It’s always good to catch up with Mike Baker. It’s not always good to wait a year or more between catch-ups, though. Baker is the CEO of Boston-based DataXu. And if you don’t watch closely, suddenly you realize his company has grown to 220 people, with offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Brazil, … Continue reading “DataXu Scoops Up $27M More, Turns Corner on Big-Data Ad Software”
Category: National
Is Jon Carder from Mars? The Contrarian Views of Mogl’s Founding CEO
The Mogl headquarters in San Diego is designed around two long tables with dozens of workstations, where staffers manage different aspects of the company’s business—a Web-based platform for cultivating customer loyalty. In one corner, there is a game room with a foosball table and video games. Mogl founder and CEO Jon Carder, who is leading … Continue reading “Is Jon Carder from Mars? The Contrarian Views of Mogl’s Founding CEO”
Fledge Raises Funds As ‘Fledgling’ BURN Gets $4m For Africa Factory
Seattle startup incubator Fledge has closed the initial round of a venture capital fund to back companies addressing a broad market of “conscious consumers,” while a member of its first class landed $4 million to manufacture clean cookstoves in Africa. The Fledge fund’s first close of $307,000 is sufficient to back the incubator’s 2012 cohort … Continue reading “Fledge Raises Funds As ‘Fledgling’ BURN Gets $4m For Africa Factory”
Hyperion’s Pinpoint Mission Pays Off with Drug Approval
Hyperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HPTX]]) has weathered some setbacks on the way to its first drug approval, which came from the FDA last week. But many a life sciences startup would happily settle for the South San Francisco company’s timeline of progress. Hyperion, founded in 2007, went public in July 2012, and got the FDA nod … Continue reading “Hyperion’s Pinpoint Mission Pays Off with Drug Approval”
TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM
Last night’s New York Tech Meetup put some familiar faces on stage, including the team at Shelby.tv, which gave a look at what the startup has been up to since last summer when it began to rebuild. From a big picture perspective, Shelby.tv continues to be about discovering video online; however this alumnus from the … Continue reading “TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM”
Washington Governor Woos, But AMSC Has No Imminent Plans to Move
Washington Governor Jay Inslee dashed off a hand-written note to the chief executive of clean energy company AMSC minutes after being sworn in last month, inviting the Massachusetts company to move to the Evergreen State. It was at least a symbolic gesture, underscoring Inslee’s commitment to building the state’s clean technology sector, a point he … Continue reading “Washington Governor Woos, But AMSC Has No Imminent Plans to Move”
Gilbert’s Rockbridge Growth Equity Adds to Tech Portfolio
Dan Gilbert’s Rockbridge Growth Equity, a Detroit-based private equity firm founded in 2007, announced last month that it has acquired Tampa, FL-based Triad Retail Media, which helps companies like Walmart and eBay monetize websites through advertising. Boston-based Falcon Investment Advisors partnered with Rockbridge on the transaction, the value of which was undisclosed. Kevin Prokop, who co-founded Rockbridge with Gilbert … Continue reading “Gilbert’s Rockbridge Growth Equity Adds to Tech Portfolio”
The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged
Much is being said on a daily basis about the “Series A crunch.” Supposedly, there aren’t enough venture investors to support all the startups winning seed funding these days. I will give you my thoughts on how to deal with the issue. Please note that this advice is entirely for entrepreneurs, not investors. First and … Continue reading “The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged”
Boston Roundup: Biogen Idec, Cloudant, NEA, eClinicalWorks, & More
A big biotech drug buy leads off this collection of deal news from around the Boston region: —Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) is buying out partner Elan Corp.’s interest in natalizumab (Tysabri), a drug for people who have relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Weston-based Biogen is paying $3.25 billion up front to Ireland-based Elan, plus future … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: Biogen Idec, Cloudant, NEA, eClinicalWorks, & More”
Ironwood Bucks the Trends, Makes Big Bet on Drug For Millions
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is a bit of throwback in biotech. And this is the year the Cambridge, MA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRWD]]) will find out if some old-school sensibility, combined with new technology, can still pay off. While many of today’s biotechs aspire to become bite-size entities that are easily absorbed by Big Pharma acquirers, Ironwood has … Continue reading “Ironwood Bucks the Trends, Makes Big Bet on Drug For Millions”
