Category: Boulder/Denver

Colorado Looks to Reward Entrepreneurs who Risk “Glorious Failures”

Entrepreneurs know embracing risk brings with it the possibility of failure. It’s a fact of life, but it’s usually the last thing government officials acknowledge when touting job creation programs backed with state support. But the state of Colorado is taking a different approach with its new “Glorious Failure” innovation challenge. The program will give … Continue reading “Colorado Looks to Reward Entrepreneurs who Risk “Glorious Failures””

Do You Have A Story to Tell? Here Are the Digital Tools You’ll Need

Back in January I got an invitation out of the blue to give a 1-hour talk at the Palo Alto Research Center—the Xerox-owned lab better known as PARC. The invitation was completely open-ended. The full extent of PARC’s guidance was “we think you would have a lot of interesting things to share.” If you’re a … Continue reading “Do You Have A Story to Tell? Here Are the Digital Tools You’ll Need”

SpotRight Receives $2,870,889 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=edb26698-0707-4913-b75a-e76297a812b0&Preview=1 Date 5/24/2013 Company Name SpotRight Mailing Address 1048 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 Company Description SpotRight’s proprietary data asset unifies your customers to their social identities, discovers their social activity and connections, and analyzes it to give you entirely new insights into their interests, influence, and social relationships. Website http://www.spotright.com Transaction … Continue reading “SpotRight Receives $2,870,889 New Funding Round”

Mayer’s Challenge: Merging the Cultures of Yahoo and Tumblr

Yahoo + Tumblr is a good match because Tumblr has the huge and vibrant social network, but no revenues, while Yahoo lacks social, but knows how to earn money on ads. Yahoo + Tumblr are a bad match, because Yahoo is a company with 14,000 employees in a corporate organizational culture needing change, while Tumblr … Continue reading “Mayer’s Challenge: Merging the Cultures of Yahoo and Tumblr”

Power Tagging Technologies Obtains $340,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0cacd5ad-e0cd-44cc-8ac2-006e3b2e6d3b&Preview=1 Date 5/23/2013 Company Name Power Tagging Technologies Mailing Address 5425 Airport Boulevard Boulder, CO 80301 Company Description Power Tagging is a privately held energy technology company dedicated to improving the overall efficiency between energy providers and their end users. Website http://www.powertagging.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $340,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Power Tagging Technologies Obtains $340,000 New Round”

Scheduling App Maker TeamSnap Grabs Rival Weplay’s Users, Content

A lot of professional sports teams try to steal away each other’s superstars. But what if one franchise tried to snatch its biggest rival’s entire fan base and all their ticket holders? TeamSnap, a Boulder-based startup, recently accomplished something very much like that. TeamSnap develops applications to help manage groups such as recreational sports teams. … Continue reading “Scheduling App Maker TeamSnap Grabs Rival Weplay’s Users, Content”

Dream Chaser Reaches Edwards AFB to Prove It Has “The Right Stuff”

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The journey into space for a potentially breakthrough vehicle begins with a nearly 1,000-mile trip to Edwards Air Force Base—on the back of a flatbed truck, wrapped in plastic. At least that’s the case for the Dream Chaser, the space vehicle Sierra Nevada Corp. … Continue reading “Dream Chaser Reaches Edwards AFB to Prove It Has “The Right Stuff””

The Star Thrower, or How Healthcare Looks to Consumers

It is always interesting how events find ways of connecting themselves together even when they seem so unrelated. I was at my sister Alexis’ graduation from law school on Friday, where I had gone directly from leaving a several day event organized by Health Evolution Partners. At the event I had occasion to meet with … Continue reading “The Star Thrower, or How Healthcare Looks to Consumers”

Juan Enriquez on the Forces Shaping Innovation: A Napa Summit Preview

What are the most powerful forces affecting innovation and the economy? That is one of the key questions facing the nation as we inch our way out of the economic mire. Juan Enriquez may not have all the answers, but he has some deep insights into the path forward, and a way of framing the … Continue reading “Juan Enriquez on the Forces Shaping Innovation: A Napa Summit Preview”

Navigant: Consumers’ Knowledge of Smart Grids Continues to Lag

Utility companies and the nation’s power grid might be getting smarter, but consumers don’t seem particularly interested. That’s according to a national survey tracking consumer opinions about smart meters, renewable energy, and demand management technologies. Navigant Research, the Boulder, CO-based energy market analysis division of Navigant Consulting (NYSE: [[ticker:NCI]]), authored the report. The company was … Continue reading “Navigant: Consumers’ Knowledge of Smart Grids Continues to Lag”

Venture Debt as Growth Capital? You Bet.

It’s easy to understand why most discussions about the state of venture capital investing paint a pessimistic view. Access to institutional equity dollars is increasingly limited for new entrepreneurs and early stage companies, and an anemic fundraising environment for VC firms is contributing to the long-anticipated “VC shakeout.” We’re also at a cyclical low in … Continue reading “Venture Debt as Growth Capital? You Bet.”

