Sure, he’s in love with artful neck tattoos and outlandish facial hair right now. But that hipster at your favorite coffee bar down the street is going to get older, and a growing group of businesses are betting that his search for domestic bliss will be a profitable one. A wave of e-commerce companies has … Continue reading “Home & Baby Companies Plan To Profit as Millennials Settle Down”
Category: National
One-time Media Darling Sun Catalytix Acquired by Lockheed Martin
The trajectory of energy startup Sun Catalytix is enough to give anybody motion sickness. After five years of ups and downs, though, Lockheed Martin this week said it acquired Sun Catalytix’s assets and will explore using the company’s flow battery in energy projects. As part of a larger conglomerate, Cambridge, MA-based Sun Catalytix’s technology stands … Continue reading “One-time Media Darling Sun Catalytix Acquired by Lockheed Martin”
Drive Capital Didn’t Demand Aver Informatics Move, Investor Says
It was Aver Informatics’ idea to relocate the healthtech startup from Wisconsin to Ohio—not a demand by one of its lead investors. That’s according to Chris Olsen, co-founder of Columbus, OH-based Drive Capital, a $250 million, Midwest-focused venture capital fund that co-led an $8.5 million Series A investment in Aver in May. Three months later, … Continue reading “Drive Capital Didn’t Demand Aver Informatics Move, Investor Says”
StartX, QB3 Join Forces To Open A Palo Alto Bio Lab
The Palo Alto, CA-based nonprofit tech accelerator StartX has already grown a biomedical arm, called StartX Med. Now it’s adding laboratory space to its new headquarters in a joint effort with Bay Area incubator network and seed funder QB3. The new wet lab, dubbed StartX-QB3 Labs, is officially open this week and adds to the … Continue reading “StartX, QB3 Join Forces To Open A Palo Alto Bio Lab”
Data Meets Federer: How IBM and the US Open Mesh Tennis & Tech
Last night, while tennis star Roger Federer took Marinko Matosevic to school in Queens, IBM processed the data captured from the first serve to match point. It was one of many matches at the US Open tennis tournament being analyzed and visualized, for fans and the pros alike, through mobile apps and cloud-based technology. IBM … Continue reading “Data Meets Federer: How IBM and the US Open Mesh Tennis & Tech”
Mobile Development Startups Think Big, Rake in Big Rounds
The mobile app economy is thriving, but can startups make money—and IPO-style returns for investors—by supplying software to the developers who write those apps? A number of mobile upstarts are betting on it. San Francisco-based Xamarin last week pulled in $54 million in Series C financing, which it claims is the largest single round for … Continue reading “Mobile Development Startups Think Big, Rake in Big Rounds”
Open Data Can Help Government Be the Airbnb of Civic Services
Until recently, 99 percent of government data around the world was shrouded in darkness. It was trapped in a vault, gathering mold, and never saw the light of day. But the vibrant open data movement, which is taking hold on just about every continent, has begun to radically change this. Now, government data is being … Continue reading “Open Data Can Help Government Be the Airbnb of Civic Services”
U-M Impact Challenge Seeks to Help Detroit Kids Become Entrepreneurs
It’s their first week on campus—and for many, their first time in the United States—but that isn’t slowing down about 450 graduate students from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Tuesday marked the kick-off of the Impact Challenge, an annual immersive leadership development program that this year focuses on getting Detroit kids interested … Continue reading “U-M Impact Challenge Seeks to Help Detroit Kids Become Entrepreneurs”
Zuli Brings Smart Home to Your Pocket (via the Smartphone)
Zuli thinks the smart phone is the Trojan Horse for home automation. Now, it has seed funding to advance that idea. The San Francisco-based company today said it has raised $1.65 million from investors including Menlo Ventures, Winklevoss Capital, Logitech, DeNA, XG Ventures, and angel investors. With the money, Zuli will be able to expand … Continue reading “Zuli Brings Smart Home to Your Pocket (via the Smartphone)”
AirStrip Raises $25M to Expand into Home Health, Foreign Markets
AirStrip, a San Antonio, TX-based company integrating mobile health and IT technologies, has raised $25 million in a strategic funding round that includes new and existing investors. In a statement, AirStrip says the capital would be used to support the continued expansion of its AirStrip ONE mobile technology platform, introduce its technology to the home … Continue reading “AirStrip Raises $25M to Expand into Home Health, Foreign Markets”
Ibotta’s CEO Bryan Leach Opens Up About His Startup, Personal Pivot
