New York – Page 71

Are Humans the Key to Discovery in a World of Digital Abundance?

We are drowning in content. Blogs made everyone a journalist. Self-publishing made everyone an author. YouTube made everyone a filmmaker. iTunes made everyone a musician. Publishing houses, record labels, and newsrooms have lost their long-held position as gatekeepers of taste. This is largely a good thing, particularly for aspiring artists. I’m a novelist. FG Press … Continue reading “Are Humans the Key to Discovery in a World of Digital Abundance?”

RaNA CEO Renaud Turns To A Former Backer To Lead $55M Series B

Tiny biotech RaNA Therapeutics brought in Wall Street-savvy CEO Ronald Renaud last year, and today the startup announced its biggest round of funding to date led by an investor whose past ties to Renaud ended with a surprising and lucrative exit. Under Renaud, Cambridge, MA-based RaNA has raised a $55 million Series B round, its … Continue reading “RaNA CEO Renaud Turns To A Former Backer To Lead $55M Series B”

Beacon Lands $7,500,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7bd98b55-eebd-476c-b7a3-112911a92c13 Date 7/23/2015 Company Name Beacon Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10001 USA Company Description Launching September 15th, Beacon is an unlimited flight solution for the Northeast corridor. Started by the team behind Surf Air, Beacon is the new travel solution for the Northeast. Website http://www.flybeacon.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Beacon Lands $7,500,000 Series A Financing Round”

1DocWay Secures $1,700,000 Seed Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=35005e55-9b5e-4be9-bc04-ce56e500fde7 Date 7/23/2015 Company Name 1DocWay Mailing Address 447 Broadway 2nd Floor New York, NY 10013 USA Company Description Connect with local psychiatric hospitals, psychiatrists and APRN’s who tele-commute to your facility. Website http://www.1docway.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,700,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes Funding will be used to accelerate … Continue reading “1DocWay Secures $1,700,000 Seed Financing”

Collective Labs Incubating, Sharing Space with Up-and-Comers in NY

Inside what once was The New York Times Building on West 43rd Street, ad tech company Collective has given startups some room to find their footing—while also pursuing its own growth plans. Collective develops software and services that let brands, publishers, and marketers send advertising messages across devices from desktop computers to smartphones. For example, the … Continue reading “Collective Labs Incubating, Sharing Space with Up-and-Comers in NY”

With New Alzheimer’s Data, Biogen Refines Plans For Big Trial

Despite the billions of dollars poured into Alzheimer’s disease research, the disorder remains a biological riddle with no cure. That’s why even hints of progress—encouraging signs in early studies, for example—garner so much attention. And that’s why an update from an experimental drug from Biogen is front and center this morning. Today, at the annual … Continue reading “With New Alzheimer’s Data, Biogen Refines Plans For Big Trial”

In Biotech, Everyone’s Going Public. What’s Your Excuse?

Biotechs everywhere are going public these days. You might have heard. Approaching the traditional market lull in August, we’re up to nearly 40 life science IPOs in 2015, by my own count, with plenty more lined up. That’s more than half way to last year’s mark and already past the 2013 total. I weighed in … Continue reading “In Biotech, Everyone’s Going Public. What’s Your Excuse?”

Homer Logistics Receives New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1ef48a48-b218-4d21-a7e9-d7bacd94cf1e Date 7/22/2015 Company Name Homer Logistics Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description Homer uses technology to make food delivery faster, safer, and cheaper in the urban environment. Through the use of mobile tracking, routing, and communication, Homer delivers more orders in fewer miles traveled. Website http://www.homerlogistics.com Transaction … Continue reading “Homer Logistics Receives New Funding”

Viyet Garners $582,580 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b55c2961-4278-4312-8609-dcdb7b271181 Date 7/22/2015 Company Name Viyet Mailing Address 584 Broadway New York, NY 10012 USA Company Description Viyet is the design aficionado’s destination to buy and sell timeless furniture and accessories. We make it easy for owners of high-end furniture to sell their pieces when it comes time to move or redecorate. … Continue reading “Viyet Garners $582,580 New Funding Round”

Symbiont.io Lands New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c3a4d09-d3c3-4575-bd26-e42bfa23dc1e Date 7/22/2015 Company Name Symbiont.io Mailing Address 115 Broadway 12th Floor New York, NY 10006 USA Company Description Symbiont is building the first issuance and trading platform for smart securities on blockchain technology Website http://www.symbiont.io Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not … Continue reading “Symbiont.io Lands New Financing Round”

