Silicon Valley has acquired a taste for food. Not the kind with calories, but the business of food: making it, distributing it, serving it, and helping people discover it. Among both entrepreneurs and investors, there’s a fast-growing enthusiasm for finding both high-tech and low-tech ways to bring new shopping and eating experiences to consumers. That … Continue reading “Who’s Investing in Food Startups? A Photo Gallery”
Category: National
Cloud Competition Heating Up, Carbonite Rolls Out File-Sync Software
Carbonite has long been known for one thing: Backing up your computer files. And for the customer, that means mostly staying out of your face. If everything goes right, Carbonite’s software sits in the background, making copies of your valuable documents, photos, and other digital goodies. They’re uploaded to Carbonite’s servers, and there they sit, … Continue reading “Cloud Competition Heating Up, Carbonite Rolls Out File-Sync Software”
Governor Inslee Comes Out Swinging For Washington Cleantech
Washington Governor Jay Inslee devoted about one-seventh of his inaugural address to climate change and the state’s moral imperative and economic opportunity in responding to it. While the longtime environmental champion left detailed policy proposals for later, his address—along with an op-ed published in Publicola last month—provide a sense of the specific markets and initiatives … Continue reading “Governor Inslee Comes Out Swinging For Washington Cleantech”
The Intersection of the Double Helix and Life Sciences in Seattle
Sixty years ago this spring, three landmark papers were published in Nature on the 3-D structure of deoxyribonucleic acid – DNA, the molecule that allows life to exist, replicate and evolve. The most celebrated of these papers was authored by James Watson and Francis Crick, working in the U.K. at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University. … Continue reading “The Intersection of the Double Helix and Life Sciences in Seattle”
SV Bio, Backed by Sequoia, Strives to Make Medical Genomics Simple
Physicians don’t usually learn much about genetics in medical school, but they increasingly need to know about it. That’s why Dietrich Stephan, the co-founder of Navigenics, is building a new company to give physicians clear and simple information about the genome so they can better tailor treatment to individual patients. Foster City, CA-based SV Bio, … Continue reading “SV Bio, Backed by Sequoia, Strives to Make Medical Genomics Simple”
Boston’s Got Big Mo in Biotech, But SF is Pushing Back
San Francisco is used to being No. 1 in lots of things. It’s there in technology, and in biotechnology. Every magazine that ever ranked ‘Best Places to Live’ is practically required to put it near the top. Even Bay Area sports teams are riding high, as the Giants won the World Series, the 49ers are … Continue reading “Boston’s Got Big Mo in Biotech, But SF is Pushing Back”
San Diego Venture Funding Plunges in Fourth-Quarter; Our Top 10 Deals
Venture investing in San Diego, which sprinted through the first nine months of 2012, was flagging in the fourth quarter home stretch, according to the MoneyTree Report released today. Venture firms invested just $174.6 million in 24 startups during the last three months of the year, marking a 41 percent plunge in funding compared with … Continue reading “San Diego Venture Funding Plunges in Fourth-Quarter; Our Top 10 Deals”
U-M’s Frankel Fund Has First Exit, Leads Fusion Coolant’s Series A
University of Michigan’s student-led Frankel Commercialization Fund, in collaboration with the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, announced this week that Arbor Photonics, one of the fund’s portfolio companies, has been acquired by nLIGHT, an industry leader in semiconductor lasers. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. “We’re really pleased for such an early-stage fund … Continue reading “U-M’s Frankel Fund Has First Exit, Leads Fusion Coolant’s Series A”
Lumiode, Born from Columbia Technology Ventures, Shines at CES Eureka Park
It is getting harder to stand out—in a good way—among startups that exhibit at International CES, thanks to the growth of Eureka Park. Lumiode, a New York-based developer of technology to make electronic displays much brighter and more energy efficient, traveled to last week’s conference in Las Vegas as part of Columbia Technology Ventures. Though … Continue reading “Lumiode, Born from Columbia Technology Ventures, Shines at CES Eureka Park”
Facebook Used to Be Fun—Graph Search Makes It Useful
