Two weeks ago, Blackstone announced it was putting up $4 million to create the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network in Colorado. As this longer article describes, BEN Colorado’s goal is to help Colorado companies successfully “scale up” to become leaders in their industries while also deepening connections across various high-growth industries. How’s that effort going so far? … Continue reading “Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network’s Leaders Learning Early Lessons”
Category: Boulder/Denver
10 Things to Know About BEN, Blackstone, and Colorado’s Gazelles
It was a big win for Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem when the Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced it was putting up $4 million to create the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network in Colorado. BEN Colorado’s twofold mission is to help the next wave of companies with high-growth potential scale up and become leaders in their industries while also helping … Continue reading “10 Things to Know About BEN, Blackstone, and Colorado’s Gazelles”
Three Months in Berlin: One Tech Entrepreneur’s Journey
San Francisco is the center of the tech world. But after three months in Europe, my conclusion is that there’s a major new contender as a great place to start startups: Berlin. In this article I’ll tell you about the companies and investors I got the chance to work with, and then talk about the … Continue reading “Three Months in Berlin: One Tech Entrepreneur’s Journey”
Plug and Play San Diego Selects Five Companies for Startup Camp
It was standing room only as Plug and Play San Diego selected five seed-stage tech companies to participate in its startup accelerator program, following presentations by 17 finalists yesterday at the Co-Merge shared workspace in downtown San Diego. The afternoon session represented Plug and Play’s third draft of companies in a San Diego-based selection process … Continue reading “Plug and Play San Diego Selects Five Companies for Startup Camp”
Burnt Out? Try a ‘Careercation’
You’re CRAZY! I was getting used to hearing that when I told family and friends that I was selling everything I owned and buying one-way tickets to New Zealand to travel around the world with my wife and 10-month-old daughter. After being a serial entrepreneur for over a decade, I was flat burnt out. I … Continue reading “Burnt Out? Try a ‘Careercation’”
Orbotix Garners $15,500,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44a6480e-ff59-4f23-99cb-80fd8a05c430 Date 5/6/2014 Company Name Orbotix Mailing Address 4772 Walnut St. Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description We create connected toys, fusing emerging technology with the latest innovations in robotics to offer a new kind of open play experience. With our smart robots and open software we hope to inspire the next … Continue reading “Orbotix Garners $15,500,000 New Funding”
4 Weeks Until Our Napa Summit on June 2-3–Request Your Invitation
We all know it’s important to get out of our boxes at times. By taking in new ideas from leaders outside of our own fields, we can return to face day-to-day challenges with fresh perspective and energy. Sometimes getting out of the box also means getting out of our comfort zones. But sometimes it’s better … Continue reading “4 Weeks Until Our Napa Summit on June 2-3–Request Your Invitation”
Orbotix Raises $15.5M to Develop Next Generation of Toys
Orbotix remains on a roll, announcing today that it has closed a $15.5 million funding round that the company will use to continue developing the next generation of high-tech toys that bridge the physical and the digital worlds. Orbotix is best known as the maker of Sphero, the robotic ball that can be controlled with … Continue reading “Orbotix Raises $15.5M to Develop Next Generation of Toys”
Organizing For Aging—An Investment Imperative
Starting now, venture capitalists should reflect on an opportunity that probably occupies them very little. They know they are in the medical progress business, having financed numerous hard-won successes in developing drugs and diagnostics for rare diseases. Along with general material progress, the application of DNA science and genomics in biotechnology is giving millions of … Continue reading “Organizing For Aging—An Investment Imperative”
Cultivating Accountability in the Workplace
Accountability is one of the most important aspects of any business. A company that holds its employees accountable for the choices they make and the tasks they perform witnesses high levels of productivity and efficiency. In a startup too, a shared sense of accountability among employees makes all the difference in how they approach their … Continue reading “Cultivating Accountability in the Workplace”
