As we noted earlier this week, it’s seemed a little quiet on the venture capital deals front so far this year. Washington saw the lowest number of VC deals in the first quarter since 1996, though many of those companies that did get funding collected bigger rounds. The picture didn’t change much this week. Here … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: MediaPro, LiveStories, Porch.com, SpaceView”
Category: National
Four Midwestern Startups Win Global Auto Tech Contest at SAE Congress
As part of the SAE World Congress held in Detroit this week, the seventh annual Global Automotive Innovation Challenge was held in partnership with the MIT Alliance of Michigan and NextEnergy. The goal of the challenge was to bring new innovations to the industry, which has a notoriously long and often secretive product development cycle. … Continue reading “Four Midwestern Startups Win Global Auto Tech Contest at SAE Congress”
Interactive Brokers Buys Online Money Manager Covestor
Covestor, an online money manager, is being acquired by electronic trading broker Interactive Brokers Group for an undisclosed sum. People who invest using Covestor can shop around the company’s website, which lists various money managers and traders who run investment portfolios, for a grouping of investments with returns they like. When a user selects an … Continue reading “Interactive Brokers Buys Online Money Manager Covestor”
Head-Scratching VC Data
Grinding through all of the 1Q15 investment data does not necessarily provide additional clarity as to where the private capital markets are heading. The number of new venture capital funds declined markedly from the torrid pace set in 2014 but new investment activity continue to crush it. Clearly non-VCs are still piling into the early … Continue reading “Head-Scratching VC Data”
Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More
Here’s a collection of recent announcements from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Cellular Dynamics International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICEL]]) has reached a proposed settlement in three similar class-action lawsuits challenging the Madison-based company’s proposed $307 million sale to Tokyo-based Fujifilm, according to an SEC filing. The lawsuits alleged that Cellular Dynamics’s sale process was flawed and that … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Forum, Crossovers, Immuno-Oncology & More
It was marathon Monday this week in Boston, but East Coast biotech executives were running around all week. There was a big cancer meeting in Philadelphia, a neurology shindig in Washington DC, and a liver conference that just kicked off in Europe. And the usual spate of financings and deals for a bunch of local … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Forum, Crossovers, Immuno-Oncology & More”
NetSuite Boosts Commerce, Marketing Offerings With $200M Bronto Deal
Seeking to bring together commerce tools and marketing capabilities in a single cloud-based software offering, NetSuite is acquiring marketing software company Bronto Software in a $200 million cash and stock deal. The software platform of Bronto, a privately held Durham, NC, company, automates marketing campaigns and provides tools and analytics intended to help its customers … Continue reading “NetSuite Boosts Commerce, Marketing Offerings With $200M Bronto Deal”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Juno, Genervon, Tekmira, DNANexus & More
The West Coast this week is home to news about a new immuno-oncology combination, a tiny step forward in Ebola, and a whole lot of hullabaloo over a tiny L.A. biotech developing a drug for Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Let’s get to the roundup. —Juno Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:JUNO]]) of Seattle and the AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Juno, Genervon, Tekmira, DNANexus & More”
Aerie Craters As Glaucoma Drug Comes up Short in Phase 3
Aerie Pharmaceuticals revealed this afternoon the first results from a group of late-stage trials for its glaucoma drug, and unfortunately for the Bedminster, NJ-based company, they don’t look pretty. The drug, known as Rhopressa, failed the primary goal of Aerie’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AERI]]) study. It didn’t do a better job of lowering intra-ocular pressure than timolol, … Continue reading “Aerie Craters As Glaucoma Drug Comes up Short in Phase 3”
SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public
SnowShoe, a startup founded in Wisconsin, continues trying to make its mark. This week, it announced the release of new software it says will let anyone “build digital experiences” out of real-world toys. It also announced investors have pumped $1 million into the business. SnowShoe makes what it calls “clever pieces of plastic” that interact … Continue reading “SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public”
Fun Was the Goal, But Learning Sneaks Up On Teen Game Developer
