Flagship Pioneering, one of the Boston area’s top biotech company creators, has closed a new $824 million fund to help fuel the growth of its startups. The new fund—Special Opportunities Fund II—will complement the cash the firm uses to start its companies, much like the $285 million “Special Opportunities” fund the firm announced in 2016. In … Continue reading “Flagship Reloads With $824M For Latest Growth Capital Fund”
Category: National
3D Printing Startup Markforged Raises $82M to Invest in Products
Venture capital seems to be onboard with the fourth industrial revolution. As the proud poster children for the tech-driven wave of change, industrial 3D printing companies have raised big dollars in the last few years, with Burlington, MA-based Desktop Metal in a $160 million funding round in January. And now Watertown, MA-based Markforged has punched … Continue reading “3D Printing Startup Markforged Raises $82M to Invest in Products”
New Accelerator Aims For Social Change With AR, VR, Gaming Startups
Games for Change, a non-profit that promotes the use of games and immersive technology for social good, is taking applications from startup teams for a new accelerator program it’s launching in New York City. New York-based Games for Change already encourages game and XR developers, by a variety of means, to build societal benefits into … Continue reading “New Accelerator Aims For Social Change With AR, VR, Gaming Startups”
U.S. Energy Dept. Awards $500M Supercomputer Contract to Intel, Cray
Computer chipmaker Intel and its subcontractor, Seattle-based Cray, say they expect a supercomputer they plan to eventually deliver will be a flop—an exaflop, that is. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has hired Intel (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTC]]) and Cray (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRAY]]) to build what the companies said Monday would be the first exascale supercomputer … Continue reading “U.S. Energy Dept. Awards $500M Supercomputer Contract to Intel, Cray”
FDA OKs Depression Drug For New Moms: Fast Relief But Tough to Take
The FDA has just made brexanolone (Zulresso) the first medicine approved specifically for post-partum depression, a potentially devastating disorder that afflicts roughly one in every seven new mothers in the U.S., according to the American Psychological Association. Now the drug’s owner, Sage Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SAGE]]), of Cambridge, MA, must convince doctors to prescribe and new … Continue reading “FDA OKs Depression Drug For New Moms: Fast Relief But Tough to Take”
Erie Hack Aims to Solve Lake’s Challenges with Tech-Driven Solutions
Even though Michigan is surrounded by one of the world’s most abundant sources of freshwater, it’s still plagued by water-related challenges, such as the Flint water crisis, high lead levels in the water at Detroit public schools, and PFAS contamination. And with the Trump administration looking to cut federal funding for Great Lakes water restoration … Continue reading “Erie Hack Aims to Solve Lake’s Challenges with Tech-Driven Solutions”
Urovant Bladder Drug Hits Test Goals But Can’t Outpace Generic Rival
Urovant Sciences says its experimental drug for overactive bladder could offer advantages compared to an FDA-approved treatment marketed by Astellas Pharma. But late-stage clinical results released Tuesday raise questions whether Urovant can persuade doctors to prescribe it instead of a much cheaper generic competitor. Irvine, CA-based Urovant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:UROV]]) said Tuesday that its drug vibegron … Continue reading “Urovant Bladder Drug Hits Test Goals But Can’t Outpace Generic Rival”
Why Comma.ai, Maker of Self-Driving Tech, is Moving to San Diego
Tech salaries may not be as high outside of Silicon Valley, but neither is the cost of operating a business—or the cost of living. San Diego’s startup community has rejoiced in recent months as massive companies that employ thousands of engineers—including Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]), and the tech arm of Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]])—have … Continue reading “Why Comma.ai, Maker of Self-Driving Tech, is Moving to San Diego”
Coming Home Again: Estrada Returns to Lead WeWork Labs in Houston
