Solazyme, the South San Francisco-based maker of renewable biofuels that was started by a couple of college friends, is going to see just how much interest public investors have in their once “delusional” idea. Solazyme is out to raise as much as $100 million through an initial public offering, according to a prospectus filed with … Continue reading “Solazyme Seeks $100M IPO to Build Up Renewable Biofuel Business”
Category: National
Qualcomm Rides Wave of 3G Growth, Dissident Shareholder Emerges at Leap, UCSD’s Fowler Plumbs the Power of Social Networks, & More San Diego BizTech News
Qualcomm announced a series of new technology initiatives just a few weeks ago, which CEO Paul Jacobs reviewed during the wireless chipmaker’s shareholder meeting last week. And we’ve got a review of San Diego’s biztech news for you here: —Qualcomm’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) Paul Jacobs marked his fifth anniversary as CEO of the world’s largest wireless … Continue reading “Qualcomm Rides Wave of 3G Growth, Dissident Shareholder Emerges at Leap, UCSD’s Fowler Plumbs the Power of Social Networks, & More San Diego BizTech News”
American Superconductor Buys Finnish Power Firm for $265M, Looks to Become $1B Company
A New England energy giant is making big strides overseas. Devens, MA-based American Superconductor (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMSC]]) said today it plans to acquire The Switch Engineering Oy, a power technologies firm based in Finland, for 190 million Euros (about $265 million) in cash and stock. The deal is expected to close by the end of August. … Continue reading “American Superconductor Buys Finnish Power Firm for $265M, Looks to Become $1B Company”
Where Are Tomorrow’s Blockbuster Biotech Drugs Coming From? You Might be Surprised
The San Francisco Bay Area has a storied tradition as the birthplace and leading hub of biotechnology, but something curious has happened the past couple years. Most of the scientifically groundbreaking, medical-textbook rewriting, financially lucrative new biotech drugs of the 21st century are coming from somewhere else. This dawned on me last week as I … Continue reading “Where Are Tomorrow’s Blockbuster Biotech Drugs Coming From? You Might be Surprised”
Medical Images Get Cloudy
The revolution of cloud computing is poised to have a major impact on the healthcare technology market. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the developments surrounding medical imaging. While concerns over availability and privacy have slowed adoption to date, those are issues are highly addressable and the market is moving forward. Medical imaging … Continue reading “Medical Images Get Cloudy”
Gaming Not Just for The Hardcore, Boston’s Talent Pool is Hot, and More Takeaways from MIT Sloan’s Business In Gaming Conference
Thursday’s Business in Gaming conference, put on by MIT’s Sloan School of Management, showed me that gamers aren’t afraid to say what they really think. And that Facebook is really stirring debate in the industry, as it is in communication, commerce, advertising, and almost anything else we can think of. I caught a lot of … Continue reading “Gaming Not Just for The Hardcore, Boston’s Talent Pool is Hot, and More Takeaways from MIT Sloan’s Business In Gaming Conference”
Dendreon’s Warhorse, Chief Scientific Officer Dave Urdal, To Retire at Year-End
David Urdal, the scientific entrepreneur who co-founded the modern version of Dendreon over 15 years ago and helped turn it into a pioneer of cancer immunotherapy, is stepping down from his job as chief scientific officer at the Seattle biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]). Urdal, 61, will be retiring as Dendreon’s executive vice president and chief … Continue reading “Dendreon’s Warhorse, Chief Scientific Officer Dave Urdal, To Retire at Year-End”
University of Michigan Tech Transfer Makes Great Progress in Ten Years. But Is It Enough?
When Ken Nisbet arrived at the University of Michigan in 2001, the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) was an office in name only. Like at most universities at the time, tech transfer at U-M was an afterthought, a low priority enterprise usually staffed by people with little or no industry experience. But after witnessing the … Continue reading “University of Michigan Tech Transfer Makes Great Progress in Ten Years. But Is It Enough?”
