Seattle-based project management software developer Daptiv is confirming today it has been acquired by software and technical acquisition firm Parallax Capital Partners, out of Laguna Hills, CA. The official announcement came this morning, after a report about the deal leaked late last week. Daptiv, founded in 1997, develops on-demand collaborative business and project and portfolio … Continue reading “Daptiv Acquired By Parallax Capital Partners”
Category: National
RainDance Technologies, Delving Deep into DNA, Gets Wall Street Connections with Latest CEO
Roopom Banerjee, the chief executive of genomic research tool maker RainDance Technologies, is aware of the criticisms facing genomics. “There’s been a lot of talk recently about how productive has the Human Genome Project really been in terms of delivering on the promise of personalized medicine,” he says. RainDance is helping scientists conquer part of … Continue reading “RainDance Technologies, Delving Deep into DNA, Gets Wall Street Connections with Latest CEO”
Triangulate Raises $750K for “Data-Driven Dating” on Facebook
If you’re at least a casual Internet user, there’s already lots of information about you laying around in semi-public databases. Twitter knows what types of people you follow. Netflix knows what movies and TV shows you like. Foursquare knows where you check in. Pandora knows what kinds of music you like. Facebook knows who your … Continue reading “Triangulate Raises $750K for “Data-Driven Dating” on Facebook”
Jive Software Nabs $30M, SynapticMash Acquired by Promethean World, Intellectual Ventures Sells Patents, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Once again it has been a pretty slow week for Seattle-area technology companies in terms of deals—word must have gotten out that the weather is nice and warm here in the Pacific Northwest! Nevertheless, of the few deals that have gone on this last week, a few were pretty substantial. A number of startups both … Continue reading “Jive Software Nabs $30M, SynapticMash Acquired by Promethean World, Intellectual Ventures Sells Patents, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Greylock’s Henry McCance Part 2: Four Things Great VCs Do and Four Ideas to Guide Them
Every venture capital firm and every venture capitalist touts itself/herself/himself as adding value to the entrepreneur’s quest to build great companies. But when it comes to backing up that talk with action, few venture capitalists have the track record of Henry McCance, now chairman emeritus of Greylock Partners. I recently visited McCance in the firm’s … Continue reading “Greylock’s Henry McCance Part 2: Four Things Great VCs Do and Four Ideas to Guide Them”
Terrafugia Shows Off New Design for Flying Car
A future replete with flying cars inched a bit closer today. At the AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, WI, aerospace startup Terrafugia of Woburn, MA, took the wraps off the latest prototype for its Transition “roadable aircraft,” which has folding wings that make the vehicle compact enough to drive right off the tarmac and onto … Continue reading “Terrafugia Shows Off New Design for Flying Car”
Sapphire Energy Moving Fast on Genetically Engineered Algae
After reading Andy Pollack’s reportage on biotechnology for years in the New York Times, I finally got a chance to meet him a couple of weeks ago in San Diego, at a briefing to update reporters and VIPs on the $300-million partnership that Synthetic Genomics and ExxonMobil formed to develop algae biofuels. Today Pollack published … Continue reading “Sapphire Energy Moving Fast on Genetically Engineered Algae”
Gist Raises $4M More from Vulcan and Foundry Group
Seattle-based software startup Gist has raised an additional $4 million in equity financing, according to VentureDeal. Gist vice president of marketing Robert Pease confirmed the deal, adding that the latest round came from existing investors, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital and Boulder, Co-based firm Foundry Group. Gist develops online software that helps business people keep track … Continue reading “Gist Raises $4M More from Vulcan and Foundry Group”
How Much Would You Pay for Genzyme?
Speculation has erupted over the potential outcome of reported M&A talks between the Cambridge, MA-based biotech powerhouse Genzyme (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]) and the French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:[[ticker:SNY]]). While biotech watchers salivate over the potential sale of Genzyme, we thought it would be interesting to hear from you about what you think the company is worth. Frenzied … Continue reading “How Much Would You Pay for Genzyme?”
