Give the SEC a lot of credit…the headline they chose for their press release yesterday about public companies using social media could not have been more clear: “SEC Says Social Media OK for Company Announcements if Investors Are Alerted.” With those words, and a full report here, the commission has blessed the inevitable modernization of corporate … Continue reading “SEC’s New Social Media Guidance: Sensible, Fair, Inevitable”
Category: New York
Stayful.com Receives $2,400,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dad96d15-4af3-4da2-9b15-20b397b5a943&Preview=1 Date 4/3/2013 Company Name Stayful.com Mailing Address 8 Spruce Street New York, NY 10038 Company Description Welcome to Stayful, the next revolution in travel! We love to partner with great people at unique and special hotels. We are just getting started, so for now we are serving the hotel community in … Continue reading “Stayful.com Receives $2,400,000 New Funding”
Grand St. Obtains $1,300,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1271848c-ba3a-4525-9e1a-9aedad4e1893&Preview=1 Date 4/3/2013 Company Name Grand St. Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 Company Description Grand St. is a new market and community for creative electronics. The way that consumer electronics are made, bought and sold is changing fundamentally, and they believe that a new era in electronics requires a new … Continue reading “Grand St. Obtains $1,300,000 Seed Funding Round”
WorldOne Research Lands $35,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2bccc62f-0614-4419-b257-b765c9cd13ab&Preview=1 Date 4/3/2013 Company Name WorldOne Research Mailing Address 200 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10003 Company Description WorldOne’s reputation as an industry specialist in healthcare research is evident through our long and distinguished list of clients, which include many of the world’s leading healthcare agencies and brands. We understand that … Continue reading “WorldOne Research Lands $35,000,000 New Funding Round”
Optimer Shares Soar Amid Reports of Buyout Interest
Reports that several big pharmas have shown interest in buying Optimer Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OPTR]]) sent shares of the drugmaker soaring about 20 percent today in Nasdaq trading that was more than four times the company’s recent average daily volume. By late afternoon, Optimer was trading near $14 a share, after gaining $2.31 a share in … Continue reading “Optimer Shares Soar Amid Reports of Buyout Interest”
Healthcare IT: Making Good Progress
The cost of healthcare administration is a hot issue in America. According to the Center for American progress, in the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $361 billion annually goes to cover administrative costs. That number is a 14 percent of total healthcare expenditure nationwide. Improvements in IT are expected to reduce these expenditures dramatically. The … Continue reading “Healthcare IT: Making Good Progress”
Watchitoo Brings Video Conferencing Platform to Online Education
Eager to capture a piece of the hot online-learning market, New York’s Watchitoo took the wrapping off its Web-based ClassInteract video platform on Tuesday. CEO Rony Zarom says the platform can be used by universities and others to host live chat sessions for large classes without losing individual students among the faceless throngs of participants. … Continue reading “Watchitoo Brings Video Conferencing Platform to Online Education”
TraceVector Garners $8,049,996 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=78322bdd-5487-40fb-88ae-1275c23715ae&Preview=1 Date 4/2/2013 Company Name TraceVector Mailing Address 69-45 108th Street Forest Hills, NY 11375 Company Description TraceVector brings together into one platform a powerful fusion of cutting-edge processor technology, software innovation and mathematical algorithms that will usher in a new era in network security. Website http://www.tracevector.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “TraceVector Garners $8,049,996 New Funding”
Incentient Garners $93,750 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8c1b2e99-8659-4f63-8e3b-5d6afe6112ef&Preview=1 Date 4/2/2013 Company Name Incentient Mailing Address 120 Commercial Street Plainview, NY 11803 Company Description Based in Plainview, New York, Incentient is a transaction services company that is beginning to modernize the hospitality industry in its entirety. In the past year, Incentient has developed its groundbreaking SmartTouchsm system that allows guests … Continue reading “Incentient Garners $93,750 New Financing”
Aereo Continues to Fend Off Legal Challenges to Its Cloud-Based TV Service
