A prominent leader in the tech-startup community is moving on. Walt Doyle, the longtime CEO of Where, which was acquired by PayPal in April 2011, has left the company as of today. Doyle served as general manager of PayPal Media Network after the acquisition. It has been two years since the deal, so Doyle’s departure … Continue reading “Walt Doyle, Former CEO of Where, Leaves PayPal: What’s Next?”
Category: National
Boulder Startup Week Set to Kick Off Festival for Entrepreneurs
It’s that time of the year again when Boulder startups open their doors to the community, recruit new talent, or just talk about tech and their products, all while having a bit of fun. Boulder Startup Week begins Wednesday morning and runs through Saturday. The four-day long event features open houses, workshops, hackathons, and parties … Continue reading “Boulder Startup Week Set to Kick Off Festival for Entrepreneurs”
OSI Pharma, Long Island Biotech Bellwether, Shut Down by Astellas
OSI Pharmaceuticals became the home-grown beacon of Long Island, NY’s biotech scene behind the lung cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva), which was so successful that led Japan’s Astellas Pharma to buy the company outright in a $4 billion deal in May 2010. It took just three years to end the honeymoon, however: Astellas has shuttered OSI’s … Continue reading “OSI Pharma, Long Island Biotech Bellwether, Shut Down by Astellas”
Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory
The online world can be a dangerous place for the unprepared. And it’s just going to get worse. It’s time to teach cyber security as integral part of the high school and college curriculum and to all corporate employees. I grew up in New York City and for a few years heaven on earth for … Continue reading “Make Cyber Security Training Mandatory”
How John Frankel Fished a Deal from Reality Show “Shark Tank”
The search for potential investments has led the team at ff Venture Capital in New York into strange waters. John Frankel, a partner with the firm, says he decided to back UniKey Technologies after hearing about its founder’s appearance last year on the television show “Shark Tank.” In spite of early misgivings about approaching an … Continue reading “How John Frankel Fished a Deal from Reality Show “Shark Tank””
Cloudant Raises $12M from Rackspace and Others, Opens SF Office
There’s some more fuel for the online database arms race today: Boston-based Cloudant has secured a new $12 million investment round. The money will bankroll Cloudant’s general growth, which includes a new office in San Francisco, complementing Cloudant’s previous footprint in Boston, Seattle, and Bristol, England. New investors in the new Series B round are Devonshire Investors, … Continue reading “Cloudant Raises $12M from Rackspace and Others, Opens SF Office”
LogMeIn’s Xively: An Amazon Web Services for the Internet of Things?
A couple of years back, business software company LogMeIn bought a little startup called Pachube. This happens all the time, of course—a public company snapping up a small fry, hoping to bring some scrappier DNA or a promising product into the fold. But this acquisition, more than many others, seemed to hint at an intriguing … Continue reading “LogMeIn’s Xively: An Amazon Web Services for the Internet of Things?”
Madrona, NEA Bet $6.75M on Seattle Big Data Analysis Startup GraphLab
When Seattle’s tech community pulled together last year to help recruit Carlos Guestrin, a standout machine-learning expert and data scientist, to the University of Washington, some people were hoping a hot startup would wind up here as well. They weren’t disappointed. Guestrin is launching GraphLab Inc. with a $6.75 million investment led by Madrona Venture … Continue reading “Madrona, NEA Bet $6.75M on Seattle Big Data Analysis Startup GraphLab”
Student Startups Cardiovate and Invictus Tackle Big Medtech Markets
[Corrected 5/14/2013, 5:20 pm. See below.] Months before she received her PhD degree last spring, Jordan Kaufmann co-founded her own company. Her first office was a shed in her backyard, but her plan was to outdo big medical device companies like Minneapolis, MN-based Medtronic (NYSE: [[ticker:MDT]]) by making one of their products obsolete. Kaufmann’s company, … Continue reading “Student Startups Cardiovate and Invictus Tackle Big Medtech Markets”
Who Needs Equity Crowdfunding? Dealstruck Builds Crowdlending Market
After President Obama signed the JOBS Act more than a year ago, Ethan Senturia says he studied the provisions for crowdfunding startups under Title III, and came to the conclusion that it would be more trouble than it was worth. Today crowdfunding boosters are still waiting for regulators at the Securities and Exchange Commission to … Continue reading “Who Needs Equity Crowdfunding? Dealstruck Builds Crowdlending Market”
Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push