Houston—Co-working company WeWork is opening its latest “Labs” space in Houston. New York-based WeWork, which has 49 Labs programs across the United States and globe, opened its first Texas location, in Dallas, last fall. WeWork’s Labs is the business’s version of an early stage startup program, offering workshops, mentorship, connections to local accelerator and incubator … Continue reading “Coming Home Again: Estrada Returns to Lead WeWork Labs in Houston”
Magnitude Software Takes $179M from Private Equity Firm 3i Group
Austin—[Updated 10:10 a.m. See below.] Magnitude Software is selling a $179 million stake in the company to London-based private equity firm 3i Group. Chris Ney, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Magnitude, is investing alongside 3i, the company announced. The company didn’t say whether the PE firm’s investment gave it a controlling interest. Magnitude said … Continue reading “Magnitude Software Takes $179M from Private Equity Firm 3i Group”
Flipside Crypto Grading Scheme Expands to CoinMarketCap, Others
Flipside Crypto, a Boston startup developing analytics for cryptocurrencies, has landed its main metric onto CoinMarketCap and other financial websites including MarketWatch, TheStreet and Stocktwits, the company says. Founded in 2017, Flipside says its Fundamental Crypto Asset Score—FCAS for short—rates the health of blockchain-enabled currencies on a 1,000-point scale based on transaction data and the … Continue reading “Flipside Crypto Grading Scheme Expands to CoinMarketCap, Others”
AmplifAI Raises $3.9M, Its First Outside Funding, For Call Center AI
Dallas—AmplifAI Solutions, which makes artificial intelligence-enabled software for call center operations, has raised $3.9 million. Investors in the funding round were Dallas-based Naya Ventures, and LiveOak Venture Partners and Capital Factory, both in Austin. AmplifAI has developed software that uses machine learning algorithms to analyze behaviors of top-performing employees in order to create training programs … Continue reading “AmplifAI Raises $3.9M, Its First Outside Funding, For Call Center AI”
The Role of the Student Engineer in Medicine and Innovation
The last 50 years have seen many great technical advances in medical treatments, ranging from drug delivery and imaging to skin grafts and prosthetics. These advances—both large and small—have drawn on many fields and have transformed patient care. When examining the current state of clinical technology, the focus is naturally on the technology and its … Continue reading “The Role of the Student Engineer in Medicine and Innovation”
Dermira Shares Soar After Eczema Drug Hits Goal of Mid-Stage Study
An experimental drug developed by Dermira to treat atopic dermatitis has hit the main goal of its mid-stage study, helping to build a case that the injectable treatment could measure up against a drug from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi. Atopic dermatitis is the most common and severe form of eczema, an inflammatory condition that leads … Continue reading “Dermira Shares Soar After Eczema Drug Hits Goal of Mid-Stage Study”
JLabs’ Luby Takes the Reins at TMC Innovation Institute in Houston
Houston—Tom Luby, the head of JLabs in Houston, has been named the new director of the Texas Medical Center’s Innovation Institute, the center announced Monday morning. Luby takes over the innovation institute three months after former director Erik Halvorsen left the role. Luby is already a known presence around the TMC innovation building thanks to … Continue reading “JLabs’ Luby Takes the Reins at TMC Innovation Institute in Houston”
Igneous Raises $25M to Support On-Premise Approach to Data Storage
Igneous, a Seattle-based data-storage startup that manages servers and other on-premise computing equipment for its customers, announced on Friday $25 million in new financing. WestRiver Group, an investment firm collaborative based in Kirkland, WA, led the Series C funding round, Igneous said. Other participants included return backers Madrona Venture Group, New Enterprise Associates, Redpoint Ventures, … Continue reading “Igneous Raises $25M to Support On-Premise Approach to Data Storage”
Servier Licenses CureMatch Tech for Custom Cancer Drug Treatments
A global pharmaceutical company based in France has licensed software developed by San Diego digital health startup CureMatch that aims to help cancer doctors customize the combination of drugs they prescribe to patients based on mutations in cancer DNA. CureMatch was founded in 2015 to commercialize technology developed at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer … Continue reading “Servier Licenses CureMatch Tech for Custom Cancer Drug Treatments”