New Zillow Tool Helps Homeowners Daydream About Remodeling
Zillow is aiming a new service at the one major portion of the real estate marketplace it hasn’t touched yet: remodeling. The Seattle company is launching Zillow Digs, an iPad app and Web service that will compete to improve the process of gathering and sharing remodeling ideas, and give homeowners a sense of whether that … Continue reading “New Zillow Tool Helps Homeowners Daydream About Remodeling”
BuyMichLocal: A Business Directory With a Twist
Michael Sacha worked as a multimedia account rep for companies like Gannett and Yahoo, where he helped businesses place ad campaigns that went across print, mobile, social, and online platforms. Working with both national agencies and local companies, he grew frustrated with what he saw as a bloated, inefficient way of doing things. He wanted … Continue reading “BuyMichLocal: A Business Directory With a Twist”
London’s Hailo Gets $30.6M Fare from Union Square Ventures, Others
As initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, London-based taxi app maker Hailo raised $30.6 million in a Series B round led by Union Square Ventures. Other investors participating in the round include Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, Phenomen Ventures, teleco KDDI in Tokyo, Red Swan Ventures, Felicis Ventures, and prior investors. A version of … Continue reading “London’s Hailo Gets $30.6M Fare from Union Square Ventures, Others”
JMI Equity, IGC Sink $31M for Strategic Growth at WhiteHat Security
WhiteHat Security, the Santa Clara, CA-based Web security company founded in 2001 by Jeremiah Grossman, has closed on $31 million in funding from a new investor, JMI Equity, and Investor Growth Capital, an existing investor. Both firms specialize in expansion stage investments in IT companies. In a statement today, WhiteHat says it secures the Web … Continue reading “JMI Equity, IGC Sink $31M for Strategic Growth at WhiteHat Security”
Zynga, East Coast Publishers Talk Strategies at Mobile Gaming USA East
Zynga Mobile New York, GSN Digital, The Tap Lab, and other mobile game publishers gave a glimpse inside their playbooks on getting more revenue from freemium titles at last week’s Mobile Gaming USA East conference. Chieh Huang, a director with Zynga Mobile NY, said during a panel that game makers can let money slip through … Continue reading “Zynga, East Coast Publishers Talk Strategies at Mobile Gaming USA East”
J&J Creates Space at Janssen Labs for Life Sciences Entrepreneurs
Johnson & Johnson’s innovation center, Janssen Labs, has admitted 18 early stage companies since opening its “no strings attached” business accelerator program in San Diego a year ago. Now the incubator is opening its doors to solo entrepreneurs as well. In a statement today, Janssen Research & Development says it is making room at Janssen … Continue reading “J&J Creates Space at Janssen Labs for Life Sciences Entrepreneurs”
Debating Robots, Jobs, and the Changing Nature of Work on April 11
If you saw the 60 Minutes segment “March of the Machines” on January 13, you probably came away with some mixed feelings about the state of robotics. The report showed robots doing an impressive array of jobs, from assisting with delicate surgery to driving autonomously on freeways to ferrying medicines down hospital corridors. But don’t … Continue reading “Debating Robots, Jobs, and the Changing Nature of Work on April 11”
Hydrovolts Introduces Commercial Turbine, Targets Wastewater Plants
As recently as a year ago, Seattle renewable energy startup Hydrovolts planned to sell its turbines primarily to irrigation districts for use in canals. But the company now sees a more promising initial market for a “waterfall turbine” that can be bolted onto systems within wastewater treatment plants and other industrial facilities. “We made that … Continue reading “Hydrovolts Introduces Commercial Turbine, Targets Wastewater Plants”
Twitter’s Boston Acquisitions: Crashlytics Tops $100M, Bluefin Labs Close Behind
People are talking about Twitter’s Boston-area acquisitions today. Some more than others. Unsubstantiated rumors and prices are flying around like so many careless tweets. Whom should you believe? Answer: Xconomy (and me). Hey, I’m sticking my neck out here. Independent of other media reports, I have it on good authority that Twitter is acquiring Bluefin … Continue reading “Twitter’s Boston Acquisitions: Crashlytics Tops $100M, Bluefin Labs Close Behind”
OncoGenex CFO Resigns After Developing Personal Relationship With CEO
Michelle Burris, the chief financial officer and executive vice president of operations at Bothell, WA-based OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OGXI]]), is stepping down from her executive management roles after she and CEO Scott Cormack disclosed to the company’s board that they have “a developing personal relationship.” The disclosure, made this afternoon in a filing with the … Continue reading “OncoGenex CFO Resigns After Developing Personal Relationship With CEO”