Orbotix got a little boost last week in its quest to make the Sphero robotic ball one of the must-have gadgets of 2013. CEO Paul Berberian said the $4 million equity financing Orbotix raised last week will be used to ramp up production for the holiday season. After all, there are only 224 shopping days … Continue reading “Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push”
Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)
Yesterday, we ran the first part of a wide-ranging interview with Henri Termeer, the legendary biotech entrepreneur and former CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme. He spoke about what kinds of startups he likes to get involved in, the trend toward drug companies working on rare diseases, and efforts to repair pharma’s damaged reputation. Today, he … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 2)”
NYT: Chinese Automakers Building Detroit Presence
A story ran in Monday’s New York Times detailing the increasing presence of Chinese automakers in Detroit. Though the headline suggested the Chinese companies were establishing their American outposts “quietly,” Xconomy reported on the trend in July 2011. Though the NYT article claimed there was no way to know for certain how many Chinese companies … Continue reading “NYT: Chinese Automakers Building Detroit Presence”
11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class
Four startups from the Boulder/Denver area are among the 11 companies that will be part of this summer’s TechStars program in Boulder. TechStars announced the members of the class this morning on its blog. The program begins today. The founders of the startups will work in Boulder to improve their business plans, refine their products, … Continue reading “11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class”
Bootstrapping Products with Services
Because it’s often so difficult for entrepreneurs to obtain seed funding for their startups, bootstrapping is one of the best methods to self-fund their projects. And offering a service is one of the best ways to go. This, by the way, remains a controversial point of view, and most industry observers will take the position … Continue reading “Bootstrapping Products with Services”
Recent Colorado Success Helps Grotech Ventures Close $225M Round
Grotech Ventures, an early stage venture capital investment firm with offices in Denver and the Washington, D.C.-area, has closed a $225 million fund, the firm announced today. The fund, named Grotech Ventures II, is the firm’s eighth and brings its total capital under management to $1.3 billion. Grotech already has made 12 investments from the … Continue reading “Recent Colorado Success Helps Grotech Ventures Close $225M Round”
Radius Health CEO: Skin Patch Data is the Value Driver
For Radius Health, it’s all about September. That’s when the Cambridge, MA-based biotech will unveil the mid-stage data on a version of its experimental osteoporosis drug, BAO58, which is administered through a patch affixed to the skin. CEO Michael Wyzga makes no bones about it: the moment is huge for Radius, despite the fact that … Continue reading “Radius Health CEO: Skin Patch Data is the Value Driver”
Dyn Gets More Mobile with Trendslide Analytics Acquisition
It’s time to catch up with Dyn. You know, the once-bootstrapped tech dynamo from Manchester, NH, which raised a big venture round last fall and has been making some acquisitions as of late. Today the Web infrastructure company said it has acquired fellow New Hampshire firm Trendslide, a business-analytics startup focused on mobile apps. No … Continue reading “Dyn Gets More Mobile with Trendslide Analytics Acquisition”
NewME To Bring Silicon Valley to Detroit With Pop-Up Event
The San Francisco-based NewME Accelerator, a tech startup incubator focused on businesses led by minorities underrepresented in the tech world, is planning a Detroit pop-up accelerator May 29 to May 31. The three-day event is being held in partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs, TechTown, Bizdom, the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan, and Wayne State University. … Continue reading “NewME To Bring Silicon Valley to Detroit With Pop-Up Event”
Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)
Henri Termeer could have easily faded away into obscurity a couple years ago. The biotech pioneer could have relaxed at his oceanside home in Maine, played a little golf. Or, if he wanted, he could have made loads of money at a private equity firm. Certainly, he didn’t need to mess around with hungry little … Continue reading “Henri Termeer on Startups, Drug Prices, Getting Older (Part 1)”
Ex DailyCandy CEO’s Quest to Build Smarter Links Yields $5M From VCs
In their never-ending quest to harvest clicks from visitors, Web publishers have taken some strange turns. They’ve tried videos that start as soon as a page is loaded, whether visitors wants to watch or not. They’ve tried widgets that load “link bait” articles that all seem to go to the same three or four sites. … Continue reading “Ex DailyCandy CEO’s Quest to Build Smarter Links Yields $5M From VCs”
