A great crowd of enthusiastic mobile professionals, VCs, and other future-dwellers slid into the comfy pews of Town Hall Seattle for the second Xconomy Mobile Madness Northwest forum Wednesday. Chris DeVore, who moderated a provocative panel on location-based services, noted at one point that “everyone in this room lives in the future.” We’ve held the … Continue reading “Mobile Madness Northwest: Highlights, Predictions, and Takeaways”
Category: National
Seattle Broadband Upgrade: Gigabit Speeds Coming to 12 Neighborhoods
To maintain its position as a world-class technology hub, Seattle needs faster broadband, city leaders say. To that end, broadband developer Gigabit Squared, in partnership with the city of Seattle and the University of Washington, is starting an ultra-fast broadband pilot project, with speeds promised up to 1 Gigabit per second. Gigabit Seattle would lease … Continue reading “Seattle Broadband Upgrade: Gigabit Speeds Coming to 12 Neighborhoods”
Veracode CEO Bob Brennan on the Future of Software Security
One of the Boston area’s most intriguing tech companies operates in a danger zone. The software security danger zone, that is. To give a sense of what we’re talking about here, national security expert Richard Clarke is on its board of directors. Yes, the trajectory of Veracode could play a big role in the future … Continue reading “Veracode CEO Bob Brennan on the Future of Software Security”
BeyondTrust Acquires NY’s Blackbird Group, Deepens AD Security
BeyondTrust, the Carlsbad, CA-based network security provider, says today it has acquired the Blackbird Group, a New York specialist in Windows Active Directory (AD) systems management and auditing software. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is the latest in an acquisition spree by BeyondTrust, a specialist in software that controls user privileges and helps … Continue reading “BeyondTrust Acquires NY’s Blackbird Group, Deepens AD Security”
NanoSteel to Open Metro Detroit Office Focusing on Automotive Business
NanoSteel, the Providence, RI-based nano-materials company, announced yesterday that it will open an office in metro Detroit. It has named Craig Parsons, a former Gestamp executive with more than 20 years experience working in the automobile supply chain and manufacturing, to lead the operation. The metro Detroit office will focus on NanoSteel’s automotive initiatives as … Continue reading “NanoSteel to Open Metro Detroit Office Focusing on Automotive Business”
Nielsen Backs VC Fund Pereg Focused on Marketing, Israeli Startups
Nielsen (NYSE: [[ticker:NLSN]]), the television ratings company, is backing a new VC firm, Pereg Ventures, based in New York, that will be looking for early stage advertising and Web-based-marketing technology startups, as well as Israeli entrepreneurs seeking to crack the US market. Pereg said in its press release that it will invest in “market intelligence … Continue reading “Nielsen Backs VC Fund Pereg Focused on Marketing, Israeli Startups”
Plug and Play Tech Center: Where Startups Come to Make Connections
If you’re looking for the place in Silicon Valley with the most startups per square foot, it’s probably the huge two-story office building at 440 N. Wolfe Road in Sunnyvale, headquarters of Plug and Play Tech Center. While Plug and Play runs smaller startup communities in Redwood City and Palo Alto, the bulk of its … Continue reading “Plug and Play Tech Center: Where Startups Come to Make Connections”
ProfitBricks, Taking On Amazon, Offers Virtual Data Centers to Startups
It’s easy to say you compete with Amazon Web Services. It’s hard to actually do it. But that’s exactly what ProfitBricks is trying to do. The two-year-old German cloud-computing company, which has a fast-growing presence in Cambridge, MA, has been making some noise in the tech community. As part of its goal to appeal to … Continue reading “ProfitBricks, Taking On Amazon, Offers Virtual Data Centers to Startups”
Pernix Buyout Ends Generic Nightmare for Sleeping Pill Maker Somaxon
Embattled Somaxon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: [[ticker:SOMX]]), which came under pressure from generic rivals just eight months after launching its first commercial drug, has agreed to merge with Pernix Therapeutics Holdings (NYSE: [[ticker:PTX]]) in a deal valued at $25 million. Pernix, based in suburban Houston, agreed to issue $25 million in shares of its common stock to … Continue reading “Pernix Buyout Ends Generic Nightmare for Sleeping Pill Maker Somaxon”
When VCs Run Out of Energy: The New Era of Cleantech Investing
The hasty promotion of cleantech to the high expectations of high-tech and biotech led to well-documented investment disasters. Capital intensity, time to exit—as we all know by now, energy simply isn’t IT (with all due respect to the plucky, if likely short-lived, promotion of “clean Web”). The apparent decline of the word cleantech may be … Continue reading “When VCs Run Out of Energy: The New Era of Cleantech Investing”
