ClearScholar Lands $1,250,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=891d3321-7ace-4288-ac65-28256a2dd8c1 Date 1/6/2017 Company Name ClearScholar Mailing Address 55 Monument Circle Indianapolis, IN 46204 USA Company Description With a combined 40+ years of experience in higher education and ed tech, the ClearScholar team is focused on enhancing student experience through mobile engagement. ClearScholar is also backed by High Alpha — the nation’s … Continue reading “ClearScholar Lands $1,250,000 New Funding”

SmarterHQ Obtains $13,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0357bb9c-0f95-4fdb-9c53-2c0d11fc9787 Date 1/6/2017 Company Name SmarterHQ Mailing Address 9102 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46260 USA Company Description We want to demystify big data for marketers by providing actionable customer intelligence that drives revenue for the marketer and drives more satisfaction and engagement for the customer. SmarterHQ is among the fastest growing … Continue reading “SmarterHQ Obtains $13,000,000 New Funding Round”

Text Me: ClearScholar Grabs $1.25M for App to Engage College Kids

When Jason Konesco worked as president of Harrison College in Indianapolis, he grew dismayed with graduation rate trends. Twenty years ago, the United States was first in the world for college graduations, he notes, while today that ranking has slipped to 13th. The National Center for Education found that only 59 percent of first-time, full-time … Continue reading “Text Me: ClearScholar Grabs $1.25M for App to Engage College Kids”

Diversity in Experiences, Backgrounds Leads to Successful Businesses

As a Microsoft employee, I had the opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant minds in technology. The profile of my team members were similar to the United Nations. They were of every racial and religious mix. They contributed their unique genius shaped by their individual diverse experiences. I know the value of … Continue reading “Diversity in Experiences, Backgrounds Leads to Successful Businesses”

Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates

Cybersecurity is the penultimate existential risk to the United States—economically, militarily, socially, and as we have seen recently, politically. The nature of cyber is asymmetric, and given the size of the U.S. economy, our reliance on intellectual property, and the leadership role the U.S. plays in the Community of Nations, we have a lot more … Continue reading “Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates”

For 2017, Concerns on Immigration, Net Neutrality, & Cyber Warfare

I have many concerns about how the upcoming Trump administration will impact the overall tech economy. Some of my biggest worries are as follows: 1) More restrictive immigration laws will make it even harder for startups (as well as more established companies) to attract and retain the highly skilled workers that they need to be … Continue reading “For 2017, Concerns on Immigration, Net Neutrality, & Cyber Warfare”

Spensa’s Cloud-Based Technology Helps Farmers Automate Pest Control

Although agriculture is an ancient endeavor requiring little more than seeds, sunlight, and water, new technologies are helping commercial growers to be more efficient and prolific than ever. Spensa Technologies, a Purdue University spinout startup, is aiming to change the way pests are managed with an automated, connected device called Z-Trap 1. Commercially available for … Continue reading “Spensa’s Cloud-Based Technology Helps Farmers Automate Pest Control”

Top Cybersecurity Lesson from 2016: Unchecked Insiders

An unmistakable lesson from 2016 is that there is an escalating arms race between hackers and the organizations they target—from the highest levels of national governments to corporations and private institutions. And while hackers have many advantages, there are two that are contributing to a rampant spike in cyber breaches right now: 1. Employees, contractors, … Continue reading “Top Cybersecurity Lesson from 2016: Unchecked Insiders”

Diverse Workforces Support the Growth of North Texas Innovation

We have made it a priority since the inception of the DEC to incorporate diversity into all that we do. We have hired a diverse workforce. We have created programs focused on diverse audiences including gender, age, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, and more. We have made all of this a priority not only because it … Continue reading “Diverse Workforces Support the Growth of North Texas Innovation”

Trump Administration Should Examine How Dodd-Frank Stifles Capital

A review by the new Trump administration and Congress of the 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation could address many of the stifling, unintended consequences of that law. Although designed to address abuses in the financial system that led to the 2008 recession, the far-reaching legislation had problems from the start. And while experts of all political stripes … Continue reading “Trump Administration Should Examine How Dodd-Frank Stifles Capital”

