Harvard Business School (HBS) says that it will hold a new business plan competition open to HBS alumni from all over the world. Qualified ventures will compete for a cash prize of $25,000. The contest—which was formally announced online by the business school’s Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Relations—will be open to teams … Continue reading “Harvard Unveils New Alumni Entrepreneurship Contest”
Category: National
Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles
In a state that prides itself on leadership in tomorrow’s energy technologies, Ian Bowles is the point man. He’s Secretary of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, a new position created under Gov. Deval Patrick to oversee a hodgepodge of state agencies controlling everything from utility regulation to agriculture to the state’s parks … Continue reading “Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles”
AirHop, Adapting to “Dense” Wireless of the Future, Develops Self-Organizing Networking Software
One of the recurring themes during the international wireless industry’s conference in San Diego last month was the phenomenal surge in mobile data traffic, and how it is leading to constraints and bottlenecks in existing network infrastructure. As engineers approach the limit in terms of wringing any more efficiencies out of existing radio bands, Qualcomm … Continue reading “AirHop, Adapting to “Dense” Wireless of the Future, Develops Self-Organizing Networking Software”
Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation
The Boston area is a breeding ground for life sciences and technology innovation. Startups and more established companies are everywhere—and so are the engineers, scientists, CTOs, and operating, finance, and sales whizzes that make these enterprises hum. But what are all these folks paid—in salary, bonus, and stock? Are CEOs really the best compensated? How … Continue reading “Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation”
Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a fairly busy week for deals heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. The Northwest saw some action across aviation, alternative fuels, wireless, software, and biotech. —Kent, WA-based Naverus was acquired by GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric (NYSE: [[ticker:GE]]). Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Naverus, founded in 2003, makes aviation navigation … Continue reading “Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs
When Deborah Dunsire, CEO of Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, talked about what makes the Boston area an attractive place to do business at a recent Xconomy Forum, she singled out the work of J. Wade Harper at Harvard Medical School. And after a little more follow up, I’ve found that Harper is helping Millennium … Continue reading “How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs”
Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE
Kent, WA-based Naverus, which develops navigation technologies for airplanes, has been acquired by GE Aviation, a Cincinnati-based division of General Electric. Financial terms weren’t disclosed today in GE’s official announcement of the deal. Naverus was founded in 2003 and focuses on “required navigation performance,” a technique that uses advanced avionics and GPS technology to guide … Continue reading “Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE”
Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?
Oh no you didn’t. Come on, Andrew Chen, you know better than to call out Seattle tech startups for not producing a world-changing consumer Internet company in the past few years. You’re an outsider now, having left Seattle for the San Francisco Bay Area after 2006. And now you’re telling us why you left? Them’s … Continue reading “Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?”
Aptera Postpones Production, HR Biopetroleum and Shell in Biofuel Collaboration, Power Grid Needs Tech Innovation, & More San Diego BizTech News
It was a busy week for cleantech news. Local biofuels executives talked about their collaborative partnerships with big energy companies, and Vista, CA-based Aptera disclosed why it has pared back on some operations. Read all about it here. —Aptera, the Vista, CA-carmaker, said it has delayed production of its all-electric Aptera 2e that once was … Continue reading “Aptera Postpones Production, HR Biopetroleum and Shell in Biofuel Collaboration, Power Grid Needs Tech Innovation, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3
Ever since Google released more details about its Chrome OS project last week, tech blogs and the Twittersphere have been burning up with arguments about the merits of Google’s idea for a Web-based operating system for a new generation of netbook computers. InfoWorld has already declared that “Chrome OS will fail—big time,” given that a … Continue reading “Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3“
Sun Catalytix Gets $1M More from Polaris, Exclusive License to Solar Fuel Tech from MIT
Polaris Venture Partners has pumped an additional $1 million in seed capital into Cambridge, MA-based solar fuel startup Sun Catalytix, bringing its total investment in the MIT spinout to $3 million, Polaris general partner and company director Bob Metcalfe tells Xconomy. The startup, which we first covered in April, has also gained an exclusive license … Continue reading “Sun Catalytix Gets $1M More from Polaris, Exclusive License to Solar Fuel Tech from MIT”
