Edward Jung, co-founder and chief technology officer, of Intellectual Ventures, has been out talking about how his company—which was recently described as among Silicon Valley’s most hated—is playing a long game to attack the big problems confronting the world today. On the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia in Seattle last week, Jung sat … Continue reading “Xconomy Q&A: Intellectual Ventures Co-founder and CTO Edward Jung”
Category: Boulder/Denver
Tech, Networking, and Beer: A Quick Guide for Denver Startup Week
Denver Startup Week is back, and organizers promise it will be bigger and better than ever. The annual event, now in its third year, is a chance for Denver’s tech companies and entrepreneurs to connect, learn, build a community, and party while drinking lots and lots of Colorado-brewed craft beer. Denver Startup Week starts Monday … Continue reading “Tech, Networking, and Beer: A Quick Guide for Denver Startup Week”
aWhere Obtains $6,300,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e25a7b2b-0eeb-49dc-a595-51d0b0283a57 Date 9/9/2014 Company Name aWhere Mailing Address 4891 Independence St. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 USA Company Description aWhere, Inc. offers a suite of products and solutions that help manage your retailers’ data and make store-level decisions depending on whether you’re a manufacturer, broker, distributor, or a retailer. Website http://www.awhere.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “aWhere Obtains $6,300,000 New Financing”
John Maraganore: From “Prototypical Geek” To Canny Alnylam Chief
John Maraganore opened up an envelope in 1994 that changed his life. Inside were the results of the pivotal study of an anticoagulant drug Maraganore had created in the lab. It was the star prospect for Maraganore’s employer, Biogen. If the drug, bivalirudin, worked, Biogen might have its first product—and Maraganore, the glory of designing … Continue reading “John Maraganore: From “Prototypical Geek” To Canny Alnylam Chief”
Colorado Tech Roundup: Tech Wages, CTA’s foundation, and Orbotix
Here is a quick roundup of some news from Colorado startups and tech communities, including news about wages for local high-tech workers, the Colorado Technology Association’s new foundation to develop tech talent, and Orbotix’s new robot. —Tech Industry Wages: Interested in how much tech workers are making in Denver, Boulder, and around the country? Of … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: Tech Wages, CTA’s foundation, and Orbotix”
Innovation Hub: John Maeda on Why Tech Loves Design
John Maeda stands at the intersection of design and technology—and attracts a bit of a cult following. He’s the first Design Partner at Kleiner Perkins, the venture capital firm that has backed companies from Amazon to Genentech to WebMD. Previously, he served as President of The Rhode Island School of Design. Maeda insists that design … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: John Maeda on Why Tech Loves Design”
Techstars to Offer “Equity Back Guarantee” to Skeptical Startups
Techstars is making a new pitch to entrepreneurs—satisfaction guaranteed, or your equity back. The startup accelerator, based in Boulder, CO, invests $18,000 in its startups in exchange for 6 percent of their equity. Techstars also offers each startup a $100,000 convertible note, which can increase its share of the company to 10 percent. But beginning … Continue reading “Techstars to Offer “Equity Back Guarantee” to Skeptical Startups”
Which Countries Excel in Creating New Drugs? It’s Complicated
A lot has been written lately about innovation, or the lack thereof, in the world of biopharma. One question that often gets asked: which countries lead the way in creating new medicines? Many people think that drugs originate in the nation where the companies that produce them are headquartered. The truth, however, is much more … Continue reading “Which Countries Excel in Creating New Drugs? It’s Complicated”
Colorado Tech Roundup: TeamSnap Buys Rival, Corgenix Sells for $16M
Here is a quick roundup of some news from Colorado startups and tech companies, featuring TeamSnap and Corgenix, which is making a test for the Ebola virus. TeamSnap Snaps Up Competitor: TeamSnap, a Boulder, CO-based startup, continues to grow. This week, the company announced it bought Easy Team Manager from Kranitz Enterprises for an undisclosed … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: TeamSnap Buys Rival, Corgenix Sells for $16M”
Open Data Can Help Government Be the Airbnb of Civic Services
Until recently, 99 percent of government data around the world was shrouded in darkness. It was trapped in a vault, gathering mold, and never saw the light of day. But the vibrant open data movement, which is taking hold on just about every continent, has begun to radically change this. Now, government data is being … Continue reading “Open Data Can Help Government Be the Airbnb of Civic Services”
Ibotta’s CEO Bryan Leach Opens Up About His Startup, Personal Pivot