Bryan Leach was in the middle of a glittering legal career. By the time he was in his early 30s, he’d graduated from Yale Law School, clerked for Supreme Court Justice David Souter, and become a partner at Bartlit Beck, a boutique law firm renowned for its commercial litigation practice. But inside the lawyer was … Continue reading “Ibotta’s CEO Bryan Leach Opens Up About His Startup, Personal Pivot”
San Diego Venture Group Names Mike Krenn as New President
The San Diego Venture Group is announcing a change in command. Mike Krenn, a veteran San Diego marketing and business development executive, is succeeding Dave Titus as president of the nonprofit business organization, which has worked in recent years to inject new energy to the startup ecosystem in San Diego. Krenn has worked for various … Continue reading “San Diego Venture Group Names Mike Krenn as New President”
ARCH Venture Exploits IPO Window To Raise $400M Fund, Its Eighth
Amid a boom in life science venture funding, ARCH Venture Partners has closed its eighth fund with more than $400 million in commitments, the firm announced Wednesday, and at least half of it is earmarked for one of the trickiest areas of innovation: emerging biomedical technology and therapeutics. The fund matches ARCH’s previous vehicle of … Continue reading “ARCH Venture Exploits IPO Window To Raise $400M Fund, Its Eighth”
Houston’s Bellicum Nets $55M to Boost Trials for Cancer Treatment
Houston biotech firm Bellicum Pharmaceuticals announced Wednesday it has raised $55 million in a Series C financing. Bellicum said 11 biotech and public mutual funds participated in the round, including RA Capital Management, Perceptive Advisors, Jennison Associates, and others. All of Bellicum’s previous investors, including AVG Ventures and Remeditex Ventures, joined in this fundraising as … Continue reading “Houston’s Bellicum Nets $55M to Boost Trials for Cancer Treatment”
Scanalytics, Stemina Among Wisconsin Innovation Awards Winners
Fast-growing vegetables that can be delivered by bicycle, a traveling truck providing free legal advice, and a breath-analyzing device for rapidly detecting infections were among the 10 winners of the inaugural Wisconsin Innovation Awards held Tuesday night in Madison. The winners were announced at a ceremony at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Union as part … Continue reading “Scanalytics, Stemina Among Wisconsin Innovation Awards Winners”
Coelacanths And Other IPO Thoughts Before The Autumn Markets Return
Ah, the final week of summer. Would that it could go on forever. And thanks for reading this on your mobile device with your toes in the sand. Just don’t forget to take a dip or toss a Frisbee when you’re done. No doubt many would like the current biotech IPO climate to stretch on … Continue reading “Coelacanths And Other IPO Thoughts Before The Autumn Markets Return”
Mustbin Gets New CEO, Looks to Build “the Opposite of Snapchat”
Two new words for the future of Boston consumer tech: Satyender Mahajan. Mahajan, who goes by Saty (SAH-tee), is one of the newest CEOs in the local technology scene. As of this month, he took the reins of Boston-based startup Mustbin from founder Brian Shin, who will stay on as chairman and an advisor but … Continue reading “Mustbin Gets New CEO, Looks to Build “the Opposite of Snapchat””
Weddington Way’s Ambition: Become the Amazon of Nuptials
When people weep at weddings, they’re mostly overcome with joy. But a few secret tears may also be shed by the bridesmaid who has shelled out $300 from her first-job wages for a dress that makes her look like a stuffed sausage—and a shiny, chartreuse one at that. As a Stanford MBA student in 2010, … Continue reading “Weddington Way’s Ambition: Become the Amazon of Nuptials”
Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, CSA Partners, 100state, & More
In this week’s installment of Wisconsin innovation headlines, startups are raising capital, co-working spaces are on the move, and a closely watched Madison life sciences company offers details about initial commercialization of its FDA-approved product: —Cellectar Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLRB]]) raised $13.5 million in its first public offering since moving to the Nasdaq stock exchange from … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, CSA Partners, 100state, & More”
Assurant Health Shutters In-House Startup Incubator Blue Bananas
Milwaukee-based insurer Assurant Health has shut down its in-house startup incubator, Blue Bananas, Xconomy has learned. Blue Bananas was launched in 2012 to come up with services that make healthcare more affordable, particularly for people with conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and arthritis. Assurant Health’s skunkworks crew produced at least a handful of concepts that … Continue reading “Assurant Health Shutters In-House Startup Incubator Blue Bananas”
HubSpot Files for IPO, On Pace for $100M in Revenue
