Editas Medicine is pushing ahead with plans to go public. An IPO for the Cambridge, MA-based company would make it the first among the handful of biotechs that are betting on the groundbreaking CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to develop human therapeutics. In a regulatory filing posted today, Editas said it would aim to sell 5.9 … Continue reading “As Markets and Controversies Swirl, Editas Aims For $100M CRISPR IPO”
Category: National
ISpot.tv Measures Ad Effectiveness in World of Fragmented TV Viewing
The Super Bowl, its 50th incarnation now less than a fortnight away, is one of the few remaining events on the calendar that qualify as must-see, appointment television viewing for a mass audience. And many of us come for the commercials as much as the football game. The rest of the year, television viewers—if that’s … Continue reading “ISpot.tv Measures Ad Effectiveness in World of Fragmented TV Viewing”
DataXu Snaps Up $10M Strategic Investment From Sky
One of Boston’s most heavily funded private tech companies just got another injection of capital. Advertising software company DataXu received a $10 million investment from Sky, the European media and broadcasting giant. DataXu has now raised at least $65 million since it was founded in 2007, according to SEC filings. Previous backers include Thomvest Ventures, … Continue reading “DataXu Snaps Up $10M Strategic Investment From Sky”
Looking Back on Key Acquisitions of WI Companies in the Past 5 Years
It takes a while for mergers and acquisitions to play out. While immediate insights from investors and industry observers can help their audience understand why a deal happened and what implications it will have for the parties involved, some time must pass before a thorough assessment can be made. Five years later seems like an … Continue reading “Looking Back on Key Acquisitions of WI Companies in the Past 5 Years”
LiveIntent Hires New Prez to Make E-Mail “Next Big Thing” in Adtech
With a new president onboard, e-mail advertising technology company LiveIntent may have some aggressive growth plans in store. On Monday, the company announced it hired Jason Kelly, who previously was CEO at Sociomantic, president at Millennial Media, and chief revenue officer at Admeld. Those companies were acquired by Dunnhumby, AOL, and Google, respectively. That track record of … Continue reading “LiveIntent Hires New Prez to Make E-Mail “Next Big Thing” in Adtech”
The Race to Integrate IoT Devices and Create a Truly Connected Home
In case you haven’t heard, the Internet of Things is the latest thing. The IoT movement, where manufacturers take formerly offline devices and update them with Internet capabilities, will encompass 20 to 30 billion gadgets by 2020, according to a 2014 report by McKinsey & Company. Data from CB Insights show that funding to IoT startups eclipsed … Continue reading “The Race to Integrate IoT Devices and Create a Truly Connected Home”
OncoMed Shares Fall After Discouraging News on Pancreatic Cancer Drug
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals has been adept at bringing in partners like GlaxoSmithKline and Celgene to help fund its cancer stem cell work. But the Redwood City, CA, company took a big hit this morning, as word emerged that one of its most advanced drugs—a potential cancer treatment that’s part of an alliance with GlaxoSmithKline—isn’t performing as … Continue reading “OncoMed Shares Fall After Discouraging News on Pancreatic Cancer Drug”
Texas Roundup: ATI, CPRIT, Techstars Austin, Mend, Epic Provisions
Happy Monday. Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Techstars Austin has a new face at the top. Amos Schwartzfarb, who founded BlackLocus and sold the company to Home Depot in 2012, is the three-year-old accelerator program’s latest managing director. Techstars Austin plans to announce its latest group of 10 startups … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: ATI, CPRIT, Techstars Austin, Mend, Epic Provisions”
From Airbnb to Uber: An MIT Sloan Tour of Bay Area Tech
I’ve always been curious about the West Coast, especially San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Growing up in India and then working in the oil & gas industry in Latin America and Texas, I didn’t have much opportunity (or reason) to visit the Bay Area. Now that I’m an MBA student at MIT Sloan, I want … Continue reading “From Airbnb to Uber: An MIT Sloan Tour of Bay Area Tech”
Malwarebytes, Once A Teen Vision, Raises $50M for Security Software
When Marcin Kleczynski was 12, he downloaded a pirated video game into his family’s shared computer, infecting it with malware. That would have landed most kids in big trouble. But in Kleczynski’s case, the mistake led to much different consequences. Now 26, Kleczynski heads the profitable company Malwarebytes, which announced Thursday it raised $50 million … Continue reading “Malwarebytes, Once A Teen Vision, Raises $50M for Security Software”
Heat Biologics Seeks More Cash for Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy Push
Cancer drug developer Heat Biologics is looking to raise $12.5 million through a stock offering as the company continues mid-stage clinical trials for its bladder cancer immunotherapy. Durham, NC-based Heat (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HTBX]]) disclosed the plans in a securities filing, but the company did not say how many shares it will sell, nor did it set … Continue reading “Heat Biologics Seeks More Cash for Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy Push”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: StemCells, Five Prime, Qualcomm & More
Bad weather has brought parts of the South and the Eastern seaboard to a halt today, but out west, we’re wearing our gumboots and splashing onward. While the rain drums steadily down, the news flow this week includes trade secret theft accusations, Senate drug-price investigations, big cash payouts to departing executives, big FDA approvals, and … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: StemCells, Five Prime, Qualcomm & More”
