The phrase “pharmaceutical manufacturing” doesn’t generally evoke visions of dairy farms. But it does for Barbara Fox, co-founder and CEO of Lexington, MA-based Avaxia Biologics, which is developing a drug derived from cow’s milk. And she’s succeeding in getting investors to share her vision: On November 10, Avaxia announced that it had closed $2.2 million … Continue reading “Avaxia Pulls in $2M from Angels to Fund Development of Cow-Derived Drug”
Category: National
Into the Swarm: San Diego’s Swarmology Mines Online Conversations for Health Data
Swarmology, a San Diego provider of social media analytics for healthcare clients, is stepping into the light today, disclosing initial funding of $1.2 million and the debut of its website. The company, founded last December by pharmaceutical and health IT executive Malcolm Bohm, provides targeted, Web-based marketing services for its customers by analyzing online conversations … Continue reading “Into the Swarm: San Diego’s Swarmology Mines Online Conversations for Health Data”
Google Ventures’ Wesley Chan: From Voice to VC, Speaking at Mobile Madness NW
As Wesley Chan puts it, he was working at Google when there were still doors for desks, dogs running wild, and tarps covering the computers to ward off leaks from the roof. These days, he’s working on scrappy startups again—but this time, it’s as a partner at Google Ventures, based at the company’s Seattle campus. … Continue reading “Google Ventures’ Wesley Chan: From Voice to VC, Speaking at Mobile Madness NW”
The Immunex Impact: A Trivia Quiz
Did you know that an Immunex employee once ended up swimming with the otters at the Seattle Aquarium during a company holiday party? Or that Immunex executives once mocked an uptight Big Pharma partner from Wayne, NJ by producing a video spoof on “Wayne’s World,” the comedy sketch from Saturday Night Live? Yes, these are … Continue reading “The Immunex Impact: A Trivia Quiz”
Turnaround CEO Shores Up Strategy for Unigene Based on Big Pharma Partnerships
When Ashleigh Palmer joined Boonton, NJ-based biotech company Unigene Laboratories as CEO in mid-2010, he faced a turnaround challenge that others might have considered way too daunting. The 30-year-old company was struggling to make money from a disjointed set of assets, which included a promising but, in Palmer’s view, under-marketed technology that could be used … Continue reading “Turnaround CEO Shores Up Strategy for Unigene Based on Big Pharma Partnerships”
A Post-Demo Day Look at Three Rock Health Startups-WeSprout, Pipette, and BrainBot
A confession: When I first heard that a recent Harvard Business School MBA named Halle Tecco intended to start an incubator for healthcare startups in San Francisco, I was more than a little skeptical. It seemed to me that all of the successful incubators, such as Y Combinator, succeed by picking Internet and mobile startups. … Continue reading “A Post-Demo Day Look at Three Rock Health Startups-WeSprout, Pipette, and BrainBot”
A Look Back on Three Years Of Life Sciences Growth, During an Economic Downturn
This week, The Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA) will host its Governor’s Life Sciences Summit and Annual Meeting. Nearly 1,000 leaders of Washington’s life sciences community are expected attend. The summit celebrates the importance of the life sciences industry to our state’s economic future, which is critical, as life sciences remains one of Washington’s … Continue reading “A Look Back on Three Years Of Life Sciences Growth, During an Economic Downturn”
Global Hawk Spy Plane Offers Glimpse of Future Robotics at Xconomy 6X6 Event on December 1
Think of it as a flying beluga whale. At least, that’s the way Xconomy’s San Diego editor Bruce Bigelow, once described the Global Hawk robot spy plane. And I have to say, I am personally very excited that this reconnaissance craft extraordinaire will be one of the featured presentations at our 6X6: Six Cities, Six … Continue reading “Global Hawk Spy Plane Offers Glimpse of Future Robotics at Xconomy 6X6 Event on December 1”
Reinventing the Board Part II: The Role of the Chair in Increasing Board Effectiveness
Technology companies’ boards of directors need better leadership. I made a case last month about reinventing the board of directors by treating the board as a team and doing annual assessments against company needs. Boards that are structurally more aligned with their company’s operations are better able to help them achieve success-or at least reduce … Continue reading “Reinventing the Board Part II: The Role of the Chair in Increasing Board Effectiveness”
Geron Dumps Stem Cell R&D Programs, Axes 38% of Workforce