Xconomy Syndicates Local Technology, Biotech News to The Bay Citizen
I’m extremely pleased to report that selected articles from Xconomy San Francisco are now appearing at The Bay Citizen, San Francisco’s nonprofit online news source. Under a partnership agreement worked out this month, The Bay Citizen will republish several Xconomy stories every week, bringing additional technology and business perspectives to to the startup publication’s already … Continue reading “Xconomy Syndicates Local Technology, Biotech News to The Bay Citizen”
Will China Eat Our Cleantech Lunch?
If we’re not careful…China’s going to eat our lunch in cleantech. This was the overwhelming feeling I was left mulling over during my return flight from China last week. I had a great trip, visiting Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, and Shanghai over five days as I looked at some new investment opportunities. It was a lot … Continue reading “Will China Eat Our Cleantech Lunch?”
Immune Design Nabs $32M for Targeted Vaccines
Seattle-based Immune Design has raised $32 million to develop a new generation of vaccines. It’s the second big round for the company, founded in 2008 with an $18 million investment. The latest financing was led by ProQuest Investments, and included Immune Design’s previous investors—The Column Group, Versant Ventures, and Alta Partners. The new investment is … Continue reading “Immune Design Nabs $32M for Targeted Vaccines”
Vlingo Buys Patents from Bellevue-based Intellectual Ventures As Defense In Nuance Lawsuit—Hopes for “Horse Trade”
Vlingo, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of voice-to-text software, has taken a defensive move to help protect it against a lawsuit filed by speech software giant Nuance Communications, announcing a deal today with Intellectual Ventures that adds a slew of intellectual property to its arsenal. Vlingo has purchased several patents from Bellevue, WA-based Intellectual Ventures that … Continue reading “Vlingo Buys Patents from Bellevue-based Intellectual Ventures As Defense In Nuance Lawsuit—Hopes for “Horse Trade””
Flipping Out over Flipboard, Going Geo-Loco, Grilling Silicon Valley’s MacGyver, & More Bay Area Biztech News
Last week’s business and technology news ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous—sometimes both in one story (Flipboard’s new iPad app is pretty amazing, even if it didn’t work for half of the people who downloaded it). —After visiting Palo Alto, CA-based Nanosys, I wrote a feature explaining how the nine-year-old nanotech firm is finally … Continue reading “Flipping Out over Flipboard, Going Geo-Loco, Grilling Silicon Valley’s MacGyver, & More Bay Area Biztech News”
Ann Arbor’s Cerenis Therapeutics Gets $51.7M to Develop Drug for Cardiovascular Disease
Cerenis Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company based in Ann Arbor, MI, and Toulouse, France, has just received $51.7 million to continue stalking a killer. The criminal in question is atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and it’s the number-one cause of death in the developed world. Cerenis’ promising new weapon in the fight is a drug called CER-001, which … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s Cerenis Therapeutics Gets $51.7M to Develop Drug for Cardiovascular Disease”
Memjet To Unveil Innovative Printing Technology, Energy Innovations Moves into Poway, Skinit Gets $60M, & More San Diego BizTech News
So many innovations, so little time. It’s a good thing you don’t have to choose between Memjet’s superfast printing technology and Energy Innovations’ supercool concentrating photovoltaic solar modules. You can have it all, and you can get it now. —Memjet, the San Diego-based startup with new inkjet printing technologies, is getting ready to step on … Continue reading “Memjet To Unveil Innovative Printing Technology, Energy Innovations Moves into Poway, Skinit Gets $60M, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Onyx Preps for Dash to FDA, After Myeloma Drug Helps Sickest of the Sick
Tony Coles has been pushing for two years to re-fashion Onyx Pharmaceuticals into more than a one-drug company, and now he might have the data to make that happen. The Emeryville, CA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONXX]]) is announcing today that its drug candidate for multiple myeloma was able to at least partially shrink tumors for … Continue reading “Onyx Preps for Dash to FDA, After Myeloma Drug Helps Sickest of the Sick”
