Category: Detroit

Techstars Expands Programs for Early-Stage Michigan Entrepreneurs

Techstars has been doing a bit of revamping in the last year—it acquired and merged networks with UP Global, the nonprofit organization behind Startup Weekend; it launched a retail startup accelerator in partnership with Target in Minneapolis and a mobility startup accelerator in Detroit; pulled the plug on a robotics accelerator in San Diego; and … Continue reading “Techstars Expands Programs for Early-Stage Michigan Entrepreneurs”

Depression Trials Fail, Alkermes Sees Silver Lining. Investors Don’t.

Depression is a notoriously difficult disease to test new drugs against for a multitude of reasons. One reason is that a pervasive placebo effect tends to cloud the clinical trial data. Alkermes hoped it had the answer. It has been testing an experimental drug in an unusual kind of trial designed specifically to set aside … Continue reading “Depression Trials Fail, Alkermes Sees Silver Lining. Investors Don’t.”

Computer Science for Every Student: Tapping Into Coding Bootcamps

Countries around the world are recognizing computer science education as a top national priority. In England, children are exposed to computer programming and coding fundamentals as early as age 5. Estonia, a small country with a population of 1.3 million people, is making waves in the tech world by launching a nationwide initiative to teach … Continue reading “Computer Science for Every Student: Tapping Into Coding Bootcamps”

Wider Venture Funding Gap Raises Troubling Questions

This week, Oxfam released its annual study of inequality around the world, which showed that there are actually 62 people who possess as much wealth as the 3.5 billion people in the bottom half of the world’s income scale. Five years ago, that number was 388 people. And all of this is against a backdrop … Continue reading “Wider Venture Funding Gap Raises Troubling Questions”

GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees

Bay Area ridesharing pioneer Sidecar was back in the news this morning, when it was announced that General Motors has acquired the recently shuttered startup’s technology and assets. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but a source close to the situation told Bloomberg that “it was less than the roughly $39 million that … Continue reading “GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees”

What Startups Need to Attract Talent: A Purposeful Mission

Success for startups is often elusive, but there are underlying characteristics that can give growing companies a leg up on the competition, especially when it comes to the most important factor—recruiting and retaining top-tier talent. At Norwest, I have found that companies that have a purposeful mission—one that hinges on giving back and making an impact … Continue reading “What Startups Need to Attract Talent: A Purposeful Mission”

Love ‘Em? Hate ‘Em? No Matter. The Drug Industry Gets What It Wants.

Anyone reading this column should be familiar with the fight over drug prices. Many of you would argue that drug makers are too easy a target in political debates and the media, getting little credit for developing lifesaving drugs. Others of you believe that prices have gotten out of hand, and that price gouger Martin … Continue reading “Love ‘Em? Hate ‘Em? No Matter. The Drug Industry Gets What It Wants.”

Grail’s Discount, Pfizergan & Pricing Plans: Notes from the JPM Vortex

[Editor’s note: Deputy Biotechnology Editor Ben Fidler co-wrote this story] The week of the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco kicked off with a rousing, sleeves-rolled-up defense of the drug industry’s pricing policies by Ron Cohen, CEO of the multiple sclerosis drug maker Acorda Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) and new chair of the industry’s … Continue reading “Grail’s Discount, Pfizergan & Pricing Plans: Notes from the JPM Vortex”

Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?

While companies are in the process of refining prototypes, hiring key employees, and nailing down investment, one overlooked area is where the business will be housed and, more specifically, where everyone will park. In Austin, it’s not just the new companies that are struggling with finding enough parking for their employees downtown. Established firms are … Continue reading “Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?”

OurCrowd-Xconomy Study Documents Growth in Equity Crowdfunding

In a short few months, the number of people who can invest in equity crowdfunding will dramatically increase. In October, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced a framework for allowing individual investors to participate in the new form of financing, which had previously been restricted to wealthy accredited investors. Those new rules go into … Continue reading “OurCrowd-Xconomy Study Documents Growth in Equity Crowdfunding”

Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?

