San Diego’s Cylene Pharmaceuticals says it has raised an additional $12 million from its existing venture investors to help fund its early stage trial of an oral drug for multiple myeloma. The company says investors include Sanderling Ventures, HBM BioVentures (Cayman), Novartis BioVenture Fund, BioVentures Investors, Lilly Ventures, Mitsui & Co., and Morningside Venture Investments. … Continue reading “Cylene Raises $12M for Early Stage Trial Oral Drug for Multiple Myeloma”
Category: National
Where Buys LocalGinger, Moves Into Location-Based Daily Deals
Two Massachusetts startups have joined forces to try to crack the location-based daily deals market. Boston-based Where, a mobile search and advertising company, said today it has acquired Newburyport, MA-based LocalGinger, an upstart in the online group-buying sector. Financial details of the stock and cash deal weren’t disclosed, but Where is gaining 10 employees from … Continue reading “Where Buys LocalGinger, Moves Into Location-Based Daily Deals”
Biotech DecImmune Grabs $1M from Astellas VC
DecImmune Therapeutics has made some news this morning after what appears to be a long silence. The Cambridge, MA-based developer of drugs for tissue damage has raised $1 million in equity funding from Astellas Venture Management, the VC arm of Japanese drug maker Astellas Pharma, according to the company. DecImmune (formerly Natural Antibodies) said that … Continue reading “Biotech DecImmune Grabs $1M from Astellas VC”
Truste, Citing Location Privacy Worries, Expands Certification Program to the Mobile World
San Francisco-based Truste, the former non-profit that provides privacy certification services for the websites of nearly 3,000 organizations, is expanding into the mobile arena. Starting today, builders of mobile websites and mobile applications can submit their sites and their iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Palm software apps for certification by Truste. If … Continue reading “Truste, Citing Location Privacy Worries, Expands Certification Program to the Mobile World”
Acucela, Strengthening Ties With Japan’s Otsuka, Gets Right to Develop New Glaucoma Drug
[Corrected: 9 am Pacific] Little biotech companies usually discover new drugs, and hand them off for development to a Big Pharma company with cash and expertise in running clinical trials. But one of the Seattle area’s little biotech companies, Acucela, is doing the exact opposite, and doing it in a profitable way. Seattle-based Acucela is … Continue reading “Acucela, Strengthening Ties With Japan’s Otsuka, Gets Right to Develop New Glaucoma Drug”
Dave Matthews Plays at 25th Anniversary Festival, ViaSat Partners with JetBlue for Inflight Wi-Fi, Oceanhouse Media Adds 3 Berenstain Bears Titles, & More San Diego BizTech News
Short and sweet: it was a busy week, but not exactly an avalanche of local tech news. The countdown has begun, and your wrap-up of local developments begins in 3, 2, 1: —San Diego’s PCN Technology has developed technology that converts an existing copper-wire control system or power line that was installed before the Internet … Continue reading “Dave Matthews Plays at 25th Anniversary Festival, ViaSat Partners with JetBlue for Inflight Wi-Fi, Oceanhouse Media Adds 3 Berenstain Bears Titles, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Seattle Genetics, Millennium Generate “Dream” Data With Empowered Antibody Drug for Cancer
Seattle Genetics is making history today, after a dozen years of effort, with groundbreaking clinical trial results in the field of cancer drugs. The results pave the way for the first successful “empowered antibody” drug for cancer, and a new therapy for people who have run out of options for fighting Hodgkin’s disease. The Bothell, … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics, Millennium Generate “Dream” Data With Empowered Antibody Drug for Cancer”
Recurve Refines Energy Retrofits, Sungevity Helps Homes Go Solar, BrightSource Prepares for IPO, & More Bay Area Biztech News
Last week was an unusual one at Xconomy San Francisco: it was practically all energy news, all the time. —On Tuesday I profiled Recurve, a San Francisco startup that’s systematizing the science of home energy audits and retrofitting using its own in-house software. The company eventually hopes to conduct energy audits and retrofits on a massive … Continue reading “Recurve Refines Energy Retrofits, Sungevity Helps Homes Go Solar, BrightSource Prepares for IPO, & More Bay Area Biztech News”