Why Vook Became Pronoun to Keep Chasing a Share of E-Publishing

With a new name and a few changes in strategy, a New York-based e-publishing company is still trying to become a central character in the next chapter of digital books. In June, Avalon Ventures invested $3.5 million into Pronoun, previously known as Vook. Pronoun’s CEO Josh Brody likens the evolution of digital publishing to the … Continue reading “Why Vook Became Pronoun to Keep Chasing a Share of E-Publishing”

Former Roche, Alexion Execs Head to Ophthotech

New York-based Ophthotech (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OPHT]]) today named former Roche ophthalmology executive David Shima its chief scientific officer. Shima also once worked at Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, which was founded many years ago by current Ophthotech executives. In addition, Ophthotech hired Henric Bjarke, formerly of Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALXN]]), as its chief commercial officer.

Krossover Garners $12,718,435 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=592e6d9f-f49d-4a8e-9647-6977c5c055d8 Date 7/21/2015 Company Name Krossover Mailing Address 148 W 24th Street 8th Floor New York, NY 10011 USA Company Description Krossover Intelligence is a New York City based technology company with a focus on the online video search industry. The company’s first vertical of choice is the sports world, with the … Continue reading “Krossover Garners $12,718,435 New Financing Round”

Apprenda Lands $24,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b7062d17-18c2-41a5-b6d3-e917d2957466 Date 7/21/2015 Company Name Apprenda Mailing Address 3 Corporate Drive Clifton Park, NY 12065 USA Company Description Apprenda is the pioneering developer of a general purpose platform for SaaS applications that focuses on smashing the cost and technical barriers associated with building enterprise grade SaaS applications, making SaaS accessible as a … Continue reading “Apprenda Lands $24,000,000 New Financing”

Insight’s Big Bets Drive Colorado’s VC Haul to $330M in 2nd Quarter

Companies in Colorado raised nearly $330.3 million from venture capital investors in the second quarter, a 185 percent jump from what they raised in the prior quarter, and while that increase might have locals smiling, a New York City-based private equity and VC firm might have the most to gain. Insight Venture Partners made the … Continue reading “Insight’s Big Bets Drive Colorado’s VC Haul to $330M in 2nd Quarter”

Rock the House—from Silicon Valley to China

It’s that time of the quarter, when venture capital fundraising data are released by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), possibly leaving all the sophisticated investors across the industry wringing their collective hands about frothiness. The latest data shows that VCs in 2Q15 raised over $10.4 billion (slightly revised upward from the amount first announced … Continue reading “Rock the House—from Silicon Valley to China”

Sharing Economy Companies Sharing the Heat In Contractor Controversy

[Corrected 7/31/15, 2:34 pm. See below.] For some time, Uber and other Silicon Valley tech companies have been fighting off lawsuits and other claims that their labor practices are unfair to on-demand workers they classify as independent contractors rather than as employees. The heat mounted this week on a number of fronts. The issue took … Continue reading “Sharing Economy Companies Sharing the Heat In Contractor Controversy”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celgene, Chiasma, Cerulean, & More

[Updated 7/19/15, 9:36 p.m. See below.] In this week’s Celgene roundup—sorry, this week’s biotech roundup—Celgene is yet again leading the way with its second billion-plus dollar deal in the last month. Beyond Celgene’s recent high level of activity, the last week has been defined by news that was expected to happen—from initial public offerings to data … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Celgene, Chiasma, Cerulean, & More”

Common Obtains $7,350,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=37da7c64-cc2b-4ce7-8945-024e68396611 Date 7/17/2015 Company Name Common Mailing Address Undisclosed Brooklyn, NY 11217 USA Company Description Common is a community offering flexible shared housing that makes it easy for people to find a place to live in major cities. Website http://www.hicommon.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,350,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds … Continue reading “Common Obtains $7,350,000 Series A Funding Round”

CredSimple Receives $1,500,000 Seed Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fbac9061-89ad-4b0f-958b-d900dd9b1f50 Date 7/17/2015 Company Name CredSimple Mailing Address 68 Jay Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA Company Description CredSimple aims to decrease the expense and time needed to verify health providers’ credentials. Website http://www.credsimple.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company is currently working with ten … Continue reading “CredSimple Receives $1,500,000 Seed Financing”

