Category: Boulder/Denver

Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?

Scientists are engineering a new living thing: a radically modified version of the lowly bacterium E. coli. In an article in Science from August, researchers at Harvard University described an ongoing project to build the genetic code of E. coli from scratch, but with major revisions to create a new strain unlike any in existence. The modified E. coli is … Continue reading “Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?”

Greystone Technology Lands $2,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9e6d0460-209f-4c89-ac2a-dac635544813 Date 11/23/2016 Company Name Greystone Technology Mailing Address 3801 E. Florida Ave. Denver, CO 80210 USA Company Description Greystone Technology has redesigned the way technology services are provided – from the ground up. It’s as common-sense as it is revolutionary. We don’t start with solutions, we start with questions. Lots of … Continue reading “Greystone Technology Lands $2,000,000 New Round”

The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences

We are at an incredible inflection point in the traditionally distinct fields of information technology and the life sciences. These broad disciplines are converging to advance fields of study like computational biology and systems biology, resulting in new forms of therapeutics and diagnostics that could have a monumentally positive impact on human health. At DFJ … Continue reading “The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences”

Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge

Uncertainty surrounding this year’s presidential election has kept U.S. IPO activity at a sluggish pace—so sluggish, in fact, that this year could end with the fewest IPOs and the lowest level of capital raised since 2009, according to PitchBook data for the first nine months of 2016. But this is no time to trash talk … Continue reading “Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge”

Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More

Speculation swirled this week around the incoming U.S. president’s intent to make good on his angry campaign rhetoric on drug prices, while the Associated Press reported that naming-and-shaming—that is, Congress hauling executives into hearings and penning angry letters—certainly hasn’t done the trick. For one new kind of cholesterol drug, insurers and their agents have tried … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More”

How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma

I recently received a note from a longtime friend who questioned me on the issue of pharma pricing. I answered with the always-reliable alleviating-the-scourge-of-disease-through-the-miracle-of-modern-medicine defense of “free-market pricing.”  My friend, who is not in the pharmaceutical business, responded: The fundamental flaw in your argument centers on the notion that there is any relevance to “market … Continue reading “How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma”

P2Binvestor Obtains $7,700,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=98187925-e86e-49cd-9abb-ea8734e28037 Date 11/17/2016 Company Name P2Binvestor Mailing Address 899 Logan St. Denver, CO 80203 USA Company Description P2Bi is convinced that small and midsized businesses are the engines for job growth and the key to economic prosperity in the United States. However, these businesses face real problems obtaining the short-term working capital … Continue reading “P2Binvestor Obtains $7,700,000 Series A Financing”

The New Crowdfunding Rules: Will They Really Help Startups?

Hailed as the true democratizer of private investment, crowdfunding has been attracting both headlines and a fast-growing pile of cash. In May of 2016, rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission went into effect that will democratize the process even further. These new rules will open the doors to more investors, but they also pose … Continue reading “The New Crowdfunding Rules: Will They Really Help Startups?”

Bio Roundup: Trump’s Triumph, Election Fallout, CRISPR Arguments & More

The presidential election ended with Donald Trump’s stunning victory and Republican retention of the House and Senate. Now, the U.S. healthcare sector will try to figure out what it all means. Drug company stocks got a boost with the defeat of Hillary Clinton, a vocal critic of drug prices. But Trump’s plans are unclear. Will … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Triumph, Election Fallout, CRISPR Arguments & More”

Revolar Lands $1,500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4f1e6d7c-9865-4642-b240-01a95cc5f319 Date 11/11/2016 Company Name Revolar Mailing Address Undisclosed Denver, CO 80206 USA Company Description Revolar is the latest innovation in personal safety. If you are ever in danger or feel uncomfortable, simply press the button on your Revolar device and an alert message with your real time location information will be … Continue reading “Revolar Lands $1,500,000 New Funding”

nVoq Lands $5,331,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5b76d87b-14b5-4bc4-9d15-0be51e1178b6 Date 11/11/2016 Company Name nVoq Mailing Address 2580 55th Street Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description nVoq has created a suite of applications that call centers use to increase the productivity of their telephone agents. Website http://www.nvoq.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,331,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “nVoq Lands $5,331,000 New Financing Round”