So Much For Gardening: Bruce Carter Joins Vaccine Startup Immune Design To Raise Cash
One of Seattle’s leading life sciences entrepreneurs, Bruce Carter, is back in the saddle. Carter has agreed to take an active management role as executive chairman of Seattle-based Immune Design, a year after he announced he was retiring as CEO of ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]). Carter has agreed to work about three days a week at … Continue reading “So Much For Gardening: Bruce Carter Joins Vaccine Startup Immune Design To Raise Cash”
Bezos Family Pledges $10M to the “Hutch” for Next-Generation Cancer Therapies
The parents of Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos have pledged a $10 million donation to the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center with an eye toward creating new therapies that trigger the immune system to seek out and kill cancer cells like a virus. The offering from Jackie and Mike Bezos, one of the … Continue reading “Bezos Family Pledges $10M to the “Hutch” for Next-Generation Cancer Therapies”
Bio Architecture Lab, Maker of Seaweed Biofuel, Snags $8M Venture Round, DuPont Deal
[Updated and corrected: 11:04 am Pacific, 11/23/09] Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab, the company using the emerging science of synthetic biology to make alternative fuels, has raised $8 million in its initial venture financing and secured a research collaboration with chemical giant DuPont to make biofuels from ocean seaweed. [Correction: An earlier version said Energy Capital … Continue reading “Bio Architecture Lab, Maker of Seaweed Biofuel, Snags $8M Venture Round, DuPont Deal”
Receptos, Led By Biogen Idec Vets and Scripps Stars, Snags $25M For Drug Discovery Engine
Receptos, a San Diego-based biotech startup formed by a number of Biogen Idec veterans, has nailed down $25 million in venture capital to develop a vivid new way to look at certain protein structures on cells that it hopes will ultimately take a lot of the guesswork out of drug discovery. The cash infusion is … Continue reading “Receptos, Led By Biogen Idec Vets and Scripps Stars, Snags $25M For Drug Discovery Engine”
Report from the Russian (Entrepreneurial) Front
November 20, 2009, Moscow, Russia—I write this from the Moscow airport on my way home to Massachusetts after teaming with MIT colleagues Howard Anderson and Peter Kurzina to teach a week-long boot camp on entrepreneurship for the first class of MBAs at the new Skolkovo Business School. Skolkovo* is a private business school strongly supported … Continue reading “Report from the Russian (Entrepreneurial) Front”
Under the Radar Deals: 10 (+1) New England October Financings You Never Heard About
The big picture is great. But at Xconomy, we also like the smaller details, which often fill in or round out the big picture—and make everything more clear. So it is when it comes to company financing rounds. We always bring you stories about the main venture deals in the region and a list of … Continue reading “Under the Radar Deals: 10 (+1) New England October Financings You Never Heard About”
Ironwood Files to Go Public, Seeks to Raise as Much as $172.5M
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is gearing up for the possibility of an IPO. The Cambridge, MA-based developer of a new treatment for bowel disorders like for irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation said it may raise as much as $172.5 million from investors through the deal, according to a prospectus filed late today. The proposed offering would … Continue reading “Ironwood Files to Go Public, Seeks to Raise as Much as $172.5M”
Google Demos Chrome OS, Microsoft Links Into LinkedIn, Amazon Ramps Up for Holidays, & More Big Company News
It’s been a busy week around here for the big tech companies. At Xconomy, we don’t usually report on things like product releases from Microsoft or sales figures from Amazon—our main focus is on new ideas, models, and companies—but readers need to understand where the big players are heading so they can see the gaps … Continue reading “Google Demos Chrome OS, Microsoft Links Into LinkedIn, Amazon Ramps Up for Holidays, & More Big Company News”
Day Software, Web 2.0 Content Management Specialist, Moving U.S. Headquarters to Boston
Wails of lamentation spread across the local tech community every time an entity like Zendesk or Greylock or Y Combinator departs Boston for parts west. But today we have a different tale to report. Day Software (SIX: [[ticker:DAYN]]) a Zurich, Switzerland-based content management software specialist that builds interactive websites for Fortune-1000 giants like Adobe and … Continue reading “Day Software, Web 2.0 Content Management Specialist, Moving U.S. Headquarters to Boston”
Growing Green: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cleantech Innovation in San Diego
