Category: Detroit

With Cowboys’ Backing, Blue Star Set to Boost Sports Startups

Dallas—Partners with a deep well of subject matter expertise and capital are on the top of any entrepreneur’s wish list. Now an accelerator tailored to sports technology startups might be giving those founders a connection to the ultimate in sports and marketing royalty: the Dallas Cowboys. The new Blue Star Accelerator, aimed at nurturing young … Continue reading “With Cowboys’ Backing, Blue Star Set to Boost Sports Startups”

The Xconomy Immuno-Oncology Resource: A Mid-ASH T Cell Update

[Updated, 12/5/16, 4 p.m. See below.] If you’re following cancer immunotherapy, you might feel a bit swamped by this week’s wave of clinical data from experimental programs that turn living T cells into revved-up cancer fighters. We’re updating our ongoing cancer immunotherapy trial resource with American Society of Hematology results, plus a few others we’ve … Continue reading “The Xconomy Immuno-Oncology Resource: A Mid-ASH T Cell Update”

This Week in Drug Pricing and Post-Election Healthcare Policy News

Healthcare news has been coming fast and furious in the fallout of the election, particularly this week. Read on below for the latest on the 21st Century Cures Act, the Trump Administration’s latest nominees, and a biopharma CEO’s warning to his peers on drug pricing. IN WASHINGTON… —The House of Representatives passed a sweeping healthcare … Continue reading “This Week in Drug Pricing and Post-Election Healthcare Policy News”

Bio Roundup: CAR-T Ups & Downs, Lilly’s Failure, Myeloma & More

We’ve packed some extra stuffing into the roundup this week to account for some burnt turkey delivered by biopharma in the few days before Thanksgiving—starting with Eli Lilly’s failed gamble in Alzheimer’s disease. Lilly wasn’t alone, however. Several companies, among them Juno Therapeutics, Arrowhead Pharmaceutials, and Nivalis Therapeutics, have had some bad news for investors … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CAR-T Ups & Downs, Lilly’s Failure, Myeloma & More”

Brushing Aside Critics, House Votes in Landslide for Cures Act

By a 392 to 26 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the omnibus healthcare legislation called the 21st Century Cures Act, bringing new funding for top Obama administration health priorities a big step closer to the outgoing president’s signature. While critics of the bill questioned whether that funding would actually materialize in coming … Continue reading “Brushing Aside Critics, House Votes in Landslide for Cures Act”

RAM shift phase 2

[Editor’s note: Seattle-based sci-fi author Greg Bear has contemplated a day when intelligent machines, which are already assisting or replacing humans in manufacturing and transportation, could do his job, too. Indeed, a World Economic Forum study (PDF) predicts that technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics will replace some 5 million jobs by 2020, while … Continue reading “RAM shift phase 2”

Tetra Discovery Raises $10M Series A, Advances Alzheimer’s Drug

Alzheimer’s drug research has been a fraught area of medicine lately. With last week’s failure of Eli Lilly’s high-profile Phase 3 study of solanezumab, an experimental Alzheimer’s drug, arguably the most promising treatment in development for the memory loss disease is no longer headed to market. The trial’s failure also “puts a dent” in the … Continue reading “Tetra Discovery Raises $10M Series A, Advances Alzheimer’s Drug”

Tetra Discovery Partners Secures $5,000,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6edca247-7e61-4b81-93d4-175e0124b334 Date 11/30/2016 Company Name Tetra Discovery Partners Mailing Address 910 Rosewood Avenue SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 USA Company Description Our research focuses on developing new treatments for depression based on subtype-selective modulation of phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B). PDE4 in neurons is responsible for the hydrolysis of cAMP. We and our colleagues … Continue reading “Tetra Discovery Partners Secures $5,000,000 Series A Funding Round”

Trump Tabs Fiscal, Social Conservatives To Run U.S. Health Agencies

Two big pieces of the Trump healthcare puzzle have fallen into place. The President-elect’s transition team has nominated Georgia Republican congressman Tom Price to be Health and Human Services secretary. It has also tabbed Indiana health consultant Seema Verma to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In a statement, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), … Continue reading “Trump Tabs Fiscal, Social Conservatives To Run U.S. Health Agencies”