MI Social Entrepreneurship Competition Offers $50K in Prizes
Detroit’s reputation as a one-of-a-kind proving ground for innovative approaches to solving social problems got a boost today with the announcement of the Pure Michigan Social Entrepreneurship Challenge, a statewide competition offering $50,000 in cash prizes. Billed as the nation’s first coordinated, public-private effort to advance social entrepreneurship, the Pure Michigan Social Entrepreneurship Challenge is … Continue reading “MI Social Entrepreneurship Competition Offers $50K in Prizes”
Legend3D Closes $8M Round; Moves San Diego HQ Closer to Hollywood
Legend3D, which specializes in creating 3D visual effects for cinema and digital media, says today it has closed on $8 million in new funding, shortly after moving its headquarters from San Diego into a new “state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot studio in Carlsbad, CA. Augustus Ventures and Northwater Capital Management led the deal, which was described as a … Continue reading “Legend3D Closes $8M Round; Moves San Diego HQ Closer to Hollywood”
Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program—Lessons Learned
I ran into Ricardo Dos Santos and his amazing Qualcomm Venture Fest a few years ago and was astonished with its breath and depth. From that day on, when I got asked about which corporate innovation program had the best process for idea selection, I started my list with Qualcomm. This is part 2 of … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program—Lessons Learned”
Acme Packet Sold to Oracle for $2B; Cue Silicon Valley Envy
Oracle owns the Boston tech scene. That’s all I can think of now. The Larry Ellison machine from Silicon Valley has spent increasing amounts of money to acquire Boston-area icons, including Phase Forward ($685 million), Endeca (about $1 billion), and now Acme Packet—the latter to the tune of $2.1 billion, a 22 percent premium on … Continue reading “Acme Packet Sold to Oracle for $2B; Cue Silicon Valley Envy”
Alnylam Gets $25M From Medicines Co. for Cholesterol Drug
Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has found a partner willing to help it go up against against some formidable competitors with a new class of cholesterol-lowering drugs. Alnylam (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) said today that The Medicines Company of Parsippany, NJ, has agreed to take an exclusive global license to Alnylam’s RNA interference drug candidates that block PCSK9, … Continue reading “Alnylam Gets $25M From Medicines Co. for Cholesterol Drug”
What’s in a Name? A Lot, When It Comes to ‘Precision Medicine’
Personalized medicine was supposed to be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was going to be the payoff our society would see after investing in the Human Genome Project and so much other biomedical research. While most people on the street can’t say what it means, anybody can understand the … Continue reading “What’s in a Name? A Lot, When It Comes to ‘Precision Medicine’”
Silicon Valley Meets at Facebook Campus to Recruit LGBT Students
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said many times that the company’s mission is to make the world more open and connected. Usually, the connections Facebook fosters are purely virtual, but this weekend the company is getting real, hosting a gathering for almost 200 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students at its … Continue reading “Silicon Valley Meets at Facebook Campus to Recruit LGBT Students”
Plymouth Venture Partners Invests in InContext Solutions
Plymouth Venture Partners Fund II, the Ann Arbor, MI-based growth-stage investment fund, announced last month that it led a Series C round for the Chicago-based InContext Solutions. The total value of the investment was not disclosed. InContext Solutions is a market research firm that specializes in product simulations. Jeff Barry, a Plymouth Ventures partner, says … Continue reading “Plymouth Venture Partners Invests in InContext Solutions”
Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy
The cost of ubiquitous cyber attacks and cyber probes in the United States and the rest of the world is a staggering, ever-growing challenge. Antivirus firm Symantec estimated the 2011 global price tag of direct financial loss and the cost of remediating attacks at $338 billion, excluding the theft of intellectual property and damage from … Continue reading “Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy”
How Lytro is Shifting Our Perspective on Photography
The first time I got to play with a Lytro light-field camera was in March, 2012. If I had to sum up my reaction in eight words, it would be: “Concept: Mind-blowing. Execution: Not quite there yet.” It was clear that the technology inside the camera—which makes it possible to refocus a picture after it’s … Continue reading “How Lytro is Shifting Our Perspective on Photography”
New Accelerator LearnLaunchX Looks to Make Boston Ed-Tech Capital of the World