In an ongoing legal feud, Long Island City’s Aereo announced on Monday that the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the prior denial of motions sought by television network broadcasters for a preliminary injunction against the startup. Aereo, which is backed by Barry Diller’s Internet company IAC in New York, developed a platform and remote antennae … Continue reading “Aereo Continues to Fend Off Legal Challenges to Its Cloud-Based TV Service”
Gilead Sciences Building on HIV, Becoming Cancer Drug Force
Gilead Sciences has had what you could call a “high-class problem” the last few years. Biotech companies that are great at one thing eventually must prove they can be great at something else. And Gilead is showing signs that it’s finally on its way to becoming a truly diversified biotech industry leader, with a plan … Continue reading “Gilead Sciences Building on HIV, Becoming Cancer Drug Force”
Bespoke Post Garners $850,000 Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6c31a670-b56f-4256-b1f3-1a973a131953&Preview=1 Date 3/30/2013 Company Name Bespoke Post Mailing Address 72 Allen Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10002 Company Description Bespoke Post delivers fresh and interesting lifestyle brands and products to men. Each month, you’ll get to choose from one of our limited-edition boxes filled with an array of products built around … Continue reading “Bespoke Post Garners $850,000 Seed Round”
To Do Or Not To Do? That Is the Question
Do you really need a to-do list? In the age of personal optimization, when books like The 4-Hour Workweek peddle the idea that you could be superhumanly productive if you just had the right tools, the question is almost blasphemous. Of course you need a to-do list. How else are you supposed to know what … Continue reading “To Do Or Not To Do? That Is the Question”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Biogen Idec, Third Rock, T2 Bio, Dart
Biogen Idec reinforced its dominance in multiple sclerosis this week with the approval of its oral drug for the disease, while Third Rock Ventures amassed half a billion dollars more to foster the life sciences contenders of the future. Fundraising and new drug candidates made news for Massachusetts biotechnology companies, and New York City kept … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Biogen Idec, Third Rock, T2 Bio, Dart”
ENCODE and the Truth
Constant facts of all scientific endeavors – Nature always wins. The truth will come out. An absorbing article last month in The Scientist called The A@#hole Scientist wondered if scientists could be a-holes, as it called them. Of course they can. Simple logic. Scientists are human and humans can be a-holes. QED. According to the … Continue reading “ENCODE and the Truth”
Food52 Secures $2,000,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b547b13e-8e6b-43b7-8bfb-0ed212df6af3&Preview=1 Date 3/29/2013 Company Name Food52 Mailing Address 116 Willow Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 Company Description We love spending time in the kitchen, and we believe that memorable cooking doesn’t have to be complicated or precious. It’s about discovering that frying an egg in olive oil over high heat gives the white … Continue reading “Food52 Secures $2,000,000 Series A Round”
Boulder and Denver, a Mile High Sibling Rivalry
Dear Xconomy, Welcome to Colorado. We’re glad to have you, but there’s a… thing you should know about. From the outside, the startup environment in Colorado just seems like one big funky but remarkably effective family of startup goodness. But, like any family, we have our internecine feuds. We are speaking, of course, about the … Continue reading “Boulder and Denver, a Mile High Sibling Rivalry”
Announcing Xconomy Boulder/Denver—7th Region in Our Network
Thank you Boulder and Denver! We are extremely pleased to announce today the launch of Xconomy Boulder/Denver, the seventh bureau in our growing network of news sites covering the business of technology in key innovation clusters around the United States. We couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of the entrepreneurial and innovation communities … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Boulder/Denver—7th Region in Our Network”
Still Waiting for the Ships to Come in at Third Rock Ventures
Third Rock Ventures was in the enviable position of turning away some institutional investors when the life sciences venture firm recently closed on $516 million for its third venture fund. So first let me say, “Congratulations!” to team Third Rock. Mark Levin has demonstrated at Third Rock and as the chairman and CEO of Cambridge, … Continue reading “Still Waiting for the Ships to Come in at Third Rock Ventures”
Women and Startups
The news from PyCon rekindles a long-running discussion about the lack of women in tech startups. The description of the roomful of men, cracking fraternity-scale jokes without regard for the few women in the room brings back plenty of memories of other rooms full of men in my twenty years of tech startup life. Far … Continue reading “Women and Startups”