Qualcomm Gets $31M in Patent Infringement Trial Win Over Apple
Wireless giant Qualcomm notched a win Friday in its ongoing multijurisdictional war with smartphone maker Apple as a federal jury in San Diego unanimously backed its patent infringement case. Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) said Friday that the jury found that some versions of Apple’s iPhones—the 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and X—infringed two of its … Continue reading “Qualcomm Gets $31M in Patent Infringement Trial Win Over Apple”
M:Bility Conference: Panel Talks Factors Fueling Future of AV Industry
At AutoWorld’s M:Bility conference in Dearborn, MI, this week, a wide variety of topics pertaining to the mobility industry and the development of driverless technology were covered in keynote and panel discussions, including mapping and sensors, artificial intelligence, automotive data, mobility-as-a-service, electrification, and 5G connectivity. However, running through all topics was a measure of caution … Continue reading “M:Bility Conference: Panel Talks Factors Fueling Future of AV Industry”
CesiumAstro, MAP Health, StoryFit, Hatch Pitch & More Texas Tech
[Updated 3/14/19, 1:53 pm CT. See below.] Another South By Southwest festival comes to a close in Austin. Let’s catch up with the highlights from the tech portion this year and other innovation news in Texas. —CesiumAstro, an Austin-based maker of antennas and communications systems for satellites, said it has raised $12.4 million in a Series … Continue reading “CesiumAstro, MAP Health, StoryFit, Hatch Pitch & More Texas Tech”
Bio Roundup: Golumbeski’s Legacy, CRISPR Moratorium, Rebate Week & More
While all eyes in the biopharmaceutical world are currently trained on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s proposal to buy Celgene for $74 billion, it wasn’t that long ago that another company’s gaze was fixed on the Summit, NJ, drug maker. In the early 2000s, before the FDA approved Celgene’s flagship multiple myeloma drug lenalidomide (Revlimid), Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]] … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Golumbeski’s Legacy, CRISPR Moratorium, Rebate Week & More”
Boston Tech Watch: Dill the Pickle Robot, Via Separations & More
There’s robotics news, clinical research companies raising cash, and plenty of early-stage venture capital money moving in the Boston technology world this week. Read on for more: —Via Separations, a startup developing energy-efficient filtration technology, has raised $4.8 million in a Series A funding round. Safar led the round, which saw participation from PRIME Impact … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Dill the Pickle Robot, Via Separations & More”
Topouzian Brings Economic Development Perspective to New MVCA Role
Ara Topouzian is a longtime Oakland County economic development official and a 2012 Kresge Artist Fellow recognized for his work playing a 76-string kanun harp in Armenian and world music bands. As of March 25, he’ll also be the new director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association, which works to advance the state’s VC ecosystem. … Continue reading “Topouzian Brings Economic Development Perspective to New MVCA Role”
WI Watchlist: Foxconn Fund, UW Accelerator, MSOE A.I. Hall & More
It’s time to catch up on Wisconsin innovation news: —Jason Franklin will manage the Wisconn Valley Venture Fund, a $100 million fund formed last August by Foxconn Technology Group and three leading Wisconsin businesses and organizations: Advocate Aurora Health, Northwestern Mutual, and Johnson Controls (NYSE: [[ticker:JCI]]). Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturing giant, has said it’s building … Continue reading “WI Watchlist: Foxconn Fund, UW Accelerator, MSOE A.I. Hall & More”
Vikram Jandhyala, Champion of Innovation at UW and Beyond, Dies at 47
[Updated 3/15/19 11:05 a.m. See below.] Vikram Jandhyala, who built bridges between academia and industry across the globe and at the University of Washington, where he taught and worked, has died, the school said Wednesday. He was 47. In a statement on UW’s website, President Ana Mari Cauce said Jandhyala’s death was a suicide. He is … Continue reading “Vikram Jandhyala, Champion of Innovation at UW and Beyond, Dies at 47”
