Category: National

A Potential Downturn Is On My Mind

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

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

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

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

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

Stewart Parker: Biotech Thoughts On Gene Therapy, GOP & Trout Streams

H. Stewart Parker is the former CEO of Seattle’s Targeted Genetics, a pioneering gene therapy company that fizzled out after nearly 20 years but helped pave the way for a new generation of companies, such as Bluebird Bio and Spark Therapeutics, that are moving gene therapies through the clinic. Parker spent time at the head … Continue reading “Stewart Parker: Biotech Thoughts On Gene Therapy, GOP & Trout Streams”

Xconomy’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of 2015

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

Texas 2015: Bio IPOs, Mark Cuban, Dell, & Startups in Wine, Aviation

[Corrected 1/07/16, 5:56 am. See below.] As 2015 draws to a close, let’s take a look back at the innovation stories our readers found most interesting. The list spans across the major metros of the state—Dallas, Houston, and Austin—and highlights themes that mark the signature of Texas’ rapidly growing technology communities. Money, money, money: It was … Continue reading “Texas 2015: Bio IPOs, Mark Cuban, Dell, & Startups in Wine, Aviation”

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

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

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

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

Sidecar Puts It in Park Despite Hot Mobility Sector

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

Prune, Swallow Solutions, & Corvisa: This Week’s Wisconsin Watch List

After a mild start to winter, snow and freezing temperatures appear to be here to stay in many parts of the Badger State. Set your shovel down and curl up with Xconomy Wisconsin’s final news roundup of 2015: —Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]) named Prune, a game developed by Madison-based developer Joel McDonald, as its iPad Game … Continue reading “Prune, Swallow Solutions, & Corvisa: This Week’s Wisconsin Watch List”

RallyPoint Networks, a LinkedIn for Military Vets, Adds $5M

RallyPoint Networks, an online professional networking service for current and former members of the military, has raised $5 million from investors, a new SEC filing shows. The Watertown, MA-based startup has now raised just shy of $12 million since it was founded in 2012, according to SEC documents. Its investors include DBL Investors, an early … Continue reading “RallyPoint Networks, a LinkedIn for Military Vets, Adds $5M”

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

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

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

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

Virtual Reality’s Turning Points In 2015

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

Amid Spotlight On Concussions, New Efforts To Improve Gear, Tackling

In 2005, the journal Neurosurgery published a paper by forensic neuropatholigist Bennet Omalu and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh that linked a neurodegenerative disease to repetitive brain trauma. Omalu was the first researcher to diagnose the disease—known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE—in a former National Football League player. Actor Will Smith portrays Omalu … Continue reading “Amid Spotlight On Concussions, New Efforts To Improve Gear, Tackling”

Fixing Education in Michigan: What Skills Should We Be Teaching?

Michigan’s entrepreneurs and venture capitalists made big strides in 2015—homegrown startups attracted more investment from both local and out-of-state investors, at least one company that originated in the Great Lakes State had a big IPO, and the startup community across the state continues to grow and become more vibrant as we look for ways to … Continue reading “Fixing Education in Michigan: What Skills Should We Be Teaching?”

Smart Power: Houston’s Innowatts Connects Utilities & Clients

Houston’s Innowatts says it can help electric utilities find that perfect client. The startup’s software is deployed through smart meters installed by utilities. Data analytics helps those utilities figure out which clients use how much energy and when, enabling them to tailor the energy efficiency programs they offer customers. “We do predictive analysis on which … Continue reading “Smart Power: Houston’s Innowatts Connects Utilities & Clients”

Time to Bring Our Education System in Line with the 21st Century

The most pressing issue facing the innovation community is the lack of a robust tech talent pipeline to support emerging new enterprises and to help legacy industries adapt. While other countries are developing workers with skills to compete in the 21th century, our country’s education system remains stuck in the 20th. Not only do public education programs lack … Continue reading “Time to Bring Our Education System in Line with the 21st Century”

