Category: Boulder/Denver

Cystic Fibrosis Drug Developer N30 Pharmaceuticals Raises $30M

N30 Pharmaceuticals, a Boulder-based pharmaceutical company developing drugs for cystic fibrosis, announced yesterday it has raised a $30 million mezzanine financing round. N30 Pharma will use the funds to continue clinical trials for N91115, for which it recently completed a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial. N30 Pharma’s new investors include Wellington Management, RA Capital Management, Rock … Continue reading “Cystic Fibrosis Drug Developer N30 Pharmaceuticals Raises $30M”

Flashback Technologies Garners $2,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c49cf2a9-4e8b-40ba-b46e-323c44533937 Date 11/20/2014 Company Name Flashback Technologies Mailing Address 7490 Clubhouse Rd. Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description Our CipherSensor computational engine has the potential to provide groundbreaking, predictive data analytical solutions across a variety of industries where making sense of the growing volumes of industry-specific data is an increasing challenge in … Continue reading “Flashback Technologies Garners $2,000,000 Series A Funding”

N30 Pharmaceuticals Garners $20,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c911e35a-2f4d-4f78-94f0-67dd8906d885 Date 11/20/2014 Company Name N30 Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 3122 Sterling Circle Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description N30 Pharmaceuticals, LLC is developing s-nitrosothiol therapies for important unmet needs in respiratory diseases. N30’s strategy focuses on administration of GSNO to the human airway, and development of small molecule inhibitors of GSNO reductase. … Continue reading “N30 Pharmaceuticals Garners $20,000,000 New Financing”

Clovis Shares Drop Following Release of Cancer-Drug Trial Data

Shares of Clovis Oncology dropped 10 percent this morning following the release of interim results for the ongoing trial of the company’s drug for lung cancer patients. Analysts said results failed to meet earlier estimates or show the drug is clearly better than a similar drug that pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) is developing. Clovis’ … Continue reading “Clovis Shares Drop Following Release of Cancer-Drug Trial Data”

Analyst Shares Vision for How Digital Will Disrupt Healthcare

Well care vs. sick care. The “patient-to-consumer revolution.” Smart care. If you’re familiar with digital healthcare but aren’t an insider, you’ve probably heard these terms—quite possibly often enough to wonder if they’re buzzwords or actually represent concepts and trends worth learning more about. For someone like Tom Main, there’s no question the terms aren’t just … Continue reading “Analyst Shares Vision for How Digital Will Disrupt Healthcare”

Breaking Bottlenecks, Opening the Floodgates to Genomic Data

There is a major transformational step underway for managing the growing amount of human genomic data. To date, the focus has been on amassing databanks of genomes and then developing new tools to analyze this information. In essence, the emphasis has been on breaking bottlenecks for analyzing the data. Now, there is an opportunity to … Continue reading “Breaking Bottlenecks, Opening the Floodgates to Genomic Data”

New Research Could (Finally) Remove RNAi’s Commercial Limitations

[Corrected 11/17/14, 12:30pm. See below.] If nothing else, the acronym RNAi, which stands for ribonucleic acid interference, should be familiar to biotech observers as something that won two researchers the Nobel Prize in 2006, and that a few companies have tried to turn into drugs. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) is the most well-known. But in … Continue reading “New Research Could (Finally) Remove RNAi’s Commercial Limitations”

Craftsy Secures $50,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b5fb11df-d994-448b-92d6-43045e08b073 Date 11/17/2014 Company Name Craftsy Mailing Address 999 18th St. Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Our hundreds of classes in quilting, sewing, knitting, cake decorating, art, photography, cooking and many more categories, bring the world’s best instructors to you. Learn at your pace with easy-to-follow HD video lessons you can … Continue reading “Craftsy Secures $50,000,000 New Funding”

Ramen Garners $268,420 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e20a105e-055b-40c2-90c8-ded0c1ac7f21 Date 11/17/2014 Company Name Ramen Mailing Address 511 Mountain View Road Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description We’re Ramen: a fundraising platform that kicks into gear right after your campaign ends. We let you collaborate with your backers to build the best product possible. Website http://www.ramen.is Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Ramen Garners $268,420 New Round”