Apperian Appoints New CEO, David Patrick, to Raise Money and Bring Mobile Apps to More Businesses
There’s some interesting personnel news today in the world of mobile software apps for companies. Boston-based Apperian, a mobile development and platform startup, says it has appointed a new CEO as of last week. He is David Patrick, a veteran of Lotus, Sun, Novell, and a number of cutting-edge tech startups on both coasts. He … Continue reading “Apperian Appoints New CEO, David Patrick, to Raise Money and Bring Mobile Apps to More Businesses”
How the Wrong Decision in Schwarzenegger v. EMA Could Cripple Video Game Innovation
In 2005 the Terminator signed a bill to outlaw the sale of “violent” video games to anyone under 18 years of age in California. Granted, he was wearing his off-set persona as the Governor of California, but this irony flows through a case the U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear entitled Schwarzenegger v. EMA. … Continue reading “How the Wrong Decision in Schwarzenegger v. EMA Could Cripple Video Game Innovation”
University of Michigan Social Venture Fund Comes Out of Stealth, Aims to Invest in Companies at the Nexus of Public and Private
“Social shouldn’t be viewed as soft,” says University of Michigan finance professor Gautam Kaul. “Unfortunately, soft and social tend to go together in people’s perceptions.” But Social Venture Fund, a new investing vehicle out of the University of Michigan that came out of stealth mode just last week, is taking a hard look at social … Continue reading “University of Michigan Social Venture Fund Comes Out of Stealth, Aims to Invest in Companies at the Nexus of Public and Private”
TimeTrade Gets $5.6M to Expand in Sales and Marketing Appointment Software
TimeTrade, an appointment scheduling software company in Tewksbury, MA, said today it has closed a $5.6 million Series D financing round led by Ascent Venture Partners. CommonAngels and other existing investors also participated in the round, which includes $1.7 million in convertible notes issued in December 2009. TimeTrade said it will use the money to … Continue reading “TimeTrade Gets $5.6M to Expand in Sales and Marketing Appointment Software”
How I Spent My Summer in Startup Boot Camp
Finals are over and it’s the first day of summer, but I’m not at home or relaxing at the beach. Instead, I’m sitting in a conference room with my two partners and the eight other young companies selected for the Betaspring Startup Accelerator, based in Providence, RI. At the podium in front of us stands … Continue reading “How I Spent My Summer in Startup Boot Camp”
Anybots, Y Combinator’s Housemate, Brings Remote-Controlled Robots to the White-Collar World
[Video included, please scroll down] Trevor Blackwell used to think that telepresence robots were all about manipulation: being able to grasp and move things from afar. So he and his colleagues at Mountain View, CA-based Anybots spent years building robots with beautifully articulated hands that users could operate over a standard Internet connection. The company’s … Continue reading “Anybots, Y Combinator’s Housemate, Brings Remote-Controlled Robots to the White-Collar World”
Trupanion, Riding the Wave of Fast-Growing Industry, Seeks to Lead in Pet Medical Insurance
[Corrected: 11:30 am] Little known fact: more than half of American pet owners now buy holiday presents for their pets. But even in a country where buying stocking stuffers for your four-legged pal is more than commonplace, the sale of medical insurance plans to protect pets—and their owners’ pocketbooks—from medical emergencies and other health related … Continue reading “Trupanion, Riding the Wave of Fast-Growing Industry, Seeks to Lead in Pet Medical Insurance”
DataXu CEO Mike Baker on the Online Advertising Startup’s Move Into Mobile and Video
Things are evolving quickly over at DataXu. Six months after announcing a new $11 million round of venture financing, the Boston-based online advertising software firm has expanded its focus to help its corporate customers reach a wider swath of consumers wherever they are. Earlier this week, DataXu (pronounced “Data Zoo”) rolled out what it calls … Continue reading “DataXu CEO Mike Baker on the Online Advertising Startup’s Move Into Mobile and Video”
PCN Technology Translates Industrial “Tower of Babel” Networks Into Language of the Internet
