Rocket engines designed, built, and tested by a company tucked away at the edge of the Seattle suburbs have travelled to the edge of the solar system, visiting every planet including Mars, where the Curiosity Rover made a successful landing a year ago last week, using rockets from Redmond, WA, for the long interplanetary journey … Continue reading “Redmond Rocket Scientists Propel Innovation as Space Cluster Grows”
Category: National
DreamIt Ventures Goes to School on Edtech, Furthers Reach in Israel
The more startup accelerators pop up in the nation’s tech hubs, the harder they have to work to differentiate themselves. The team at DreamIt Ventures in New York is emphasizing niches such as education technology, and is also working increasingly with startups from Israel. Last week’s demo day in New York demonstrated some of DreamIt’s … Continue reading “DreamIt Ventures Goes to School on Edtech, Furthers Reach in Israel”
Detroit’s Igniteless Courted by TV, Nears Finals in Walmart Contest
We published an article in July about Orlando Robinson, a Detroit entrepreneur who has used tragedies that have affected his family and community as the inspiration to create life-saving inventions. Igniteless, Robinson’s latest invention, is a smoke alarm that can send a radio-transmitted signal to turn off an unattended stove if food starts burning before a … Continue reading “Detroit’s Igniteless Courted by TV, Nears Finals in Walmart Contest”
Boston Roundup: PerkStreet, Extreme Reach, DraftKings, Aquaback
[Updated 9:55 am with last item] A startup shutdown, an ad-tech merger, and some fundraising news to catch up on around the Boston area: —PerkStreet Financial, a banking startup that gave customers cash back and shopping discounts for using debit cards, is shutting down. In a message posted on the company’s website, PerkStreet says it … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: PerkStreet, Extreme Reach, DraftKings, Aquaback”
Buoyed by Partnerships, Bind Therapeutics Floats $80.5M IPO Plan
(Updated, 2/7/14, 12:39 pm ET) Bind Therapeutics started off its 2013 with a flurry of big partnerships and a name change designed to show it’s serious about making its own drugs. Now it’s trying to cap it off by joining the parade of biotech companies lining up for the public markets. The Cambridge, MA-based company … Continue reading “Buoyed by Partnerships, Bind Therapeutics Floats $80.5M IPO Plan”
Build Locally, Thrive Globally: CEO David Cohen on Techstars’ Future
As we wrap up our seventh year of the Boulder Techstars program, it’s been a time to reflect on the past and look to the future. Not just the future of Techstars, but of startups everywhere. Because we strongly believe that we’re making a difference that spreads far beyond the companies we invest in or … Continue reading “Build Locally, Thrive Globally: CEO David Cohen on Techstars’ Future”
Duane Roth: The Connector Who Wired Up an Innovation Economy
The seating capacity of the University of San Diego’s Church of the Immaculata is approximately 900, and it is telling that the memorial service held late Friday morning for Connect CEO Duane Roth was standing room only. The Spanish style church on the USD campus is one of the biggest in San Diego. Somber guests … Continue reading “Duane Roth: The Connector Who Wired Up an Innovation Economy”
Cleantech Startup AutoGrid Tracks the Peaks of Austin’s Energy Use
Big Data has come to thermostats in Austin. Austin Energy, along with Palo Alto, CA-based AutoGrid, is analyzing when and how much electricity is used by the city’s homes, businesses, and industrial users in order to make the power grid more efficient. “We are crunching all the data and how we can drive efficiently throughout … Continue reading “Cleantech Startup AutoGrid Tracks the Peaks of Austin’s Energy Use”
Wanderu: The Next Big Travel Company? $2.45M Says Yes
The Boston area has a rich tradition of Internet travel companies. But the future is uncertain. Who will follow in the huge footsteps of ITA Software (now part of Google), Kayak (acquired by Priceline, with an engineering team near Boston), and TripAdvisor (independent again, and now one of the East Coast’s biggest Web companies)? Could … Continue reading “Wanderu: The Next Big Travel Company? $2.45M Says Yes”
Atlas Startup, Rodin, Hopes to Rewire Neurons to Improve Memory
Epigenetics isn’t new. But so far, the growing scientific understanding of gene regulation has largely been used to make cancer drugs. What if you could use the same concept to reprogram neurons to combat neurological disorders? This is the plan that Atlas Venture has shaped for its new startup, Rodin Therapeutics. Named after Auguste Rodin, … Continue reading “Atlas Startup, Rodin, Hopes to Rewire Neurons to Improve Memory”
Six Reasons Why Giving Scientists Big Bonuses Won’t Fix Pharma R&D
