Category: National

New Ovarian Cancer Data Suggests Larger Role For Top Clovis Drug

Clovis Oncology received a short-cut approval from the FDA last year for its ovarian cancer drug that treats women with the common BRCA genetic mutation. Clovis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLVS]]) said Monday it now has evidence that the drug, rucaparib (Rubaca), can treat a wider swath of patients, and it will ask the FDA for approval this … Continue reading “New Ovarian Cancer Data Suggests Larger Role For Top Clovis Drug”

Talla Gets $8.3M, Led by Glasswing, to Build Chatbots for Enterprises

In a deal that signals where some artificial intelligence companies are heading, Boston-based Talla said today it has raised an $8.3 million Series A round led by Glasswing Ventures. PJC (formerly Point Judith Capital) also participated in the round, along with Talla’s previous investors Avalon Ventures, Pillar, and Jason Calacanis’s Launch fund. The new cash … Continue reading “Talla Gets $8.3M, Led by Glasswing, to Build Chatbots for Enterprises”

Synthetic Genomics’ “Breakthrough” Algae Produces Twice as Much Oil

[Updated 6/19/17 1:17 pm. See below.] The San Diego biotech company Synthetic Genomics and supermajor ExxonMobil (NYSE: [[ticker:XOM]]) said today they have successfully inserted a gene in a particular strain of algae that more than doubled its oil content without slowing down the algae’s rate of growth. The two companies described the work in a … Continue reading “Synthetic Genomics’ “Breakthrough” Algae Produces Twice as Much Oil”

SeaGen Ends One Leukemia Drug Trial, Stops Enrolling Three Others

Seattle Genetics is ending a Phase 3 clinical trial of its leukemia drug after a review showed more deaths in patients treated with the drug compared to the control group, the company announced this morning. Bothell, WA-based Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) says the decision to end the trial follows a discussion with the independent data … Continue reading “SeaGen Ends One Leukemia Drug Trial, Stops Enrolling Three Others”

Facebook Rule Change Inspires New Path for Video Ad Startup Waymark

The last time we checked in with serial entrepreneur Nathan Labenz, it was 2014 and he had just won the Detroit edition of Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest pitch competition. The digital advertising venture he was working on then, which was called SocialProof, has changed course. Now called Waymark, Labenz’s 22-person company has relaunched … Continue reading “Facebook Rule Change Inspires New Path for Video Ad Startup Waymark”

Startups: Make Your Predictions for a Free Ticket to IMPACT on 6/22

In a few days Xconomy will put on a new type of event called IMPACT: Innovation that Matters. The conference will focus on how technology leaders can make a real difference in society. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we’re excited to announce we have a new block of 25 complimentary tickets to give entrepreneurs in … Continue reading “Startups: Make Your Predictions for a Free Ticket to IMPACT on 6/22”

Startup Pioneers EV-to-Grid Technology in Pilot at UC San Diego

Nuvve, a San Diego cleantech startup, has begun a pilot project with UC San Diego that is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of using electric vehicles as a kind of collective energy storage reservoir for the power grid. After securing a $4.2 million grant from the California Energy Commission this week, Nuvve and UC San … Continue reading “Startup Pioneers EV-to-Grid Technology in Pilot at UC San Diego”

Interoperability, Drones, Tech Hubs & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist

Stay current on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines. —The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an in-depth report on electronic patient health records interoperability, or the ability of different hospitals and clinics to exchange patient data. Ninety-six percent of hospitals now use electronic health records, the newspaper reported, but the industry still has … Continue reading “Interoperability, Drones, Tech Hubs & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”

Seattle Week In Review: The Whole Everything Store, Yes, All of It

In 20 years, which of these two Jeff Bezos-related announcements this week will have had a bigger impact: The $13.7 billion deal for Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) to acquire high-end grocer Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: [[ticker:WFM]]) or Bezos’ stepped-up philanthropic ambitions, indicated by a tweet Thursday requesting ideas for how to give away his money ($84.8 … Continue reading “Seattle Week In Review: The Whole Everything Store, Yes, All of It”

“Five Questions For …” Houston Technology Center’s Deborah Mansfield

Houston—Before Deborah Mansfield joined the Houston Technology Center, she was a bench scientist working in genetics and a grants manager at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Those positions, along with an MBA earned during weekend classes and a hands-on education of “the ABCs of business” at a Houston retailer, together give Mansfield … Continue reading ““Five Questions For …” Houston Technology Center’s Deborah Mansfield”