SonoSite’s New Push: Ultrasound for an Up-Close Look at Heart Attack Risk
Now I say this for sure, I’m not going to drop dead from a heart attack anytime soon. Sure, I’ve seen the doctor before and had all the usual heart disease tests done—cholesterol counts, measurements of fat in the blood (triglycerides), blood pressure, the old-fashioned family history. But now I got some unequivocal signs on … Continue reading “SonoSite’s New Push: Ultrasound for an Up-Close Look at Heart Attack Risk”
Double-Take’s $242M Sale Brings Windows Data Protection to IBM-Focused Firm, Vision Solutions
Here’s an interesting snapshot of a Boston-area public tech company getting bought by a West Coast firm. In May, we reported that Southborough, MA-based Double-Take Software was being acquired by Vision Solutions, based in Irvine, CA, in a deal worth $242 million. Today, Vision is announcing that the acquisition has officially closed. Double-Take (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DBTK]]) … Continue reading “Double-Take’s $242M Sale Brings Windows Data Protection to IBM-Focused Firm, Vision Solutions”
Biotech on a Shoestring? There’s a Better Way
A recent Xconomy article “Biotech on a Shoestring” reflects an industry landscape change where, “the era of free-spending is supposedly out, and austerity is the watchword.” An emphasis on a heightened form of frugality can certainly save dollars but can also create uncertainty and anxiety amongst the rank and file. The inevitable next question arises … Continue reading “Biotech on a Shoestring? There’s a Better Way”
Greylock’s Henry McCance on Why the Firm Moved Its HQ to Silicon Valley and How Boston Must Find Its Google
Greylock Partners is one of the world’s premier venture firms and a hallmark here in New England, so it was no small news in May 2009 when the storied firm announced it was moving its headquarters from the Boston area to Silicon Valley—giving New England yet another reason for Valley envy. I recently sat down … Continue reading “Greylock’s Henry McCance on Why the Firm Moved Its HQ to Silicon Valley and How Boston Must Find Its Google”
Genzyme Stock Surges 15 Percent on Sanofi Buyout Speculation
Genzyme stock boomed today on speculation that the company could get acquired by Paris-based drug giant Sanofi-Aventis. The news was reported earlier today by the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News. No deal was actually announced, and a Genzyme spokesman stated the obvious—that the company, with headquarters in Cambridge, MA, and significant operations in San … Continue reading “Genzyme Stock Surges 15 Percent on Sanofi Buyout Speculation”
Speculation Intensifies Over Future of Qualcomm’s Flo TV
Uncertainty concerning the future of Flo TV triggered a flurry of media reports this week pegged to Qualcomm’s recent quarterly earnings call, although the San Diego wireless giant didn’t say much beyond what it’s been saying: that it is exploring a lot of different possibilities. As we reported during the Uplinq conference earlier this month, … Continue reading “Speculation Intensifies Over Future of Qualcomm’s Flo TV”
Report: Daptiv, Maker of Project Management Software, Sold to Private Equity Firm
[Updated and corrected: 12:53 pm Pacific] Seattle-based Daptiv has struck a deal to sell its assets to a private equity firm, according to a report this morning in TechFlash. The sale to Laguna Hills, CA-based Parallax Capital Partners is worth $12.6 million, for a company that raised $30 million in venture capital in its 13-year … Continue reading “Report: Daptiv, Maker of Project Management Software, Sold to Private Equity Firm”
Momenta Gets FDA Green Light For Generic Anti-Clotting Drug; Shares Boom
Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MNTA]]) has won a spot on the U.S. market for its first drug. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company said today that the FDA has approved a generic version of a common anti-clotting drug developed by Momenta and Sandoz, a unit of Novartis. The news sent Momenta stock rocketing up 77 percent by … Continue reading “Momenta Gets FDA Green Light For Generic Anti-Clotting Drug; Shares Boom”
Boston’s Skyhook Will Map Tweets, Check-ins at San Francisco Marathon