Online marketing software company HubSpot is finally heading to the public stock markets, seeking a $100 million IPO after nine years as a private company. Cambridge, MA-based HubSpot made its stock sale ambitions public late Monday. The news wasn’t a surprise—HubSpot’s leaders have been aiming to take the company public for some time, and it has raised some … Continue reading “HubSpot Files for IPO, On Pace for $100M in Revenue”
MI Startup Wins Grant to Make Medical Devices for Developing World
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 80 percent of the world’s medical equipment is designed for only 10 percent of the population. After all, what’s the point of having the latest cutting-edge device if you live in the developing world without a steady source of electricity? However, Grand Rapids, MI-based med tech startup Sisu … Continue reading “MI Startup Wins Grant to Make Medical Devices for Developing World”
Video Chatting and Watching Gets a Social Makeover from Rabbit
Catching a video online is usually a solitary affair. One startup is hoping to turn that into a shared experience. The company, Redwood City, CA-based Rabbit, lets visitors to its website create video chat sessions with up to 10 friends or coworkers, where they can watch online media or collaborate on documents together. That can … Continue reading “Video Chatting and Watching Gets a Social Makeover from Rabbit”
“Plan” Versus “Vision” Entrepreneurs and How a VC Evaluates Startups
Since I first joined Mercury Fund in 2008, I’ve seen the ups (now) and downs (2009) of venture capital in just six years. Despite the wildly different environments, I’ve noticed that the types of pitches we get, and our responses to them, haven’t changed much. Although we have seen small changes to some of the … Continue reading ““Plan” Versus “Vision” Entrepreneurs and How a VC Evaluates Startups”
Roche To Pay $8.3B For Intermune: Who’s Next In Pulmonary Fibrosis?
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said Sunday it would buy Intermune (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ITMN]]) of Brisbane, CA, for $8.3 billion. It’s by far the high water mark of a growing wave in recent years of deals for drugs to treat pulmonary fibrosis, a deadly scarring of the lungs that often has no known cause. The idiopathic version—meaning … Continue reading “Roche To Pay $8.3B For Intermune: Who’s Next In Pulmonary Fibrosis?”
DraftKings Gets Bigger, Richer as Football Season Starts
If you run a fantasy-sports league, the start of the NFL season is like Christmas morning and New Year’s all rolled into one. If your business is based around paying fantasy players for their smarts, the stakes are even higher. Boston-based DraftKings is girding up for the new season in a big way today, announcing … Continue reading “DraftKings Gets Bigger, Richer as Football Season Starts”
BioKier Takes a Shot at a New Kind of Diabetes Drug
Diabetics know all too well that needle sticks are a routine part of managing their disease. Insulin injections have been part of the diabetes standard of care for decades. And in recent years, a new class of injectable drugs have emerged to help patients regulate their blood sugar levels. Chapel Hill, NC, drug developer BioKier … Continue reading “BioKier Takes a Shot at a New Kind of Diabetes Drug”
What I’ve Learned From 25 Years in the Tech Industry
Building and running a successful startup in America’s fiercely competitive tech industry is never easy. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution or manual for how to go about it. But as they say, experience is the best teacher. So it’s my pleasure to share with you some of my own experiences and observations in building and managing … Continue reading “What I’ve Learned From 25 Years in the Tech Industry”
VictorySpark, Revolution Labs in Holding Pattern, Seek Funding
As the leaders of Milwaukee’s Global Entrepreneurship Collective get ready to wrap up their summer accelerator for military veteran entrepreneurs this week, the program is entering a bit of a holding pattern. The Global Entrepreneurship Collective (GEC), run by entrepreneurs Greg Meier and Nick Wichert, operates two accelerators for early-stage startups: VictorySpark (formerly known as … Continue reading “VictorySpark, Revolution Labs in Holding Pattern, Seek Funding”
Quest for Electoral Innovation Leads to Online Voting for Emmys
Lori Steele-Contorer says she was attending a United Nations conference on technology with the likes of Bill Gates and Carly Fiorina in October 2003, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was first elected as governor of California in a special recall election. At that time, Steele-Contorer was at Solomon Smith Barney, managing a $200 million portfolio of technology … Continue reading “Quest for Electoral Innovation Leads to Online Voting for Emmys”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: NJ Blues, Genzyme, Amicus, Biogen & More
