Category: National

Boston 2034 Predictions: Data, Policy, & Healthcare on the Horizon

What will Boston’s innovation sector—and the region itself—look like in 20 years? More importantly, what will it take to keep New England ahead of the pack in an increasingly global competition? Those are among the big questions we’re tackling next week at Xconomy’s biggest event yet: Boston 2034, an all-day conference featuring some of the … Continue reading “Boston 2034 Predictions: Data, Policy, & Healthcare on the Horizon”

U-M Student Startup Seelio Acquired by PlattForm

Three years ago, the University of Michigan student startup Seelio began on a kitchen table in Ann Arbor as a prototype website to help students better tell the story of their academic achievements. This week, Seelio announced it has been acquired by PlattForm, a Kansas-based company specializing in academic program support, career preparation, marketing, and … Continue reading “U-M Student Startup Seelio Acquired by PlattForm”

In Crowded Field, Cariloop Helps Families Find Care for Elders

As our population ages, more and more of us must grapple with the question: What’s the best way to take care of Mom and Dad? One Dallas area medtech startup says it can help us wade through the tens of thousands of available options. Michael Walsh, co-founder and CEO of Cariloop, a healthtech startup based … Continue reading “In Crowded Field, Cariloop Helps Families Find Care for Elders”

Boston Tech Roundup: Invaluable, DataMi, Acquia, XebiaLabs

[Updated 4:20 pm] A quartet of deals, from fundraising to acquisition, to wrap up the week around the Boston-area innovation sector: —Invaluable, a Boston-based online marketplace for auction houses, has raised $33.75 million. The Series D round was led by Insight Venture Partners, and included previous investors Ascent Venture Partners and Commonwealth Capital Ventures. The company … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Invaluable, DataMi, Acquia, XebiaLabs”

Innovation Hub: Businesses Know You’re Biased

Who’s better at math? Women or men? Studies show that both men and women believe men are better at math, even when data indicates otherwise. To understand why we have these biases—and why businesses think that getting rid of them will help the bottom line—I sat down with Harvard professor Mahzarin Banaji (pictured), the co-author … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Businesses Know You’re Biased”

If Tesla Made Bike Lights, They’d Look Like This; The Story of Sparse

Hardware is Silicon Valley’s new religion. At maker spaces like TechShop, hardware startup accelerators like HAXLR8R and Lemnos Labs, and conferences like O’Reilly Media’s Solid, there’s one overriding article of faith: that bits and atoms aren’t so different after all. Just as the cost and complexity of starting a software company has drastically declined over … Continue reading “If Tesla Made Bike Lights, They’d Look Like This; The Story of Sparse”

West Coast Biotech Roundup: NanoString, Sequenom/Agena, CIRM, & More

In the life sciences, much of the attention was focused in the past week on the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago. We’ll have a separate roundup of that news, starring West Coasters and everyone else in Xconomy’s coverage areas. Happily for this roundup, however, there was plenty of non-ASCO activity in San … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: NanoString, Sequenom/Agena, CIRM, & More”

Starting Unicorn Companies: Tableau Software

Last November, Ailene Lee wrote a post on TechCrunch entitled Welcome To The Unicorn Club: Learning From Billion-Dollar Startups. In it, she offered a list of companies that have had billion-dollar exits, and analyzed some of the common threads. I would like to look at some of the “unicorn” companies that she identified, as well … Continue reading “Starting Unicorn Companies: Tableau Software”

Seeds, Bees, and Startups: Scenes From The WI Entrepreneurs’ Conference

Another Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference has come and gone. The 12th annual installment, held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, featured plenty of rock stars in the state’s innovation scene, from representatives of hot startups like Propeller Health and EatStreet, to investors like Wisconsin Investment Partners and the Golden Angels Network. Gov. Scott Walker and … Continue reading “Seeds, Bees, and Startups: Scenes From The WI Entrepreneurs’ Conference”

