Bamboo Detroit hosts this networking event designed for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies. Service providers and other experts interested in collaborating to launch startups will also be on hand. For more information, click here.
Category: Detroit
MichBio Expo: Connecting Technology, Health & Well-Being
Michigan’s largest gathering of bioscience professionals will focus on healthcare delivery, bio-business growth, technology connectivity, and more. This year’s keynote speakers are Jeff Elton of Accenture Strategy and Predictive Health Intelligence, and Alec Melkonian, senior vice president of client engagement at Klick Health. For details, click here.
Michigan CEO Summit
Patrick Doyle, president and CEO of Domino’s, and William Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company, will serve as keynote speakers for the fifth annual Michigan CEO Summit, hosted by Business Leaders for Michigan. The summit brings together government, business, nonprofit, and community stakeholders to network and discuss important topics. To learn more, click here.
Build IT Together
Jon Oberheide, co-founder of Duo Security, and David Behen, chief information officer for the State of Michigan, will serve as keynote speakers for this annual technology summit. Build IT Together is designed for those who are interested in building a better business landscape in Michigan and a better technology strategy within their organizations. For details … Continue reading “Build IT Together”
Endeavor Detroit Aims to Help Companies Connect to Mentors and Grow
There’s a new nonprofit organization in town that seeks to connect Michigan’s entrepreneurs with a global network of mentors, service providers, and investors in order to help them grow. Endeavor Detroit set up shop in the Motor City 18 months ago with the goal of finding mid-stage startups with annual revenues between $2 million and … Continue reading “Endeavor Detroit Aims to Help Companies Connect to Mentors and Grow”
Study Supports MEDC, Says “Time Is Now” for Michigan Entrepreneurship
Last year, when we covered the legislative fight over the state’s budget and how much funding would be allocated to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the organization had commissioned an independent report from TEConomy Partners (a division spun out of Battelle) that would study the impact of its programs supporting entrepreneurs, startups, and the … Continue reading “Study Supports MEDC, Says “Time Is Now” for Michigan Entrepreneurship”
Bio Roundup: Precision Med and Google, Heron, Lilly, Sarepta & More
The wait continues. An FDA ruling on a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug from Sarepta Therapeutics—which could be the first ever approved for the disease—has been imminent for a while now, yet Labor Day is fast approaching and still the saga drags on. Speculation abounds, from analysts and pundits, each giving different opinions as to whether … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Precision Med and Google, Heron, Lilly, Sarepta & More”
Productivity in Your Pocket
The app that you use is the one in your pocket. Today, larger mobile screens and touch interfaces are allowing people to do real work—not just e-mail—with the computer they have, wherever they are. It started with the Blackberry in the early 2000s. Like a dream, or a nightmare, e-mail—which is still the go-to work … Continue reading “Productivity in Your Pocket”
As U.S. Looks to Launch Precision Health Study, Google’s Role Emerges
The U.S. government has ambitious plans for a long-term health study with one million Americans, and one of the world’s most powerful tech companies has a big part to play, including the storage of all the data on its “cloud” servers. Google’s parent company Alphabet (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GOOG]]) and its wholly owned biotech R&D group, Verily … Continue reading “As U.S. Looks to Launch Precision Health Study, Google’s Role Emerges”
Gemphire’s Delayed $30M IPO Will Pay for Trials of Cholesterol Drug
After a series of delays partly caused by Brexit-inspired stock market volatility, Northville, MI-based biotech startup Gemphire Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GEMP]]) has successfully completed its initial public offering. The good news is the IPO gave Gemphire, which ended the first quarter with just $1.6 million in cash, some needed financial breathing room. The bad news is … Continue reading “Gemphire’s Delayed $30M IPO Will Pay for Trials of Cholesterol Drug”
Arborlight Garners $502,822 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d838d310-4e4e-4e39-8cf3-eccdad13a668 Date 8/10/2016 Company Name Arborlight Mailing Address 46701 Commerce Center Drive Plymouth, MI 48170 USA Company Description LightWell is an LED based Daylight Emulation product suited for high impact spaces that cannot access natural daylight but want that sense of daylight. Website http://www.arborlight.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $502,822 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Arborlight Garners $502,822 New Funding Round”
How Will Apple Innovate Beyond the iPhone 7? With Next-Gen Siri
