Category: Boulder/Denver

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 here.

Crash Course: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Startup Community

A panel discussion of how startups can make social responsibility part of their mission. The event will discuss what “corporate social responsibility” means today, why entrepreneurs should focus on social responsibility, and how to get businesses involved effectively. Speakers include Rally Software chief technology officer Ryan Martens. The event is free and hosted by Silicon … Continue reading “Crash Course: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Startup Community”

New Tech Boulder Monthly Meetup

The event is Boulder’s 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 an agenda, list of of companies presenting, and registration information, is available here and here.

Startup Vision Bootcamp

Adeo Ressi, CEO of TheFunded.com, will speak as part of Startup Ideation Bootcamp from The Founders Institute. The event will help attendees improve their ideas, come up with new ideas, determine the next steps, and even recruit potential co-founders. The event is free. Find more information and register here.  

The Inevitability of Archiving Social Networking Data

Making A Case For Email Archiving In 1985 In 1985, I was part of a team at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) that was doing some very radical things, including deploying Internet e-mail to the entire campus. Some people were quite skeptical about the whole enterprise, fearing in particular that letting “the masses” loose on the … Continue reading “The Inevitability of Archiving Social Networking Data”

Kleiner & Sequoia’s Fund Returns Could be Exposed in CA Lawsuit

As venture capital firms feel the squeeze from new competitors, unsatisfied investors, and stagnant markets, two of the industry’s biggest names could finally have their performance data revealed to the public. A California lawsuit from the news organization Reuters is threatening to expose the performance records of Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers—Silicon … Continue reading “Kleiner & Sequoia’s Fund Returns Could be Exposed in CA Lawsuit”

Standing Up for ‘Lean In:’ What’s Wrong with Managing Your Career?

Sheryl Sandberg got it right. In Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Facebook’s COO offers a compelling view on how women managers can empower themselves in today’s workplace. Sandberg does not complain about the “glass ceiling” or “the old boys club.” Instead she gives straightforward advice on how to focus on things … Continue reading “Standing Up for ‘Lean In:’ What’s Wrong with Managing Your Career?”

Build Credibility As You Build Your Business

Whether you are a first-time entrepreneur or a veteran company executive, the one aspect of growing a business and raising capital, or selling a product rarely discussed at seminars is the building of your organization’s credibility. It doesn’t get much attention when you issue your quarterly report because it is not always easy to measure … Continue reading “Build Credibility As You Build Your Business”

Complying with Regulations Doesn’t Have to Slow Down Your Startup

These are exciting times for innovators. Arguably never before have the right opportunities, circumstances, and technologies come together as they have today to create such a fertile ground for the creation of new products and services. Yet one of the biggest obstacles along the way is the increasing burden of regulations. And the ones who … Continue reading “Complying with Regulations Doesn’t Have to Slow Down Your Startup”

Biotech VCs Aren’t Lemmings Anymore. They’re Lone Rangers

A certain song has been running through my head the past few days. Lately, it strikes me as an anthem of sorts for biotech venture capital in 2013. It’s Fleetwood Mac’s classic break-up song, “Go Your Own Way.” Allow me to explain. Biotech venture capital has been going through a shakeout now for a couple … Continue reading “Biotech VCs Aren’t Lemmings Anymore. They’re Lone Rangers”

Saying Farewell to World Wide Wade

They say it’s better to quit while you’re ahead, and I believe them. It’s easy to see what happens when you don’t. Remember season 7 of The West Wing? The second term of Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency? All of the Star Wars prequels? With precedents like that in mind, I’m shutting down World Wide Wade. … Continue reading “Saying Farewell to World Wide Wade”

Athenahealth, iTriage Link More Patients, Docs on Mobile

A couple of companies trying to make mobile applications more useful for doctors and patients are linking up. Watertown, MA-based Athenahealth (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ATHN]]) says today that it’s partnering with iTriage, a consumer healthcare app company based in Denver. The deal essentially puts the Athenahealth roster of some 40,000 healthcare professionals in front of what iTriage … Continue reading “Athenahealth, iTriage Link More Patients, Docs on Mobile”

Fighting a Global War on Rare Diseases

Are we winning the war against rare, or “orphan,” diseases? A casual observer could be forgiven for thinking so, given the drumroll of news. The crescendo came in 2011, when the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved 26 drugs in this category, meaning for illnesses that afflict fewer than 200,000 people. It was the … Continue reading “Fighting a Global War on Rare Diseases”

