Category: New York

New York Hedge Fund Makes $378 Million Bid for Amag in Attempt to Block Poorly Received Merger

Shares of Lexington, MA-based Amag Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMAG]]) are up 10 percent today to $15.77 on news of an unsolicited takeover offer from New York-based hedge fund MSMB Capital Management. The hedge fund is offering $18 a share to acquire Amag, which markets a drug to treat iron-deficiency anemia. The bid comes in the wake … Continue reading “New York Hedge Fund Makes $378 Million Bid for Amag in Attempt to Block Poorly Received Merger”

Cyber Security Conference

The New York Institute of Technology’s second annual Cyber Security Conference will feature professionals from the banking, finance, media, legal, medical, and technology sectors, who will discuss vulnerabilities, privacy issues, and widespread security breaches within government and business systems. Speakers include Krishnan Sabnani, senior vice president at Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, Lisa Lorenzin, principal solutions architect at … Continue reading “Cyber Security Conference”

New York’s ZocDoc Scores $50 Million from Russia’s Yuri Milner, Plots Nationwide Expansion of Doctor-Finding Service

Amid news yesterday that Russian billionaire Yuri Milner’s DST Global had poured $400 million into Twitter, another DST investment may have been easy to overlook. ZocDoc—a New York-based startup that allows patients in nine cities to book their doctors’ appointments online—scored a $50 million investment from DST. The Series C funding was a major coup, … Continue reading “New York’s ZocDoc Scores $50 Million from Russia’s Yuri Milner, Plots Nationwide Expansion of Doctor-Finding Service”

Spanfeller Media Group Receives $6,000,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=342e4f58-2401-4cbc-9d77-33c7f7596078&Preview=1 Date 8/3/2011 Company Name Spanfeller Media Group Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10115 Company Description The Spanfeller Media Group will use its experience and understanding of digital media to reclaim value around content creation and packaging. Website http://www.spanfellergroup.net Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds … Continue reading “Spanfeller Media Group Receives $6,000,000 Series B Round”

You’d Better Shop Around: Doing Due Diligence on Your VC

For a first-time entrepreneur, dealing with a venture capitalist can involve an equal mix of excitement and apprehension. If the VC has any sort of reputation or prominence, entrepreneurs are often grateful simply to be pitching their idea in the first place. Should discussions get far enough along that a term sheet is offered, a … Continue reading “You’d Better Shop Around: Doing Due Diligence on Your VC”

American Idol, Startup Style: TechStars Reality Show to Debut on Bloomberg TV

TechStars, the seed-stage investment and incubator program for entrepreneurs, announced today that it will be the subject of a series starting this fall on Bloomberg TV. The show, called “TechStars” (see trailer below), follows the inaugural New York program, which ran for three months earlier this year. The show will debut September 13. TechStars holds … Continue reading “American Idol, Startup Style: TechStars Reality Show to Debut on Bloomberg TV”

Ventrus Attracts Investors With Hemorrhoid Drug and Two Other Late-Stage Drug Candidates

Ventrus Biosciences CEO Russell Ellison jokes that he doesn’t know how his mother would have reacted if he told her 20 years ago what he’d be doing today. Jokes help when you work at a place like Ventrus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VTUS]]), where the lead drug candidate may just become the first ever FDA-approved prescription product to … Continue reading “Ventrus Attracts Investors With Hemorrhoid Drug and Two Other Late-Stage Drug Candidates”

ZocDoc Obtains $50,000,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=02a90464-9cbe-4645-a469-169836764f29&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2011 Company Name ZocDoc Mailing Address 568 Broadway New York, NY 10012 Company Description At ZocDoc our mission is to make healthcare simple. We begin at the beginning: ZocDoc brings the speed and convenience of the web to finding and booking a doctor or dentist. Website http://www.zocdoc.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “ZocDoc Obtains $50,000,000 Series C Financing Round”

Zipmark Secures $2,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cba217a7-3ff4-4f01-a0bc-094c3fdc5ecd&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2011 Company Name Zipmark Mailing Address 419 Lafayette St New York, NY 10003 Company Description Zipmark is a mobile and online payments company. Zipmark payments work just a like a check but without the paper and the trip to the bank. Website http://www.zipmark.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 … Continue reading “Zipmark Secures $2,000,000 New Financing Round”