Isis Pharmaceuticals Adds More Deals to Partnership Portfolio
Isis Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ISIS]]) has long followed a strategy of spreading its broad drug development program (the company lists 21 drugs in clinical trials) among a variety of pharmaceutical partners. It’s a strategy that enables Isis to generate a diverse stream of revenue from license fees, milestone payments, royalties, profit-sharing, and other payments, while optimizing … Continue reading “Isis Pharmaceuticals Adds More Deals to Partnership Portfolio”
See You This Afternoon at Mobile Madness Northwest
We’re gearing up for Mobile Madness Northwest, Xconomy’s premier year-end conference examining the big changes and big ideas being driven by the mobile computing revolution. We’re really excited to see lots of old friends and plenty of new faces at this year’s event, which builds on the half-day conference’s debut in Seattle last year. We’ve … Continue reading “See You This Afternoon at Mobile Madness Northwest”
Google Gets A Second Brain, Changing Everything About Search
In the 1983 sci-fi/comedy flick The Man with Two Brains, Steve Martin played Michael Hfuhruhurr, a neurosurgeon who marries one of his patients but then falls in love with the disembodied brain of another woman, Anne. Michael and Anne share an entirely telepathic relationship, until Michael’s gold-digging wife is murdered, giving him the opportunity to … Continue reading “Google Gets A Second Brain, Changing Everything About Search”
Healthcare in Transition: The Photos
Xconomy held a standing room only Healthcare in Transition event on Monday—our last Boston event of the year. We had an off-the-charts collection of speakers, including a robot that wowed everyone, a great sponsor and host, and, most importantly, a fantastic audience that even laughed at panelist jokes. The program was kicked off by Bryan … Continue reading “Healthcare in Transition: The Photos”
FinTech Startup Weekend Pushes for Innovations That Work with Money
Few places in the world can match the concentration of financial institutions found in New York, so it is little surprise Startup Weekend chose this city for its first-ever FinTech event. Held this past weekend at co-working space Alley NYC, 13 teams toiled to come up with new ways to use technology to solve real-world … Continue reading “FinTech Startup Weekend Pushes for Innovations That Work with Money”
Boston Roundup: A123, Moderna, Wayfair, Skyhook, & More
Some big meltdown and fundraising news on our radar in the past week or so: —Major Chinese autoparts firm Wanxiang won a secretive bankruptcy auction for most of the assets of Waltham-based A123 Systems, the advanced battery maker that sought court protection late last year amid fallng orders and and manufacturing problems. But that’s not … Continue reading “Boston Roundup: A123, Moderna, Wayfair, Skyhook, & More”
New England Tech Lawsuit Update: Formlabs, Skyhook, VGo, & More
It’s a huge pain for any startup: Big Company X, usually a competitor, sues you over intellectual property. Or conversely, you have to sue Big Company X over patent infringement, business practices, or some such. Either way, you can count on your top execs getting hauled off to court—sometimes over a period of years—to argue … Continue reading “New England Tech Lawsuit Update: Formlabs, Skyhook, VGo, & More”
Credentialock China to Focus on International Student Verification Market
When we spoke to Royal Oak, MI-based startup Credentialock last spring, CEO Scott Slyfield told us he was in talks with an Ann Arbor startup called Educatrium to partner and focus on student document verification for the Chinese market. Called Credentialock China, that effort has formally launched and last month, it won the University of … Continue reading “Credentialock China to Focus on International Student Verification Market”
UW Spinout Funded by Madrona To Build Cheap Home Sensor Networks
A team including a “genius” University of Washington professor and one of Seattle’s top serial entrepreneurs just landed $1.5 million from Madrona Venture Group and others to build a small, inexpensive, long-lasting wireless sensor network that could revolutionize home hazards detection. Led by Jeremy Jaech, SNUPI Technologies—for Sensor Network Utilizing Powerline Infrastructure—is building a communications … Continue reading “UW Spinout Funded by Madrona To Build Cheap Home Sensor Networks”
Fred Cutler: A Life Behind the Scenes of the Computer Revolution
I reached out yesterday to Fred Cutler’s family for a little more information about Fred’s career, how he came to San Diego, and what he did after supporting technology entrepreneurship for three years at the helm of Connect. As I’ve reported, Fred Cutler died Dec. 2 in Madison, WI. His son Dave responded with an … Continue reading “Fred Cutler: A Life Behind the Scenes of the Computer Revolution”
10 Takeaways from Our Health IT Forum: Big Data, Robots, & More