Boston 2034: Three More Predictions for the Future of Innovation

We’re less than a week away from Xconomy’s biggest, boldest event yet: Boston 2034, an in-depth exploration of the next 20 years of innovation in New England. This all-day event features a dynamic program of top-notch speakers discussing what it will take to keep the greater Boston area a leader in software, hardware, energy, education, healthcare, … Continue reading “Boston 2034: Three More Predictions for the Future of Innovation”

Banza Wins Project Startup Live’s Detroit Pitch Competition

The national spotlight was shining on Detroit’s entrepreneurial ecosystem yesterday as A&E and the crowdfunding website RocketHub were in town for Project Startup Live, a series of entrepreneurship forums held across the country in partnership with Comcast Business. The series began in Wasatch Front, UT, on May 20 before stopping in the Motor City this … Continue reading “Banza Wins Project Startup Live’s Detroit Pitch Competition”

Accelerate LI Seeds First Batch of Biotech, Cleantech Startups

After a few years of organizing and bringing together local VC firms, picking an investment philosophy, and sifting through pitches from hopeful startups, Accelerate Long Island has selected its first companies to seed. Accelerate LI, the broad, non-profit initiative to commercialize research out of Long Island’s research institutions, and its strategic funding partner, the Long … Continue reading “Accelerate LI Seeds First Batch of Biotech, Cleantech Startups”

Montage Adds $6M to Help Clients Interview Job Seekers by Video

Montage Talent, a Delafield, WI-based provider of video interviewing technology for businesses, has raised $6 million in a Series C round that will boost product development and accelerate its growth internationally. The round was led by Beringea, a private equity firm based near Detroit, which invested $4 million. Participants included all the investors from Montage’s … Continue reading “Montage Adds $6M to Help Clients Interview Job Seekers by Video”

With “This American Life,” a Big Bet on Digital Pays Off for PRX

If you were making a Mount Rushmore of public radio, Ira Glass would definitely be carved in stone. So when the creator and host of the iconic program This American Life announced that he’d found a new company to distribute his show to radio stations nationwide, the media world took notice.  Under the new deal, … Continue reading “With “This American Life,” a Big Bet on Digital Pays Off for PRX”

Microsoft Hosts Chat in New York About Making Design More Human

There is no question anymore; Microsoft wants to prove it can design technology for appeal and function alike. Last night in New York, the company held a private gathering to let a few of its designers talk about their tradecraft. Microsoft admitted it has not been known as a design diva, but in recent years … Continue reading “Microsoft Hosts Chat in New York About Making Design More Human”

Its First Drug in Clinic, Kineta Keeps Raising Cash from Odd Sources

Seattle biotech company Kineta keeps adding to its fundraising pool in unexpected ways. The firm announced Thursday it has raised the first part of a $10 million round [corrected 6/5/14, 4:55 pm] from a group of companies that also happen to be its drug development partners. Kineta has leaned on nontraditional investors and other funding … Continue reading “Its First Drug in Clinic, Kineta Keeps Raising Cash from Odd Sources”

Indiegogo’s Danae Ringelmann on Crowdfunding as Market Research

On the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo right now, there’s a campaign for a product called the New Matter Mod-t. It’s one of the first low-price 3D printers designed as a home appliance, allowing consumers to print their own craft items at home. (The New Matter video shows objects like towel holders, refrigerator magnets and pencil holders.) … Continue reading “Indiegogo’s Danae Ringelmann on Crowdfunding as Market Research”

Not All Entrepreneurs Are Young

Most of the famous entrepreneurs we hear about are fairly young. We tend to read in the popular press about the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world and assume that all successful entrepreneurs launch businesses in their 20s. However, this couldn’t be further from reality. Recent studies show that older entrepreneurs are increasing while the number … Continue reading “Not All Entrepreneurs Are Young”

RNA Therapeutics Are Here to Stay

Over the past year, we’ve witnessed the biotech bull market expand, deflate and expand again—specifically in relation to RNA-based therapeutic companies. The innovators in the space have increased and decreased their investment levels in the technology, leaving investors, the media, and some in the scientific community wondering which way the pendulum will ultimately swing. In … Continue reading “RNA Therapeutics Are Here to Stay”