Scientists in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry are an underappreciated bunch. They make decent salaries, but nowhere near the big bucks that go to their bosses. Even when an industry scientist discovers a new drug that helps people and makes billions, he or she almost never gets publicly recognized. They live mostly anonymous middle class … Continue reading “Six Reasons Why Giving Scientists Big Bonuses Won’t Fix Pharma R&D”
Roundup: WTIA, Lytics, SwopBoard, Contour, Obama at Zillow & More
You may have heard earlier this week that a local technology entrepreneur purchased an old media company. In other news around the Northwest this week, the Washington Technology Industry Association named a new CEO; Portland big-data-for-marketers startup Lytics attracted funding, as did SwopBoard, a Seattle company building a sales platform for school communities; Contour appears … Continue reading “Roundup: WTIA, Lytics, SwopBoard, Contour, Obama at Zillow & More”
Techstars Names New President, Accelerates Plans for Worldwide Reach
In its quest to go global, Techstars is going back to its roots. The Techstars startup accelerator held its annual demo day Thursday in its hometown of Boulder, CO. Along with pitches from 10 startups, the presentation included a rare joint appearance by all four Techstars founders and the introduction—or possibly reintroduction—of its new president, … Continue reading “Techstars Names New President, Accelerates Plans for Worldwide Reach”
The Geek Doesn’t Always Get the Girl: A Novelist on Hacking Romance
In today’s Silicon Valley, the hacker wunderkinds are ascendant. Boy-kings are running billion-member social networks, founding massive new venture capital firms, building incubators that churn out hundreds of new startups every year, and even fighting poverty and disease by drilling for water in Ethiopia. Materially, at least, their revenge on whatever high-school cliques once excluded … Continue reading “The Geek Doesn’t Always Get the Girl: A Novelist on Hacking Romance”
East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: KiiLN, Celgene, Acceleron, & More
[Updated, 11:26 a.m. ET] The New York metropolitan area, for a change, dominated the landscape of life sciences news coming out of the East Coast. This week, big plans for Manhattan startup incubators were unveiled, a new healthcare IT company got its sea legs, and one of biotech’s savviest dealmakers continued doing what it does … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: KiiLN, Celgene, Acceleron, & More”
In Memoriam: Duane Roth Was a Driving Force in Our Innovation Economy
Duane Roth was a very special person to me and to the San Diego life sciences community. After he took over as the CEO of Connect at the end of 2004, he took on a larger role for the entire technology community—or as Duane would call it, the “Innovation Economy.” For Duane, San Diego has … Continue reading “In Memoriam: Duane Roth Was a Driving Force in Our Innovation Economy”
Tableau Software Sales Up 71 Percent With Lots of Room to Grow
In its first quarterly financial report as a public company, Tableau Software posted sales of $49.9 million, up 71 percent from a year ago, and a net loss of $2.6 million, sending its shares to a new high in after-hours trading. The Seattle data visualization software maker raised a net $177 million in a public … Continue reading “Tableau Software Sales Up 71 Percent With Lots of Room to Grow”
Dendreon Says Sales Will Decline in 2013, Shares Fall
Seattle-based Dendreon set a modest goal this year. It wanted to see annual sales of its prostate cancer drug increase. The company didn’t say it wanted a 30 percent increase or a 20 percent increase—just an increase. Today, it said it’s likely to fall short of that relatively mild ambition. Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today … Continue reading “Dendreon Says Sales Will Decline in 2013, Shares Fall”
G2, New Flagship Smartphone for LG, Makes Glitzy Debut in New York
Most device makers in the smartphone wars try to one-up each other with features such as upgraded built-in cameras and dazzling high definition display screens. From that perspective, the new LG G2 is yet another “hot new phone” out to trounce its rivals—except it breaks one common industry convention. LG Electronics had the audacity to … Continue reading “G2, New Flagship Smartphone for LG, Makes Glitzy Debut in New York”
Intuit Acquires Tax Planning Startup GoodApril Before Techstars Demo
GoodApril, we hardly knew you. The founders of the Techstars startup announced Thursday that Intuit has bought their company for an undisclosed price. GoodApril makes tax-planning software intended to help users reduce their annual tax bill, so the company seems like a logical fit with Intuit (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTU]]), which makes the TurboTax tax preparation and … Continue reading “Intuit Acquires Tax Planning Startup GoodApril Before Techstars Demo”