Bedrocket Media, backed by ex-HuffPo chairman, raises $9M

Five-month-old New York startup Bedrocket Media Ventures, a video studio for Web and TV content, raised $9 million and wants to raise another $2.5 million in this round according to a regulatory filing. Bedrocket CEO and co-founder Brian Bedol previously founded television channels Class Sports Network and College Sports Television. Bedrocket co-founder Kenneth Lerer was chairman … Continue reading “Bedrocket Media, backed by ex-HuffPo chairman, raises $9M”

Foresight Biotherapeutics Pulls in $2 Million

Foresight Biotherapeutics, a New York company developing new therapies to treat eye and ear disorders, has raised $2 million, according to an SEC filing. Foresight’s technology platform, called Povidone-Iodine (PVP-I), allows a well-known antiseptic to be formulated in different ways. The company’s lead experimental compound is being tested in a form of conjunctivitis. The company … Continue reading “Foresight Biotherapeutics Pulls in $2 Million”

Lot18, Backed by NY and Silicon Valley VCs, Creates Exclusive Wine Club

Wine aficionados can be rather choosy about what they will imbibe. The casual drinker may simply pair any red wine with steak, but New York’s Lot18 wants to serve those with highly discerning tastes. Lot18 is a members-only website that sells wine and gourmet food products that are available in limited supply. Though the website … Continue reading “Lot18, Backed by NY and Silicon Valley VCs, Creates Exclusive Wine Club”

What I Learned About Healthcare as a Patient: The Delivery System Has Got to Change

You can read all the books and news stories you want on the U.S. healthcare system, and conclude it’s profoundly messed up. But sometimes there’s nothing so enlightening as first-hand experience. I’ve been thinking about how awful U.S. healthcare is the past couple weeks, based on my latest experience as a patient. It’s made me … Continue reading “What I Learned About Healthcare as a Patient: The Delivery System Has Got to Change”

NYC Cleantech Opportunities

Discuss cleantech with industry insiders and discover exciting prospects for investment or collaboration at this evening event. The keynote speaker will be Michael H. Gilbert, a consultant at Gerson Lehrman Group who has significant experience working in the energy and environmental sectors, as well as in early-stage cleantech ventures seeking to transition to commercial enterprises. For … Continue reading “NYC Cleantech Opportunities”

Green Healthcare Forum

The opening night of this four-session series will bring together leaders and healthcare professionals to discuss how healthcare facilities in New York City can improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, and contribute to a more sustainable environment. Panelists include Susan Gunn, energy efficiency program developer for Con Edison and Jay-E Emmingham, NYSERDA senior Energy $mart … Continue reading “Green Healthcare Forum”

Merck Shuts Down RNAi Research Center in SF, Cutting 50 Jobs

Merck has decided to close down the RNA interference research facility it obtained through its $1.1 billion acquisition five years ago of San Francisco-based Sirna Therapeutics, the company said late today. About 50 jobs are being eliminated, while about 10 people are being offered transfers to other Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) facilities on the East Coast … Continue reading “Merck Shuts Down RNAi Research Center in SF, Cutting 50 Jobs”

At 2011’s Midpoint, Three Good Tech Trends and Three Not-So-Good Trends to Watch

Mid-year reports tend to be check-ins or check-ups; and they’re usually not very interesting, analytical, or helpful. The real fireworks often take place at the end of the year, when the 12-month look-back and 12-month look-ahead forecast steals the show—in terms of shedding light, providing perspective, and setting the agenda. Not so in 2011. Here … Continue reading “At 2011’s Midpoint, Three Good Tech Trends and Three Not-So-Good Trends to Watch”

Yext Gets $10 Million, Plans to Grow Its Business Listing Platform

New York’s Yext, a business listings company, said Thursday in a press release it raised $10 million in a funding round led by WGI Group. Other investors participating in the round include Sutter Hill Ventures and Institutional Venture Partners. Five-year-old Yext plans to use the funds to grow its PowerListings platform, which lets businesses edit and … Continue reading “Yext Gets $10 Million, Plans to Grow Its Business Listing Platform”

Personalized Medicine: A Search for Tailored Therapeutics

This symposium will cover new technologies being used to profile the causes of human disease, including advances in quantitative proteomics, clinical screening data, and new biotech developments that may make personalized medicine a reality. Speakers include Charles Cantor of Sequenom and Mark Ladanyi of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Register here.