Celmatix Obtains $5,510,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c3557fa5-d00f-47b6-9630-f39184ad2df5 Date 7/17/2015 Company Name Celmatix Mailing Address 54 West 40th St. New York, NY 10018 USA Company Description Celmatix, Inc. is a New York City-based biotechnology company targeting the reproductive medicine sector with products designed to improve reproductive technologies and outcomes. Website http://www.celmatix.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,510,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Celmatix Obtains $5,510,000 New Funding Round”

Keybase Secures $10,800,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7c670035-f864-4004-bd51-325a76d44dd1 Date 7/17/2015 Company Name Keybase Mailing Address 157 Columbus Ave. 4th Floor New York, NY 10023 USA Company Description Keybase.io is also a Keybase client, however certain crypto actions (signing and decrypting) are limited to users who store client-encrypted copies of their private keys on the server, an optional feature we … Continue reading “Keybase Secures $10,800,000 Series A Funding Round”

Protagonist Nabs $40M, Eyes 1st Trial Of Oral Peptide In Gut Disease

Protagonist Therapeutics thinks it has solved a biological riddle, and several investors are shelling out $40 million to help test the company’s solution in humans for the first time before the end of 2015. If that first trial goes well, Protagonist’s investors might start dreaming of a big payoff. The drug being tested is in … Continue reading “Protagonist Nabs $40M, Eyes 1st Trial Of Oral Peptide In Gut Disease”

Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter

[Updated 7/17/15, 7:40 a.m. See below.] There’s plenty of talk about a potential bubble in the market, whether in tech, biotech, or elsewhere. True or not, one fact that’s real is that there is plenty of money flowing into startups. The second quarter of 2015 produced the highest level of venture funding since at least 2010, and possibly … Continue reading “Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter”

Spoon University Garners $2,000,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=60d62ea3-fdda-46ee-a2aa-053a478f46fc Date 7/16/2015 Company Name Spoon University Mailing Address 11 West 36th Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10018 USA Company Description Spoon University is the everyday food resource for our generation. We cover everything from the best local restaurants and simple, unintimidating recipes to how to navigate your first kitchen and … Continue reading “Spoon University Garners $2,000,000 Seed Funding”

Plated Secures $35,000,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=53f901b8-a389-4a13-85f0-3ffb13ad48de Date 7/16/2015 Company Name Plated Mailing Address Undisclosed New York, NY 10001 USA Company Description Plated features a variety of new chef-designed meals each week. Choose the meals you want and order online. No need to grocery shop or recipe hunt (we do it for you). Website http://www.plated.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Plated Secures $35,000,000 Series B Funding Round”

OkCupid Co-Founders Raise $10.8M for Crypto Service Keybase

Cryptography service startup Keybase has raised $10.8 million in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, according to a blog post by founders Max Krohn and Chris Coyne. Coyne and Krohn were two of the co-founders behind New York-based dating app and website OkCupid, which is now owned by Barry Diller’s IAC. The duo met fellow … Continue reading “OkCupid Co-Founders Raise $10.8M for Crypto Service Keybase”

EyeGate CEO: Valeant Deal Helps Company Avoid Mistakes of Past

For EyeGate Pharmaceuticals, the licensing deal it signed last week with Valeant Pharmaceuticals International provides the necessary cash to push forward a uveitis drug that has been in limbo since EyeGate raised less than expected in its initial public offering. EyeGate CEO Stephen From argues that it’s not just about the cash. It’s about the … Continue reading “EyeGate CEO: Valeant Deal Helps Company Avoid Mistakes of Past”

Techstars Alum DigitalOcean to Double Staff, Office Space with $83M

Next week, the team at DigitalOcean will move into a 30,000-square-foot office, in the same building but twice the size of its current digs, as it ramps up with more funding in hand. The New York-based company hosts cloud infrastructure, largely used by developers to build websites and apps. Along with the extra elbow room, … Continue reading “Techstars Alum DigitalOcean to Double Staff, Office Space with $83M”