I spend a lot of time on Facebook. Probably more than the average user, who spends around 400 minutes on the site per month, or about 13 minutes per day, according to data from comScore. It isn’t exactly wasted time—I’m usually gathering or spreading news and keeping up with my friends by browsing their news … Continue reading “Facebook Used to Be Fun—Graph Search Makes It Useful”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Illumina, Santarus, Accelrys, & More
This week’s assortment of San Diego life sciences news includes a sweet CEO interview, a dollop of FDA approval, a savory corporate acquisition, and other morsels for your enjoyment. Best of all, our news is zero calorie—and it begins now. —One interesting tidbit of life sciences news occurred earlier this month, when Roche Chairman told … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Illumina, Santarus, Accelrys, & More”
InVitae, Led by Randy Scott, Goes ‘All-in’ For Genomic Diagnostics
You could call Randy Scott an E.F. Hutton for the genomics business. People listen when the co-founder and former CEO of Genomic Health talks. And Scott isn’t just talking. He’s gone “all-in,” putting his time, and a significant amount of his own money, into a new San Francisco company called InVitae. The plan is to develop a … Continue reading “InVitae, Led by Randy Scott, Goes ‘All-in’ For Genomic Diagnostics”
East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Aveo, Mayo Clinic, GI Dynamics, More
Cambridge, MA-based companies had their share of stock offering announcements this week. Plus, Cambridge gained another company, a key clinical trial started for an unusual anti-obesity device, and New Yorkers discussed how to put their life sciences industry on the map. —AVEO Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVEO]]) said on Thursday it plans to raise $50 million by selling … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Aveo, Mayo Clinic, GI Dynamics, More”
2012 VC Funding Strong in Software, Soft Elsewhere: The Top 10 Deals
Venture capital investments receded nationwide in 2012, with double-digit decreases in funding for new cleantech and life sciences companies weighing upon the $26.5 billion that was invested in 3,698 companies nationwide. It marked a 10 percent slide from the $29.5 billion that VCs invested in 2011, with the deal count declining 6 percent (from 3,937), … Continue reading “2012 VC Funding Strong in Software, Soft Elsewhere: The Top 10 Deals”
Achates Claims Huge Gains in Fuel Efficiency of Opposed-Piston Design
Achates Power was founded in 2004 with the idea of re-engineering the opposed-piston, two-stroke engine, a design that has been used in ships and submarines, aircraft, trucks, and other vehicles for more than 100 years. Such engines fell out of favor with the adoption of stricter tailpipe emission standards during the 1970s. But Achates founder … Continue reading “Achates Claims Huge Gains in Fuel Efficiency of Opposed-Piston Design”
Analysis: Activist Swartz’s Suicide Could Shake MIT to Its Core
Federal prosecutors are weighing in for the first time publicly about the case against Aaron Swartz, the activist programmer and Internet pioneer who committed suicide last week after being charged with more than a dozen federal computer crimes. The government’s comments certainly make the possible punishment that Swartz faced seem less daunting than many previous accounts. Prosecutors … Continue reading “Analysis: Activist Swartz’s Suicide Could Shake MIT to Its Core”
Ed-Tech Tidbits: Launch Academy, LearnLaunch Step Out
Everyone talks about the technical talent crunch in Boston (and other hubs). Few do anything about it. But today is all about the “launch.” More specifically, Launch Academy. And, secondarily, LearnLaunch. Launch Academy is an interesting new 10-week program designed to train new Web developers and help them land jobs in Boston-area tech companies. The … Continue reading “Ed-Tech Tidbits: Launch Academy, LearnLaunch Step Out”
Who Should—and Shouldn’t—Become A Tech Investor? Freestyle Weighs In
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a former entrepreneur in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of investments. Or to put it another way: If you’re a 30-year-old startup founder who’s cashed out of your first company and you suddenly find yourself with a life-altering amount of money (and a lot … Continue reading “Who Should—and Shouldn’t—Become A Tech Investor? Freestyle Weighs In”
Can NYC Create an Infrastructure for Medical Device Startups?
[Updated 1/22/13, 9:00 am. See below.] Xconomy New York has been chronicling New York City’s efforts to develop a welcoming environment for life sciences startups since we started, and we always come back to the same problems—the high cost of real estate, a small VC community, and the lack of a vibrant startup infrastructure such … Continue reading “Can NYC Create an Infrastructure for Medical Device Startups?”
