This post follows directly on Steve Blank’s earlier excellent post, Why Companies are not Startups. The question of how corporations can be more innovative is one I have wrestled with for a long time. For those who don’t know, I wrote the book Open Innovation in 2003, and followed it with Open Business Models in … Continue reading “Why Internal Ventures Are Different from External Startups”
Category: New York
SmartAsset Gets $5.2M to Deliver Answers to Financial Questions
With a $5.2 million Series A round in its pocket, SmartAsset in New York said Tuesday it plans to add new features to its software that answers personal finance questions. Founded in 2011, SmartAsset is a graduate of the summer 2012 Y Combinator class and is also backed by North Bridge Venture Partners. The latest funding … Continue reading “SmartAsset Gets $5.2M to Deliver Answers to Financial Questions”
Calling All Angels: Practically Anyone Can Be an Angel Investor
I’m a big fan of angel investing. The thrill of helping innovative entrepreneurs launch their dreams is as exciting as anything I’ve ever done. I once heard someone say your life is divided into thirds—you spend the first third learning, the second third earning, and the last third returning. I like that. For me, angel … Continue reading “Calling All Angels: Practically Anyone Can Be an Angel Investor”
BatteryOS Receives Seed Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5467e1da-6802-4ff2-8e08-1c66d813ca54 Date 3/26/2014 Company Name BatteryOS Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description BatteryOS is a new way of controlling rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that enables any normal battery to have higher capacity and not degrade over time. Website http://www.gbatteries.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Seed Proceeds … Continue reading “BatteryOS Receives Seed Financing Round”
42 Secures Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f8d3a6cb-ad0c-4f99-850d-22439fb6f53b Date 3/26/2014 Company Name 42 Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description Analytical software for online purchases isn’t hard to find. 42 wants to build similar tools for offline sales, which make up 93 percent of total retail sales. Website http://www.42debut.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction … Continue reading “42 Secures Seed Round”
Rocketrip Receives Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ee785941-8a25-443a-9c99-3b312ce04787 Date 3/26/2014 Company Name Rocketrip Mailing Address 175 Varick Street 8th Floor New York, NY 10014 USA Company Description Managing T&E costs is a pain point for nearly any company of any size. We are working hard to make business travel personal. We are in private beta and will be launching … Continue reading “Rocketrip Receives Seed Funding”
TouchBistro Garners $1,500,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=28c15e1c-9732-474b-bc4f-44783337e1e1 Date 3/26/2014 Company Name TouchBistro Mailing Address 5 West 20th Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10011 USA Company Description TouchBistro is a breakthrough product for the restaurant industry. Instead of servers repeatedly moving between customers and terminals for order management, servers can remain with customers and instantly submit orders to … Continue reading “TouchBistro Garners $1,500,000 Seed Funding Round”
TradeBlock Receives Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fc5abcaa-9598-4c69-a6dd-cc140da147b0 Date 3/26/2014 Company Name TradeBlock Mailing Address 1040 1st Avenue New York, NY 10022 USA Company Description TradeBlock’s digital currency tools and research are trusted by hundreds of thousands of traders and enthusiasts across the globe. Website http://www.tradeblock.com Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company … Continue reading “TradeBlock Receives Seed Funding”
The Dating Ring Obtains Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c9c50f23-0e9b-4064-8710-ddd1aaa955c4 Date 3/26/2014 Company Name The Dating Ring Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description The Dating Ring is a group matching site. The concept is to get people meeting one another by matching up users in groups of six and potentially start dating. Website http://www.thedatingring.com Transaction Type Accelerator … Continue reading “The Dating Ring Obtains Seed Financing”
Columbia University Startup Lab Coming to WeWork SoHo West
Summer in the city will see a new home emerge for entrepreneurs to get dirty and gritty, working on their ideas. Come June, a lab for New York startups founded by Columbia University grads will open its doors, says Richard Witten, special advisor to the university’s president. Mentors and programs drawn from university and alumni … Continue reading “Columbia University Startup Lab Coming to WeWork SoHo West”