[Editors note: Architect Robert Noble wrote this article with Glenn Croston] The San Diego area is the home of numerous cleantech businesses that are developing innovative green cars (Aptera, V-Vehicle Co.), developing alternative fuels (GreenHouse International, Synthetic Genomics Inc., Sapphire Energy), finding alternatives to petrochemicals (Genomatica, Verdezyne), and providing renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions … Continue reading “Growing Green: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cleantech Innovation in San Diego”
Biogen Idec Accused Again of Excessive CEO Pay, Lousy Performance, By Big Shareholder
[Update: 1:55 pm Eastern, 11/20/09] After a bitter standoff earlier this year with billionaire investor Carl Icahn over alleged mismanagement, Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec now faces another sharp attack from a major shareholder. New York-based HealthCor Management, a hedge fund that invests in health and biotech companies, said today in a regulatory filing that Biogen … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Accused Again of Excessive CEO Pay, Lousy Performance, By Big Shareholder”
Mind, Body, & Cash: Lighter Living Raises $3M
Pilates is famous for shaping up peoples’ buttocks, tummies, and thighs. But what can the popularity of this fitness phenomenon and the market for health products do for investment portfolios? Cambridge, MA-based Lighter Living, which operates a health and fitness website that features Pilates expert and company founder Marjolein Brugman, has raised $3 million in … Continue reading “Mind, Body, & Cash: Lighter Living Raises $3M”
After Re-Engineering Itself, Verdezyne Sets Course to Develop Biofuels and “Green” Industrial Chemicals
After Carlsbad, CA-based Verdezyne disclosed last month that it plans to raise more than $15 million in venture funding, I arranged to sit down with Damien Perriman, the company’s vice president of business development. As it turns out, the startup that was founded in 2005 as CODA Genomics has essentially re-engineered itself over the past … Continue reading “After Re-Engineering Itself, Verdezyne Sets Course to Develop Biofuels and “Green” Industrial Chemicals”
Metcalfe Reflects on $2.7B 3Com Buyout, MyPunchbowl Parent Adds New Punch, $30M More for Fate Therapeutics, & More Boston Deals News
Dealmakers appear to be getting their business done before the week of Thanksgiving—because we’ve seen a decent stream of deal closings involving Boston-area life sciences and tech companies over the past week or so. —Framingham, MA-based Punchbowl Software, which operates the party planning website MyPunchbowl.com, said it acquired technology assets of a group vacation website … Continue reading “Metcalfe Reflects on $2.7B 3Com Buyout, MyPunchbowl Parent Adds New Punch, $30M More for Fate Therapeutics, & More Boston Deals News”
Under the Radar Deals: 12 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About
We hope to make this a regular feature in our Xconomy cities. It’s a look at small financings of private companies in tech, life sciences, and cleantech. These are deals in the roughly $100,000 to $1 million range, and they’re increasingly where the action is for local entrepreneurs, yet they’re often harder to track than … Continue reading “Under the Radar Deals: 12 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About”
Using Google’s Building Maker to Change the Face of Boston
When I was in fifth grade, I wanted to be an architect. (I also wanted to be a geneticist, a meteorologist, and an astronaut. I guess I wound up doing the next best thing to all of those sci/tech careers—writing about them.) I loved my junior builder kit, a collection of little plastic columns and … Continue reading “Using Google’s Building Maker to Change the Face of Boston”
Omeros Banks on First FDA Filing Next Year, Plans to “Unlock” Inaccessible Drug Targets
Seattle-based Omeros expects to apply for FDA clearance to start selling its first product by the second half of next year, and it also hoping to strike at least one partnership over the next couple of years with a bigger drugmaker, CEO Greg Demopulos said today in his first quarterly update running a public company. … Continue reading “Omeros Banks on First FDA Filing Next Year, Plans to “Unlock” Inaccessible Drug Targets”
Microsoft Will Buy Twitter, Adobe to Buy Picnik, and Other Bold Predictions for 2010
It wasn’t so much the predictions as the discussion that was most interesting at last night’s annual predictions dinner, organized by the Washington Technology Industry Association. Will Twitter be acquired in 2010, and why? Who will have the dominant cloud computing platform in the next couple of years? What kind of startup are you looking … Continue reading “Microsoft Will Buy Twitter, Adobe to Buy Picnik, and Other Bold Predictions for 2010”
Futuristic Carmaker Aptera Disputes Internal Rift, Acknowledges Cutbacks
Aptera, the sleek carmaker backed by Google and Idealabs, didn’t respond to my inquiry earlier this week about reports of an internal split in which founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony had left the company. But in an online report published today by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Aptera officials rejected accounts that Fambro and Anthony … Continue reading “Futuristic Carmaker Aptera Disputes Internal Rift, Acknowledges Cutbacks”
Big Energy Collaborations Seen to Jump-Start Emerging Biofuels Technologies