A Call for the 113th Congress to Support an Innovation Agenda

While the 113th Congress addresses hot-button issues like gun control, comprehensive immigration reform, sequester spending cuts and the federal budget, a critical issue that greatly impacts our economy and global competitiveness is being overlooked—innovation. Washington’s approach to innovation policy has been fragmented and detached from other prevalent issues, which led CONNECT to develop an innovation … Continue reading “A Call for the 113th Congress to Support an Innovation Agenda”

Excess Healthcare Spending Is Undermining Innovation

I read Luke Timmerman’s article yesterday on ProCure with mixed emotions. My first emotion was that of deep gratitude for the men and women who commit their lives to the science of improving healthcare. I continue to be inspired by these professionals and their incredible contributions to a healthcare industry that is very slow to … Continue reading “Excess Healthcare Spending Is Undermining Innovation”

ViaSat Enrolls 285K in Internet Satellite Service; CEO Talks Costs

As the “Satellite 2013” conference gets underway this week in Washington D.C., Carlsbad, CA-based ViaSat (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VSAT]]) says more than 285,000 subscribers have signed up for its satellite-based Internet service, which began just over a year ago. In a statement yesterday, ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said, “Our results prove that driving down the … Continue reading “ViaSat Enrolls 285K in Internet Satellite Service; CEO Talks Costs”

Should Big Data Businesses Be Forced to Prevent Hacking?

Earlier this year, Twitter admitted they lost personal information on 250,000 or so users to hackers. Other organizations, including the New York Times and the Federal Reserve, reported hackers had been inside their systems. The list of high profile hackings is so long that perhaps the day has come when companies should expect they will … Continue reading “Should Big Data Businesses Be Forced to Prevent Hacking?”

GeoPalz Garners $20,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=60e89777-b012-4354-a475-b064b3d8b131&Preview=1 Date 3/19/2013 Company Name GeoPalz Mailing Address PO Box 1170 Boulder, CO 80306 Company Description GeoPalz is the first fitness tracker that lets you “Walk to Win.” The more steps you take, the more pedpoints you get. Trade’em in for all types of prizes, from Frisbees and jump ropes to baseball … Continue reading “GeoPalz Garners $20,000 Seed Funding Round”

Women, Success, and Corporate Culture: Are These the Values We Want?

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, is probably right. What it takes to be successful in a U.S. company and what we define as success in America requires the kind of singular focus on developing leadership skills and a strong power base that Sandberg discusses in her book. These are the hard facts of … Continue reading “Women, Success, and Corporate Culture: Are These the Values We Want?”

Why Are Healthcare Costs Exploding? See Proton Cancer Therapy

Whenever a new medical technology comes out in the U.S., a few things happen. Doctors, hospitals, the media, and, of course, the drug and device makers cheer. Newer technology must always be better, right? Never mind if it costs a little extra. We’re talking about a patient’s life and well-being, after all. But when we … Continue reading “Why Are Healthcare Costs Exploding? See Proton Cancer Therapy”

How Google Glass, Indoor Location, & Mobile Shopping Can Save Retail

Retail is changing. Roughly $3.7 trillion in annual U.S. spending is up for grabs. That’s a lot of money. Some technology theorists, including Marc Andreessen, believe the change will be revolutionary in nature—predicting the outright death of brick-and-mortar retail. The theory is that soon enough, visiting a physical store will be as archaic as reading … Continue reading “How Google Glass, Indoor Location, & Mobile Shopping Can Save Retail”

Attention Startups: The Automotive Industry Isn’t a Rust Belt Monolith

What do you think about when you hear the phrase “online advertising”  or “big data”?  How about “social network”?  Do visions of hoodie-wearing young entrepreneurs dance through your head? Each of these are massive parts of the startup tech sector.  In 2012, online display advertising was $12 billion; big data has become the new hot … Continue reading “Attention Startups: The Automotive Industry Isn’t a Rust Belt Monolith”

BiOptix Diagnostics Obtains $6,228,202 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=783f887e-8007-48de-9ad9-6f97017a59d7&Preview=1 Date 3/14/2013 Company Name BiOptix Diagnostics Mailing Address 1775 38th St. Boulder, CO 80301 Company Description AlphaSniffer, LLC was founded in July 2003 by Dr. Misha Plam. In May 2008 the company name has been changed to BiOptix Inc. Dr. Plam is the former founder, CEO, President and Chairman of the … Continue reading “BiOptix Diagnostics Obtains $6,228,202 New Funding”