Bryan Leach was in the middle of a glittering legal career. By the time he was in his early 30s, he’d graduated from Yale Law School, clerked for Supreme Court Justice David Souter, and become a partner at Bartlit Beck, a boutique law firm renowned for its commercial litigation practice. But inside the lawyer was … Continue reading “Ibotta’s CEO Bryan Leach Opens Up About His Startup, Personal Pivot”
HotSpot Tax Lands New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=36706209-179d-4360-a030-889ae5c8456d Date 8/27/2014 Company Name HotSpot Tax Mailing Address 5300 Dtc Pkwy Greenwood Village, CO 80155 USA Company Description HotSpot is the leader is HotSpot’s powerful software platform provides an automated state and local tax compliance solution serving thousands of properties across the U.S. HotSpot’s unique and powerful solution manages all aspects … Continue reading “HotSpot Tax Lands New Funding”
Coelacanths And Other IPO Thoughts Before The Autumn Markets Return
Ah, the final week of summer. Would that it could go on forever. And thanks for reading this on your mobile device with your toes in the sand. Just don’t forget to take a dip or toss a Frisbee when you’re done. No doubt many would like the current biotech IPO climate to stretch on … Continue reading “Coelacanths And Other IPO Thoughts Before The Autumn Markets Return”
“Plan” Versus “Vision” Entrepreneurs and How a VC Evaluates Startups
Since I first joined Mercury Fund in 2008, I’ve seen the ups (now) and downs (2009) of venture capital in just six years. Despite the wildly different environments, I’ve noticed that the types of pitches we get, and our responses to them, haven’t changed much. Although we have seen small changes to some of the … Continue reading ““Plan” Versus “Vision” Entrepreneurs and How a VC Evaluates Startups”
What I’ve Learned From 25 Years in the Tech Industry
Building and running a successful startup in America’s fiercely competitive tech industry is never easy. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution or manual for how to go about it. But as they say, experience is the best teacher. So it’s my pleasure to share with you some of my own experiences and observations in building and managing … Continue reading “What I’ve Learned From 25 Years in the Tech Industry”
Innovation Hub: Rise of the Nerds
I was labeled one. You probably were too. And now that we’re grown up, lots of us believe that being a “nerd” is actually a badge of honor. But David Anderegg, author of Nerds: How Dorks, Dweebs, Techies and Trekkies Can Save America and Why They Might Be Our Last Hope, argues that the nerd … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Rise of the Nerds”
MobileDay Raises $6.6M to Cut Enterprises’ Conference Call Bills
Pretty much everyone who has ever dialed into a conference call knows it’s a hassle to keep track of the numbers and to dial in, especially when away from the office. But they’d probably be surprised to learn just how costly conference calls are for their employers, especially if they work for a large multinational … Continue reading “MobileDay Raises $6.6M to Cut Enterprises’ Conference Call Bills”
MobileDay Receives $6,577,064 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5655c358-4d0c-4cae-99db-8ed95fe433f6 Date 8/21/2014 Company Name MobileDay Mailing Address 1919 14th Street Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description MobileDay provides One-Touch access into any conference call. Painlessly connect into any call with your Android or iPhone. Website http://www.mobileday.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,577,064 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “MobileDay Receives $6,577,064 New Financing”
Innovation Hub: Your Brilliant Other Half
We spend a lot of time celebrating one-in-a-million entrepreneurs: the Mark Zuckerbergs, the Steve Jobs, the Elon Musks. But what if most entrepreneurs are more like two in a million? People who couldn’t realize their vision without a brilliant partner. Joshua Wolf Shenk writes about this phenomenon in Powers of Two: Finding the Essence of … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Your Brilliant Other Half”
Colorado Tech Roundup: Gnip’s $134M Price Tag and a Satellite Launch
Here is a quick roundup of some news from Colorado startups, tech, and aerospace companies, featuring Gnip, a trio of Colorado’s aerospace leaders, and a few recent venture capital deals. Colorado’s Satellite Lifts Off: Wednesday was a big day for Colorado’s aerospace industry, with the launch of DigitalGlobe’s latest satellite, the WorldView-3 remote sensing satellite. … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: Gnip’s $134M Price Tag and a Satellite Launch”
Carless in Cambridge: Bike & Car Sharing and the Future of Traffic
Nine weeks ago, I lost my fancy hybrid street/trail bike to one of San Francisco’s plentiful bicycle thieves. Seven weeks ago, in preparation for a big move east, I sold my car. Now I’m settling into a new apartment in Cambridge, MA, and for the first time in my adult life, I don’t own a … Continue reading “Carless in Cambridge: Bike & Car Sharing and the Future of Traffic”