“Knowing where someone is in real time—particularly if you have some context around that—is an incredibly valuable marketing opportunity.” So said Union Square Ventures partner Fred Wilson at a conference on geolocation in San Francisco this week. But sometimes it can be difficult to visualize that value—to imagine how proximity might translate into profit. Thanks … Continue reading “Boston’s Skyhook Will Map Tweets, Check-ins at San Francisco Marathon”
Lucky 13: Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of 2010 (So Far)
Ever feel like you can’t catch up to the endless stream of news and information bombarding you in the tech-business world? Well, today we’re going to get caught up, at least a little bit. Having just landed back in Boston this week, I’ve been getting up to speed on all of our stories and sources … Continue reading “Lucky 13: Xconomy Boston’s Top Stories of 2010 (So Far)”
Casual Connect’s Main Theme in 2010: The Intersection of Casual and Social Gaming is a Game Changer
Two years ago our very own tech editor, Greg Huang, found himself questioning what exactly “casual” gaming was. That was before he attended his first Casual Connect, a three-day conference that draws over 3,000 casual gaming professionals to Seattle very year. Back then the big news was casual gaming’s breakout from “core” gaming, the bigger … Continue reading “Casual Connect’s Main Theme in 2010: The Intersection of Casual and Social Gaming is a Game Changer”
Q&A With Wireless Entrepreneur Hiep Pham on San Diego’s Changing Startup Landscape
When I met recently with San Diego entrepreneur Hiep Pham to talk about his latest startup, a Web-based restaurant marketing tool called TipCity, I was reminded that this area was once a healthy hotbed for networking and telecommunications startups. I later wondered if Pham had any insights into the climate for tech startups in San … Continue reading “Q&A With Wireless Entrepreneur Hiep Pham on San Diego’s Changing Startup Landscape”
Flipboard, Off to a Shaky Start, Could Still Grow Into One of Tablet Computing’s Killer Apps
[Updated, see page 2] Say a reviewer goes to a performance of the latest Broadway extravaganza, and the elaborate stage machinery breaks down before the show even starts, forcing everyone to go home. This actually happened to me once, at a showing of Sunset Boulevard in New York. It probably wouldn’t be fair for the … Continue reading “Flipboard, Off to a Shaky Start, Could Still Grow Into One of Tablet Computing’s Killer Apps”
Tethys Pockets $33M, Achaogen’s Vision for Antibiotics, Genentech Strikes Out at FDA Panel, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News
Two prominent Bay Area biotech companies took their lumps in front of FDA advisory panels this week, which clearly sent some shivers through the startup community. —Genentech, the U.S. unit of Roche, failed to persuade an FDA advisory panel to support the use of bevacizumab (Avastin) for women with a type of breast cancer that … Continue reading “Tethys Pockets $33M, Achaogen’s Vision for Antibiotics, Genentech Strikes Out at FDA Panel, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”
Taris Hires New CEO, Stromedix Hopes Clinical Trial Will Advance, Euthymics Hits the Ground With Series A, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
We saw a number of lesser-known New England-area biotechs surface with funding announcements, as well as feature stories looking at company strategies and drug development trends. —Inverness Medical Innovations, a Waltham, MA-based maker of consumer diagnostic tests and disease management tools, announced it had changed its name to Alere, and shifted its stock symbol on … Continue reading “Taris Hires New CEO, Stromedix Hopes Clinical Trial Will Advance, Euthymics Hits the Ground With Series A, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Solar Startup Energy Innovations, Funded and Incubated by Idealab, Begins Production in San Diego
Energy Innovations, a solar energy company founded by entrepreneur Bill Gross, opened the doors of its new headquarters and manufacturing facility today in the suburban San Diego community of Poway, CA, after gestating since 2001 at Idealab, the business incubator Gross runs in Pasadena, CA. Energy Innovations has raised a total of $60 million in … Continue reading “Solar Startup Energy Innovations, Funded and Incubated by Idealab, Begins Production in San Diego”
Smart Spending on Energy Efficiency is the Key to Creating Construction Jobs