Watching for NIH Innovation in 2017—and Drug Pricing, Trade Deals

With the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on January 20th, the editors asked some of our Xconomists to offer their thoughts on “How could the incoming administration significantly affect your industry?” When I worked in the Reagan Administration, the “Gipper” used to handle questions like this by saying he couldn’t respond to hypothetical questions. … Continue reading “Watching for NIH Innovation in 2017—and Drug Pricing, Trade Deals”

Despite Political Rhetoric, Staff Diversity Remains a Top Priority

I don’t think the election of Donald Trump as president does much to bolster those in tech working on creating a more inclusive and diverse industry, but I will continue to be a champion for it nonetheless. Specifically, I’ve ended 2016 by doubling our team at Localeur and introducing an Advisory Board, both of which … Continue reading “Despite Political Rhetoric, Staff Diversity Remains a Top Priority”

Military Families, Seniors in MA and IN to Test Major Healthcare Reform

Seniors in Massachusetts, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, as well as military families across the nation, will soon get the opportunity to test a major healthcare reform developed by faculty at the University of Michigan. Called Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID), the new approach to insurance coverage departs from the current “one-size-fits-all” system, in which people pay standard … Continue reading “Military Families, Seniors in MA and IN to Test Major Healthcare Reform”

Political Focus on Rust Belt Could Help Boost VC Investment

Much has been written in the tech industry as a result of the Presidential election. Many coastal VCs and entrepreneurs believe that Trump’s America-first, anti-immigration platform could put the brakes on the venture industry’s core globalization strategies. While this may be true, regardless of which candidate you supported, most would agree that with chaos and … Continue reading “Political Focus on Rust Belt Could Help Boost VC Investment”

Anthera’s Shares Tumble After Cystic Fibrosis Drug Fails in Phase 3

Anthera Pharmaceuticals had been hoping to offer patients with cystic fibrosis a new option to help with some of the severe stomach problems they can face as part of their disease. But its experimental drug fell short in late-stage testing, sending shares of the Hayward, CA, company hurtling downward. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease … Continue reading “Anthera’s Shares Tumble After Cystic Fibrosis Drug Fails in Phase 3”

6 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2017: Ransomware, Skills Gap & More

In 2016, we saw cyber attacks increasingly shift from external breaches of confidential data to internal disruption of data and services, as attackers used distributed denial of service (DDoS) or encryption to hold businesses hostage. Attackers continue to focus more on exploiting users than technology. Users are often unaware and uneducated about the potential risks, … Continue reading “6 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2017: Ransomware, Skills Gap & More”

Diabetes Study, Hiring News, Growth Mileposts, & More Local Tech News

Here’s a look at innovation news from around the state: —The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) last week announced a new partnership with Eli Lilly, Roche Diagnostics, the Regenstrief Institute, and Indiana University’s School of Medicine aiming to better understand how type 2 diabetes varies in different patients—which is the first step in finding new targets … Continue reading “Diabetes Study, Hiring News, Growth Mileposts, & More Local Tech News”

Immigration Restrictions, Lack of Healthcare Could Imperil Innovation

It’s hard to predict what effect the new administration will have, since we have very little information on any concrete policies they plan to enact. We do know a few things—namely, they are anti-Obamacare and anti-immigration. Decreasing the number of visas granted to highly skilled workers (a likely possibility given Steve Bannon’s comments on Silicon … Continue reading “Immigration Restrictions, Lack of Healthcare Could Imperil Innovation”

Bio Roundup: Crazy ’16, Trials of ’17, Senate on Drugs & More

You’ve probably seen the Internet memes. “When 2016 started, I looked like this. [Insert picture of young Leo DiCaprio.] Now I look like this. [Leo, with mountain beard, after mud-wrestling with a grizzly in The Revenant.]” In life science terms, let’s just say all our telomeres feel a lot shorter than 12 months ago. The … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Crazy ’16, Trials of ’17, Senate on Drugs & More”

Mimir Aims to Streamline Computer Science Instruction, Tech Hiring

When Prahasith Veluvolu and a couple of buddies from Park Tudor High School matriculated at Purdue University three years ago, they decided to shut down the Web consulting business they had been running out of their childhood bedrooms. Ending their consulting gig wasn’t enough to banish the startup bug, however, so Veluvolu and his friends—Jacobi … Continue reading “Mimir Aims to Streamline Computer Science Instruction, Tech Hiring”

