After months of negotiating, 196 individual countries at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris pledged to combat climate change and limit temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. This commitment to curb carbon emissions is unprecedented, especially when you consider the stakes. The agreement effectively creates a collective carbon ceiling. If the globe … Continue reading “In India, Viewing the Global Cleantech Opportunity for Washington State”
Category: National
A Big Driver For Cybersecurity Spending? Wary Cyber Insurance Vendors
In 2014, insurance companies reaped $2 billion in policy premiums from U.S. companies seeking protection from potentially vast losses due to cyber attacks like those that have hit Target, Sony, and other big firms. By the end of the decade, the U.S. market for cyber insurance could burgeon to $7.5 million, analysts say. But insurers … Continue reading “A Big Driver For Cybersecurity Spending? Wary Cyber Insurance Vendors”
Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner
Jon von Tetzchner has been trying to perfect the Web browser for two decades. The Iceland native co-founded Norway-based Opera Software in 1995 and led the maker of browsers and other online tools until 2010. He stayed on as an advisor until the following year, when he stepped down amid disagreements with Opera’s board and … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With Opera Founder & Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner”
Smart Sleep Mask, On-Demand Doctor App Win ReleaseIt Pitch Event
Austin — For anyone who has trouble with jetlag, Inteliclinic has an answer: a sleep mask. Inteliclinic’s sleep mask, called the Neuroon, is not exactly traditional. It is a device with biometric sensors that uses its own software to connect to a mobile app via Bluetooth. On the lower end of its technological capabilities, the … Continue reading “Smart Sleep Mask, On-Demand Doctor App Win ReleaseIt Pitch Event”
Seattle Week in Review: To Asia via Puyallup, Space via Kent
We’ve reached the end of a very long week. Let’s review. There was wind, rain, power outages, and an earthshaking natural gas explosion (we felt it) that leveled three buildings but mercifully caused only minor injuries to responding firefighters. There were tours of a new international crossroads of information, the Transpacific Hub, and the formerly secretive … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: To Asia via Puyallup, Space via Kent”
West Coast Bio Roundup: Illumina, CRISPR, Orexigen, Ambry & More
El Niño-driven storms returned to California this week to fill up reservoirs and snarl commutes, although we’ve got nothing to compare with what’s happening down South. A few biotech parades were rained on out West. The two rival parties battling for CRISPR patent rights tried to undermine each other’s cases, filing documents to kick off … Continue reading “West Coast Bio Roundup: Illumina, CRISPR, Orexigen, Ambry & More”
Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis”
Now that emojis have become a fundamental mode of communication in the mobile age, it’s no surprise that businesses are trying to capitalize. One such company, two-year-old advertising technology startup Inmoji, just grabbed $5 million to advance its business that connects consumers and companies via “branded interactive emojis” used in mobile messaging apps. The Series … Continue reading “Inmoji Raises $5M For “Branded Interactive Emojis””
GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future
According to reports in Fortune and other media outlets, GM has forked over more than $1 billion in cash and stock to acquire Bay Area startup Cruise Automation, a producer of “after-market” kits that can turn existing cars into autonomous vehicles. If the figure is correct, that makes company co-founder Kyle Vogt a “two-time unicorn … Continue reading “GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future”
San Antonio Cancer Center Aims for Elegance in Treatment, Prevention
San Antonio — The goal of the Cancer Therapy & Research Center in San Antonio is pretty straightforward: Prevent the suffering that cancer causes people. Researchers there have spent decades developing innovative methods of detecting, preventing, and treating various forms of the disease. The cancer center was founded in the 1970s as a nonprofit and … Continue reading “San Antonio Cancer Center Aims for Elegance in Treatment, Prevention”
CoverWallet Raises $2M in Seed Round with Two Sigma Ventures, Others
Coming out of stealth mode this week, New York-based CoverWallet, an online business insurance manager, said it raised $2 million in a seed round with Two Sigma Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Founder Collective, and angel investors. CoverWallet specializes in serving small businesses that need help navigating commercial insurance. Its co-founder and CEO, Inaki Berenguer, was … Continue reading “CoverWallet Raises $2M in Seed Round with Two Sigma Ventures, Others”
Hear Lew Cantley, Others on Shaping NY Biotech on March 29
Lewis Cantley is best known for discovering a key enzyme that’s become the target for a slew of cancer drugs. But he’s also a longtime entrepreneur who is amongst a crop of local scientists trying to prove that startup biotechs can grow and succeed in New York. Cantley, a Weill Cornell Medical College biochemist, is one … Continue reading “Hear Lew Cantley, Others on Shaping NY Biotech on March 29”
Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?