The Tough Questions You Must Discuss Before You Take the Money

If all goes well, the day will come when just one small thing will stand between you and funding for your startup: your signature on a term sheet. Most founders quickly sign on the line and get back to the business of growing their business. Smart ones set aside the paperwork, grab their business partners, … Continue reading “The Tough Questions You Must Discuss Before You Take the Money”

Natural Pesticides Maker Marrone Bio Gets EPA Nod on Biofumigant

A biological fumigant developed by Marrone Bio Innovations is one step closer to joining the pest-control toolkit of strawberry farmers after clearing a key regulatory hurdle. Marrone Bio (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MBII]]) announced Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency has registered the Davis, CA-based company’s biofumigant, called MBI-601 EP. The biofumigant was developed to control and suppress … Continue reading “Natural Pesticides Maker Marrone Bio Gets EPA Nod on Biofumigant”

Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?

Scientists are engineering a new living thing: a radically modified version of the lowly bacterium E. coli. In an article in Science from August, researchers at Harvard University described an ongoing project to build the genetic code of E. coli from scratch, but with major revisions to create a new strain unlike any in existence. The modified E. coli is … Continue reading “Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?”

MSU Foundation Invests $5M in Red Cedar Ventures Fund

Michigan State University faculty and students working to get their startups to market have a new tool in their arsenal: Red Cedar Ventures, a $5 million fund created by the MSU Foundation. Dave Washburn, executive director of the MSU Foundation, says Red Cedar Ventures will deploy money to university entrepreneurs or those commercializing university inventions … Continue reading “MSU Foundation Invests $5M in Red Cedar Ventures Fund”

The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences

We are at an incredible inflection point in the traditionally distinct fields of information technology and the life sciences. These broad disciplines are converging to advance fields of study like computational biology and systems biology, resulting in new forms of therapeutics and diagnostics that could have a monumentally positive impact on human health. At DFJ … Continue reading “The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences”

In Trump’s America, Does Immigration Remain an Engine for Growth?

There are plenty of constituencies looking ahead to Donald Trump’s presidency with trepidation, but perhaps none more so than immigrants. The words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty may call for the rest of the world to send us their huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but many in the American electorate apparently feel differently. … Continue reading “In Trump’s America, Does Immigration Remain an Engine for Growth?”

Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge

Uncertainty surrounding this year’s presidential election has kept U.S. IPO activity at a sluggish pace—so sluggish, in fact, that this year could end with the fewest IPOs and the lowest level of capital raised since 2009, according to PitchBook data for the first nine months of 2016. But this is no time to trash talk … Continue reading “Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge”

Syngenta, Bayer Try ‘Open Innovation’ to Find Next Big Agtech Idea

Agriculture is a more technical business than many people realize. Consider modern farm equipment: A John Deere tractor today contains more lines of code than a Boeing 747 jetliner, according to Syngenta’s Rick DeRose. Big agriculture companies like Syngenta (NYSE: [[ticker:SYT]]) are now coming to a realization of their own: Not all of the new … Continue reading “Syngenta, Bayer Try ‘Open Innovation’ to Find Next Big Agtech Idea”

Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More

Speculation swirled this week around the incoming U.S. president’s intent to make good on his angry campaign rhetoric on drug prices, while the Associated Press reported that naming-and-shaming—that is, Congress hauling executives into hearings and penning angry letters—certainly hasn’t done the trick. For one new kind of cholesterol drug, insurers and their agents have tried … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More”

How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma

I recently received a note from a longtime friend who questioned me on the issue of pharma pricing. I answered with the always-reliable alleviating-the-scourge-of-disease-through-the-miracle-of-modern-medicine defense of “free-market pricing.”  My friend, who is not in the pharmaceutical business, responded: The fundamental flaw in your argument centers on the notion that there is any relevance to “market … Continue reading “How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma”

M-CAM Seeks to Bolster Michigan’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce

During the turbulent election season we all recently endured, a big topic of conversation was trade—specifically how certain policies such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have harmed the domestic manufacturing sector and hollowed out the middle class. Among the many campaign promises made by President-elect Donald Trump was a pledge to renegotiate … Continue reading “M-CAM Seeks to Bolster Michigan’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce”

Ann Arbor Tech Homecoming

Timed to coincide with the holiday, the goal of this happy hour is to reconnect talented out-of-towners working in the tech industry with Ann Arbor and its vibrant tech ecosystem. Representatives from a handful of the city’s fastest growing tech companies will be on hand for the festivities. For details and registration, click here.