Energy Startup DrillMap raises $6.5M, Helps to Digitize the Oilfield
DrillMap, an Austin-based cleantech startup, said today it has raised $6.5 million in venture capital. The Series A round was led by Rockport Capital, a Boston VC firm that specializes in energy, sustainability, and mobility, along with ConocoPhillips and Ridgewood Capital. DrillMap sells a subscription-based Internet database that displays publicly available and private data on … Continue reading “Energy Startup DrillMap raises $6.5M, Helps to Digitize the Oilfield”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Sophiris, Isis, Qualcomm, & More
Another San Diego life sciences company is in line for an IPO, and the untimely death of Connect CEO Duane Roth has left a void in the leadership of San Diego’s innovation community. Here’s our review of developments over the past week. —San Diego’s Sophiris Bio is nearing its debut as a U.S. public company, … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Sophiris, Isis, Qualcomm, & More”
Saturday Event is Culmination of Niantic Labs’ Fascination with Detroit
John Hanke used to run Keyhole, the company whose 3D map browser became Google Earth, and then he led Google’s Geo team, refining location-based products for the tech giant. Then, a few years ago, Hanke went to Google founder Larry Page and told him he was thinking of leaving the company to work on a … Continue reading “Saturday Event is Culmination of Niantic Labs’ Fascination with Detroit”
Maxwell Raises $2M, Rolls Out User-Friendly Health Insurance Service
It’s the time of year that makes employees’ skin crawl—the moment you know you have to re-enroll for health insurance. A clunky, time-consuming, headache-inducing search between various plans ensues. Maxwell Health is trying to make it easier—and reward you for staying healthy to boot. Maxwell, a startup based in Cambridge, MA, and New York City, … Continue reading “Maxwell Raises $2M, Rolls Out User-Friendly Health Insurance Service”
GetTaxi at Last Launches Its Car Hailing Service App in NY, Raises $12M
More than a year after setting up its U.S. headquarters in New York, Israel’s GetTaxi announced today that its app is now live in this city for hailing black cars—yellow taxi service is still pending here. The company also announced it raised $12 million in a Series C round led by Kreos Capital with existing … Continue reading “GetTaxi at Last Launches Its Car Hailing Service App in NY, Raises $12M”
Dragon Innovation Adds Crowdfunding for Hardware, Raises $2.3M
Dragon Innovation has helped some of the most notable names in the early stage hardware world get their products made. Now, the Boston-based manufacturing consultancy wants to help promising entrepreneurs get funded. Dragon Innovation is testing its own crowdfunding website dedicated to hardware startups, giving its clients a more customized tool for lining up pre-orders … Continue reading “Dragon Innovation Adds Crowdfunding for Hardware, Raises $2.3M”
Understanding Open Science
The dream of getting to cures, faster, is one shared by many. But every new instrument we’ve invented to examine the human body has shown us only more complexity and interconnection. The failure of all of our new technologies to translate rapidly into drugs has demonstrated that we’re the folks in the parking lot looking under the lamppost … Continue reading “Understanding Open Science”
Array Biopharma Cuts Staff by 20%, Loses Development Deal with Amgen
Array Biopharma, a Boulder, CO-based drug development company, announced today it has laid off 20 percent of its staff and that Amgen has ended a drug development partnership with the company. The cuts leave Array (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ARRY]]) with about 200 employees. Array and Amgen (Nasdaq: [[ticker:AMGN]]) had been working on a treatment for type 2 … Continue reading “Array Biopharma Cuts Staff by 20%, Loses Development Deal with Amgen”
FullContact’s CEO Looks Back at Techstars, Two Years and $8.8M Later
This morning I went on a hike up Mt. Sanitas with the founders of Kato.im, Peter Hizalev and Andrei Soroker. It’s an exciting time for Peter and Andrei—they are presenting tomorrow as part of the Techstars Boulder 2013 class at Techstars Demo Day. As we hiked and talked about the past summer, Kato’s product, and … Continue reading “FullContact’s CEO Looks Back at Techstars, Two Years and $8.8M Later”
RoundPegg Uses Web-based Polls, Services to Build Stronger Cultures
Corporate culture is a tricky issue in the business world. Companies spend vast sums of money on consultants, surveys, and “Successories” motivational posters. Meanwhile, jaded employees roll their eyes when it comes time to take the annual survey or wisecrack their way through buzzword-filled HR meetings. Both points of view are justified. Studies show companies … Continue reading “RoundPegg Uses Web-based Polls, Services to Build Stronger Cultures”