Bill Gates Backs Fourth Metamaterials Spinout, Pivotal Commware

Pivotal Commware, a year-old metamaterials startup built inside patent licensing and invention business Intellectual Ventures, has raised $17 million from investors including Bill Gates. If that sounds familiar, it should. Pivotal is the fourth Gates-backed company to spin out of Intellectual Ventures armed with software-driven radio-wave bending metamaterials technology. Like its sister companies in satellite … Continue reading “Bill Gates Backs Fourth Metamaterials Spinout, Pivotal Commware”

Xconomy Impact Tackles Big Questions in Tech and Society Next Thursday

Paul English, Katie Rae, Steve Papa, Sophie Vandebroek, Sandy Pentland, and Jodi Goldstein. Those are just a few of the technology leaders headlining our signature June event next Thursday. Collectively they represent some of the biggest names in innovation: MIT, Harvard, Kayak, Endeca, Xerox, IBM, and newer entrants like The Engine, Lola, and Parallel Wireless. … Continue reading “Xconomy Impact Tackles Big Questions in Tech and Society Next Thursday”

Uber’s Week: Kalanick Takes Leave As Board Tackles Ailing Workplace Culture

The chain of events set off in February when a former Uber engineer’s blog post about sexual harassment went viral reached a dramatic juncture this week as CEO Travis Kalanick agreed to take an indefinite leave of absence, and his board accepted sweeping recommendations to change the company’s frat house-style workplace culture. The company Kalanick … Continue reading “Uber’s Week: Kalanick Takes Leave As Board Tackles Ailing Workplace Culture”

U-M Steps Up Pace, Breadth of Detroit Research Collaborations

At the end of the school year this spring, the University of Michigan held an event in Detroit to celebrate the various learning and research initiatives it has underway in the city. Called “um3detroit,” the event’s name was meant in part to highlight the university’s Third Century program, which invested $25 million to encourage faculty … Continue reading “U-M Steps Up Pace, Breadth of Detroit Research Collaborations”

Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Is Mean, SCOTUS Says Go, Merck’s Myeloma No

What exactly does the American Health Care Act, the Republican proposal to replace Obamacare, currently look like? Few people know, because the Senate version is being negotiated behind closed doors in Washington D.C. without any public hearings. We do know President Trump now thinks the version of the AHCA that squeaked through the House is … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Is Mean, SCOTUS Says Go, Merck’s Myeloma No”

Fiserv Gains Payments Tech, Global Reach in $89M Deal for Monitise

In a potential sign that mobile payments technology may not be living up to its early promise, Brookfield, WI-based financial IT vendor Fiserv is acquiring a U.K. software maker that has struggled in recent years. Fiserv (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FISV]]) announced earlier this week it has agreed to pay about £70 million—or $89.4 million, at the current … Continue reading “Fiserv Gains Payments Tech, Global Reach in $89M Deal for Monitise”

Boston Tech Watch: GE, Optimus Ride, Tufin, Zaius, Dispatch & More

This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking the latest moves by General Electric (in addition to its big CEO transition), Boston’s efforts to become a hub for driverless car development, the latest Boston-Israel business connection, and more. Read on for details. —It was a busy week for GE (NYSE: [[ticker:GE]]). The giant Boston-based corporation named … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: GE, Optimus Ride, Tufin, Zaius, Dispatch & More”

Checkmate Pharma Clinches $27M for More Studies in Skin Cancer

Checkmate Pharmaceuticals believes its approach to cancer treatment can make a certain type of immunotherapy work better, and it now has $27 million in additional funding to help build that case. F-Prime Capital Partners, a new investor, led the Series B round of investment announced Thursday. Sofinnova Partners and venBio, who had invested in Cambridge, … Continue reading “Checkmate Pharma Clinches $27M for More Studies in Skin Cancer”

UT Health Cancer Center Hires Rare Blood Cancer Expert as Director

San Antonio — The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has hired a new director for its UT Health Cancer Center: Ruben Mesa, a researcher who has lengthy experience testing treatments for rare blood cancers. Mesa is joining the UT Health Cancer Center from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Arizona, where he … Continue reading “UT Health Cancer Center Hires Rare Blood Cancer Expert as Director”

Boston Event Showcases Entrepreneurs of Color: Photo Slideshow

When Ed Gaskin visited a high school class in Boston where students—many of them people of color—were writing code to create video games, he asked them if they had ever considered becoming an entrepreneur. Each student said no, he says. Gaskin is the executive director of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets, a nonprofit economic development … Continue reading “Boston Event Showcases Entrepreneurs of Color: Photo Slideshow”