U.S. venture capitalists poured more money into private companies last year than they had since the height of the dot-com boom, but an investing drop off late in 2015 could signal that the VC gravy train is slowing down. New data out today show that VCs invested $58.8 billion across 4,380 deals in 2015. The … Continue reading “Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?”

Medical Test Validity Will Be Debated In 2016: 5 Storylines To Watch

Despite lots of headlines, an underappreciated storyline this year was the undercurrent surrounding the validity of medical tests: —The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published a long Watchdog Report focused primarily on quality issues with waived lab tests, which don’t require FDA approval. —The headline of a shorter version in the Wall Street Journal asked whether lab … Continue reading “Medical Test Validity Will Be Debated In 2016: 5 Storylines To Watch”

Knight Contest’s Detroit Finalists Propose Innovative Civic Projects

More than a dozen Detroit-based civic projects incorporating entrepreneurship, repurposed vacant spaces, co-working, and more have been nominated as part of the second-annual Knight Cities Challenge, a national competition that seeks ideas for improving the 26 communities where the Knight Foundation invests its philanthropic dollars. The winning pitches are awarded grants in various amounts. Applicants … Continue reading “Knight Contest’s Detroit Finalists Propose Innovative Civic Projects”

Top 5 Strategies to Increase Student Engagement Online

Good teachers often say that “95 percent of good teaching is just getting students motivated.” Online learning presents a new opportunity to both measure engagement and create learning methods that increase it. Facebook sets the high bar for online engagement—65 percent of its billion-plus users are on the platform for an average of 40 minutes … Continue reading “Top 5 Strategies to Increase Student Engagement Online”

Kymeta Raises $62M, Demonstrates Satellite Antenna on Toyota Car Roof

Investors in Kymeta, including Bill Gates, have plowed another $62 million into the Seattle-area technology company as it aims to bring lower cost, high-speed satellite communications to automobiles and other vehicles. Kymeta’s metamaterials-based satellite antenna technology is on display this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where Toyota is showing a … Continue reading “Kymeta Raises $62M, Demonstrates Satellite Antenna on Toyota Car Roof”

SpellBound Launches Indiegogo Campaign, Prepares Public App Release

An Ann Arbor, MI-based augmented reality startup born out of Startup Weekend Detroit, which made a splash at last year’s CES, spent most of 2015 settling in and preparing for the next phase of growth. Now SpellBound, formerly known as MagicBook, is getting ready for the public release of its mobile app—which turns children’s books … Continue reading “SpellBound Launches Indiegogo Campaign, Prepares Public App Release”

AI Rising: Boston Tech Dives Into Robot Cars With New Toyota Lab

By now, almost everyone has heard about self-driving cars. When a New Yorker cartoon uses the technology as a premise, you know it has gone mainstream—at least in concept. The reality is that a huge amount of work lies ahead before robot cars will be accepted by society. Now it looks like the Boston area … Continue reading “AI Rising: Boston Tech Dives Into Robot Cars With New Toyota Lab”

New NEI Director Wants Detroit to Lead Inclusive Economic Development

The New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan (NEI), one of the nation’s largest philanthropic partnerships focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, announced new executive director Pamela Lewis this week. Lewis replaces longtime director David Egner, who stepped down from NEI in December to take over as the president and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. … Continue reading “New NEI Director Wants Detroit to Lead Inclusive Economic Development”

Preparing For A Downturn—A Fintech CEO’s Take

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle How should entrepreneurs and investors prepare for a future downturn? The economy always operates with opposing forces. It’s expected that there will be downturns and upturns. Entrepreneurs and investors can find opportunities to prepare, possibly flourish, and possibly fall apart, if not ready to deal … Continue reading “Preparing For A Downturn—A Fintech CEO’s Take”