The Price of Growth: Founders’ Dilution

Founders of a company considering the various available fundraising options often ask the challenging question: Why take venture capital money, which may significantly dilute the founders and might result in a loss of control of the company? Although the venture capital path is always a possibility, founders are often concerned about the consequences of such … Continue reading “The Price of Growth: Founders’ Dilution”

14 for ’17: Key Clinical Data To Watch For Next Year (Part 2)

We continue our look ahead to some of the clinical data due in 2017 that could shape healthcare practice and sway investor sentiment for years to come. Part one of our preview is here, with looks at key studies in lung cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and more. In part two, we examine studies in leukemia, … Continue reading “14 for ’17: Key Clinical Data To Watch For Next Year (Part 2)”

14 For ’17: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)

[Updated, 4:28 pm ET, see below] After years of research, frustration, hype, and millions (sometimes hundreds of millions) of dollars invested, a drug program boils down to the clinical data—usually from big, late-stage studies—that can sometimes make or break a company. There were high profile successes in 2016. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “14 For ’17: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)”

Benson Hill Bio Brings Power of Big Data to Small Plant Breeders

When farmers want crops that have a better shot at resisting disease or taking up nutrients, they use breeding techniques to develop new varieties. Crossing plants to create these varieties is an agricultural practice that dates back thousands of years. Breeding has since become more sophisticated, incorporating sophisticated screening technologies to find desirable traits. But … Continue reading “Benson Hill Bio Brings Power of Big Data to Small Plant Breeders”

Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks

A silver lining has emerged in the wake of the massive and well-publicized denial-of-service attack launched less than two months ago by hackers using millions of IoT devices to cripple the websites of major companies like Amazon, Netflix and Twitter. This ambush has triggered a redoubling of efforts to focus on the need for industry-led … Continue reading “Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks”

What Is Causing Startups to Go Bankrupt?

Many startups have a great product that’s viable, marketable, and ripe with potential. But if that was the only indicator of success, then nine out of 10 startups wouldn’t fail. The annals of startup history wouldn’t be littered with instances of companies like Friendster or Color that had fantastic products, but eventually sank. The truth … Continue reading “What Is Causing Startups to Go Bankrupt?”

7 Ways to Secure Your Connected Devices Against Hackers

’Tis the season for giving gifts. And increasingly, those shiny new toys and gadgets can be connected to the Internet—from TVs to watches, speakers to Barbie dolls. That Internet connection opens up a ton of possibilities for how we can use and enjoy our new devices. (“Alexa, play my Christmas playlist on Spotify, and also … Continue reading “7 Ways to Secure Your Connected Devices Against Hackers”

Lilly Endowment Awards $6M to Conexus Indiana for Workforce Programs

According to Conexus, Indiana is the most manufacturing-intensive state per capita in the nation, yet the emergence of new technologies continues to bring significant change to the industry. To help prepare young people for these shifts, Conexus, the state’s initiative to bolster advanced manufacturing and logistics, oversees educational and outreach programs supporting workforce development. Last … Continue reading “Lilly Endowment Awards $6M to Conexus Indiana for Workforce Programs”

Bio Roundup: NY Rises, Prez Inks Cures, Ophthotech Crashes & More

The 21st Century Cures Act is now law. New York wants to play in the biotech big leagues. The FDA under Trump will have license to approve drugs faster and could have a former top official back on board as commissioner. An eye drug failed, an Alzheimer’s drug got scrutinized, and a new antibiotic passed … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: NY Rises, Prez Inks Cures, Ophthotech Crashes & More”

BidPal Raises $6M to Support Growth, Hiring, and Product Development

Indianapolis-based BidPal, a startup focused on mobile bidding and fundraising software for nonprofits, announced this week that is has raised new capital: $3.5 million in new cash from returning investors MK Capital and Allos Ventures, and $2.5 million available to borrow at any time from Square 1 Bank in California. “All of it represents working … Continue reading “BidPal Raises $6M to Support Growth, Hiring, and Product Development”

50 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To—and 5 New Ways to Find Them

If you’re not much of a podcast listener and you have a sense that you’re missing out on a lot of great content, you’re absolutely right. But now is a good time to fix that, thanks to a new profusion of listening options. And to get you started, I have a few shows to suggest. … Continue reading “50 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To—and 5 New Ways to Find Them”