This much is clear: healthcare is changing, and technology is helping lead the charge. But there are big challenges everywhere you turn. And we heard about a lot of them—as well as a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors—at our “Healthcare in Transition” forum yesterday at the Microsoft NERD center in Kendall Square, Cambridge, … Continue reading “10 Takeaways from Our Health IT Forum: Big Data, Robots, & More”
Indiegogo Bucks Trend Toward Niche Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding, the social media phenomenon that has helped thousands of innovators raise money through many small contributions, is growing fast. And it’s splintering into hundreds of new platforms serving niche clients such as book authors, app developers, and green entrepreneurs. But crowdfunding pioneer Indiegogo of San Francisco says it’s sticking to its founders’ original 2008 … Continue reading “Indiegogo Bucks Trend Toward Niche Crowdfunding”
MPowerD Lights up the Night at New York Tech Meetup with Luci
Visit the monthly New York Tech Meetup enough times and you get your fill of apps, hacks, and Web-based platforms. So it is a welcome surprise when tangible, physical technology makes its way on stage at Skirball Center for Performing Arts at NYU. Amid last week’s demos for app creation, file sharing, and media wizardry, … Continue reading “MPowerD Lights up the Night at New York Tech Meetup with Luci”
What’s Hot in Digital Health? The Venture Capital Perspective
The U.S. healthcare market is ripe for technical disruption. Costs are spiraling out of control while quality of service and customer satisfaction continue to go down. The system is opaque, complex and fragmented. Regulation is required but imposes heavy costs. As in other industries before it, the healthcare sector can benefit from technology-enabled efficiency gains … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Digital Health? The Venture Capital Perspective”
Cancer Claims Fred Cutler, SD Internet Executive and Connect Leader
Fred Cutler, a longtime San Diego marketing executive and consultant who spent several years as director of Connect, the San Diego nonprofit group for technology entrepreneurship, has died after a battle with cancer, according to a memorial website sponsored by his family. Duane Roth, who was named in 2004 as Connect CEO, disclosed his predecessor’s … Continue reading “Cancer Claims Fred Cutler, SD Internet Executive and Connect Leader”
Nike + TechStars: Another Licensing Deal for Top Startup Accelerator
TechStars, the top-tier startup accelerator program with branches across the country, is finding a bigger corporate appetite for its three-month startup “bootcamp” sessions. Nike has announced that it will partner with Boulder, CO-based TechStars for a version of the accelerator focused on using the sports apparel company’s Nike+ technology, which incorporates sensors and software to … Continue reading “Nike + TechStars: Another Licensing Deal for Top Startup Accelerator”
New Battery Cluster Caps Busy Year for U-M Research and Technology
Reserch and tech activities out of the University of Michigan have been on a roll lately. In late November, U-M announced the National Science Foundation had ranked it first in the nation in terms of research spending by a public university—$1.3 billion total during the 2011 fiscal year. The Office of Technology Transfer also published its … Continue reading “New Battery Cluster Caps Busy Year for U-M Research and Technology”
New VC Fund Quantum Wave Focusing on Quantum Physics
Quantum physics, the focus of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics, may be ready for a commercial close-up. The newly formed Quantum Wave Fund, based in Boston, announced today that it has raised $30 million in capital, with plans to reach $100 million dollars, to fund early stage companies that are developing products and services … Continue reading “New VC Fund Quantum Wave Focusing on Quantum Physics”
San Diego Connect’s 2012 Most Innovative Product Award Winners Are…
Connect, the nonprofit San Diego group supporting technology entrepreneurship, marked the 25th anniversary of its annual Most Innovative Products Awards Friday, recognizing nine companies and two individuals. The awards program was conceived as a way to highlight local innovations brought to market in the previous 18 months. More than 800 people attended the luncheon at … Continue reading “San Diego Connect’s 2012 Most Innovative Product Award Winners Are…”
Fred Hutch Strikes Deal With GSK on Form of Muscular Dystrophy
[Updated: 12:55 pm PT] The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has spun out more than a few ideas for startup companies over the years, but it doesn’t have a history of forming big collaborations with Big Pharma. Now the Seattle-based research center is taking a step in that direction through a partnership with London-based GlaxoSmithKline. … Continue reading “Fred Hutch Strikes Deal With GSK on Form of Muscular Dystrophy”
In-Car Health Monitoring: Lemon or Lifesaver?