Technology for the Real World Emerging in NYC Among Digital Startups
Plenty of software-fueled ideas are developed in New York, from big data mining to mobile apps, but part of the innovation community is also building physical technology. Tuesday night a small gathering of startups demoed their prototypes and ideas, for use in the real world, at an event hosted by NYC Tech Connect, which is … Continue reading “Technology for the Real World Emerging in NYC Among Digital Startups”
The Inevitability of Archiving Social Networking Data
Making A Case For Email Archiving In 1985 In 1985, I was part of a team at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) that was doing some very radical things, including deploying Internet e-mail to the entire campus. Some people were quite skeptical about the whole enterprise, fearing in particular that letting “the masses” loose on the … Continue reading “The Inevitability of Archiving Social Networking Data”
New Enterprise Associates Prepares Studio for Startups by NY Designers
On the hunt for designers who have caught the entrepreneurship bug, venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates is starting a twelve-week program, the NEA Studio, in New York for Web and mobile startups. Dayna Grayson, a partner with NEA, says the objective is not to set up another incubator or accelerator but rather a personalized, … Continue reading “New Enterprise Associates Prepares Studio for Startups by NY Designers”
Kleiner & Sequoia’s Fund Returns Could be Exposed in CA Lawsuit
As venture capital firms feel the squeeze from new competitors, unsatisfied investors, and stagnant markets, two of the industry’s biggest names could finally have their performance data revealed to the public. A California lawsuit from the news organization Reuters is threatening to expose the performance records of Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers—Silicon … Continue reading “Kleiner & Sequoia’s Fund Returns Could be Exposed in CA Lawsuit”
Centzy Secures $1,600,000 Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0a4e05c8-d575-4bcd-ae3f-02340bf17dd3&Preview=1 Date 3/27/2013 Company Name Centzy Mailing Address 1500 Broadway New York, NY 10016 Company Description The company operates as search engine for local businesses. Website http://www.centzy.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,600,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use part of the financing to expand into new categories. … Continue reading “Centzy Secures $1,600,000 Seed Financing”
Merchantry Obtains $4,200,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca7be6ef-8806-4ffb-aa18-064dbf113a99&Preview=1 Date 3/27/2013 Company Name Merchantry Mailing Address 355 Lexington Ave. 4th Floor New York, NY 10017 Company Description Merchantry provides an eCommerce software-as-a-service solution that empowers retailers and media organizations to generate new revenue streams by building online marketplaces that leverage product inventory supplied by third parties. Our extensible technology infrastructure … Continue reading “Merchantry Obtains $4,200,000 New Round”
Lotame Solutions Obtains $5,500,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c14f1bc8-5445-4955-bad5-19d57732a36d&Preview=1 Date 3/27/2013 Company Name Lotame Solutions Mailing Address 440 9th Ave. 18th Floor New York, NY 10001 Company Description Lotame was constructed to deliver advanced revenue solutions in the social media space. Realizing that social media is continuously growing and evolving, Lotame has developed technologies that can adapt and learn from … Continue reading “Lotame Solutions Obtains $5,500,000 New Financing”
GiveGab Receives $35,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0afd95db-111e-43e5-aee2-aa29ec62d2d2&Preview=1 Date 3/27/2013 Company Name GiveGab Mailing Address 130 East State St. Ithaca, NY 14850 Company Description GiveGab is a social network dedicated to helping volunteers and nonprofit organizations interact, on a local level, in your communities. Our goal is to create a fun yet effective online environment that encourages real-world volunteer … Continue reading “GiveGab Receives $35,000 New Funding Round”
Standing Up for ‘Lean In:’ What’s Wrong with Managing Your Career?
Sheryl Sandberg got it right. In Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Facebook’s COO offers a compelling view on how women managers can empower themselves in today’s workplace. Sandberg does not complain about the “glass ceiling” or “the old boys club.” Instead she gives straightforward advice on how to focus on things … Continue reading “Standing Up for ‘Lean In:’ What’s Wrong with Managing Your Career?”