Demand for Broadband Gets Ahead of Expected Norms in Tech Development

The most notable and surprising trend I noticed in 2015 was that broadband bandwidth consumption appears to be outpacing Moore’s Law, by a long shot. The increase of our own customers’ usage was immense: Their bandwidth consumption more or less doubled for New York City in 2015, and that follows a doubling in 2014. I have not seen this … Continue reading “Demand for Broadband Gets Ahead of Expected Norms in Tech Development”

Car Wars: Mary Barra Talks GM’s Future, Nvidia Takes the Wheel at CES

Make way for autonomous cars on the highways ahead. That was a common theme from the auto industry at the CES technology trade show this week in Las Vegas. In years prior, carmakers tried almost too hard at CES to make their vehicles seem more hip by talking up connectivity and putting apps in cars … Continue reading “Car Wars: Mary Barra Talks GM’s Future, Nvidia Takes the Wheel at CES”

Predictions for 2016: Self-Driving Cars, AI, and Brain Monitoring

Whether we have been in a tech bubble or not is frankly not that interesting. What is interesting is that the foundation for innovation is as strong as we’ve ever seen and entrepreneurs are bringing the future to reality at an amazing pace. Here are a few of my predictions for what we’ll see in … Continue reading “Predictions for 2016: Self-Driving Cars, AI, and Brain Monitoring”

Ringing in the Years (and Ears): What I’d Like to Hear in 2016

For the last 30 years, the tech revolution in PCs, Macs, and Smartphones has been largely connected with our eyes, not our ears. 2016 will mark the beginning of the commercialization of virtual and augmented reality, and although our visual experience will continue to be the main focus for these radical changes, it’s time our … Continue reading “Ringing in the Years (and Ears): What I’d Like to Hear in 2016”

Roundup: Inforum, Techstars Mobility, LevelEleven, Occipital

Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —Inforum, a professional women’s organization, is now accepting applications for an upcoming master class aimed at second-stage entrepreneurs. Led by Patti Glaza and Paula Sorrell, the class provides a confidential forum where emerging startup founders will meet monthly to evaluate their company’s operations and identify new … Continue reading “Roundup: Inforum, Techstars Mobility, LevelEleven, Occipital”

UniQure’s Shares Rise on Early Gene Therapy Data For Hemophilia

There are a slew of gene therapy companies trying to develop a long-lasting, perhaps even permanent treatment for hemophilia. The proof that these companies can really make an impact on the disease will come out in dribs and drabs from clinical trials over the next several years, and today, one of them, Dutch firm UniQure, … Continue reading “UniQure’s Shares Rise on Early Gene Therapy Data For Hemophilia”

The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption

It seems like an appealing move–give the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, as well as our spy organizations, a back door—a “golden key”—to unlock encrypted communications to help catch criminals and terrorists and to protect Americans from harm. This notion of heightened protection is particularly compelling in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks … Continue reading “The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption”

A Tipping Point in Robotics, and My Five Predictions for 2016

While scientists are making progress in understanding how the mind works, robotics has failed to live up to the expectations set in the 1950s and ‘60s for human-like robots, exemplified by the Jetson’s cartoon character, Rosie the robot maid. Since the rejuvenation of robotics began in the 1980s, we have discovered that engineering and building … Continue reading “A Tipping Point in Robotics, and My Five Predictions for 2016”

Siemens Showcases Future of Smart Cities with Ann Arbor Partnership

Siemens, a global tech company with more than 340,000 employees in 200 countries, has chosen Ann Arbor, MI, as its first Center of Excellence for Intelligent Traffic Technology, designating the city as a so-called “living lab” to test and demonstrate the latest smart city innovations. Although the company has had a technology partnership with Ann … Continue reading “Siemens Showcases Future of Smart Cities with Ann Arbor Partnership”

From Ambitions To Markets: Richard Kitney And More Synthetic Bio Views

Last week, Xconomy ran the first part of my conversation with Richard Kitney, a bioengineering professor at Imperial College London and a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology. We met in his campus office in November. Kitney has coauthored hundreds of papers and helped galvanize U.K. government support for synthetic biology. He is also … Continue reading “From Ambitions To Markets: Richard Kitney And More Synthetic Bio Views”