Boston’s PillPack Launches Software to Automate Prescription Process

It’s undeniable that managing medications can be a burden, especially if you’re prescribed to take multiple drugs every day. PillPack, a three-year-old startup based in the Boston area that mails prescription medications to patients across the country, has built software that it says makes the process of filling prescriptions, monitoring insurance claims, and eases communications … Continue reading “Boston’s PillPack Launches Software to Automate Prescription Process”

Ur Hired: Canvas Helps Recruiters Interview Job Applicants Via Text

In the past decade, there has been plenty of handwringing in places like Indiana over the droves of talented young people leaving the state after graduation. Tech talent, in particular, tends to flee for the coasts as fast as possible, so it can be a challenge for homegrown companies to attract the attention of job … Continue reading “Ur Hired: Canvas Helps Recruiters Interview Job Applicants Via Text”

Changes at UC San Diego Emphasize New Role as “Innovation Engine”

A new program intended to teach engineering and business students how to drive innovations from concept to commercialization reflects a new imperative at UC San Diego. The business of tech transfer, which generates revenue by licensing technologies invented at UC San Diego, is giving way to a broader mission for the university as an engine … Continue reading “Changes at UC San Diego Emphasize New Role as “Innovation Engine””

Foxconn Mulls Building Plant in WI That Could Employ Thousands

Foxconn, the world’s biggest contract electronics manufacturer, is considering building a plant in Wisconsin, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Taiwan-based Foxconn is perhaps best known for its factories in Shenzhen, China, where it assembles iPhones and other personal computing devices sold by Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]). Other customers of Foxconn include BlackBerry, Dell, Nintendo, and Sony … Continue reading “Foxconn Mulls Building Plant in WI That Could Employ Thousands”

Patient Network Group Says Majority of Members Want To Keep Obamacare

A U.S. patient networking group called PatientsLikeMe has dipped its toe in the waters of public opinion, asking its members what they think of the healthcare policy fight. There are many caveats, but the numbers trend in the same direction that other national polls have found—a shift towards more acceptance of the Affordable Care Act, … Continue reading “Patient Network Group Says Majority of Members Want To Keep Obamacare”

Athenex IPO Raises $66M to Fund Clinical Trials for Cancer Drugs

The IPO window is still open for clinical-stage drug companies, and Athenex is now the latest one to pass through it. The cancer drug developer raised $66 million through a public stock offering on Wednesday, funding that the company will devote mostly to a pair of cancer drugs in late-stage clinical development. Athenex priced its … Continue reading “Athenex IPO Raises $66M to Fund Clinical Trials for Cancer Drugs”

Sqrrl Sniffs Out $12.3M to Push “Threat Hunting” Software

[Updated 6/14/17, 3:58 pm. See below.] Sqrrl has grabbed $12.3 million from investors to help drive more sales of its software that aims to detect cyber attackers. The Series C funding round was led by Spring Lake Equity Partners, whose partner Jeff Williams will join Sqrrl’s board. Other investors in the round include previous Sqrrl … Continue reading “Sqrrl Sniffs Out $12.3M to Push “Threat Hunting” Software”

Bowery Picks Up $20M to Expand Indoor Farming in the U.S. and Beyond

Indoor farming is catching on in more urban areas, giving city dwellers more choices for locally grown produce. Agtech startup Bowery aims to make its leafy greens part of that retail mix, and it has raised $20 million in new funding to support its expansion. General Catalyst and GGV Capital co-led the Series A round, … Continue reading “Bowery Picks Up $20M to Expand Indoor Farming in the U.S. and Beyond”

Data Collective, Other Top AI VCs, Pour $102M Into Element AI Series A

[Updated 6/14/17, 1:45 pm. See below.] Canada’s Element AI, publicly launched in October, announced today it has raised US$102 million in an outsized Series A financing round seen by experts as a sign that artificial intelligence is ready to solve real-world business problems. The young Montreal-based company, whose staff of AI engineers collaborates with academic … Continue reading “Data Collective, Other Top AI VCs, Pour $102M Into Element AI Series A”

MI Roundup: Court Innovations, A2 Tech Trek, SoccerStub, and More

Here’s a look at recent innovation news from around the state: —Ann Arbor-based Court Innovations, a startup spun out of the University of Michigan’s law school, has closed on a $1.8 million funding round. The round was led by Belle Michigan Fund, with contributions from Northern Michigan Angels, Michigan Angel Fund, U-M’s student-led Social Venture Fund, … Continue reading “MI Roundup: Court Innovations, A2 Tech Trek, SoccerStub, and More”