West Coast Floating Wind Turbine Plan Gains Momentum, Funding

Seafarers and beachgoers know ocean winds blow strong and often. Wind energy developers know it, too. Hundreds of massive wind turbines already dot the seas around the U.K., Denmark, Germany and other countries—and developers are preparing to install the first U.S. offshore turbines in New England waters. That’s bringing a growing source of carbon-free—though still … Continue reading “West Coast Floating Wind Turbine Plan Gains Momentum, Funding”

Madison’s Elucent Medical Wins WI Governor’s Business Plan Contest

Elucent Medical’s device for improving breast cancer treatment might not hit the market for two years, but the idea and the team behind it showed enough promise to capture the grand prize in this year’s Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. Elucent beat out 12 other finalists in the annual competition run by the Wisconsin Technology … Continue reading “Madison’s Elucent Medical Wins WI Governor’s Business Plan Contest”

Cash-Strapped Ascent Solar Raises $6M to Continue Operations

Ascent Solar Technologies, a Thornton, CO-based manufacturer of thin-film photovoltaic modules, recently raised $6 million that will help the cash-strapped company continue operations, according to recent SEC filings. Ascent Solar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ASTI]]) was founded in 2005 and manufactures copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) photovoltaic modules on flexible and lightweight plastic films. The company believes the modules could succeed … Continue reading “Cash-Strapped Ascent Solar Raises $6M to Continue Operations”

New York Tech Meetup Calls for Action in Fight Over Net Neutrality

Last night’s New York Tech Meetup kicked off with a loud outcry to preserve net neutrality. Usually the monthly gathering dives right into tech demos from early stage innovators, but another matter took center stage this time. At stake is the level playing field, enforced by federal regulations, for companies of any size to reach … Continue reading “New York Tech Meetup Calls for Action in Fight Over Net Neutrality”

Boston Consumer Tech and 4 Views of the Future: A 2034 Preview

Will Boston ever be known for its consumer-tech companies? What could make that happen? And how do innovation leaders see technology and society evolving over the next 20 years? If you’re interested in these kinds of questions, you’re in luck. We are convening an all-star cast of business leaders across tech, life sciences, and energy … Continue reading “Boston Consumer Tech and 4 Views of the Future: A 2034 Preview”

Coming Soon to Detroit’s Blight Fight: People’s Property Dashboard

In January, Xconomy reported on the Motor City Mapping project to survey the city’s entire 139 square miles—nearly 400,000 parcels of land—and identify blighted properties in need of demolition. Back then, a team of about 200 surveyors hit the snowy streets and spent roughly two months crisscrossing the city, using an app to catalog each … Continue reading “Coming Soon to Detroit’s Blight Fight: People’s Property Dashboard”

Clovis Shares Tumble as Analysts Give Edge to Lung-Cancer Rival

It was an American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting to remember for Clovis Oncology, but not in a good way. The sudden fall of the Boulder-based drug company’s stock price was one of the most prominent stories to emerge from the conference, which was held in Chicago over the weekend. Clovis’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLVS]]) share price … Continue reading “Clovis Shares Tumble as Analysts Give Edge to Lung-Cancer Rival”

Madison Startup Fishidy To Reel In More Anglers With $1.5M Series A

Fishidy, a Madison, WI-based startup that built a mapping tool and social network for anglers, has raised $1.5 million in Series A funding from angel investors. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the news. Chicago-based Hyde Park Angels led the round, marking its first lead investment in a Wisconsin company, said Fishidy co-founder and CEO … Continue reading “Madison Startup Fishidy To Reel In More Anglers With $1.5M Series A”

Texas Deals: Austin Startups Gazzang, Phunware, Structured Polymers

Here is the latest technology and innovation deal news from Texas. —Austin, TX-based data-security software company Gazzang was acquired Tuesday by Cloudera, a big-data analytics company in Palo Alto, CA. Terms were not disclosed. Among Cloudera’s investors include chipmaker Intel. Gazzang, which will become the Cloudera Center for Security Excellence, was founded in 2008 and … Continue reading “Texas Deals: Austin Startups Gazzang, Phunware, Structured Polymers”