ViaSat Plans to Boost Fast Growth with Second Internet Satellite

After 27 years as an unobtrusive specialist in satellite-based communications, Carlsbad, CA-based ViaSat (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VSAT]]) is acquiring a much bigger footprint. While ViaSat has experienced plenty of success over the years, the company’s business has been focused mostly on its low-profile military and intelligence-agency customers. But that began to change in 2011 with the successful … Continue reading “ViaSat Plans to Boost Fast Growth with Second Internet Satellite”

The Top Five Traits to Look For in Prospective Startup Employees

Most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that the fastest way to kill a startup is to hire the wrong people. It’s true. As someone who has helped build multiple startups, I cannot overstate the importance of assembling a stellar core team. They are the ones who will transform your ideas into reality, and help you … Continue reading “The Top Five Traits to Look For in Prospective Startup Employees”

Zillions of Biotech Conferences Want You. Which Should You Attend?

Biotech industry conferences are happening, somewhere on this green Earth, every day. If you’ve been around a while, and you’ve attended a few, chances are you get invitations, or marketing pitches, that ask you to attend a different meeting every day. If you’re new to the business, you may not be on all the lists. … Continue reading “Zillions of Biotech Conferences Want You. Which Should You Attend?”

Nine Lessons for Innovators from a Nobel Prize-Winning Psychologist

I was pretty slow about getting around to reading Thinking, Fast and Slow. The career-capping book by Princeton psychologist Daniel Kahneman, one of the founders of behavioral economics, spent months on all the bestseller lists back in 2011. I finally picked up a paperback copy a couple of weeks ago. The book is mainly about … Continue reading “Nine Lessons for Innovators from a Nobel Prize-Winning Psychologist”

TechStars Accelerator Plants Flag in People’s Republic of Austin

We don’t know if the people at TechStars like live music, barbecue, SXSW, and bats—but we definitely know they like startups, and that’s why they’re launching a new program in Austin, TX. TechStars CEO David Cohen announced this morning that Austin will be the home of the newest TechStars accelerator. The program offers about a … Continue reading “TechStars Accelerator Plants Flag in People’s Republic of Austin”

VetDC Secures $1,325,800 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7c9c3bf5-62f7-4907-860e-d10cf7231b79&Preview=1 Date 5/15/2013 Company Name VetDC Mailing Address 300 West Drake Road Fort Collins, CO 80523 Company Description VetDC operates as a capital-efficient, virtual company with minimal operational and staffing requirements. VetDC’s access to resources and expertise atColorado State University’s world-renowned Animal Cancer Center and Veterinary Teaching Hospital avoids the expense and … Continue reading “VetDC Secures $1,325,800 New Funding”

Boulder Startup Week Set to Kick Off Festival for Entrepreneurs

It’s that time of the year again when Boulder startups open their doors to the community, recruit new talent, or just talk about tech and their products, all while having a bit of fun. Boulder Startup Week begins Wednesday morning and runs through Saturday. The four-day long event features open houses, workshops, hackathons, and parties … Continue reading “Boulder Startup Week Set to Kick Off Festival for Entrepreneurs”

Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory

The online world can be a dangerous place for the unprepared. And it’s just going to get worse. It’s time to teach cyber security as integral part of the high school and college curriculum and to all corporate employees. I grew up in New York City and for a few years heaven on earth for … Continue reading “Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory”

Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push

Orbotix got a little boost last week in its quest to make the Sphero robotic ball one of the must-have gadgets of 2013. CEO Paul Berberian said the $4 million equity financing Orbotix raised last week will be used to ramp up production for the holiday season. After all, there are only 224 shopping days … Continue reading “Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push”

Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)

Yesterday, we ran the first part of a wide-ranging interview with Henri Termeer, the legendary biotech entrepreneur and former CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme. He spoke about what kinds of startups he likes to get involved in, the trend toward drug companies working on rare diseases, and efforts to repair pharma’s damaged reputation. Today, he … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)”

11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class

Four startups from the Boulder/Denver area are among the 11 companies that will be part of this summer’s TechStars program in Boulder. TechStars announced the members of the class this morning on its blog. The program begins today. The founders of the startups will work in Boulder to improve their business plans, refine their products, … Continue reading “11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class”

Bootstrapping Products with Services

Because it’s often so difficult for entrepreneurs to obtain seed funding for their startups, bootstrapping is one of the best methods to self-fund their projects. And offering a service is one of the best ways to go. This, by the way, remains a controversial point of view, and most industry observers will take the position … Continue reading “Bootstrapping Products with Services”