Flingo, Accedo Broadband, and Others Cram New Tricks into Smart TVs
Between the digital content being squeezed into televisions and the perpetual stream of new hardware, sitting down to watch a show is far from simple these days. Companies such as Flingo in San Francisco and Stockholm-based Accedo Broadband, which got a foothold in Brooklyn last fall, develop apps and platforms designed to enhance TV viewing. … Continue reading “Flingo, Accedo Broadband, and Others Cram New Tricks into Smart TVs”
The Problem With Kickstarter
Kickstarter helped pioneer crowdfunding for creative projects. It has been enormously successful. The Kickstarter model is to set a fundraising goal. If the project meets its goal, the money is transferred to the creators to fund the development of the project. Kickstarter collects a 5 percent fee, the creator gets funding, and the backers get … Continue reading “The Problem With Kickstarter”
Symform, Tred, LikeBright, UIEvolution, and More Seattle Tech Deals
Washington attracted 4 percent of VC investment in the fourth quarter of 2012—up from 2 percent a year earlier—and new deals are continuing to roll out for Northwest tech companies this year. Seattle TechStars grads Tred and LikeBright landed funding, along with Symform, UIEvolution, and Portland’s Janrain, which collected a whopping $33 million. Read on … Continue reading “Symform, Tred, LikeBright, UIEvolution, and More Seattle Tech Deals”
How the TCA is Making 2013 The Year of the Angel Investor
A number of pundits have been claiming that angel investment is waning, and that such funding opportunities will remain few and far between for deserving startups seeking to take their innovations to market. I beg to differ. In fact, 2013 could very well be the year of the angel investor. Case in point: Southern California’s … Continue reading “How the TCA is Making 2013 The Year of the Angel Investor”
Four Startups Receive Michigan Microloan Fund Awards
The Michigan Microloan Fund Program announced last week that it has awarded a combined $156,000 in funding to four Michigan startups. The early-stage companies received the microloans to support their commercialization efforts. “The microloans are important because they give the companies an opportunity to grow and move into the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Joe Locavalli, who … Continue reading “Four Startups Receive Michigan Microloan Fund Awards”
Sanford-Burnham’s CEO Sees Incredible Opportunity in Move to Roche
John Reed says his decision to resign as CEO of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute was not planned—but came about with an offer to join the Swiss pharmaceutical giant—and he cited both personal and professional reasons for leaving the San Diego institute. The Sanford-Burnham, which Reed joined 21 years ago as a rising star in cancer … Continue reading “Sanford-Burnham’s CEO Sees Incredible Opportunity in Move to Roche”
See You Tomorrow at Mobile Madness Motor City
We’re gearing up for Mobile Madness Motor City, Xconomy’s first mobile event in Detroit. As the mobile tech sector continues to heat up, how will devices and applications be more seamlessly integrated into our cars, our jobs, and our lifestyles? What are Michigan’s unique opportunities to participate in and capitalize on this transformation? We’ll cover all … Continue reading “See You Tomorrow at Mobile Madness Motor City”
Enterasys, Boston Sports Teams Talk Future of Stadium Tech at Gillette
If you get invited to Gillette Stadium the week of the AFC championship game, you go, even if you’ve been homeless for three weeks (a story for another time). So it was last night that I found myself making the drive down I-95 and Route 1 into Foxborough, MA, past the parking lots that would … Continue reading “Enterasys, Boston Sports Teams Talk Future of Stadium Tech at Gillette”
Brook Byers of Kleiner Perkins on Sticking With Healthcare
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is one of the kingpins of venture capital, best known as the firm that got in on the ground floor at Google, Amazon, Genentech and plenty of other industry-defining companies. The firm has gotten its share of glory, but it attracted some unwanted attention last year when a sexual harassment … Continue reading “Brook Byers of Kleiner Perkins on Sticking With Healthcare”
Early Stage Deals, Cleantech Collapse Drive 2012 VC Trends
They were two of the major storylines in startup investing this past year: The collapse of cleantech and the march of venture capitalists into earlier stages. Now, we’ve got some fresh numbers to help illustrate those trends. A new report out today by CB Insights, a New York-based VC research firm, shows that venture investors … Continue reading “Early Stage Deals, Cleantech Collapse Drive 2012 VC Trends”
Graph Search is Facebook’s Bid to Compete with…Everyone