The late summer doldrums are here, and unsurprisingly, biotech news slowed to a crawl this week. Before you know it, Labor Day will be here, the pigskins will be flying, and the newswire will be humming again. But until then, I’m headed for a short break. Enjoy the last days of summer, everyone. Here’s your … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: NJ Blues, Genzyme, Amicus, Biogen & More”
Innovation Hub: Rise of the Nerds
I was labeled one. You probably were too. And now that we’re grown up, lots of us believe that being a “nerd” is actually a badge of honor. But David Anderegg, author of Nerds: How Dorks, Dweebs, Techies and Trekkies Can Save America and Why They Might Be Our Last Hope, argues that the nerd … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Rise of the Nerds”
Former Intern Takes General Catalyst to Task On Gender, Again
What happened after an MIT summer intern blogged about her sometimes-difficult experience as a woman in venture capital? Partners at Boston-based firm General Catalyst tried to find ways of spinning the news into something positive, but didn’t really address her concerns—and in one case, a partner burst into a meeting and launched into an angry, finger-pointing tirade, former intern Erica … Continue reading “Former Intern Takes General Catalyst to Task On Gender, Again”
Seattle Roundup: Algorithmia, Array, Intellectual Ventures, & More
This week, we’re tracking investments in Algorithmia, which is building a marketplace for algorithms, and Array Health Solutions, which powers health insurance marketplaces. Also, staff reductions at Intellectual Ventures, new hires at University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering, an integration deal between Airbiquity and Inrix, and finally, a story illustrating why UW’s head football … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: Algorithmia, Array, Intellectual Ventures, & More”
Texas Roundup: CPRIT, Saranas, SailPoint, Leto Solutions, Bearch
Here is the latest innovation news around Texas: —San Diego-based Curtana Pharmaceuticals is making the move to Texas after receiving a $7.2 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The agency, known as CPRIT, awarded 101 research, prevention, and product development grants totaling about $107 million on Wednesday. Curtana, which was … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: CPRIT, Saranas, SailPoint, Leto Solutions, Bearch”
New Milwaukee Startup Accelerator to Unite Universities, Corporations
Two Milwaukee-area entrepreneur support groups are forming a seed accelerator for students from multiple local universities. Startup Milwaukee and Innovation in Milwaukee, or MiKE, today announced The Commons, a new nonprofit initiative that they’re branding as an “industry-academic collaborative to accelerate ideas.” The program is still largely in the idea phase, and organizers must still … Continue reading “New Milwaukee Startup Accelerator to Unite Universities, Corporations”
MobileDay Raises $6.6M to Cut Enterprises’ Conference Call Bills
Pretty much everyone who has ever dialed into a conference call knows it’s a hassle to keep track of the numbers and to dial in, especially when away from the office. But they’d probably be surprised to learn just how costly conference calls are for their employers, especially if they work for a large multinational … Continue reading “MobileDay Raises $6.6M to Cut Enterprises’ Conference Call Bills”
Sakti3 Claims Breakthrough, a Sign of Life for Next-Gen Batteries
[Corrected, 9:35 pm.] Ask an engineer why we power our cars with gasoline rather than electric batteries and you’ll get a geeky answer: energy density. Said another way, gasoline holds far more energy in a given space than any battery ever has. Ann Arbor, MI-based Sakti3 yesterday published test results that show its battery has … Continue reading “Sakti3 Claims Breakthrough, a Sign of Life for Next-Gen Batteries”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Ebola, Mapp, Tekmira, ViaCyte & More
Big news this morning: two Americans treated with an experimental Ebola treatment have recovered and are now out of the hospital. (A third person, a Spaniard, who received the treatment unfortunately did not recover.) Meanwhile, the Ebola epidemic continues—more than 1,300 people have died—and with it comes fear and rage. In the U.S., potential cases … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Ebola, Mapp, Tekmira, ViaCyte & More”
Tissue Regeneration Systems to Collaborate with J&J, DePuy Synthes
Earlier this summer, Johnson & Johnson Innovation and DePuy Synthes Products announced a new collaboration with Plymouth, MI-based Tissue Regeneration Systems (TRS) to help develop patient-specific, resorbable bone implants. (That means implants that can be broken down by the body after an interval of time passes.) Last week, TRS celebrated the opening of its new … Continue reading “Tissue Regeneration Systems to Collaborate with J&J, DePuy Synthes”