The key to the formation of San Diego’s PCN Technology came almost a decade ago, while co-founders Daniel Drolet and David Stumpf were working in a corner of the information technology sector that the Internet had seemingly left in the 20th century dust. In the world of industrial computer networks and embedded systems, Drolet tells … Continue reading “PCN Technology Translates Industrial “Tower of Babel” Networks Into Language of the Internet”
Qualcomm Hosts Dave Matthews Band for 25th Anniversary Festival
The tweets have been flying out of San Diego’s Sorrento Valley, where wireless technology giant Qualcomm is hosting the Dave Matthews band and multi-instrumentalist Tim Reynolds tonight as part of the company’s 25th anniversary festival. Thousands of Qualcomm employees and invited guests flocked to the party, which began at 5:30 p.m. at the company’s headquarters … Continue reading “Qualcomm Hosts Dave Matthews Band for 25th Anniversary Festival”
Cytomx Pockets $30M, AvidBiotics Eyes Food Safety Market, Rigel Passes Arthritis Trial, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News
We had the usual wide variety of stories this week from the worlds of antibody drugs, antibiotics, medical devices, and oral small molecules. Get caught up here. —The Bay Area has a new player in the world of antibody drugs—Cytomx Therapeutics. This company, founded in February 2008 in Santa Barbara, CA, is primed to move … Continue reading “Cytomx Pockets $30M, AvidBiotics Eyes Food Safety Market, Rigel Passes Arthritis Trial, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”
Novartis Edges Out Biogen Idec in Oral MS Drug Race, Ironwood Sells Microbia to DSM, RXi Teams With Eyegate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
It was New England’s public life sciences companies that made the most news in the sector this week. —Ryan chatted with Mark Corrigan, CEO of Zalicus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZLCS]]), about the Cambridge, MA-based company’s efforts to rebuild its image among investors after a long period of upheaval. Originally known as CombinatoRx, the firm has seen the … Continue reading “Novartis Edges Out Biogen Idec in Oral MS Drug Race, Ironwood Sells Microbia to DSM, RXi Teams With Eyegate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Alnylam Cuts 25-30% of Workforce, As Novartis Alliance Ends
Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is facing some big cuts now that one of its major partners is going its separate way. Alnylam (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) said today it is planning to cut about 25 to 30 percent of its workforce. The move came after one of Alnylam’s big partners, Novartis, effectively brought a five-year alliance to … Continue reading “Alnylam Cuts 25-30% of Workforce, As Novartis Alliance Ends”
Brammo Scores $12.5M More, Fueling New Wave of Electric Motorcycles
Tesla may have made the electric car chic, but Ashland, OR-based Brammo is taking the electric vehicle even further—on two wheels. The electric motorcycle company, founded in 2002, has raised a $12.5 million out of a Series B financing round that could be worth as much as $30 million, according to a report by The … Continue reading “Brammo Scores $12.5M More, Fueling New Wave of Electric Motorcycles”
FDA Panel Votes Against Arena’s Weight-Loss Drug, ImThera Encouraged by Early Test Results, Novartis Wins FDA Approval for MS Pill, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Much of San Diego’s life sciences news over the past week was about drug development and the FDA approval process. We’ve wrapped it up for you here. —As setbacks go, this one was pretty substantial for San Diego’s Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARNA]]) and its partner, Japan-based Eisai Pharmaceuticals. The Food and Drug Administration’s expert advisory … Continue reading “FDA Panel Votes Against Arena’s Weight-Loss Drug, ImThera Encouraged by Early Test Results, Novartis Wins FDA Approval for MS Pill, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Sungevity Founder Danny Kennedy on Making a Difference With Solar
Yesterday we published Part 1 of a Q&A with Danny Kennedy, the former Greenpeace activist and administrator who founded Oakland, CA-based Sungevity in 2007. The company’s mission is to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to reduce their monthly utility bills by installing rooftop photovoltaic panels. The main strategy: computerize as much of … Continue reading “Sungevity Founder Danny Kennedy on Making a Difference With Solar”
MocoSpace Gains $3.5M, Moves Further Into Mobile Social Gaming