[Update: 3:35 pm PT] Geron, for better or worse, has been the poster child for embryonic stem cell therapies for a decade. And now with a new CEO at the helm, that’s all in the past. Menlo Park, CA-based Geron (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GERN]]) said today it is getting out of the business of developing stem cell … Continue reading “Geron Dumps Stem Cell R&D Programs, Axes 38% of Workforce”
PopCap Survey: Social Gamers Warming Up to Digital Goods
As more people turn to social networks for a video game fix, they’re also getting friendlier with the idea of forking over real cash for in-game virtual currency and items, according to a study commissioned by Seattle’s PopCap Games—the recent Electronic Arts acquisition that’s providing a lot of fuel for EA’s transition into more online … Continue reading “PopCap Survey: Social Gamers Warming Up to Digital Goods”
17 Months of Stories from Xconomy San Francisco
The first anniversary of Xconomy San Francisco, back in June, flew by so fast we didn’t have time to commemorate it. But today, November 14, it’s been 17 months to the day since we turned on San Francisco—the fifth city in our network of six hyperlocal sites. I thought I’d take the occasion to look … Continue reading “17 Months of Stories from Xconomy San Francisco”
Big Solar Project Advances, Perminova Raises $7M, Qualcomm Buys Charging Technology, & More San Diego BizTech News
A 48-percent uptick in new company formations, a funding deal, and two acquisitions made for an encouraging week in San Diego’s innovation economy. This is our roundup of tech sector news. —The California Public Utilities Commission approved five power purchase agreements that Soitec, the photovoltaic chip maker based Bernin, France, negotiated with San Diego Gas … Continue reading “Big Solar Project Advances, Perminova Raises $7M, Qualcomm Buys Charging Technology, & More San Diego BizTech News”
AppBrick Is Out to Add Life To “Flat” E-Books with an Interactive Layer
Vijay Gaur sees the book going in the same direction that the mobile phone has. “We are converting a book into a platform,” says Gaur. “Your phone is becoming more powerful by applications. We are now applying that same concept to books.” That’s the idea behind his Medford, MA-based startup, AppBrick. The company, which graduated … Continue reading “AppBrick Is Out to Add Life To “Flat” E-Books with an Interactive Layer”
Hey, Where Is Everybody Going? The Flight from Healthcare Investing
If you are simply reading the paper or engaging in any random cocktail party conversation these days, it doesn’t take long before you are reading or talking about healthcare. Health and healthcare issues have been a dominant topic in the national media since the 2008 Presidential election and have been constantly in the news as … Continue reading “Hey, Where Is Everybody Going? The Flight from Healthcare Investing”
Salorix Raises $3.5M in Series A Round with Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners
Social media marketing and analytics firm Salorix in Santa Clara, CA said in a press release Monday it raised $3.5 million in a Series A round co-led by Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners. Salorix, which also has offices in New York, was founded in 2009. Its platform is used by brands and ad … Continue reading “Salorix Raises $3.5M in Series A Round with Nexus Venture Partners and Inventus Capital Partners”
Genzyme MS Drug Significantly Reduces Relapse, Disability in Late-Stage Trial
Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme, owned by French drug giant Sanofi (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]) said today its experimental drug to treat multiple sclerosis, alemtuzumab (Lemtrada), reduced relapse rates by 49 percent and dropped the risk of sustained worsening of disabilities by 42 percent in patients treated in a pivotal, Phase 3 trial. The drug was tested in a … Continue reading “Genzyme MS Drug Significantly Reduces Relapse, Disability in Late-Stage Trial”
‘TechTown 2.0’ Expands Focus
TechTown has undergone some changes recently as Leslie Smith transitions into her new role as executive director. Nothing drastic, she says, but rather an expansion of its incubator business model to include targeted outreach to a few Detroit neighborhoods in order to make its entrepreneurial mission more accessible, an increased focus on microenterprise and procurement … Continue reading “‘TechTown 2.0’ Expands Focus”
Reengineering Capitalism
In the fading months of 2011, we find ourselves in an uncertain world. On the one hand, America is still reeling from the 2008 financial crisis, and the nation’s faith in free-market capitalism as its guiding principle has been shaken to the core. On the other hand, Europe is reeling under the burdens of socialism … Continue reading “Reengineering Capitalism”
The Herman Cain-Inspired “1-100-0” Plan for Personalized Medicine?
