Category: Boulder/Denver

Zayo Group Garners $400,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=61d18099-2a19-4d1d-99ed-9ec393d80bfb Date 10/17/2014 Company Name Zayo Group Mailing Address 1805 29th Street Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description Zayo Group (NYSE: ZAYO) provides bandwidth, voice and managed services to carrier, enterprise, SME and government customers. Headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, Zayo Group operates three business units, Zayo Bandwidth, Zayo Managed Services and Onvoy … Continue reading “Zayo Group Garners $400,000,000 New Round”

Zayo Group Receives $400,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=61d18099-2a19-4d1d-99ed-9ec393d80bfb Date 10/17/2014 Company Name Zayo Group Mailing Address 1805 29th Street Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description Zayo Group (NYSE: ZAYO) provides bandwidth, voice and managed services to carrier, enterprise, SME and government customers. Headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, Zayo Group operates three business units, Zayo Bandwidth, Zayo Managed Services and Onvoy … Continue reading “Zayo Group Receives $400,000,000 New Round”

A Chance to Celebrate With Xconomy and Meet the Xconomists

Xconomy is celebrating another great year for Colorado tech and life sciences companies with two special events next week that will bring together some of the leaders of Colorado’s software, IT, biotech, cleantech, and venture capital communities—and maybe you. The events, our annual “Meet the Xconomists” receptions, are a chance to network, share ideas, and … Continue reading “A Chance to Celebrate With Xconomy and Meet the Xconomists”

Welltok Raises $25M More, Takes Aim at $2.7T Healthcare Industry

You’ve got a fitness tracker on your wrist and a phone loaded with health apps in your pocket. You know all about the latest technology that can help you stay—or get—in shape, and you’re pretty sure you know all the names of the biggest startups (and giant companies like Nike) trying to sell you new … Continue reading “Welltok Raises $25M More, Takes Aim at $2.7T Healthcare Industry”

Qualcomm and Techstars Establish Accelerator for Robotics Startups

As the global market tops out for advanced smartphone processors, radios, and other wireless chips, Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]] is staking a claim in robotics. Under a partnership with Boulder, CO-based Techstars announced today, the wireless technology giant plans to host a four-month robotics accelerator for 10 startups at its San Diego headquarters next year. The … Continue reading “Qualcomm and Techstars Establish Accelerator for Robotics Startups”

WellTok Receives $25,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fe378e85-23e0-4e1a-9470-32cb782e4ce4 Date 10/15/2014 Company Name WellTok Mailing Address 1675 Larimer Street Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Our social platform allows health plans to rapidly participate in the health care community in a new and powerful way, thus strengthening engagement and collaboration with their members. Website http://www.welltok.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “WellTok Receives $25,000,000 New Financing Round”

Mersive Receives $800,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=371e4699-1e1e-4101-ba0f-0ba1f859729f Date 10/15/2014 Company Name Mersive Mailing Address 2399 Blake Street Denver, CO 80205 USA Company Description Mersive was founded in 2004 with the goal of creating a new generation of digital display solution for mass market. Recognizing that an increasing amount of ultra high-resolution digital content is being created every day, … Continue reading “Mersive Receives $800,000 New Financing”

Venture Firms Turn Down Funding Volume, but Still Rockin’ in Q3

Venture capital activity descended from the stratosphere during the third quarter, but it was still flying high, as venture firms invested nearly $9.8 billion in 879 deals across the United States, according to a report released today by the financial data firm CB Insights. The amount invested during the quarter was down 30 percent from … Continue reading “Venture Firms Turn Down Funding Volume, but Still Rockin’ in Q3”

Roundup: Partners for Ping Identity, Datalogix; Craftsy’s Milestone

Three of Colorado’s biggest startups made notable moves this week. Ping Identity and Datalogix announced new partnerships with major companies that have the potential to greatly expand their reach into new markets. Meanwhile, Craftsy announced it hit a milestone. Ping Identity, Sprint join forces: Denver-based Ping Identity has a new partner as it continues its … Continue reading “Roundup: Partners for Ping Identity, Datalogix; Craftsy’s Milestone”

App That Helps Find Lost Children Highlights Techstars Demo Day

Techstars startups have been making their pitches to investors in Boulder for eight years now. It’s unlikely one has ever been introduced by a police officer. Then again, there hasn’t been a graduate like the Lassy Project, a startup inspired by a real-life child abduction and murder case that shocked Colorado almost exactly two years … Continue reading “App That Helps Find Lost Children Highlights Techstars Demo Day”

Can Salesforce1 Push the Workforce into the Mobile Age?