There’s a new startup accelerator in town. OK, there are a few—but this one specializes in technology and innovation in the field of education. LearnLaunchX, led by angel investor Jean Hammond and her team, is gearing up for its first group of startups this summer. Hammond spoke with me in conjunction with her nonprofit LearnLaunch’s … Continue reading “New Accelerator LearnLaunchX Looks to Make Boston Ed-Tech Capital of the World”
Inslee Claims Clean Energy Mandate, Outlines Ideas for Sector
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says he has a “mandate” on clean energy and outlined “eight general ideas” to advance the sector, but he offered little in the way of specific new policies to his stalwart supporters at the Washington Clean Technology Alliance policy conference. “We were the first state to really elect a governor who … Continue reading “Inslee Claims Clean Energy Mandate, Outlines Ideas for Sector”
East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Sarepta, Vertex, Celsion, More
It was a roller coaster week for news on the East Coast, with two clinical trials ending with diametrically opposite results, Vertex explaining lackluster earnings, and Sarepta dealing with a weird Twitter hoax. —Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) reported its third quarterly loss in a row on Tuesday, all because sales of its once high-flying hepatitis … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Sarepta, Vertex, Celsion, More”
Take Lessons Raises $4M in Expanded Round, Plans Expanded Services
After raising $6 million in mid-2011, San Diego’s TakeLessons says today it has raised another $4 million to improve its online services for music teachers and students, and to move into related markets. The follow-on Series A financing, led by Triangle Peak Partners of Palo Alto, CA, brings the company’s total venture funding to more … Continue reading “Take Lessons Raises $4M in Expanded Round, Plans Expanded Services”
Allaire Out as Brightcove CEO
Jeremy Allaire, a founder of the Boston online media hosting company Brightcove, is stepping down as CEO and will be replaced by the company’s head of operations. Brightcove announced the change today in its quarterly earnings report, albeit buried beneath the usual recitations about its financial performance. Allaire will remain as chairman of the publicly … Continue reading “Allaire Out as Brightcove CEO”
Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director
TechStars New York has a new managing director: Eugene Chung, a former senior associate at big VC firm New Enterprise Associates. He replaces David Tisch, who stepped down from the job in August and still has a role with the program. TechStars has emerged as one of the top startup accelerators in the country in … Continue reading “Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director”
California Stem Cell Agency Shifts Focus to Clinical Treatments
California’s stem cell research funding agency has been shifting gears, and California entrepreneurs stand to benefit. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars over the next four years to support early stage clinical trials and other work toward regulatory approval of commercial therapies. What’s more, industry advisors … Continue reading “California Stem Cell Agency Shifts Focus to Clinical Treatments”
1366 Shakes Off Solar Industry Woes, Opens New Wafer Plant
Is this the only U.S. solar startup that’s actually doing well? That might be an overstatement. But after the much-publicized failings of Solyndra and Evergreen Solar, one might wonder what’s keeping Bedford, MA-based 1366 Technologies afloat. And, more to the point, what’s to keep 1366 from suffering a similar fate down the road? The answers … Continue reading “1366 Shakes Off Solar Industry Woes, Opens New Wafer Plant”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Isis, Afraxis, Organovo, & More
Developments at Isis and Afraxis were the main events for the local biotech crowd this week, with Isis winning FDA approval for its first-in-class antisense drug and Afraxis licensing all of its drug compounds to Genentech. Here’s my roundup. —The price of shares in Isis Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ISIS]]) gained 9.8 percent yesterday, closing at $14.69 … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Isis, Afraxis, Organovo, & More”
Roundup: 9Mile, Invoke, nFluence, FlexMinder, Sigby, and Globys
Another Northwest startup incubator is launching, this one in Vancouver, BC, while Seattle’s newest, 9Mile Labs, adds to its roster of partners. Meanwhile, nFluence Media, FlexMinder, and Sigby each took on more than $1 million of additional investment, and Globys moved its headquarters to accommodate growth. —Voyager Capital alum Enrique Godreau and Microsoft exec Tom … Continue reading “Roundup: 9Mile, Invoke, nFluence, FlexMinder, Sigby, and Globys”
Celsion Liver Cancer Trial Fails to Meet Goals, Stock Plunges