BiOptix Diagnostics Secures $6,228,202 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=783f887e-8007-48de-9ad9-6f97017a59d7&Preview=1 Date 3/14/2013 Company Name BiOptix Diagnostics Mailing Address 1775 38th St. Boulder, CO 80301 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 $6,228,202 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “BiOptix Diagnostics Secures $6,228,202 New Funding Round”

Photobucket Secures $5,649,999 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6587a39-4f74-4668-8eb7-66af64116b16&Preview=1 Date 3/13/2013 Company Name Photobucket Mailing Address 2399 Blake St. Denver, CO 80205 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 $5,649,999 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory … Continue reading “Photobucket Secures $5,649,999 New Financing”

Photobucket Receives $5,649,999 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6587a39-4f74-4668-8eb7-66af64116b16&Preview=1 Date 3/13/2013 Company Name Photobucket Mailing Address 2399 Blake St. Denver, CO 80205 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 $5,649,999 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory … Continue reading “Photobucket Receives $5,649,999 New Funding Round”

Four Things I Learned From Studying Innovation in 3 U.S. Cities

I’ve spent most of my career studying how key regions around the world have harnessed their indigenous research capabilities, entrepreneurial spirit, and industrial prowess to realize the economic and employment returns many innovative technologies promise. I’m particularly intrigued by the differences that make some places engines for innovation. If we are to be successful in … Continue reading “Four Things I Learned From Studying Innovation in 3 U.S. Cities”

Small Businesses to Tech Providers: Nah, We’re Good

If you’re a technology entrepreneur thinking about trying to crack the small-business market, be prepared for an unenthusiastic reception. That’s a big takeaway from a recent survey of small businesses in the Boston area sponsored by Dell and Intel. After asking 101 local small companies (less than 100 employees), the survey found 91 percent “satisfied … Continue reading “Small Businesses to Tech Providers: Nah, We’re Good”

CIRIS Energy Lands $9,999,961 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=22581e9f-96c6-4c3c-b999-7ee7b5149c6b&Preview=1 Date 2/28/2013 Company Name CIRIS Energy Mailing Address 9155 East Nichols Avenue Centennial, CO 80112 Company Description Ciris Energy was formed to develop, commercialize and produce clean energy from abundant, low-value carbon sources, on a large scale. We are practical technology implementers, and primarily an energy production company. Website http://www.cirisenergy.com Transaction … Continue reading “CIRIS Energy Lands $9,999,961 New Funding”

TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced

TechStars, the top-shelf startup accelerator program, is kicking off its newest Boston class with a group that covers a wide array of sectors and includes several teams from outside the U.S. It’s the sixth time TechStars has run its three-month “bootcamp” for entrepreneurship in Boston, which is one of the program’s core cities. TechStars began in … Continue reading “TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced”

Simple Energy Receives $2,016,495 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca785fe7-e22b-4d34-a07c-2b94c6af6ef0&Preview=1 Date 2/20/2013 Company Name Simple Energy Mailing Address 5733 Central Ave Boulder, CO 80301 Company Description At Simple Energy we’re changing how millions of people save energy by revolutionizing how utilities engage their customers. We bring a deep understanding of the energy industry and leading behavioral science and game mechanics. Website … Continue reading “Simple Energy Receives $2,016,495 New Funding”

Rally Software Secures $297,770 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1411a899-594a-454c-931c-f0c4ff78da6e&Preview=1 Date 2/18/2013 Company Name Rally Software Mailing Address 3333 Walnut St Boulder, CO 80301 Company Description One way to describe Rally is to say we are absolutely dedicated to making your development organization faster, leaner and more agile. In fact, we think helping you be “on time and on budget” is … Continue reading “Rally Software Secures $297,770 New Funding Round”

Secure64 Software Obtains $1,030,890 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=db1c3f7e-aa3e-4338-b23c-d1d0e6dc4c2e&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2013 Company Name Secure64 Software Mailing Address 5600 South Quebec Street Greenwood Village, CO 80111-2216 Company Description Secure64 Software Corporation was founded in 2002 to provide network and server software technology capable of assuring unheard of levels of security and performance. The fulfillment of this vision has been wholly realized … Continue reading “Secure64 Software Obtains $1,030,890 Series A Funding”