Dreamforce 2014 is quickly approaching, and it has me thinking about the impact Salesforce (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRM]]) has had on the way we work and more generally on the future of work itself. Dreamforce is the annual Salesforce user conference, and it has more or less become a must-attend event for anyone in the cloud computing … Continue reading “Can Salesforce1 Push the Workforce into the Mobile Age?”

Vive Garners $1,500,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6c0853d-1e7a-4ded-a8f2-8baad3ed6691 Date 10/9/2014 Company Name Vive Mailing Address 1150 Maxwell Ave. Boulder, CO 80304 USA Company Description At Vive, we work with teens and young adults and their family relationships in the homes and communities where our clients live. We use therapeutic mentorship, parent coaching, and counseling to connect with our clients … Continue reading “Vive Garners $1,500,000 New Financing”

What Seattle Needs (Part 3): Working Together to Revitalize Biotech

These are incredibly exciting times in biomedical research. Though the biopharmaceutical industry is in flux, prospects for a greater understanding of the disease process, and the development of new treatments, has never been brighter. Gilead Sciences’s new hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) will actually cure most patients of their infections, and replaces treatments that were … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 3): Working Together to Revitalize Biotech”

So Far, Little Proof That Digital Health Is Healthy. Does It Matter?

Digital health is popular among investors, there’s no doubt. But is it good for us? Products such as fitness wristbands and online wellness coaching are generating buzz, and as a techno-skeptic I often roll my eyes at the trendy accessories and general assumption that life is easier online. Meanwhile, the funding keeps rolling in. Through … Continue reading “So Far, Little Proof That Digital Health Is Healthy. Does It Matter?”

SolidFire Lands $82 Million to Expand Flash Memory in Data Centers

It’s not every day a four-year-old startup in Colorado—or anywhere, really—raises an $82 million funding round, but Boulder-based data storage startup SolidFire has done just that. SolidFire develops all-flash storage systems for enterprise customers and cloud-services providers. Clients include eBay, PayPal, and CenturyLink. The round, which is a Series D, brings the total raised by … Continue reading “SolidFire Lands $82 Million to Expand Flash Memory in Data Centers”

What Seattle Needs (Part 2): Dealing With Amgen’s Upcoming Departure

Reality bites: Amgen’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) decision to leave Washington state is a serious blow to our local bioscience ecosystem. Those who think that all of those people who got laid off (or choose not to relocate) will be able to find biopharma jobs here in Seattle are kidding themselves. Our community is not large and … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 2): Dealing With Amgen’s Upcoming Departure”

SolidFire Secures $82,000,000 Series D Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cc0b28a8-7168-41cf-9206-ed3de754a7ee Date 10/7/2014 Company Name SolidFire Mailing Address 1620 Pearl St. Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description Atlanta-based SolidFire is a next-generation storage platform for cloud computing providers and other enterprises that need scalable, reliable storage for thousands of servers. The Company’s solution allows customers to take advantage of the performance of … Continue reading “SolidFire Secures $82,000,000 Series D Funding Round”

Zayo Group Sets IPO Range, Could Raise $232M

Zayo Group Holdings, a Boulder-based telecom infrastructure company, has set the price range for its upcoming initial public offering. The company and some of its previous investors are looking to sell a combined 28.9 million shares of stock, priced between $21 and $24 per share, according to a statement released this morning and its updated … Continue reading “Zayo Group Sets IPO Range, Could Raise $232M”