In a major setback, Celsion (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLSN]]), based in Lawrenceville, NJ, reported today that its lead drug candidate failed in a Phase III clinical trial for treatment of primary liver cancer. CEO Michael Tardugno told an investor conference call this morning that the result “was not even close” to meeting the trial’s goals. Investor reaction was … Continue reading “Celsion Liver Cancer Trial Fails to Meet Goals, Stock Plunges”
Foresite Capital Closes $100M Fund for Late-Stage Biotechs
Biotech venture capital isn’t what it used to be, but there’s still money to invest in healthcare. Now one biotech investment firm just starting out has found $100 million to plow into “late-stage” companies. Foresite Capital Management, a San Francisco- and New York-based firm founded by Jim Tananbaum in 2011, said today it has officially … Continue reading “Foresite Capital Closes $100M Fund for Late-Stage Biotechs”
Former Battery Ventures VC Dhaliwal Launches New IT Fund
A longtime Boston venture capitalist is striking out on his own, with a new fund that aims to capitalize on big changes in the IT industry and early stage private investing. Sunil Dhaliwal, formerly of Battery Ventures, is formally unveiling Amplify Partners. The new fund has raised more than $16 million from about 25 investors, … Continue reading “Former Battery Ventures VC Dhaliwal Launches New IT Fund”
Companion Diagnostics for Cancer Drugs Advancing Personalized Medicine
The medical world took little notice earlier this month when Qiagen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QGEN]]), a German maker of diagnostics equipment, asked the Food & Drug Administration to approve its test for a certain gene mutation associated with lung cancer. The mutation, involving the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) found on the surface of cells, plays an … Continue reading “Companion Diagnostics for Cancer Drugs Advancing Personalized Medicine”
Monsanto Acquires Parts of Agradis, Partners with Synthetic Genomics
Just over 15 months ago, the genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter told me he had decided to spin out some plant breeding and genomics technologies from San Diego’s Synthetic Genomics to form a new agricultural biotech called Agradis. Now the big multinational agricultural giant Monsanto (NYSE: [[ticker:MON]]) says it has purchased certain technology assets from … Continue reading “Monsanto Acquires Parts of Agradis, Partners with Synthetic Genomics”
When Freemium Ain’t Free: Crowdbooster Offers a Painful Case Study
Crowdbooster is a Palo Alto, CA-based startup that solves one of the nettlesome new problems posed by the social media explosion—helping users figure out how many people they’re actual reaching when they share information on Twitter or Facebook. A lot of people like the service: within just two years of graduating from Y Combinator, Silicon … Continue reading “When Freemium Ain’t Free: Crowdbooster Offers a Painful Case Study”
Boston Tech Tidbits: Apptopia, Linkwell, uTest, Travis McCready, & More
Too much going on in the Boston tech scene to keep track of at the moment—and much more coming soon. Here are just a few items that are swirling around my desk today. —Fast-growing mobile-app marketplace Apptopia says it has brokered a $200,000 acquisition of Bluecloud Solutions’ app portfolio by the fund AppBin. The deal … Continue reading “Boston Tech Tidbits: Apptopia, Linkwell, uTest, Travis McCready, & More”
Rovio Entertainment’s Ville Heijari Talks Marketing for Mobile Games
Even with its addictive gameplay and wacky characters, turning “Angry Birds” into a popular franchise required sizable doses of marketing savvy. And for Finland’s Rovio Entertainment, that meant merchandise—everything from stuffed animals to toothbrushes, some 25,000 products strong. Ville Heijari, senior vice president of brand marketing for Rovio, dropped by the A List Summit in … Continue reading “Rovio Entertainment’s Ville Heijari Talks Marketing for Mobile Games”
The Post-Kickstarter Conundrum: Delivering Companies DOA?
Picture this: two guys in a garage coding The Next Big Thing. It’s an iconic and familiar image. Now imagine their ubiquitous computer keyboards being overtaken by a colony of 3-D foam models or CAD drawings. Now your mind’s eye sees these same guys (or gals) hacking away at something entirely different. This shift in … Continue reading “The Post-Kickstarter Conundrum: Delivering Companies DOA?”
Organovo Joins with OHSU to Bio-Engineer Cancer Tissue for Drug R&D
Along the way to developing technology for bio-engineering human livers, kidneys, and other vital organs, Organovo CEO Keith Murphy says the San Diego startup realized its 3-D bio-printing technology could be used to address a huge unmet need more immediately. As Murphy explained 18 months ago, Big Pharma companies have been searching for better and … Continue reading “Organovo Joins with OHSU to Bio-Engineer Cancer Tissue for Drug R&D”