Apple’s iPhone 7 is due out next month. According to the Wall Street Journal, PFWTMs (“people familiar with the matter”) say the new device will look pretty much the same as the iPhone 6s. The biggest change: no more headphone plug. Customers who want to listen to music or podcasts on their iPhones will need … Continue reading “How Will Apple Innovate Beyond the iPhone 7? With Next-Gen Siri”
Analysis: With a Tight Smile, Trump Details Economic Plan in Detroit
I wasn’t sure what to expect when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running-mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, were the featured speakers at a Detroit Economic Club luncheon today. Trump has spent most of the summer lurching from one controversy to another, but in Detroit, he appeared to be well-coached and almost singularly focused … Continue reading “Analysis: With a Tight Smile, Trump Details Economic Plan in Detroit”
Celgene Passes on Acetylon as Another Option-to-Buy Deal Flames Out
The option-to-buy deal, in biotech, is a way to hedge a bet. A big firm will pay a fee for the right to acquire a smaller company later on, with the big bucks coming only if the acquisition is triggered. An option isn’t a guarantee, however; a big company can always pass on a buyout, … Continue reading “Celgene Passes on Acetylon as Another Option-to-Buy Deal Flames Out”
U-M Startup Clinc is on a Mission to Democratize A.I. Technologies
After building Lucida, an open-source intelligent personal assistant, University of Michigan spinout Clinc has a new $225,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to help get its artificial intelligence technologies to market. That’s on top of closing a $1.2 million seed round disclosed in March. The equity funding round was led by Ann Arbor’s eLab … Continue reading “U-M Startup Clinc is on a Mission to Democratize A.I. Technologies”
Biotech Roundup: Biogen Rumors, Theranos, Electro-Drugs & More
Biogen was once again all over the biotech newswire this week. First came a positive surprise; data that could set the stage for the first-ever drug approved for spinal muscular atrophy, a rare and debilitating muscle disease. Then came the rumor mill: Companies may or may not be approaching Biogen about a sale, and Biogen … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Biogen Rumors, Theranos, Electro-Drugs & More”
Why Teenagers Make Great Entrepreneurs
What is the ideal age to start a company? It’s a question that often circulates in the business press and on tech blogs. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have weighed in from time to time and their answers tend to fall into two camps. The first group advocates for the 20s as the optimal time. That’s … Continue reading “Why Teenagers Make Great Entrepreneurs”
New Schools Venture Fund Offering $7M More To Education Entrepreneurs
It’s still mid-summer, but in some districts where school starts in only a few weeks, teachers are already digging out their lesson plans and preparing to resume their classroom routines. But some of them would rather toss those lessons in the bin, and in fact, scrap the whole design of their schools and build new … Continue reading “New Schools Venture Fund Offering $7M More To Education Entrepreneurs”
Gemphire Therapeutics Lands $30,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=daacb9f1-31bf-4c11-b2d0-8a5e59b0f26d Date 8/5/2016 Company Name Gemphire Therapeutics Mailing Address 43334 Seven Mile Road Northville, MI 48167 USA Company Description Gemphire Therapeutics (NASDAQ: GEMP) mission is to develop novel drugs, such as gemcabene, to treat the large, growing unmet need of dyslipidemia patients who are unable to reach optimal LDL cholesterol or triglyceride … Continue reading “Gemphire Therapeutics Lands $30,000,000 New Financing”
Qualcomm Making Inroads with Wireless EV Charging Technology
If there’s one thing that’s become clear in the five years since Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) acquired its Halo wireless automotive charging technology, it’s that building a new business—and a new industry—takes time. As the global market for mobile phones has matured, Qualcomm has been seeking new opportunities in the wireless technology business. The San Diego … Continue reading “Qualcomm Making Inroads with Wireless EV Charging Technology”
Trump’s Wall, Remittances, and Immigration in Washington
Donald Trump plans to finance construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border by holding hostage money sent home by undocumented Mexican immigrants until their government agrees to pay for it. The Republican presidential nominee’s written plan would require money transfer companies—such as Seattle-based remittances startup Remitly—to verify the lawful residency of anyone seeking to … Continue reading “Trump’s Wall, Remittances, and Immigration in Washington”
Pawn Shops Finally Go Digital, Helping Underbanked Find Quick Cash
In May and June, the financial industries that serve low-income Americans began to change in big ways. First, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed new rules for payday lenders. The first banned lenders from withdrawing money directly from their customers’ bank accounts, while the second restricted their ability to lend by imposing credit limits. Then … Continue reading “Pawn Shops Finally Go Digital, Helping Underbanked Find Quick Cash”