As startups developing next-generation biofuels emerge in San Diego, Boston, and elsewhere, a business model for rapidly expanding to commercial-scale operations already can be found in the biotech industry, experts said yesterday. The premise of presentations organized by Biocom, San Diego’s life sciences industry group, is that collaborations being formed between biofuel startups and big … Continue reading “Big Energy Collaborations Seen to Jump-Start Emerging Biofuels Technologies”
Dan Levitan on Maveron’s Bay Area Expansion, Its Latest Stealth Startup, and His First Starbucks
Seattle-based venture capital firm Maveron has been in the news a lot this month. There have been reports about its latest stealth startup, which is a new type of e-commerce play. Another report from VentureWire said Maveron will be selling its shares in Motley Fool—a deal that will generate cash for Maveron, which led a … Continue reading “Dan Levitan on Maveron’s Bay Area Expansion, Its Latest Stealth Startup, and His First Starbucks”
Tysabri, the MS Drug Haunted by Deadly Side Effect, Doesn’t Look So Deadly Anymore
Few doctors knew much about a rare brain infection called PML back in 2005, when two patients on a hot new multiple sclerosis drug from Biogen Idec and Elan died from the side effect. The infection, at the time, was generally considered a death sentence. But now with three years of data from more than … Continue reading “Tysabri, the MS Drug Haunted by Deadly Side Effect, Doesn’t Look So Deadly Anymore”
Isis Extends Timeline on Cholesterol-Lowering Drug, FDA Delays Review of Cadence Pain Reliever, Fate Therapeutics Raises $30 Million, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Drug development programs got extended at two San Diego life sciences companies, while others had some good news on the fund-raising front. We wrap it all up for you here. —Fate Therapeutics, a startup working to supply “industrialized” stem cells for the pharmaceutical industry without using embryos, said it raised $30 million in venture capital. … Continue reading “Isis Extends Timeline on Cholesterol-Lowering Drug, FDA Delays Review of Cadence Pain Reliever, Fate Therapeutics Raises $30 Million, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
The Icos Alumni Guide, Trubion CEO Resigns, OVP Leads $30M Fate Deal, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Three years have gone by since the region’s top biotech company was taken over by Eli Lilly, so it seemed like a good time to find out where all that talent migrated around the Northwest. —Icos was once the great hope for Seattle biotech, but now three years have passed since the Bothell, WA-based company … Continue reading “The Icos Alumni Guide, Trubion CEO Resigns, OVP Leads $30M Fate Deal, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
A Week of Woe for Genzyme, A CPR App for Your iPhone, A Better Treatment for Opioid Dependence, and More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Believe it or not, the troubles besetting Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) were not the only life science stories coming out of the Boston area this week, although they sure grabbed most of the attention. So let’s get them all out of the way first: —On Friday the 13th, the FDA said bits of steel, rubber, and … Continue reading “A Week of Woe for Genzyme, A CPR App for Your iPhone, A Better Treatment for Opioid Dependence, and More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Beyond Anecdotes: Measuring Global Health Impact in Washington State
The threat of global infectious disease was already a significant humanitarian concern when Ken Stuart set up his independent research lab in 1976. Now known as Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Stuart’s lab directed the research spotlight on tropical diseases, such as malaria, at a time when few others had shown interest. Fast-forward more than 30 … Continue reading “Beyond Anecdotes: Measuring Global Health Impact in Washington State”
RealSelf, Backed by Second Avenue and Rich Barton, Blazes Trail with Cosmetic Review Site
Who says consumer websites are dead? Maybe you don’t need the ridiculous traffic of, say, Seattle-based Cheezburger Network (LOLcats) to survive on advertising revenues. Maybe user-generated content around a targeted niche, especially where there are purchasing decisions being made, can work well after all. That’s the sense I got after talking with Tom Seery, the … Continue reading “RealSelf, Backed by Second Avenue and Rich Barton, Blazes Trail with Cosmetic Review Site”
Genzyme Halts Development of New Kidney Drug; A “Very Significant” Bust, Analyst Says
Another day, another piece of bad news from Genzyme. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech giant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) said today it is scrapping development of a next-generation drug for kidney disease after it was unable to beat its existing treatment on the market. Genzyme’s experimental drug, called an advanced phosphate binder, didn’t appear any better at getting … Continue reading “Genzyme Halts Development of New Kidney Drug; A “Very Significant” Bust, Analyst Says”
San Diego’s Cottage Industry of Marine Technology Innovation