By the end of June, Lita Nelsen will retire from MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, where she has worked for 30 years. She has been director of the office since 1993 and has seen a lot of things. Nelsen recently sat down with Xconomy to talk about trends in tech transfer and entrepreneurship. One timely issue: … Continue reading “Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?”
Failed Alzheimer’s Drug To Get Another Shot, If Investors Pony Up
Alzheimer’s disease has been a pharmaceutical minefield the past decade, with several experimental drugs backed by pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer, Roche, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson blowing up after being tested in thousands of patients. The first of those failures, nearly a decade ago, was a drug called tramiprosate. But now, after a … Continue reading “Failed Alzheimer’s Drug To Get Another Shot, If Investors Pony Up”
Accelerator 9Mile Labs Evolves Model for Investing in Startups
[Updated 3/10/16 2:12 pm. See below.] In the three years since it opened, Seattle business-to-business accelerator 9Mile Labs has tweaked just about every aspect of its model for mentoring, supporting, and funding companies. Co-founder Sanjay Puri and his partners are seeking the right formula amid a boom in the business of gooming startups for fast growth … Continue reading “Accelerator 9Mile Labs Evolves Model for Investing in Startups”
Connect Launches CapitalMatch Program, Enrolls First Four Startups
Connect, San Diego’s nonprofit group for technology innovation, said it has enrolled four local startups in its new CapitalMatch program, which is intended to develop relationships between investment-ready companies and investors throughout the country. Connect identified the startups as: —Fragmob is a mobile software developer that has created a Web platform for supporting independent sales … Continue reading “Connect Launches CapitalMatch Program, Enrolls First Four Startups”
NeuWave Bought by J&J Subsidiary Ethicon, Eyes International Markets
It’s a new era for NeuWave Medical. The Madison, WI-based device and software maker says that earlier this week, it was acquired for an undisclosed sum by Ethicon, a surgery-focused subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]). NeuWave had raised about $54 million from investors, a large chunk of which came from the company’s $25 million … Continue reading “NeuWave Bought by J&J Subsidiary Ethicon, Eyes International Markets”
What’s Hot in Boston Biotech: Here’s the Agenda
We’re just over a month away from our latest biotech bash in Boston, and with the agenda taking shape, we’re offering you a look at the proceedings today. Our third annual iteration of “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech” features a mix of spotlight solo talks, candid stories, interactive discussions and more on a host of … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech: Here’s the Agenda”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celldex, Ensemble, CRISPR Battle & More
Biotech indices had rallied over the past week, but that’s before the drug pricing issue returned to the spotlight in Washington. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as the New York Times wrote here, proposed new ideas to change the reimbursement for prescription drugs under Part B of Medicare—infused and injectable drugs, like chemotherapies … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celldex, Ensemble, CRISPR Battle & More”
Austin Virtual Reality Startup Virtuix Targets “Mini-IPO” Funding
Austin — Virtual reality startup Virtuix is gearing up for a “mini-IPO” by tapping into a new funding avenue made possible by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation A+. “Since our early beginnings, we’ve had a strong community of backers and supporters that frequently asked us [if they can] buy shares in Virtuix,” says Jan Goetgeluk, Virtuix’s … Continue reading “Austin Virtual Reality Startup Virtuix Targets “Mini-IPO” Funding”
BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App
The Boston area has become a hotbed for companies testing new ways to merge software with fields like healthcare, rehabilitation, and education. One of the more interesting areas of activity is assessing and treating brain health and cognitive disorders. Those elements have come together in a startup called Constant Therapy, which today announced it raised … Continue reading “BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App”
Will 10-Gig Internet Help Revitalize Detroit? Rocket Fiber Says Yes