BuyWithMe Acquires LocalTwist, Goes Head-to-Head Vs. Tippr While Lawsuits Simmer
This is not just another consolidation of local-deal sites. This is a life-and-death struggle for third place behind Groupon and LivingSocial (for now anyway). This is BuyWithMe vs. Tippr, Round Two. New York- and Boston-based BuyWithMe said today it has acquired LocalTwist, a daily-deals site that is active in Seattle and San Diego, and soon … Continue reading “BuyWithMe Acquires LocalTwist, Goes Head-to-Head Vs. Tippr While Lawsuits Simmer”
Mobile Madness 2011: The Photo Gallery
Thanks again to everyone who joined us for Mobile Madness 2011: Getting Down to Business on Wednesday at Microsoft’s New England Research & Development Center in Cambridge, MA. As I mentioned yesterday in my post-event recap, the capacity crowd was in lean-forward, close-listening mode as leaders of the mobile scene in New England and beyond … Continue reading “Mobile Madness 2011: The Photo Gallery”
AC/DC Controversy of the 1880s Applies to Natural Gas Today: Reflections After 2011 MIT Energy Conference
In the 1880s, Thomas Edison was locked in a battle with the legendary inventor Nikola Tesla and the entrepreneur George Westinghouse. Edison argued that alternating current was “impractical” and highly dangerous. He supported the demonstration of electrocution of numerous animals to show the press and the public the danger of alternating current. He even went … Continue reading “AC/DC Controversy of the 1880s Applies to Natural Gas Today: Reflections After 2011 MIT Energy Conference”
Tolerx and Glaxo Diabetes Drug Disappoints in Late-Stage Study
There’s some bad news from Cambridge, MA-based Tolerx today. The venture-backed biotech firm and its partner GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:[[ticker:GSK]]) reported that their experimental drug for Type 1 diabetes failed to meet the main clinical goal of a late-stage study, called Defend-1. The 272-patient Defend-1 study was designed to measure how well newly diagnosed adult patients were … Continue reading “Tolerx and Glaxo Diabetes Drug Disappoints in Late-Stage Study”
Amazon’s Multi-State Sales Tax Battles are a Sideshow to the Real National Solution, and the Politicians Know It
Revenue-hungry state governments are licking their chops. Stuck with declining tax collections and soaring costs for services, they’re chasing Amazon.com around the country in a series of attempts to make it collect sales taxes. That’s led some to wonder whether this high-tech round of whack-a-mole might be the front edge of a viral political movement … Continue reading “Amazon’s Multi-State Sales Tax Battles are a Sideshow to the Real National Solution, and the Politicians Know It”
Getting Connected with James Fowler: Social Networks in the Real World and in Cyberspace
James Fowler says his work lies at the intersection of the natural and social sciences. As a professor in UC San Diego’s School of Medicine and Division of Social Sciences, his research encompasses social networks, behavioral economics, evolutionary game theory, political participation, and the genetic basis of political behavior. Fowler also is the co-author, with … Continue reading “Getting Connected with James Fowler: Social Networks in the Real World and in Cyberspace”
Exelixis Bags $156M, Tethys Bets on Prevention, UCSF’s Delicate Dance With Industry, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News
One of the highfliers in Bay Area biotech, which had a lousy 2010, looks like it’s turning into a comeback story in 2011. —South San Francisco-based Exelixis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXEL]]) scooped up $156 million through a stock offering this week, as investors piled in to get a piece of the action in cabozantinib (XL184). This is … Continue reading “Exelixis Bags $156M, Tethys Bets on Prevention, UCSF’s Delicate Dance With Industry, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”
Epizyme Nabs Eisai Deal, Termeer Could Make $221.2M From Genzyme Buyout, Gates Funds Nimbus, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
We saw some meaty stories on Boston-area drug developers this week, as well as headlines about funding for newer healthcare and health IT startups. —Imprivata of Lexington, MA, is working on carving itself a niche in the crowded space of technology for the secure access of healthcare IT systems, Ryan wrote. The company, which has … Continue reading “Epizyme Nabs Eisai Deal, Termeer Could Make $221.2M From Genzyme Buyout, Gates Funds Nimbus, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Clearwire CEO Morrow Out, Stanton Named Interim Chief