Vestaron Obtains $10,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=468a75c9-ef0b-49ff-8fd1-67618500d840 Date 8/3/2016 Company Name Vestaron Mailing Address 4717 Campus Drive Kalamazoo, MI 49008 USA Company Description Vestaron Corporation is developing a new generation of insecticides by employing peptides sourced from spiders – insecticides that are ideally suited for the environmentally conscious, twenty-first century. Over 50 unique, spider-venom peptides with novel sites … Continue reading “Vestaron Obtains $10,000,000 New Funding”
Look Beyond Football to Fight Concussions
The New York Times reported last week that the NFL and USA Football had publicized inaccurate statistics about the efficacy of a training program called Heads Up Football in preventing concussions in youth football players. Officials at USA Football had to concede that they did not review the data from the study carefully and did not … Continue reading “Look Beyond Football to Fight Concussions”
Delphi’s Autonomous Vehicle Pilot to Test Mobility On-Demand in Singapore
Delphi Automotive is leading a new driverless car pilot project with the Singapore Land Transport Authority; the goal of the project is to advance autonomous vehicle technology and open new markets to the tier-one auto supplier. According to a Delphi press release, the U.K.-based supplier with operations across the United States will provide a fleet … Continue reading “Delphi’s Autonomous Vehicle Pilot to Test Mobility On-Demand in Singapore”
Ford, MIT Partner on Mobility Project to Predict Pedestrian Traffic
A new research collaboration between Ford and MIT studies how pedestrians move in densely populated areas in order to improve transportation such as point-to-point shuttle services—and the data will also help Ford beef up its autonomous and driver-assist technologies. The MIT project is designed to enhance models that predict demand for mobility-on-demand services, such as … Continue reading “Ford, MIT Partner on Mobility Project to Predict Pedestrian Traffic”
Gaining an Edge: Understanding Cyber Risk Appetite
Not long ago, companies prepared for cyber risks the way they might for a hurricane, flood, or other disaster situation: Brace for the worst, and hope for the best. Those days are over. Security breaches across industries have put cyber squarely on everybody’s risk agenda. But while they’re taking cyber threats seriously, many companies are … Continue reading “Gaining an Edge: Understanding Cyber Risk Appetite”
The Future of Human-Robot Interaction
How will humans and machines work together in the future? Will social robots be nothing more than robotic digital assistants like those on smartphones, or are there new opportunities and challenges when we put an AI brain into a robotic body? What are the risks and ethics around AI systems? Those were some of the … Continue reading “The Future of Human-Robot Interaction”
Biotech Roundup: Gilead Slump, Celgene Goes Trump, Hemo Data & More
Quarterly biopharma earnings added a little heat to the already high summer temperatures. Amongst several companies to report this week, the biggest news came from Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]), whose hepatitis C drugs have become some of the top revenue producers in the industry. But the company said this week that sales of Sovaldi and … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Gilead Slump, Celgene Goes Trump, Hemo Data & More”
Lawn Guru Closes $1M Round, Plans National Expansion
Lawn Guru, an app that allows users to connect with lawn care professionals and order services on demand, announced this week that it has closed a $1 million seed round. The round was led by Sierra Wasach Capital with participation from Canyon Creek Capital, Briggs and Stratton, and Sequoia Capital’s scout program. According to a … Continue reading “Lawn Guru Closes $1M Round, Plans National Expansion”
At Big Hemophilia Meeting, More Data, and Promise, For Gene Therapy
This week’s World Federation of Hemophilia World Congress in Orlando, FL, where researchers gathered to present the latest updates in treatments for the chronic bleeding disorder, marked the latest step in a journey that dates back more than two decades for one particular treatment: gene therapy. Gene therapy provides the potential of a long-term treatment … Continue reading “At Big Hemophilia Meeting, More Data, and Promise, For Gene Therapy”
How Richard Branson and Snoop Dogg Use Social Media Vs. Social Unrest
Last month, I spent a week on Necker Island, where Richard Branson and a bunch of entrepreneurs were discussing how we could help address political upheavals, intolerance, violence, social inequality, and other issues. It’s almost like we’re in a war right now. Nations are split in half. On one side you have citizens who want … Continue reading “How Richard Branson and Snoop Dogg Use Social Media Vs. Social Unrest”
For Cengage Exec, Detroit Collective Impact About Hope, Education
Ron Stefanski, Cengage Learning’s executive director of strategic alliances, grew up on the east side of Detroit on Tappan Street. Like many local families in the 1970s, his was swept up in the wave of suburban white flight that followed the 1967 riots—except for his grandmother, Vicki, a tough old bird he described as “Edith … Continue reading “For Cengage Exec, Detroit Collective Impact About Hope, Education”
Clinton Versus Trump: Who’s Stronger on Innovation?