Taking a Hachette to Amazon in the Market for Dead Trees

There’s a strange battle going on right now. Weird enough to fit into the science fiction and fantasy section of your local bookstore, but with enough intrigue to make for a good thriller. One of the big five traditional New York publishing houses, Hachette, is mired in a guerrilla campaign against mega online retailer Amazon. … Continue reading “Taking a Hachette to Amazon in the Market for Dead Trees”

What Seattle Needs (Part 1): “Semi-Successful” Biotech Companies

I know what you’re thinking: that’s a pretty strange headline. Why would a city want to attract or build companies that are only “semi-successful?” Wouldn’t it want companies that are flourishing or expanding rapidly? Actually, here in Seattle, we don’t. Semi-successful companies are exactly what we need here as the river of economic change washes … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 1): “Semi-Successful” Biotech Companies”

Big Sale, Equity Rounds, Surprises Make Headlines in 3rd Quarter

This summer was an eventful three months for Colorado’s technology industry. A major European media company bought a controlling stake of a leading adtech startup, two flagship tech companies raised late-stage equity rounds, and NASA might have dashed the state’s dream of becoming the hub for the next generation of space flight. Here’s a quick … Continue reading “Big Sale, Equity Rounds, Surprises Make Headlines in 3rd Quarter”

Innovation Hub: Niche Social Networks

When most people think of social networks, they think of Facebook. But apart from Mark Zuckerberg’s behemoth, which has 1.3 billion active users at last count, we’re seeing a rise in niche-based online communities, tailored to our personal or professional interests. Gina Bianchini is an expert on building custom social networks. She started Ning with … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Niche Social Networks”

Leveling Information Silos in the Workplace

Today’s mobile device technology has made it possible for both professionals and consumers to have nearly all of the information they need right at their fingertips. Moreover, the types of information now available to them are limitless—it could be work e-mail, travel itineraries, social media updates, or even the answer to that trivia question that’s … Continue reading “Leveling Information Silos in the Workplace”

Minute Key Secures $30,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7e27cf46-531d-4ac2-899e-3d5650592014 Date 10/3/2014 Company Name Minute Key Mailing Address 4760 Walnut Street Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description minuteKEY makes the world’s first self-service key duplication machine. The minuteKEY founders spent several years fine-tuning the technology to create a highly accurate, reliable and easy-to-use key-cutting device. Website http://www.minutekey.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Minute Key Secures $30,000,000 New Funding”

Colorado Tech Companies Rank High on Outside’s Best Workplace List

Thirteen Colorado-based tech companies can take a bow after earning a spot on Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work List. Of course, the celebration might have to wait until after their employees get back from mountain biking, rock climbing, or hiking. The tech companies are among the slew of Colorado firms that earned coveted spots … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Companies Rank High on Outside’s Best Workplace List”

Colorado Springs Entrepreneurs Trying to Restart Local Tech Industry

Something is happening down in Colorado Springs, a city of 440,000 that sprawls between Pikes Peak on the west and Air Force bases on the east. Entrepreneurs are trying to create an environment that will help startups grow, which could add a new element to the city’s economy and might even revive a once-flourishing tech … Continue reading “Colorado Springs Entrepreneurs Trying to Restart Local Tech Industry”

Franklin Out, VMLogix and Citrix Exec In as SendGrid Replaces CEO

SendGrid, the Colorado-based e-mail delivery company, has a new CEO. Sameer Dholakia will take the reins of the company, SendGrid announced Tuesday. Dholakia formerly was a vice president with Citrix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTXS]]) and CEO of VMLogix. Dholakia replaces Jim Franklin, who led the company since 2011. During his tenure, SendGrid has grown into one of … Continue reading “Franklin Out, VMLogix and Citrix Exec In as SendGrid Replaces CEO”

Colorado Tech Roundup: Big Bucks for Biofuel and Mapquest’s New App

Here is a quick roundup of recent news from Colorado startups and tech companies, including a great week for a Fort Collins biofuels startup, smart sprinklers, and a new app from Mapquest. Biofuel startup’s big week: The past few years have been rough ones for cleantech startups, as the enthusiasm around the industry has waned … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: Big Bucks for Biofuel and Mapquest’s New App”