Boston Roundup: Software Taxes, Actifio, edX, Twitter, & More
Tech companies are getting fired up about politics, making big hires, moving to new offices, and generally making some news around the region: —Massachusetts business and tech-industry leaders are mounting a campaign to repeal a new tax on some software and IT services. The folks behind the campaign, which would seek a public vote on … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Software Taxes, Actifio, edX, Twitter, & More”
Detroit’s Grand Circus Wants to Nurture Local Community’s Tech Talent
Part technology, business, and design training institute; part co-working space; and part event space, Grand Circus is the Quicken Loans family’s newest tool in Detroit to “elevate the tech profile of the community,” says co-founder Brad Hoos. It’s widely acknowledged that there’s a huge shortage of developer talent in Detroit, and Grand Circus’s organizers want … Continue reading “Detroit’s Grand Circus Wants to Nurture Local Community’s Tech Talent”
Celgene Partner Acceleron Files For IPO; Plans to Raise Up to $75M
Add another biotech with a big Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) partnership to the IPO queue. Cambridge, MA-based Acceleron Pharma, a company developing drugs for certain types of blood cancers and orphan diseases, has filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission outlining plans to go public and raise up to $74.75 million. Acceleron, which aims to … Continue reading “Celgene Partner Acceleron Files For IPO; Plans to Raise Up to $75M”
Infochimps CEO: CSC’s Purchase Plays Up Strengths of Big Data, Cloud
Jim Kaskade, the CEO of Infochimps, had approached Mike Lawrie, his counterpart at Computer Sciences Corp. (NYSE: [[ticker:CSC]]), to see if he would agree to be an advisor to the Austin, TX, startup. Five months later, the men would be announcing that Falls Church, VA-based CSC would be acquiring Infochimps. “By joining forces with CSC, … Continue reading “Infochimps CEO: CSC’s Purchase Plays Up Strengths of Big Data, Cloud”
At Udemy, Online Education Meets the Marketplace
Imagine that you’re a second-year college student returning to campus in September, only to discover that your school has made some curious changes. Instead of offering just one introductory Spanish course, one calculus course, and one chemistry course, the college now lets you choose from a dozen of each, led by different instructors with different … Continue reading “At Udemy, Online Education Meets the Marketplace”
OpenView, Data Point Capital Betting on Metrics in Fickle VC World
A quiet trend has taken hold in the world of venture capital. Call it the “Moneyball” approach, data-driven VC, or what have you: startup investors are increasingly using metrics, algorithms, and data science in an effort to support their portfolio companies, make better decisions, and gain a competitive edge. This is neither surprising nor new. … Continue reading “OpenView, Data Point Capital Betting on Metrics in Fickle VC World”
SAP and Hybris Plot New Strategies Together as Commerce Evolves
Even a doggedly independent entrepreneur can have a change of heart. Ariel Luedi, CEO of hybris software, scoffed at the very notion of selling his company—until he did just that. “Early last year I said ‘Only over my dead body would I let SAP buy us,’” he says. “That’s where I was at that time.” … Continue reading “SAP and Hybris Plot New Strategies Together as Commerce Evolves”
Bezos, No Fan of Unions, Gets 1,200 Union Workers at Washington Post
[Updated 12:40 pm Pacific time.] Since founding Amazon, Jeff Bezos has poured his growing wealth and business savvy into a dizzying array of interests, from cloud computing and consumer electronics to private spaceflight and even fusion power. One role he hasn’t typically filled, however, is labor negotiator. But that will change when Bezos takes over … Continue reading “Bezos, No Fan of Unions, Gets 1,200 Union Workers at Washington Post”
Lost in Translation: The Novice’s Guide to BioPharma Idioms
Many fields of endeavor have their own special words, abbreviations, and coded language. People working in each of these disciplines learn over time how to use certain phrases that describe items or situations in the best possible light. In real estate listings, for example, a house will never be designated as “small.” Instead, it might … Continue reading “Lost in Translation: The Novice’s Guide to BioPharma Idioms”
VLST, After Nine Years and $50M, Sells Assets and Winds Down
VLST, a Seattle biotech company that raised about $50 million in its nine-year history, has wound down all its operations and sold off its remaining assets, Xconomy has learned. The names of the buyers, and the price they paid for VLST’s components, aren’t being disclosed, said VLST’s former CEO Marty Simonetti. One buyer has scooped … Continue reading “VLST, After Nine Years and $50M, Sells Assets and Winds Down”