Trump Team Outlines Healthcare Agenda—No Mention of Drug Prices

The incoming Trump administration has posted an outline of its healthcare agenda on its transition website. There is no mention of drug pricing or what the administration might do about frequent price increases, such as Mylan’s EpiPen practice, that critics say are unsubstantiated and unethical. During the campaign, Trump’s official platform called for a change … Continue reading “Trump Team Outlines Healthcare Agenda—No Mention of Drug Prices”

Quick, How Might the Alien Spacecraft Work?

[This post is about the movie “Arrival“; there are no movie spoilers here.] “It’s an interesting script,” said someone on our PR team. It’s pretty common for us to get requests from movie-makers about showing our graphics or posters or books in movies. But the request this time was different: could we urgently help make … Continue reading “Quick, How Might the Alien Spacecraft Work?”

New U.S. “Roadmap” Lays Out Routes to Accelerate Robotic Technologies

Robotics technology is progressing faster than expected for self-driving cars, and drones are becoming ubiquitous throughout the United States, according to a lead scientist overseeing a robotics technology roadmap released last week. But robotics is moving slower than expected in some key areas, such as the development of dexterous gripper technology, intuitive user interfaces, and … Continue reading “New U.S. “Roadmap” Lays Out Routes to Accelerate Robotic Technologies”

Hyprloco Obtains $500,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=73e2bb2f-3981-48a7-abec-aa61a8e0062d Date 11/10/2016 Company Name Hyprloco Mailing Address 1408 Wazee St. Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Hyprloco is the cloud platform to build the next generation of intelligent location-aware applications. Website http://www.hyprloco.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. 1 investor participated … Continue reading “Hyprloco Obtains $500,000 New Funding Round”

Has Technology Made Election Polls More Accurate? Not Yet

Statistical models, simulations, social media outreach, and the capacity to analyze big data sets—you’d think by now that technology would have delivered election forecasts that more reliably predicted Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential race. But most pollsters—and the people who relied on them—were gobsmacked by Trump’s upset wins, not only in battleground states … Continue reading “Has Technology Made Election Polls More Accurate? Not Yet”

Trump’s Election Stunner: Tech and Life Sciences Leaders React

Still processing what this will mean for technology, business, society, and humanity—I guess it’s going to take a while. In the meantime, here are 10 notable reactions from around the Xconomy network, mostly via Twitter. As you might guess, they are a mix of outrage, resiliency, hope, rationalizing, grandstanding, and some calls for calm and … Continue reading “Trump’s Election Stunner: Tech and Life Sciences Leaders React”

In Trump-GOP Tsunami, Blue-State Healthcare Ideas Swamped

[Updated, 11/9/16, 1:20 p.m. See below.] The 2016 U.S. election is over. The country has been rocked by the presidential race, with Donald Trump taking the White House. Every facet of American policy, our attitudes toward power and governance, even our national character will be topics of debate in coming months. Our healthcare system will … Continue reading “In Trump-GOP Tsunami, Blue-State Healthcare Ideas Swamped”

Wurk Receives $1,000,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c471a230-fa26-455f-a620-c2127429c18b Date 11/9/2016 Company Name Wurk Mailing Address 1550 Larimer St. Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Wurk’s software-as-a-service helps cannabis businesses do everything from background checks of potential new hires, to managing employees’ schedules, benefits, training, and making sure they get paid on time. Website http://www.enjoywurk.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Wurk Receives $1,000,000 Seed Funding”

What Should Be on the Next President’s Cybersecurity Agenda?

From a hack of Democratic National Committee e-mails to fears that cyber attackers will attempt to interfere with tomorrow’s election, cybersecurity emerged as a crucial theme in this grueling presidential campaign. Neither candidate has said a lot about how he or she would address cybersecurity issues as president, although Hillary Clinton has offered more details … Continue reading “What Should Be on the Next President’s Cybersecurity Agenda?”