Armed With $30M, Akili Plans Bigger Trial of Therapeutic Video Game
Akili Interactive Labs has worked for five years to develop mobile video games that can help assess and treat cognitive disorders—and with that work, to accumulate enough clinical evidence to convince the FDA of the games’ benefits. Akili purposefully set the bar high for commercializing its technology, and the finish line may be almost in … Continue reading “Armed With $30M, Akili Plans Bigger Trial of Therapeutic Video Game”
Seattle Roundup: Airbnb Regulations, Sendachi, Health IT, & More
Seattle lawmakers are moving toward regulations of short-term rentals facilitated by the likes of Airbnb, which says its guests generated some $138 million in direct spending in the city. In other news, Sendachi, a DevOps-focused IT services company, raised $10 million; Seattle healthcare IT companies Wellpepper and EveryMove announced significant new customers; a startup from … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: Airbnb Regulations, Sendachi, Health IT, & More”
Aereo Vets Working on Wireless Internet Tech at Project Decibel
Chet Kanojia certainly is persistent. His last startup, streaming television service Aereo, took on the broadcasting industry and lost. Now, Kanojia appears poised to take on big incumbents again with a new venture, Project Decibel. The Boston-based startup isn’t saying much about what it’s been working on since it formed in late 2014, but it … Continue reading “Aereo Vets Working on Wireless Internet Tech at Project Decibel”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Alkermes, Zafgen, Snowmaggedon & More
Winter Storm Jonas is headed for the East Coast, and the panicked grocery shopping and traffic nightmares have already begun. It’s impacted biotech too, postponing what would have been one of the most closely watched FDA advisory panels in recent memory. So hurry up and grab your bread and milk before you get snowed in—but … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Alkermes, Zafgen, Snowmaggedon & More”
LearnLaunch Panel Predicts A.I.’s Future in the Classroom
The slow rise of artificial intelligence technologies in education seems to be playing out in much the same way that it has in other industries. A.I. is starting to demonstrate usefulness for specific applications, like helping teachers grade assignments and students sharpen their writing skills. But some technologies are still years away from reality, let … Continue reading “LearnLaunch Panel Predicts A.I.’s Future in the Classroom”
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”
Always-on Health Care, Always-on Data
Thanks to major shifts to modernize traditional medicine over the last few decades, many more key stake holders across health care are better connected. These new connections—among patients, physicians, hospitals, research organizations, and more—will continue to help drive efficiencies, improve collaboration, and provide a clearer path to optimal care. Technological advancements will help us better … Continue reading “Always-on Health Care, Always-on Data”
With $5M Funding, Waldo Photos Aims to Find You in Pictures
[Corrected 2:58 p.m., 1/22/15. See Below.] The prevalence of social media and smartphones has made photo-taking, from food to friends to the ever-indulgent selfie, a bit of an exercise in futility. How do people keep track of all these photos of themselves, especially when someone else takes them? An Austin, TX, company called Waldo Photos is … Continue reading “With $5M Funding, Waldo Photos Aims to Find You in Pictures”
BioTheranostics, Acquired in 2008, To Go Independent in $32M Deal
San Diego-based bioTheranostics, which has operated since 2008 as a division of the French diagnostics conglomerate bioMérieux, said it has secured $32 million in financing to commercialize its diagnostic cancer tests and expand its clinical development programs. MVM Life Science Partners led the financing round, with participation of Canepa Advanced Healthcare Fund and HealthQuest Capital, … Continue reading “BioTheranostics, Acquired in 2008, To Go Independent in $32M Deal”
Soundtrap Adapts Music App as Edtech Offering, With Google Tools
Most app and digital tool makers try to make their products as easy to use as possible for consumers who may lack technical savvy or the time to muddle through training manuals. Those developers who succeed might want to think about building a second life for their products in the educational technology market, as Stockholm-based … Continue reading “Soundtrap Adapts Music App as Edtech Offering, With Google Tools”
Canvs Raises $5.6M for Platform to Map Emotions via Social Media
Claiming to know how people, especially millennials, feel based on what they say through social media sounds a bit like a myth marketers might whisper about. It is easy to see when someone says they like a television show for instance, but what in particular did the audience react to? What was the funniest line … Continue reading “Canvs Raises $5.6M for Platform to Map Emotions via Social Media”
Talla Sells Virtual Assistants for the Workplace as A.I. Startups Focus
Slowly but surely, artificial intelligence is creeping into everyday life. Think of all the questions Siri and Cortana can answer; or e-mail programs that schedule appointments; or Facebook’s M service that aims to do things like make purchases and book travel arrangements on your behalf. After decades of research on A.I. technologies, companies of all … Continue reading “Talla Sells Virtual Assistants for the Workplace as A.I. Startups Focus”
NYC’s Disruptive Biotech Startups take the Stage on March 29
There’s something going on in New York biotech. The Big Apple has long been an afterthought in life sciences. Glitzy new biotech startups form seemingly every week in Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area, not New York with its sky high rents and lack of lab space. But for a multitude of reasons, things … Continue reading “NYC’s Disruptive Biotech Startups take the Stage on March 29”
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.”