With the Republican National Convention behind us and the Democratic convention in full swing, it seems like a good moment to ask how a Donald Trump presidency or a Hillary Clinton presidency might affect the prospects for high-tech entrepreneurship and business growth in the United States. At this stage, both candidates have given major economic … Continue reading “Clinton Versus Trump: Who’s Stronger on Innovation?”
The Outbreaks Are Here, Where’s Our Response Plan?
The news of the first Zika case in Pierce County—the 14th in Washington State—reminds us that the spread of disease is inevitable. While we don’t have in our region the kind of mosquito that transmits Zika, the latest infected patient returned from a visit to Puerto Rico. Thanks to modern travel, whether by mosquitoes or … Continue reading “The Outbreaks Are Here, Where’s Our Response Plan?”
U-M’s Detroit Data Fellows Aim to Improve the Way Police Fight Crime
In 1817, the University of Michigan was founded in Detroit before eventually relocating roughly 40 minutes west to Ann Arbor. As the school approaches its bicentennial next year, it has worked to rebuild and strengthen its ties to the Motor City through a number of novel partnerships, including the Gerald R. Ford School of Public … Continue reading “U-M’s Detroit Data Fellows Aim to Improve the Way Police Fight Crime”
Southeast Michigan Startup’s High Growth Happy Hour: Real Estate Edition
Part of Startup^Scaleup and the New Economy Initiative, this event focused on real estate reinvention brings together Metro Detroit entrepreneurs and those who have successfully scaled companies in our region. Speakers include Dave Alade of Centure Partners, a real estate development company, and Max Nussenbaum, CEO and co-founder of Castle, a property management software company. Location … Continue reading “Southeast Michigan Startup’s High Growth Happy Hour: Real Estate Edition”
Verizon Gobbles Up Yahoo, Will Group It With AOL—But What About Tumblr?
A huge question has finally been answered about Yahoo’s future. Verizon sealed a deal over the weekend to acquire the company’s core business for more than $4.8 billion in cash, and will put Yahoo on the same shelf it keeps AOL. That is but a sliver of the valuation Yahoo tasted in its heyday, including … Continue reading “Verizon Gobbles Up Yahoo, Will Group It With AOL—But What About Tumblr?”
Native<>Newcomer’s Candidate Forum
Native<>Newcomer and Stafford House host this event designed to raise money for the Come Clean Project, an initiative that helps Detroiters in workforce development programs attain their drivers licenses by expunging their records of low-level crimes, and introduce the community to candidates running for public office. For details, click here.