There’s broad agreement in the tech industry that search should be more personal and more social. Google certainly thinks so—that was the whole point of last year’s “Search Plus Your World” initiative, which saw the search and advertising giant begin to customize its search rankings for individual users to highlight material from people connected to … Continue reading “Graph Search is Facebook’s Bid to Compete with…Everyone”
The Top 10 San Diego Cleantech Milestones of 2012
[Corrected 1/24/13, 12:05 pm. See below.] San Diego’s clean technology had a banner year in 2012. Numerous companies in the region—from startups to multinational giants—made significant strides in advancing San Diego’s leadership in renewable energy and green innovation. At CleanTECH San Diego, the regional non-profit industry group, we’ve picked the year’s 10 biggest milestones from … Continue reading “The Top 10 San Diego Cleantech Milestones of 2012”
Roche Recruits Sanford-Burnham CEO John Reed to Head Pharma Research
John Reed, who led San Diego’s Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute during a period of extraordinary growth, has resigned as CEO to become the head of pharmaceutical research and early development at Roche, the Swiss pharma giant. Kristiina Vuori, who has served as the institute’s president for nearly three years, was named interim CEO, according to … Continue reading “Roche Recruits Sanford-Burnham CEO John Reed to Head Pharma Research”
Alnylam, Lawsuit Settled, Announces $125 Million Stock Offering
(Updated 1/16/2013, 7:37 am. See below.) Two months after agreeing to pay out $65 million to settle a tense intellectual property lawsuit, Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) announced on Monday a public stock offering of $125 million. Alnylam and Tekmira Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TKMR]]) had been locked in a legal battle since March 2011, an … Continue reading “Alnylam, Lawsuit Settled, Announces $125 Million Stock Offering”
California To Hit Startup Founders with Big Retroactive Tax Bills
California is a great place to live and work, but it is not a particularly friendly place to start and run a small business. In 1999, I co-founded Sagient Research Systems, an enterprise-focused data company in San Diego. Over the ensuing 13 years we tinkered, triumphed, failed, and even tempted bankruptcy. But through it all, … Continue reading “California To Hit Startup Founders with Big Retroactive Tax Bills”
TripAdvisor, Independent for a Year, Pushing Hard on Social, Mobile Apps
TripAdvisor is a big company. It’s huge in online travel, of course, but by some measures, it is the biggest consumer Web company of any kind based in Massachusetts. Its annual revenues are in the neighborhood of $800 million, and its market cap is north of $6 billion. Its websites get more than 60 million … Continue reading “TripAdvisor, Independent for a Year, Pushing Hard on Social, Mobile Apps”
The Story Behind the Story: Why the Qualcomm Study is Important
Mark Cafferty, CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. (EDC), said the local media seemed a little nonplussed when he stepped to the lectern Friday to announce that Qualcomm (Nasdaq:[[ticker:QCOM]]) has a huge economic presence in San Diego. After the news conference, as TV reporters were recording their standup bits outside Qualcomm’s headquarters, … Continue reading “The Story Behind the Story: Why the Qualcomm Study is Important”
Illumina CEO Jay Flatley on Diagnostics, the $1K Genome & China
Illumina is the dominant player in the high-speed gene sequencing business, and has been for a number of years. That powerful position in a field that’s vital to the future of healthcare has made it the object of intense scrutiny, and in some cases, scorn, from customers, competitors, and potential acquirers. Last year, the big … Continue reading “Illumina CEO Jay Flatley on Diagnostics, the $1K Genome & China”
$2.3 Million DOE Grant Will Support MBI, Novozymes Partnership
MBI International, the Lansing, MI-based subsidiary of Michigan State University that helps companies scale up bio-based tech endeavors, has partnered with Novozymes to win a $2.3 million U.S. Department of Energy grant. The grant will support the development of new enzyme-based methods to convert corn stover into sugars, which can then be turned into biofuels, … Continue reading “$2.3 Million DOE Grant Will Support MBI, Novozymes Partnership”
This Is What You Want Your Next Startup’s Office to Look Like
Yammer celebrated its move to the Central Market area today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and catered gourmet breakfast for all its employees. They’d better get used to the luxuries fast—the new office, on the third floor of the renovated S.F. Furniture Mart building at 1355 Market Street, is one of the spiffiest spaces occupied by … Continue reading “This Is What You Want Your Next Startup’s Office to Look Like”
Marvell Gives a Glimpse of the New OLPC Laptop, Bearing Its Tech Inside
Part of the fun during last week’s International CES in Las Vegas was coming across surprises, such as Marvell of Santa Clara, CA bringing along the yet-to-be released new computer from the One Laptop Per Child project. The nonprofit OLPC project, whose foundation is based in Cambridge, MA, develops rugged, inexpensive laptops for children in … Continue reading “Marvell Gives a Glimpse of the New OLPC Laptop, Bearing Its Tech Inside”
