Category: National

San Antonio’s Incell, Belgian Investor Hatch JV for Bio Products

San Antonio — [Corrected 6/10/16, 11:10 a.m. See Below.] Incell, a contract manufacturer for the biotech industry for two decades, is starting a new business with a Belgian investor. Its purpose: to potentially produce a slew of spin-offs. Called BioTurnKey, the new business is a joint venture between Incell and Wisetree Invest, a Belgian firm that … Continue reading “San Antonio’s Incell, Belgian Investor Hatch JV for Bio Products”

Hyde‘s Inflatable Life Vest Wins WI Governor’s Business Plan Contest

Many pitch competitions award in-kind services and cash to startups, which often struggle to keep their heads above water financially. Hyde Sportswear, which on Wednesday was announced as the overall winner of the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, is itself in the business of helping people stay afloat—literally. Milwaukee-based Hyde’s flagship product is Wingman, which co-founder … Continue reading “Hyde‘s Inflatable Life Vest Wins WI Governor’s Business Plan Contest”

Autodesk, EMC, Project 11 Join Influx Program on June 22

Xconomy is gearing up for a super fun afternoon at the Museum of Science in Boston on June 22. The theme of this year’s conference is Influx—welcoming prominent newcomers to the technology and innovation scene, and introducing them to longstanding leaders in the community who are also blazing new trails. The companies represented include GE, … Continue reading “Autodesk, EMC, Project 11 Join Influx Program on June 22”

Techstars Alum Netra Nabs Funding, Customers After Strategy Shift

Computer vision might one day enable things like completely autonomous cars, but for now, companies are more frequently applying such technology to more tractable (and lucrative) problems in sectors like marketing and e-commerce. The latest example is Netra, a nearly three-year-old Boston startup that today announced $1.85 million in new venture funding led by Launchpad … Continue reading “Techstars Alum Netra Nabs Funding, Customers After Strategy Shift”

In Race to Relief, Amgen Touts New But Incomplete Migraine Data

A quartet of drugs that could prevent migraine headaches, not just treat the symptoms, are competing to get to market. Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) of Thousand Oaks, CA, announced Wednesday that its candidate, dubbed erenumab, met the main goal of a 667-patient mid-stage study. If a larger Phase 3 test that should wrap up soon also … Continue reading “In Race to Relief, Amgen Touts New But Incomplete Migraine Data”

Stemina, Connecture, & Epic: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist

The weather is heating up, and so is activity within Wisconsin’s innovation community. Stay in the know with these recent headlines: —Stemina Biomarker Discovery, a Madison-based startup that’s developing a blood-based test for diagnostic autism spectrum disorder, raised another $2.4 million from investors, co-founder and CEO Elizabeth Donley said in an e-mail. The new money is … Continue reading “Stemina, Connecture, & Epic: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”

The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part II

Startups, technology giants, and mainstream companies of all shapes and sizes are clamoring for software expertise, but top-tier computer science programs are struggling to expand capacity to meet that demand. Barry Crist, CEO of Seattle software company Chef, wants to see a dramatic increase in the number of well-trained programmers coming from places like the … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part II”

Cloud Therapy Uses Watson to Help Doctors, Pharma With Diagnoses

San Antonio — Andre Sandoval was born with a rare genetic condition. It was five months before his physician delivered a definitive diagnosis: he had a derivative of symphalangism, a stiffness of the hand caused when some of the finger joints are fused together. For Sandoval, a recent graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, … Continue reading “Cloud Therapy Uses Watson to Help Doctors, Pharma With Diagnoses”

AT&T Formally Launches a Biotech-Focused Foundry at TMC in Houston

Houston—AT&T’s latest Foundry, an in-house corporate skunkworks, officially opened at the Texas Medical Center’s Innovation Institute Tuesday. The ribbon-cutting marked the second outside company to establish a presence at the TMC campus. Earlier this year in March, JNJ Innovation’s JLabs opened a Houston outpost with 21 resident companies, a medical device prototype lab, and a … Continue reading “AT&T Formally Launches a Biotech-Focused Foundry at TMC in Houston”

Alexandria Sets up Incubator, $25M Seed Fund For NY Bio Startups

[Updated, 1:12 pm ET, see below] It’s no secret that one of the biggest things holding New York City’s biotech ecosystem back is lack of lab space for startups. The problem will take a broad effort to solve, not just a few buildings or incubators. But one of the city’s biggest real estate players, Alexandria … Continue reading “Alexandria Sets up Incubator, $25M Seed Fund For NY Bio Startups”