Colorado Tech Roundup: News From SendGrid, Zayo Group, and JumpCloud
Here is a quick roundup of some news from Colorado startups and tech companies, featuring SendGrid, Zayo Group, and JumpCloud. SendGrid’s New Partners: One of Colorado’s fastest-growing startups recently formed a new partnership to help other startups step on the accelerator. SendGrid announced this week it is partnering with startup accelerators Techstars, 500 Startups, and … Continue reading “Colorado Tech Roundup: News From SendGrid, Zayo Group, and JumpCloud”
Soft Spots: Five Places Where Silicon Valley’s Bubble Could Pop
The main premise of J.J. Abrams’ Fringe—unquestionably one of the three best sci-fi shows made for television in this century, alongside Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who—is that there’s a second, nearly identical universe coterminous with ours. The wall between the parallel worlds remains impenetrable until a grief-stricken scientist, Walter Bishop, figures out how to cross … Continue reading “Soft Spots: Five Places Where Silicon Valley’s Bubble Could Pop”
Innovation Hub: Jason Fried on the End of the Workplace
Jason Fried wants us to forget about meetings, stop talking to our managers, and avoid coming into the office. Mostly. Fried, the co-founder and CEO of the software company Basecamp, believes many workplaces are dysfunctional and should be reinvented. Why? And what’s Fried’s vision of the new office? I sat down to talk with him … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Jason Fried on the End of the Workplace”
Lightstone Closes $172M Fund for Early-Stage Biotechs
Early-stage biotech investing is a difficult game, as evidenced by the well-documented dwindling of VC firms over the past few years left to take the plunge. But Lightstone Ventures started up two years ago to throw its hat into the ring nonetheless, and now it’s got some dollars to put to work. Lightstone has closed … Continue reading “Lightstone Closes $172M Fund for Early-Stage Biotechs”
At Two-Year Mark, JOBS Act Is Regulation Even A Biotech Can Love
It’s been two years since President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act into law and revamped the rules that govern private companies trying to raise money from all types of investors. The biotech crowd, usually hard pressed to find good things to say about federal regulation, couldn’t be more pleased with the … Continue reading “At Two-Year Mark, JOBS Act Is Regulation Even A Biotech Can Love”
CommercialTribe Lands $3,200,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3979be62-39d0-4b20-a3c0-30dc9541cb94 Date 5/1/2014 Company Name CommercialTribe Mailing Address 1408 Wazee St. Denver, CO 80202 USA Company Description The process of sales training hasn’t meaningfully changed since Dale Carnegie introduced his approach in 1937. And while billions of dollars are being invested annually, sales training effectiveness remains questionable with little measurable improvement in … Continue reading “CommercialTribe Lands $3,200,000 Series A Round”
PivotDesk Launches in 23 New Markets in Rapid Nationwide Expansion
Fresh off raising a $3.8 million Series B round, PivotDesk is expanding its footprint dramatically, announcing today it is launching its service in 23 new markets. The move nearly quintuples the startup’s number of markets and puts it in hubs such as Chicago, Seattle, and Austin, TX. PivotDesk is a Boulder CO-based startup that has … Continue reading “PivotDesk Launches in 23 New Markets in Rapid Nationwide Expansion”
New Colorado Conference to Connect Top Startups with National VCs
Some of Colorado’s heaviest hitters in the tech industry and in venture capital will be at Coors Field this summer, but they won’t be there to watch the Rockies. Instead, they’ll be there for the first Colorado Venture Summit, where they’ll celebrate recent successes, discuss future opportunities, and maybe make connections that will lead to … Continue reading “New Colorado Conference to Connect Top Startups with National VCs”
New Napa Speakers: Kawasaki on Startups, Ashenfelter on Wine
McLuhan said that the medium is the message. Here at Xconomy, we agree, and we think it even goes for the venues we pick for our events. When we hold a big conference in a university lecture hall, the message we’re sending is: deep thoughts and nuanced arguments coming. If we gather at the campus … Continue reading “New Napa Speakers: Kawasaki on Startups, Ashenfelter on Wine”
BioPharma Learns From Marvel, Begins Real Life Search For “X-Men”