After Chaotic Three-Year Journey, Zipline’s Video-Editing App is Live

When Zipline CEO Aaron Peabody was a student at Indiana Wesleyan University, he decided it would be fun to create an app. He was sitting in his dorm room one night a few years ago when he had a flash of inspiration, so Peabody called Keven Tillman, a buddy who lived on the same floor, … Continue reading “After Chaotic Three-Year Journey, Zipline’s Video-Editing App is Live”

Amyloid Hypothesis Lives On—Solanezumab, Too, Despite “Siren Song”

When Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) reported the day before Thanksgiving, that its Alzheimer’s treatment solanezumab failed to significantly improve the condition of people with a mild form of the disease, some observers immediately called it a final blow for the drug. After all, it had also failed to improve a broader range of patients with … Continue reading “Amyloid Hypothesis Lives On—Solanezumab, Too, Despite “Siren Song””

Bio Roundup: Fast “Cures,” Trump In Time, CRISPR In Court & More

What a week. The 21st Century Cures Act is now waiting President Obama’s promised signature after easy passage through Congress. President-elect Donald Trump re-stirred the drug-pricing pot with comments in Time Magazine and a reported FDA commissioner candidate who doesn’t seem to think much of the regulatory process. And a trio of judges met to … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Fast “Cures,” Trump In Time, CRISPR In Court & More”

IU Researchers Create Tools to Track and Combat Fake News

We’re now living in an era where, thanks to the Internet, we have easier access to more raw information than at any other time in the planet’s history. Yet, despite these reams of data, the presence of facts has seemingly never mattered less in public discourse. Now, a team at Indiana University is hard at … Continue reading “IU Researchers Create Tools to Track and Combat Fake News”

Wake Up, Pharma—Trump Is Not Your Savior

Since the election, leaders in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals are acting like they got away with robbery. The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index went up 9 percent overnight on November 8th. With Donald Trump coming into office, the whole industry seems to have breathed a sigh of relief that the status quo—a continuous race toward higher prices—will last … Continue reading “Wake Up, Pharma—Trump Is Not Your Savior”

Senate Approves 21st Century Cures Act, Sending Bill to Obama

The U.S. Senate has voted overwhelmingly to approve the 21st Century Cures Act, a wide-ranging healthcare spending and reform bill that aims to infuse medical research with new funding and also speed up the regulatory approval process for new drugs and medical devices. With the Senate’s 94-5 vote on Wednesday, the bill now advances to … Continue reading “Senate Approves 21st Century Cures Act, Sending Bill to Obama”

ASH Roundup: CAR-T Shuffle, Hemophilia Updates, Checkpoint Progress & More

Two years ago at the American Society of Hematology conference, excitement, not blood, was running in the streets of San Francisco. The cancer immunotherapy known as CAR-T was the star of the show, thanks to dazzling early data that showed more patients than not saw their leukemias and lymphomas knocked into remission by the living, … Continue reading “ASH Roundup: CAR-T Shuffle, Hemophilia Updates, Checkpoint Progress & More”

With Nod To Biden, Senate To Say Yes To “Cures” Spending, Reform Bill

The U.S. Senate cleared the way for the 21st Century Cures Act, an omnibus healthcare spending and reform bill, by voting 85-13 to end debate this evening. It passed the House with 392 votes last week. After a final Senate vote as early as tomorrow, it will head to President Obama’s desk. The president used … Continue reading “With Nod To Biden, Senate To Say Yes To “Cures” Spending, Reform Bill”

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”

Eli Lilly Diabetes Drug Gets FDA OK for Reducing Heart Health Risks

A diabetes drug jointly marketed by Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) and German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has won FDA approval expanding its use to include reducing the risk of cardiovascular death in diabetes patients. The FDA initially approved empagliflozin (Jardiance) in 2014 as a way to improve blood sugar control, in addition to diet and … Continue reading “Eli Lilly Diabetes Drug Gets FDA OK for Reducing Heart Health Risks”

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”

Coming in 2017: The Union, Downtown Indy’s Massive New Tech Space

John Hurley, CEO of SmartFile and a partner in The Union, is very clear about what his newly announced downtown venture is not: a co-working space. Instead, he envisions The Union to be a hub of offices located in the 122,000-square-foot Brougher Building created to appeal to tech startups on the brink of serious growth. … Continue reading “Coming in 2017: The Union, Downtown Indy’s Massive New Tech Space”

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”

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”