Long before San Diego was known as a hub of telecommunications innovation or for its proliferation of biotech companies, it was a leading center for the development of deep underwater technologies. During the 1960s and ’70s, scientists from the U.S. Navy laboratories on Point Loma and UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography founded numerous startups with … Continue reading “San Diego’s Cottage Industry of Marine Technology Innovation”
Mobilizing the Web for the Developing World: Inside the World Wide Web Foundation with CEO Steve Bratt, Part 2
Yesterday we ran the first part of our interview with Steve Bratt, the CEO of the new World Wide Web Foundation, which was unveiled on November 15 by Web inventor Tim-Berners-Lee. The foundation aims to empower people in developing regions to access “life-critical information” on the Web using mobile phones and other simplified interfaces. Bratt, … Continue reading “Mobilizing the Web for the Developing World: Inside the World Wide Web Foundation with CEO Steve Bratt, Part 2”
Biotech Meets Cleantech: GenVault Aims to Deep Six the Laboratory Deep Freeze
GenVault wants to bring biological samples in from the cold. For decades, the biological samples used to diagnose or study disease have been stored in freezers, which use a lot of electricity. GenVault markets dry-storage technologies that allow scientists to store samples—such as DNA from a blood test—at room temperature. GenVault CEO David Wellis argues … Continue reading “Biotech Meets Cleantech: GenVault Aims to Deep Six the Laboratory Deep Freeze”
NanoString Forges Closer Ties With Broad Institute to See What Genetic Tool Can Really Do
NanoString Technologies, the maker of a machine that lets scientists digitally analyze how genes are turned on or off in a tissue sample, just won a glowing endorsement from one of the biggest names in biology—Eric Lander of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The Seattle-based company has nailed down a three-year research collaboration … Continue reading “NanoString Forges Closer Ties With Broad Institute to See What Genetic Tool Can Really Do”
Founder Collective: When Entrepreneurs Form Their Own Seed-Stage Venture Firm
Managing a venture fund is hugely different from running a startup. Eric Paley told me that last year at this time his primary responsibility was at dental imaging firm Brontes Technologies, the MIT spin-off that he co-founded and where he had served as general manager after its sale to technology giant 3M (NYSE:[[ticker:MMM]]) in 2006. … Continue reading “Founder Collective: When Entrepreneurs Form Their Own Seed-Stage Venture Firm”
The Icos Alumni: Where Are They Now?
[Update: 9:41 pm Pacific, 9/7/10] Icos was once the great hope for Seattle biotech. Founded in 1990 with an investment from Bill Gates, it went on over the next 15 years to create a $1 billion molecule for treating erectile dysfunction, and employed about 700 people nationwide at its peak. For a while, it looked … Continue reading “The Icos Alumni: Where Are They Now?”
How Fast Is Your Cloud Connection? Apparent Networks Can Tell You
One of the great things about doing your computing in the cloud is that you don’t have to worry about which machines your jobs are running on, or whether they have the right software on them, or even what city they’re in. Indeed, that’s the whole point. But one of the less ideal things about … Continue reading “How Fast Is Your Cloud Connection? Apparent Networks Can Tell You”
On Founding a Company Fresh Out of College
On May 18th of 2009, I signed the papers to legally incorporate my first company. Three weeks later, I graduated from MIT with my BS in biological engineering. Fast forward, and after 10 months of working on the venture, it was decided to not continue. After failing to get the outcome the team had hoped for, … Continue reading “On Founding a Company Fresh Out of College”
Slam Dunk for Dunkin’ Donuts at MITX Interactive Awards
For the fourteenth year in a row, the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange—far better known as MITX (pronounced my-tex)—handed out its Interactive Awards tonight, in a sold-out ceremony at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel in Boston. The awards honor the most creative digital advertising and marketing campaigns devised by companies and agencies in the New … Continue reading “Slam Dunk for Dunkin’ Donuts at MITX Interactive Awards”
Foster Hinshaw Back in Command at Dataupia; News of Company’s Death Greatly Exaggerated, He Says
From all outward appearances, Cambridge, MA-based data warehousing appliance maker Dataupia and its founder Foster Hinshaw have both been through near-death experiences this year. Heart problems forced to Hinshaw to step down as CEO in January. Dataupia’s board brought in not just a new leader, Tony Sirianni, but a new strategy, concentrating on selling software … Continue reading “Foster Hinshaw Back in Command at Dataupia; News of Company’s Death Greatly Exaggerated, He Says”
Why Mobile Doesn’t Go Viral, As Told By Ontela’s Dan Shapiro
Google, Yahoo, Facebook, MySpace. Those companies’ products spread over the Internet like a virus. But why hasn’t there been a runaway hit like those in the mobile software world? Why does it take so much longer to build value, and a strong customer base, in mobile companies than in certain Internet startups? Dan Shapiro had … Continue reading “Why Mobile Doesn’t Go Viral, As Told By Ontela’s Dan Shapiro”