Biopharma employees read, as you might expect, a wide spectrum of scientific journals and trade publications. What might be surprising is that their reading lists appear to have expanded recently to include classic Marvel comics. What’s led me to this conclusion? The Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB has sponsored an Innovation Challenge on the InnoCentive Website … Continue reading “BioPharma Learns From Marvel, Begins Real Life Search For “X-Men””
GlobeImmune Sets $15 to $17 Price Range in Second IPO Attempt
GlobeImmune has taken a big step forward in its second attempt to go public. Now the question is whether the Louisville, CO-based biotech will get to the finish line this time around. According to a regulatory filing posted by the company on Tuesday, GlobeImmune intends to price its shares between $15 and $17 apiece and … Continue reading “GlobeImmune Sets $15 to $17 Price Range in Second IPO Attempt”
CommercialTribe Lands $3.2M Series A Round from Colorado Syndicate
While some classic sales techniques have stood the test of time, the way sales teams train hasn’t, at least in the eyes of Paul Ironside, co-founder and CEO of CommercialTribe. Improve on the inefficient old standbys such as classroom training and sales conferences, he believes, and you could make a fortune. Ironside isn’t alone in … Continue reading “CommercialTribe Lands $3.2M Series A Round from Colorado Syndicate”
Milwaukee Has Startup Ecosystem Elements, Awaits Chain Reaction
Obviously the startup communities on the coasts are different than those in “flyover country” (as it is often referred to). I’d like to comment on some of the differences between two startup communities I am familiar with: Boston and Milwaukee. While I grew up in Milwaukee, I left after high school to go to MIT … Continue reading “Milwaukee Has Startup Ecosystem Elements, Awaits Chain Reaction”
“Top of Rockies” Honors Xconomy’s Davidson with 2 First Place Awards
We’re proud to report this morning that one of our own has added his name to the summit log in the “Top of the Rockies” journalism competition awards, a program organized by the Colorado Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Michael Davidson, who joined Xconomy just over a year ago as editor of … Continue reading ““Top of Rockies” Honors Xconomy’s Davidson with 2 First Place Awards”
Entrepreneurs Hope to Fuel Collaboration with Oil and Gas Industry
While Colorado is gaining a reputation as a great place to launch a startup, there’s still a different industry that reigns supreme, especially in Denver: oil and natural gas. “Oil and gas” generates $29 billion per year in the state, according to the industry’s trade association. But while many of Colorado’s most important companies are … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs Hope to Fuel Collaboration with Oil and Gas Industry”
Trada Garners $999,999 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=eaa6eaed-5511-4980-af58-73a8051bdd99 Date 4/28/2014 Company Name Trada Mailing Address 1023 Walnut Street Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description Trada is revolutionizing the way Agencies, Advertisers and PPC Experts build and manage PPC marketing campaigns. We’ve developed the first PPC marketplace that allows agencies and in-house advertisers to leverage the skills of hundreds of … Continue reading “Trada Garners $999,999 New Funding Round”
Beauty Is Everywhere, Except On Your TV Screen. Time to Change That.
Your mother probably taught you to turn off the TV when you weren’t watching it. That made sense, back in the day: television sets used to consume a lot of juice. Today, they don’t. If you bought the largest, most electricity-guzzling flat-screen TV you could find and left it on all the time, you’d still … Continue reading “Beauty Is Everywhere, Except On Your TV Screen. Time to Change That.”
Varsity, Malleable Medical Take Top Honors at CU-Boulder Competition
College life can be overwhelming for some students. There are so many events to attend, clubs to join, classes to take—and parties to go to—that finding out about the coolest stuff and what’s right for you can be a challenge. Varsity, a mobile application designed by a team of University of Colorado at Boulder computer … Continue reading “Varsity, Malleable Medical Take Top Honors at CU-Boulder Competition”
Corporate Acquisitions of Startups: Why Do They Fail?
For decades large companies have gone shopping in Silicon Valley for startups. Lately the pressure of continuous disruption has forced them to step up the pace. More often than not the results of these acquisitions are disappointing. What can companies learn from others’ failed efforts to integrate startups into large companies? The answer – there … Continue reading “Corporate Acquisitions of Startups: Why Do They Fail?”