Groundhogs and Superstorms

Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see it coming, but this weekend’s New England blizzard is actually a triumph for modern weather forecasting. Specifically, it’s a triumph for numerical weather prediction models—the primary method used to forecast the weather one to two weeks in advance. These computer-generated simulations are run primarily by large governmental agencies. The National Center … Continue reading “Groundhogs and Superstorms”

Kozio Lands $1,999,999 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f6f3d8d1-2cf0-4c39-b35c-695f19d03059&Preview=1 Date 2/8/2013 Company Name Kozio Mailing Address 2015 Ionosphere Street Longmont, CO 80504 Company Description Kozio, Inc. is the leader in embedded test solutions for today’s electronic products. Kozio delivers a turnkey comprehensive suite of hardware diagnostics used for debugging and validating custom boards implementing processors from AMCC, Freescale and Intel.Kozio’s … Continue reading “Kozio Lands $1,999,999 New Round”

AlchemyAPI Receives $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=991ce0f8-96dc-4177-953c-b3c1ae859915&Preview=1 Date 2/8/2013 Company Name AlchemyAPI Mailing Address 2300 15th St Denver, CO 80202 Company Description AlchemyAPI provides advanced cloud-based and on-premise text analysis infrastructure that eliminates the expense and difficulty of integrating natural language processing systems into your application, service, or data processing pipeline. AlchemyAPI provides a robust, scalable platform for … Continue reading “AlchemyAPI Receives $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

PharmaJet Obtains $2,191,134 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d1abb659-73f9-4297-9193-cbd4abd9e5fa&Preview=1 Date 2/8/2013 Company Name PharmaJet Mailing Address 400 Corporate Circle Golden, CO 80401 Company Description Our product delivers pharmaceuticals – vaccines and drugs – through the skin. We accomplish this using jet injection technology. We do not use needles – big or small, or patches of any kind. Website http://www.pharmajet.com Transaction … Continue reading “PharmaJet Obtains $2,191,134 New Round”

TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM

Last night’s New York Tech Meetup put some familiar faces on stage, including the team at Shelby.tv, which gave a look at what the startup has been up to since last summer when it began to rebuild. From a big picture perspective, Shelby.tv continues to be about discovering video online; however this alumnus from the … Continue reading “TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM”

The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged

Much is being said on a daily basis about the “Series A crunch.” Supposedly, there aren’t enough venture investors to support all the startups winning seed funding these days. I will give you my thoughts on how to deal with the issue. Please note that this advice is entirely for entrepreneurs, not investors. First and … Continue reading “The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged”

FlixMaster Secures $1,163,803 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c908b5ca-ac16-44fd-bfb9-4eddb88ffaf0&Preview=1 Date 2/6/2013 Company Name FlixMaster Mailing Address PO Box 4533 Boulder, CO 80302 Company Description FlixMaster is a cloud-based video editing and publishing platform that enables content creators to build dynamic, interactive videos with drag-and-drop ease. Your viewers delight in being the masters of their video experience, while you gather valuable … Continue reading “FlixMaster Secures $1,163,803 Series A Funding Round”

Coalfire Systems Garners $3,600,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=00b4a3e4-b02a-462d-adb9-732e2fc6a85a&Preview=1 Date 2/5/2013 Company Name Coalfire Systems Mailing Address 361 Centennial Pkwy. Louisville, CO 80027 Company Description Coalfire is a leading IT audit and compliance firm that provides audit, security, and compliance solutions for over 1,000 customers throughout North America. Website http://www.CoalfireSystems.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,600,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “Coalfire Systems Garners $3,600,000 Series B Round”

TeamSnap Garners $2,750,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ceddea57-3165-4401-8858-d80f1d690f7b&Preview=1 Date 2/5/2013 Company Name TeamSnap Mailing Address 1035 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80303 Company Description The company operates a website service that allows managers of sports teams to more easily manage the administrative aspects of the team. Website http://www.teamsnap.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,750,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “TeamSnap Garners $2,750,000 New Funding”

Envysion Obtains New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1d169938-fd12-47c7-9cab-2082228aba7d&Preview=1 Date 1/31/2013 Company Name Envysion Mailing Address 400 Centennial Pkwy Louisville, CO 80027 Company Description Envysion is a broadband video company that provides Internet-based digital video recording solutions. Envysion’s turn-key service helps retail and service chains with numerous locations achieve profitability and brand consistency with Envysion systems. Website http://www.envysion.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Envysion Obtains New Financing”