You could feel Herman Cain’s presence last week on the biotech beat. And there was a lot of grousing about it. Cain, the Republican presidential candidate known for his simple 9-9-9 tax plan and some dubious extra-curricular activities, didn’t attend the Personalized Medicine Conference at Harvard Medical School. But a former advisor to President Obama, … Continue reading “The Herman Cain-Inspired “1-100-0” Plan for Personalized Medicine?”
Klip: iPhone Video Sharing Refined to A High Art
Put high-quality cameras into devices with broadband wireless connections. Add powerful smartphone operating systems like iOS or Android and app-store ecosystems like iTunes and the Android Market. Mix in some sloth and disinterest on the part of established photo-sharing destinations like Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. Under these conditions, it was probably inevitable that entrepreneurs would … Continue reading “Klip: iPhone Video Sharing Refined to A High Art”
AMAG Stock Rises, Ariad Drug Shows Improved Safety, Rhythm Adds Merck Veteran as CEO, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England area biotechs had news this week on stock price, clinical data, new financings, and more. —AMAG Pharmaceuticals of Lexington, MA, saw its stock shoot up 18 percent to $16.21 on Monday after announcing its CEO Brian Pereira’s departure and its plans for reducing operating expenses. AMAG (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMAG]]) has struggled in transitioning from … Continue reading “AMAG Stock Rises, Ariad Drug Shows Improved Safety, Rhythm Adds Merck Veteran as CEO, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Bluefin Labs and SocialGuide Push Competing Technology to Make Social Data Useful to TV Networks and Advertisers
It is not even Thanksgiving and it has already been a busy November for Bluefin Labs, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of analytics gleaned from the wealth of comments in the social sphere about television shows. Bluefin Labs, backed by Acacia Woods Ventures, Lerer Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, and others, was among the startups presenting their ideas … Continue reading “Bluefin Labs and SocialGuide Push Competing Technology to Make Social Data Useful to TV Networks and Advertisers”
Qualcomm Plans Wireless EV Charging Trial in London
San Diego’s Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) says it’s rolling out the first wireless electric vehicle charging trials next year in London—just two days after the mobile giant said it acquired HaloIPT, a London startup developing the wireless charging technology. In a statement today, Qualcomm says it is collaborating with the UK government, as well as the … Continue reading “Qualcomm Plans Wireless EV Charging Trial in London”
Active Network Opens Trail to Online Ski Reservations with Colorado Deal
In financial results for the quarter ending Sept. 30, San Diego’s Active Network (NYSE: [[ticker:ACTV]]) said it paid $21.5 million in cash to acquire RTP, an Avon, CO-based IT company that provides online registration services for Vail and other ski resorts. While the deal is consistent with the Active Network’s basic strategy, it is the … Continue reading “Active Network Opens Trail to Online Ski Reservations with Colorado Deal”
Startup Behind the Clarisonic Skin-Cleansing Brush Acquired by L’Oreal
The folks who put sonic wave technology in the Sonicare toothbrush have hit another homerun, and a major consumer brand couldn’t sit by and watch any longer. Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, the unassumingly named makers of the Clarisonic skin-cleansing brush, is being acquired by cosmetics powerhouse L’Oreal USA, the companies announced today. Terms were not disclosed, … Continue reading “Startup Behind the Clarisonic Skin-Cleansing Brush Acquired by L’Oreal”
Rempex Raises $67.5M, Vertex Shares Tumble, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
The price of shares at San Diego’s Gen-Probe, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and Optimer were clipped for various reasons over the past week, but several local startups successfully raised capital. Our good news, bad news briefing begins here. —Rempex Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego biopharmaceutical startup developing a new approach to antibiotics resistance, said it raised $67.5 million … Continue reading “Rempex Raises $67.5M, Vertex Shares Tumble, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Google Backs Startup Weekend, Tapping Nonprofit’s Global Network of Entrepreneurs