Plug and Play Admits 8 San Diego Companies to Startup Camp
Eight seed-stage tech companies were selected late yesterday to be the first class of startups from San Diego to be admitted to the 10-week business technology accelerator program established by Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play Tech Center. Every company admitted to the Plug and Play Startup Camp is eligible to get a $25,000 investment as … Continue reading “Plug and Play Admits 8 San Diego Companies to Startup Camp”
ePrize Snaps Up Competitor in Third Acquisition This Year
The Pleasant Ridge, MI-based digital marketing and engagement company ePrize announced this week that it has acquired Promotions.com. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the company did say it will retain 13 Promotions.com employees and fold them into its New York and Chicago offices. Promotions.com offered similar services as ePrize: digital promotions … Continue reading “ePrize Snaps Up Competitor in Third Acquisition This Year”
Amid Ridesharing Wars, Hailo Sticks to Cabs (and Loves It)
In the rush to revolutionize taxicabs, the hot new property isn’t a fancy black sedan or a network of hustling cabbies. Instead, digital entrepreneurs are suddenly racing toward the 21st century version of hitchhiking. So-called “ridesharing” services, which enlist everyday people to make some money by picking up other folks, have been spreading from the … Continue reading “Amid Ridesharing Wars, Hailo Sticks to Cabs (and Loves It)”
East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Dunsire, Good Start, Nimbus, & More
It was a busy week of big promise and big moves for biotechs on the East Coast. One biotech added to a string of partnerships and awaits results from a key mid-stage study for one of its own drugs. Another signed its first deal with Big Pharma. And one well-respected life sciences executive abruptly left. … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Dunsire, Good Start, Nimbus, & More”
Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling
Not every speech is improved by visual aids. Abraham Lincoln made do without PowerPoint at Gettysburg (though wags have tried to reimagine that), and Franklin Roosevelt’s voice on the radio in 1933 calmed a nation rattled by the Great Depression and cemented the New Deal. But there’s high oratory, and then there’s the old-fashioned presentation, … Continue reading “Life After PowerPoint: Prezi Zooms Ahead in Digital Storytelling”
Salesforce Collects Flake and His Seattle Startup Clipboard
Clipboard, the Gary Flake-led startup that aimed to give people a way to privately organize their online lives, is being acquired by Salesforce.com and will shutter its service at the end of June. The “bittersweet news” is disclosed on Clipboard’s website. The acquisition “allow[s] us to pursue our mission of saving and sharing the Web … Continue reading “Salesforce Collects Flake and His Seattle Startup Clipboard”
Dunsire Out at Millennium as Takeda Reorganizes, Cuts Costs
[Updated: 10:25 pm ET] Deborah Dunsire, the CEO who led Millennium Pharmaceuticals to prominence in cancer treatment, is leaving the company in an abrupt departure five years after it was acquired by Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Dunsire exits as the company is seeking to merge operations around the globe and cut costs as it braces for … Continue reading “Dunsire Out at Millennium as Takeda Reorganizes, Cuts Costs”
Rockwell Medical Set to Disrupt Dialysis Treatment With New Drugs, DaVita Deal
In the late 1990s, Wixom, MI-based Rockwell Medical revolutionized the dialysis industry by being the first to develop, patent, and bring to market a dry acid mixing system for hemodialysis concentrate. It eliminated the need for the bulky 55-gallon drums that were the industry standard at the time. Now, CEO Rob Chioini believes the company … Continue reading “Rockwell Medical Set to Disrupt Dialysis Treatment With New Drugs, DaVita Deal”
ExtremeReach Adds $50M from Spectrum to Expand Video Ad-Tech
Digital advertising hasn’t cracked the TV industry’s dominant market share yet. But some players are signaling a push for online ads, particularly video, to take a bigger slice of the pie. That brings us to ExtremeReach, a Needham, MA-based company that provides online video ad distribution systems. ExtremeReach, which has been profitable for some time … Continue reading “ExtremeReach Adds $50M from Spectrum to Expand Video Ad-Tech”
Seattle Seeks to Stir Up More Startups With New McGinn Initiative
