Only a couple stories in the past decade have given advocates of personalized cancer medicines much to brag about. There was Genentech’s Herceptin for a form of breast cancer in 1998, and Novartis’ Gleevec for chronic myeloid leukemia in 2001. But just a few short weeks ago, in August, we saw a flurry of FDA … Continue reading “The Cancer Drug Dark Ages Are Coming to an End”
Category: Detroit
Charles Schwab Acquires Compliance11 for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=25e8f018-e621-4424-a7ee-cc3174362b9c&Preview=1 Date 10/29/2011 Company Name Compliance11 Mailing Address 125 S. Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 Company Description Compliance11 provides on-demand Compliance Software Automation Tools for the financial services industry. Compliance11 enables organizations to reduce their regulatory compliance spend by automating labor intensive tasks and at the same time increase the quality of … Continue reading “Charles Schwab Acquires Compliance11 for Undisclosed Sum”
Vinod Khosla Helps Startup Entrepreneurs Think Bigger
I had been planning to talk in today’s column about the shortcomings of the Google Chromebook, which are numerous. But I’m in too good of a mood this week to play the critic, partly because of a terrific Silicon Valley event that I attended Tuesday night called Get Bigger! With Vinod Khosla. So instead, I’m … Continue reading “Vinod Khosla Helps Startup Entrepreneurs Think Bigger”
OptixConnect Obtains $250,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1861975c-7e90-4ec8-a8b9-65790d182255&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2011 Company Name OptixConnect Mailing Address Undisclosed Wooster, OH 44691 Company Description OptixConnect is in the final stages of engineering a product that will transform the way businesses interact, follow, get introduced, and securely share strategic information. Website http://www.optixconnect.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “OptixConnect Obtains $250,000 New Financing”
SpearFysh Secures $250,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=520a3ec9-34b5-4779-905b-979f1a8e48e9&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2011 Company Name SpearFysh Mailing Address 8987 Darrow Road Twinsburg, OH 44087 Company Description SpearFysh offers a SaaS based business intelligence platform that digitally records, indexes, and analyzes voice and written data from sales calls. Website http://www.spearfysh.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “SpearFysh Secures $250,000 New Funding”
Anderson Aerospace Secures $250,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e64a8985-c716-44bd-9d03-c6a6ec4c631c&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2011 Company Name Anderson Aerospace Mailing Address 277 Martinel Drive Kent, OH 44240 Company Description The company designs and manufactures advanced technology satellite antenna systems for aircraft. Its compact, high efficiency system enables in-flight, in-cabin live television viewing and internet connectivity in aircrafts too small to carry presently available systems. … Continue reading “Anderson Aerospace Secures $250,000 New Funding”
Hatch Detroit Business Contest Down to Four Finalists; Voting Ends Nov. 2
The ideas have been pitched, the public cast their votes online and through social media for the semi-finalists, and now the Hatch Detroit retail business contest is in its final stage. This is the hard part, where we choose the winner. Will it be the wine bar or the tea room? The pop-up furniture store … Continue reading “Hatch Detroit Business Contest Down to Four Finalists; Voting Ends Nov. 2”
Xconomist of the Week: Phil Libin, Evernote, and the Death of the Exit
Xconomist Phil Libin, the CEO of Mountain View, CA-based Evernote, is a little unusual among his Silicon Valley brethren. He’s on the record as saying that the online notekeeping startup doesn’t want to be acquired. “There has never been an exit strategy at Evernote,” he wrote in an FAQ-style blog post after Evernote raised $50 … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Phil Libin, Evernote, and the Death of the Exit”
Ann Arbor’s Mobiata Opens New Offices in San Francisco, Twin Cities
Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Mobiata is growing, both in size and location. The Expedia-owned company, which develops mobile apps designed to make travel go more smoothly, just opened offices in San Francisco and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area—which is where the company started out in 2008 before relocating to Ann Arbor. Founder and General Manager Ben … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s Mobiata Opens New Offices in San Francisco, Twin Cities”
BIO Investor Forum Roundup: Immune Design, Sorbent Therapeutics, Epizyme