SmartAsset Receives $5,200,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5fe3c47c-dcc8-4248-b0ad-7b852fa86fb5 Date 3/25/2014 Company Name SmartAsset Mailing Address 5 Tudor City New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description Buying a home, planning for retirement or going back to school? Our powerful financial modeling technology will show you the strategy that is right for you, allow you to compare alternatives and walk you … Continue reading “SmartAsset Receives $5,200,000 Series A Funding”
AMRI to Acquire API Manufacturer Cedarburg Pharmaceuticals for $41M
Cedarburg Hauser Pharmaceuticals, the Grafton, WI-based contract developer and manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for the drug industry, will be acquired for $41 million by Albany Molecular Research Inc. (AMRI), the two companies announced today. Albany, NY-based AMRI (NASDAQ:[[ticker:AMRI]]), a global contract drug discovery, development, and manufacturing firm, said it is paying $38.2 million … Continue reading “AMRI to Acquire API Manufacturer Cedarburg Pharmaceuticals for $41M”
Little Insights About ‘Big Data’
A little over a year ago I became the CEO of a company in the “big data” space that is developing predictive analytics software. My CTO is the “data guy,” and I’m the “business guy.” While my background is technical, I had very little experience in data or analytics and only knew about big data … Continue reading “Little Insights About ‘Big Data’”
Sherpaa Obtains $500,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6040505e-d92f-4321-a0c7-034cb4aa7478 Date 3/24/2014 Company Name Sherpaa Mailing Address 10 Jay Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA Company Description Sherpaa is around the clock email and phone access to our friendly, NYC-based doctors (or Guides as we call them). Whenever you have a health question or concern, we’re here for you. And we play … Continue reading “Sherpaa Obtains $500,000 New Round”
XO Group Acquires Gojee for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c40dd0c-2521-4c41-84af-302a371ad594 Date 3/24/2014 Company Name Gojee Mailing Address 149 Grand St. New York, NY 10013 USA Company Description What makes Gojee unique is the visually stunning photography that accompanies each recipe. You actually want to eat the food that you could make via the recipe. Currently the site has under 50,000 recipes, … Continue reading “XO Group Acquires Gojee for Undisclosed Sum”
Celgene Gets FDA Nod For Oral Arthritis Drug
Celgene rose to prominence by turning derivatives of thalidomide into hugely successful cancer drugs. Today, the Summit, NJ-based company got the green light to move into immunology with FDA approval of a pill for psoriatic arthritis. Now, the question is just how big of a seller Celgene has on its hands. The FDA said today … Continue reading “Celgene Gets FDA Nod For Oral Arthritis Drug”
Synthesio to Put $20M Round Towards New Hires & California Expansion
This seems to be the age of helping marketers better understand data from social media. New York-based Synthesio, a developer of software for analyzing comments about brands in the social sphere, recently said it raised $20 million in a Series B round led by Idinvest Partners. With that new funding, the company plans double its … Continue reading “Synthesio to Put $20M Round Towards New Hires & California Expansion”
The Missing Middle Class: Jobs in the Second Machine Age
Technological change is not a tide that lifts all boats in our economy. The truth is that it’s more like a tsunami. It threatens to overturn all the boats and drown their occupants, sparing only the lucky few who have already reached safety in the hills. That’s the kind of admission you won’t often see … Continue reading “The Missing Middle Class: Jobs in the Second Machine Age”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Proteon, Ataxion, NY Genome/Watson, & More
Deals, deals, and more deals on the East Coast this week. Some came together, some fell apart. Some might help change the face of cancer treatment—or they could fall flat. That’s the nature of dealmaking. Those stories and more below. —Sometimes an option-to-buy deal never leads to a buyout: see Cambridge, MA-based Proteon Therapeutics. A … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Proteon, Ataxion, NY Genome/Watson, & More”
Lessons From Pat McGovern for Entrepreneurs
Very sad about the passing of Pat McGovern, the Chairman of International Data Group (IDG). He was my mentor and friend for over 30 years, and a giant in the technology, media, market research, and venture capital fields. Today, I took some time to reflect on what Pat taught me as an entrepreneur and investor. … Continue reading “Lessons From Pat McGovern for Entrepreneurs”
Crowdtap Garners $5,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=079ebcf7-010b-4cc1-ad36-f9fc60a918be Date 3/20/2014 Company Name Crowdtap Mailing Address 625 Broadway 5th Floor New York, NY 10012 USA Company Description The company intends to shift marketing to a fully collaborative and participatory process between brands and consumers. Website http://www.crowdtap.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Crowdtap Garners $5,000,000 New Round”