Keen, a San Antonio SaaS Startup Owned by Scaleworks, Hires New CEO
San Antonio—Ben Kuhn has been promoted to become the CEO of Keen, a San Antonio startup that helps software developers with custom application programming interfaces for data collection and analytics. Kuhn was hired as the general manager of Keen in 2018, having previously worked at healthcare companies DaVita and Genentech. Most recently, he co-founded another … Continue reading “Keen, a San Antonio SaaS Startup Owned by Scaleworks, Hires New CEO”
Harley-Davidson Goes Electric: Behind the Scenes of LiveWire’s R&D
For more than a century, the throaty “potato, potato, potato” rumble of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle has been synonymous with the open road, freedom—rebellion, even—and, some might say, American masculinity. For non-gearheads, that iconic sound, introduced in 1909, is the result of Harley-Davidson’s (NYSE: [[ticker:HOG]]) traditional engine configuration, a V-twin with a 45-degree angle between the … Continue reading “Harley-Davidson Goes Electric: Behind the Scenes of LiveWire’s R&D”
Dallas’ ModeSens Aims to Build Online Shops Tailored to Each User
Dallas—Part of the challenge for e-commerce is finding ways to prevent shoppers from having buyer’s remorse. “You never want to have a customer who has a disgruntled post-purchase feeling,” says Krystle Craycraft, chief marketing officer at ModeSens, an e-commerce startup in Dallas. “We’re giving the consumer confidence to eliminate the need for a return.” Returns … Continue reading “Dallas’ ModeSens Aims to Build Online Shops Tailored to Each User”
Gene Therapy Boom, Cracking Alzheimer’s: What’s Hot on May 21
Our annual half-day life sciences variety show, “What’s Hot in Biotech,” is back. Join Xconomy on May 21 at Bristol-Myers Squibb’s brand new offices in Kendall Square for a series of candid discussions, in a variety of formats, on some of the topics that will shape the healthcare landscape of tomorrow—from the volatile macro-environment to … Continue reading “Gene Therapy Boom, Cracking Alzheimer’s: What’s Hot on May 21”
Alchemie Snags NSF Grant to Develop AR Tools for Teaching Chemistry
Alchemie, a Troy, MI-based educational technology startup, has won another round of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop 3D and augmented reality (AR) learning tools for teaching general chemistry. The funding, announced this week, is a $140,000 Technology Enhancement through Commercialization Partnerships extension to a Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) … Continue reading “Alchemie Snags NSF Grant to Develop AR Tools for Teaching Chemistry”
F5’s $670M Deal for Nginx Expands Firms’ Control of Web Servers, Apps
Internet users are celebrating the World Wide Web’s 30th birthday this week by reminiscing about early Web technologies like America Online and dial-up modems. But users’ Web experiences—from the 1990s to today’s mobile and social media-dotted digital landscape—are only possible with behind-the-scenes Internet infrastructure in place. The value of that infrastructure was highlighted in F5 … Continue reading “F5’s $670M Deal for Nginx Expands Firms’ Control of Web Servers, Apps”
Blood Test Study Meets Goal, Validates Epic’s Prostate Cancer Target
Epic Sciences has developed a blood test that can predict how likely a patient with late-stage prostate cancer treated with hormones is likely to respond to an additional course of such therapy. Now, the San Diego-based company has additional data that it says supports use of its tests to determine when not to use hormone … Continue reading “Blood Test Study Meets Goal, Validates Epic’s Prostate Cancer Target”
X4 Completes Reverse Merger with Arsanis, Looks Ahead to Phase 3 Test
X4 Pharmaceuticals is the latest biotech to join the public markets, but it didn’t follow the IPO path to get there. Cambridge, MA-based X4 said Wednesday that it completed its “reverse merger” with Arsanis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ASNS]]). Such business combinations enable a privately held company to go public by merging with a publicly traded business. Shares … Continue reading “X4 Completes Reverse Merger with Arsanis, Looks Ahead to Phase 3 Test”
FDA Clears Aerie’s Combo Glaucoma Drug, But Will it Sell?