The best thing about coming to the BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco every year is the schmoozing with folks from all over the country in one place. The worst thing? There’s not much in the way of breaking news. Oh well, sometimes you gotta do the spade work on a slow news day if … Continue reading “BIO Investor Forum Roundup: Immune Design, Sorbent Therapeutics, Epizyme”
On Nurturing a Startup in Detroit, Labyrinthine Bureaucracies, and RoboCop: A Conversation with Jerry Paffendorf
Jerry Paffendorf is one of those people who is always up to something cool, whether it’s spearheading a hugely successful crowdfunding project to get a RoboCop statue erected in Detroit, or selling vacant city properties by the square inch on the Web through his social entrepreneurship startup Loveland.com. I met him for coffee recently after making … Continue reading “On Nurturing a Startup in Detroit, Labyrinthine Bureaucracies, and RoboCop: A Conversation with Jerry Paffendorf”
iRobot Lays Off About 55 Staff in Advance of Q3 Earnings Report
[Updated 4:35 pm] Bedford, MA-based iRobot laid off about 55 people last week from its government and industrial robots division, Xconomy has learned. I heard from a source familiar with the company that some of the layoffs came to light because ex-employees posted on social media looking for new positions. An iRobot spokesperson did not … Continue reading “iRobot Lays Off About 55 Staff in Advance of Q3 Earnings Report”
Chromatin Secures $10,000,000 Series D Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b42bc63c-adff-421d-86c1-9a26bc29c184&Preview=1 Date 10/25/2011 Company Name Chromatin Mailing Address 3440 South Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60616 Company Description Chromatin’s proprietary mini-chromosome technology can rapidly deliver multi-gene clusters designed to ensure stable and consistent gene expression in plants. Website http://www.chromatininc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Series D Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “Chromatin Secures $10,000,000 Series D Funding”
YourEncore Lands New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=400f8d6e-0464-4164-8be0-bc5ba133cd7f&Preview=1 Date 10/25/2011 Company Name YourEncore Mailing Address 20 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 Company Description YourEncore is a network of retired and veteran scientists and engineers providing our clients with proven experience to help accelerate their pace of innovation. We are uniquely positioned to help our clients recover lost knowledge … Continue reading “YourEncore Lands New Financing Round”
MoneyTree Report: VC Investment in MI Down From Last Year, Up From Last Quarter
The third-quarter 2011 data is in from the MoneyTree Report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, and it shows that while Michigan’s VC investment decreased by about 20 percent compared to the third quarter of 2010 ($43.2 million invested in 2010, compared to $34.8 million in 2011), it more than doubled compared to the second quarter of 2011, … Continue reading “MoneyTree Report: VC Investment in MI Down From Last Year, Up From Last Quarter”
Randal Charlton Leaves TechTown to Run New Program for Older Entrepreneurs
Wayne State University’s business incubator TechTown announced today that current executive director Randal Charlton has stepped down to transition into a leadership position with BOOM! The New Economy, a new program supporting the Baby Boom generation’s reinvention as entrepreneurs. Leslie Smith, TechTown’s current general manager, will take over his position starting Nov. 1. TechTown was … Continue reading “Randal Charlton Leaves TechTown to Run New Program for Older Entrepreneurs”
Biotech VCs Have a Problem, and it Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better
We’ve heard warnings for a couple of years now that the chickens would come home to roost in the biotech venture capital scene. Quite a few VCs just haven’t delivered the returns to back up all their talk, and you can’t wait around forever for things to improve. This drama is going to be long … Continue reading “Biotech VCs Have a Problem, and it Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better”
OptiMine Software Obtains $3,600,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c187c1f0-fa2c-40f3-864d-927a85c2603a&Preview=1 Date 10/24/2011 Company Name OptiMine Software Mailing Address 1365 Park Road Chanhassen, MN 55317 Company Description OptiMine Software was founded by experienced software executives, including Rob Cooley and Doug Bryan, experts in marketing applications based on data mining. Website http://www.optimine.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,600,000 Transaction Round Series B … Continue reading “OptiMine Software Obtains $3,600,000 Series B Financing Round”
Attention National Media: It’s Time to Change The Way You Cover Detroit