Xealth Raises $8.5M to Help Doctors Prescribe Digital Health Apps

With more digital health apps and devices popping up each week, the debate continues about their effectiveness at improving health. But there’s another big problem for doctors and hospitals that want their patients to use the apps that do work: prescribing them. Xealth, a cloud-based software startup, aims to make prescribing a diabetes management app as … Continue reading “Xealth Raises $8.5M to Help Doctors Prescribe Digital Health Apps”

Report: Wisconsin Startups Raised $276M in 2016, Up From 2015 Total

Venture capital funds and angel investors pumped more than $276 million into Wisconsin-based startups in 2016. That was a 6 percent increase over the previous year, when early stage companies in the state raised $209 million; however, the 2016 total was lower than the $346 million that Wisconsin startups raised in 2014. Those figures and … Continue reading “Report: Wisconsin Startups Raised $276M in 2016, Up From 2015 Total”

Pulse@MassChallenge Spurs Deals in Digital Health Lab’s 1st Session

The refrain among digital health startups is it can be difficult and time-consuming to convince hospitals and other healthcare organizations to try out their products, let alone buy them. Pulse@MassChallenge, a new Boston “lab” dedicated to supporting digital health ventures, matches startups with partner organizations—think hospitals, insurers, larger tech companies, nonprofits, and government entities—to collaborate … Continue reading “Pulse@MassChallenge Spurs Deals in Digital Health Lab’s 1st Session”

San Antonio’s Xenex Debuts Hospital-Cleaning “Pod” After Adding $38M

San Antonio — Xenex Disinfection Services, a healthcare company that raised $38 million in February, is now selling a new device for its machine that rids hospital rooms of infection-causing bacteria and viruses: a portable “pod” in which equipment can be disinfected. Xenex’s primary product is a technology called the LightStrike Robot that uses pulses … Continue reading “San Antonio’s Xenex Debuts Hospital-Cleaning “Pod” After Adding $38M”

Amgen’s Heart Data Don’t Impress Drug-Price Evaluation Group

The drug-price evaluator that the drug companies love to hate has weighed in again, this time casting a skeptical eye on the price of a next-generation heart medicine from Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]). The group known as ICER, which stands for Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, released a report today that said Amgen’s evolocumab (Repatha) … Continue reading “Amgen’s Heart Data Don’t Impress Drug-Price Evaluation Group”

Washington State Program Could Be Model for Trump Apprenticeship Push

[Updated 6/13/17, 10:25 pm PT. See below.] President Trump, once the star of reality television show “The Apprentice,” is pushing for apprenticeships as a way to connect more people with some 6 million unfilled jobs in fields such as healthcare and information technology. A program from Washington state’s technology industry is doing just that, and planning to … Continue reading “Washington State Program Could Be Model for Trump Apprenticeship Push”

Texas Roundup: CancerGene, UT System, Blair Garrou, GE & Baker Hughes

Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Austin AI company Cognitive Scale announced Tuesday it has raised $15 million, bringing the total raised for the three-year-old company to $50 million. Investors include Norwest Venture Partners, Intel Capital, Microsoft Ventures, The Westly Group, and USAA. Akshay Sabhikhi, Cognitive Scale’s CEO, says … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: CancerGene, UT System, Blair Garrou, GE & Baker Hughes”

Alexandria Debuts NY’s Latest Bio Incubator With 13 Startups in Tow

A new startup incubator has just opened in Manhattan this morning, adding to a growing list of facilities meant to help support seedling New York City biotechs. LaunchLabs, first announced by Alexandria Real Estate Equities a year ago, officially opened its doors and revealed the 13 startups that will grow there. LaunchLabs is a 15,000-square-foot … Continue reading “Alexandria Debuts NY’s Latest Bio Incubator With 13 Startups in Tow”

AquaBounty Lines Up First U.S. Fish Farm With Deal for Indiana Site

[Corrected, 6/16/17, 12:03 pm. See below.] When salmon from AquaBounty Technologies reach grocery stores and restaurants, some of them will come from America’s heartland. AquaBounty (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AQB]]) has agreed to pay $14 million in cash to acquire some of the assets of Bell Fish Company, including that company’s fish farm in Albany, IN. The deal … Continue reading “AquaBounty Lines Up First U.S. Fish Farm With Deal for Indiana Site”