There has been no shortage of news stories about the abysmal state of Internet connectivity in the city of Detroit. As the Motor City attempts to remake itself as a tech hub, the fact remains that only 40 percent of households here are online—the second-lowest number in the nation after Laredo, TX. The state of … Continue reading “Will 10-Gig Internet Help Revitalize Detroit? Rocket Fiber Says Yes”
Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase
There are plenty of problems in government that technology might be able to help fix, like boosting transparency and increasing the efficiency of public services. But governments—from municipalities on up to the feds—have always been tough customers for startups to crack, thanks to long sales cycles, tight budgets, rules for maintaining fair bidding processes, and … Continue reading “Civic Tech Products, Industry Optimism on Display at Boston Showcase”
INRIX Buys OpenCar in Seattle Auto Tech Tie-up
INRIX, the Kirkland, WA-based company providing traffic data and other services for connected cars, acquired OpenCar, a Seattle startup making a platform to unite app developers and car manufacturers. The deal combines two significant players in the Seattle area’s cluster of automotive IT and telematics companies. INRIX plans to maintain, and possibly expand, OpenCar’s Seattle … Continue reading “INRIX Buys OpenCar in Seattle Auto Tech Tie-up”
San Antonio Entrepreneur Center Opens Using Dallas Nonprofit as Model
San Antonio — Every city wants to boost growth for its industries, especially as technology and innovation-driven startups have become such a focus of the economy. Figuring out exactly how to do it is the tough part. The Dallas Entrepreneur Center, a co-working and incubator space for startups in a city more traditionally known for … Continue reading “San Antonio Entrepreneur Center Opens Using Dallas Nonprofit as Model”
Robo Madness, The AI Explosion: Here’s the Agenda for March 31
What is this world coming to? Computers are beating human experts at Go. Humanoid robots are standing up to bullies with hockey sticks, or at least trying to. Drones patrol our airspace, for better or worse. What’s next—an A.I. for president? (One can only hope.) One thing’s for sure: robotics and artificial intelligence are poised … Continue reading “Robo Madness, The AI Explosion: Here’s the Agenda for March 31”
Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits
Software companies and their investors see a huge opportunity to help big firms squeeze useful insights out of the vast troves of data they’re accumulating. The latest example is Newton, MA-based Attivio, which today announced it raised $31 million in financing. The data-analysis software provider has now raised $102 million total from its investors, which … Continue reading “Attivio Adds $31M to Advance “Data Discovery,” Eyes Profits”
Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego on March 31: The Agenda
In less than a month, Xconomy is bringing some of the big guns in life sciences together in San Diego to talk about the opportunities that are emerging for tech and software innovation in fields like genomics, biotechnology, and digital health. We can now give you a preview of what it’s going to look like. … Continue reading “Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego on March 31: The Agenda”
EatStreet-Telkonet Tie-Up Aims to Help Hotel Guests Order Local Food
Room service is getting some new competition, thanks in part to an agreement between two Wisconsin companies. EatStreet, an online food-ordering service based in Madison, WI, announced on Tuesday that it’s teamed up with Waukesha-based Telkonet. One of the latter company’s business divisions, known as EthoStream, specializes in outfitting hotels with wireless Internet. The idea … Continue reading “EatStreet-Telkonet Tie-Up Aims to Help Hotel Guests Order Local Food”
Ensemble Quietly Amasses Cancer Drug Pipeline, Scouts for New Deals
It’s not often that a biotech startup can go more than eight years without a big funding round, but Ensemble Therapeutics has been able to do so, thanks to some early success stringing together drug discovery partnerships. But with the Cambridge, MA-based company now churning out drug candidates of its own, its bills—and financing needs—are … Continue reading “Ensemble Quietly Amasses Cancer Drug Pipeline, Scouts for New Deals”
International Women’s Day: “How Do We Teach Our Girls to Be Brave?”
Today marks International Women’s Day, a celebration of achievements and aspirations, but the effort to bring more women to the fore in the innovation scene is year-round. Last Friday, a pair of events in New York put the matter into perspective. Professional services company Accenture held its own International Women’s Day conference, and the annual New … Continue reading “International Women’s Day: “How Do We Teach Our Girls to Be Brave?””