As Congress weighs legislation to address persistent concerns about high unemployment, the construction sector in particular demands urgent attention. With investment in new homes and commercial buildings stalled at historically low levels, the unemployment rate for skilled construction workers is now more than twice the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 1.9 … Continue reading “Smart Spending on Energy Efficiency is the Key to Creating Construction Jobs”
38 Studios Reveals First Video Game at San Diego’s Comic-Con
Veteran Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is unveiling the first game put out by the Maynard, MA-based video game company he founded, 38 Studios, at the San Diego entertainment festival Comic-Con today. The single-player game, called “Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning,” is based on the fantasy novels of author R.A. Salvatore. It was previously kept under … Continue reading “38 Studios Reveals First Video Game at San Diego’s Comic-Con”
RPI Raises $5M from Huntington Capital, Carves Out Photo Printing Niche in Digital Age
Here’s a company that you might not think would make the pages of Xconomy. But it’s made it, baby. RPI, based in Tukwila, WA, south of Seattle, prints photo books and other custom-designed products like greeting cards, invitations, calendars, notebooks, and posters. That’s right, it actually produces physical stuff for customers. And today, RPI announced … Continue reading “RPI Raises $5M from Huntington Capital, Carves Out Photo Printing Niche in Digital Age”
Detroit’s Livio Radio Tunes in to NPR, Pandora, and a Passion for Pleasing Customers
At the close of 2007, Jake Sigal had a choice to make. He was a product manager at automotive supplier Delphi’s consumer electronics group, which manufactured XM Satellite Radio portable players. Then XM and Sirius Satellite Radio announced a merger and Sigal “saw the writing on the wall.” “I always wanted to start a business,” … Continue reading “Detroit’s Livio Radio Tunes in to NPR, Pandora, and a Passion for Pleasing Customers”
Terascala Raises $500K, Gears Up for Series B—and Shift to Storage Software Business
Terascala, an Avon, MA-based maker of high-capacity data storage systems, popped up on our radar this week when an SEC filing revealed the company had raised $500,000 in options and warrants-based funding, out of a round that could total $2 million. The company, founded in 2005, has transitioned from a hybrid business selling both computing … Continue reading “Terascala Raises $500K, Gears Up for Series B—and Shift to Storage Software Business”
Northwest Energy Angels Summer Showcase Draws 11 Startups Determined to Make a Greener World
Last week the Northwest Energy Angels—a group of over 45 private investors who have banded together to invest exclusively in cleantech and energy companies located here in the Pacific Northwest—held its annual Summer Showcase at Tesla Motors’ South Lake Union showroom. Founded by Seattle entrepreneur Martin Tobias and state lawmaker Jeff Morris in 2006, the … Continue reading “Northwest Energy Angels Summer Showcase Draws 11 Startups Determined to Make a Greener World”
Seven Years Into Personalized Medicine Foray, Mohr Davidow Stays Patient, Keeps Betting on Big Idea
Personalized medicine is one of those big ideas people have been talking about for a decade, and it still hasn’t made much of an appearance in the doctor’s office. But to Menlo Park, CA-based Mohr Davidow Ventures, after seven years of bets on this big idea, it still has all the promise of a field … Continue reading “Seven Years Into Personalized Medicine Foray, Mohr Davidow Stays Patient, Keeps Betting on Big Idea”
Cypress Bio Gets Buyout Offer, Trius Prepares for IPO, Arena Gains Following Vivus Setback, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
San Diego’s life sciences companies continued to raise big money, which is a good thing, since a survey shows that venture funding for biotech and medical device companies accounted for more than 80 of all second-quarter VC deals in San Diego. We’ve rounded up all that and more for you here: —San Diego’s Cypress Bioscience … Continue reading “Cypress Bio Gets Buyout Offer, Trius Prepares for IPO, Arena Gains Following Vivus Setback, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Euthymics, Led by Orexigen Vet, Nabs $24M for Depression Drug With Fewer Side Effects
Boston has a new startup working on what could help people battle depression, even if they didn’t respond to prior treatment, and without the weight gain and sexual dysfunction side effects that have plagued the field for years. Cambridge, MA-based Euthymics Bioscience is off and running toward that goal, having secured the initial installment of … Continue reading “Euthymics, Led by Orexigen Vet, Nabs $24M for Depression Drug With Fewer Side Effects”