Accolade A.I. Engine Aims to Personalize Healthcare Choices

This story is part of an ongoing series on A.I. in healthcare. Accolade, a healthcare concierge company, has built what it’s calling an intelligence engine to do things like suggesting when an individual should seek a second opinion about a planned surgical procedure. The goal is to make interacting with health insurance benefits more like … Continue reading “Accolade A.I. Engine Aims to Personalize Healthcare Choices”

Procrastinator’s Special Ending—Grab Your Ticket to IMPACT, June 22

Next week Xconomy will host its newest event, “IMPACT: Innovation That Matters”—and we’re offering you a chance to save $130 if you register by tomorrow. The afternoon conference features spotlight talks, fireside chats, and panel discussions that will address how top names in technology and innovation are trying to make a real impact on society. … Continue reading “Procrastinator’s Special Ending—Grab Your Ticket to IMPACT, June 22”

Boston Leaders Expect New GE CEO Flannery to Stay on Immelt’s Path

Jeff Immelt has struggled to please Wall Street during his nearly 16 years as General Electric’s chief executive. The question now is whether his successor, John Flannery, can deliver on Immelt’s vision while also blazing new trails and reinvigorating the company’s stock performance. Flannery, named the next CEO of GE on Monday, will spend the … Continue reading “Boston Leaders Expect New GE CEO Flannery to Stay on Immelt’s Path”

In a Myeloma Setback, Merck Halts Studies Due to Patient Deaths

[Corrected, 11:10 a.m. ET, see below] Immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors have started to change how a variety of cancers are treated, but they have yet to break through in multiple myeloma, a progressive cancer of the bone marrow. There was a setback on that front today. Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) Monday afternoon paused enrollment … Continue reading “In a Myeloma Setback, Merck Halts Studies Due to Patient Deaths”

Latest Class of Digital Health Startups Debuts at TMCx Accelerator

Houston—Around 600 entrepreneurs, investors, and others from Houston’s venture and healthcare communities turned out for the TMCx accelerator’s digital health demo day Thursday—many for the first time. Sunil Sharma, CEO of biomedical equipment seller Sunbelt Medical in Houston, was one of those. He said he’s been interested in making healthcare more efficient and cost-effective since … Continue reading “Latest Class of Digital Health Startups Debuts at TMCx Accelerator”

Medical Robotics Firm Myomo Begins Trading on NYSE After Unusual IPO

Medical device maker Myomo began trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange’s small-cap exchange, after taking an unusual path to the public stock markets. Cambridge, MA-based Myomo said Friday it raised $5 million by selling 665,498 shares of its common stock to the public at $7.50 per share. Myomo was selling up to 2 … Continue reading “Medical Robotics Firm Myomo Begins Trading on NYSE After Unusual IPO”

As Businesses Get More Social, Wistia Moves Into Video Editing

Quickly creating and sharing short, personal videos has become a popular method of communication between friends and family, thanks to the rise of Snapchat and other social media apps. Wistia, a Cambridge, MA-based video-hosting company for businesses, sees that same desire growing among business professionals. “They’re trying to create more of that human connection that … Continue reading “As Businesses Get More Social, Wistia Moves Into Video Editing”

Five Questions For … Mercury Fund Co-Founder Blair Garrou

Houston—Blair Garrou is the kind of guy who prefers juggling a lot of balls at once. When oil prices cratered in the 1990s, business slowed down at his employer, a mergers and acquisitions firm. “I had some time on my hands and there was this new organization called the Houston Technology Center so I started … Continue reading “Five Questions For … Mercury Fund Co-Founder Blair Garrou”

GE CEO Immelt to Step Down, GE Healthcare Leader Taking Over

General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt will step down Aug. 1 and be replaced by John Flannery, the head of GE’s healthcare business, the company announced today. The move comes as GE goes through some major changes, including relocating its global headquarters from Fairfield, CT, to Boston, and attempting to transform its business (and its reputation) … Continue reading “GE CEO Immelt to Step Down, GE Healthcare Leader Taking Over”

Last Chance for “What’s Hot in Cancer Immunotherapy 2017” Tickets

Registration is closing soon for Xconomy’s “What’s Hot in Cancer Immunotherapy 2017.” It’s all happening on Wednesday, June 14, at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. We have lined up some of the most forward-thinking entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators in cancer immunotherapy. Join us for an afternoon of spotlight talks, chats, and panel … Continue reading “Last Chance for “What’s Hot in Cancer Immunotherapy 2017” Tickets”