Leadership shake-ups continue at Clearwire: the Kirkland, WA-based company said Thursday that CEO Bill Morrow and two other top officers are out. Board chairman John Stanton, one of Washington state’s wireless pioneers, is now interim chief executive. Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]) said Morrow is stepping down for personal reasons, and also is leaving as a director … Continue reading “Clearwire CEO Morrow Out, Stanton Named Interim Chief”
WSJ Top 50 Startups List Leaves Much to Be Desired, Especially in Boston (NY Fares Better)
Everyone loves a Top 50 list. Everyone except me. Wall Street Journal, you can take your “Top 50 venture backed companies” list, published today, and…well, just take it. Not just because it counts a grand total of one—ONE—Boston-area company among its luminaries (Westborough, MA-based ExaGrid, at #42). Not just because the criteria for the list … Continue reading “WSJ Top 50 Startups List Leaves Much to Be Desired, Especially in Boston (NY Fares Better)”
Dendreon Gets FDA Green Light for NJ Factory
Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today it has won FDA clearance to quadruple the output from the New Jersey factory where it makes its lone product, sipuleucel-T (Provenge). The drug, for men with advanced forms of prostate cancer, was first cleared for sale in the U.S. last April, at a time when Dendreon had extremely … Continue reading “Dendreon Gets FDA Green Light for NJ Factory”
Mobile Madness Speakers Dissect 4G, Enterprise Apps, New Interfaces; Zizzout Destealths with Mobile “Visual Marketplace”
If you can measure a conference’s success from the volume level during the closing cocktail hour, then Xconomy’s Mobile Madness forum yesterday in Cambridge, MA, was a smash. A record-setting crowd of more than 250 people headed to the Microsoft New England R&D Center Wednesday afternoon for the third annual edition of Xconomy’s half-day mobile … Continue reading “Mobile Madness Speakers Dissect 4G, Enterprise Apps, New Interfaces; Zizzout Destealths with Mobile “Visual Marketplace””
Gates Amps Up Biotech Investment, Calypso Seeks Rebound, Targeted Genetics’ Obit, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
One of our local billionaires made a couple of significant biotech investments this week, while one of the venerable names from the biotech scene faded away. —The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made its first-ever direct equity investment in a for-profit biotech company last week, when it plunked down $10 million on Research Triangle Park, … Continue reading “Gates Amps Up Biotech Investment, Calypso Seeks Rebound, Targeted Genetics’ Obit, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Hello Ambassador Locke, Can You Get Me On the Line With China, Inc.?
Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke’s nomination as the U.S. ambassador to China puts someone the state’s business community knows very well at the forefront of one of the nation’s most important global relationships. That doesn’t mean every Seattle-area company can expect the red-carpet treatment in Beijing—after all, presuming he’s confirmed by the Senate (which seems … Continue reading “Hello Ambassador Locke, Can You Get Me On the Line With China, Inc.?”
Q&A: UCSF’s Jeff Bluestone on the Tricky Balancing Act Between Academia and Industry
Jeff Bluestone has one of those jobs in academia where you almost expect the guy to wear a flak jacket to work. As executive vice chancellor and provost, part of the gig is to make sure UCSF’s 2,400 very smart, very strong-willed faculty remain happy, and keep doing world-class work in research and teaching. He … Continue reading “Q&A: UCSF’s Jeff Bluestone on the Tricky Balancing Act Between Academia and Industry”
SCVNGR Rolls Out Location-Based Deals Service in Boston, Philadelphia
“SCVNGR is kind of a weird company.” That’s what it says in its press release today, so you know it’s true. And not only because it needs to buy a vowel. The Cambridge, MA, location-based gaming startup’s latest “weird” move is a potentially lucrative one. It is entering the local deals sector to compete with … Continue reading “SCVNGR Rolls Out Location-Based Deals Service in Boston, Philadelphia”
Epizyme Takes $6M Upfront in Cancer Drug Deal with Eisai
Cambridge, MA-based Epizyme has nabbed another pharmaceutical partnership. Two months after announcing a deal worth as much as $650 million with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:[[ticker:GSK]]), the startup says today that it has landed a partnership with the Japanese drugmaker Eisai to develop drugs against an epigenetic enzyme for treating lymphomas and other cancers. In its latest deal, … Continue reading “Epizyme Takes $6M Upfront in Cancer Drug Deal with Eisai”
White Pages’ Hiya Wants to Eat Plaxo’s Lunch by Blending Your Scattered E-Phone Books with Old-School Contact Info