San Diego’s LoanHero Extends Seed-Stage Funding to $4.2M
LoanHero, which operates an online loan origination platform, said it has extended its seed funding, adding $2.5 million to the initial $1.7 million the San Diego-based startup raised last June. Alsop Louie Partners, the early stage San Francisco venture firm, and Los Angeles-based Mucker Capital led the investment, according to a statement from the company. … Continue reading “San Diego’s LoanHero Extends Seed-Stage Funding to $4.2M”
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”
ALICE Gets $9.5M From Expedia, Others for Hospitality Ops Platform
Room service can save time when you’re staying at a hotel, but what if the food never arrives? That is the kind of problem New York-based ALICE wants to help hoteliers tackle with a software platform that manages their operations. On Tuesday, the company said it raised $9.5 million in a Series A round led … Continue reading “ALICE Gets $9.5M From Expedia, Others for Hospitality Ops Platform”
Making Time to Think: Coffee Hours, Runs With Labs, & Disconnecting
Even as technology helps our lives—connecting us more closely to people across the globe, automating tasks to make life easier—we, as a society, still feel more harried than ever. We at Xconomy reached out to a select group of sources and advisors across our network (the Xconomists) to ask them a series of questions around … Continue reading “Making Time to Think: Coffee Hours, Runs With Labs, & Disconnecting”
From California to New York, Fintech Finds Loans for Almost Anyone
From small business loan makers to algorithm-based lenders, the fintech arena is producing alternative lending options for practically every type of consumer and small ventures. Since small business and consumer lenders OnDeck and Lending Club opened up the flood gates with initial public offerings in late 2014, the world of online and tech-based lending has … Continue reading “From California to New York, Fintech Finds Loans for Almost Anyone”
Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Plexxi, Flywire, MassCEC, & More
This week in Boston, we’re tracking new funds for tech companies and incubator programs, a pair of acquisitions, the latest challenger to the daily fantasy sports industry, and this year’s participants in a local accelerator for startups trying to improve society. —Nashua, NH-based Plexxi announced it raised an undisclosed amount of funding from GV, formerly … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Plexxi, Flywire, MassCEC, & More”
Norwest Venture Partners Raises Third $1.2 B Venture Fund
Silicon Valley venture fund Norwest Venture Partners announced today it raised $1.2 billion for a new investment fund. The Palo Alto, CA-based firm raised the same amount for each of its two previous funds. Counting the new fund, Norwest’s total capital and commitments add up to more than $6 billion. Norwest, founded in April 1961, … Continue reading “Norwest Venture Partners Raises Third $1.2 B Venture Fund”
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”
Aprenita Rolls Out Algorithmic Lending Platform for App Developers
Unlike approaching a bank, the proof of creditworthiness is in the analytics when it comes to seeking a loan through Aprenita. The New York-based lender introduced a platform Tuesday that assesses small businesses, specifically mobile app developers, by the traction their apps have accrued to determine if they are fit for a loan. That flies … Continue reading “Aprenita Rolls Out Algorithmic Lending Platform for App Developers”
Some Good News, Finally, for Zafgen’s Obesity Drug
It’s been a turbulent year for Zafgen, to say the least. Two patients died in a Phase 3 clinical trial of its leading drug candidate and, in December, the FDA halted all studies of the drug. Zafgen’s stock tumbled, and shareholders filed lawsuits against the company. The future of the company’s drug, a potential treatment … Continue reading “Some Good News, Finally, for Zafgen’s Obesity Drug”
BluDiagnostics Continues Momentum With $600K Seed Funding Round
2015 was a big year for BluDiagnostics, but 2016 is already shaping up to be even bigger. The Madison, WI-based startup, which is developing a saliva-based fertility test, has raised $600,000 in debt financing as part of a seed funding round, co-founder Katie Brenner confirmed Tuesday. According to a regulatory filing, nine investors participated in … Continue reading “BluDiagnostics Continues Momentum With $600K Seed Funding Round”
Same Twist, New Funding: Gene Synthesizer Raises $61M Series D
Twist Bioscience is reeling in millions more in funding as the company, which has developed a process of manufacturing synthetic DNA, plans to expand in the U.S. and internationally. Based in San Francisco, Twist announced a $61 million Series D round of funding alongside a piece of debt financing for as much as $20 million. … Continue reading “Same Twist, New Funding: Gene Synthesizer Raises $61M Series D”