When the Economist‘s piece on Detroit (“The Parable of Detroit: So Cheap, There’s Hope“) landed in my inbox this morning, I dug in, curious. This is the Economist, after all, which typically puts its jaundiced British eye on American subjects and reports without bias or mercy. Ah, yes, I thought—here comes a super legit international … Continue reading “Attention National Media: It’s Time to Change The Way You Cover Detroit”
From the Lab that Brought You Siri, It’s Trapit—A Personalized Discovery Engine
There are two kinds of people: Those who already own an iPhone 4S, and those who don’t but have seen Apple’s Siri ads and wish they did. Siri, of course, is the voice-operated personal assistant that can read your text messages, schedule appointments, check on the weather, make waffles, and babysit your toddler (just kidding … Continue reading “From the Lab that Brought You Siri, It’s Trapit—A Personalized Discovery Engine”
Wayne State Uses Social Media to Mentor Girls in Science, Tech
Wayne State University announced last week that it has received a $1.7 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health to increase the interest of metro Detroit girls in health-related “STEM” disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Sally K. Roberts, faculty adviser for WSU’s Gaining Options-Girls … Continue reading “Wayne State Uses Social Media to Mentor Girls in Science, Tech”
Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8fd984b8-da05-4f4c-9def-ee391befb3fd&Preview=1 Date 10/21/2011 Company Name Angie’s List Mailing Address 1030 E. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 Company Description Angie’s List is a growing collection of homeowners’ real-life experiences with local service companies. The people who join Angie’s List are like you — looking for a way to find trustworthy companies that perform … Continue reading “Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round”
Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8fd984b8-da05-4f4c-9def-ee391befb3fd&Preview=1 Date 10/21/2011 Company Name Angie’s List Mailing Address 1030 E. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 Company Description Angie’s List is a growing collection of homeowners’ real-life experiences with local service companies. The people who join Angie’s List are like you — looking for a way to find trustworthy companies that perform … Continue reading “Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round”
Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8fd984b8-da05-4f4c-9def-ee391befb3fd&Preview=1 Date 10/21/2011 Company Name Angie’s List Mailing Address 1030 E. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 Company Description Angie’s List is a growing collection of homeowners’ real-life experiences with local service companies. The people who join Angie’s List are like you — looking for a way to find trustworthy companies that perform … Continue reading “Angie’s List Lands $30,000,000 New Funding Round”
CouponCabin.com Secures $54,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=491f78ac-b7aa-44a0-9ea4-43ddc75768ef&Preview=1 Date 10/21/2011 Company Name CouponCabin.com Mailing Address 119th Street Whiting, IN 46394 Company Description CouponCabin is a leading online destination for coupons including online coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more. Shoppers have saved nearly $300 million since 2003 and with the largest selection of coupons guaranteed to work, CouponCabin.com is … Continue reading “CouponCabin.com Secures $54,000,000 New Funding Round”
Venture Industry Calls for Rules Changes to Reopen IPO Market
There was a time when most growing companies went to the public stock markets for the capital they needed to keep hiring and growing—but that time ended a decade ago. At no point since 2001 has the number of initial public offerings per year reached even the minimum levels set in the 1990s. (The pre-1999 … Continue reading “Venture Industry Calls for Rules Changes to Reopen IPO Market”
How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 2 of 2
Read part 1 of this post for background. By the early 1920s General Motors realized that Ford, which was now selling the Model T for $290, had an unbeatable monopoly on low-cost automobile manufacturing. Other manufacturers had experimented with selling cars based on an image and brand. (The most notable was an ad by the … Continue reading “How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 2 of 2”
The Social Network for Cars: Test of the Nation’s First Wireless Collision Avoidance System
A Boston-area security tech company and the University of Michigan are involved in one of the most ambitious—and potentially controversial—transportation projects of our time. It could have major impact on federal legislation, and almost everyone you know. Picture this: You’re driving in your car, approaching an intersection. Maybe you’re speeding a little, going 40 mph … Continue reading “The Social Network for Cars: Test of the Nation’s First Wireless Collision Avoidance System”