Ping Identity’s CEO Talks About $35M Round, What’s Next for Company

Andre Durand still keeps the original business plan he created for Ping Identity back in 2002 in his desk drawer. Sure, it’s mixed in with some other papers and under a Nerf dart gun, and sometime in the past 12 years someone spilled Sriracha on it, leaving dried hot sauce caked on the spiral binding … Continue reading “Ping Identity’s CEO Talks About $35M Round, What’s Next for Company”

The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 0-2 Years

It’s a great time to start a tech company.  The economy is recovering. The business opportunities are immense. And thanks to the boom in seed investments and crowd-funding it’s easier than ever to raise money for the business. Meanwhile, cloud computing has leveled the playing field by minimizing upfront costs, while social media has made … Continue reading “The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 0-2 Years”

Luxury Travel Startup Inspirato Closes $20M Growth Equity Round

Luxury vacation homes are proving to be a very promising business for Inspirato, a Denver travel startup that has caught the eye of some of Silicon Valley and New York’s biggest investors. Inspirato announced Wednesday that it has raised a $20 million growth equity round. W Capital Partners is a new investor in the round, … Continue reading “Luxury Travel Startup Inspirato Closes $20M Growth Equity Round”

Inspirato Garners $20,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e535302f-c39d-4d54-a405-58fdf994d937 Date 9/24/2014 Company Name Inspirato Mailing Address 1637 Wazee Street Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description The company operates a website that enables users to find expensive vacations at lower prices. Website http://www.inspirato.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $20,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The financing will accelerate the company’s … Continue reading “Inspirato Garners $20,000,000 New Financing Round”

“100K” Marathon: A Decades-Long Health Study Makes Its Business Case

For the past several months, 108 people, most of them in the Seattle area, have been under constant biomedical surveillance. And they like it. They’ve agreed to submit to a battery of medical tests that began this year but could stretch for 25 years or more in a landmark study organized by Seattle’s Institute for … Continue reading ““100K” Marathon: A Decades-Long Health Study Makes Its Business Case”

Colorado Tech Roundup: Dream Chaser, Mars Mission, Web Security

There was some big news—and bad news—for Colorado’s startups and tech companies this week. The biggest was NASA’s decision to cut off funding for the Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Dream Chaser spacecraft, putting the future of the program in doubt. Meanwhile, a Colorado-built satellite is about to enter orbit around Mars, security experts gather in Denver, … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: Dream Chaser, Mars Mission, Web Security”

Brad Feld, Blackstone, & ViaWest: Denver Tech Leaders Talk Community

Along with the parties, networking, and workshops, Denver Startup Week is an opportunity to take a look at the city as a startup community, evaluate what it needs, and generate ideas about what should be done going forward. That was the topic Thursday, when influential leaders in the Colorado tech industry sat down to talk … Continue reading “Brad Feld, Blackstone, & ViaWest: Denver Tech Leaders Talk Community”

Ping Identity Raises $35M Round Led By Private Equity Giant KKR

Everyone in Colorado’s tech industry has been expecting Ping Identity to make a big news this year or next, and the Denver-based network security company has done just that by raising a $35 million growth equity round. KKR (NYSE: [[ticker:KKR]]), a major international private equity firm, led the financing, and Ten Eleven Ventures joined as a … Continue reading “Ping Identity Raises $35M Round Led By Private Equity Giant KKR”

A Prescription for the Achilles Heel of Healthcare IT

What keeps doctors from sleeping at night? Electronic Health Records (EHRs). More specifically, the “homework” these essential-but-sometimes-inefficient systems generate is enough to cause nightmares. In a recent study that observed physician behavior, primary care providers spent 40 percent of their patient visit time focused on their computer screens, clicking and scrolling through the patient’s EHR. … Continue reading “A Prescription for the Achilles Heel of Healthcare IT”

Ping Identity Secures $35,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c570dd8-e72d-40eb-8a7d-e67b1805e713 Date 9/18/2014 Company Name Ping Identity Mailing Address 1001 17th Street Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Ping Identity Corporation’s market-leading sign-on management technology establishes a benchmark in the Identity Management Industry. Website http://www.pingidentity.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $35,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Ping Identity will use this … Continue reading “Ping Identity Secures $35,000,000 New Round”