Harvard Unveils $15M Life Lab to House Biotech and Medical Startups

The next Kendall Square just might be located in Allston. The gritty Boston neighborhood, across the Charles from Harvard University’s main campus, is the site of various construction projects aimed at building up an innovation epicenter over the next five to 10 years. Just don’t tell Jodi Goldstein about the Kendall comparison. Goldstein (pictured), the … Continue reading “Harvard Unveils $15M Life Lab to House Biotech and Medical Startups”

Ginkgo Gulps $100M to Build Synthetic Food, Fragrance Business

Ginkgo Bioworks sits at the intersection of synthetic biology, software, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, making it one of the more intriguing startups in Boston. Now, a fresh round of $100 million in venture capital also makes it one of the area’s biggest technology bets. Ginkgo has raised $154 million from investors since March 2015. The … Continue reading “Ginkgo Gulps $100M to Build Synthetic Food, Fragrance Business”

TechShop Detroit Plans Programs to Introduce Kids to STEAM Careers

When Will Brick, TechShop Detroit’s manager, was young, he was the kind of kid who loved to tinker. He often rode his bike around town “looking for things to turn into other things,” he said. Young Will would have been right at home at his current place of employment, especially in the coming months as … Continue reading “TechShop Detroit Plans Programs to Introduce Kids to STEAM Careers”

Boston-Israel Connection Rising: 200-Plus Firms, 9K Jobs, $9B Sales

Anyone paying attention to high-tech businesses in Massachusetts knows there’s a strong connection between the Bay State and Israel. Over the years, dozens of Israeli entrepreneurs have started companies in the Boston area or moved here, as they try to solve problems in cybersecurity, water resources, healthcare, and more. A new study prepared for the … Continue reading “Boston-Israel Connection Rising: 200-Plus Firms, 9K Jobs, $9B Sales”

Pivoting Again, Catabasis Looks to NASH After Cholesterol Drug Flops

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals has done its share of strategic shuffling over the past few years, and some more changes have come today. A drug known as CAT-2054, one of two prospects Catabasis (NASDSAQ: [[ticker:CATB]]) has in clinical testing, failed a mid-stage trial in people with high cholesterol. The drug didn’t do a good enough job lowering … Continue reading “Pivoting Again, Catabasis Looks to NASH After Cholesterol Drug Flops”

The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part I

Innovation is perhaps the most over-used and abused buzzword of our modern moment. But that doesn’t mean we should shy away from it. To the contrary. Vikram Jandhyala, who has innovation in his job title as a vice provost at the University of Washington, and Barry Crist, CEO of Chef, maker of tools and practices … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part I”

Redox Picked to Join Cisco’s Entrepreneurs in Residence Program

Redox, a Madison, WI-based healthtech startup whose software helps other developers integrate with patient record-keeping systems used at hospitals and clinics, said on Tuesday that it has been selected to join Cisco’s Entrepreneurs in Residence program. Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CSCO]]) runs the six-month corporate venture program, which will take place near the company’s headquarters in … Continue reading “Redox Picked to Join Cisco’s Entrepreneurs in Residence Program”

Spine Medical Device Firm LDR Holdings Bought by Zimmer Biomet for $1B

Austin—Medical device company LDR Holdings (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LDRH]]) has been acquired for about $1 billion in cash by fellow device manufacturer Zimmer Biomet (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBH]]). Zimmer’s offer to pay $37 a share represents a 64 percent premium to LDR’s closing price on Monday. Zimmer, which is based in Warsaw, IN, picked up LDR to add the … Continue reading “Spine Medical Device Firm LDR Holdings Bought by Zimmer Biomet for $1B”

Tour of Texas: Querium, Spredfast, Valify, TMCx, SWRI, StemBioSys

Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news in Texas. Austin: —Austin edtech startup Querium received an early-stage bridge funding round from the University of Michigan’s student-run Social Venture Fund. Querium uses artificial intelligence to provide students step-by-step coaching in STEM courses. —Social media marketing company Spredfast raised $50 million, bringing its total to … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Querium, Spredfast, Valify, TMCx, SWRI, StemBioSys”