Seattle is the latest big city government to throw its weight behind the technology startup community, as mayors and economic development officials across the country grasp at an elusive formula for fostering more new companies with potential to create jobs. From New York City to San Francisco to state and national capitals, governments are trying … Continue reading “Seattle Seeks to Stir Up More Startups With New McGinn Initiative”
Dendreon Shares Fall Again, as Provenge Sales Slump
Dendreon has made a habit of disappointing investors, and it did so again today. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today it generated $67.6 million in first quarter sales of sipuleucel-T (Provenge), down a whopping 17.6 percent from the $82 million in sales it reported for the same period a year ago. The company, … Continue reading “Dendreon Shares Fall Again, as Provenge Sales Slump”
Domain Associates, Regado Bet Big on Heart Drug
Biotech stars can rise and fall on the key decision of whether or not to “go it alone” and develop their drugs without the help of Big Pharma—it’s a risk that can either make or break a company. But Regado BioSciences, 12-year-old biotech startup based in Basking Ridge, NJ, and its venture backers, led by … Continue reading “Domain Associates, Regado Bet Big on Heart Drug”
NY Digital Health Accelerator Graduates First Class, Sees an Acquisition
One year after it was announced, the New York Digital Health Accelerator birthed its first clutch of startups on Wednesday at a demo day—including one acquisition deal in the mix. Pared down from some 250 applicants from across the U.S. and 10 countries, the eight startups in this class created platforms for referrals for post-acute … Continue reading “NY Digital Health Accelerator Graduates First Class, Sees an Acquisition”
How Boston Tech Will Lead the World: Find Out at XSITE June 19
It’s as simple as A, B, C. Akamai. Actifio. BzzAgent. Bolt. Crashlytics. Crunchbutton… The list goes on and on, filled with Boston-area companies of old and new. The common theme? They have laid a strong foundation for the tech community to come together and embrace its strengths—and its challenges—as it seeks to lead the business … Continue reading “How Boston Tech Will Lead the World: Find Out at XSITE June 19”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Receptos, Arena, NuVasive, & More
Amid the hectic pace of earnings releases, we saw a number of partnership agreements and other developments coming out of San Diego’s life sciences community. Here’s my wrap-up. —Shares of San Diego-based Receptos (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RCPT]]), a biotech developing new treatments for immune disorders, began trading on the Nasdaq exchange this morning after the company said … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Receptos, Arena, NuVasive, & More”
Ensysce’s Bet: Combining Two Risky Drug Technologies That Add Up
At one edge of the sprawling Texas Medical Center in south central Houston, near a slew of hospitals and research hubs including the renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center, three floors of an office tower are reserved to nurture startup companies. The incubator is one of the initiatives that have sprung up in Texas to expand … Continue reading “Ensysce’s Bet: Combining Two Risky Drug Technologies That Add Up”
Out of Bezos’s Shadow: 7 Startup Secrets from Amazon’s Andy Jassy
If you want to understand Amazon’s culture of innovation—and the lessons it holds for startups, big companies, and the tech world at large—you could do a lot worse than talk to Andy Jassy. Jassy is senior vice president of Amazon Web Services (AWS). In his 16 years at the Seattle-based Internet giant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), he … Continue reading “Out of Bezos’s Shadow: 7 Startup Secrets from Amazon’s Andy Jassy”
Cloud Seeding: Rackspace’s Soft Spot for Startups
There are at least three good reasons for a startup to apply to an accelerator or incubator program: the mentorship, the networking connections, and the money (around $100,000 if your company gets into a top-tier accelerator like Y Combinator). But at most accelerators, there’s another, lesser-known benefit: the swag—as in the free, or virtually free, … Continue reading “Cloud Seeding: Rackspace’s Soft Spot for Startups”
The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare
The healthcare industry is slow moving. While beginning to adopt technology for logistical issues including electronic medical records and appointment scheduling, the focus of these efforts is narrow and off-base. True impact on human health now requires technology architecture which addresses the critical data issues faced by the healthcare industry today. Over the last 10 … Continue reading “The 600-Hour Data Dilemma For Healthcare”
Boston Roundup: EMC, MyEnergy, Nuance, Balter, ‘Midas’ VCs