New York Computer Science and Economics Day 2011

This full-day event will unite researchers in the New York metropolitan area with interests in computer science, economics, marketing and business, and a common interest in developing the economics of the Internet. Speakers include Preston McAfee of Yahoo! Research, David Parkes of Harvard University, and Eva Tardos of Cornell University. Register here.

Cancer Immunotherapy: A Long Awaited Reality

This full-day event will unite researchers, clinicians, business leaders, and key investors for a discussion about the emerging field of cancer immunotherapeutics. Presenting companies include BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Agenus, and Antigen Express. To register, click here.

Roka Bioscience Pulls in $20 Million

Roka Bioscience, a Warren, NJ-based of diagnostic tools for industrial markets, raised $20 million in a Series C, according to a press release. Roka’s lead product—an assay for food-safety testing—is expected to hit the market later this year. Roka was formed in 2009 as a spinoff from Gen-Probe (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GPRO]]), a San Diego-based maker of … Continue reading “Roka Bioscience Pulls in $20 Million”

How I Decide What to Write About-And Why I Might Not Cover Your Company

Dharmesh Shah, the co-founder of HubSpot and the author of the blog OnStartups, shared a post last week that really hit home. It was called “Dear Friend: Sorry: My Heart Says Yes, But My Schedule Says No.” Dharmesh explained that his e-mail inbox is perpetually overloaded with requests from people who want to meet with … Continue reading “How I Decide What to Write About-And Why I Might Not Cover Your Company”

Ford, TechShop Partner on Detroit Location to Help Everyday Inventors Create, Build—and Commercialize—New Technologies

At first glance, the nondescript office park at 800 Republic Drive in Allen Park, MI, is notable only for being situated next to the Detroit Lions’ practice facility. That’s set to change on Nov. 18, when the building will be transformed into TechShop Detroit, a joint project between Ford and TechShop, the DIY communal fabrication … Continue reading “Ford, TechShop Partner on Detroit Location to Help Everyday Inventors Create, Build—and Commercialize—New Technologies”

National Science Foundation Unveils a Startup School Modeled on Steve Blank’s Lean LaunchPad

Incubator madness has reached all the way to Washington, D.C. The National Science Foundation announced today that with the help of private-sector partners, it plans to put at least $5 million per year into a new program, the Innovation Corps or I-Corps, aimed at helping university scientists and engineers build startups around their technologies. The … Continue reading “National Science Foundation Unveils a Startup School Modeled on Steve Blank’s Lean LaunchPad”

AHAlife Nabs $6 Million, Adds New Board Members

AHAlife.com in New York says it raised $6 million in a financing round led by venture firm DCM, according to a press release. AHAlife.com is an e-commerce site for purchasing hard-to-find lifestyle products curated by so-called tastemakers that include fashion designer Donna Karan, filmmaker (and famously protective wife) Wendi Murdoch, and chef Daniel Boulud. FirstMark … Continue reading “AHAlife Nabs $6 Million, Adds New Board Members”

Crowdtap Raises $7M in Series A Round, Plans New Hires

New York’s Crowdtap said in a press release today that it has raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by Foundry Group. Crowdtap is an online network that lets marketers of brands—including Old Navy, Adidas, Pepperidge Farm, Pinkberry, and Bing—reach out to targeted groups of consumers for word-of-mouth marketing. The consumers who participate receive … Continue reading “Crowdtap Raises $7M in Series A Round, Plans New Hires”

Qrious Seeks to Crack Smartphone App Market, Capture Data on Folks You Meet at Events