Our Relationship With the Internet: Trust Is the Big Concern in 2016

There is no denying we all have a relationship with the Internet. It used to be just a data source, now it is a companion as we go to sleep at night. It informs, entertains, and excites us. And it engages, disappoints, and saddens us. Internet experts and visionaries say 2016 will get even more … Continue reading “Our Relationship With the Internet: Trust Is the Big Concern in 2016”

Artificial Intelligence Growing Slowly in Healthcare, And That’s OK

One of the most significant advances in 2015 was the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of fields, including healthcare. While work on AI has been going on for years and still has a long way to go, 2015 saw progress made on self-driving cars, a growing ecosystem of AI startups, and open-sourcing … Continue reading “Artificial Intelligence Growing Slowly in Healthcare, And That’s OK”

VR, Bio Sensors, & Gesture-Controlled Droids Roll Out at CES Preview

Before this week’s big reveals of new technology at CES, a few teaser events are offering glimpses of things to come. CES Unveiled Las Vegas, one such event held Monday evening, had a smattering of gadgets eager for their share of the spotlight (see slideshow). A number of the devices I spied, such as Somabar, … Continue reading “VR, Bio Sensors, & Gesture-Controlled Droids Roll Out at CES Preview”

Making Time to Think in an Always-On World

I schedule thinking time as needed, like it’s a customer meeting or other commitment. Although I produce my work digitally, I think in analog. I’m most effective at brainstorming on paper or whiteboards where I can think in free-form. These mediums are inherently free of digital distractions like e-mail alerts and text messages, and they … Continue reading “Making Time to Think in an Always-On World”

Formerly Atterocor, Millendo Changes Name, Strategy—And Nabs $62M

When a biotech company with one product in development misses its milestones, investors typically don’t throw more money at it. Not so with the newly renamed Millendo Therapeutics. The Ann Arbor, MI-based drug firm has reeled in a $62 million Series B round to shift from a one-product company seeking a buyer to a pipeline … Continue reading “Formerly Atterocor, Millendo Changes Name, Strategy—And Nabs $62M”

Oncology’s Future: Liquid Biopsies and the Heterogeneity of Cancer

We have known for some time that cancer is not a static, monolithic disease. Instead, we now think of cancer as heterogeneous. Each patient’s cancer may arise from widely dissimilar origins, even in patients with the same type of tumor. Several studies in the last year have spelled out the extent of this diversity, which … Continue reading “Oncology’s Future: Liquid Biopsies and the Heterogeneity of Cancer”

Lab Space on a Navy Ship, And Other Creative Solutions for NY Biotech

I was a management consultant in a former life, and was trained in that role to always have three arguments to support any conclusion. But having spent the last six months living and breathing biotech in New York City, I am convinced there are only two strategic challenges holding this city back from becoming a … Continue reading “Lab Space on a Navy Ship, And Other Creative Solutions for NY Biotech”

DishUp App Takes Visually Appealing Approach to Restaurant Discovery

If a startup could be assembled from a list of things Millennials like, Detroit-based food tech company DishUp might be the result. DishUp’s food discovery app incorporates the ubiquitous meal close-ups that people love to post on social media sites; users swipe left or right a la Tinder to make their choices; and the DishUp … Continue reading “DishUp App Takes Visually Appealing Approach to Restaurant Discovery”

A Potential Downturn Is On My Mind

Downturns are an exciting time for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Quality entrepreneurs who focus on the fundamentals of real growth will have less competition from startups fueled by venture capital dollars, me-too products and ego. Likewise, many of the “tourist” investors retreat, providing increased opportunities for longstanding investors, many of whom have been priced out … Continue reading “A Potential Downturn Is On My Mind”