RxREVU Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=680ce057-4c76-452e-933b-acde73360bb3 Date 8/15/2014 Company Name RxREVU Mailing Address 1062 Delaware Street Denver, CO 80204 USA Company Description RxREVU has over 6,000 cost-saving recommendations covering all of the major brand name chronic medications. The system uses twelve different cost-saving strategies to arrive at the most complete medication optimization solution available to healthcare portals … Continue reading “RxREVU Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round”
Non-Compete Agreements: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Twenty years ago, renowned researcher AnnaLee Saxenian wrote a book called Regional Advantage, which compared the development of two high-tech regions, Silicon Valley and Route 128. Everyone in the tech world knows how this story played out: In the face of global competition and technological trends, Silicon Valley reinvented itself and roared ahead, while Route … Continue reading “Non-Compete Agreements: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”
BiOptix Diagnostics Garners $2,054,210 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e9b401c8-2626-4cb8-9bac-77bf5deeca05 Date 8/14/2014 Company Name BiOptix Diagnostics Mailing Address 1775 38th St. Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description The company’s mission is to develop its proprietary E-SPR (Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance) technology platform for the detection of molecular interactions. Website http://www.bioptix.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,054,210 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “BiOptix Diagnostics Garners $2,054,210 New Funding Round”
Nutrinsic Receives $12,700,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4b0349df-585a-4293-b920-d3beae47ed9f Date 8/14/2014 Company Name Nutrinsic Mailing Address 600 S Cherry St. Glendale, CO 80246 USA Company Description By recovering nutrients, we help food and beverage processors deliver clean water to the environment and eliminate the need to dispose of waste. This process creates an environmentally and economically sustainable source of premium … Continue reading “Nutrinsic Receives $12,700,000 New Funding”
Rapt Media Raises $3.1M to Drive Interactive Video Advertising
Online videos seem to be “the next big thing” in digital advertising, and companies that help clients create content stand to benefit. One example is Rapt Media, a Boulder, CO-based startup. The company recently raised a $3.1 million Series A round. Rapt Media makes cloud-based software that helps customers create interactive videos and integrate them … Continue reading “Rapt Media Raises $3.1M to Drive Interactive Video Advertising”
The Perfect Hacker Storm: CyberVor Was Lightning; Here Comes Thunder
A Russian “hacker gang” they’ve dubbed CyberVor accumulated more than 1.2 unique user credentials from more than 420,000 Web services, ranging from smaller sites to major household names. For scale – if the CyberVor hack were a box office return, it would be the total global gross of the final Harry Potter as compared to … Continue reading “The Perfect Hacker Storm: CyberVor Was Lightning; Here Comes Thunder”
While Protesters Rage Against Tech Giants, Biotech Drives Quietly By
Not long ago, biotech made a lot of people angry. Up until 2005 or so, the annual Biotechnology Industry Organization conference attracted large street protests, which in turn attracted cops in riot gear in some cases (see San Francisco, 2004) as well as the attention of the industry’s top brass. Here’s then-BIO president Carl Feldbaum … Continue reading “While Protesters Rage Against Tech Giants, Biotech Drives Quietly By”
Photobucket Lands $3,186,432 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=583aaed0-6fbc-402b-b7bf-8d995458fb07 Date 8/12/2014 Company Name Photobucket Mailing Address 2399 Blake St. Denver, CO 80205 USA Company Description Photobucket provides an online service that enables users to upload and share photos and videos. Website http://www.photobucket.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,186,432 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC … Continue reading “Photobucket Lands $3,186,432 New Financing”
Moneyball Meets Sales and Marketing: Tips from Two Masters
Moneyball has come to sales and marketing. I’m trusting you know about the revolution that hit baseball due to the arrival of sophisticated data and analytics—and if you don’t, well, read Moneyball by Michael Lewis. It shouldn’t be a surprise, in any case, to hear that the same type of data-mining and number-crunching that turned … Continue reading “Moneyball Meets Sales and Marketing: Tips from Two Masters”