Seattle-based online directory provider WhitePages is unveiling a networked address book application that it says can outperform Plaxo and other startups in the market for wrangling your various digital rolodexes. WhitePages has been testing its Hiya service since last fall, building up knowledge from a base of about 10,000 users. The public beta starts Thursday. … Continue reading “White Pages’ Hiya Wants to Eat Plaxo’s Lunch by Blending Your Scattered E-Phone Books with Old-School Contact Info”
Forma, After Building Cancer Drug Discovery Engine, Makes First Big Bet on Starving Tumors
Forma Therapeutics could choose to do a lot of different things after spending its first couple years raising $50 million, forming a series of partnerships, and assembling a staff of 100 people around the world with all kinds of skills in the cancer drug R&D business. After all that, Cambridge, MA-based Forma has decided to … Continue reading “Forma, After Building Cancer Drug Discovery Engine, Makes First Big Bet on Starving Tumors”
Astute Medical Nabs $13M, Roth Capital Hosts Conference, Kaldor Joins Versant, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
San Diego’s life sciences sector must have been lying low over the past week, as there was scant news from local biotech, diagnostics, and medical device companies. Our roundup is here. —Biopharma executive Stephen Kaldor, who was CEO at San Diego-based Ambrx from 2007 to 2010, has joined Versant Ventures as a venture partner. The … Continue reading “Astute Medical Nabs $13M, Roth Capital Hosts Conference, Kaldor Joins Versant, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Bill Gates Backs Nimbus, Betting on Computer-Based Drug Discovery
Here’s a startup that is stepping out of top-secret status in style. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, the second-most wealthy person in the world, is one of two new seed investors in the stealthy biotech startup, Nimbus Discovery. Cambridge, MA-based Nimbus, focused on computer-based drug discovery in partnership with the global chemical-simulation software provider Schrödinger, said … Continue reading “Bill Gates Backs Nimbus, Betting on Computer-Based Drug Discovery”
Exelixis Pockets $156M in Stock Sale, Riding Wave of Prostate Cancer Drug Results
Exelixis has seized on the newfound momentum for its experimental prostate cancer drug by raising a big new load of cash. The South San Francisco-based drug developer (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXEL]]) said today it has grossed $165 million through a new stock offering, and will take home about $156 million after paying expenses. The company sold 15 … Continue reading “Exelixis Pockets $156M in Stock Sale, Riding Wave of Prostate Cancer Drug Results”
The Buzz From the Zino Life Sciences Forum
There was a great buzz yesterday at ZINO Life: Life Sciences Investment Forum where 14 biotech and life sciences companies pitched to a room full of eager investors. Many exciting technologies were on display, including Empowering Engineering Technologies‘ ExoWalk—the 2010 Zino Life fund recipient—as well as Cerevast Therapeutics’ ClotBust-ER. All presenters delivered energetic and compelling … Continue reading “The Buzz From the Zino Life Sciences Forum”
King of the Web Lets More People in on the Secret: It’s a Video-Heavy Popularity Contest with Cash Prizes
King of the Web, the social gaming startup led by some big names in Seattle tech, is opening up the private beta I speculated about earlier this month. Passwords were doled out to Twitter and Facebook followers today, and I took a peek under the hood. From what I can see so far, King of … Continue reading “King of the Web Lets More People in on the Secret: It’s a Video-Heavy Popularity Contest with Cash Prizes”
Scenes from the Qualcomm Shareholder Meeting: Five Years Under New Management
The Qualcomm shareholder meeting was something of a five-year anniversary yesterday for Paul Jacobs, who was named to succeed his father, Irwin M. Jacobs, as CEO of the world’s largest provider of wireless chipsets and software technology in March 2005. As milestones go, 2010 was a great year for Qualcomm, which had a record-setting year … Continue reading “Scenes from the Qualcomm Shareholder Meeting: Five Years Under New Management”
Beringea Holds “Office Hours” For Entrepreneurs. 15 Minutes To Sell A Dream.
“Steve Beeler,” says the cheery, bespectacled man sporting a bright green tie as he extends his hand to me. “Nice to meet you,” I reply. “Do you have a business card?” “Um…no,” Beeler says somewhat sheepishly. “We just settled some issues with our [web]domain name.” Ah, the life of a high tech startup! We’re sitting … Continue reading “Beringea Holds “Office Hours” For Entrepreneurs. 15 Minutes To Sell A Dream.”