Five Questions For … Nick Kennedy, Founder of Dallas-Based Rise
Dallas — Texas is a far-flung state with metro-city populations that are about 200 miles away from each other. Because of that, tech innovation circles tend to largely stay amongst themselves, with the occasional meetup at South By Southwest Interactive in Austin. As a way for people around the state to get to know each … Continue reading “Five Questions For … Nick Kennedy, Founder of Dallas-Based Rise”
Valencell Raises $11M to Support Wearable Tech R&D
Biometric sensor company Valencell has closed on $11 million in new funding to support the company’s global expansion into more wearable technology products. The Raleigh, NC-based company’s Series D round was led by GII Tech, a new venture fund launched by the United Arab Emirates-based Gulf Islamic Investments. Previous investors TDF Ventures and WSJ Joshua Fund … Continue reading “Valencell Raises $11M to Support Wearable Tech R&D”
Eyeing Growth, Project Foundry Targets Cleveland Students, Teachers
In 2012, the City of Cleveland decided to transform its public schools. Some of the reasons were laid bare in a 15-page plan describing why and how the city sought to make changes. At the time, 31,000 children were attending failing schools, according to the document, which was prepared by the office of Mayor Frank … Continue reading “Eyeing Growth, Project Foundry Targets Cleveland Students, Teachers”
After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M
Marketers care more about what you ate for breakfast this morning than your friends and family do. The rise of social media has spawned a host of software companies dedicated to tracking and analyzing what people are saying (and eating) online. These companies mine reams of social media posts for nuggets of information and trends … Continue reading “After Social Analytics Sector Shakeout, Crimson Hexagon Grabs $20M”
Illumina CEO Flatley To Step Aside, deSouza To Take Reins in July
Illumina helped usher in the genomic age. Now the company has a new leader. Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) today said CEO Jay Flatley would step aside in July after 17 years at the helm, but he will stay active as executive chairman. His successor is president Francis deSouza (pictured), who joined the San Diego-based company in … Continue reading “Illumina CEO Flatley To Step Aside, deSouza To Take Reins in July”
Argos Nabs Up to $60M to Continue Kidney Cancer Treatment Work
Argos Therapeutics reached an investment deal that provides up to $60 million in financing as the drug developer plows ahead on late-stage clinical trial work for its experimental immune-based kidney cancer treatment. Durham, NC-based Argos (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARGS]]) said Monday that the private placement financing should provide the company enough cash to last until it reaches … Continue reading “Argos Nabs Up to $60M to Continue Kidney Cancer Treatment Work”
Zendrive is First Participant in U-M’s New TechLab Program at MCity
The University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Mobility Transformation Center are partnering on a new collaboration at MCity called TechLab, designed to help get connected and driverless car technologies to market faster. Meant to unite the efforts of university researchers, student innovators, and advanced transportation startups, TechLab is part startup incubator and part interactive … Continue reading “Zendrive is First Participant in U-M’s New TechLab Program at MCity”
Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions
This week in Boston, we’re tracking the latest tech legislation on Beacon Hill, layoffs at startups and big companies, and announcements of new companies, products, and offices. Read on for details. On the hill —Massachusetts lawmakers are once again considering regulations for ride-hailing app companies like Uber and Lyft. Under a new bill backed by … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber Bill, Noncompetes, Layoffs, & Expansions”
Eight Raises $6M in Seed Round for Its Sleep-Tracking Mattress Cover
Not to be caught napping, New York-based Eight Sleep, the developer of a sleep-tracking mattress cover, last week raised $6 million in a seed round—the follow up to a $1.2 million Indiegogo campaign that ended last March. Eight, previously known as Luna, developed its mattress cover to gather data on sleeping patterns. It can also … Continue reading “Eight Raises $6M in Seed Round for Its Sleep-Tracking Mattress Cover”
Biotech Dealmaking Is Tough, But AgBio Deals Prove Even Tougher
It’s a familiar story: a biotechnology company develops a promising product but falls short of sales projections. The company then cuts staff, realigns resources, and turns to startups to fill its depleted pipeline. While this scenario does play out in pharmaceuticals, it also describes what is happening in agriculture. Big ag companies face pressures to … Continue reading “Biotech Dealmaking Is Tough, But AgBio Deals Prove Even Tougher”