Arts and Crafts-Focused Online Ed Site Craftsy Sews Up $50M Round

Craftsy continues its march to take over the e-learning world, one online instructional video—and megabucks funding round—at a time. The Denver-based company announced it has closed a $50 million Series D round led by the Stripes Group, a New York City-based growth equity firm. Prior investors Foundry Group, Tiger Global, Adams Street Partners, Access Venture … Continue reading “Arts and Crafts-Focused Online Ed Site Craftsy Sews Up $50M Round”

New Event Shines Light on Variety of Boulder’s Innovative Firms

It will still be chilly next week in Colorado, but a few dozen leading startups and tech companies in Boulder plan to give more than 700 people a warm welcome. On Tuesday, 42 companies including Google, Zayo Group, and Rally Software will host open houses as part of NewCo Boulder. Joining them will be startups … Continue reading “New Event Shines Light on Variety of Boulder’s Innovative Firms”

Modular Robotics Secures $3,099,999 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e236259e-7639-4a1a-b4a4-b065be4082ac Date 11/14/2014 Company Name Modular Robotics Mailing Address 3085 Bluff Street Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description We make robot construction kits for kids. Modular Robotics is a new company, a spin-off from Carnegie Mellon University. We are turning our research prototype construction toy into a commercial product for science centers, … Continue reading “Modular Robotics Secures $3,099,999 New Financing Round”

Boomtown Accelerator’s Second Batch of Startups Make Their Debuts

The latest startups to come out of the Boomtown accelerator want to help you find a parking spot, a good deal on an extended warranty for your iPad, or teach your kid to write code. The nine startups from the Boulder, CO-accelerator made their pitches to investors Wednesday. Boomtown is a startup accelerator launched earlier … Continue reading “Boomtown Accelerator’s Second Batch of Startups Make Their Debuts”

ioSemantics Lands $2,380,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7cb006c2-647c-467a-af67-fc8e876b072e Date 11/13/2014 Company Name ioSemantics Mailing Address 651 Corporate Circle Golden, CO 80401 USA Company Description ioSemantics was founded in 2005 by Steven Bucuvalas, following several years of primary research in combining Formal Methods, Computational Mathematics and Semantic Technologies for use in business applications in the Financial Services and Insurance industries. … Continue reading “ioSemantics Lands $2,380,000 New Funding Round”

TeleTech, Humanify Hope to Bring Customer Service into Mobile Age

Think back to the last time you tried to fix something around the house that broke unexpectedly. What did you do? Maybe you searched Google and YouTube and found some articles or videos. One or two might have been helpful. You might have searched a manufacturer’s website for a product manual or FAQ, and if … Continue reading “TeleTech, Humanify Hope to Bring Customer Service into Mobile Age”

Bikes, Bitcoin, and the Next Billion: Techstars Boston Diversifies

Techstars has become something of a startup institution, now operating in 15 cities. The tech accelerator can still hold a surprise or two, though. At the program’s eighth demo day in Boston—has it really been that many?—an increasingly international flavor was on display. Founders hailed from Croatia, France, Russia, Hong Kong, the U.K., and Australia, … Continue reading “Bikes, Bitcoin, and the Next Billion: Techstars Boston Diversifies”

Next-Gen Network Monitoring: The Missing Piece of the Security Puzzle

If 2014 has taught us anything, it’s that IT security is falling behind the threats against which it is supposed to protect, and the gap is widening quickly. From data breaches at major retailers to serious zero-day vulnerabilities such as Heartbleed and Shellshock, the events of the last 12 months have caused everyone with an … Continue reading “Next-Gen Network Monitoring: The Missing Piece of the Security Puzzle”