Millendo Therapeutics Receives $62,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6794ee49-4c1d-40fe-898b-b602349ea9ff Date 1/4/2016 Company Name Millendo Therapeutics Mailing Address 301 N. Main St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA Company Description Millendo Therapeutics is focused on developing a portfolio of disease-modifying treatments for endocrine disorders caused by hormone dysregulation. Our product candidates seek to improve the quality of life for patients with orphan … Continue reading “Millendo Therapeutics Receives $62,000,000 Series B Funding”

In 2016, Time for Michigan Companies to Play for Long-Term Success

I believe that the most pressing issue for Michigan’s innovation community in 2016 is to think big. When the final numbers come in for 2015, we’ll find that it was a watershed year for fast-growth companies in the state. More venture capital came in than ever before, and more large investments than ever came into … Continue reading “In 2016, Time for Michigan Companies to Play for Long-Term Success”

If There Is One Major Issue the Innovation Scene Must Address…

It’s diversity. The world is being written and consumed in code now. But the teams writing the code aren’t reflective of their global customers. We often hear that major companies can’t find enough talent from different backgrounds because of a pipeline problem that starts in schools. At PowerToFly we disagree. We don’t want people to … Continue reading “If There Is One Major Issue the Innovation Scene Must Address…”

Xconomy’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of 2015

It was the year of drug pricing, fantasy-sports and Uber regulations, and countless cyber and terror attacks. It was a year when initial public offerings were few and far between for technology companies, and the biotech window may have closed as well. Yet there were plenty of commercial advances in fields like gene editing, immunotherapy, … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of 2015”

Synthetic Biology Primer: In Conversation With Richard Kitney, Part 1

“Synthetic biology” has always been a puzzling term to me. Prosthetic limbs are synthetic. Knee replacements are synthetic. Splicing the gene from one organism into another, a practice that began in the 1970s and gave rise to the biotechnology industry, is also a synthetic act. But those things are not “synthetic biology” in the way … Continue reading “Synthetic Biology Primer: In Conversation With Richard Kitney, Part 1”

Surprises in Tech from 2015, and What to Do If A Downturn Hits

Two tech trends gained surprising momentum this year, which positions them to be key drivers in 2016. Both take aim at the heart of the economy. Recently the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) gave crowd finance a shot in the arm. First it passed Regulation A which provides an exemption to the registration requirements mandated … Continue reading “Surprises in Tech from 2015, and What to Do If A Downturn Hits”

Sidecar Puts It in Park Despite Hot Mobility Sector

Yesterday, news came across the transom that San Francisco ride-sharing service Sidecar would shutter its operation, effective tomorrow. The news wasn’t a complete shock—though Sidecar launched at roughly the same time as Uber and Lyft, it failed to inspire the billion-dollar valuations, user adoption rates, and investor backing that those two peer-to-peer ride-sharing startups did. … Continue reading “Sidecar Puts It in Park Despite Hot Mobility Sector”

In 2016, Will We Finally Enter the Age of Imagination?

The biggest advance or most surprising development of 2015 was the private sector’s rapidly advancing and serious pursuit of commercial spacecraft development. This, coupled with the success of various missions like the Pluto fly-by; the dream of landing a craft on Jupiter’s moon Europa; the discussion of an outpost on the moon; the colonization of … Continue reading “In 2016, Will We Finally Enter the Age of Imagination?”

Thong Le: Biotech Thoughts On Pitches, Prices, Diversity, And Stress

Thong Le is the CEO of Accelerator, a Seattle biotech venture fund and incubator more than a decade old. Le took over in early 2014 and is overseeing a cross-country expansion. A second Accelerator facility opened with fanfare in New York City a year and a half ago. Le said at the time that Accelerator … Continue reading “Thong Le: Biotech Thoughts On Pitches, Prices, Diversity, And Stress”

Virtual Reality’s Turning Points In 2015

Among the most significant developments in VR this year have been the rate of change and improvement in mobile VR. Until recently, compelling VR experiences required a high-powered PC, considerable technical know-how, and were enjoyed only by enthusiasts and early adopters. Now there are mobile solutions that deliver a comparable level of quality, but are … Continue reading “Virtual Reality’s Turning Points In 2015”