Venture Deals, Orbitec, & Connecture: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Last year’s venture capital totals, a startup that will help deliver cargo to space, a public offering registration, and other news from Exact Sciences, HealthMyne, Johnson Controls, and Stealth Therapeutics: —In 2015, Wisconsin companies raised $87.9 million in venture capital across 23 deals, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. … Continue reading “Venture Deals, Orbitec, & Connecture: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
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”
Novozymes Spins Off Pharma Unit as Separate Blood Protein Company
Novozymes is best known as a maker of enzymes used in industrial applications ranging from biofuels production to beer making, but the company has also spent the last nine years developing a way to make a protein that can stabilize drugs and vaccines in the blood. This biopharmaceuticals work has always been a smaller part … Continue reading “Novozymes Spins Off Pharma Unit as Separate Blood Protein Company”
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”
With Second Eye Drug Flop, Eleven Heads Back to Drawing Board
Eleven Biotherapeutics started out with a plan to make a portfolio of custom-designed protein drugs for a range of diseases before it changed course and started focusing exclusively on eye drugs. The strategy initially paid off, too: The Cambridge, MA-based company went public in February 2014 on the strength of some early data for a … Continue reading “With Second Eye Drug Flop, Eleven Heads Back to Drawing Board”
Acorda Doubles Down on Parkinson, Buys Biotie For $363M
A few years ago Acorda Therapeutics bought Civitas Therapeutics, a biotech about to go public, in a bid to branch out into Parkinson’s. Clearly, that wasn’t a one-off move; this morning, Acorda added two more potential treatments for the disorder by acquiring Finland’s Biotie Therapies. Acorda (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]), of Ardsley, NY, is paying $363 million … Continue reading “Acorda Doubles Down on Parkinson, Buys Biotie For $363M”
Venture Activity Surged in San Diego in 2015, and Top 10 Deals
VC investors poured $334.1 million into 27 deals in San Diego during the last three months of 2015—a surge that helped carry venture funding in the region to a three-high, according to a year-end tally by the MoneyTree Report. The total was more than twice as much as the $123.7 million that VCs invested in 22 … Continue reading “Venture Activity Surged in San Diego in 2015, and Top 10 Deals”
EiQ Networks Nets $9.5M for Mid-Market Security Software
In a town full of cybersecurity companies, EiQ Networks has stayed pretty quiet for years. Now it’s making a bit of noise as it ramps up its security software for a targeted customer base. EiQ has just raised a $9.55 million Series C funding round led by Arrowroot Capital. Founders Vijay Basani and Jay Reddy … Continue reading “EiQ Networks Nets $9.5M for Mid-Market Security Software”
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.”
Cleantech Evolves, But Will Investors Follow?
Cleantech might be turning a corner. But one important question is whether the evolving sector, showing signs of resurgence, can recapture the attention of disillusioned investors. After vast sums of venture capital were poured into cleantech in the latter half of the 2000s—peaking at $4.3 billion in 2011—the flow of money slowed over the past … Continue reading “Cleantech Evolves, But Will Investors Follow?”
West Coast Bio Roundup: Illumina, 10X Genomics, Juno, and More
[Corrected 1/19/16, 10:10 am. See below.] Last week’s annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference put the biotech industry’s biggest event on display, as some 9,000 life sciences executives and investors descended upon San Francisco. Unfortunately, as Bloomberg News pointed out, the industry’s lack of gender diversity also was on display—most egregiously at a LifeSci Advisors party … Continue reading “West Coast Bio Roundup: Illumina, 10X Genomics, Juno, and More”
UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Gives Update On New Entrepreneurship Building
Those who follow startups closely are likely familiar with the term “pivot,” which refers to a change in course from the original vision of an early-stage company. Mark Mone, who is chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and described as a “gourmet cook” on the school’s website, said he’s no stranger to improvisation himself. “If you’re … Continue reading “UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Gives Update On New Entrepreneurship Building”