The New Crowdfunding Rules: Will They Really Help Startups?

Hailed as the true democratizer of private investment, crowdfunding has been attracting both headlines and a fast-growing pile of cash. In May of 2016, rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission went into effect that will democratize the process even further. These new rules will open the doors to more investors, but they also pose … Continue reading “The New Crowdfunding Rules: Will They Really Help Startups?”

Plymouth Ventures Leads Kinney Group’s Growth Funding Round

Indiana has become a hotbed of venture-backed startups developing technology to make businesses run smoother, whether that’s a social network for blue collar workers, or an automated training tool, or cloud optimization software. Last week, cloud software integrator Kinney Group, another Indianapolis-based startup working to improve business processes, announced it had raised a “multi-million growth … Continue reading “Plymouth Ventures Leads Kinney Group’s Growth Funding Round”

Bio Roundup: Trump’s Triumph, Election Fallout, CRISPR Arguments & More

The presidential election ended with Donald Trump’s stunning victory and Republican retention of the House and Senate. Now, the U.S. healthcare sector will try to figure out what it all means. Drug company stocks got a boost with the defeat of Hillary Clinton, a vocal critic of drug prices. But Trump’s plans are unclear. Will … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Triumph, Election Fallout, CRISPR Arguments & More”

Detroit Tech Industry Career Fair

Grand Circus hosts a career fair for developers, program managers, business analysts, interns, and others looking for a job in a tech field. UnitedShore, HelloWorld, Quicken Loans, VitaminT, ESG Automotive, and RepPro will be among the tech companies on hand. For details and registration, click here.

Trump Team Outlines Healthcare Agenda—No Mention of Drug Prices

The incoming Trump administration has posted an outline of its healthcare agenda on its transition website. There is no mention of drug pricing or what the administration might do about frequent price increases, such as Mylan’s EpiPen practice, that critics say are unsubstantiated and unethical. During the campaign, Trump’s official platform called for a change … Continue reading “Trump Team Outlines Healthcare Agenda—No Mention of Drug Prices”

Quick, How Might the Alien Spacecraft Work?

[This post is about the movie “Arrival“; there are no movie spoilers here.] “It’s an interesting script,” said someone on our PR team. It’s pretty common for us to get requests from movie-makers about showing our graphics or posters or books in movies. But the request this time was different: could we urgently help make … Continue reading “Quick, How Might the Alien Spacecraft Work?”

New U.S. “Roadmap” Lays Out Routes to Accelerate Robotic Technologies

Robotics technology is progressing faster than expected for self-driving cars, and drones are becoming ubiquitous throughout the United States, according to a lead scientist overseeing a robotics technology roadmap released last week. But robotics is moving slower than expected in some key areas, such as the development of dexterous gripper technology, intuitive user interfaces, and … Continue reading “New U.S. “Roadmap” Lays Out Routes to Accelerate Robotic Technologies”

Genomenon, Brio Device Score $400K from U-M’s Biomedical Seed Fund

The University of Michigan’s Monroe-Brown Biomedical Seed Fund today announced inaugural investments in Genomenon and Brio Device, two biotech startups spun out of the university. Genomenon, a company developing diagnostics and discovery software to automate the organization of genomic sequencing data, received $250,000. Genomenon was a finalist at Detroit’s Google Demo Day pitch contest earlier … Continue reading “Genomenon, Brio Device Score $400K from U-M’s Biomedical Seed Fund”