Study: New York Must Reel in More Fresh Minds in Tech Talent Crunch
Aon and the Partnership for New York City on Tuesday released a study that addresses actions needed to ensure New York’s a long-term economic growth. The study dubs the city as “Destination of Choice for Talent” while also citing the competition it faces from around the world on that front. Aon, a London-based provider of … Continue reading “Study: New York Must Reel in More Fresh Minds in Tech Talent Crunch”
Build Credibility As You Build Your Business
Whether you are a first-time entrepreneur or a veteran company executive, the one aspect of growing a business and raising capital, or selling a product rarely discussed at seminars is the building of your organization’s credibility. It doesn’t get much attention when you issue your quarterly report because it is not always easy to measure … Continue reading “Build Credibility As You Build Your Business”
BA-Insight Obtains $4,500,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=77b60b2e-ced7-4d9a-b744-de95b29f011c&Preview=1 Date 3/26/2013 Company Name BA-Insight Mailing Address 60 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10165 Company Description BA-Insight provides information access solutions that helps Fortune 1000 companies and government organizations improve operations by making better use of their data. Website http://www.bainsight.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “BA-Insight Obtains $4,500,000 New Funding”
Errplane Garners $100,000 Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=18ef0957-e953-4c80-93ef-3ec0de65c99c&Preview=1 Date 3/26/2013 Company Name Errplane Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 Company Description When a developer’s app performance suffers, so does their wallet. They want to know immediately if something’s wrong. Errplane is a real-time application monitoring system that alerts developers via email, text, or chat when the performance of … Continue reading “Errplane Garners $100,000 Seed Funding”
RentShare Adds Handybook to its Web Platform for Splitting Living Expenses
Sharing rent and other expenses with roommates can create more than a few headaches for urbanites, so it’s no wonder that two startups have combined their services to chase this market. New York’s RentShare recently integrated on its website Handybook’s online service for booking handymen, maids, plumbers, and other services. Handybook is headquartered in New … Continue reading “RentShare Adds Handybook to its Web Platform for Splitting Living Expenses”
Complying with Regulations Doesn’t Have to Slow Down Your Startup
These are exciting times for innovators. Arguably never before have the right opportunities, circumstances, and technologies come together as they have today to create such a fertile ground for the creation of new products and services. Yet one of the biggest obstacles along the way is the increasing burden of regulations. And the ones who … Continue reading “Complying with Regulations Doesn’t Have to Slow Down Your Startup”
Biotech VCs Aren’t Lemmings Anymore. They’re Lone Rangers
A certain song has been running through my head the past few days. Lately, it strikes me as an anthem of sorts for biotech venture capital in 2013. It’s Fleetwood Mac’s classic break-up song, “Go Your Own Way.” Allow me to explain. Biotech venture capital has been going through a shakeout now for a couple … Continue reading “Biotech VCs Aren’t Lemmings Anymore. They’re Lone Rangers”
SideTour Secures $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f291e29c-d7ed-424a-8de7-0c0db2274224&Preview=1 Date 3/25/2013 Company Name SideTour Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10002 Company Description SideTour is your place to discover and book new experiences offered by interesting and talented people around the world. Website http://www.sidetour.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “SideTour Secures $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
Sociagram Garners $250,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=43e347af-9464-456e-8dc8-ec34f47cdd7b&Preview=1 Date 3/23/2013 Company Name Sociagram Mailing Address 175 Varick St 4th Floor New York, NY 11013 Company Description The company enables retailers to add video messages to various steps in the purchase process. Website http://www.sociagram.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Sociagram will use the … Continue reading “Sociagram Garners $250,000 New Round”
Saying Farewell to World Wide Wade
They say it’s better to quit while you’re ahead, and I believe them. It’s easy to see what happens when you don’t. Remember season 7 of The West Wing? The second term of Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency? All of the Star Wars prequels? With precedents like that in mind, I’m shutting down World Wide Wade. … Continue reading “Saying Farewell to World Wide Wade”
East Coast Biotech Roundup: Moderna, bluebird, Blueprint
During this early spring week, it was a great time to focus on the fledgling efforts of East Coast drug hunters. A couple small companies pulled in lucrative partnerships, and two others saw their NASDAQ dreams come true. Read on, for more of the details. —AstraZeneca inked a notably rich deal with the small biotech … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Moderna, bluebird, Blueprint”
ShopBevel Obtains $750,000 Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=af5e88bc-5be8-4294-8d6f-06e8b54cdff9&Preview=1 Date 3/22/2013 Company Name ShopBevel Mailing Address 92 Perry Street New York, NY 10014 Company Description Shopbevel works with independent designers to bring to market the best in jewelry design. Designers submit designs, the community votes, and Shopbevel produces selected winners. At Shopbevel, we believe every jewelry designer should have the … Continue reading “ShopBevel Obtains $750,000 Seed Round”
Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Eureka Go After ‘Undruggable’ Targets
Drug developers have thrown an arsenal of technologies at tumor cells: nanomachines, vaccines, antibodies, radiation, you name it. David Scheinberg has tried them all in his search for new cancer therapies at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. But in spite of successes amid all these efforts in recent decades, Scheinberg says most of … Continue reading “Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Eureka Go After ‘Undruggable’ Targets”
Drug Development: Let’s Play!