Recent Colorado Success Helps Grotech Ventures Close $225M Round

Grotech Ventures, an early stage venture capital investment firm with offices in Denver and the Washington, D.C.-area, has closed a $225 million fund, the firm announced today. The fund, named Grotech Ventures II, is the firm’s eighth and brings its total capital under management to $1.3 billion. Grotech already has made 12 investments from the … Continue reading “Recent Colorado Success Helps Grotech Ventures Close $225M Round”

Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)

Henri Termeer could have easily faded away into obscurity a couple years ago. The biotech pioneer could have relaxed at his oceanside home in Maine, played a little golf. Or, if he wanted, he could have made loads of money at a private equity firm. Certainly, he didn’t need to mess around with hungry little … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)”

Shopventory Receives $118,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ba014e9-d279-4fa7-bb8c-042ed51bf052&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Shopventory Mailing Address P.O. Box 6197 Denver, CO 80206 Company Description Shopventory integrates with Square to give you in-depth information about your business. Website http://www.shopventory.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount $118,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the proceeds to accelerate its initial development. … Continue reading “Shopventory Receives $118,000 Seed Funding Round”

Elihuu Lands $118,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8e5f3b27-c07d-4b56-9f1a-5735b7dd79dc&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Elihuu Mailing Address 3425 Wyandot St Denver, CO 80211 Company Description The Elihuu all-star team is made up of makers, hobbyist, artist, and revolutionaries. Our mission is to democratize the process of design, invention, and manufacturing. We believe new technologies change the thinking around the production of … Continue reading “Elihuu Lands $118,000 Seed Round”

Given Goods Receives $118,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=04c7de7b-7f2d-4b47-a756-718cc6c89413&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Given Goods Mailing Address PO Box 4111 Boulder, CO 80302 Company Description Given Goods Company is a marketplace that encourages social change and the buy-to-give movement by delivering carefully curated products made by ambitious brands that benefit causes around the world. Website http://www.givengoods.co Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction … Continue reading “Given Goods Receives $118,000 Seed Round”

Prediculous Receives $118,000 Seed Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=988af76b-9367-49f6-89b2-9dead6d23be0&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Prediculous Mailing Address 1035 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 Company Description Prediculous builds social fantasy sports games for fans, social second-screen music award apps for music aficionados, and social competitions for reality TV fanatics. Website http://www.prediculous.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount $118,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Prediculous Receives $118,000 Seed Financing”

Brandfolder Secures $118,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=06e678fb-41c8-4f70-827b-d75161b7cf09&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2013 Company Name Brandfolder Mailing Address 1062 Delaware St Denver, CO 80204 Company Description Brandfolder is a site that helps companies create branding and marketing materials such as logos and media kits. The site stores the material and allows the companies and ad agencies easy access to the material, which … Continue reading “Brandfolder Secures $118,000 Seed Funding Round”

Ex DailyCandy CEO’s Quest to Build Smarter Links Yields $5M From VCs

In their never-ending quest to harvest clicks from visitors, Web publishers have taken some strange turns. They’ve tried videos that start as soon as a page is loaded, whether visitors wants to watch or not. They’ve tried widgets that load “link bait” articles that all seem to go to the same three or four sites. … Continue reading “Ex DailyCandy CEO’s Quest to Build Smarter Links Yields $5M From VCs”

Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling

Not every speech is improved by visual aids. Abraham Lincoln made do without PowerPoint at Gettysburg (though wags have tried to reimagine that), and Franklin Roosevelt’s voice on the radio in 1933 calmed a nation rattled by the Great Depression and cemented the New Deal. But there’s high oratory, and then there’s the old-fashioned presentation, … Continue reading “Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling”

TruEffect Garners $1,969,580 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44d11535-b21b-40ba-a37e-182e56244daa&Preview=1 Date 5/10/2013 Company Name TruEffect Mailing Address 7403 Church Ranch Blvd Westminster, CO 80021 Company Description TruConnect’s Relationship Advertising transforms the way you engage with your customers. With TruConnect, you can stop wasting over 99% of your display media broadcasting blindly, and see exactly where your customers and prospects intersect your … Continue reading “TruEffect Garners $1,969,580 New Round”

Glassboard Secures $25,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2958b9c8-e0b0-4f27-be1b-e45b49377593&Preview=1 Date 5/10/2013 Company Name Glassboard Mailing Address Undisclosed Denver, CO 80250 Company Description Glassboard premium is a more robust version of Glassboard for people who would like more out of their sharing experience. Website http://www.glassboard.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount $25,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the … Continue reading “Glassboard Secures $25,000 Seed Round”

The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare

The healthcare industry is slow moving. While beginning to adopt technology for logistical issues including electronic medical records and appointment scheduling, the focus of these efforts is narrow and off-base. True impact on human health now requires technology architecture which addresses the critical data issues faced by the healthcare industry today. Over the last 10 … Continue reading “The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare”