Has Technology Made Election Polls More Accurate? Not Yet

Statistical models, simulations, social media outreach, and the capacity to analyze big data sets—you’d think by now that technology would have delivered election forecasts that more reliably predicted Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential race. But most pollsters—and the people who relied on them—were gobsmacked by Trump’s upset wins, not only in battleground states … Continue reading “Has Technology Made Election Polls More Accurate? Not Yet”

Trump’s Election Stunner: Tech and Life Sciences Leaders React

Still processing what this will mean for technology, business, society, and humanity—I guess it’s going to take a while. In the meantime, here are 10 notable reactions from around the Xconomy network, mostly via Twitter. As you might guess, they are a mix of outrage, resiliency, hope, rationalizing, grandstanding, and some calls for calm and … Continue reading “Trump’s Election Stunner: Tech and Life Sciences Leaders React”

In Trump-GOP Tsunami, Blue-State Healthcare Ideas Swamped

[Updated, 11/9/16, 1:20 p.m. See below.] The 2016 U.S. election is over. The country has been rocked by the presidential race, with Donald Trump taking the White House. Every facet of American policy, our attitudes toward power and governance, even our national character will be topics of debate in coming months. Our healthcare system will … Continue reading “In Trump-GOP Tsunami, Blue-State Healthcare Ideas Swamped”

Ridesharing Startup SPLT Wins Accelerate Michigan’s $500K Prize

SPLT, the Detroit-based enterprise carpooling service and graduate of the Techstars Mobility program, walked away with the $500,000 grand prize at this year’s Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition, the state’s largest annual startup event, held last week in Detroit. In an e-mail to supporters, SPLT CEO Anya Babbitt described the company’s reaction to the win: “Thursday night … Continue reading “Ridesharing Startup SPLT Wins Accelerate Michigan’s $500K Prize”

What Should Be on the Next President’s Cybersecurity Agenda?

From a hack of Democratic National Committee e-mails to fears that cyber attackers will attempt to interfere with tomorrow’s election, cybersecurity emerged as a crucial theme in this grueling presidential campaign. Neither candidate has said a lot about how he or she would address cybersecurity issues as president, although Hillary Clinton has offered more details … Continue reading “What Should Be on the Next President’s Cybersecurity Agenda?”

Sanofi’s Experience With Dengvaxia May Speed Development of Zika Vaccine

Dengvaxia, the first licensed vaccine for dengue virus, has now been approved in 11 countries where dengue is endemic. But sales of the vaccine, which were initially projected to reach €200 million this year, barely reached €20 million in the first half of the year, with little sign of picking up. Sanofi Pasteur, the group … Continue reading “Sanofi’s Experience With Dengvaxia May Speed Development of Zika Vaccine”

Bio Roundup: Clinical Shirkers, AMD Worriers, ASH Fallers & More

Our previous roundup came out last week before news broke that Susan Lindquist, a highly decorated and thoughtful researcher into the inner workings of proteins, passed away. She was 67. First at the University of Chicago and then MIT’s Whitehead Institute, Lindquist helped biologists see that all kinds of organisms—including ourselves—share errors of protein folding … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Clinical Shirkers, AMD Worriers, ASH Fallers & More”

Californians Still Hate Trump, But More Uncertain About Drug Companies

The polls are tightening. Millions of people are still making up their minds. National figures are making last-minute pitches. The decision could have huge implications for people across the U.S. We’re talking of course about next week’s vote on Proposition 61 in California, an attempt to control drug prices in the nation’s most populous state. … Continue reading “Californians Still Hate Trump, But More Uncertain About Drug Companies”

The Necessity of Innovation

Innovation is at the heart of wealth creation. Innovation is at the heart of job creation. Innovation is at the heart of building better lives for everyone. And innovation can be increased by conscious support. Innovation is enhanced by a culture of innovation, encouragement of talented inventors and entrepreneurs, collaboration between academics and business people, … Continue reading “The Necessity of Innovation”

Local Orbit Out to Boost Food Supply Chain for Farmers, Institutions

When Ann Arbor, MI’s Local Orbit first took root in 2010, founder and CEO Erika Block wanted a better way to connect local growers and food producers with restaurants and other commercial customers. Six years later, the company has both expanded and refined its focus to keep up with growing customer demand and challenges in … Continue reading “Local Orbit Out to Boost Food Supply Chain for Farmers, Institutions”

Xconomy Announces Channel Focused on the Future of Education

Since its inception more than nine years ago, Xconomy has focused its coverage on the business of high technology—across information technology, life sciences, healthcare, energy, robotics, and much more. But underlying all that, in a sense, is education. We have long run stories about STEM education, educational technology, and more—and even put out a special … Continue reading “Xconomy Announces Channel Focused on the Future of Education”

Clinton and Trump Platform Analysis: Which Is Best for Education Companies?