First Class of Connected Devices Debuts from R/GA Accelerator
Lock a few startups in a room with some hardware for 90 days and they might come out with something big. That was the hope with the inaugural class of the R/GA Connected Devices Accelerator, which held a demo day on Tuesday in New York. The accelerator, formed as a partnership between digital marketing agency … Continue reading “First Class of Connected Devices Debuts from R/GA Accelerator”
Alder BioPharmaceuticals Hits IPO Trail Looking for $115M
Alder BioPharmaceuticals grabbed some headlines late last year when a rheumatoid arthritis drug it’s been developing with Bristol-Myers Squibb showed some early signs that it might have a chance to challenge established treatments for the ailment. Now the Bothell, WA-based company is trying to ride that momentum into the public markets. Alder intends to raise … Continue reading “Alder BioPharmaceuticals Hits IPO Trail Looking for $115M”
NY Genome Center, IBM to Bring Watson to Genomics
Researchers are always looking for a better way to turn the flood of genomic data spit out by their DNA sequencers into better treatment options for patients. The New York Genome Center is getting the first crack at a potential answer to that problem: Watson. Today, the NYGC, the big genomics hub formed by 12 … Continue reading “NY Genome Center, IBM to Bring Watson to Genomics”
Reonomy Receives $3,700,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fbda1357-11f2-486c-81e9-0235fa4d2984 Date 3/19/2014 Company Name Reonomy Mailing Address 37 West 26th Street New York, NY 10010 USA Company Description Reonomy’s research platform enables CRE investors and lenders to conduct quant-based analyses that currently take hours, days, or even weeks and execute them in a matter of clicks. Website http://www.reonomy.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Reonomy Receives $3,700,000 Series A Round”
MedSave Lands New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3686a242-aa03-427d-9196-76848f12a438 Date 3/19/2014 Company Name MedSave Mailing Address 49 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA Company Description MedSave USA is one of the nation’s fastest-growing innovators in the healthcare services sector. Since 1991, we have partnered with our clients to contain their healthcare costs, improve efficiency and enhance revenue. Website http://www.medsaveusa.com Transaction … Continue reading “MedSave Lands New Funding”
Ensighten Acquires TagMan for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5fdee94d-3baa-4728-a1d4-0cda4981785e Date 3/19/2014 Company Name TagMan Mailing Address 575 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 USA Company Description TagMan is the first independent, universal container tag management system. It is designed specifically to provide online advertisers with greater ability to manage the tracking tags that sit on their web site and make … Continue reading “Ensighten Acquires TagMan for Undisclosed Sum”
Seth Green-Backed Shodogg Learns New Tricks After Pivoting
It is not easy to drop the idea that brought a startup to market and then chart a new course. When I first came across Shodogg at International CES 2012, the company had unveiled its software for consumers to share videos between TVs and other connected devices. The startup hit the annual trade show along … Continue reading “Seth Green-Backed Shodogg Learns New Tricks After Pivoting”
Get the Heck Out of the Building in Founder’s School: Part 2
With a ~$2 billion endowment the Kauffman Foundation is the largest non-profit focused on entrepreneurship in the world. Giving away $80 million to every year (~$25 million to entrepreneurial causes) makes Kauffman the dominant player in the entrepreneurship space. Kauffman launched Founders School – a new education series to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses during … Continue reading “Get the Heck Out of the Building in Founder’s School: Part 2”
Outrigger Media Lands $1,333,984 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=219b81d9-9541-44e8-9a7c-0dd49b05b486 Date 3/18/2014 Company Name Outrigger Media Mailing Address 460 West 34th Street 14th Floor New York, NY 10001 USA Company Description Our company has expertise creating and monetizing Internet-distributed video content. We develop advertising solutions for some of the biggest brands in the world and operate a content marketplace that includes … Continue reading “Outrigger Media Lands $1,333,984 New Financing”