U.S. 10th in Average Internet Speed Rankings, S. Korea Still No. 1
Internet connection speeds generally improved in the U.S. last year, and the country’s broadband capacity should keep getting better with new ultrafast initiatives being rolled out by network operators and local governments alike. But the average U.S. connection speed is still just 10th worldwide, and greatly lags global leader South Korea—which is creeping closer to … Continue reading “U.S. 10th in Average Internet Speed Rankings, S. Korea Still No. 1”
How To Fund a “Fat Startup”
These days, we focus a lot more on lean startups than startups that require capital to get going. The entire industry has moved away from the “fat” startup category. Investors expect that you will have your product launched, customer acquisition model fleshed out fully, and a team in place before Series A. However, infrastructure software, … Continue reading “How To Fund a “Fat Startup””
Techstars’ Cohen Opens Up About Attracting Investors, Raising Money
What can a cute puppy in a pet shop window, couples therapy, and dating teach entrepreneurs trying to raise money from investors for the first time? Plenty, according to Techstars founder and CEO David Cohen. Cohen—who also is an investor with more than 400 deals to his credit—gave a talk Monday night about finding funding … Continue reading “Techstars’ Cohen Opens Up About Attracting Investors, Raising Money”
A Big Day for Xconomy: Introducing Elise Craig and Alex Lash
At a growing media startup like Xconomy, there’s no task more thrilling than welcoming new editors and writers on board. Today is especially exciting, because I’ve got not one but two additions to tell you about. First, I’m extremely pleased to announce that Elise Craig has joined us as the new Editor of Xconomy San … Continue reading “A Big Day for Xconomy: Introducing Elise Craig and Alex Lash”
Boulder and Denver Firms Raise $112M From VCs During First Quarter
[Updated 4/25/14. See below.] Venture capital firms invested nearly $112 million into the Boulder/Denver region during the first quarter, an increase of 12 percent from the previous quarter, according to the MoneyTree report of venture investments that was released Friday. MoneyTree reported a total of 20 deals in the area, which includes Boulder and the Denver … Continue reading “Boulder and Denver Firms Raise $112M From VCs During First Quarter”
Minerva’s Plan to Disrupt Universities: A Talk with CEO Ben Nelson
[Updated, see below] Traditional four-year universities have always had to compete for students. They’re vying not only against each other, but against community colleges, the military, online institutions like University of Phoenix, and, in an age of increasing economic pressure on the middle class, the work world. (Some 34 percent of U.S. high school graduates … Continue reading “Minerva’s Plan to Disrupt Universities: A Talk with CEO Ben Nelson”
Vyrix Files for $29M IPO to Develop Anti-Premature Ejaculation Drug
Vyrix Pharmaceuticals, a privately held Colorado-based drug development company attempting to develop a treatment for premature ejaculation, is going public and seeks to raise $28.75 million, according to SEC filings. The company did not announce a share price or say when its initial public offering would take place. Vyrix would be listed on the New … Continue reading “Vyrix Files for $29M IPO to Develop Anti-Premature Ejaculation Drug”
First-Quarter Venture Funding at $9.6B in U.S., Highest Since 2001
Right out of the gate, venture capital funding surged nationwide during the first three months of 2014—driven largely by substantial investments in expansion-stage IT and software companies, according to the MoneyTree Report being released today. Eight of the ten biggest deals involved IT, software, or Web companies based in Northern California. (The top 10 deal … Continue reading “First-Quarter Venture Funding at $9.6B in U.S., Highest Since 2001”
Sophono Garners $499,999 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a3e2ce6e-3f6d-44f3-a51f-188fde76fd69 Date 4/18/2014 Company Name Sophono Mailing Address 5744 Central Avenue Boulder, CO 80301 USA Company Description Sophono Inc. was launched in October 2009, following five years of research and with a vision and dedication to improving the bone anchored hearing device experience. The Alpha 1 System was developed in Germany, released … Continue reading “Sophono Garners $499,999 New Funding”
JumpLinc Garners $500,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=983579a8-648a-4c83-9711-379e050e3e6a Date 4/17/2014 Company Name JumpLinc Mailing Address 1700 E. 17Th Avenue Denver, CO 80218 USA Company Description They help fixed network operators extend their networks to reach new customers and bring new service options to existing customers. Website http://www.jumplinc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “JumpLinc Garners $500,000 New Financing Round”
How I Raised Seed Capital from a Sand Hill Road VC in 24 Hours
Much to many entrepreneurs’ chagrin, having an idea is not enough to start a company. Being able to fundraise is just as important as the big idea. I’ve been very frank in sharing how one of my startup companies failed because I did not have sufficient funding to compete, so I know how long and … Continue reading “How I Raised Seed Capital from a Sand Hill Road VC in 24 Hours”