The Real Cracks in the Foundation of Ransomware
The rise of ransomware has been striking over the past two years, rapidly dominating headlines with its frequency, its wide range of victims, and its profitability. So when news hit that two of the largest and most notorious delivery systems for ransomware — the Necurs botnet and the Angler exploit kit — had gone dark, … Continue reading “The Real Cracks in the Foundation of Ransomware”
Biotech Roundup: Scangos’s Exit, Zafgen’s Shakeup, Jounce, Relypsa & More
The top news in biotech this week centers around one big job opening: the head seat at Biogen, now that George Scangos has announced plans to leave the company. Who takes the gig, and the strategic direction he or she chooses for Biogen will have implications not just for the company and its employees, but … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Scangos’s Exit, Zafgen’s Shakeup, Jounce, Relypsa & More”
Re:Build Highland Park
Parker Village hosts its third Re:Build Highland Park meet-up event, designed to spark revitalization and entrepreneurship in the small city within Detroit’s borders. Guest speakers include Cool Beanz/Bling UniverCity, Souladarity, Ryter Cooperative Industries, Grass Roots Environmental Action Team, JPJS Ventures, and Global Alliance Collaborative Group. Click here for details.
How Much GM Actually Paid for Cruise, and More Automotive News
As we limp into the dog days of summer—Michigan, like most of the Midwest, is currently trapped under what meteorologists are calling a “heat dome”—the state’s automotive technology efforts keep rolling along. Here’s a look at what’s happening around the industry: —When news broke in March that GM had acquired Bay Area tech startup Cruise … Continue reading “How Much GM Actually Paid for Cruise, and More Automotive News”
Nuance Buying TouchCommerce for $215M in Digital Customer Service
Speech and interface tech company Nuance Communications said Thursday it is acquiring southern California firm TouchCommerce for $215 million in cash and stock. The deal is expected to close by the end of September. Burlington, MA-based Nuance (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]) plans to integrate TouchCommerce’s customer service products into its suite of systems for helping big companies … Continue reading “Nuance Buying TouchCommerce for $215M in Digital Customer Service”
Is the Future of Cybersecurity in M&A?
Last month Symantec announced its plans to buy Blue Coat for $4.7 billion. Has the consolidation—and creation of this enterprise security giant—put immense pressure on other industry players? In an ideal world, and from the perspective of a venture investor, this would absolutely be the case. In 2015, Cybersecurity startups saw 332 funding deals with … Continue reading “Is the Future of Cybersecurity in M&A?”
Roundup: Duo Insight, Digital Undivided, Bug Bounty & More
Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —Duo Security, the Ann Arbor-based cybersecurity startup that is also one of the state’s fastest growing companies, has released a free tool that lets IT teams run internal phishing simulations within five minutes. Duo Insight allows administrators to identify potential security weaknesses and share them with … Continue reading “Roundup: Duo Insight, Digital Undivided, Bug Bounty & More”
The Pan-Cancer Screen: Still Early for Prime Time
Imagine you could go to your doctor once a year for a blood test that would detect nearly every common type of cancer at an early stage. If you had a positive result, some further testing could pinpoint the cancer so you could have it treated before it spread. I would be ecstatic to have … Continue reading “The Pan-Cancer Screen: Still Early for Prime Time”
Algal Scientific Lands $600,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9183dd70-0f70-4c0e-b514-5c879dfdc838 Date 7/18/2016 Company Name Algal Scientific Mailing Address 14925 Galleon Court Northville, MI 48170 USA Company Description Algal Scientific developed Algamune, an algae-derived source of beta-1,3-glucan for use in animals and humans. Website http://www.algalscientific.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $600,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Algal Scientific Lands $600,000 New Financing Round”
Biotech Roundup: Hellos, Goodbyes, “Cures” Delays And Trial News
The week started on a reflective note. Our San Diego editor Bruce Bigelow penned a personal goodbye to entrepreneur Larry Bock, who died last week of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. And then the news flowed, from a fast reprieve for Juno Therapeutics to no mercy for Elizabeth Holmes. There were other goodbyes: … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Hellos, Goodbyes, “Cures” Delays And Trial News”
$2.5M U-M Research Initiative Will Analyze Data from Connected Cars
In an effort to tackle the sea change associated with the future of transportation, two University of Michigan research projects recently scored $2.5 million in grants from the Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS) to analyze the reams of data being generated by autonomous and connected vehicles across the country. MIDAS awarded funding to the … Continue reading “$2.5M U-M Research Initiative Will Analyze Data from Connected Cars”