Boston-based MocoSpace, a mobile social networking and entertainment startup, said today it has closed a $3.5 million financing round from SoftBank Capital. As part of the deal, SoftBank Capital’s founder and managing partner, Ron Fisher, is joining the MocoSpace board. The company’s previous investors include General Catalyst, Pilot Group, and angel investor Michael Dearing. MocoSpace … Continue reading “MocoSpace Gains $3.5M, Moves Further Into Mobile Social Gaming”
Cytomx, Backed by Third Rock & Roche, Raises $30M for New Class of Antibodies
The Bay Area has a new player in antibody drug development, backed with some big bucks from the world’s largest maker of antibody drugs. CytomX Therapeutics is announcing today it has raised $30 million in a Series B venture round led by Third Rock Ventures, along with Roche Venture Fund. While CytomX is currently based … Continue reading “Cytomx, Backed by Third Rock & Roche, Raises $30M for New Class of Antibodies”
Six Finalists Vie For $100K From the Zino Society
Zino Society, the Seattle-based investor and entrepreneur network, just wrapped up one of its biggest annual events—the Zino Zillionaire Investment Forum. Now it’s time to follow up on who made the initial cut in the competition for its two $50,000 investment prizes. At the end of the event, Zino named the six finalists among the … Continue reading “Six Finalists Vie For $100K From the Zino Society”
Lee Hartwell’s Next Career Move, Swedish’s Social Media Ace, Cell Therapeutics’ Lifeline, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
This week, I profiled a person in his 70s and someone in her 20s. It really reminded me how covering the life science innovation beat leads to a lot of fascinating people at different stages of their careers. —Lee Hartwell, the Nobel Prize-winning biologist who is stepping down as president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer … Continue reading “Lee Hartwell’s Next Career Move, Swedish’s Social Media Ace, Cell Therapeutics’ Lifeline, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
U-M Student Group, MPowered, Gears Up for 1,000 Pitches, Looks to Help Build Startup Ecosystem
A culture of entrepreneurial innovation might not be something one would expect to find in a rust belt state like Michigan, but one student group at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is trying to change that. MPowered Entrepreneurship aims to cultivate and support student entrepreneurs in hopes that they turn their ideas into … Continue reading “U-M Student Group, MPowered, Gears Up for 1,000 Pitches, Looks to Help Build Startup Ecosystem”
KangoGift Platform Sends Gift Vouchers Via Text, Brings Virtual Goods Convenience to Real-World Use
Virtual gifts are a nice way to send someone good thoughts online. But if you’re going to spend real money to get someone a virtual gift like a digital cupcake or bouquet of flowers, why not spend a bit more to get them something concrete? Now Cambridge, MA-based KangoGift makes online gift-giving just as convenient … Continue reading “KangoGift Platform Sends Gift Vouchers Via Text, Brings Virtual Goods Convenience to Real-World Use”
Genzyme Boss Henri Termeer Not Ready To Sell to Sanofi, Ride Into the Sunset, Sources Say
Henri Termeer has invested most of his professional life building Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]) into a global biotech powerhouse, and it could all come to an unceremonious end if French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:[[ticker:SNY]]) succeeds in its efforts to acquire the company. Yet people close to the Genzyme CEO tell Xconomy that Termeer has plenty … Continue reading “Genzyme Boss Henri Termeer Not Ready To Sell to Sanofi, Ride Into the Sunset, Sources Say”
Sungevity, Founded by Greenpeace Activist, Tackles Climate Change as “The Amazon of Solar Electricity”
Yesterday we told you all about Recurve, a San Francisco home energy auditing and retrofitting startup whose founder argues that before energy-conscious homeowners put solar panels on the roof, they should focus on fixing what’s under it—poor insulation, leaky ducts and windows, inefficient HVAC systems, and the like. But let’s assume you’ve done all that. … Continue reading “Sungevity, Founded by Greenpeace Activist, Tackles Climate Change as “The Amazon of Solar Electricity””
Forget the Facebook Movie; Here’s the TechStars Casting Call