Social Service Database Aunt Bertha Gets $5M From Techstars Ventures

Austin — Aunt Bertha, an Austin, TX, company with a searchable database of social services providers, has raised a $5 million round of Series B funding led by Techstars Ventures as it builds an index of health and human services programs available in cities across the U.S. The company’s website lets users search for any … Continue reading “Social Service Database Aunt Bertha Gets $5M From Techstars Ventures”

Biogen’s Nerve Repair Drug Fails MS Study, Shares Fall

Under CEO George Scangos, Biogen hasn’t been shy about taking big risks on very tough to treat diseases, even announcing plans to toss out a sure revenue stream—a group of hemophilia drugs—to increase the company’s focus. One of Biogen’s major gambles in this plan has been a program meant not just to treat the symptoms … Continue reading “Biogen’s Nerve Repair Drug Fails MS Study, Shares Fall”

Pronutria Rebrands as Axcella Health, Forms “Nutrition” Subsidiary

It’s common for a startup to grow and evolve from its initial mission, and that’s why a company originally known as Pronutria has adopted a new name today: Axcella Health. A transition has been underway at the Cambridge, MA-based company for a few years now. Pronutria planned to develop medical foods, dietary supplements, and therapeutics … Continue reading “Pronutria Rebrands as Axcella Health, Forms “Nutrition” Subsidiary”

San Diego’s KnuEdge, Stealthy Since 2005, Unveils Neural Tech

After operating in the shadows for the past 11 years, a San Diego neural technology company founded by former NASA administrator Dan Goldin is stepping into the light to introduce two commercial products intended to advance the frontier of human-machine interaction. In a statement released yesterday, Goldin said the company founded in 2005 as Intellisis … Continue reading “San Diego’s KnuEdge, Stealthy Since 2005, Unveils Neural Tech”

Vennli Draws Up $5M+ Round for Visualization Software

Analytics is a big buzzword in business circles these days. As companies in a growing number of industries snap up software to help them hone their marketing efforts, Indiana startup Vennli is arming itself with $5.3 million in fresh cash to support its analytics software. The new money for South Bend, IN-based Vennli is part … Continue reading “Vennli Draws Up $5M+ Round for Visualization Software”

Underscore.VC Looks to Align Boston Tech Community With Startups

This has been the spring of new Boston tech venture funds. While most of the area’s traditional players are still going—along with more recent firms—a new crop of investors is trying to change how companies get funded and built in this town. Venture capitalists are all wrestling with similar issues: how to identify and get … Continue reading “Underscore.VC Looks to Align Boston Tech Community With Startups”

Strata Oncology Closes $12M Round, Aims to Increase Tumor Sequencing

Ann Arbor, MI-based precision medicine startup Strata Oncology announced last week that it has raised a $12 million Series A round. Arboretum Ventures and Baird Capital led the financing, with participation from Michigan eLab, a returning investor. Strata is on a mission to make tumor sequencing for cancer patients more accessible. As personalized genetic therapies … Continue reading “Strata Oncology Closes $12M Round, Aims to Increase Tumor Sequencing”

Startups: Get Free Tickets to Influx on June 22, Thanks to NEVCA

Our big June conference Influx is just three weeks away. The event was inspired by the influx of newcomers to the Boston innovation community—and we have an amazing array of fresh faces and new companies taking part. But we’d also love to have an influx of startup companies in attendance—and now, courtesy of the New … Continue reading “Startups: Get Free Tickets to Influx on June 22, Thanks to NEVCA”

NY Tech Meetup Merges with NY Tech Council, Forms NY Tech Alliance

A pair of advocate organizations for the New York technology community joined forces today to form one supergroup. The New York Tech Meetup, an organization that hosts monthly tech demos and took political action on net neutrality in 2014 speaking out against the Stop Online Piracy Act, merged with the New York Tech Council to form the … Continue reading “NY Tech Meetup Merges with NY Tech Council, Forms NY Tech Alliance”

Ocular’s Shares Fall After Eye Treatment Fails Latest Test

Ocular Therapeutix could end up with an approved product when the FDA decides on its implantable, sustained-release drug delivery device next month. But even if it does, the Bedford, MA, company’s prospects to sell that device, known as OTX-DP (Dextenza), for more than just post-surgical pain took a hit this morning. Bedford, MA-based Ocular (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Ocular’s Shares Fall After Eye Treatment Fails Latest Test”