Thuzio Garners $4,458,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=582d7fcd-6a9a-43e7-90b2-8cd4fd4b962e Date 3/18/2014 Company Name Thuzio Mailing Address 211 East 48th Street New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description Thuzio is an online marketplace to connect enthusiasts with professional talent for experiences, live instruction and events. Website http://www.thuzio.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,458,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Thuzio Garners $4,458,000 New Financing”
Amplience Secures $1,400,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ccb303c0-a1e4-4db0-9e30-a7f09ef27f05 Date 3/18/2014 Company Name Amplience Mailing Address The Yard 85 Delancey Street New York, NY 10002 USA Company Description Amplience drives profitable omni-channel revenue growth through rich customer experiences. Leading global brands and retailers use AMP (Adaptive Media Platform) to drive double-digit conversion and AOV uplifts, while reducing costs and improving … Continue reading “Amplience Secures $1,400,000 New Funding Round”
AbilTo Garners $6,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d715ef00-c45c-475a-8b53-e74773e5b3fa Date 3/18/2014 Company Name AbilTo Mailing Address 505 8th Avenue 16th Floor New York, NY 10018 USA Company Description AbilTo delivers proven protocols to help adults predictably overcome issues caused by prevalent behavioral health disorders and life transitions. Website http://www.abilto.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Series B … Continue reading “AbilTo Garners $6,000,000 Series B Funding”
See Me Group Receives $850,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c3be4fc3-b05b-48d8-bb1e-8d4209976a23 Date 3/18/2014 Company Name See Me Group Mailing Address 2525 44th Drive Long Island City, NY 11101 USA Company Description See Me Group, Inc. operates a community for artists, photographers, musicians, and fashion creators to share their work with audience in the United States and internationally. It hosts shows and exhibitions; … Continue reading “See Me Group Receives $850,000 New Financing”
Percolate Receives $24,000,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=90b82149-fe3b-4086-815a-9f3ce670fc70 Date 3/18/2014 Company Name Percolate Mailing Address 107 Grand Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10013 USA Company Description Percolate bubbles up interesting content from around the web and presents it back to a brand editor to add a comment and publish back out to social channels and websites. Website http://www.percolate.com … Continue reading “Percolate Receives $24,000,000 Series B Financing”
Five Prime, Bristol-Myers Squibb Cut $350M Immuno-Oncology Deal
Five Prime Therapeutics didn’t spring out of the blocks like many of the other members of biotech’s IPO class of 2013. But the South San Francisco, CA-based biotech is now having its day in the sun, because it just cut a deal worth up to $350 million with Bristol-Myers Squibb to team up and discover … Continue reading “Five Prime, Bristol-Myers Squibb Cut $350M Immuno-Oncology Deal”
IRX Therapeutics Obtains $15,094,601 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8c8eaf81-164b-4680-8292-6b135a04ba0d Date 3/17/2014 Company Name IRX Therapeutics Mailing Address 140 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 Company Description IRX Therapeutics’ mission is to discover and commercialize drugs that stimulate a coordinated TH1-specific cellular immune response to treat human diseases. This immune response is essential for the eradication of most viruses and … Continue reading “IRX Therapeutics Obtains $15,094,601 New Financing Round”
Intercept Ends Roller Coaster Weekend With Phase 3 Victory
Intercept Pharmaceuticals gave investors a scare on Friday night, but the New York-based company bounced back on Sunday by revealing that its experimental liver drug, obeticholic acid (OCA), aced a late-stage clinical trial. Intercept (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICPT]]) said that OCA met all of its goals in a Phase 3 study testing the drug in people with … Continue reading “Intercept Ends Roller Coaster Weekend With Phase 3 Victory”
Synthesio Garners $20,000,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9f30cf61-b63b-4de0-a09c-089dba56bf36 Date 3/15/2014 Company Name Synthesio Mailing Address 116 West 23rd St. New York, NY 10011 Company Description We help brands and agencies find valuable social insights to drive real business value. Focus on the conversations that matter most to your business, track and measure your online reputation, collaborate and engage in … Continue reading “Synthesio Garners $20,000,000 Series B Financing”
Already On Watch: MSpy Monitoring Software Preloaded on Some Phones
It just got a bit easier to snoop on some smartphones. MSpy, a developer of communication monitoring technology, said Wednesday it is selling smartphones preloaded with its software. Available models include the iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy S4, Nexus 5, and HTC One. The startup’s software can be used to track phones’ activities, including voice calls, … Continue reading “Already On Watch: MSpy Monitoring Software Preloaded on Some Phones”