Harrison Yuan, the bright 12-year-old child of two professionals in San Francisco, was destined to attend the city’s private International High School. Then he found a website where he could spend hours playing the kind of online game called a “first-person-shooter.” One of the function keys on his computer now stood for a new command: … Continue reading “Fun Was the Goal, But Learning Sneaks Up On Teen Game Developer”
Houston 2035: War for Talent, Personalized Textbooks, & More
Are you ready for the Smackdown in H-town? The hunt for engineering talent by technology companies is brutal and two tech company CEOs—Gaurav Khandelwal at ChaiOne and Shion Deysarkar at Datafiniti—will bring their experiences on Houston’s strengths and weaknesses at the upcoming Houston 2035 conference May 21. In 2013, Deysarkar decided to move his company … Continue reading “Houston 2035: War for Talent, Personalized Textbooks, & More”
Mobile Marketer Swirl Networks Raises $18M as Ad Beacons Beckon
Hilmi Ozguc, founder and CEO of Swirl Networks, has thought for years that wireless devices that push ads to shoppers’ smartphones while they shopped are the future of marketing and retail. Now, some of the most influential names in digital marketing and media seem to agree—including Twitter. Swirl, which is based in Boston, announced Thursday it … Continue reading “Mobile Marketer Swirl Networks Raises $18M as Ad Beacons Beckon”
Boston Angels Invest in Anti-Unicorn Apparel Company, Blank Label
Sick of those “unicorn” tech companies getting all the press? Well, Blank Label isn’t one of them. And that’s just fine with founder and CEO Fan Bi and his investors. Blank Label, which sells men’s clothing online and offline, has closed its first outside funding round: $1.1 million from a who’s who of young Boston-area … Continue reading “Boston Angels Invest in Anti-Unicorn Apparel Company, Blank Label”
San Diego’s Achates Power Opens Metro Detroit Office
After gaining market traction with its opposed-piston engine, San Diego-based Achates Power is opening an office in Farmington Hills, MI, the company announced this week. The company made the move to be close to Michigan’s automotive and defense industries, Achates CEO David Johnson said. “We wanted to be close to our customers, our supply base, … Continue reading “San Diego’s Achates Power Opens Metro Detroit Office”
Renewable Energy Efforts Take Root in North Carolina
With the growing season well underway, Sam Brake’s attention is focused mainly on the fields where he sees North Carolina’s biofuel future. The Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University jointly run 18 agricultural research stations statewide that test various crops in different soil and climate conditions. Brake, an agricultural program specialist with the … Continue reading “Renewable Energy Efforts Take Root in North Carolina”
Thought Industries Rides Edtech Wave, Merges Learning and E-Commerce
Online education is rapidly seeping into other, larger business sectors. LinkedIn’s $1.5 billion acquisition of Lynda.com is a leading example of edtech merging with professional networking and services. Earlier this month in Boston, textbook retailer and educational finance company Valore acquired Boundless, a maker of digital learning materials for college courses. Meanwhile, big publishers like … Continue reading “Thought Industries Rides Edtech Wave, Merges Learning and E-Commerce”
Crossovers Arm Jounce With $56M For “Next Step” Immuno-Oncology
There’s an immuno-oncology frenzy going on in biotech, but with a lot of attention comes competition. Plenty of companies will be left out when all is said and done. That’s why Cambridge, MA-based Jounce Therapeutics is trying to think a step ahead, and find some places in the field that aren’t as crowded as of … Continue reading “Crossovers Arm Jounce With $56M For “Next Step” Immuno-Oncology”
Doctors’ Views on Connected Health Depend on How Old They Are
Two-thirds of U.S. doctors age 40 and under believe a fully connected healthcare environment will be achieved within the next five years. For those over 40, though, the proportion falls to 39 percent—and they just might be laughing at the younger generation’s naiveté. That’s one of my takeaways from a new study by MedData Group, … Continue reading “Doctors’ Views on Connected Health Depend on How Old They Are”
Innovation Grants and Unsung Life Sciences Startups of San Diego
It comes as no surprise that federal grants for innovative research or technology transfer have become a lifeline for many early stage life sciences startups in the San Diego area. What may be surprising, though, is the extent of such funding, and the number of local biotech and medical device companies that have gotten Small … Continue reading “Innovation Grants and Unsung Life Sciences Startups of San Diego”
To Find Combos, Presage Debuts Drug-Test Device In Cancer Patients