It’s already been a big year for Startup Weekend. Google wants to make sure the next two years are even more action-packed. The Seattle-based nonprofit, which helps entrepreneurs create prototype products through intense 54-hour hackathons, is announcing a new two-year sponsorship deal with Google today. The amount isn’t being disclosed, but Startup Weekend CEO Marc … Continue reading “Google Backs Startup Weekend, Tapping Nonprofit’s Global Network of Entrepreneurs”
Calling Entrepreneurs for Sound Off, Round 2, at 6×6: Six Cities, Six Big Tech Ideas
We want you. To tell our audience what you want to see for the innovation community here in Boston. At Xconomy’s upcoming conference, 6×6: Six Cities, Six Big Tech Ideas. The Dec. 1 program, which features one cool tech company from each of our six cities, already has a top-notch line-up of speakers, like keynoter … Continue reading “Calling Entrepreneurs for Sound Off, Round 2, at 6×6: Six Cities, Six Big Tech Ideas”
Merck Unveils Alzheimer’s and Diabetes Projects, Personnel Changes
Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) outlined progress on several of the drugs in its pipeline today during its annual R&D and business briefing for Wall Street analysts and investors, which was held at the drug giant’s Whitehouse Station, NJ headquarters. CEO Kenneth Frazier began the day by acknowledging that Wall Street has been impatient with the company’s progress … Continue reading “Merck Unveils Alzheimer’s and Diabetes Projects, Personnel Changes”
Practice Fusion Bids for Dominance in the Doctor’s Office with a Free, Ad-Supported Electronic Health Record System
“Healthcare is broken. Insurance companies are innovatively bankrupt. There are huge hurdles to entry. The biggest companies in the world can’t solve this problem; even Google can’t build a good personal health record system. Doctors are frugal. Patients are lazy and don’t care about their health. You guys are choosing a very hard path.” Such … Continue reading “Practice Fusion Bids for Dominance in the Doctor’s Office with a Free, Ad-Supported Electronic Health Record System”
Shareaholic Inks Seed Investment, Introduces Tumblr Plug-in
[Updated 11/10/11 10:35 am. See below.] Shareaholic, a Cambridge, MA-based maker of plug-ins for sharing content on the Web, has collected a $1.9 million round of seed funding, which will go to expanding the company’s team and publisher network. [Story updated to include specific funding amount.] The money comes from a collection of big-name angel … Continue reading “Shareaholic Inks Seed Investment, Introduces Tumblr Plug-in”
Former Microsoftie Charlie Kindel Joins Mobile Madness NW—And Says Apps Are Dead
The first thing Charlie Kindel wants you to know about the buzzworthy mobile sector is that it’s actually “old, dead, and boring.” OK, so that’s kind of for shock value—Kindel, who recently left Microsoft after 21 years, will admit as much. After all, this comes from a guy whose last job was serving as a … Continue reading “Former Microsoftie Charlie Kindel Joins Mobile Madness NW—And Says Apps Are Dead”
Collabor’s Software for Outward Collaboration at Businesses Ramps Up with First Outside Funding
It’s a big month for Collabor, a Maynard, MA-based maker of software that powers online communities—for banks, nonprofits, manufacturers and a slew of industries in between. The company is working on closing its first ever outside funding round and has just cross the 1-million-user mark across the sites its technology powers. The five-year-old startup is … Continue reading “Collabor’s Software for Outward Collaboration at Businesses Ramps Up with First Outside Funding”
Dusa Eyes Market Expansion for Skin Therapy Device
When Big Pharma veteran Robert Doman joined tiny Wilmington, MA-based Dusa Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DUSA]]) in 2005, he found a company struggling to capitalize on a massive market opportunity. Dusa had won FDA approval in 2000 for a drug-device combination to treat actinic keratoses (AK), pre-cancerous skin growths. There are about 5 million cases of AKs treated … Continue reading “Dusa Eyes Market Expansion for Skin Therapy Device”
Seven Innovation Policy Ideas to Spark an Economic Recovery in the U.S.