VetDC Obtains $587,313 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=491580e2-cc24-40d3-ac2f-9e955c4a13d3 Date 11/12/2014 Company Name VetDC Mailing Address 320 E. Vine Drive Fort Collins, CO 80524 USA Company Description VetDC’s access to resources and expertise atColorado State University’s world-renowned Animal Cancer Center and Veterinary Teaching Hospital avoids the expense and effort typically required by early-stage companies to build infrastructure, yet allows the … Continue reading “VetDC Obtains $587,313 New Financing Round”

Lowering the Cost of Failure in Biopharmaceuticals

In any business, projects fail, but in biopharmaceuticals, the consequences of failure are especially damaging. Projects in the industry tend to be long and expensive—from clinical trials to regulatory approvals to commercial application. At any point in the process, obstacles can derail a project. Failure is most certainly an option, and for companies with many … Continue reading “Lowering the Cost of Failure in Biopharmaceuticals”

Smart Sprinkler Maker Rachio Working With Nest, Raising Seed Round

It’s not exactly the season for lawn watering in Denver, but that doesn’t mean Rachio, a local maker of smart sprinklers, is taking a rest. Far from it. Rachio recently released a new version of its app that allows users to control home irrigation systems with smartphones and tablets. The app is a key component … Continue reading “Smart Sprinkler Maker Rachio Working With Nest, Raising Seed Round”

Beg, Borrow, or Steal: Accessing Unaffordable Science Journals

If you work in academia or in Big Pharma, you likely have easy access to the world’s scientific literature. Outside of these places, however, obtaining affordable access to the latest scientific journals is much more problematic. This includes scientists at all but the largest biopharma companies, doctors and other health care professionals, and people wanting … Continue reading “Beg, Borrow, or Steal: Accessing Unaffordable Science Journals”

How a Big Company Can Run Fast, Like a Startup

What does the word “startup” mean to you? Many words can come to mind: new, exciting, experimental, small, lean, agile, fast. To me, “startup” mostly makes me think of “agile” and “fast.” In an early stage startup, everybody is focused on the same thing. People are passionate, enthusiastic, hungry for an opportunity to change the … Continue reading “How a Big Company Can Run Fast, Like a Startup”

Roundup: Tech Companies Take a Bow, Internet of Things Conference

It was red carpet week for Colorado tech and life sciences companies, as the leading industry and advocacy associations honored the state’s top companies and individuals. Next week in Boulder, the Internet of Things’ promise in helping to solve global problems will take center stage. Reaching the Apex: The Colorado Technology Association celebrated its annual … Continue reading “Roundup: Tech Companies Take a Bow, Internet of Things Conference”

Techstars Seattle Demo Day: New Companies, Pitching Models, Leader

Techstars, the international network of startup accelerators, marks its fifth year in Seattle with some significant changes coming in how it presents its companies to investors, and in its local leadership. Another 10 promising startups completed the three-month, intensive business development and mentorship program Thursday, giving short, polished pitches to an audience of hundreds of … Continue reading “Techstars Seattle Demo Day: New Companies, Pitching Models, Leader”

nVoq Receives $456,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0ef28b35-dcac-41ec-a8ee-33156c2dff3c Date 11/7/2014 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 $456,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “nVoq Receives $456,000 New Funding”

Convercent Secures $1,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f2503196-cb31-49a6-8018-7d8c034889c8 Date 11/6/2014 Company Name Convercent Mailing Address 929 Broadway Greenwood Village, CO 80203 USA Company Description Convercent brings culture and compliance together in the first integrated cloud application so that companies can promote the good and manage the bad in an intelligent and productive way. Website http://www.convercent.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction … Continue reading “Convercent Secures $1,000,000 New Financing”

History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy

Any book about life science innovation that starts with quotes from Frank Zappa and Albert Einstein promises to be a good read. The Biologist’s Imagination holds to that promise, as authors William Hoffman and Leo Furcht, both of the University of Minnesota Medical School, take several forays back in history to explain the “crossroads”—perhaps an … Continue reading “History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy”