Patient monitoring outside the hospital has been a hot topic (and also a not so hot topic) for the past 15 years. Starting back in the late 1990s with companies like Health Hero, a company whose products for patient home monitoring are still in use today, company after company has sought to bring a successful … Continue reading “In-Car Health Monitoring: Lemon or Lifesaver?”
A123 Sells Bulk of Company to Wanxiang, Feds Must Approve
A123 Systems, the bankrupt advanced-battery company bankrolled in part by federal stimulus money, has agreed to sell its commercial business to China’s largest auto-parts manufacturer. But the twisted saga of the former cleantech poster child is not over—the U.S. federal government must still approve the transaction, a potentially big political hurdle. Following a four-day private … Continue reading “A123 Sells Bulk of Company to Wanxiang, Feds Must Approve”
Wayfair, Top-Funded Tech Firm in Boston, Brings In $36M More for Flash Sale Site
The rich are getting richer. But you already knew that. What you might not know is that Boston-based Wayfair, the closest thing we have to an “Amazon for the home,” has secured $36.3 million in new equity funding from existing investors to promote its private sale site for home furnishings, Joss & Main. Wayfair (formerly … Continue reading “Wayfair, Top-Funded Tech Firm in Boston, Brings In $36M More for Flash Sale Site”
The Road to Predictable Innovation: Genomics in Drug R&D
There is a great need by large biotechs and pharma companies to show true and more predictable innovation. In an industry report issued just last week by Deloitte and Thomson Reuters, analysis of the top 12 pharmaceutical companies globally shows that the risk in new drug discovery have grown worse. The report notes an increasing … Continue reading “The Road to Predictable Innovation: Genomics in Drug R&D”
Staples Plans to Enter 3-D Printing Scene, Shapeways Keeps Cool
There are two ways, generally speaking, for growing companies to react when big players take competitive interest in their market: scramble for new survival strategies or grin knowingly with a look that screams “let’s dance.” Office supply chain Staples (Nasdaq: [[ticker:SPLS]]) based in Framingham, MA announced plans to bring 3-D printing in the first quarter … Continue reading “Staples Plans to Enter 3-D Printing Scene, Shapeways Keeps Cool”
Amgen Acquires DeCode Genetics, the Once-Fallen Star, for $415M
Biotech companies rarely ever recover after falling into bankruptcy, but Iceland-based deCode Genetics just pulled off that rare feat. And it apparently has made some significant returns for its two recent venture backers—Polaris Venture Partners and Arch Venture Partners. Iceland-based deCode agreed to be acquired by Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) for $415 million … Continue reading “Amgen Acquires DeCode Genetics, the Once-Fallen Star, for $415M”
TechStars’ Apptentive Gets $1.2m to Improve Customer Service in Apps
If this is indeed the Christmas of the tablet, application publishers will have a huge new group of customers to serve in 2013. Lucky for them, Seattle startup Apptentive—which has closed a $1.2 million seed round from Founder’s Co-Op, Google Ventures, and others—is releasing a tool to help app developers do customer service better. A … Continue reading “TechStars’ Apptentive Gets $1.2m to Improve Customer Service in Apps”
The Wisconsin Biotech Story: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
[Updated 1:04 pm PT] They say you can’t go home again. But sometimes you can go home after a few years and notice that your home has changed quite a bit. This past week, I went back to Wisconsin, where I’m originally from, to visit family and do some reporting. I stopped by the capitol, … Continue reading “The Wisconsin Biotech Story: Slow and Steady Wins the Race”
Swift Biosciences Strikes Licensing Deal with Vela Diagnostics
Ann Arbor, MI-based Swift Biosciences announced this week that it has signed a licensing deal with Vela Operations, the Singapore-based parent company of Vela Diagnostics. The agreement gives Vela non-exclusive rights to incorporate Swift’s myT Primer technology into its cancer detection tests. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founder and CEO David Olson … Continue reading “Swift Biosciences Strikes Licensing Deal with Vela Diagnostics”
New CEO Jeff Glass on Skyhook’s Future and Leaving Bain Capital Ventures
The saga of Skyhook is continuing under a new chief executive. Earlier this week, the Boston mobile software firm said it has appointed Jeff Glass as CEO, succeeding founder and longtime chief Ted Morgan. Skyhook started in 2003 and helped pioneer location-positioning technology for mobile phones using Wi-Fi signals, GPS, and cellular networks. Its software … Continue reading “New CEO Jeff Glass on Skyhook’s Future and Leaving Bain Capital Ventures”
