therapy Receives $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=47666153-5c77-48a7-9c90-0045d9696c48 Date 3/11/2016 Company Name Constant Therapy Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02142 USA Company Description Reinventing the delivery of speech, language and cognitive therapy – anytime, anywhere. Website http://www.constanttherapy.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The investment will enable the company to expand the … Continue reading “Constant Therapy Receives $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
Lantos Technologies Garners $1,500,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=516acb65-85c8-4621-9407-c62223acb1d9 Date 3/11/2016 Company Name Lantos Technologies Mailing Address 201 Edgewater Drive Wakefield, MA 01880 USA Company Description Lantos Technologies is working to commercialize a 3D digital scanner capable of measuring ear canal shape and tissue compliance. This method will eliminate the uncertainties associated with manual fits, greatly improving the performance of … Continue reading “Lantos Technologies Garners $1,500,000 New Round”
What’s Hot in Boston Biotech: Here’s the Agenda
We’re just over a month away from our latest biotech bash in Boston, and with the agenda taking shape, we’re offering you a look at the proceedings today. Our third annual iteration of “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech” features a mix of spotlight solo talks, candid stories, interactive discussions and more on a host of … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech: Here’s the Agenda”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celldex, Ensemble, CRISPR Battle & More
Biotech indices had rallied over the past week, but that’s before the drug pricing issue returned to the spotlight in Washington. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as the New York Times wrote here, proposed new ideas to change the reimbursement for prescription drugs under Part B of Medicare—infused and injectable drugs, like chemotherapies … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celldex, Ensemble, CRISPR Battle & More”
BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App
The Boston area has become a hotbed for companies testing new ways to merge software with fields like healthcare, rehabilitation, and education. One of the more interesting areas of activity is assessing and treating brain health and cognitive disorders. Those elements have come together in a startup called Constant Therapy, which today announced it raised … Continue reading “BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App”
fuboTV Secures $15,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ae58d04a-e697-428f-bcd1-24cdf1d54684 Date 3/10/2016 Company Name fuboTV Mailing Address 38 Locust Road Greenwich, CT 06831 USA Company Description fubo.tv brings the world’s latest football video highlights, interviews, classic matches, and behind the scenes footage to your desktop and smartphone/ Real time soccer commentary and stats right at your fingertips. Website http://www.fubo.tv Transaction Type … Continue reading “fuboTV Secures $15,000,000 Series B Funding”
Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase
There are plenty of problems in government that technology might be able to help fix, like boosting transparency and increasing the efficiency of public services. But governments—from municipalities on up to the feds—have always been tough customers for startups to crack, thanks to long sales cycles, tight budgets, rules for maintaining fair bidding processes, and … Continue reading “Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase”
Robo Madness, The AI Explosion: Here’s the Agenda for March 31
What is this world coming to? Computers are beating human experts at Go. Humanoid robots are standing up to bullies with hockey sticks, or at least trying to. Drones patrol our airspace, for better or worse. What’s next—an A.I. for president? (One can only hope.) One thing’s for sure: robotics and artificial intelligence are poised … Continue reading “Robo Madness, The AI Explosion: Here’s the Agenda for March 31”
Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits
Software companies and their investors see a huge opportunity to help big firms squeeze useful insights out of the vast troves of data they’re accumulating. The latest example is Newton, MA-based Attivio, which today announced it raised $31 million in financing. The data-analysis software provider has now raised $102 million total from its investors, which … Continue reading “Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits”
Attivio Receives $31,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3c59c794-762d-4311-9121-94b185338ef2 Date 3/9/2016 Company Name Attivio Mailing Address 275 Grove St. Newton, MA 02466 USA Company Description Attivio’s Active Intelligence Engine rapidly delivers comprehensive, high-value insight the way you want it, when you want it – regardless of what applications or sources you rely on. With Attivio AIE, users retrieve and analyze … Continue reading “Attivio Receives $31,000,000 New Financing Round”
New England Annual Life Sciences Panorama
Information and registration here. From the website: LIFE SCIENCES & LEADERS FROM FRANCE & USA WEIGH IN ON NEW ENGLAND’S MOMENTUM, OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES IN THE YEAR AHEAD. In 2015, our region continued to play a major global role in Biotechnology and Life Sciences as was seen by new companies, IPOs, Mergers and Acquisitions, and … Continue reading “New England Annual Life Sciences Panorama”
Ensemble Quietly Amasses Cancer Drug Pipeline, Scouts for New Deals
It’s not often that a biotech startup can go more than eight years without a big funding round, but Ensemble Therapeutics has been able to do so, thanks to some early success stringing together drug discovery partnerships. But with the Cambridge, MA-based company now churning out drug candidates of its own, its bills—and financing needs—are … Continue reading “Ensemble Quietly Amasses Cancer Drug Pipeline, Scouts for New Deals”
Scholar Rock Names Former Dyax Exec New CMO
Cambridge, MA-based Scholar Rock has named Yung Chyung its chief medical officer. Chyung was previously the VP of medical research at Dyax (acquired last year by Shire), and a medical director at Genzyme before that.