Fighting cancer often comes down to finding the right combination of drugs. But it’s difficult, impractical, and even unsafe to test ever-growing permutations of those cocktails. Presage Biosciences has been working for seven years on a new way to efficiently test anti-cancer combinations. Today the Seattle biotech reported in Science Translational Medicine that its unusual … Continue reading “To Find Combos, Presage Debuts Drug-Test Device In Cancer Patients”
3D Printing Tries on New Colors: A Chat with MakerBot CEO Jaglom
We are witnessing a shift towards more desktop 3D printing, at least from Jonathan Jaglom’s perspective. “What we see is a transition from the higher end to the desktop 3D printing space,” he said. “The paradigm of 3D printing is shifting from the professional platform to the personal platform.” The newly minted CEO of Brooklyn-based … Continue reading “3D Printing Tries on New Colors: A Chat with MakerBot CEO Jaglom”
Napa Summit 2015: Request Your Invite to Xconomy’s Most Elite Event
What are the forces shaping our innovation future—and who are the leaders who will build it? We can’t promise all the answers, but we can promise an unusually intimate and inspiring discussion of such questions at Xconomy’s most unique and exclusive event. It’s called the Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth—and … Continue reading “Napa Summit 2015: Request Your Invite to Xconomy’s Most Elite Event”
MIT Media Lab’s Joi Ito on the Future of Design, Learning & Science
Joi Ito was named director of the famous MIT Media Lab in 2011. He was not your run of the mill choice. Largely self-taught computer scientist. Former chairman of Creative Commons and a strong open source advocate. Disc jockey, nightclub entrepreneur, tech investor (Kickstarter and Twitter are among the deals he took part in). Two-time … Continue reading “MIT Media Lab’s Joi Ito on the Future of Design, Learning & Science”
Database Booster Deep Information Grabs $8M For Boston Move
If there’s a capital for database companies, it’s Boston. The city is home to dozens of businesses working in the sector, from those helping customers analyze and make predictions from their own business data (consider RapidMiner) to the various operations seeking to improve transactional database systems (such as ScaleBase and VoltDB). Now add one more … Continue reading “Database Booster Deep Information Grabs $8M For Boston Move”
Dunsire, Forum Pharma Look Beyond Fidelity For Big Alzheimer’s Push
Alzheimer’s disease is a minefield for drug developers. Despite billions of dollars invested by biotechs and pharmaceutical companies, a number of programs have blown up in clinical testing over the past decade. Can a star CEO march the rechristened Forum Pharmaceuticals through that treacherous terrain? Since July 2013, Forum has been helmed by Deborah Dunsire, … Continue reading “Dunsire, Forum Pharma Look Beyond Fidelity For Big Alzheimer’s Push”
PowerMoves@Detroit Sees Fertile Ground to Seed Inclusive Innovation
Last week, the sprawling Techweek conference took over Detroit, and amidst the roster of activities, tech-celeb speakers, and after-parties, I was most impressed with the PowerMoves@Detroit event held downtown. PowerMoves@Detroit, which was sponsored by Morgan Stanley and hosted by Invest Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), showcased local and nationally recruited minority entrepreneurs participating … Continue reading “PowerMoves@Detroit Sees Fertile Ground to Seed Inclusive Innovation”
Cybersecurity Experts: Internet of Things Punches Holes in Web Defense
Webcams may guard our homes against burglars, and Fitbits may protect us against the flab we’d put on without exercising. But the proliferation of such connected devices is also perforating the Web with millions of holes that hackers can drive through, network security experts reported as the annual RSA Conference on cybersecurity got under way … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Experts: Internet of Things Punches Holes in Web Defense”
Techstars NYC Firms Up Its Technology Muscles in Latest Class
Brad Feld, a Techstars co-founder, did not mince words when he grabbed the microphone at demo day. “I think this Techstars class is the most technically deep Techstars class that I’ve seen,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible to see it here in New York City.” That was his assessment of the winter 2015 class of … Continue reading “Techstars NYC Firms Up Its Technology Muscles in Latest Class”
ImmuneXcite Enlists Body’s First Defender for Immune Attack on Cancer
Immuno-oncology is all the rage these days, and it’s easy to see why. Breakthroughs in harnessing the power of our body’s natural defenses are unlocking new ways to fight cancer, and producing some of the most promising results the field has seen to date. But it’s not as if someone has magically cracked the code … Continue reading “ImmuneXcite Enlists Body’s First Defender for Immune Attack on Cancer”
Spirox Inhales $18.5M to Advance Nasal Surgery Device