Conferences and other business events offer the chance to make new professional contacts, but wading through the masses of attendees can be a nightmare. Marching around with a guest list does not make it much easier. Enter seven-month-old Qrious, a New York startup working on an app that lets smartphones sift through contacts people make … Continue reading “Qrious Seeks to Crack Smartphone App Market, Capture Data on Folks You Meet at Events”

Lenddo Sells Microloans in Philippines, Eyes Expansion to World’s Emerging Middle Class

As a serial tech entrepreneur, Jeffrey Stewart has spent a lot of time working with outsourcing companies in developing countries, such as the Philippines. And he was always struck by a common complaint he heard from his workers in those countries. “They couldn’t access loans,” Stewart says. So earlier this year, he and fellow entrepreneur … Continue reading “Lenddo Sells Microloans in Philippines, Eyes Expansion to World’s Emerging Middle Class”

Yext Garners $10,000,000 Series D Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9036d107-5740-4bc9-8837-d8b75830e16a&Preview=1 Date 7/28/2011 Company Name Yext Mailing Address 75 9th Ave, 8th Fl New York, NY 10011 Company Description Yext is the Next Yellow Pages, offering superior local services for advertisers, publishers and users. We help local businesses get found, maximize yield for our publishing partners, and answer local searches for internet … Continue reading “Yext Garners $10,000,000 Series D Round”

AccuVein Obtains $22,500,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cca0f950-30fc-4b73-badd-6a3488a95d54&Preview=1 Date 7/28/2011 Company Name AccuVein Mailing Address P.O. Box 1303 Huntington, NY 11743 Company Description AccuVein is a global leader in medical imaging solutions. Our breakthrough product, the AV300, allows health care professionals to see a map of peripheral veins on the skin’s surface with the goal of improving venipuncture, the … Continue reading “AccuVein Obtains $22,500,000 Series B Financing”

Visual Revenue Lands $512,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5cef23d3-81fa-44eb-ae90-ae4081476009&Preview=1 Date 7/28/2011 Company Name Visual Revenue Mailing Address 450 West 33rd St 14th Floor New York, NY 10001 Company Description Based out of midtown New York, NY, Visual Revenue provides a predictive analytics solution that helps online media organizations set a better front page. Our Front Page Automation Platform provides Editors … Continue reading “Visual Revenue Lands $512,000 New Financing Round”

Yext Receives $10,000,000 Series D Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9036d107-5740-4bc9-8837-d8b75830e16a&Preview=1 Date 7/28/2011 Company Name Yext Mailing Address 75 9th Ave, 8th Fl New York, NY 10011 Company Description Yext is the Next Yellow Pages, offering superior local services for advertisers, publishers and users. We help local businesses get found, maximize yield for our publishing partners, and answer local searches for internet … Continue reading “Yext Receives $10,000,000 Series D Round”

Health IT Is the New Black

Once upon a time there was “ehealth.” That time was the late 1990’s and there was a temporary ripple in The Force when anything that combined healthcare and the Internet had a suddenly popularity in the venture capital investment community. Companies like the original WebMD, the original Medscape, Mediconsult.com, DrKoop.com, Medibuy, Adam.com, PlanetRx, and a … Continue reading “Health IT Is the New Black”

Fab.com Raises $8M, Investors Include Ashton Kutcher

New York’s Fab.com raised $8 million in a series A funding round led by Menlo Ventures, according to a press release. Participating investors include Baroda Ventures, First Round Capital, The Washington Post Company, SoftTech VC, SV Angel, Zelkova Ventures, Fab.com CEO Jason Goldberg, and A Grade Investments, which was co-founded by actor Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, … Continue reading “Fab.com Raises $8M, Investors Include Ashton Kutcher”

Hotlist, Raising Series A Round, Moves to New Office, Looks to Make Socializing More Efficient

Offering what it says is a different spin on location-based services, four-year-old New York startup Hotlist is pursuing more funding and plans to expand its staff to fill its new offices. Billed as a social discovery engine, Hotlist lets users see where their friends and acquaintances plan to be, rather than where they have already … Continue reading “Hotlist, Raising Series A Round, Moves to New Office, Looks to Make Socializing More Efficient”