Aileron Secures Funding for First Stapled Peptide Clinical Trial
[Updated 1/14/13, 1:31 pm. See below] Aileron Therapeutics said today that, as the result of successful preclinical studies, it secured the $12 million it needs to move its experimental treatment ALRN-5281 into initial clinical trials, in patients with rare endocrine disorders. According to Aileron, ALRN-5281 will be the first of a new class of drugs called stapled … Continue reading “Aileron Secures Funding for First Stapled Peptide Clinical Trial”
Mobile Madness Motor City: WiTricity to Demo a Future Without Wires
Mobile Madness Motor City, Xconomy’s first mobile event in Detroit, will be packed with innovators, business leaders, technologists, and app developers. It will also have something you don’t often see: A live demo of how our mobile devices, from cell phones to laptops to cars, might be powered in the future—without wires. Eric Giler, CEO of … Continue reading “Mobile Madness Motor City: WiTricity to Demo a Future Without Wires”
Why Women Tech Execs Can and Must Thrive on Risk
The stereotypical image of women as risk avoiders is changing fast. More women are occupying the boardroom, making important strategic decisions, and taking on high-risk responsibilities as CEOs, CFOs, and even chief risk officers. As a woman who worked her way up to various executive roles, and now as the CEO of a governance, risk, … Continue reading “Why Women Tech Execs Can and Must Thrive on Risk”
If You’ve Got a Real Breakthrough, the FDA Wants To Talk
If you ever want to have an interesting chat with a healthcare journalist, ask about use of the word “breakthrough.” Like many reporters, I generally avoid it. The word may be good for generating eyeballs/pageviews/ratings, but it’s usually an exaggeration that serves the financial interest of drugmakers and gives patients false hope. Sometimes, though, breakthroughs … Continue reading “If You’ve Got a Real Breakthrough, the FDA Wants To Talk”
Microsoft Roots, Social Media Chops: Spindle’s Take on Local Search
We’re now six full years into the smartphone revolution, and software developers of all stripes still haven’t figured out one of its most promising equations: How to put consumers and local businesses together at the right time, in the right place. And oh boy, have they been trying. From giants like Google and Facebook to … Continue reading “Microsoft Roots, Social Media Chops: Spindle’s Take on Local Search”
Exo Labs Links iPads, Microscopes To Modernize Science Education
Exo Labs wants to turn the iPad—proliferating in schools like generations of Apple products before it—into a platform for science education, both in the classroom and in the field. The Seattle-area hardware startup, which landed $640,000 from angel investors in December and a clutch of recognition through local startup competitions last fall, plans to begin … Continue reading “Exo Labs Links iPads, Microscopes To Modernize Science Education”
Women ARE Running Startups
There has been tremendous sensationalizing of the women and entrepreneurship issue. Self-proclaimed (male) pundits pontificate on how women entrepreneurs face tremendous obstacles, huge prejudice. I disagree. A blog post that I wrote on the subject in October 2010 still garners readership and discussions. Meanwhile, our 1M/1M virtual incubator continues to work with women entrepreneurs actively, … Continue reading “Women ARE Running Startups”
Livestream Reveals Updated Video Broadcaster Built with Verizon’s Help
New York’s Livestream this week showed off the fruits of its collaboration with the Verizon Innovation Center in Waltham, MA, unveiling an updated video broadcasting device at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Max Haot, Livestream’s CEO and co-founder, talked up the new broadcaster equipped with a Verizon 4G modem when he came by the wireless provider’s … Continue reading “Livestream Reveals Updated Video Broadcaster Built with Verizon’s Help”
Polaris’s Dogpatch Labs Evolving in Boston, Dublin, Closing in NY, Palo Alto
Big changes are afoot in Polaris Ventures’ network of startup incubators, known as Dogpatch Labs. The short story: Dogpatch in Cambridge, MA, is moving from its current office, subleased from Microsoft, to a nearby space in Kendall Square run by the Cambridge Innovation Center. Dogpatch in Dublin, Ireland, is ramping up. And the Dogpatch offices … Continue reading “Polaris’s Dogpatch Labs Evolving in Boston, Dublin, Closing in NY, Palo Alto”
Turning On to Live Internet Radio with TuneIn
Radio. It’s my periodic obsession, my news lifeline, my aural ecosystem. It’s the most antique of electronic media, yet at the same time, it’s evolving as fast as the Internet, perhaps faster. Where is radio going? How will it thrive? What will it look like (or sound like) in an era when every phone, tablet, … Continue reading “Turning On to Live Internet Radio with TuneIn”