Recondo Technology Obtains $16,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1e012413-3e3f-46c2-8f96-e8ce71d3026c Date 11/7/2016 Company Name Recondo Technology Mailing Address 8200 E. Maplewood Avenue Greenwood Village, CO 80111 USA Company Description Recondo connects providers, payers, and patients using breakthrough cloud computing solutions throughout the healthcare revenue cycle. Website http://www.recondotech.com Transaction Type Venture Equity, Debt Transaction Amount $16,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “Recondo Technology Obtains $16,000,000 New Round”

Sanofi’s Experience With Dengvaxia May Speed Development of Zika Vaccine

Dengvaxia, the first licensed vaccine for dengue virus, has now been approved in 11 countries where dengue is endemic. But sales of the vaccine, which were initially projected to reach €200 million this year, barely reached €20 million in the first half of the year, with little sign of picking up. Sanofi Pasteur, the group … Continue reading “Sanofi’s Experience With Dengvaxia May Speed Development of Zika Vaccine”

Bio Roundup: Clinical Shirkers, AMD Worriers, ASH Fallers & More

Our previous roundup came out last week before news broke that Susan Lindquist, a highly decorated and thoughtful researcher into the inner workings of proteins, passed away. She was 67. First at the University of Chicago and then MIT’s Whitehead Institute, Lindquist helped biologists see that all kinds of organisms—including ourselves—share errors of protein folding … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Clinical Shirkers, AMD Worriers, ASH Fallers & More”

Californians Still Hate Trump, But More Uncertain About Drug Companies

The polls are tightening. Millions of people are still making up their minds. National figures are making last-minute pitches. The decision could have huge implications for people across the U.S. We’re talking of course about next week’s vote on Proposition 61 in California, an attempt to control drug prices in the nation’s most populous state. … Continue reading “Californians Still Hate Trump, But More Uncertain About Drug Companies”

The Necessity of Innovation

Innovation is at the heart of wealth creation. Innovation is at the heart of job creation. Innovation is at the heart of building better lives for everyone. And innovation can be increased by conscious support. Innovation is enhanced by a culture of innovation, encouragement of talented inventors and entrepreneurs, collaboration between academics and business people, … Continue reading “The Necessity of Innovation”

Xconomy Announces Channel Focused on the Future of Education

Since its inception more than nine years ago, Xconomy has focused its coverage on the business of high technology—across information technology, life sciences, healthcare, energy, robotics, and much more. But underlying all that, in a sense, is education. We have long run stories about STEM education, educational technology, and more—and even put out a special … Continue reading “Xconomy Announces Channel Focused on the Future of Education”

Clinton and Trump Platform Analysis: Which Is Best for Education Companies?

With election day less than a week away, voters are trying to imagine what turns the country might take under each of the presidential hopefuls. Tech entrepreneurs are likely considering how hospitable the new leadership might be to their specific industry sectors. Educational technology is one field worth examining, even though education hasn’t been a … Continue reading “Clinton and Trump Platform Analysis: Which Is Best for Education Companies?”

With Reverse Merger, Miragen to Go Public, Get $40M Boost From Investors

For privately held biotechs, IPOs are the most common road to the public markets, but they’re not the only way. Reverse merging with a shell company is an alternate path, and that’s how Miragen Therapeutics is headed to the Nasdaq. Boulder, CO-based Miragen, a developer of drugs that utilize microRNA—small molecular regulators of gene expression—has … Continue reading “With Reverse Merger, Miragen to Go Public, Get $40M Boost From Investors”

On Front Lines Of Price Dispute, Eye Doctors Wary of New Drug Data

Drugs that treat a form of vision loss known as age related macular degeneration aren’t just big business. They’re also a controversial part of the national debate over high drug prices, and their increased use has put ophthalmologists in the crosshairs of insurers, the federal government, and the press. “Retina practices are under significantly increased … Continue reading “On Front Lines Of Price Dispute, Eye Doctors Wary of New Drug Data”