In San Diego, Connect is the non-profit organization that reaches into most corners of the local innovation community. Connect likes to say that it has assisted in the formation of more than 3,000 technology and life sciences companies in the area, and more than 50 cities around the world have emulated its programs for mentoring … Continue reading “Seven Innovation Policy Ideas to Spark an Economic Recovery in the U.S.”
Amazon Pushing National Sales-Tax Bill, a Victory for its All-or-Nothing Stance
Looks like Amazon’s pugnacious bet on national sales tax reform is paying off. The Seattle company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) says it is strongly supporting a proposed national law that would force online retailers to collect local taxes on more of their sales, ending a longtime loophole originally meant to help catalog businesses. The National Retail Federation, which has … Continue reading “Amazon Pushing National Sales-Tax Bill, a Victory for its All-or-Nothing Stance”
Menlo Park Software Company Cataphora Expands to New Office in Ann Arbor
Cataphora, a Menlo Park, CA-based software company that specializes in applying its technology to the modeling of individual and organizational behavior, has just opened an office in Ann Arbor, MI. Cataphora said it made to move to take advantage of local talent, most notably from the University of Michigan. “The decision was made to expand … Continue reading “Menlo Park Software Company Cataphora Expands to New Office in Ann Arbor”
Yelp, Invensense, Cloudera, PunchTab: Bay Area BizTech News by the Numbers
Time for the data-driven roundup of deals news and other developments in the Bay Area tech world. From biggest to smallest: $1-$2 billion—The amount that Yelp hopes to raise in a rumored IPO. According to media reports today, the San Francisco-based local business guide, which is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, … Continue reading “Yelp, Invensense, Cloudera, PunchTab: Bay Area BizTech News by the Numbers”
Evidon, Backed by Warburg Pincus, Ups Its Funding to $16.75M
According to a regulatory filing posted on Tuesday, ad-privacy compliance tech company Evidon in New York amended the funding it has raised to $16.75 million—up from $12.5 million in July. The company is backed by private equity firm Warburg Pincus. Evidon did not immediately respond to requests for more details on the funding amendment. Evidon, … Continue reading “Evidon, Backed by Warburg Pincus, Ups Its Funding to $16.75M”
ScaleVP’s Mitchell: FDA’s Capriciousness Is Driving Out Life Sciences Investors
Yesterday’s announcement by Scale Venture Partners that it will make no new investments in healthcare companies may not have come as a huge surprise to some insiders. Kate Mitchell, a founder and managing director at the firm, says ScaleVP has been pondering the shift for two or three years, and that it effectively stopped investing … Continue reading “ScaleVP’s Mitchell: FDA’s Capriciousness Is Driving Out Life Sciences Investors”
Rhythm Adds Former Merck VP as CEO
Merck veteran Keith Gottesdiener will become the new CEO of Boston-based Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, a Boston startup developing experimental drugs for the treatment of metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes, according to an announcement today. Gottesdiener oversaw pivotal clinical trials as Merck’s former vice president and late-sage therapeutic group leader, and is joining Rhythm as … Continue reading “Rhythm Adds Former Merck VP as CEO”
Report Shows San Diego’s Innovation Economy Gaining Strength Through June
A comprehensive snapshot of San Diego’s innovation economy shows that 76 technology startups were formed during the three months that ended June 30, a nearly 20 percent increase over the 64 startups established during the same quarter last year. Counting the 70 new tech companies formed during the first quarter, a total of 146 startups … Continue reading “Report Shows San Diego’s Innovation Economy Gaining Strength Through June”