Spirox, a Menlo Park, CA-based medical device company, has raised $18.5 million to commercialize a device meant to make a portion of surgeries that repair nasal obstructions less invasive. The company raised the Series B round from East Coast venture capital firms Venrock and Aisling Capital, as well as existing investors Aperture Venture Partners, Correlation … Continue reading “Spirox Inhales $18.5M to Advance Nasal Surgery Device”
Gene Therapy Upstart Dimension Nabs $65M From “Crossover” Backers
The race is on to be the first to market with a gene therapy for hemophilia. And one of the entrants just got a big round of funding in what looks like a prelude to an initial public offering. Cambridge, MA-based Dimension Therapeutics has raised a $65 million Series B round from a group of … Continue reading “Gene Therapy Upstart Dimension Nabs $65M From “Crossover” Backers”
Raleigh-Durham Roundup: Scynexis, Contego Medical, Argos, & More
Here are the week’s headlines in North Carolina biotech news: —Scynexis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SCYX]]) is raising $30 million through a secondary stock offering largely to finance clinical trials for its lead drug, an antifungal. The offering boosts the Durham, NC, company’s cash reserves. In a securities filing, the company said its cash and cash equivalents totaled … Continue reading “Raleigh-Durham Roundup: Scynexis, Contego Medical, Argos, & More”
Intel, Edico Genome Working to Speed Analysis of Genomic Data
As some 3,000 experts in genomics and bioinformatics gather in Boston this morning for the opening of the 2015 Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, San Diego’s Edico Genome announced it has forged a partnership with Intel to accelerate data analysis of next-generation genome sequencing technologies. Edico Genome was founded two years ago to address a bottleneck … Continue reading “Intel, Edico Genome Working to Speed Analysis of Genomic Data”
With Fresh $14M, Tal Seeks Answers About Magnetic Depression Relief
The first antidepressant drugs were discovered by happenstance in the 1950s when experimental tuberculosis treatments unexpectedly brightened patients’ moods. Happy accidents have happened in the medical device field, too, and Tal Medical of Boston has reeled in $14 million in Series B funding to push one forward. Tal is developing a treatment for severe depression … Continue reading “With Fresh $14M, Tal Seeks Answers About Magnetic Depression Relief”
Washington Companies Score Fewer But Larger Venture Rounds in Q1
If it seemed a little quiet in venture capital investing around here so far this year, that’s because Washington state saw the fewest deals during the first quarter since 1996. But investors bet more money on the 19 companies that did close funding rounds during the first three months of 2015. Venture capitalists put just … Continue reading “Washington Companies Score Fewer But Larger Venture Rounds in Q1”
Alnylam RNAi Drug Holds Up After Year of Treatment in Small Study
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals been saying for a few years now that its lead RNA interference drug can reduce the levels of a protein responsible for a rare, crippling nerve condition known as familial amyoidotic neuropathy, or FAP. But knocking down, or “silencing” genes that create harmful proteins isn’t enough to prove that a drug works. In … Continue reading “Alnylam RNAi Drug Holds Up After Year of Treatment in Small Study”
Kid-Themed Wearable Wins Top Prize in Rice Student Startup Contest
KiLife Tech, a Brigham Young University student startup, won the grand prize in this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition. The startup makes a smartband for children aged 18 months to seven, which buzzes and rings should the child wander beyond a designated distance set by the parents. The Kiband is connected to the parent’s smartphone … Continue reading “Kid-Themed Wearable Wins Top Prize in Rice Student Startup Contest”
Impinj Sells 10 Billion Chips, Unlocking Internet of Everyday Things
The real promise of the Internet of Things is connecting not just powered electronic devices, but the countless other everyday items that until recently have remained stubbornly isolated in the physical world. Impinj, a 15-year-old Seattle company, is doing just that with its radio frequency identification (RFID) technology—long in development and now finally achieving large-scale … Continue reading “Impinj Sells 10 Billion Chips, Unlocking Internet of Everyday Things”
Roundup: Improve Detroit, DTX, GM, Zagster, U-M Life Sci Institute
Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Detroiters, rejoice: The city recently released the new Improve Detroit app, which allows residents to report problems like potholes, illegal dumping, and water main breaks to city officials. The app also connects to the police department, the city’s bus system, and the water department. Users … Continue reading “Roundup: Improve Detroit, DTX, GM, Zagster, U-M Life Sci Institute”
Milestones of Innovation 5: Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar
Let’s hear it for Stephanie Kwolek, a determined, observant, and playful chemist who died last year at the age of 90. She is the inventor-heroine of an artificial fiber stronger than steel called kevlar, which has saved thousands of soldiers and policemen from fatal bullet wounds and is used in everything from cellphones to skis. … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 5: Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar”
Websense Sold to Raytheon for $1.9B, Fulfilling Vista Equity’s Plan
After more than a month of rumors that Austin, TX-based Websense and its private equity owners were looking for a buyer, Boston-area defense contractor Raytheon announced today it is acquiring the cybersecurity company in a $1.9 billion cash and debt deal. Raytheon offers customers, mostly governments and their militaries, products such as missile defense systems, … Continue reading “Websense Sold to Raytheon for $1.9B, Fulfilling Vista Equity’s Plan”
San Diego First-Quarter VC Funding Hits $270M & Top 10 Deals
Venture funding for software staged a comeback in San Diego during the first quarter, with investments classified as software deals accounting for nearly $110 million, or 40 percent of the $270 million that venture firms invested in the San Diego area, according to the latest MoneyTree Report. Of 19 venture deals in San Diego counted … Continue reading “San Diego First-Quarter VC Funding Hits $270M & Top 10 Deals”
Why Etsy’s IPO Could Silence Haters of the New York Tech Scene
Over and over, it seems technology startups in New York have to validate their existence to outsiders. Whether it is comparisons to the legacy of Silicon Valley or the depth of research in Boston, this city never measures up for some folks. Hecklers in the peanut gallery want to see big exits or companies go … Continue reading “Why Etsy’s IPO Could Silence Haters of the New York Tech Scene”
Edtech Companies Hail New Rival LinkedIn As Industry Catalyst
Are online education companies biting their nails now that their competitor Lynda.com is about to become part of Mountain View, CA-based LinkedIn, the dominant social media network for professionals? The big public company, with more than $2 billion in annual revenues, has a new mission to steer its members toward Lynda.com skills classes that might … Continue reading “Edtech Companies Hail New Rival LinkedIn As Industry Catalyst”
Innovation Hub: Which Companies Care About the Environment?
Transforming big businesses into green businesses might seem like a thorny process. But older, established companies like Ford have the potential to ignite a new generation of environmentally friendly products, according to Andrew Winston, author of The Big Pivot. By shifting their manufacturing process—like substituting aluminum for steel, as Ford has done—such companies are able … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Which Companies Care About the Environment?”
Cuban, Corcoran Invest in Haystagg to Boost Ad Targeting
In the highly competitive world of online advertising, every bit of information counts if it can lead to a better-targeted ad. Haystagg, a Boston-based company that tries to boost the performance of digital ads for advertisers and agencies, announced it has received $600,000 in funding from Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor and owner of the … Continue reading “Cuban, Corcoran Invest in Haystagg to Boost Ad Targeting”
Rice Business Plan Competition Adds ‘People’s Choice’ Award
As if a couple of million dollars in prizes weren’t enough, the Rice Business Plan Competition this year unveiled a reality-show style “People’s Choice” award. The voting for the $5,000 prize takes place on a special Facebook page; only one vote per customer, please. The polls close Saturday at 1 pm Central. As of mid-morning Friday, … Continue reading “Rice Business Plan Competition Adds ‘People’s Choice’ Award”
GreenLancer Snags $5 Million in New Investment, Plans Further Growth
GreenLancer, the Detroit-based contract solar design and permitting startup, announced this week that it has raised $5 million in a Series B round from a syndicate of new and returning investors. (For its 2013 Series B round, the company’s investors included BlueWater Angels, the Northern Michigan Angels, Start Garden, and the Detroit-based Bizdom accelerator.) The … Continue reading “GreenLancer Snags $5 Million in New Investment, Plans Further Growth”
Seattle Roundup: Cyber Liability, Gravity Payments, Poachable, Angels
Catch up on the latest offering from the Washington Technology Industry Association, a bold move made by Gravity Payments, funding for Poachable, and companies tapped for Northwest angel investment competition finals: —The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) is offering smaller companies an insurance policy to protect against damage resulting breaches of customer information. The Cyber … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: Cyber Liability, Gravity Payments, Poachable, Angels”