Madrona and Ignition Invest $8.5M in Seattle Cloud-Computing Provider Tier 3
Seattle-based Tier 3, a cloud-computing service for businesses, said Wednesday that it has raised $8.5 million from Ignition Capital and Madrona Venture Group. This is the company’s first publicly announced round of financing. Tier 3 was founded in 2006 and counts Microsoft among its nearly 100 clients. In a release, Tier 3 said it plans … Continue reading “Madrona and Ignition Invest $8.5M in Seattle Cloud-Computing Provider Tier 3”
Targeted Genetics, Re-invented as AmpliPhi, Bets on Anti-Bacterials, Moves HQ to London
Targeted Genetics has been a shell of its former self for a couple years now, but today it’s officially no longer the same old Targeted Genetics. The Seattle-based company, a one-time trailblazer in the field of gene therapy, said today it has made a slew of changes to its business, including ditching the old name … Continue reading “Targeted Genetics, Re-invented as AmpliPhi, Bets on Anti-Bacterials, Moves HQ to London”
See You at Mobile Madness at Microsoft NERD: Be Ready for Anything
Hope you all had a fine Mardi Gras. Now it’s time to get down to business. Mobile business. Yes, Mobile Madness 2011 is happening this afternoon, over at Microsoft NERD in Kendall Square (the program starts at 1:00 pm). We’ve helped assemble some of the top names in the mobile industry from New England and … Continue reading “See You at Mobile Madness at Microsoft NERD: Be Ready for Anything”
ZeeVee Enhances Internet Video Portal for Connected Devices, Looks to Power Smaller Cable Providers
Littleton, MA-based ZeeVee has reinvented itself again. The startup launched four years ago to provide hardware for “bringing Internet television together and into the living room,” says CEO Vic Odryna. The ZvBox device didn’t exactly catch on in homes, but has found a niche in commercial settings like hotels, restaurants, and casinos. ZeeVee later introduced … Continue reading “ZeeVee Enhances Internet Video Portal for Connected Devices, Looks to Power Smaller Cable Providers”
Startup Guru Steve Blank Says It’s Time for E-Schools, Not B-Schools
A few weeks ago I had very long lunch at Vitrine with Steve Blank, who’s famous in entrepreneurship circles as the originator of the “customer development” methodology for getting a technology startup off the ground. Here at Xconomy, we’ve been cross-posting Blank’s blog posts for a few months, but the lunch was my first chance … Continue reading “Startup Guru Steve Blank Says It’s Time for E-Schools, Not B-Schools”
Retroficiency, Backed by World Energy and Angels, Looks to Cash In on Real Estate Market for Energy Software
With a name like Retroficiency, you pretty much know what you’re getting. That’s saying a lot, given the obscurity of most startup names these days. You might gather that this company has to do with retrofitting and energy efficiency—and you’d be right. Boston-based Retroficiency provides software-as-a-service to help energy service companies, facility management firms, and … Continue reading “Retroficiency, Backed by World Energy and Angels, Looks to Cash In on Real Estate Market for Energy Software”
Sapphire Energy Anticipates “Significant” Revenue Stream From Monsanto Alliance
San Diego biofuels startup Sapphire Energy added to its pedigreed credentials yesterday, revealing an undisclosed investment by St. Louis, MO-based Monsanto (NYSE: [[ticker:MON]]), a premiere agricultural biotech giant, as part of an extended collaborative agreement. Sapphire established its exalted lineage a couple of years ago when it raised $100 million in Series B venture funding … Continue reading “Sapphire Energy Anticipates “Significant” Revenue Stream From Monsanto Alliance”
Kahoots Bought By RentJuice, Skyhook Enlists Sony, MassChallenge Adds $1M from MA, & More Boston-Area Deals News
We saw headlines of partnerships for Web and software companies, startup financings, and venture firms getting ready to raise bigger funds. —Boston-based mobile software maker Skyhook Wireless nabbed a deal with Sony to get its location-finding technology into Sony’s “NGP” handheld gaming system, expected to roll out in late 2011. Financial terms of the agreement … Continue reading “Kahoots Bought By RentJuice, Skyhook Enlists Sony, MassChallenge Adds $1M from MA, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Fluke or Trend? One Investor Reflects on HealthMedia Acquisition —Sees Promise, but Not Critical Mass, in Michigan Innovation Ecosystem