Bio Roundup: Drug Pricing, Cystic Fibrosis Showdown, Myovant & More

The 2016 election is (thankfully) almost here, and as one biotech analyst noted this week, a possible Democratic victory is to blame for a big October sell-off in biotech stocks. Since Donald Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was released on October 7, Leerink Partners analyst Geoffrey Porges wrote, biotech investors have lost $50 billion. The … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Drug Pricing, Cystic Fibrosis Showdown, Myovant & More”

Despite Low Crop Prices, Corporate and VC Agtech Investments Soar

Prices for agricultural commodities such as corn, soy, and wheat are at their lowest levels in years, but investment in agricultural technology has never been better. Venture capital firms have increased their agtech investments by 80 percent since 2012, bringing total VC investment in the sector to a total of $3 billion in 2015, according … Continue reading “Despite Low Crop Prices, Corporate and VC Agtech Investments Soar”

CaliberMind Garners $1,100,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2d8adea0-8079-4b89-b86e-a36314e60ed5 Date 10/27/2016 Company Name CaliberMind Mailing Address 2000 Central Ave. Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description CaliberMind analyzes human language to build detailed psychographic profiles on B2B buyers and prescribe content that results in up to 40% lift in conversion. Website http://www.calibermind.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,100,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “CaliberMind Garners $1,100,000 Seed Funding Round”

Latest Data Show Venture Capital Industry on Pins and Needles

Given the obvious anxiety and frustration that surrounds us all, the U.S. venture industry is also exhibiting some fatigue as we finish the 88th month since the last recession. This is the fourth-longest period of economic growth in U.S. history (admittedly, at 2.1 percent, the growth over this period of time is the slowest since … Continue reading “Latest Data Show Venture Capital Industry on Pins and Needles”

FDA: Keytruda Now OK For Some Patients With Untreated Lung Cancer

The FDA has approved the use of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for some previously untreated patients with a certain type of lung cancer, the drug’s owner Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) announced late Monday. Pembrolizumab can now be used for patients who have never received treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of … Continue reading “FDA: Keytruda Now OK For Some Patients With Untreated Lung Cancer”

Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio

San Antonio—Techstars Cloud is closing its San Antonio accelerator program focused on cloud computing startups after four years in the Alamo City, according to managing director Blake Yeager. Yeager is staying with Techstars but moving to the company’s headquarters in Boulder, CO, where he’ll work as vice president of engineering for the national chain of … Continue reading “Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio”

Why Friday’s Massive DDoS Attack Should Be Terrifying

Friday’s massive DDoS attack made a number of hugely popular websites unavailable for much of the country for large parts of the day. Our service wasn’t directly affected by this incident, but the nature and scope of this attack is tremendously worrisome. In a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, the perpetrator overwhelms a target company … Continue reading “Why Friday’s Massive DDoS Attack Should Be Terrifying”

PaySimple Garners $115,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=08bc69cd-ec6e-4fcd-9ada-5cf2c1aba121 Date 10/24/2016 Company Name PaySimple Mailing Address 1515 Wynkoop St Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description It all started on a balmy Spring day in 2005. Looking at the multi-family housing market, serial entrepreneurs Eric Remer (CEO) and Allen Wolff (Co-founder & CFO) saw a critical need to help property managers … Continue reading “PaySimple Garners $115,000,000 New Funding Round”

Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark

Austin—NuPark, a startup with video technology and software that helps customers like schools and governments manage parking, has added $1 million in new funding to the $1.4 million seed round the company raised last year, CEO Kevin Uhlenhaker tells Xconomy. That brings NuPark’s total seed money to about $2.6 million, including an early friends and … Continue reading “Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark”

Bio Roundup: Jenkins Gets Mad, Bernie Gets His Pen, CRISPR IPO & J-Lo

If you’re among those frustrated by the lack of talk about health and science in the three presidential debates, this week perhaps brought you a wee consolation prize. The steady drip of hacked Hillary Clinton-related emails showed her campaign team questioning then-candidate FDA commissioner Robert Califf’s ties to the pharma industry. The staff also crowed … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Jenkins Gets Mad, Bernie Gets His Pen, CRISPR IPO & J-Lo”