Ebola Outbreak a Proving Ground for Lucigen’s Rapid Diagnostic

Two years ago, no one could’ve predicted the worst Ebola outbreak in history would hit West Africa this year. And Lucigen—a small Wisconsin life sciences company with a federal grant to develop a simpler, faster test for diagnosing serious pathogens—certainly didn’t expect to play a part in the effort to assess and contain the deadly … Continue reading “Ebola Outbreak a Proving Ground for Lucigen’s Rapid Diagnostic”

SomaLogic Secures $16,490,873 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=baa9d23c-d0dc-4ce9-aa9e-1f4da4b7b446 Date 11/3/2014 Company Name SomaLogic Mailing Address 2945 Wilderness Place Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description SomaLogic, Inc. is developing novel proteomics systems and applications based on its proprietary aptamer technology. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA and RNA molecules that, like antibodies, can bind to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. … Continue reading “SomaLogic Secures $16,490,873 New Funding”

Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation

Immigration policy reform is a hot-button issue right now, but it’s affecting the innovation economy in unexpected ways. U.S. companies are having a hard time recruiting enough skilled workers to fill all their high-level science, tech, and engineering positions. I discussed the issue with Stanford Law School professor Dan Siciliano and Silicon Valley Leadership Group … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation”

New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started

Since I got involved in the big data and analytics world a few years ago, I’ve become the person that friends come to (and refer their friends to) for answers to questions about data. Recently I’ve been asked a few times by entrepreneurs how they can make sure their company is prepared to do analytics, … Continue reading “New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started”

“Mad Geniuses” Take on Pandora in Quest to Create Online Radio Magic

Here’s a challenge: Turn off Spotify, Pandora, or iTunes for a minute, and try to remember the last time you really loved listening to the radio. What made it special? Was it the particular time in your life, or a crew of disc jockeys who had a sixth sense about introducing you to the perfect … Continue reading ““Mad Geniuses” Take on Pandora in Quest to Create Online Radio Magic”

With DNA From DEC and HP, Galway Builds Startup Hub Outside Dublin

Irish entrepreneur Michael FitzGerald still gets calls from investors and potential partner companies in the U.S. who ask him “How’s Dublin?” when making small talk—even though his startup, OnePageCRM, is located a two-hour drive west in the coastal city of Galway. FitzGerald usually doesn’t bother to correct them. “They just presume we’re in Dublin,” he … Continue reading “With DNA From DEC and HP, Galway Builds Startup Hub Outside Dublin”

I Believe in Angels

My colleague and friend Jeb Spencer recently wrote a piece for Xconomy about angel investors looking for “Unicorns,” those rare early stage companies with valuations—justified or not—of $1 billion or more. He wondered if angels are flying too close to the sun by misunderstanding their chances of success and failing to do their homework on … Continue reading “I Believe in Angels”

Trackvia Secures $2,543,835 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3d8b1759-82ed-4e02-b35e-13e7628b7820 Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Trackvia Mailing Address 1675 Larimer Street Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Trackvia provides organizations with an easy and flexible way to manage data and improve their business. Website http://www.trackvia.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $2,543,835 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC … Continue reading “Trackvia Secures $2,543,835 New Funding Round”

Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report

Until earlier this October, the only time I had visited Ireland was in April of 1989, on the World B. Tour. A group of American former collegiate basketball players came to the Emerald Isle on a hoops tour, taking part in an international tournament outside Dublin and playing exhibition games against Irish all-stars and holding … Continue reading “Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report”

Nest Buys “Smart Home” Startup Revolv, Discontinues Automation Hub

Revolv’s idea for a smart hub that could control lights, speakers, locks, and more won’t come to fruition. Nest, a division of Google that makes smart thermostats and home automation technology, has acquired Revolv, a startup based in Boulder, CO. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Nest was after the Revolv team, which will … Continue reading “Nest Buys “Smart Home” Startup Revolv, Discontinues Automation Hub”