In the Face of Genomic Data Challenges, the Cloud Keeps Us Afloat

The data intensity of genomics is so intense that it’s difficult for most people to comprehend. According to estimates published in the journal PLOS Biology in July, as many as 2 billion human genomes could be sequenced by 2025, which would far exceed the data output expected of other “big data domains,” such as astronomy, … Continue reading “In the Face of Genomic Data Challenges, the Cloud Keeps Us Afloat”

A Midwesterner’s View of Boston Tech: 4 Takeaways, 4 Stories

When it comes to building vibrant tech hubs, the scenery might look different, but the ingredients are often the same. At least, that’s been my experience so far in writing about innovation for Xconomy in both Wisconsin and Massachusetts. When I moved from Milwaukee to Boston in September, I braced myself for an eye-opening and … Continue reading “A Midwesterner’s View of Boston Tech: 4 Takeaways, 4 Stories”

Chimerix Stock Plunges After Anti-Infection Drug Fails Phase 3 Trial

A drug meant to fight a broad spectrum of viruses has failed a key study in the prevention of a potentially fatal infection in transplant patients, crushing the stock price of the drug’s developer, Chimerix. Durham, NC-based Chimerix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CMRX]]) said Monday that its drug brincidofovir did not meet a Phase 3 study goal of … Continue reading “Chimerix Stock Plunges After Anti-Infection Drug Fails Phase 3 Trial”

Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, Simple Continuity, NEIdeas, U-M & More

Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —Ann Arbor SPARK held its 27th annual entrepreneur boot camp earlier this month, and a panel of investors and industry insiders voted Simple Continuity the winner. Simple Continuity makes business analytics software, and the company is targeting industries with complicated regulations, such as banking. More than … Continue reading “Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, Simple Continuity, NEIdeas, U-M & More”

Infrastructure Investments Are Key to U.S. Future

The issue that makes me most angry is the lack of investment in the infrastructure of the United States. From roads to mass transit to science to education, we are falling behind (or further behind) other regions. It’s a false economy, as lack of investment now means less capability to generate returns in the future. … Continue reading “Infrastructure Investments Are Key to U.S. Future”

Innovation vs. Healthcare Spending: Biotech’s Biggest Looming Challenge

Let’s start with the good news. We are at the beginning of a transformation in human health, treating diseases in ways that we could only speculate about in the recent past. While biology isn’t quite engineering (yet), biotech has become a technology-based, high-growth, high-wage space, all while working to cure cancer. Doing well by doing … Continue reading “Innovation vs. Healthcare Spending: Biotech’s Biggest Looming Challenge”

In Brooklyn, An Incubator Perseveres As Biotech Perks Up in the City

Ask a New Yorker where to find an affordable apartment, and one of the most popular answers these days is Brooklyn. A SUNY Downstate Medical Center professor named Eva Cramer has been trying to prove for years that the old borough is the answer for the city’s lab space problem too. It hasn’t been an … Continue reading “In Brooklyn, An Incubator Perseveres As Biotech Perks Up in the City”

Five Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2016

To no one’s surprise, cybersecurity continued to be a key area of concern and struggle among organizations of all sizes in 2015. However, buried amongst the constant news cycle of new attacks and sophisticated breaches is the fact that more business leaders are understanding the importance of cybersecurity and its potential impact on the organization. … Continue reading “Five Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2016”

West Coast Bio Roundup: Shkreli, BlackThorn, Unhappy Holiday Layoffs

As welcome rain falls on the West Coast, with snow farther east in our mountains, we wrap the year with—what else?—more Martin Shkreli-related drama at KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, which was about to go belly-up a month ago when he swooped in to buy a majority stake. With Shkreli gone, KaloBios is headed south again. Bad news … Continue reading “West Coast Bio Roundup: Shkreli, BlackThorn, Unhappy Holiday Layoffs”

New Cash for Boston-Area Speech and Robotics Startups

As we head into the final week of 2015, venture investment is pouring into some traditional areas of strength in New England tech. Namely, speech recognition, artificial intelligence, and robotics: —Stealthy speech-recognition startup Semantic Machines, based in Newton, MA, has raised about $12.4 million in equity funding, according to an SEC filing. The document lists … Continue reading “New Cash for Boston-Area Speech and Robotics Startups”

Austin’s Trunkist Uses the Web to Offer Prêt-à-Porter On Demand

Dustin Hindman wants to bring the made-to-order manufacturing system Dell Computer pioneered in technology to fashion. “I learned firsthand the build-to-order model,” says Hindman, who worked at the Austin, TX-area computer company for eight years. “You produce exactly what the consumer wanted. There’s no waste. I thought, why doesn’t fashion do that?” To answer that … Continue reading “Austin’s Trunkist Uses the Web to Offer Prêt-à-Porter On Demand”

After Deal with Ciright One, What’s Next for Stratos?

According to a press release sent out Tuesday, Pennsylvania’s Ciright One signed an agreement with Ann Arbor-based mobile payment startup Stratos this week to take over the management of Stratos’ customer service and fulfillment operations, a deal that was reported by TechCrunch as a last-ditch effort to save Stratos from “collapse.” Ciright’s Julie Taylor was clearly … Continue reading “After Deal with Ciright One, What’s Next for Stratos?”

Pharmabros, Designer Babies, And Other Final Words For 2015

Every three months, Oxford Dictionaries releases its new entries, and modern language mavens everywhere have a field day. A few of my favorites from the summer update: weak sauce, microaggression, cupcakery, and at the risk of perpetuating wholly unfair stereotypes about journalists, beer o’clock. With that, I kick off my final column of 2015, a … Continue reading “Pharmabros, Designer Babies, And Other Final Words For 2015”

The Scientist and the Student: Thoughts on Lessons Learned From a Mentor

What is a key relationship or turning point that helped you get to where you are today? This is a great question. I suspect because it comes up so often in interviews, we tend to underplay the importance of the topic. We get familiar with the answer and over time, lose the tacit feel for … Continue reading “The Scientist and the Student: Thoughts on Lessons Learned From a Mentor”

Bridge to Cures Eyes More Funds, Bigger Programs to Nurture Startups

Milwaukee’s small life sciences scene doesn’t usually grab the attention of big venture capital firms, so it’s perhaps surprising that a recent event attracted investors from the likes of Novartis and OrbiMed. The draw was the first healthcare innovation pitch event put on by Bridge to Cures—a Milwaukee-area nonprofit accelerator for healthcare companies spun out … Continue reading “Bridge to Cures Eyes More Funds, Bigger Programs to Nurture Startups”

Flying Cars, Robots, Virtual Doctors, & More Boston Tech Headlines

Before everyone checks out for the holidays, let’s take a look at a few recent headlines in the Boston-area tech world: —Soft Robotics raised $3 million in a Series A round expected to reach $5 million, BetaBoston reported. The round is being led by Material Impact Fund, with participation by Haiyin Capital and Taylor Ventures. … Continue reading “Flying Cars, Robots, Virtual Doctors, & More Boston Tech Headlines”

PTC Pushes Into Connected Factories With Kepware Acquisition

New England software company PTC continued its shift into providing backbone technology for the “Internet of Things” with a $100 million-plus acquisition of Kepware. The deal announced today gives Needham, MA-based PTC (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PTC]]) a foothold in factories worldwide. Kepware, a 20-year-old company based in Portland, ME, develops software that helps connect devices used in … Continue reading “PTC Pushes Into Connected Factories With Kepware Acquisition”

Bought by NetApp for $870M, Here’s Where SolidFire Came From

One of the year’s biggest tech acquisitions has a pretty interesting—and short—history. Boulder, CO-based SolidFire, a maker of data-storage systems, was acquired this week by Silicon Valley giant NetApp (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NTAP]]) for $870 million in cash. SolidFire was formed in 2009 and only began selling its flash-storage drives in 2012, according to a report in … Continue reading “Bought by NetApp for $870M, Here’s Where SolidFire Came From”

Peloton Streams Its Exercise Cycling Classes to Smartphones

A few weeks ago, CEO John Foley told me Peloton would become more than “a stationary bike company” for video exercise classes. Now it is a bit clearer what the next leg of development will look like. New York-based Peloton recently released an app—Peloton Anywhere—that brings its video streams of indoor cycling classes to Apple iPhones. The … Continue reading “Peloton Streams Its Exercise Cycling Classes to Smartphones”

Wheeling And Dealing: WISC Partners To Invest Up To $1.5M In Rowheels

During a 2011 sailing trip, Rimas Buinevicius sustained a spiral fracture to his leg that landed him in a wheelchair for more than two months. It was his first time using a wheelchair for an extended period, and he says he was determined not to let the injury sideline him completely. “I had a lot … Continue reading “Wheeling And Dealing: WISC Partners To Invest Up To $1.5M In Rowheels”

Denver-based Faction Doubles Down on Expansion After $6M Round

For Faction, a Denver-based company that offers private, public, and hybrid cloud computing services, running over budget has been a good thing, according to CEO and founder Luke Norris. Faction exceeded its revenue and growth targets for the year—and likely will again next year—partly because the company has added more customers than it expected, Norris … Continue reading “Denver-based Faction Doubles Down on Expansion After $6M Round”

Amid Neuroscience Renaissance, BlackThorn Quietly Builds a Business

The past year has seen several new biotech companies announce ambitious goals of tackling neurological disease, a vast, complex, and frustrating region of biomedicine. The academic side of the field has had a shot in the arm, too, from National Institutes of Health funding, to scientific advances at the Allen Institute for Brain Research (now … Continue reading “Amid Neuroscience Renaissance, BlackThorn Quietly Builds a Business”

Location Everywhere: What We’ll See in 2016

2016 is going to be a pivotal year for location- and proximity-based technology solutions. Companies across industries are testing the deployment of location aware infrastructures, opening up a world of possibilities. Location technology adoption will likely mirror that of social networks over the past 10 years. On balance, and with good direction, location-enabled experiences are … Continue reading “Location Everywhere: What We’ll See in 2016”

With $25M Investment, UniEnergy Technologies Plans to Scale Up

UniEnergy Technologies (UET) has landed a $25 million “strategic equity investment” from Japanese financial services firm Orix Corporation and a prior investor to accelerate production and sales of its grid-scale batteries. The company, based in Mukilteo, WA, about 40 minutes north of Seattle, is trying to build momentum after winning contracts in the last 18 … Continue reading “With $25M Investment, UniEnergy Technologies Plans to Scale Up”

Acacia Aims to Go Public as Disappointing Year For Tech IPOs Closes

U.S. tech IPOs this year can probably be best described as scarce and underwhelming, but Acacia Communications will try to buck those trends with its initial public offering. The Maynard, MA-based telecommunications technology company announced intentions to go public in an SEC filing on Monday. It said it could raise up to $125 million, although … Continue reading “Acacia Aims to Go Public as Disappointing Year For Tech IPOs Closes”

Texas Roundup: Sketch City, Everfest, Neosensory, & Holiday Poetry

(With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore.) ‘Twas three days before Christmas, and all through Xconomy Texas, The developers were coding, dreams filled with exits. Through software and apps, innovation is born, All towards the goal of that billion-dollar unicorn. And with that, let’s catch up on the latest news from Xconomy Texas: —Houston has a … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Sketch City, Everfest, Neosensory, & Holiday Poetry”

Cellular Dynamics, Epic, & Wellbe: This Week’s Wisconsin Watch List

Take a break from the hectic run-up to the holidays and check out these recent major headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —A judge granted preliminary approval to a settlement in a class-action shareholder lawsuit against Madison-based Cellular Dynamics International, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. In April, CDI tentatively settled three similar lawsuits challenging the biotech’s $307 million sale … Continue reading “Cellular Dynamics, Epic, & Wellbe: This Week’s Wisconsin Watch List”

Targeting Experience Spenders, Everfest Co-CEO Talks Festival App

People are spending more money on experiences than things nowadays. Over the last few years, it’s been one of the more popular trends to cover—and is particularly relevant now given the holiday season. That experiential spending is at the core of Everfest, an Austin, TX, startup that aims to be the online center of festivals … Continue reading “Targeting Experience Spenders, Everfest Co-CEO Talks Festival App”