Notion Obtains $9,500,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=205c1e6a-0da3-446d-a4df-8c6019bee8fb Date 10/21/2016 Company Name Notion Mailing Address 1530 Blake Street Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Notion sensors are along for the ride when objects like doors and windows open. Easily keep a mindful eye on people coming and going, whether a garage door closes or not, if a safe or … Continue reading “Notion Obtains $9,500,000 Series A Funding”

Endomag, European Device Makers Eye U.S. Amid Regulatory Changes

San Antonio — Eric Mayes is in Texas to look for deals. As the CEO of Endomag, a medical device company from the U.K. with a magnetic-based technology used for cancer diagnosis, he’s no stranger to making them. In 2014, Endomag acquired Boulder, CO-based Actium Biosystems, a company with a device that aims to use … Continue reading “Endomag, European Device Makers Eye U.S. Amid Regulatory Changes”

All In One Place: A New Immuno-Oncology Trial Resource

More than 100 years ago, New York bone surgeon William Coley began to suspect that bacterial infections might be improving the outlook for patients also suffering from cancer. The infections were turbo-charging the immune system. Coley (pictured) would be gratified to see that in 2016 a growing array of immune-boosting cancer treatments are helping some … Continue reading “All In One Place: A New Immuno-Oncology Trial Resource”

After “Hubris” and Its HCV Collapse, Can Vertex Avoid Same Mistakes?

Five years ago, in November 2011, a company from Princeton, NJ, called Pharmasset shared news that would have an impact on millions of people around the world with hepatitis C. Its experimental drug PSI-7977 had quickly cleared the virus from 40 patients, with minimal side effects, and they had stayed infection-free. If the data held … Continue reading “After “Hubris” and Its HCV Collapse, Can Vertex Avoid Same Mistakes?”

Bio Roundup: Bristol & Illumina Blues, Sickle Cell News & More

On Aug. 4, shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb closed at $75.32. Today, shares are worth just over $50. That means in three months, Bristol has lost a third of its value, equivalent to about $40 billion in market capitalization. The reason? One failed clinical trial has left rival Merck in the lead position to have what … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Bristol & Illumina Blues, Sickle Cell News & More”

JumpCloud Receives $1,698,483 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6630054a-561b-409d-9299-5e90e3b1d63b Date 10/14/2016 Company Name JumpCloud Mailing Address 2040 14th St. Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description DevOps is transforming the IT landscape. With key drivers such as cloud/virtualization, software-defined networking, and Agile, DevOps is a methodology that integrates cross-functional teams to deliver higher quality, more efficient, and innovative software and applications. … Continue reading “JumpCloud Receives $1,698,483 New Financing”

Iora Health Dials Up $75M to Expand Primary Care Clinics

[Updated 10/13/16, 5:33 pm, with CEO comments at end of story.] Investors just pumped $75 million into Iora Health in a fresh round aimed at helping the Boston-based startup expand its primary care practices to more locations and improve the software that helps run them. The Series D round announced today was led by Singapore-based … Continue reading “Iora Health Dials Up $75M to Expand Primary Care Clinics”

California Accelerators Enroll Startups Targeting Cannabis Industry

[Corrected 10/13/16, 9:10 am. See below.] When California voters go to the polls on November 8, among the many issues they are expected to decide is Proposition 64. If a majority of voters vote yes, the initiative would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the Golden State for adults aged 21 years or older. … Continue reading “California Accelerators Enroll Startups Targeting Cannabis Industry”

Life Science Leaders Who Feel the Right Kind of Fear

In the world of betting on the future, life sciences find themselves in a storm, with huge opportunities, like CRISPR gene editing, and immense obstacles, such as soaring drug prices, that call for leaders of extra intensity who are imbued with a sense of crisis. Most people agree that the life sciences today, more than … Continue reading “Life Science Leaders Who Feel the Right Kind of Fear”