After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M
Marketers care more about what you ate for breakfast this morning than your friends and family do. The rise of social media has spawned a host of software companies dedicated to tracking and analyzing what people are saying (and eating) online. These companies mine reams of social media posts for nuggets of information and trends … Continue reading “After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M”
Crimson Hexagon Lands $20,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6dd9b0e3-3a60-4cdd-a424-73fbfcc9673b Date 3/8/2016 Company Name Crimson Hexagon Mailing Address 155 Seaport Boulevard 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02210 USA Company Description Understand what the online conversation really means for your brand. Our VoxTrot Listening Platform distills meaning — with mathematical precision — from the cloudy torrent of opinion, information and data available online. … Continue reading “Crimson Hexagon Lands $20,000,000 New Round”
Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions
This week in Boston, we’re tracking the latest tech legislation on Beacon Hill, layoffs at startups and big companies, and announcements of new companies, products, and offices. Read on for details. On the hill —Massachusetts lawmakers are once again considering regulations for ride-hailing app companies like Uber and Lyft. Under a new bill backed by … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions”
Celldex’s Brain Cancer Vaccine Fails Key Phase 3 Test, Shares Fall
It’s notoriously tough to develop a successful cancer vaccine, but Celldex Therapeutics has made it farther than most with a closely watched immunotherapeutic treatment for an aggressive, deadly form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The Needham, MA-based company had even begun building the commercial infrastructure needed to market the treatment, known as rindopepimut (Rintega). But … Continue reading “Celldex’s Brain Cancer Vaccine Fails Key Phase 3 Test, Shares Fall”
Burst Receives New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ac175490-2aa3-4b1b-b4b2-e32bfbbeb669 Date 3/7/2016 Company Name Burst Mailing Address 184 High Street Boston, MA 02110 USA Company Description With one simple touch on your phone, Burst automatically stores and organizes your mobile photos and videos in the cloud, and shares them with trusted loved ones. Website http://www.burst.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Burst Receives New Funding Round”
How Self-Driving Vehicles Could Take Root in Indiana
Imagine a tractor-trailer without anyone at the wheel that has driven across three states. It exits the interstate and drops its trailer at a truck yard. Soon, another truck—this one driven by a human—hooks to the trailer and hauls it to a factory in a nearby city. This is the future of trucking—if systems engineer … Continue reading “How Self-Driving Vehicles Could Take Root in Indiana”
Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner
Bill Wagner took the reins of Boston-based LogMeIn (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LOGM]]) a few months ago, succeeding founding CEO Michael Simon. The 13-year-old company got its start by selling software that enables users to remotely access computers, but LogMeIn has since broadened its cloud-based offerings to include things like online collaboration tools and software that serves as … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner”
ProcessUnity Garners $1,820,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bd5b0153-a23c-4c18-b499-113906a1b329 Date 3/4/2016 Company Name ProcessUnity Mailing Address 33 Bradford Street Concord, MA 01742 USA Company Description ProcessUnity is a leading provider of cloud-based applications for risk management and service delivery management. The company’s software as a service (SaaS) platform gives organizations the control to assess, measure, and mitigate risk and to … Continue reading “ProcessUnity Garners $1,820,000 New Round”
New York’s Life Science Disruptors on March 29: Here’s the Agenda
We’re now less than a month away from bringing the New York biotech scene together once again for our annual life sciences event. Today you can have a sneak peek at the details. On March 29, we’re hosting “New York’s Life Science Disruptors” at the Apella Event Space at the Alexandria Center for Life Science … Continue reading “New York’s Life Science Disruptors on March 29: Here’s the Agenda”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Ribon, Syndax, Aldeyra & More
Who will take up the charge of leading New York biotech? That’s an important question going forward in the wake of two recent big losses for the Big Apple’s life sciences scene. Both Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Rockefeller University’s president, and Laurie Glimcher, Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College, have agreed to take on new jobs elsewhere. … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Ribon, Syndax, Aldeyra & More”
Boston Startup LTG Grabs Money For Standardized Test Prep Apps
Studying for standardized tests like the SAT can be expensive and tedious, with students (and their parents) shelling out hundreds of dollars for classes or private tutors. With its set of mobile apps, Boston edtech startup LTG Exam Prep Platform is trying to deliver a cheaper, more convenient, and more personalized alternative to traditional test … Continue reading “Boston Startup LTG Grabs Money For Standardized Test Prep Apps”
Spurned in Duchenne, BioMarin Will Seek Approval For Batten Drug
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, a developer of treatments for rare diseases, struck out in a recent attempt to have a drug approved for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Now it’s taking another swing with a drug for a different genetic disease, one that strikes children a couple years after birth, debilitates their bodies and minds, and proves deadly by … Continue reading “Spurned in Duchenne, BioMarin Will Seek Approval For Batten Drug”
Stealthy MIT Spinout Ribon, Led by a Sanofi Vet, Takes Aim at Cancer
Two years ago, AstraZeneca became the first company to win approval of a new type of cancer drug known as a “PARP” inhibitor. A lot of competition has followed suit, and now it looks as if a new startup from MIT called Ribon Therapeutics—headed by a former Sanofi executive and backed by three different venture … Continue reading “Stealthy MIT Spinout Ribon, Led by a Sanofi Vet, Takes Aim at Cancer”
MedyMatch Secures $2,000,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0ef1c6f6-61ce-4227-8e83-0a0385c2a98f Date 3/3/2016 Company Name MedyMatch Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02450 USA Company Description The MedyMatch team of artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning and algorithmic experts, together with our dedicated board of directors and medical advisory board, are changing the standards of emergency room treatment and cost of care. Website … Continue reading “MedyMatch Secures $2,000,000 Seed Funding Round”
Pika Energy Secures $2,250,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d910d260-c61c-42bd-92dc-86f937d389a1 Date 3/3/2016 Company Name Pika Energy Mailing Address 35 Bradley Drive Westbrook, ME 04092 USA Company Description Pika Energy, Inc. is a Westbrook, Maine-based manufacturer of direct current (DC) power electronics. Our nanogrid technology is installed throughout the United States and Canada and in several overseas markets. Website http://www.pika-energy.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Pika Energy Secures $2,250,000 Series A Round”