Xconomist of the Week: Joe Chung Says Redstar Ventures Is Creating Companies for “the TechCrunch Crowd’s Mothers”
“There’s sort of an infinite number of good ways to start a company,” says Xconomist Joe Chung. “One of the fundamental rules in startups is that there really aren’t any rules.” But the serial entrepreneur has some pretty specific plans for how his new creation will pop out startups. That would be Cambridge, MA-based Redstar … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Joe Chung Says Redstar Ventures Is Creating Companies for “the TechCrunch Crowd’s Mothers””
MoneyTree Report Sees Third-Quarter Slowdown in U.S. Venture Investments
Venture capital firms invested $6.95 billion in 876 deals throughout the United States during the three months that ended Sept. 30, according to the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. The numbers marked a slowdown from the preceding quarter, when venture capitalists put $7.9 billion in 1,015 deals. But look at … Continue reading “MoneyTree Report Sees Third-Quarter Slowdown in U.S. Venture Investments”
How to Make It in (The New) America
[Corrected on 10/19/11 at 4:45 pm. See below.] Miguel Yeoman—known as the artist BeloZro and, now, as cofounder of the startup company BeloZro Visual Energy—was born and raised on Detroit’s hardscrabble east side. As he tried to stay out of trouble in 1980s Detroit—an extraordinarily violent period in the city’s history—he found his way to … Continue reading “How to Make It in (The New) America”
How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 1 of 2
It was the most advanced consumer product of the century. The industry started with its innovators located in different cities over a wide region. But within 20 years it would be concentrated in a single entrepreneurial startup cluster. At first it was a craft business, then it was driven by relentless technology innovation and then … Continue reading “How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 1 of 2”
Consumers Still Reluctant to Plug In to Electric Vehicles, Expert Says
Last week, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) hosted its third annual conference on electric plug-in vehicles, titled “The Business of Plugging In.” The event drew global leaders from the realms of automotives, technology, finance, government, and policy. This year’s conference was different, says Brett Smith, Co-Director of Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology for CAR, in … Continue reading “Consumers Still Reluctant to Plug In to Electric Vehicles, Expert Says”
Genomics 2.0: Ten Years After the Bubble, it’s Getting Really Interesting Again
What do 10,000 people with autism, 50,000 people in some remote islands in the North Atlantic, and 1,000 healthy old folks in southern California have in common? They are on the front edge of one of the most exciting stories in science today, and their contributions will have a huge impact on our long-term understanding … Continue reading “Genomics 2.0: Ten Years After the Bubble, it’s Getting Really Interesting Again”
Brand Camp 2.0 Conference
Brand Camp is a gathering of thought leaders, technologists, geeks, and creatives to foster a discussion on branding, entrepreneurial thinking, social media, and the use of technology. Josh Linkner, CEO/Managing Partner of Detroit Venture Partners, will deliver the keynote address. For registration and details, click here.
2012 North American International Auto Show
Experience the next generation of transportation, with more than 500 vehicles on display representing the most innovative designs in the world, at North America’s largest automotive showcase. For tickets and other information, click here.
iCal or iHAL? Apple and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Dear Mom: You asked me to write to let you know if I arrived safely in iCloud-land. Well, I’m here and I’m in one piece, although unfortunately some of my things didn’t make it here with me, such as my calendar. It was a pretty hellish journey, I’ll tell you. There were a couple of … Continue reading “iCal or iHAL? Apple and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”
Michigan Get Your Business Online
Pure Michigan Business Connect and Google partner to help businesses get online free, fast, and easy. At this event, businesses will get a free website and Google Places listing, as well as one-on-one advice about online marketing. Space is limited, so click here to register.
7th Annual MichBio Expo and Conference
The largest gathering of bioscience professionals in the state includes roundtables, displays, track sessions, and speakers, including keynote speaker Kim Popovits, President and CEO of Genomic Health. For more information, click here.