CeraPedics Obtains $9,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c252cd47-efc9-4cc1-a2f4-4c40044a3c80 Date 4/16/2014 Company Name CeraPedics Mailing Address 11025 Dover Street Westminster, CO 80021 USA Company Description CeraPedics, Inc. is developing and commercializing products for the orthopedic bone substitutes market. The Company’s products utilize a proprietary small peptide called P-15. Website http://www.cerapedics.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $9,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “CeraPedics Obtains $9,000,000 New Round”
Vyrix Forms Partnership to Commercialize Premature Ejaculation Drug
A Colorado-based drug company has formed a partnership with a Canadian pharmaceutical company to commercialize its drug for premature ejaculation. Vyrix Pharmaceuticals has signed an agreement with Paladin Labs to market and sell tramadol (Zertane) in Canada, South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Vyrix is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ampio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: … Continue reading “Vyrix Forms Partnership to Commercialize Premature Ejaculation Drug”
Twitter to Buy Boulder, CO-based Social Data Startup Gnip
Twitter will acquire social data startup Gnip for an undisclosed price, the companies announced Tuesday. Boulder, CO-based Gnip collects public social-media activity from sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr and sells it to clients such as marketing and business intelligence firms. Not many details about the deal have been made public yet. According to a … Continue reading “Twitter to Buy Boulder, CO-based Social Data Startup Gnip”
VanDyne SuperTurbo Secures $15,000,000 Series C Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6509c046-0de6-416b-abac-91e11de07d87 Date 4/15/2014 Company Name VanDyne SuperTurbo Mailing Address 3755 Precision Drive Fort Collins, CO 80538 USA Company Description The VanDyne SuperTurbo is the most cost effective CO2 reduction technology in development today – combining the low-speed performance of a supercharger with the energy extraction capabilities of turbo-compounding, simply by adding a … Continue reading “VanDyne SuperTurbo Secures $15,000,000 Series C Financing”
Twitter Acquires Gnip for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b68aee66-4258-46ab-af00-fb577aa27b5a Date 4/15/2014 Company Name Gnip Mailing Address 1050 Walnut St. Boulder, CO 80302 USA Company Description The company aggregate social data from a variety of social networking sites into one API. Website http://www.gnipcentral.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the deal were … Continue reading “Twitter Acquires Gnip for Undisclosed Sum”
Office on iPad: Reports of its Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
The day that iPad users and Microsoft Office suite lovers have been waiting for has finally arrived. Now the fate of dozens of third-party applications like Prezi and SlideShark hang in the balance. In a break with tradition, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the release of Office iPad on March 27. Under former CEO Steve … Continue reading “Office on iPad: Reports of its Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated”
Drones, Oculus, WhatsApp & the Future of Communication
[Corrected 4/14/14, 6:13 pm. See below.] Facebook is aiming to become a telco. Drones are the towers. Oculus are the phones. WhatsApp is the service. Twenty-one billion dollars is cheap for a next-generation telco. There is more behind the WhatsApp and Oculus deals than the apparent need to bring teens and gamers under Facebook’s fold. Facebook and … Continue reading “Drones, Oculus, WhatsApp & the Future of Communication”
They Still Call it Telemedicine? Tracking the Evolution of HealthIT.
Recently, the Houston Technology Center asked me to join a panel discussion on “The Future of Telemedicine” at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. I was a bit surprised as I’ve never thought of myself as being part of the telemedicine industry. My business partner, Bryan Haardt, and I last year co-founded Decisio Health to sell software … Continue reading “They Still Call it Telemedicine? Tracking the Evolution of HealthIT.”
New Colorado-based Investment Firm Ganesh Capital Looking for Deals
Colorado entrepreneurs take note—there’s a new investment firm in town, and its founders want to place substantial bets on startups working to make positive social change, including tech companies. Ganesh Capital is a Boulder, CO-based firm looking to make investments between $50,000 and $5 million. Co-founder Marc Nemer said the firm would concentrate on startups … Continue reading “New Colorado-based Investment Firm Ganesh Capital Looking for Deals”
Venture-Backed IPOs & Late-Stage Investments Surged in Q1
Venture capitalists saw the public markets awaken in the first quarter, and they’re betting the trend will continue. A new report from New York-based venture capital research firm CB Insights counts 35 venture-backed IPOs through the end of March, more than any single quarter since the fall of 2000. Mergers and acquisitions were also strong, … Continue reading “Venture-Backed IPOs & Late-Stage Investments Surged in Q1”