On a Wing and a Prayer: 300,000 Angels in Search of a Unicorn

As co-founder and managing partner of San Diego’s TVC Capital, I awake every morning to a certain routine that includes scanning my Term Sheet e-mail to see what investments and acquisitions got done in the tech space. I have noticed in recent years that the space Dan Primack has devoted to investments is long, while … Continue reading “On a Wing and a Prayer: 300,000 Angels in Search of a Unicorn”

Code School Runner Galvanize Offers Data Science Degree in San Francisco

San Francisco is becoming a spawning ground for new institutions of higher learning that don’t feel bound by the traditional organizational structures of academia. The first freshman students of the baked-from-scratch college founded by the Minerva Project moved into their Nob Hill residence hall this fall, and now the city’s South of Market neighborhood is … Continue reading “Code School Runner Galvanize Offers Data Science Degree in San Francisco”

Nest Acquires Revolv for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=20dc910c-c251-46e8-8656-a6d12ab99f80 Date 10/24/2014 Company Name Revolv Mailing Address 1155 Canyon Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description With just one Hub and one App, the Revolv Smart Home Solution is your gateway to a unified experience with all your favorite connected home devices, such as Nest Learning Thermostat, Sonos HiFi Wireless Speakers and … Continue reading “Nest Acquires Revolv for Undisclosed Sum”

Kindara Hopes Smart Thermometer for Women is Birth of Something Big

For women trying to conceive, getting pregnant might not get easier in the next few months—but tracking their fertility to find the likeliest time to conceive might. Kindara, a startup in Boulder, CO, recently announced the debut of Wink, a wireless smart thermometer the company has spent the past few years developing. Wink uses Bluetooth … Continue reading “Kindara Hopes Smart Thermometer for Women is Birth of Something Big”

As Atlas Splits, Is There A Case To Make In Venture For Specialists?

Readers of this column who are of a certain age might remember Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders in black eyeliner, dressed as a diner waitress singing, “I’m special, so special, and I gotta have some of your attention.” Swap “money” for “attention,” and it could be a refrain that venture capitalists are singing these days … Continue reading “As Atlas Splits, Is There A Case To Make In Venture For Specialists?”

Security Software Provider SilverSky Snapped Up by BAE Systems

SilverSky, a Milford, CT-based provider of cloud-based managed services and security software, said Tuesday it agreed to be acquired for $232.5 million by Britain’s BAE Systems and become part of the larger company’s applied intelligence division. SilverSky has offices in Boston, New York, Denver, Colorado Springs, CO, and Morrisville, NC, as well as in Florida … Continue reading “Security Software Provider SilverSky Snapped Up by BAE Systems”

Shanghai Report: Big Questions About China’s Growth Plans

It only took a few days after I returned from China for my eyes to stop burning, and maybe the slight cough was really due to the changing seasons in Boston and not the air pollution in Shanghai (now I better understand the amenity in my hotel room—see below). A small price to pay to … Continue reading “Shanghai Report: Big Questions About China’s Growth Plans”

Colorado’s Zayo Worth $5B Following $400M IPO

Colorado telecom Zayo Group Holdings is now a public, $5 billion company, thanks to a massive IPO the Boulder-based company pulled off on Friday morning. Zayo (NYSE: [[ticker:ZAYO]]) initially priced the deal below its expectations—it sold shares to investors at $19 apiece, well below the range of $21 to $24 the company projected last week. … Continue reading “Colorado’s Zayo Worth $5B Following $400M IPO”

Innovation Hub: Introverts as Innovators

Entrepreneurs, bosses, and leaders are often highly social and extroverted—take Steve Jobs or Richard Branson. They can work a room. They derive energy from being around others. But what if being outgoing and extroverted isn’t actually the key to success in the workplace? Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Introverts as Innovators”

VC Funding Still Robust as Year-to-Date Total Exceeds 2013

Venture capital activity is down from a 13-year high during the second quarter, but a new MoneyTree Report released today shows that venture funding was still going strong in the three months that ended Sept. 30, with $9.9 billion invested in 1,023 deals. That was almost a 27 percent drop from the $13.5 billion that … Continue reading “VC Funding Still Robust as Year-to-Date Total Exceeds 2013”