For Products, Technology Still Matters
Popular media has seriously overshot on the relative importance of marketing and design versus technology for product companies. Just spend some time perusing the usual outlets and you’ll quickly forget that startups employ technologists. What’s scary is it’s not just media—the rest of the world is starting to follow. The number of companies, raising very … Continue reading “For Products, Technology Still Matters”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: ImmusanT, NY Disruptors, Tesaro, & More
Immuno-oncology fever still rages. Another Third Rock Ventures-backed company looks primed for an IPO. We’ve got those stories and many more in a jam-packed roundup this week: —People with celiac disease have one option to be symptom-free: steer clear of gluten. But Cambridge, MA-based startup ImmusanT is trying to come up with a vaccine that … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: ImmusanT, NY Disruptors, Tesaro, & More”
From Cosimo to Cosmos: The Medici Effect in Culture and Technology
Deep inside the Palazzo Vecchio, the tall stone fortress that has served as the seat of government power in Florence since the 14th century, there’s a room called the Sala delle Carte Geografiche, the Hall of Maps. The cabinets lining the walls, which once held scientific instruments and other precious items, are decorated with 53 … Continue reading “From Cosimo to Cosmos: The Medici Effect in Culture and Technology”
MotionSavvy Receives $25,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c815423-60c9-4809-9981-d8bd86d94196 Date 3/14/2014 Company Name MotionSavvy Mailing Address Undisclosed West Henrietta, NY 14586 Company Description Deaf people face communication barriers everyday. MotionSavvy aims to use gesture recognition technology to deliver a translation system that will give the Deaf a voice to the 70 million deaf individuals worldwide. Website http://www.motionsavvy.com Transaction Type Crowdfunder … Continue reading “MotionSavvy Receives $25,000 New Funding”
L2 Lands $16,500,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a8eb08bc-4ea5-4407-88e5-b0c47c9840a3 Date 3/13/2014 Company Name L2 Mailing Address 155 Wooster Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10012 Company Description L2 is a subscription-based business intelligence service that benchmarks the digital competence of brands. We provide our member brands with actionable, data-driven insights on their digital performance at a fraction of the cost … Continue reading “L2 Lands $16,500,000 New Financing Round”
Hiding in 172M Cab Rides: A New Frontier for the ‘Sharing Economy’
Splitting a cab fare isn’t usually what you’d call a high-tech activity, even with millions of people carrying sophisticated Internet portals in their pockets and purses. Researchers at MIT think it’s about time that changed. By analyzing a year’s worth of New York City cab rides, MIT’s Sensable City Lab was able to see just … Continue reading “Hiding in 172M Cab Rides: A New Frontier for the ‘Sharing Economy’”
In Like a Lion: Techstars Alum DigitalOcean Leads March in NY Funding
March is not even half over and more than $64 million in new funding has been announced for startups in New York. DigitalOcean, a cloud-hosting startup and Techstars alum, said last Thursday it raised $37.2 million in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with IA Ventures and CrunchFund also participating. Though the startup … Continue reading “In Like a Lion: Techstars Alum DigitalOcean Leads March in NY Funding”
Why Companies Are Not Startups
In the last few years we’ve recognized that a startup is not a smaller version of a large company. We’re now learning that companies are not larger versions of startups. There’s been lots written about how companies need to be more innovative, but very little on what stops them from doing so. Companies looking to … Continue reading “Why Companies Are Not Startups”
New York’s Life Science Disruptors: The Photos
A true New York biotech cluster is coming. It’s just going to take some more disruption to get there. That was one of the big themes I took home when I recapped our latest Big Apple biotech event, “New York’s Life Science Disruptors,” on Monday. The event, which took place last Thursday, March 6, consisted … Continue reading “New York’s Life Science Disruptors: The Photos”
PowerBridgeNY Draws New Ideas in Energy from the Academic Well
Lots of universities try to turn lab research into real businesses. Backing from a New York state agency may give some innovations in energy a head start. Last week, 13 teams from area universities pitched ideas to a panel of venture capitalists and energy industry experts, hoping to win a piece of grant funding. Some … Continue reading “PowerBridgeNY Draws New Ideas in Energy from the Academic Well”