Xconomist of the Week: Appature’s Kabir Shahani Eyes Culture as Company Expands
When it’s time for a scrappy tech startup with a bootstrapped culture to expand its footprint, the conventional thinking might go something like this: Hire young, hungry people who won’t blow through too much of your coin, and hold onto that staff until you absolutely have to take the plunge into grown-up salaries and benefits. … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Appature’s Kabir Shahani Eyes Culture as Company Expands”
Ford Developing Wireless Health Apps for Motorists on the Go
K. Venkatesh Prasad has been working in Detroit for the past five years on an innovation that could be described as the next big crazy idea that might just work. As the senior technical leader in vehicle design and infotronics at Ford Research & Innovation, Prasad oversees development of voice-activated apps and wireless services that … Continue reading “Ford Developing Wireless Health Apps for Motorists on the Go”
Greenpeace and Michele Bachmann’s Joint Campaign to Stop Science
I took the family to Boston on vacation in September. During the time away, I read Patrick Moore’s book “Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout: The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist.“ Dr. Moore was one of the original founders of Greenpeace in the 1970s. I heard him speak recently. While he remains a passionate advocate for … Continue reading “Greenpeace and Michele Bachmann’s Joint Campaign to Stop Science”
University of Michigan Awards $34K in Grants, Business Accelerator Space
The Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business today announced the recipients of the Fall 2011 Dare to Dream grant program and TechArb tenancy. Based on business plans submitted to a panel of judges, Dare to Dream awarded funding totaling $34,500 to the … Continue reading “University of Michigan Awards $34K in Grants, Business Accelerator Space”
VC Keeps up Hot Pace, 2011 Could Mark 10-Year Peak, CB Insights Says
Market meltdowns, international turmoil, stubborn unemployment—none of the lingering macro-economic troubles seem to be holding back the momentum for venture investing in 2011, according to a report on third-quarter investments from research firm CB Insights. The latest tally from the firm’s venture capital database shows venture investments reaching $7.9 billion in the quarter across 790 … Continue reading “VC Keeps up Hot Pace, 2011 Could Mark 10-Year Peak, CB Insights Says”
Detroit Startup iRule Wants to Control Your Universe
About three years ago, two buddies who worked together at an automotive company were fed up with paying thousands of dollars for the universal remote controls required to manage their home theaters. Itai Ben-Gal, an engineer, lamented to Victor Nemirovsky, a computer programmer, that he wished he could just use his iPhone to control his … Continue reading “Detroit Startup iRule Wants to Control Your Universe”
Integrating Social Media with Your Business Strategies
Janet Tyler, president of Airfoil Public Relations, will describe 10 ways that companies incorporate social media into their business strategies to gain new corporate customers, strengthen and broaden existing customer relationships, and bolster their reputations in their industry. Microsoft Senior Public Relations Manager Amy Messano will detail how Microsoft used social media to grow and … Continue reading “Integrating Social Media with Your Business Strategies”
Sales Mastery From the Top Down
Denise Roberts of SalesPartners Troy will discuss mindset, behaviors, and creating an environment where team members hold themselves accountable for their commitments and support each other in reaching an organization’s goals
Ann Arbor Startup Aims to be ‘Stub Hub of Event Parking’
The success of the Detroit Lions and Tigers has dominated the headlines recently, but perhaps you’ve heard there’s another big game coming up this weekend: The intense in-state rivalry between Michigan State University and the University of Michigan on Saturday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. I’m not planning on going to the game, … Continue reading “Ann Arbor Startup Aims to be ‘Stub Hub of Event Parking’”
How Not to Start a Startup
Startups can be a lot like first girlfriends (or boyfriends). You fall madly, passionately in love, think of them 24/7, talk, walk, eat, drink, breathe them, put everything into them and beyond, but sometimes, despite the passion, it just doesn’t work out. And, actually if you’re willing be to be brutally honest, in retrospect the … Continue reading “How Not to Start a Startup”
Smoke on the Water: Fireworks at the Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit
I spent the early part of this week attending the Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit and, despite the fact that the Cleveland Clinic stubbornly insists on holding its conference in Cleveland (aka The Mistake on the Lake), it was well worth attending. Cleveland is an interesting town. Once upon a time, when old white men … Continue reading “Smoke on the Water: Fireworks at the Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit”