Biotech’s recent slump has crept into the IPO window. On one hand, the latest two biotechs to hold IPOs—Edge Therapeutics and Mirna Therapeutics—were able to close deals and prep for their debuts on the Nasdaq this morning. On the other hand, both biotechs had to scale back their offerings to get out. Edge, of Berkeley Heights, … Continue reading “Bio Slump Hits IPOs as Edge, Mirna Cut Prices, Upsize to Close Deals”
Category: National
With $55M, Neon Wants To Make the Cancer Vaccine “Problem” Personal
One year ago, in a paper in the journal Oncoimmunology, three cancer researchers wrote this: “After many years of best efforts and countless dollars, but unmet expectations, cancer vaccines have become a long-standing problem.” The problem has apparently become an opportunity. Those same three researchers are now lending their expertise, along with four other leading … Continue reading “With $55M, Neon Wants To Make the Cancer Vaccine “Problem” Personal”
Here’s How You’ll Stay in Shape During the Nine-Month Journey to Mars
Jeff Leismer wants to help people stay in space longer. Leismer, the founder of Sheboygan, WI-based physical therapy equipment maker VibeTech, got the idea for his company in 2002 as a graduate student at Michigan Technological University. One of his advisors there was studying the physiology of astronauts who had recently returned to earth. In … Continue reading “Here’s How You’ll Stay in Shape During the Nine-Month Journey to Mars”
Zoe Saldana, Media Publishers Talk Strategies to Reach Millennials
In theory, it should be easy for Hollywood stars and media companies to connect with millennials by putting content on mobile devices. The reality is the media world is still looking for ways to get the attention of this elusive audience, which gets harder and harder to reach. Coming up with new strategies to make … Continue reading “Zoe Saldana, Media Publishers Talk Strategies to Reach Millennials”
Goldman Sachs Leads Llamasoft’s $50M Series B Round
Llamasoft, the Ann Arbor, MI-based supply-chain software company, announced Tuesday that it has closed a Series B round valued at $50 million. Goldman Sachs is the round’s sole investor, and it will take a seat on Llamasoft’s board as part of the deal. Toby Brzoznowski, co-founder and executive vice president of Llamasoft, says the company … Continue reading “Goldman Sachs Leads Llamasoft’s $50M Series B Round”
NewStore Lands $38M to Help Retailers Win Mobile Shoppers
Amazon’s e-commerce dominance and consumers’ increased shopping via smartphones have got brick-and-mortar retailers and brands scrambling to adapt. A young Boston startup, NewStore, thinks it has the answer for retailers. It’s certainly got a lot of cash to try and prove it. NewStore launched today with $38 million in funding from lead investor General Catalyst … Continue reading “NewStore Lands $38M to Help Retailers Win Mobile Shoppers”
For Damaged ACLs, It’s Aperion and Pig Tendons to the Rescue
The premise of Aperion Biologics’ business is a bit of a no-brainer: Provide the market with a product used to repair anterior cruciate ligaments of the knee, because there is demand and not necessarily enough supply. The way the San Antonio, TX-based company does that is a bit more complicated. Aperion uses a patented process … Continue reading “For Damaged ACLs, It’s Aperion and Pig Tendons to the Rescue”
Crossing Sand Hill: A Q&A With Biotech Venture Vet Nina Kjellson
Nina Kjellson has been a biotech investor for 15 years, having spent the last 13 at InterWest Partners in Menlo Park, CA. Now she’s moving across the street to Canaan Partners. Her new office is literally right across Sand Hill Road, a Silicon Valley thoroughfare synonymous with venture capital, and her new job isn’t far … Continue reading “Crossing Sand Hill: A Q&A With Biotech Venture Vet Nina Kjellson”
Spaceflight Buys SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket for 2017 Rideshare Mission
Seattle space business Spaceflight, which sends its customers’ small satellites into orbit by renting excess capacity on other companies’ launch vehicles, bought a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX to conduct its own dedicated “rideshare” mission in 2017. By controlling the entire mission, Spaceflight can cater to higher-value customers who weren’t willing to trade the cost … Continue reading “Spaceflight Buys SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket for 2017 Rideshare Mission”
Need Customers? Thumbtack Got $125M to Help Small Business Find Them
Thumbtack, the rapidly growing online San Francisco-based service that lists for-hire professionals from various industries, has received a $125 million round of late-stage funding that it plans to use to improve its algorithm and add to its list of tools on the site, such as payments or scheduling. The round was led by Baillie Gifford, … Continue reading “Need Customers? Thumbtack Got $125M to Help Small Business Find Them”
Marissa Mayer Puts on Game Face, Talks Up Yahoo’s Next Plays
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took part in a fireside chat on Monday in New York with Slate Group Chairman and Editor-in-chief Jacob Weisberg, laying out a bit of her strategy to make her company more competitive. The two sat down at the IAB MIXX conference, hosted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and one of many … Continue reading “Marissa Mayer Puts on Game Face, Talks Up Yahoo’s Next Plays”
Spiceworks New CFO Brings Lessons From Twitter to IT Networking
Austin, TX’s Spiceworks—the biggest social network you’ve probably never heard of—continues to grow apace, adding 100 employees in the last year. The company, which is akin to both a LinkedIn (for a social network) and an iTunes (a one-stop shop for products and services) aimed at IT professionals at small to mid-sized companies recently hired Amir … Continue reading “Spiceworks New CFO Brings Lessons From Twitter to IT Networking”
Accelerator Adds $11.7M, Reels in AbbVie, WuxiTech to Back Startups
[Updated, 10:15 a.m. ET] Accelerator Corp. raised $51.1 million and made its long-awaited expansion into New York city last year, and at the time, CEO Thong Le mentioned that his company wasn’t done raising money for the effort. Today it’s added that cash, and a few new strategic investors to its pool of backers as … Continue reading “Accelerator Adds $11.7M, Reels in AbbVie, WuxiTech to Back Startups”
Panorama Unveils Playbook, an Online Community for Teachers
Panorama Education has built a fast-growing business selling software for surveying K-12 students and teachers—and then analyzing that data to help school officials understand where they can improve. Now, the Boston-based edtech startup is taking things a step further with a product that helps teachers devise a plan for addressing those shortcomings. The new offering, … Continue reading “Panorama Unveils Playbook, an Online Community for Teachers”
My Déjà Vu Moment in Genomics: Why We Need Industry Standards Now
I am a serial entrepreneur who has spent the past couple of decades advancing the front lines of technology in digital healthcare, wireless communications, and semiconductor industries. And I’ve been experiencing a déjà vu moment in genomics. Back in 1994, when I was designing electrical circuits as part of my doctorate program at the University … Continue reading “My Déjà Vu Moment in Genomics: Why We Need Industry Standards Now”
Dunsire, Forum Search For Answers After FDA Halts Alzheimer’s Trial
A litany of promising therapies for Alzheimer’s disease have crashed and burned in late-stage testing. So it was an ominous sign when the FDA recently placed a clinical hold on a big Phase 3 trial for an experimental drug from Waltham, MA-based Forum Pharmaceuticals. What’s more, the side effects that have triggered the pause—or at … Continue reading “Dunsire, Forum Search For Answers After FDA Halts Alzheimer’s Trial”
Amid Biotech Swoon, Third Rock’s MyoKardia Tees up IPO
Does the biotech bull market still have a pulse? MyoKardia, a three-year-old startup developing heart drugs, will soon try to find out. The San Francisco-based company filed papers with the SEC on Monday to go public and trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “MYOK.” MyoKardia would use the cash to advance its work … Continue reading “Amid Biotech Swoon, Third Rock’s MyoKardia Tees up IPO”
Robots, 3D Printing on Mars, and LittleBits at Maker Faire New York
Show and tell is reaching out to the solar system. Over the weekend, the local edition of Maker Faire opened up shop at the New York Hall of Science in Queens. The annual event, born out of San Francisco and produced by Maker Media, is held simultaneously at cities around the world to give the public … Continue reading “Robots, 3D Printing on Mars, and LittleBits at Maker Faire New York”
Shares in Cellectar Tumble After It Announces $3.3M Stock Offering
Cellectar Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLRB]]) expects to raise $3.3 million in a common stock offering, the Madison, WI-based biotech company said in a press release Monday. Shares in cash-strapped Cellectar, which CEO Jim Caruso said in an earnings call last month is open to collaborating with other companies across most of its drug pipeline, were lower on … Continue reading “Shares in Cellectar Tumble After It Announces $3.3M Stock Offering”
Amazon Plans to Open “Tech Hub” in Downtown Detroit
Twitter, Google, and Microsoft have all established a significant presence in Detroit during the past few years, helping legitimize the Motor City as a place on the rebound, and now Amazon will join them. The Seattle-based online retailer announced today that it will open a downtown technology hub (whatever that means) and a corporate office … Continue reading “Amazon Plans to Open “Tech Hub” in Downtown Detroit”
Warburg Pincus Leads $60M Infusion into Austin Edtech Firm Civitas
Private equity giant Warburg Pincus is leading an investment round of up to $60 million for Austin, TX-based Civitas Learning. Civitas sells software to higher education institutions that is designed to help students make better curriculum and degree decisions. Civitas uses data analytics and builds school-specific predictive models around student enrollment, engagement, and graduation rates. … Continue reading “Warburg Pincus Leads $60M Infusion into Austin Edtech Firm Civitas”
Verastem Sinks as Mesothelioma Study Halted For Futility
When a clinical trial is stopped early, it can mean one of a few things—including that a drug seems clearly to be helping patients, or that it seems clearly to not be helping. Unfortunately for Verastem and its cancer stem cell drug VX-6063, today it’s the latter. Boston-based Verastem (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VSTM]]) said today that it’s … Continue reading “Verastem Sinks as Mesothelioma Study Halted For Futility”
Acquia Adds $55M as World Goes Online
Let the good times roll in enterprise tech. One of Boston’s fast-rising Internet startups has some more cash to throw around. Acquia, a Web content management software company, says it has raised $55 million in equity financing, led by new investor Centerview Capital Technology. Its previous investors, including New Enterprise Associates and Split Rock Partners, … Continue reading “Acquia Adds $55M as World Goes Online”
Trinity’s Fred Wang on Thinking Outside the Silicon Valley Box
When it comes to investing in technology startups, anywhere beyond Silicon Valley is considered a “secondary market.” It’s just not possible to find a comparable density of super angel investors, venture capital firms, and tech startups anywhere else. Of the nearly $31 billion that venture firms have invested nationwide through the first half of 2015, … Continue reading “Trinity’s Fred Wang on Thinking Outside the Silicon Valley Box”
CRISPR Update Could Make Gene Edits Easier, Discoverers Say
The popular gene-editing system known as CRISPR/Cas9 has become an indispensable biological research tool, and it also holds profound therapeutic, environmental, ethical, and business implications. Now it has a cousin. Researchers at several institutions, including CRISPR/Cas9 pioneer Feng Zhang at the Broad Institute, have published a paper in the journal Cell describing a CRISPR system that … Continue reading “CRISPR Update Could Make Gene Edits Easier, Discoverers Say”
Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Engineered Propulsion, Scanalytics, & More
Here are some of the past week’s major headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —The CEO and CFO of Cambridge University Hospitals have stepped down amid financial pressures partly tied to a $300 million implementation of electronic health records software developed by Verona-based Epic Systems, according to British media reports and a note to … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Engineered Propulsion, Scanalytics, & More”
Dextro Refines Its Video Discovery Strategy with Sight, Sound & Motion
Just a few months after unveiling its software to analyze live video in real-time, Dextro is trying to up its game in the somewhat frothy video discovery sector. CEO and co-founder David Luan says his New York-based company took the wraps off a new service Thursday that helps businesses with extensive video libraries make their content discoverable. “We … Continue reading “Dextro Refines Its Video Discovery Strategy with Sight, Sound & Motion”
Rising Tide Fund Aims to Get More Women Comfortable with Investing
A new Silicon Valley-based angel fund meant to get women more comfortable with investing officially launched today with support from the Kauffman Foundation. The Rising Tide Fund employs a collaborative investing model, with nine seasoned women angel investors serving as advisers to 90 women—all accredited investors—from across the United States, who will be non-managing members … Continue reading “Rising Tide Fund Aims to Get More Women Comfortable with Investing”
TeamSnap to Add League Services, Double User Base After $10M Funding
TeamSnap has always done well at biding its time. The six-year-old Boulder, CO-based startup provides Web and mobile apps meant to help players, coaches, parents, and league officials, among many types of teams, manage everything from rosters to practices to game schedules. Rather than focusing on corporate partnerships or gaining users quickly for advertising purposes, TeamSnap … Continue reading “TeamSnap to Add League Services, Double User Base After $10M Funding”
Narvii Nabs $6.5M for Amino Apps Connecting Doctor Who, Anime Fans
[Updated 11:55 a.m. with CEO comments.] Narvii, the Techstars Boston alumni startup that runs Amino, a group of mobile app communities for people interested in everything from Harry Potter to makeup, has raised $6.5 million from investors, according to a new SEC filing. Boston-based Narvii has raised at least $8.3 million from investors since its 2011 founding, … Continue reading “Narvii Nabs $6.5M for Amino Apps Connecting Doctor Who, Anime Fans”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Gilead, Conatus, Exelixis, and More
Those of you who thought that DreamWorks’ Shrek franchise ended in 2010 with Shrek Ever After may have been surprised when a new installment played out over the past week with the big green ogre re-imagined as a former hedge-fund-manager-turned biotech executive. Martin Shkreli, CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, called down the wrath of the Twitter-verse … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Gilead, Conatus, Exelixis, and More”
Ahead of Rivals, Arrowhead Unveils Clinical Data for Hepatitis B Drug
Arrowhead Research (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) released data Thursday showing humans and chimpanzees treated with the company’s hepatitis B virus (HBV) candidate during Phase IIa clinical trials had significantly lower levels of antigens. Shares in the company opened at $9.01, up 33 percent from the previous day’s $6.74 closing price. (The company sent out a press release … Continue reading “Ahead of Rivals, Arrowhead Unveils Clinical Data for Hepatitis B Drug”
Surgical Robotics Serial Entrepreneur’s Stealth Startup Raises $149M
Most young companies that had raised close to $184 million over the last two years would be clamoring for press attention by now. But not Auris Surgical Robotics. The San Carlos, CA-based medical robotics company remained firmly in stealth mode as tech reporters learned via its SEC filing this week that it had raised $149.5 … Continue reading “Surgical Robotics Serial Entrepreneur’s Stealth Startup Raises $149M”
Exelixis Hires Three Veeps As Market Plans Loom For Two Drugs
San Francisco Bay Area biotech firm Exelixis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXEL]]) is bringing on board three new executives in anticipation of two drugs gaining FDA approval. The company, trying to turn around a bad run the past few years, as Xconomy wrote about in June, hired William Berg as senior VP of medical affairs, Jonathan Berndt as … Continue reading “Exelixis Hires Three Veeps As Market Plans Loom For Two Drugs”
Here’s What Convinced Me to Order a $2,000 Glowforge Laser Cutter
I haven’t told my daughters yet that we’re getting this new tool that has captured my imagination and will soon help them make their own toys—and who knows what else. But I just ordered a Glowforge laser cutter and engraver from the eponymous Seattle startup, and I have to say, I’m pretty excited. Disclosures: Even … Continue reading “Here’s What Convinced Me to Order a $2,000 Glowforge Laser Cutter”
Techstars Mobility Lures New Companies, Documentary Crew to Detroit
The Techstars Mobility accelerator program’s first cohort graduated earlier this month, and the demo day event held to showcase technologies the startups are working on also contained a few surprise announcements, including company updates and a new documentary in the works about the rise of Detroit’s entrepreneurial culture. Ted Serbinski, who manages the Techstars Mobility … Continue reading “Techstars Mobility Lures New Companies, Documentary Crew to Detroit”
Houston’s Wine4Me Gets First Taste of IBM Watson Developer Program
Navigating the scores of wines available on a trip to Napa Valley six years ago, Houston entrepreneur Amy Gross wondered why there wasn’t a more scientific way to pick the perfect glass. “If music can be characterized objectively like Pandora, why can’t wine?” says Gross, recalling a conversation with her husband. “Why do we have … Continue reading “Houston’s Wine4Me Gets First Taste of IBM Watson Developer Program”
Dallas-Based DriverUp Bolsters Lending Marketplace With $20M Series B
DriverUp, a Dallas, TX-based online market for investing in auto loans that launched in February, has received a $20 million Series B funding round that it plans to use to bolster its marketing and product development efforts. DriverUp provides investors access to loans used by consumers to buy cars. Those investors are typically groups such … Continue reading “Dallas-Based DriverUp Bolsters Lending Marketplace With $20M Series B”
Onshape Nabs $80M From Andreessen, Others for Mobile CAD Software
Hardware engineers designing and tweaking products with computer software have traditionally been chained to their desks. But like most industries, these employees are increasingly going mobile, using smartphones and tablets to complete their work. That requires new computer-aided design software that lives on the Web, allowing scattered colleagues to quickly share files and automatically update … Continue reading “Onshape Nabs $80M From Andreessen, Others for Mobile CAD Software”
AppDirect’s 4th Acquisition Brings IoT Scope To App Marketplace Maker
AppDirect, a growing San Francisco company that organizes marketplaces for Web-based software, said today it’s acquiring AppCarousel, which helps companies create app stores for connected cars, smartphones, and other elements of the Internet of Things. The acquisition, under undisclosed terms, adds to a recent growth surge for AppDirect, which announced a $50 million Series D … Continue reading “AppDirect’s 4th Acquisition Brings IoT Scope To App Marketplace Maker”
Stemina, Eyeing Boston VC, Launches Large Autism Diagnostic Study
With a new $2.7 million federal grant in hand, Stemina Biomarker Discovery has launched a 1,500-patient study of its experimental test to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder. According to the company, it’s the largest clinical trial ever of this type of autism test—one that measures residues in the blood called metabolites. Stemina, a Madison, … Continue reading “Stemina, Eyeing Boston VC, Launches Large Autism Diagnostic Study”
Everyone Counts Gets $20M Vote of Confidence for Electoral Tech
San Diego-based Everyone Counts, founded to provide secure, software-as-a-service voting systems that eliminate the need for outdated voting machines or paper ballots, has raised $4 million from investors in a round led by Draper Associates, the venture firm based in Menlo Park, CA. The company also raised $16 million in a mezzanine debt round led … Continue reading “Everyone Counts Gets $20M Vote of Confidence for Electoral Tech”
Shkreli Implodes And Provides Hillary A Perfect Medicare Moment
It was already a good political time for Hillary Clinton to unveil her plan to control the cost of prescription drugs. Martin Shkreli made it perfect. As you’ve probably heard by now, the front-running Democratic candidate Clinton on Tuesday outlined about a dozen ways she would aim to alter the American healthcare landscape if elected … Continue reading “Shkreli Implodes And Provides Hillary A Perfect Medicare Moment”
Does Wall Street Combined With Silicon Alley Equal a “New” New York?
Where are we now, New York? Bracing for a tech bubble bursting? Blooming into maturity as a tech hub? Too busy working on code in the lobby of the Ace Hotel to really care? There are different views on where New York fits in the grander innovation landscape, from wannabe to the toast of the … Continue reading “Does Wall Street Combined With Silicon Alley Equal a “New” New York?”
Seattle 2035: Innovators Kelman, Etzioni, Hood, & More Tackle Big Questions
What’s your vision for Seattle 20 years from now? What will it take to continue the region’s tradition of innovation, and to develop and tap everyone’s talent? What are the big technology changes and investment opportunities? How do we remake Seattle as not just a smart city, but one that’s wise and resilient? These are … Continue reading “Seattle 2035: Innovators Kelman, Etzioni, Hood, & More Tackle Big Questions”
Roundup: Arboretum Ventures, NEI, U-M, Pegasystems, MTRAC & More
What’s cooking in Michigan’s innovation ecosystem? A lot, this time of year. Here’s a look at news from around the state: —Arboretum Ventures, the Ann Arbor-based healthcare venture capital firm, has closed its fourth fund, with commitments totaling $220 million. This nearly doubles the firm’s capital under management to $450 million. According to the firm, … Continue reading “Roundup: Arboretum Ventures, NEI, U-M, Pegasystems, MTRAC & More”
New Frontiers: Space Tech Ecosystem Begins to Grow Around Spaceport
An incubator designed to boost space tech startups could be operating in Houston in as soon as two years. The incubator would be one part of the planned Spaceport to be located at Houston’s Ellington Field, the 10th such facility in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration gave the former U.S. Air Force base … Continue reading “New Frontiers: Space Tech Ecosystem Begins to Grow Around Spaceport”
SevOne’s $50M the Latest VC Bet on New England IT Infrastructure Firms
Big dollars continue to pour into New England tech companies that help enterprises manage the flood of data that has become the norm with the rise of mobile apps and cloud computing. The latest recipient is Boston-based SevOne, which today announced a $50 million Series C round led by Westfield Capital Management and Bain Capital … Continue reading “SevOne’s $50M the Latest VC Bet on New England IT Infrastructure Firms”
Badger Fund of Funds Leader: Small Ball Is Best Way to Play
Ken Johnson, one of Wisconsin’s most successful venture capitalists, says a recent investment he’s proud of is buying season tickets for the Chicago Cubs. Seat prices at Wrigley Field, the team’s home ballpark, have shot up as the Cubs try to extend their surprising season into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Johnson’s plan for … Continue reading “Badger Fund of Funds Leader: Small Ball Is Best Way to Play”
12 San Diego Tech Startups to Watch in 2016—and One Still in Stealth Mode
Software is making a comeback in San Diego. It’s not exactly a sea change. But there are more companies now, more investments—and investors—and more startup activity than there was even a few years ago, when a lack of direction in the tech sector here led to unflattering comparisons to the horse latitudes. Some of San … Continue reading “12 San Diego Tech Startups to Watch in 2016—and One Still in Stealth Mode”