The FDA late Tuesday approved a new type of glaucoma drug from Aerie Pharmaceuticals that, in clinical testing, beat the generic eye drops known as prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) that are typically prescribed to slow the progression of the disease. Now Aerie (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AERI]]) will try to prove that the drug can overcome some of its … Continue reading “FDA Clears Aerie’s Combo Glaucoma Drug, But Will it Sell?”
Nominations Are Open for the 2019 Xconomy Awards in Boston
John Maraganore, CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Penny Heaton, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute; digital health leader Pear Therapeutics; and renowned women-in-science advocate and MIT professor emerita Nancy Hopkins. These outstanding leaders were among the winners of the 2018 Xconomy Awards, which celebrate the top people, companies, and organizations in Boston … Continue reading “Nominations Are Open for the 2019 Xconomy Awards in Boston”
Clinical Analytics Platform TriNetX Raises $40M to Speed Drug Trials
TriNetX, a Cambridge, MA, developer of data analytics software for clinical research, has raised $40 million in a Series D funding round led by Merck’s corporate venture capital fund, the company said. The company’s analytics platform helps pharma companies detail the many aspects of a clinical trial—from choosing hospital locations with adequate populations of patients … Continue reading “Clinical Analytics Platform TriNetX Raises $40M to Speed Drug Trials”
The Investments Cisco, Samsung, Toyota, and Chevron Are Making in AI
Austin—If you’re a startup talking up your artificial intelligence chops in your venture capital pitch, you’re not alone. For Cisco Investments, the venture arm of tech giant Cisco, artificial intelligence is no longer one of the key trends to watch for during pitches in 2019. That’s according to Noah Yago, a director at Cisco Investments, … Continue reading “The Investments Cisco, Samsung, Toyota, and Chevron Are Making in AI”
Drug-Price Watchdog ICER Dives into Trump-Fueled Pharma Rebate Debate
[Updated 3/13/19, 12:20pm. See below.] With public and political winds blowing in the same direction, significant reform of the complicated U.S. drug-pricing system seems ever more likely. One part of the system that the Trump administration wants to overhaul are the secret rebates that drug makers, insurers, and middlemen negotiate behind closed doors. Replacements for … Continue reading “Drug-Price Watchdog ICER Dives into Trump-Fueled Pharma Rebate Debate”
EPIcenter Event to Showcase Innovations in Electricity Products
San Antonio—EPIcenter, a think tank that promotes the “new energy” sector and operates a startup incubator and other programs for businesses, is planning a half-day event highlighting electricity-focused tech companies. The summit will take place on June 19 and will include keynote speeches, panel discussions, and short product presentations by companies that use electricity in … Continue reading “EPIcenter Event to Showcase Innovations in Electricity Products”
Toyota Among Investors Backing Airbiquity With $15M for Vehicle Tech
Airbiquity, a Seattle-based developer of connected vehicle systems powering navigation, entertainment, and other software in cars, has raised $15 million in new financing from three Japanese automotive corporations, the company announced Monday. The investors that participated in the equity funding round are Denso Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: [[ticker:TM]]), and Toyota Tsusho Corp, which supports … Continue reading “Toyota Among Investors Backing Airbiquity With $15M for Vehicle Tech”
Meet the Companies in Backstage Capital’s Detroit Accelerator
Backstage Capital, a Los Angeles-based venture firm seeding early-stage companies led by women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community, has announced the details of its Detroit startup accelerator. Earlier this year, Backstage founder Arlan Hamilton announced the firm would host its first accelerators in four cities, including Detroit. The Motor City’s inclusion, … Continue reading “Meet the Companies in Backstage Capital’s Detroit Accelerator”
Jibo’s Last Dance, and the Social Robot’s Hope for the Afterlife