The Antidote for Strike Stress: Take Carma to Work
California Governor Jerry Brown intervened to stop another BART strike this week, and observers say he’s likely to impose a 60-day cooling-off period on negotiators, meaning Bay Area commuters may not have to worry about transit disruptions again until October. But memories of last month’s 4.5 day strike, which left 200,000 commuters stranded, spurred long … Continue reading “The Antidote for Strike Stress: Take Carma to Work”
Austin’s Infochimps, Big Data Analysis Software Maker, Bought by CSC
Austin-based Infochimps has been acquired by Falls Church, VA-based Computer Sciences Corp (NYSE: CSC). About 30 minutes after the news filtered out in a series of congratulatory messages through Twitter, Jim Kaskade, the Austin startup’s CEO, confirmed the purchase in a post on his company blog. “By joining forces with CSC, we together will deliver … Continue reading “Austin’s Infochimps, Big Data Analysis Software Maker, Bought by CSC”
Sidecar Co-Founder Fortino on Why He Chose to Invest in Detroit
Adrian Fortino caught the startup bug early, not long after earning two degrees from the University of Michigan. He had been working at the Van Buren Township, MI-based global engineering giant Ricardo when he jumped into his first go-around with entrepreneurship. “It quickly failed,” Fortino admits. “But after that, I couldn’t go back to corporate … Continue reading “Sidecar Co-Founder Fortino on Why He Chose to Invest in Detroit”
Regeneron Targets New Market for Blockbuster Eye Drug
Regeneron (NASDAQ: [[ticker:REGN]]) may have a whole new crop of patients for its breakout eye drug, aflibercept (Eylea), a year ahead of schedule. The Tarrytown, NY-based biotech today announced the results of two large late-stage trials testing aflibercept in patients with diabetic macular edema, a common complication of diabetes in which blood vessels leak fluid … Continue reading “Regeneron Targets New Market for Blockbuster Eye Drug”
Prysm Eyes Telepresence as Next Application for Video Walls
One sign that your company has arrived is that you can afford telepresence suites from Cisco or Polycom—you know, those rooms equipped with a trio of 1080p flat-panel displays and special cameras, microphones, and lighting so that chief executives in New York can see tiny droplets of sweat on the faces of vice presidents in … Continue reading “Prysm Eyes Telepresence as Next Application for Video Walls”
Amid Edtech Trends, Boundless Rolls Out Paid Content and Tools
For those of you wondering what the future of online education looks like for students, well, a lot of Boston-area companies are working on that. One of them, Boundless, has been focusing on college kids and their study needs. More specifically: out with the textbooks, and in with the free course materials on the Web. … Continue reading “Amid Edtech Trends, Boundless Rolls Out Paid Content and Tools”
Dallas’s GlobeStart Connects Local Entrepreneurs With Global Peers
Accelerators often bring in international startups as part of their slate of budding companies, but rarely do the programs cater entirely to these global entrepreneurs. Yet, that’s exactly the mission of GlobeStart, which is run by Dallas-based Tech Wildcatters. The program, which is less than a year old, brings six to eight startups to Dallas … Continue reading “Dallas’s GlobeStart Connects Local Entrepreneurs With Global Peers”
Run, Olapic, Maker’s Row Find Funding in Mobile Ad Tech, E-Commerce
New York-based ad technology company Run said late last week it raised $1.5 million from Verizon Ventures, the funding arm of Verizon Communications. This is one of several recent deals garnered by local startups across a variety of industries. Run developed a management platform for serving ads on mobile devices, video, and desktop computers. The … Continue reading “Run, Olapic, Maker’s Row Find Funding in Mobile Ad Tech, E-Commerce”
Freedom Meditech Raises $7M to Market New Diabetes Screening Device
San Diego-based Freedom Meditech says today it has raised $7 million in a Series B financing round to roll out a new medical technology that would enable optometrists and ophthalmologists to screen their patients for diabetes during routine eye exams. “This is a first-in-kind product,” Freedom Meditech CEO Craig Misrach told me a few weeks … Continue reading “Freedom Meditech Raises $7M to Market New Diabetes Screening Device”
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Opportunity Is Not For Women Only
My doctoral dissertation, published in 2009, was a phenomenological study of 15 trailblazing women who held board of director positions in life sciences and technology businesses. The findings focused on the common traits and characteristics shared by the study participants, all of whom found success in an industry that is defined and dominated by men. … Continue reading “The Women’s Entrepreneurship Opportunity Is Not For Women Only”