Smartling Obtains $10,000,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0aadb45c-c6b0-41e6-8bb3-37608751bb01&Preview=1 Date 7/27/2011 Company Name Smartling Mailing Address 15 Jennifer Lane Rye Brook, NY 10573 Company Description The web is world-wide, but English isn’t. Research shows most people won’t buy from sites that aren’t in their native tongues. Smartling makes it easy to create multilingual sites — and turn global visitors into … Continue reading “Smartling Obtains $10,000,000 Series B Funding Round”

Crowdtap Obtains $7,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2a1063d8-36dc-4254-895e-88cc4356b7cc&Preview=1 Date 7/27/2011 Company Name Crowdtap Mailing Address 225 Park Ave South 16th Floor New York, NY 10003 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 $7,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “Crowdtap Obtains $7,000,000 New Funding Round”

AHAlife.com Lands $6,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ee63cc5c-a69e-4e95-bc04-aad9c3735249&Preview=1 Date 7/27/2011 Company Name AHAlife.com Mailing Address 45 Bond Street 4th Floor New York, NY 10012 Company Description Some things are just meant to go together. AHAlife is the online discovery destination where you can learn about – and purchase – the best unique products from around the world, collectively curated … Continue reading “AHAlife.com Lands $6,000,000 New Funding Round”

IPO Activity Returns to Pre-Recession Levels in Second Quarter

The economic deep freeze is thawing for IPOs on U.S. exchanges, according to a quarterly report issued today by the Ernst & Young accounting firm. The number of companies in registration for an initial public offering increased to 140 during the three months that ended June 30, according to the latest the “Ernst & Young … Continue reading “IPO Activity Returns to Pre-Recession Levels in Second Quarter”

Venture for America Recruiting College Grads for Startup Jobs in Detroit, Providence, and More, Says Founder

New companies struggling to hire fresh talent may find help in the form of a nonprofit organization that debuted last Wednesday in New York. Venture for America says it will match a select group of college grads with early-stage companies, particularly in cities that face employment challenges. “Our main goal is to create U.S. jobs,” … Continue reading “Venture for America Recruiting College Grads for Startup Jobs in Detroit, Providence, and More, Says Founder”

Fab.com Lands $8,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=aabb27d9-6e4f-4ca4-bb09-c4ce56ad83f9&Preview=1 Date 7/26/2011 Company Name Fab.com Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10000 Company Description Fab.com is a social net and lifestyle site aimed at gay men. Website http://www.fab.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Fab.com will use the funds to scale the business, grow … Continue reading “Fab.com Lands $8,000,000 Series A Financing”

BrightLine Scores $30 Million

New York-based interactive advertising firm BrightLine received $30 million from private equity firm JMI Equity, according to a press release. The seven-year-old company creates and implements ad campaigns that invite viewer involvement across cable, satellite and other TV platforms. Its clients include Unilever, Kellogg’s, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Maker Faire

The 2nd Annual Maker Faire New York will be a two-day celebration of innovation and resourcefulness. Entrepreneurs, or “makers,” of all ages will display their ideas for new products in the fields of robotics, 3D printing, biotech, cleantech, and more. Register here.

Startup Weekend New York City

Join the General Assembly tech incubator and Startup Weekend for a 54-hour instructional event focused on building viable Web and mobile applications. Attendees will develop and pitch their business plans over the course of the weekend. Speakers include entrepreneurs Alexis Ohanian of Reddit and Jason Baptiste of OnSwipe. Register here.

Blogging and Content Strategy

Learn how blogs can help and/or hurt your startup at this educational event. Contently founders Joe Coleman and Shane Snow will provide tips for managing content creation, measuring your blog’s return-on-investment, and optimizing a content strategy over the long term. Register here.

New York Entrepreneurs Pitch VCs on “FinTech” Startups

On Friday, more than 70 venture capitalists and other investors braved a New York City heat wave, and made their way to the midtown office of financial-services giant UBS for the first ever FinTech Innovation Lab demo day. The lab was a 12-week long program for startups that are developing new technologies to serve the … Continue reading “New York Entrepreneurs Pitch VCs on “FinTech” Startups”