All this talk about “The Social Network,” and Mark Zuckerberg this and that, got me thinking. What if they made a movie about a technology company that’s doing something really innovative now? A modest company that’s expanding nationally and helping to set the agenda and culture for a new generation of techie entrepreneurs…One with deep … Continue reading “Forget the Facebook Movie; Here’s the TechStars Casting Call”
ImThera Encouraged by Results of European Sleep Apnea Study
ImThera Medical, the San Diego medical device startup developing an alternative to respirator-type treatments for sleep apnea, has disclosed what it calls “promising” results from a very small group of patients in a European study. Even though the test involved just 10 patients, ImThera chairman and CEO Marcelo Lima anticipated the results would be a … Continue reading “ImThera Encouraged by Results of European Sleep Apnea Study”
Biogen Rival Reaches Finish Line with Oral Drug for MS
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]), one of the world’s biggest makers of multiple sclerosis drugs, has some catching up to do in bringing an oral MS treatment to market. Swiss drug giant Novartis said today it has won FDA approval of an MS pill, which some see as more convenient than the injected treatments for the … Continue reading “Biogen Rival Reaches Finish Line with Oral Drug for MS”
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Sells Struggling Microbia Subsidiary to Royal DSM
The chemical giant Royal DSM has agreed to purchase the Lexington, MA-based bio-manufacturing firm Microbia from Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, according to a press release. DSM, based in Heerlen, The Netherlands, has not disclosed terms of the deal. Xconomy was unable to immediately reach representatives from Microbia and DSM about the transaction. Microbia (formerly Microbia Precision Engineering) … Continue reading “Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Sells Struggling Microbia Subsidiary to Royal DSM”
Focus on Discovery, Not Decision-Making, Is Key To Success
We’ve experienced a slew of “system” failures in the last years—corporate, regulatory, financial and technological—with disastrous results. Toyota suffered a huge hit to its sales and corporate prestige. The damage to the Gulf of Mexico is still being tabulated. And we’re even now trying to fully restart the economy after it was crippled by the … Continue reading “Focus on Discovery, Not Decision-Making, Is Key To Success”
Swedish’s Young Social-Media Ace Coaches Docs in the Ways of the Web
Dana Lewis, at 22, found a job telling doctors what to do. It has nothing to do with deciding which diagnostic test to run, what drug to prescribe, or how much they can bill for an MRI. It has everything to do with how physicians can better communicate with patients over the Web in the … Continue reading “Swedish’s Young Social-Media Ace Coaches Docs in the Ways of the Web”
Accio Energy, With New CEO, Uses Physics to Harvest Wind Energy Without Turbines
It’s hard to hear the term “wind power” without picturing the giant, bladed turbines that are currently used to generate this kind of renewable energy. Ann Arbor, MI-based Accio Energy is trying to shake this up. The company is using fundamental physics to produce wind power without turbines—a transformation that could make wind energy more … Continue reading “Accio Energy, With New CEO, Uses Physics to Harvest Wind Energy Without Turbines”
IBM Acquires Netezza and OpenPages, Boston Scientific Buys Asthmatx, Massachusetts Startup Financing Rebounds, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Big Blue is gobbling up all of New England’s IT companies—or at least that’s the impression you’d get from this week’s deals news. —IBM (NYSE: [[ticker:IBM]]) announced it will acquire Waltham, MA-based OpenPages for an undisclosed sum. The Waltham firm, whose backers include Goldman Sachs, Globespan Capital Partners, Matrix Partners, Mesirow Financial, Sigma Partners, and … Continue reading “IBM Acquires Netezza and OpenPages, Boston Scientific Buys Asthmatx, Massachusetts Startup Financing Rebounds, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Boston Vs. Silicon Valley: Lawsuits Filed Against Adobe, Google, PacBio (Who’s Next?)
OK, four lawsuits filed in a month—all in the same direction—makes a trend. (Though two are from the same company.) September is shaping up to be the month of Boston versus Silicon Valley, when it comes to tech and life sciences companies trying to protect their intellectual property. —The news today is that Newton, MA-based … Continue reading “Boston Vs. Silicon Valley: Lawsuits Filed Against Adobe, Google, PacBio (Who’s Next?)”