Tour of Texas: Savara, Brainspace, JLabs, InCube, Trinity University
Happy Monday. Let’s start the week with a recap of the latest innovation news from around Texas, including new funding and support for startups and entrepreneurs, artificial intelligence, and a treatment for cystic fibrosis patients. Austin: —Austin’s Savara Pharmaceuticals has raised $20 million in Series C funding to further develop AeroVanc, what it says is … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Savara, Brainspace, JLabs, InCube, Trinity University”
Celldex’s Brain Cancer Vaccine Fails Key Phase 3 Test, Shares Fall
It’s notoriously tough to develop a successful cancer vaccine, but Celldex Therapeutics has made it farther than most with a closely watched immunotherapeutic treatment for an aggressive, deadly form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The Needham, MA-based company had even begun building the commercial infrastructure needed to market the treatment, known as rindopepimut (Rintega). But … Continue reading “Celldex’s Brain Cancer Vaccine Fails Key Phase 3 Test, Shares Fall”
Spy Dolls, Genius Machines: Cybersecurity Firms Look Ahead at RSA
Over the next five years, the number of connected devices will leap from five billion to 50 billion, Symantec CEO Michael Brown told cybersecurity professionals at a keynote address at the RSA Conference this week in San Francisco. The Internet of Things is one of the major trends that will define the security operations centers … Continue reading “Spy Dolls, Genius Machines: Cybersecurity Firms Look Ahead at RSA”
Seattle Week in Review: Why We’re Great, Code Schools, Health IT, Art in Space
If you’re looking for a concise, articulate answer to the question of why to invest in or start a company in Seattle, look no further than Heather Redman. Her comments lead off our Xconomy Seattle Week in Review, which also covers the boom in coding schools locally and nationally, new data on the fastest-growing occupation … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Why We’re Great, Code Schools, Health IT, Art in Space”
West Coast Bio Roundup: UCLA Cashes In, BioMarin Tries Again & More
The prostate cancer drug enzalutamide (Xtandi), from San Francisco’s Medivation, has had a long, legally tangled history. Its inventors can also call it lucrative: a New York finance group that specializes in drug sales royalties has bought royalty rights from the University of California, Los Angeles, and others for more than $1 billion. Reversals of … Continue reading “West Coast Bio Roundup: UCLA Cashes In, BioMarin Tries Again & More”
Brainspace Aims to Harness “Collective Intelligence” of Businesses
Dallas — Software can do a lot of things, but can it read between the lines? That human ability to look for context and the sentiments that are not explicitly stated is the next frontier in “semantic search,” says Dave Copps, the founder and CEO of Brainspace, a machine-learning software startup. Current information-search techniques rely … Continue reading “Brainspace Aims to Harness “Collective Intelligence” of Businesses”
How Self-Driving Vehicles Could Take Root in Indiana
Imagine a tractor-trailer without anyone at the wheel that has driven across three states. It exits the interstate and drops its trailer at a truck yard. Soon, another truck—this one driven by a human—hooks to the trailer and hauls it to a factory in a nearby city. This is the future of trucking—if systems engineer … Continue reading “How Self-Driving Vehicles Could Take Root in Indiana”
FinTech Central Recap: The Changing Face of Wealth Management
[Updated 3/4/16, 12 pm. See below.] Opportunities are increasing, thanks to technology and new federal regulations, for the layperson to get into the investing game—but a few hurdles remain before the broad masses can fully participate. That was one of the takeaways from last night’s FinTech Central panel hosted by early-stage venture firm Canaan Partners … Continue reading “FinTech Central Recap: The Changing Face of Wealth Management”
InCube Labs Startup Fe3 Plans Iron-Delivering Patch For Anemia
San Antonio — Mir Imran, the founder and CEO of InCube Labs, has more than 200 patents to his name and has created more than 20 companies through InCube, a healthcare-focused research and development business that invents new technology with the goal of spinning them into separate businesses. Maybe, then, it’s not surprising that Imran … Continue reading “InCube Labs Startup Fe3 Plans Iron-Delivering Patch For Anemia”
Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner
Bill Wagner took the reins of Boston-based LogMeIn (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LOGM]]) a few months ago, succeeding founding CEO Michael Simon. The 13-year-old company got its start by selling software that enables users to remotely access computers, but LogMeIn has since broadened its cloud-based offerings to include things like online collaboration tools and software that serves as … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With New LogMeIn CEO Bill Wagner”