Syros Files For IPO to Push “Gene Control” Drugs Through First Trials

Syros Pharmaceuticals has had the shareholder base of a public company for some time. But today the Cambridge, MA-based company finally took its first official steps towards the Nasdaq by outlining plans for an IPO. Syros will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “SYRS” if it completes the IPO. It’ll use the cash … Continue reading “Syros Files For IPO to Push “Gene Control” Drugs Through First Trials”

BitSight Follows FICO Model as Cybersecurity Ratings Industry Grows

As cyber threats grow more complex and damaging, an independent rating that assesses the strength of a company’s defenses could become a new kind of currency in the business world—akin to a consumer credit score that can make or break one’s financial future. That’s the vision of Stephen Boyer and his five-year-old company, BitSight Technologies, … Continue reading “BitSight Follows FICO Model as Cybersecurity Ratings Industry Grows”

No PhD, “No Fear”: Alice Zhang, 27, Aims Software At Neuro Diseases

It’s impossible to sum up a person with a word, a sentence, or even a paragraph. We all contain multitudes. But if a picture of 27-year-old biotech CEO Alice Zhang could emerge from a single line, it might be her response when asked to describe her first time through the whirlwind of the annual J.P. … Continue reading “No PhD, “No Fear”: Alice Zhang, 27, Aims Software At Neuro Diseases”

Vedanta Nabs $50M To Expand Microbiome Into Immune-Boosting Therapies

Exploration of the human microbiome has spurred countless questions about the impact the trillions of microbes in and on our bodies have on our health. Those questions have led to a growing number of new biotech companies. One of the first to launch, Vedanta Biosciences of Cambridge, MA, has raised $50 million with plans to … Continue reading “Vedanta Nabs $50M To Expand Microbiome Into Immune-Boosting Therapies”

Valify Raises $2M, Aims to Make Hospital Systems More Efficient

Dallas—Hospital systems are complex, with thousands of vendors helping to keep things working so healthcare providers can tend to sick patients. Valify, a Dallas-area startup, wants to use software and analytics to help hospitals better track the vendors they use and how much they are paying—and see how that stacks up against their peer institutions. … Continue reading “Valify Raises $2M, Aims to Make Hospital Systems More Efficient”

Ring’s James Siminoff Talks “Shark Tank,” Crime Prevention, and More

You might recognize Ring CEO James Siminoff from TV commercials, or maybe you’ve seen his company’s high-tech doorbells on display at stores like Best Buy, Costco, and The Home Depot. But hearing Siminoff narrate the story of his Santa Monica, CA-based company in person reminds you just how much of a rollercoaster the life of a … Continue reading “Ring’s James Siminoff Talks “Shark Tank,” Crime Prevention, and More”

Guardant Health Maps Cautious Plans For Blood-Based Cancer Screening

Clinicians today can analyze a cancer patient’s tumor using a blood sample, a so-called liquid biopsy. But using blood tests to screen seemingly healthy people for early signs of a host of cancers is still a largely hypothetical proposition—and turning that idea into a reality is a much bigger challenge. Grail, which is backed by … Continue reading “Guardant Health Maps Cautious Plans For Blood-Based Cancer Screening”

Impinj to Test IPO Waters Again, Seeking to Raise Up to $60M

Impinj, a long-tenured Seattle tech company making radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, readers, and software, aims to raise up to $60 million in an initial public stock offering. If the 16-year-old company goes forward with plans disclosed this week, it would be the first Seattle-area tech IPO since 2014, when pet insurance provider Trupanion went … Continue reading “Impinj to Test IPO Waters Again, Seeking to Raise Up to $60M”

Boston Tech Watch: Stumbling Startups, China VC, Acquisitions & More

This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking the latest sign of a tech slowdown, an acquisition of a faltering mobile marketing startup, a Chinese firm investing in a Boston artificial intelligence startup, and more. Read on for details. —Boston-based Fiksu, once a high-flying mobile marketing startup considered an IPO candidate, was acquired for an undisclosed … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Stumbling Startups, China VC, Acquisitions & More”