Recurve Nails the Science of Selling Home Energy Retrofits
For Californians who want to make their houses greener and more energy-efficient, installing solar panels is often the first strategy that comes to mind. And there are many innovative Bay Area companies ready to help people do that, as I’ll describe in a story coming later this week. But Recurve president Matt Golden argues that … Continue reading “Recurve Nails the Science of Selling Home Energy Retrofits”
Bonanza for Bonanzle: Startup Changes Name, Buys 1000Markets, Leads Social Commerce Wave
The Seattle-based online marketplace Bonanzle is on the move today. The company announced it has changed its name to Bonanza (it now uses Bonanza.com), and has acquired 1000Markets, an online community of marketplaces for niche products and artisan crafts, also based in Seattle. (See this blog post on the phase-out of 1000Markets.) Financial terms of … Continue reading “Bonanza for Bonanzle: Startup Changes Name, Buys 1000Markets, Leads Social Commerce Wave”
AvidBiotics Creates Novel Proteins that Kill Bacteria on the Farm, in the Lab, in the Body
Dave Martin is one of the people in biotech who has truly seen it all. In the ’80s, the industry’s early days, he was head of R&D at Genentech. His latest passion, which he’s pursuing with business partner Jim Knighton, is taking shape at a lean startup in South San Francisco called AvidBiotics. Their wager … Continue reading “AvidBiotics Creates Novel Proteins that Kill Bacteria on the Farm, in the Lab, in the Body”
What Becomes a Legend Most? San Diego’s Legend3D Boasts 700 Percent Growth
Barry Sandrew, whose imaging expertise as a Harvard neuroscientist led him to a mid-life career change in Hollywood, tells me the company he founded in San Diego remains on course with a 700 percent growth rate over the past year. As I reported in May, Sandrew founded San Diego-based Legend Films in 2001 as a … Continue reading “What Becomes a Legend Most? San Diego’s Legend3D Boasts 700 Percent Growth”
MeYou Health Enters Social Gaming Realm with Daily Challenge for Improving Well-Being
Could social gaming be used to improve people’s health? Boston-based MeYou Health appears to think there’s a good chance the answer to that question is “yes.” The group plans to release an online social game this week called Daily Challenge, which attempts to get players and their friends on Facebook to adopt healthy behaviors and … Continue reading “MeYou Health Enters Social Gaming Realm with Daily Challenge for Improving Well-Being”
Michigan Venture Funds: A List of Recent Closings and Firms Raising Money Now
It’s not exactly a secret that this isn’t the greatest time for venture capital. Returns over the past decade have gone negative after the heady dotcom bubble years, and with the recession lingering many funds have either closed or found themselves significantly smaller as it became harder and harder to attract capital. These national trends … Continue reading “Michigan Venture Funds: A List of Recent Closings and Firms Raising Money Now”
August Startup Financings in MA Rose Slightly to $143M, With Plenty of Smaller Deals
Startup deal-making in Massachusetts rebounded slightly last month. Thirty companies brought in $143.6 million in equity-based financing deals, which was almost a 10 percent increase from July’s total of $131.4 million, according to data provided by private company intelligence platform CB Insights. It’s not anything like the surge we saw in June, when Bay State … Continue reading “August Startup Financings in MA Rose Slightly to $143M, With Plenty of Smaller Deals”
ZymoGenetics Will Be Missed. How Seattle Biotech Can Recover and Thrive
I agree with Carl Weissman’s recent Xconomy column about the ZymoGenetics acquisition when he says that Seattle needs to be a place where biotech startups thrive. Unfortunately, his column didn’t put forth any novel solutions for making this happen (I know this wasn’t his point in writing the article). I am also in agreement that … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Will Be Missed. How Seattle Biotech Can Recover and Thrive”
Smartsheet Raises New Cash, Amazon Bets on Cirtas, RealNetworks Buys Backstage, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Thea is taking some time off, so that means the biotech guy in the house has to write up the weekly tech roundup. I’ll try not to say anything too dumb. —Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet, the developer of software to help people collaborate on projects, raised $1.5 million in a new equity round led by Madrona … Continue reading “Smartsheet Raises New Cash, Amazon Bets on Cirtas, RealNetworks Buys Backstage, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”