Inviragen, Global Health Vaccine Maker, Bought by Takeda for $35M

Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda announced Tuesday it has reached a definitive agreement to purchase Inviragen for $35 million upfront, and potentially another $215 million if the company hits future commercial goals. Takeda is building out its vaccine pipeline, and hopes to take the Fort Collins company’s vaccines from Northern Colorado to the tropics. Inviragen specializes … Continue reading “Inviragen, Global Health Vaccine Maker, Bought by Takeda for $35M”

PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup

Sometimes it feels like all technology roads lead to the New York Tech Meetup. Fresh from Boulder, CO, David Mandell and the team from PivotDesk took the stage at last night’s gathering here to introduce themselves to the New York tech community. PivotDesk helps startups find space they can rent by connecting them with other … Continue reading “PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup”

Exit Early and Often: A New Age of Limited Options for Entrepreneurs

I rarely meet an entrepreneur (or one of their investors) who doesn’t believe their venture will be a runaway hit. In three to five years, I hear over and over, we’ll be able to go public or sell big, providing huge returns for those who got into the deal early. Many won’t reach that mark. … Continue reading “Exit Early and Often: A New Age of Limited Options for Entrepreneurs”

Accera Lands $35,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=629c3feb-f483-45f5-a49c-29ad47ee7ac7&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2013 Company Name Accera Mailing Address 380 Interlocken Crescent Broomfield, CO 80021 Company Description Accera is a private biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative therapeutic treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Website http://www.accerapharma.com Transaction Type Debt, Venture Equity Transaction Amount $35,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Accera Lands $35,000,000 New Financing”

Accera Secures $35,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=629c3feb-f483-45f5-a49c-29ad47ee7ac7&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2013 Company Name Accera Mailing Address 380 Interlocken Crescent Broomfield, CO 80021 Company Description Accera is a private biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of innovative therapeutic treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Website http://www.accerapharma.com Transaction Type Debt, Venture Equity Transaction Amount $35,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Accera Secures $35,000,000 New Funding Round”

Infinite Power Solutions Receives $1,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=66b62e4e-cc51-49cc-afd8-2f7ac3c847b4&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2013 Company Name Infinite Power Solutions Mailing Address 11149 Bradford Road Littleton, CO 80127 Company Description Infinite Power Solutions, Inc. (IPS), a privately-held venture backed technology company headquartered near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado, is the global leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing thin film batteries … Continue reading “Infinite Power Solutions Receives $1,000,000 New Financing”

Takeda Pharmaceuticals Acquires Inviragen for $250,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ad94fae-3089-4f39-be9c-2148fe9a3426&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2013 Company Name Inviragen Mailing Address 1613 Prospect Pkwy. Fort Collins, CO 80525 Company Description Inviragen, Inc. is committed to developing safe, effective vaccines to address this need. Inviragen is focused on developing life-saving vaccines to protect against emerging infectious diseases worldwide. Website http://www.inviragen.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $250,000,000 … Continue reading “Takeda Pharmaceuticals Acquires Inviragen for $250,000,000”

Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Larry Gold, founder and CEO, SomaLogic

Larry Gold, a pioneer in Colorado’s biotech industry and founder and CEO of Boulder-based SomaLogic, discusses his career and views as part of the regular Entrepreneurs Unplugged series. Gold is a University of Colorado professor and made his mark in the industry as the founder of NeXstar Pharmaceuticals and Synergen, both of which were sold to pharmaceutical companies … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Larry Gold, founder and CEO, SomaLogic”

GoldLab 4th Annual Symposium

Annual symposium convened by Dr. Larry Gold, chairman chief executive of SomaLogic, CU-Boulder researcher, and a founding father of Colorado’s biotech industry. This year’s topic is “The Biological and Social Evolution of Healthcare: Rube Goldberg and Time,” and features discussions about the intellectual, scientific, economic, and social aspects of healthcare — and the need to … Continue reading “GoldLab 4th Annual Symposium”

Boulder Startup Week

Four day informal festival celebrating Boulder tech startups. Local companies host meetups, hackathons, presentations, and parties around the city. More information and an event schedule is available here.  

New Tech Fort Collins Monthly Meetup

The Fort Collins version of Colorado’s largest monthly gathering of entrepreneurs and techies, with presentations from great companies, networking, and job leads. $10 donation is requested. Registration through Meetup.com required. More information, including agenda and list of companies presenting, and registration information, is available here.  

Denver Cleans Up in Ranking of “World’s Best Oil and Gas Cities”

Call this bit of news a “blast from the past” that will make people in Colorado’s oil and gas industry smile—and could leave environmentalists and members of the clean energy industry shaking their heads. Rigzone, an online industry news and analysis publication based in Houston, has named Denver the best oil and gas city in … Continue reading “Denver Cleans Up in Ranking of “World’s Best Oil and Gas Cities””