San Antonio Researchers Plan Trials for Drug Combo to Treat Ebola

San Antonio — Researchers in the Alamo City believe have discovered a drug combination that they believe could work as a therapy against the Ebola virus, and have won a $3.4 million contract from an agency at the Department of Defense to test the combo in early clinical trials. Success will partly depend on a … Continue reading “San Antonio Researchers Plan Trials for Drug Combo to Treat Ebola”

Biotech Roundup: Deals Gone Wrong, Ethical Red Flags & Bay Goodbyes

It was fitting this week that, in the lead-up to two of biomedicine’s biggest self-celebrations, we were served ample reminder of the industry’s expensive decisions gone wrong. This weekend, much of academia and industry involved in cancer will gather in Chicago for the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. Thousands of others will head … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Deals Gone Wrong, Ethical Red Flags & Bay Goodbyes”

Celebrating Robotics—Save $70 on Robo Madness West

On June 22, Silicon Valley’s robotic masterminds will converge for Robo Madness West in San Jose. They’ll debate the technologies, design, research, development, and business issues behind robotics for half the day—and you can join them with a $70 discount by registering by midnight tonight (Friday) with the code SAVER. This ticket includes access to Sensors Expo … Continue reading “Celebrating Robotics—Save $70 on Robo Madness West”

Houston’s TMCx Accelerator Hosts Debut of Digital Health Startups

Houston—TMCx, the Texas Medical Center’s accelerator, presented a dozen digital health startups in its second annual demo day Thursday. The companies showed off a variety of innovations, including apps and digital dashboards for better managing patients with chronic diseases (Sensely) and those needing mental health care (Valera Health), tracking developmental milestones in children (Qidza), and … Continue reading “Houston’s TMCx Accelerator Hosts Debut of Digital Health Startups”

7 Steps Online Companies Can Take to Manage Sales Tax Exposure

States have been fighting to collect sales taxes from online retailers since the dawn of the e-commerce age. But today, online companies that sell services rather than merchandise also need to be concerned about state sales taxes. Even though most services are usually not subject to sales tax, some states are now asserting that certain … Continue reading “7 Steps Online Companies Can Take to Manage Sales Tax Exposure”

Drone On: 3D Robotics Filing Reveals $45M Financing Plan

After a painful restructuring earlier this year, Berkeley, CA-based 3D Robotics appears to be raising additional capital. The high-profile drone startup, which raised $50 million in venture funding early last year in a Series C funding round led by San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]), has raised almost $26.7 million in a combination of securities, convertible … Continue reading “Drone On: 3D Robotics Filing Reveals $45M Financing Plan”

TierPoint Talks Milwaukee Data Center Overhaul, Competing With Amazon

A Milwaukee data center that changed hands twice in the past two years before undergoing major renovations was unveiled to the public on Wednesday. The facility is owned by St. Louis-based TierPoint, which acquired it in March as part of the company’s purchase of Omaha, NE-based Cosentry. At the time the deal was announced, Cosentry … Continue reading “TierPoint Talks Milwaukee Data Center Overhaul, Competing With Amazon”

Ethoplex Eyes Residential Customers for Fast Internet Service

Last month, federal antitrust regulators officially cleared the $65 billion merger between Charter Communications (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CHTR]]) and Time Warner Cable, two of the country’s leading cable and Internet service providers (ISPs). The deal will bring some minor changes for residential Internet users in the Milwaukee area, where Time Warner had amassed significant market share. For … Continue reading “Ethoplex Eyes Residential Customers for Fast Internet Service”

A Startup CEO Visits Cuba in Transition

I just returned from several days visiting Cuba with several of my BFFs. No amount of pre-reading prepared me for the wonderful experience. Americans cannot go as “tourists,” but must go on an approved people-to-people exchange. As such, we visited schools, farms, a university, children’s programs, museums, churches, a factory and the like. I’m sharing … Continue reading “A Startup CEO Visits Cuba in Transition”

Marketing Startup DemandJump Gets $1.8M to Boost Sales, Development

Carmel, Indiana-based startup DemandJump closed a $1.8 million equity funding round last month, attracting investments from tech-industry stalwarts 4G Ventures, Hyde Park Venture Partners, and Bob Davoli, managing director at Sigma Prime Ventures. Hyde Park and 4G—led by former ExactTarget executive Tim Kopp and onetime Aprimo CEO Bill Godfrey, respectively—also participated in a $750,000 seed … Continue reading “Marketing Startup DemandJump Gets $1.8M to Boost Sales, Development”