Saranas is Building a “Check Engine Light” For Internal Bleeding
This year about 20 million patients in the U.S. will undergo a procedure in which a doctor will thread a catheter into a blood vessel to treat a cardiac ailment, say, or provide dialysis or chemotherapy. But in five percent of these “vascular-access procedures,” the catheter accidentally punctures the vessel, causing a slow leak of … Continue reading “Saranas is Building a “Check Engine Light” For Internal Bleeding”
How to Fund an Atomic Startup
Within the course of two weeks, three nuclear power startups said they received funding from venture investors—a remarkable occurrence given the prevailing wisdom that capital-intensive energy companies are not a good fit for venture capital. Nuclear power startups Helion Energy and UPower Technologies said they received backing from Bay Area incubator Y Combinator, which funded … Continue reading “How to Fund an Atomic Startup”
Join Us For “Boston’s Life Science Disruptors” on Oct. 8
Perhaps the biggest story in biotech over the past few years has been the resurrected IPO window. Since the start of 2013, more than 120 biotechs have taken the leap from private to public. And this year alone, even despite some jittery moments in the market, Massachusetts has already set a record pace for life … Continue reading “Join Us For “Boston’s Life Science Disruptors” on Oct. 8”
What’s After Big Data? Niche Analytics, Data Wrangling, Smart Storage
Big data is a “hackneyed term,” said Michael Stonebraker. “I try hard not to use it.” It was wintertime when I sat down with a few database experts in Boston to talk shop. Stonebraker, an MIT professor and entrepreneur, is one of those graybeards who was working in big data long before it was called … Continue reading “What’s After Big Data? Niche Analytics, Data Wrangling, Smart Storage”
JMI Equity Raises $1B for New Fund, Still Riding IT Spending Surge
JMI Equity, the private equity firm that specializes in software deals, says it has raised $1 billion in committed capital for its eighth growth equity fund—its biggest ever—and plans to keep on investing in growing companies with proven business models. “The business-to-business economy is pretty healthy,” Paul Barber, JMI Equity managing general partner said by … Continue reading “JMI Equity Raises $1B for New Fund, Still Riding IT Spending Surge”
Boston Considering New Regulations for Airbnb, Similar Sites
The rise of home-rental services like Airbnb has been hailed as a revolution for travelers and homeowners alike—a leading example of the “sharing economy,” letting everyday people save money on rentals and profit from their underused property. Local government, however, has been dealing with the complaints that inevitably come when a residential home is turned into an ad-hoc rental business. And they’re also not … Continue reading “Boston Considering New Regulations for Airbnb, Similar Sites”
Boston Bans Haystack, Nixing Companies That Profit from Public Roads
[Updated 1:50 pm to add details, document.] Parking-search app Haystack has been banned in Boston, and any other companies that want to follow in its footsteps will face a similar fate. The City Council voted Wednesday to ban private companies that try to make money by selling or leasing public roadways without the city’s permission. The new ordinance takes … Continue reading “Boston Bans Haystack, Nixing Companies That Profit from Public Roads”
U-M Launches New Accelerator Open to All Michigan Startups
The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and College of Engineering have teamed up to launch the Desai Family Accelerator, which will help support early-stage ventures with mentorship and financial resources. Plus, there’s a twist: Despite being backed by U-M, the accelerator is open to any Michigan startup. “They don’t have to have a … Continue reading “U-M Launches New Accelerator Open to All Michigan Startups”
Siluria Bags $30M from Saudi Aramco for Natural-Gas-to-Gasoline Tech
Many startups are seeking to take advantage of cheap and abundant natural gas to make chemicals and fuels, but Siluria Technologies is one of the few moving to large-scale production. The San Francisco-based company today said that Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures has invested $30 million of a planned $50 million Series D round expected to … Continue reading “Siluria Bags $30M from Saudi Aramco for Natural-Gas-to-Gasoline Tech”
With Persistence And Phase 3 Win, Amicus Nears First Drug Approval
Amicus Therapeutics was on the ropes in late 2012 when its pill for a rare condition called Fabry Disease failed a late-stage trial. It had already put seven years of work into the drug, and the setback added even more development time and uncertainty to the mix. But the Cranbury, NJ-based company kept plugging away, … Continue reading “With Persistence And Phase 3 Win, Amicus Nears First Drug Approval”