Zerista Obtains $2,000,714 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4ce9d9c6-f1b2-47dd-9380-b46c6867a620 Date 8/11/2014 Company Name Zerista Mailing Address 1700 Platte St. Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description Our vision is to be the leading mobile community platform by letting you easily turn your group, team or organization into a thriving mobile community. Until Zerista, community managers have had to use a wide … Continue reading “Zerista Obtains $2,000,714 New Round”
Innovation Hub: Forget Big Bets—Success Means Thinking Small
If you want to reap big rewards, you’ve got to take big risks. Right? Not according to Peter Sims, author of Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, who argues that companies from Google to Hewlett-Packard have cashed in by thinking small, floating trial balloons, and understanding that micro failures are inevitable. I … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Forget Big Bets—Success Means Thinking Small”
Linda Stone’s Antidote to Quantified Self: The Essential Self
The Quantified Self movement emerged in the late 2000s in response to an absence: the lack of useful data about our bodies as we move through the day. Before the QS era, an EKG could show you your heart rhythms; a lab analysis could show you your cholesterol levels; a treadmill stress test could measure … Continue reading “Linda Stone’s Antidote to Quantified Self: The Essential Self”
500 Startups’ Dave McClure to Kick Off 2014 Denver Startup Week
It’s unlikely that many people know more about tech startups than Dave McClure, so the well-known Silicon Valley angel investor is sure to have an attentive audience as he kicks off this year’s Denver Startup Week. McClure, who is the founder of the 500 Startups seed fund and accelerator, will speak Sept. 15 and is … Continue reading “500 Startups’ Dave McClure to Kick Off 2014 Denver Startup Week”
RoundPegg Garners $484,538 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=69e25a72-8a08-42d7-a37e-372dd01d9e22 Date 8/7/2014 Company Name RoundPegg Mailing Address 1433 Pearl St. Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description The company develops employment software solutions. Website http://www.roundpegg.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $484,538 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology company for investment details, if applicable. … Continue reading “RoundPegg Garners $484,538 New Funding”
Rapt Media Obtains $3,100,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e266bd9c-5c09-44cb-90bb-4a57ad503b2c Date 8/7/2014 Company Name Rapt Media Mailing Address PO Box 4533 Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description Rapt Media (formerly FlixMaster) has the goal of bringing enhanced interactivity and branching to online video. Website http://www.raptmedia.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,100,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Rapt Media will use … Continue reading “Rapt Media Obtains $3,100,000 New Funding”
GridCraft Receives $2,200,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1662c783-6cc3-4d31-90a8-68f44546c273 Date 8/7/2014 Company Name GridCraft Mailing Address 3390 Valmont Road Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description GridCraft was founded in July 2013 by seasoned veterans with established track records of developing then bringing industry-leading software products to market. Website http://www.gridcraft.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,200,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds … Continue reading “GridCraft Receives $2,200,000 Seed Funding Round”
Denver-based Video Advertising Startup Altitude Digital Raises $7M
Climbing demand for online video ads continues to benefit Colorado startups. Altitude Digital announced this week it has secured a $7 million credit facility from Silicon Valley Bank. The Denver-based startup will use the money to double its headcount as it tries to increase the number of digital publishers using its ad sales software. Altitude … Continue reading “Denver-based Video Advertising Startup Altitude Digital Raises $7M”
Funding Options Shrink for Early-Stage Cleantech Ventures
The term “cleantech” has gone through a rebranding. However it’s defined, though, investment in energy and natural resource-related startups continues. Just don’t expect venture capitalists to be writing all the checks. As a reporter, I chronicled the rush of venture capital in cleantech in the mid-to-late 2000s and the subsequent financial bust and politicization of … Continue reading “Funding Options Shrink for Early-Stage Cleantech Ventures”
Conspire Garners $2,471,007 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d9984d60-e39b-48b9-957e-c1b37b5ae081 Date 8/5/2014 Company Name Conspire Mailing Address 1035 Pearl Street 5th Floor Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description Conspire is the first global network that has a deep understanding of your email network. Website http://www.goconspire.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,471,007 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not … Continue reading “Conspire Garners $2,471,007 New Funding Round”