SEC’s Action Against Hastings a Step Backwards
Last night, Netflix disclosed that the Securities and Exchange Commission, @sec_news if you want to follow them on Twitter, intends to institute a cease and desist proceeding and/or bring a civil injunction against Netflix and its CEO Reed Hastings for a posting he made on the social media website Facebook this summer. As an individual … Continue reading “SEC’s Action Against Hastings a Step Backwards”
Pearl Harbor: A Day That Should Live in Innovation
Almost everyone raised in America knows the story of Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7, 1941—71 years ago today—the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, claiming eight battleships and other vessels, and 2,403 military and civilian lives, nearly as many as on … Continue reading “Pearl Harbor: A Day That Should Live in Innovation”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Optimer, Volcano, Avelas Bio, & More
San Diego’s life sciences community experienced an early December flurry of deals over the past week, led by Optimer, Volcano, Avelas Bio, and Biomatrica. We’ve got that and more. —Optimer Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: [[ticker:OPTR]]), which recently opened a new headquarters in Jersey City, NJ, said it had signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to commercialize Optimer’s fidaxomicin … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Optimer, Volcano, Avelas Bio, & More”
How to Crowdfund Your Dream: Checking In on Our Kickstarter Fund
Back on Nov. 9, I published a list of 10 Kickstarter projects every geek should support, and put my money where my mouth was by creating the World Wide Wade Kickstarter Fund. I pledged $10 to each project on the list (eventually there were 13 in all), and promised that I’d return in a few weeks … Continue reading “How to Crowdfund Your Dream: Checking In on Our Kickstarter Fund”
East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Zafgen, Moderna, Merck, More
—Obesity is paying off for Cambridge, MA-based Zafgen. On Tuesday the company said it closed on $21 million in a Series D equity funding to support continued development of its obesity drug, beloranib, currently in a Phase IIa clinical trial. New investor Alta Partners joined existing backers Atlas Ventures and Third Rock Ventures in this round. … Continue reading “East Coast Life Sciences Roundup: Zafgen, Moderna, Merck, More”
Onyx, Millennium, Ariad: Firms to Watch at Hematology Meeting
[Corrected 12/07/12, 10:18 pm. See below.] The life sciences industry has been talking up personalized medicine for more than a decade, but so far the idea that diseases will be treated with a unique drug regimen tailored to each patient has made little headway in actual clinical practice. A number of drug developers large and … Continue reading “Onyx, Millennium, Ariad: Firms to Watch at Hematology Meeting”
Tealium’s Incoming CEO Sets Goal to Be San Diego’s Next Big Deal
Jeff Lunsford says when he oversaw the IPO of WebSideStory back in 2004, the San Diego Web analytics company was only the third company to go public with a business model based on the idea of providing software as a service (SaaS). “We were right behind Salesforce.com and RightNow Technologies,” Lunsford said, referring to the … Continue reading “Tealium’s Incoming CEO Sets Goal to Be San Diego’s Next Big Deal”
Mobile Madness New York: The Photos
Xconomy held its first Mobile Madness event in New York on Tuesday afternoon. We had a fantastic group of speakers, wonderful sponsors and hosts, and, most importantly, an off-the-charts group of attendees. The program featured founder-investor stories from Rich Miner, co-inventor of the Android operating system now at Google Ventures, and Robby Stein, the CEO … Continue reading “Mobile Madness New York: The Photos”
TrendSpotting: eFood, iEat
The food industry may seem like the last bastion of brick and mortar companies, relying solely on human efforts. Think again. A new crop of entrepreneurs are taking our love of food out of the kitchen and into the digital realm. Several members of 1M/1M, our global virtual startup incubator, have created specialty brands that … Continue reading “TrendSpotting: eFood, iEat”
Avelas Bio Raises $7.65M to Advance Fluorescing Diagnostic for Cancer
San Diego’s Avelas Biosciences says today it has closed on $7.65 million in a Series A financing round—raised entirely from San Diego-based Avalon Ventures—to advance the use of fluorescing tags that change color in the presence of cancer cells. The technology, developed by the Nobel laureate Roger Tsien, is initially intended for use in fluorescence-guided … Continue reading “Avelas Bio Raises $7.65M to Advance Fluorescing Diagnostic for Cancer”