Downsizing, buyouts, deals, and investors galore dot this run-through of recent news around the Boston area innovation sector: —EMC is laying off about 1,000 people. The restructuring had been previously announced, but Hopkinton, MA-based EMC—which sells digital storage services—specified the number of job cuts in its latest quarterly report. The company (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]) says the jobs will … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: EMC, MyEnergy, Nuance, Balter, ‘Midas’ VCs”
Zillow Takes Questions via Twitter in Real-Time During Earnings Call
Seattle online real estate company Zillow took a new, more open approach to its first quarter earnings conference call Tuesday, accepting and answering questions via social media side-by-side with those of professional analysts on the phone. Michael Graham, managing director and senior equity analyst at Canaccord Genuity, who was covering Internet stocks in the late … Continue reading “Zillow Takes Questions via Twitter in Real-Time During Earnings Call”
Investors Step into Leadership at Corporate Ed-tech E-Learning Mind
Capas, a private investment firm established in Detroit last year, has acquired E-Learning Mind, a small San Diego ed-tech company that develops learning programs for corporate customers in such areas as sales training, product knowledge, and health and safety procedures. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in a statement released Monday. Laura Price, … Continue reading “Investors Step into Leadership at Corporate Ed-tech E-Learning Mind”
Inviragen, Global Health Vaccine Maker, Bought by Takeda for $35M
Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda announced Tuesday it has reached a definitive agreement to purchase Inviragen for $35 million upfront, and potentially another $215 million if the company hits future commercial goals. Takeda is building out its vaccine pipeline, and hopes to take the Fort Collins company’s vaccines from Northern Colorado to the tropics. Inviragen specializes … Continue reading “Inviragen, Global Health Vaccine Maker, Bought by Takeda for $35M”
Quikly: Part Daily Deal, Part Flash Sale, All Growth
Back in February 2012, Xconomy profiled Shawn Geller, the founder and CEO of the startup Quikly (though back then it was called Quikkly). Geller had come to Detroit from Philadelphia to build his company at the Madison Building alongside a growing number of tech startups. Geller said at the time that Detroit wasn’t a place … Continue reading “Quikly: Part Daily Deal, Part Flash Sale, All Growth”
Nimbus Discovery, Shire to Co-Develop Oral Rare Disease Drugs
Nimbus Discovery splashed onto the scene in 2011 with a big-name investor group that included Bill Gates and a plan to discover drugs with the help of computer software. On Tuesday, that idea turned into a potentially big partnership with Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPG]]) to help conquer currently untouchable rare diseases. Neither Shire nor Cambridge, MA-based … Continue reading “Nimbus Discovery, Shire to Co-Develop Oral Rare Disease Drugs”
Trulia Buying Market Leader for $355M, Upping Zillow Competition
Home shopping website Trulia is bolstering its offerings for real estate professionals with a $355 million cash and stock purchase of Kirkland, WA-based Market Leader. San Francisco-based Trulia’s acquisition of a company right under the nose of top online real estate rival Zillow underscores the fierce competition—and unclaimed opportunity—in the online real estate market. Trulia … Continue reading “Trulia Buying Market Leader for $355M, Upping Zillow Competition”
From U.S. Beachhead, MediaTek Faces Qualcomm & Other Mobile Giants
A big Taiwanese tech company you probably haven’t heard of is starting to make noise in the U.S. Based out of several hubs around the country, it is positioning itself to gain a foothold in the local market for chips used in smartphones, tablets, and wireless networks. In recent years, Hsinchu, Taiwan-based MediaTek has opened … Continue reading “From U.S. Beachhead, MediaTek Faces Qualcomm & Other Mobile Giants”
PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup
Sometimes it feels like all technology roads lead to the New York Tech Meetup. Fresh from Boulder, CO, David Mandell and the team from PivotDesk took the stage at last night’s gathering here to introduce themselves to the New York tech community. PivotDesk helps startups find space they can rent by connecting them with other … Continue reading “PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup”
As HubSpot Eyes IPO, Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Competitors
There’s no more obvious IPO candidate among Boston-area technology companies than HubSpot—especially if you ask HubSpot. The marketing software company, founded in 2006, has been keen to discuss its hopes of going public. And it’s not alone in those ambitions: HubSpot is one of the bigger technology bets in the Boston region, having raised about … Continue reading “As HubSpot Eyes IPO, Here’s How It Stacks Up Against Competitors”