HappyGov, MoveMyMusic Take Top Prizes at Hack4Colorado Competition

Startups that want to make it easier for Denver residents to track requests for city services and for music teachers to evaluate students took home the top prizes from the annual Hack4Colorado hackathon last weekend. HappyGov and MoveMyMusic won the Open Pitch and the Nonprofit categories, respectively. Each team took home $1,000. Twenty teams competed … Continue reading “HappyGov, MoveMyMusic Take Top Prizes at Hack4Colorado Competition”

Labrys Turns Stalled Pfizer Program into $200M+ Teva Buyout

Labrys Biologics, a San Mateo, CA-based migraine drug company founded by a group of venture firms less than two years ago, is being snapped up by Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE: [[ticker:TEVA]]) in a deal that could be worth up to $825 million if things break right. Teva, the Israeli generics giant, will pay $200 million up … Continue reading “Labrys Turns Stalled Pfizer Program into $200M+ Teva Buyout”

Ad Analytics Provider Yieldex Expands Overseas with London Office

New York-based Yieldex said Monday it has opened an office in London, staffed with a couple of veterans of AOL Networks and the Rubicon Project. Yieldex is a provider of online ad analytics and forecasting for content publishers and advertisers. The company also runs a marketplace used to buy and sell targeted digital ads. In … Continue reading “Ad Analytics Provider Yieldex Expands Overseas with London Office”

University of California’s QB3 Takes On Medical Device Startups At New Incubator

Daniel Rosenman was remarkably fit and barely 50 last summer when he and his wife Christine Winoto began imagining what he’d do when he retired some day. As a veteran Bay area medical device engineer and consultant, Rosenman had already been donating time to help pediatricians develop new devices for sick children at UC San … Continue reading “University of California’s QB3 Takes On Medical Device Startups At New Incubator”

Three Key Workplace Policies that Startups Can’t Afford to Ignore

Most startups are focused on getting their business off the ground. As a result, they usually delay policy development until a later date. But here’s why it’s important to draft and implement certain policies right at the start of your business: Policies pre-empt and prevent misunderstandings between employees and employers about obligations and behavior at … Continue reading “Three Key Workplace Policies that Startups Can’t Afford to Ignore”

Innovation in Tijuana: Eager for the Future, Hampered by the Past

[Corrected 6/3/14, 10:05 am. See below.] One day last year, Oscar Franco, a Tijuana tech engineer, was taking a break from work and noticed an upcoming soccer match between Los Xolos, Tijuana’s team, and Monarcas, the team from the city of Morelia, Michoacan. With many friends in Morelia, Franco wondered how he might use an … Continue reading “Innovation in Tijuana: Eager for the Future, Hampered by the Past”

Microbiome Startup Seres Health Tabs Pharma Vet Pomerantz as CEO

Seres Health said Monday that Roger Pomerantz, an infectious disease expert who spent several years as a top Merck & Co. executive, is the startup’s new CEO, replacing David Berry. Cambridge, MA-based Seres is one of just a few venture-backed firms pursuing treatments based on emerging research on the human microbiome, the collection of trillions … Continue reading “Microbiome Startup Seres Health Tabs Pharma Vet Pomerantz as CEO”

Wisconsin Startup Investments Shrink, But Deal Flow Up in 2013

Wisconsin startups collected $128.3 million from investors last year, down 21 percent from the previous year’s haul. But the number of deals rose 16 percent, as 86 companies received funding. That’s according to this year’s Wisconsin Portfolio, a newly released report from the Wisconsin Technology Council and its Wisconsin Angel Network. The annual publication gathers … Continue reading “Wisconsin Startup Investments Shrink, But Deal Flow Up in 2013”

Detroit’s Locqus Gives Simple Mobile Tools to Contractors, Plumbers

There’s hardly a plumber, electrician, or contractor these days who doesn’t have a smartphone with them on service calls. But much of the software available for managing jobs and customers in the field is overly complicated and hopelessly outdated. That’s what gave serial entrepreneur Sandy Kronenberg the idea for his latest venture, Detroit-based Locqus, back … Continue reading “Detroit’s Locqus Gives Simple Mobile Tools to Contractors, Plumbers”