Last summer, dozens of former Jibo employees returned to the defunct company’s Boston offices for a long weekend of pizza, beer, and brainstorming. The task: How do you teach the company’s “social robot” to say goodbye? Rich Sadowsky, Jibo’s former head of security and privacy, had helped organize the volunteer group over a Jibo alumni … Continue reading “Jibo’s Last Dance, and the Social Robot’s Hope for the Afterlife”
Karat’s Interviewers, Software Help Tech Firms Assess Engineers
When it comes to interviewing candidates for software engineering positions at big technology companies, “takes one to know one” tends to be an appropriate axiom, says Mohit Bhende. He’s one of the co-founders of Karat, a Seattle-based startup that uses proprietary software and its own stable of freelance interviewers to help some of the marquee … Continue reading “Karat’s Interviewers, Software Help Tech Firms Assess Engineers”
Connect, Longtime Local Accelerator, Names Silvia Mah as President
Connect, a 34-year-old nonprofit which runs the well-known Springboard Accelerator Program for startups, announced Monday that it had tapped Silvia Mah, a San Diego investor and entrepreneur, as its new president. She succeeds Greg McKee, who served as president and CEO of the San Diego-based organization for five years before stepping down last month to … Continue reading “Connect, Longtime Local Accelerator, Names Silvia Mah as President”
Celgene Submits MS Drug for Approval in Europe, FDA Filing on Track
An experimental multiple sclerosis treatment identified as a key asset in Bristol-Myers Squibb’s proposed acquisition of Celgene has been filed for regulatory approval in Europe. Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) submitted its application to the European Medicines Agency for ozanimod, a drug developed to treat a form of MS characterized by relapses, or periodic flare-ups, of neurological … Continue reading “Celgene Submits MS Drug for Approval in Europe, FDA Filing on Track”
The Life, Troubles, and Celgene Legacy of Deal Guru George Golumbeski
George Golumbeski is one of the most prolific dealmakers in the biopharmaceutical world. But the deal that changed his life is a pact he made with himself when he was ten years old. Playing with friends in front of his house in Hampton, VA, he watched his mother drag his dead-drunk father, a U.S. Air … Continue reading “The Life, Troubles, and Celgene Legacy of Deal Guru George Golumbeski”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: ResMed, Alexandria GradLabs & More
Spring has sprung, and it’s shaping up to be another busy season for San Diego’s life sciences community. As we head into the weekend, crossing our fingers that the seemingly endless rain showers will be replaced by our usual sunshine, here’s a quick rundown of some recent news developments. —ResMed (NYSE: [[ticker:RMD]]) acquired a South … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: ResMed, Alexandria GradLabs & More”
FDA Clears Way for AquaBounty to Raise Salmon in America’s Heartland
It’s been more than three years since the FDA approved salmon from AquaBounty Technologies, but debates about labels and other requirements have kept the genetically engineered fish from reaching dining plates. On Friday, the FDA removed the last regulatory hurdle standing in the company’s way. The FDA lifted an “import alert,” a rule that kept … Continue reading “FDA Clears Way for AquaBounty to Raise Salmon in America’s Heartland”
Vtrus Gets $2.9M For Drones That Inspect Indoor Industrial Equipment
Vtrus, a Seattle-based startup developing drones designed to autonomously inspect equipment in factories and other indoor settings, has raised more than $2.9 million to support its commercialization efforts, according to a regulatory filing. Nine investors participated in the equity funding round, the filing shows. Reached by phone on Thursday, a spokesperson for Vtrus declined to … Continue reading “Vtrus Gets $2.9M For Drones That Inspect Indoor Industrial Equipment”
TX Tech: ForeFlight to Boeing, Osano Debut, Saranas’ FDA Nod & More
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Boeing (NYSE: [[ticker:BE]]) has acquired Houston-based ForeFlight, a mobile and web-based maker of aviation software, according to a press release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. ForeFlight had already been partnering with the Chicago-based aeronautical company for the past two years through Boeing’s subsidiary … Continue reading “TX Tech: ForeFlight to Boeing, Osano Debut, Saranas’ FDA Nod & More”