My 9-year-old son is addicted to “Let’s Play” videos on YouTube. You watch videos that take you through level after level of a video game, giving you a preview of what’s to come, or, in my case, a peek at a level I’ll never be skilled enough to reach. Stupid Bowser. But anyway. This is … Continue reading “Drug Development: Let’s Play!”
Masabi Obtains $2,800,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cd474dda-7c71-4e91-921f-1c6a3d6dfbeb&Preview=1 Date 3/21/2013 Company Name Masabi Mailing Address 12 Desbrosses Street New York, NY 10013 Company Description Masabi is the transit mobile ticketing pioneer, delivering end-to-end systems to agencies that bring significant cost savings and enhanced customer experience. Masabi’s JustRide system was first deployed in the U.S. by Boston’s MBTA in late … Continue reading “Masabi Obtains $2,800,000 New Round”
Mojo Motors Lands $1,007,640 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=35724267-4b5b-4929-af1f-5a9fe6523120&Preview=1 Date 3/21/2013 Company Name Mojo Motors Mailing Address 150 W 30th Street New York, NY 10001 Company Description Mojo Motors was founded in 2010 by Internet and auto industry veterans to offer consumers more power and control over the used car buying experience. Using their experience working at eBay Motors and … Continue reading “Mojo Motors Lands $1,007,640 New Funding Round”
Chequed.com Obtains $1,500,002 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b32e4e5f-9bc2-443b-ae19-650621d6afa2&Preview=1 Date 3/21/2013 Company Name Chequed.com Mailing Address 24 Hamilton Street Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Company Description Chequed is an emerging leader in the rapidly growing market for Predictive Employee Selection technology. Chequed’s revolutionary Performance Engine delivers rapid, accurate predictions of a new hire’s performance. Website http://www.chequed.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Chequed.com Obtains $1,500,002 New Financing”
TapAd Obtains $6,500,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=71e86255-02ff-4d32-a489-af08af8b6c87&Preview=1 Date 3/21/2013 Company Name TapAd Mailing Address 307 7th Ave., Floor 20 New York, NY 10001 Company Description The company operates as a mobile advertising technology company. Website http://www.tapad.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,500,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The financing will be used to maintain Tapad’s pace … Continue reading “TapAd Obtains $6,500,000 Series B Financing”
Dennis Crowley Reveals His Plans for Foursquare’s Mountain of Data
At last night’s New York Tech Meetup, Foursquare CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley talked about some of his company’s plans for its technology and wealth of data, which he said can curate places and events that users of the app may want to visit. He displayed a video heat map of daily Foursquare check-ins in … Continue reading “Dennis Crowley Reveals His Plans for Foursquare’s Mountain of Data”
Newark Mayor Cory Booker Says Government Must Embrace Tech, Be Open Source
Monday afternoon Newark Mayor Cory Booker crossed the Hudson River to chat at the OnMedia NYC conference about changes he believes government can make through technology. His administration uses social media to get residents more active in improving their community. “I could crowdsource my entire city,” Booker said, “and involve them in empowering Newark.” He … Continue reading “Newark Mayor Cory Booker Says Government Must Embrace Tech, Be Open Source”
Fighting a Global War on Rare Diseases
Are we winning the war against rare, or “orphan,” diseases? A casual observer could be forgiven for thinking so, given the drumroll of news. The crescendo came in 2011, when the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved 26 drugs in this category, meaning for illnesses that afflict fewer than 200,000 people. It was the … Continue reading “Fighting a Global War on Rare Diseases”