McClure Delivers Harsh Truths, Advice to Begin Denver Startup Week

Dave McClure isn’t interested in being a cheerleader. If you were at his speech that kicked off Denver Startup Week on Monday, you didn’t get a pat on the back, but rather a kick in the ass—and maybe other parts of the anatomy. “There’s a lot of rainbows and unicorns bullshit that goes on, and … Continue reading “McClure Delivers Harsh Truths, Advice to Begin Denver Startup Week”

The Rhythm of Management: What Jazz Can Teach Startup Executives

“Jazz stands for freedom. It’s supposed to be the voice of freedom: Get out there and improvise, and take chances, and don’t be a perfectionist – leave that to the classical musicians.” — Jazz great Dave Brubeck Playing in a jazz ensemble and leading a business are very, very similar. And my experiences both as … Continue reading “The Rhythm of Management: What Jazz Can Teach Startup Executives”

Oracle Acquires Front Porch Digital for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ba0053ac-d95e-4fb6-94e8-e3e46b411d70 Date 9/14/2014 Company Name Front Porch Digital Mailing Address 2011 Cherry Street Louisville, CO 80027 USA Company Description Front Porch Digital is transforming the digital world by developing unique software and services that convert audio, video, images, text and data into digital formats that enable searching, browsing, editing, storage and on-demand … Continue reading “Oracle Acquires Front Porch Digital for Undisclosed Sum”

Colorado Tech Roundup: Ball’s Space Lasers, Zayo to Wire the NBA

Here is a quick roundup of recent news from Colorado startups and tech companies, including news about Ball Aerospace’s new laser-communications satellites, Zayo’s deal to wire the NBA, and the upcoming Apex Awards. Space lasers: Ball Aerospace & Technologies announced this week it will be building a constellation of communications satellites that will use lasers … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: Ball’s Space Lasers, Zayo to Wire the NBA”

Innovation Hub: Why Tech’s Women Problem Is Bigger Than You Think

You’ve seen the numbers. And they’re not good. At Apple, Twitter, Google, and Facebook, women are vastly outnumbered by men. When it comes to technical positions like coders, men occupy 80 to 90 percent of the positions. Which isn’t a great sign if these represent the jobs—and skill sets—of the future. The startup scene is … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Why Tech’s Women Problem Is Bigger Than You Think”

How to Attract Smart People, Smart Ideas, and Smart Money

North Carolina entrepreneurs are attracting attention all over the nation—and all over the world—across the tech, life science, and advanced materials sectors. The proof is in the numbers. Last year, more than 220 entrepreneurial companies in North Carolina raised nearly half a billion dollars through equity investments, grants, and awards from 108 unique funders, according … Continue reading “How to Attract Smart People, Smart Ideas, and Smart Money”

Silvergate Pharmaceuticals Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f0de9f30-16cc-4942-a5e4-33760fc1cd6d Date 9/12/2014 Company Name Silvergate Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 6251 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111 USA Company Description The company is developing technologies that reformulate adult pharmaceuticals for the pediatric market. Website http://www.silvergatepharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Silvergate Pharmaceuticals Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round”

Handll Lands $400,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=23ccf5fc-3f22-4051-ac1d-b94432bb0f99 Date 9/12/2014 Company Name Handll Mailing Address 1700 Broadway Denver, CO 80290 USA Company Description HANDLL. Social Players use data to display the most impactful social content on your site. Website http://www.handll.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $400,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory … Continue reading “Handll Lands $400,000 New Funding”

An Intriguing Program Takes on Tropical Diseases—But Not Ebola

[Updated and corrected 9/10/14, 10:05 am. See below.] On August 28, Anthony Fauci, the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s top infectious disease specialist, announced a major trial in concert with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]) to test new Ebola vaccines in humans. Fauci called it an “all-hands-on-deck response” to the growing global health emergency in which more … Continue reading “An Intriguing Program Takes on Tropical Diseases—But Not Ebola”