One exit does not a trend make. In 2005, Chrysalis Ventures led a $2 million investment in HealthMedia, based in Ann Arbor, MI. Three years later, Johnson & Johnson bought HealthMedia. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed but Chrysalis says it ultimately earned 18 times its initial investment. Not too bad. Despite its success with … Continue reading “Fluke or Trend? One Investor Reflects on HealthMedia Acquisition —Sees Promise, but Not Critical Mass, in Michigan Innovation Ecosystem”
TechFest Pumps Up Microsoft Research, HomePipe Lands $1.1M, A New Fund for Science Education, & More NW Tech Tidbits
Microsoft Research is having its annual TechFest get-together across the lake, including some pretty cool-looking demonstrations and discussion of what Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) gets for its $9 billion in annual R&D spending. Of course, one of the biggest storylines out of the research shop lately is the popularity of the Kinect motion-sensor for more than … Continue reading “TechFest Pumps Up Microsoft Research, HomePipe Lands $1.1M, A New Fund for Science Education, & More NW Tech Tidbits”
Google Ventures, Sequoia, Salesforce Lead $32M Financing Round for HubSpot
[Updated 2:00 pm ET with additional perspective from the investors] Three Bay Area organizations are behind a big $32 million investment in Cambridge, MA-based marketing software company HubSpot. The Series D financing round, announced today, was led by Google Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Salesforce.com, with Hubspot’s existing investors General Catalyst, Matrix Partners, and Scale Venture … Continue reading “Google Ventures, Sequoia, Salesforce Lead $32M Financing Round for HubSpot”
VC65 to Feature Tales of Great VCs and Entrepreneurs—Come Wish Venture Capital a Happy Birthday at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium
Great venture capitalists and entrepreneurs aren’t in it for the money or fame—they are out to build outstanding companies that make the world safer, healthier, more productive, more accessible, or just more fun. And, usually, it takes a great partnership between investors and entrepreneurs to pull that off. Celebrating such successful partnerships is the main … Continue reading “VC65 to Feature Tales of Great VCs and Entrepreneurs—Come Wish Venture Capital a Happy Birthday at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium”
Why Computing Guys Don’t Get Mobile: Qualcomm’s Bill Davidson on Modems, Power Constraints, and Scarce Spectrum Resources
The pace of wireless innovation can get bewildering at times, and a spate of recent announcements from San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) has seemed more like a blur of racing machines in the Indy 500 than anything else. Since Qualcomm also happens to be hosting its annual shareholders meeting today, it seemed like an ideal … Continue reading “Why Computing Guys Don’t Get Mobile: Qualcomm’s Bill Davidson on Modems, Power Constraints, and Scarce Spectrum Resources”
A New Way to Teach Entrepreneurship: Class 1 at Stanford’s Lean Launchpad
For the past three months, we’ve run an experiment in teaching entrepreneurship. In January, we introduced a new graduate course at Stanford called the here describe the details of the class.) Get Out of the Building and test the Business Model While we were going to teach theory and frameworks, these students were going to … Continue reading “A New Way to Teach Entrepreneurship: Class 1 at Stanford’s Lean Launchpad”
Tethys Seeks to Double Sales of Test, Prove Value of Preventing Diabetes
Fortunes have been made many times over with new drugs and medical devices to treat chronic and deadly diseases. The folks at Emeryville, CA-based Tethys Bioscience have a different idea that is actually quite radical: They want to make money by preventing disease, not treating it. “Here we are spending about $200 billion a year … Continue reading “Tethys Seeks to Double Sales of Test, Prove Value of Preventing Diabetes”
Gates Foundation Makes First Equity Investment in a Biotech Startup, Liquidia Technologies
Global health innovators have a rich new venture capitalist to turn to—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Seattle-based nonprofit, the world’s largest philanthropy with $36.4 billion in assets, made its first direct equity investment in a for-profit biotech company last week when it pumped $10 million into Research Triangle Park, NC-based Liquidia Technologies. While … Continue reading “Gates Foundation Makes First Equity Investment in a Biotech Startup, Liquidia Technologies”