Blackboard CEO Jay Bhatt on the Global Future of Edtech

What does the head of one of the world’s biggest edtech companies, Blackboard, think about the future of education? First, you should know a little about his background. Jay Bhatt was a middle-school math teacher in the early ‘90s, teaching sixth-graders in Richmond, CA. He went on to work as an investment banker, specializing in … Continue reading “Blackboard CEO Jay Bhatt on the Global Future of Edtech”

Jibe Using Data Analytics, New Cash to Shake Up Job Recruiting Scene

People want jobs and many companies are hiring, but finding the right mutual fit can still be hard. Now, with $20 million in a recent Series C funding round, Jibe in New York thinks it can make the hiring process easier on both sides of the table. The company developed cloud-based software that enterprises use … Continue reading “Jibe Using Data Analytics, New Cash to Shake Up Job Recruiting Scene”

Overhyped? Grand Rounds CEO on Big Data, Dog Delivery, & Bubbles

Owen Tripp, the CEO of Grand Rounds, likes trying to solve high-level problems. His company aims to make it easier for all patients to access specialists at the top of their fields, and to save employers money by cutting down on unnecessary procedures. Tripp has an interesting view of broader tech issues. Previously, he co-founded … Continue reading “Overhyped? Grand Rounds CEO on Big Data, Dog Delivery, & Bubbles”

Dean Kamen: Coptering In to Inspire Crowd at Boston 2034 on June 10

Xconomy’s big Boston 2034 conference is barely a week away. A continent of amazing speakers will be on hand, but one of those you will find most inspirational is Dean Kamen. Among the legendary inventor’s key messages, which I think will ring particularly true to those in Boston’s innovation community: those who are the most … Continue reading “Dean Kamen: Coptering In to Inspire Crowd at Boston 2034 on June 10”

Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Crowdfunding, Milwaukee Water Biz Park

Here’s a smattering of recent news from Wisconsin’s innovation and tech community: —Plans are starting to solidify for the first building in a planned Milwaukee business park for water tech companies. Construction could begin this fall on a four-story, 80,000-square-foot office and research complex in the Reed Street Yards, which is adjacent to the Global … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Epic, Crowdfunding, Milwaukee Water Biz Park”

An Opera Festival Holds the Seeds for a Tech Revolution in Tijuana

On the first weekend in July, Tijuana holds its annual Opera Street Festival in the Colonia Libertad neighborhood just east of the San Ysidro border crossing near San Diego. Seven thousand people converge on the rough-hewn Mexican neighborhood, founded by migrants, smugglers, and plaster statue makers. A hundred yards from the wall that separates the … Continue reading “An Opera Festival Holds the Seeds for a Tech Revolution in Tijuana”

Seattle Roundup: Farmstr, Koru, Indow Windows, & More

ExtraHop’s big $41 million Series C round from Technology Crossover Ventures was the big news of the week. But a handful of other developments caught our attention: —Today, we reported on SignalSense, the new startup company that former Microsoft Technical Fellow and Splunk engineering leader Brad Lovering is working on. —Jobaline raised a $7 million … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: Farmstr, Koru, Indow Windows, & More”

Brad Lovering Leaves Splunk for Seattle-Area Startup SignalSense

Brad Lovering, the former Microsoft Technical Fellow who opened Splunk’s Seattle office and most recently served as its chief development architect, is at a new startup, SignalSense, which just raised $1.3 million, according to a securities filing and Lovering’s LinkedIn profile. Lovering was so sought after by Splunk, the high-flying San Francisco company focused on … Continue reading “Brad Lovering Leaves Splunk for Seattle-Area Startup SignalSense”

Promedior Sees Hope in Small Myelofibrosis Study

[Updated 6/2/2014. See below.] Myelofibrosis, a rare and potentially fatal type of leukemia, isn’t an easy disease to treat. The only drug that’s been approved by the FDA approval to treat it, Incyte’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INCY]]) ruxolitinib (Jakafi), attacks the symptoms rather than the cause, and often leaves patients needing blood transfusions. Several companies are trying … Continue reading “Promedior Sees Hope in Small Myelofibrosis Study”