HackNY Connects Future Innovators to New York’s Startup Scene
Eager to build on the momentum in New York’s burgeoning startup community, the hackNY program offers college students from across country a taste of the city’s tech scene. The program, started some 18 months ago, is led by co-founders Evan Korth, faculty liaison for technology entrepreneurship at NYU, and Chris Wiggins, associate professor in the … Continue reading “HackNY Connects Future Innovators to New York’s Startup Scene”
Stockbox Grocers: the Food Store That’s Kind of a Tech Startup (Inside a Shipping Container)
You might not think of a grocery store inside a recycled shipping container as a technology-centric startup. But without some cheap, powerful devices and software, Web-enabled crowdfunding, and tech startup methods, Stockbox Grocers probably wouldn’t be where it is today. The Stockbox team, which recently wrapped up the run of its first prototype store, is … Continue reading “Stockbox Grocers: the Food Store That’s Kind of a Tech Startup (Inside a Shipping Container)”
The Next Zuckerberg: A Student’s Recap of Mark’s Visit to Harvard
There, sitting about 10 feet in front of me, was the ninth most powerful person in the world, according to Forbes. Dressed in his signature t-shirt and jeans, you wouldn’t be able to tell Mark Zuckerberg apart from a random college student outside the lecture hall. As he took his seat and began speaking about … Continue reading “The Next Zuckerberg: A Student’s Recap of Mark’s Visit to Harvard”
TechStars Demos, Real CEO, Zillow Earnings: Wrapping Up a Week in Seattle Tech Headlines
The biggest story of the past week on the Seattle tech innovation beat was surely the Demo Day for TechStars Seattle, the second-ever class of entrepreneurs to graduate from the bootcamp program in the Emerald City. Hundreds packed the venue to see the pitches, and were treated to some really solid and exciting pitches from … Continue reading “TechStars Demos, Real CEO, Zillow Earnings: Wrapping Up a Week in Seattle Tech Headlines”
The Old Immunex Headquarters, 51 University St., Being Reinvented Once More
The old waterfront warehouse that Immunex gutted and turned into Seattle’s biotech hotspot in the 1980s and 1990s is being transformed once again. This time, it’s being turned into a modern office building, with a whisky distillery on the ground floor. The building at 51 University Street was acquired earlier this year by Sam Zell’s … Continue reading “The Old Immunex Headquarters, 51 University St., Being Reinvented Once More”
Best Buy Picks Up MindShift, Termeer Funds NanoString, Basho Adds $5M More, & More Boston-Area Deals News
This week’s roundup of New England deals includes companies working on vocal cord repair, cancer stem cells, database software, IT services, and drug counterfeiting prevention. —Prolific MIT professor and inventor Bob Langer is working on a new project with a Harvard University surgeon that’s aiming to repair damaged vocal cords. The vibrating gel they’re developing … Continue reading “Best Buy Picks Up MindShift, Termeer Funds NanoString, Basho Adds $5M More, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Qualcomm Buys HaloIPT (and Patents) for Wireless Charging Technology
Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]), the San Diego wireless technology giant, turned in a new direction today with its acquisition of HaloIPT, a startup founded last year by Auckland University’s UniServices and Arup, the engineering design giant, to develop technology that can transmit electricity without wires. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. With technology from … Continue reading “Qualcomm Buys HaloIPT (and Patents) for Wireless Charging Technology”