With election day less than a week away, voters are trying to imagine what turns the country might take under each of the presidential hopefuls. Tech entrepreneurs are likely considering how hospitable the new leadership might be to their specific industry sectors. Educational technology is one field worth examining, even though education hasn’t been a … Continue reading “Clinton and Trump Platform Analysis: Which Is Best for Education Companies?”

On Front Lines Of Price Dispute, Eye Doctors Wary of New Drug Data

Drugs that treat a form of vision loss known as age related macular degeneration aren’t just big business. They’re also a controversial part of the national debate over high drug prices, and their increased use has put ophthalmologists in the crosshairs of insurers, the federal government, and the press. “Retina practices are under significantly increased … Continue reading “On Front Lines Of Price Dispute, Eye Doctors Wary of New Drug Data”

CubeWorks Lands New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca5282b2-e528-401b-80a1-7a0a1fa14003 Date 10/31/2016 Company Name CubeWorks Mailing Address 1600 Huron Parkway Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA Company Description The Cubisens platform by CubeWorks enables the first truly autonomous wireless sensing platform measuring less than a millimeter. Cubisens systems are able to sense and process their environment, wirelessly transmit the results or store … Continue reading “CubeWorks Lands New Funding Round”

Roundup: Naturalicious, Ford STEAM Lab, MedHealth Summit & More

Here’s a look at recent tech and innovation news from around Michigan: —Gwen Jimmere, founder of Detroit-based beauty startup Naturalicious, has been named one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country by The Root. Jimmere started the company in 2013 out of her home in Canton. A single mother who had recently … Continue reading “Roundup: Naturalicious, Ford STEAM Lab, MedHealth Summit & More”

Bio Roundup: Drug Pricing, Cystic Fibrosis Showdown, Myovant & More

The 2016 election is (thankfully) almost here, and as one biotech analyst noted this week, a possible Democratic victory is to blame for a big October sell-off in biotech stocks. Since Donald Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was released on October 7, Leerink Partners analyst Geoffrey Porges wrote, biotech investors have lost $50 billion. The … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Drug Pricing, Cystic Fibrosis Showdown, Myovant & More”

AdAdapted Lands $302,980 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2deb7794-1cab-4e2c-b437-ae29382fcca4 Date 10/28/2016 Company Name AdAdapted Mailing Address 330 East Liberty Lower Level Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA Company Description AdAdapted is the first mobile advertising company focused on integrating CPG brands into the apps that drive consumers’ in-store purchase decisions. Website http://www.adadapted.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $302,980 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “AdAdapted Lands $302,980 New Round”

Zimmer Biomet Digs Deeper into Digital Health with RespondWell Deal

Zimmer Biomet is expanding into telemedicine through the acquisition of RespondWell, a startup whose software allows patients to rehabilitate from surgery at home using messaging, videos, and monitoring handled over the Internet. Warsaw, IN-based Zimmer Biomet (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBH]]) is one of the largest providers of medical devices and products for musculoskeletal care. But care is … Continue reading “Zimmer Biomet Digs Deeper into Digital Health with RespondWell Deal”

Despite Low Crop Prices, Corporate and VC Agtech Investments Soar

Prices for agricultural commodities such as corn, soy, and wheat are at their lowest levels in years, but investment in agricultural technology has never been better. Venture capital firms have increased their agtech investments by 80 percent since 2012, bringing total VC investment in the sector to a total of $3 billion in 2015, according … Continue reading “Despite Low Crop Prices, Corporate and VC Agtech Investments Soar”