Integrated Diagnostics, Leroy Hood’s Latest Startup, Pockets $10M After Hitting Early Goals
Integrated Diagnostics has done what it told its investors it would do, at least in its early days. The Seattle-based developer of predictive diagnostic tests has secured a $10 million financing, which represents the second installment of a three-part, $30 million Series A venture deal announced last October. As part of the deal, a newly … Continue reading “Integrated Diagnostics, Leroy Hood’s Latest Startup, Pockets $10M After Hitting Early Goals”
Going Geo-Loco: Lessons on the Mad Scramble to Exploit Location Data
When you’re a cartogeek like me and a conference on location-based services is going on six blocks away from your own home, you sort of have to go. So I spent part of my Wednesday at Geo-Loco. This was a gathering of entrepreneurs and developers debating how to build profitable businesses around the petabytes of … Continue reading “Going Geo-Loco: Lessons on the Mad Scramble to Exploit Location Data”
Tekmira and AVI Win Ebola Deals, Mirador’s Idea to Prevent Hospital Errors, Tom Ranken’s New Mission, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
The Ebola virus made a big appearance on the Northwest biotech scene this week, but it wasn’t nearly as ominous as that sounds. —Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, the Vancouver, BC-based developer of drugs that silence specific stretches of RNA, said it has nailed down a U.S. defense contract that could be worth as much as $140 million over … Continue reading “Tekmira and AVI Win Ebola Deals, Mirador’s Idea to Prevent Hospital Errors, Tom Ranken’s New Mission, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Boston’s Autism Mini-Cluster: New Drugs and Diagnostics Target Mysterious Brain Disorders
One day in my high school Spanish class, a kid who I was told had autism started hitting himself on the head repeatedly until our teacher sent him to the nurse. Looking back, I wonder whether he understood how abnormal his behavior was. But 17 years later, I’m encouraged by the growing cluster of outfits … Continue reading “Boston’s Autism Mini-Cluster: New Drugs and Diagnostics Target Mysterious Brain Disorders”
Man Charged with Murder in Death of San Diego Angel Investor
San Diego authorities are adding a murder charge to the case against a 59-year-old man who was jailed last month on identity theft charges, which stemmed from the illegal transfer of $7.5 million from the account of a biotech investor who was found dead June 8. Kent Thomas Keigwin will be arraigned for murder tomorrow … Continue reading “Man Charged with Murder in Death of San Diego Angel Investor”
Michigan’s Research Universities Say They’re Creating New, High-Tech Manufacturing Jobs
Despite rumors to the contrary, manufacturing is not dead in Michigan. It’s just not solely in automotive anymore. That is among the conclusions reached in an 87-page report released today by the University Research Corridor, a partnership launched four years ago by the state’s three major research universities. The report says that more than 381,000 … Continue reading “Michigan’s Research Universities Say They’re Creating New, High-Tech Manufacturing Jobs”
Electronics Trade-In Service Gazelle Grabs $12M Series C to Meet Customer Growth
Boston-based Gazelle, which dubs itself as a “reCommerce service,” announced it has raised $12 million in Series C funding, led by Physic Ventures. Existing Gazelle investors Venrock Associates and RockPort Capital Partners are also participating in the third round financing. Gazelle, which is powered by the company Second Rotation, helps consumers sell used electronics in … Continue reading “Electronics Trade-In Service Gazelle Grabs $12M Series C to Meet Customer Growth”
How a MacGyver of the Semiconductor Industry Plans to Rescue Nanosys
Jason Hartlove has a name and a rakish mug worthy of a soap-opera star, a resume that any Silicon Valley engineer would envy, and a bit of swagger as a turnaround CEO. He co-invented the optical mouse at Hewlett-Packard, ran a 3,000-employee manufacturing operation for HP spinoff Agilent in Malaysia, and set South Korea’s struggling … Continue reading “How a MacGyver of the Semiconductor Industry Plans to Rescue Nanosys”