Military Strategies Being Used in the War on Cancer
Nearly everyone has heard of the War on Cancer, which was launched during the Nixon administration with the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971. The goal of this legislation was to eradicate (or at least significantly decrease) the number of U.S. cancer deaths. Progress in meeting this goal has been slow over the … Continue reading “Military Strategies Being Used in the War on Cancer”
How Cotton Bureau Became the Internet’s Coolest T-Shirt Store
You may not have realized that it was possible to become addicted to buying T-shirts. But that probably means you just haven’t stumbled upon Cotton Bureau, a year-old website that has quickly become the world’s coolest T-shirt shop. The four-person crew behind Cotton Bureau has managed to pull this off by stitching together an impressive number … Continue reading “How Cotton Bureau Became the Internet’s Coolest T-Shirt Store”
Altitude Digital Secures $7,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c6ec19e-382f-4848-82b4-6f9d0b8992f0 Date 8/4/2014 Company Name Altitude Digital Mailing Address 1037 Broadway Denver, CO 80203 USA Company Description Altitude Digital is a leader in online display and video advertising technology. The company and its video division, Visualtising, empower online publishers to maximize their revenue by optimizing their ad space and eliminating unnecessary ad … Continue reading “Altitude Digital Secures $7,000,000 New Funding Round”
Colorado Online Video Advertising Startup SpotXchange Sold for $144M
Companies like Facebook and AOL and advertisers are confident that video ads will be a big part of online advertising, and the latest startup to benefit with an outsized exit is SpotXchange, a startup based outside of Denver. RTL Group, a major European media company, announced Thursday it will buy a majority stake in online-ad … Continue reading “Colorado Online Video Advertising Startup SpotXchange Sold for $144M”
Innovation Hub: Legendary Investor Roger McNamee on “Day of Reckoning”
There’s always plenty of coverage of the newest phones—are they a millimeter thinner? Is the camera slightly better? But when you back up and look at the broad sweep of how technology has changed our lives over the last generation, it’s profound. Celebrated Silicon Valley investor Roger McNamee has been part of this transformation—having spent … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Legendary Investor Roger McNamee on “Day of Reckoning””
Global Warming and the Power of Fear to Drive Innovation
[Corrected, see below] As graduation approached at my rural Michigan high school in 1985, our principal had a problem. The commencement ceremony usually featured two speeches: one from the valedictorian and one from the salutatorian. But in my graduating class eight people, including me, had a 4.0 grade point average. Who would give the valedictorian … Continue reading “Global Warming and the Power of Fear to Drive Innovation”
Is Radio Silence Endangering Your Business?
Let’s see if this scenario sounds all-too-familiar. A divisional company director is facing a distressed situation. Her CEO suggests bringing in an outside consultant to help. They meet, and the director decides to hire the consultant and immediately confirms a follow-up meeting on both of their calendars. Except that this second meeting never takes place. … Continue reading “Is Radio Silence Endangering Your Business?”
Driving Corporate Innovation: Design Thinking vs. Customer Development
Startups are not smaller versions of large companies, but interestingly we also see that companies are not larger versions of startups. I’ve been spending some time with large companies that are interested in using “Lean Startup” methods. One of the conundrums is why does innovation take so long to happen in corporations? Previously Hank Chesbrough … Continue reading “Driving Corporate Innovation: Design Thinking vs. Customer Development”
Drone Startups, Like Airware, Seek Profit in Software and the Cloud
Airware is a drone company that won’t be selling any drones. And it’s not alone: as the emerging market for commercial drones takes shape, a number of startups plan to earn profits by developing software and services for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), rather than focusing just on the hardware. San Francisco-based Airware said last week … Continue reading “Drone Startups, Like Airware, Seek Profit in Software and the Cloud”
Seattle Jobs? Big Biotech Gives And Takes Away (Mostly The Latter)
Reporting a 25 percent jump in profits, Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) also dealt a blow to Seattle’s biotech job market today. The Thousand Oaks, CA-based biotech drug maker announced a huge round of job cuts, 12 to 15 percent of its staff worldwide, and a shuttering of research and manufacturing groups in Washington state and Colorado. … Continue reading “Seattle Jobs? Big Biotech Gives And Takes Away (Mostly The Latter)”