StellaService Secures $15,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=91f4be2c-4b37-4811-adda-31c339c86da8 Date 7/15/2015 Company Name StellaService Mailing Address 75 Broad Street New York, NY 10004 USA Company Description We operate with a simple mission: to enhance transparency around the customer service of online businesses. Our goal is to guide online consumers to the sites that maintain the highest quality customer care. Website … Continue reading “StellaService Secures $15,000,000 New Funding”

VTS Receives $21,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3747d3e0-b6dc-4e76-a519-8ee6c1653fd8 Date 7/15/2015 Company Name VTS Mailing Address 142 West 36th Street 12th Floor New York, NY 10018 USA Company Description We wanted to create a platform that delivered you results, not just a listing; a place where real estate professionals could go to make decisions, not assumptions. We’ve worked with the … Continue reading “VTS Receives $21,000,000 New Funding Round”

Make Meaning Obtains $752,513 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c7e2c092-375d-44ec-9445-a9a3bd015781 Date 7/15/2015 Company Name Make Meaning Mailing Address 329 Columbus Avenue New York, NY 10023 USA Company Description Make Meaning is a new and fast growing retail concept in the interactive crafting entertainment industry. Make Meaning launched its prototype store in late 2010 in New York City. It opened its second … Continue reading “Make Meaning Obtains $752,513 New Financing”

Wish Acquires Locket for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7f604e6a-fbc1-4699-b0c3-3c0f9a3814fd Date 7/15/2015 Company Name Locket Mailing Address 305 Second Avenue New York, NY 10003 USA Company Description We’re Locket and we’re all about the lock screen. Smartphones are always evolving, but the lock screen hasn’t. Too many of us see the same old, boring picture. Website http://www.getlocket.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction … Continue reading “Wish Acquires Locket for Undisclosed Sum”

Celgene to Acquire San Diego’s Receptos for $7.2B in Cash

[Updated 7/14/15 5:15 pm. See below.] Drug maker Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]), based in Summit, NJ, has agreed to acquire San Diego-based Receptos (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RCPT]]) in a cash deal valued at $7.2 billion, the two companies announced today. Receptos, founded in 2009 and headed by CEO Faheem Hasnain since 2010, has been developing drugs that target … Continue reading “Celgene to Acquire San Diego’s Receptos for $7.2B in Cash”

As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education

The initial entrepreneur-investor meeting went well—I think. Venture capitalist Chris Lynch met Jonathan Cornelissen in a bar in Boston’s Back Bay. It was mid-May. The pitch part of the meeting was brief. The drinking part was not. “I ended up leaving without my shirt,” Lynch says. Literally: “I had a Sqrrl shirt on,” he says, … Continue reading “As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education”

With $21M More Funding, AnyClip Media Reopens New York Office

Israel’s AnyClip Media announced Tuesday it has raised $21 million and is reestablishing its New York office. The company has developed an online marketing platform for distributing branded videos. This is the same company co-founded by CEO Aaron Cohen and Nate Westheimer, former executive director of the New York Tech Meetup. Both Cohen and Westheimer left … Continue reading “With $21M More Funding, AnyClip Media Reopens New York Office”

Milestones Of Innovation 10: First Close-Up Of A Planet

Today, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, after more than nine years, 3 billion miles, and a brief view of Jupiter’s moon Io, is scheduled to capture the first close-up pictures from the distant minor planet Pluto and its flock of moons. It’s a fine way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this kind of high-tech virtual … Continue reading “Milestones Of Innovation 10: First Close-Up Of A Planet”

MedCPU Receives $8,000,000 Series B Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e3c6f8cf-8938-400b-bde4-68f3ee0a8f35 Date 7/14/2015 Company Name MedCPU Mailing Address 100 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 USA Company Description MedCPU was created by physicians with over 17 years experience in introducing clinical decision support technologies into the high acuity clinical settings. We understand the pressures of today’s healthcare environment, and the deficiencies of … Continue reading “MedCPU Receives $8,000,000 Series B Financing Round”

SocialFlow Secures $5,049,999 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dbb478d4-f483-4553-a3e8-a3f9f66c7950 Date 7/14/2015 Company Name SocialFlow Mailing Address 52 Vanderbilt Avenue 12th Floor New York, NY 10017 USA Company Description SocialFlow is a social media optimization platform that is used by media companies, retailers and brands to earn greater engagement, clicks, re-tweets, mentions and followers on Twitter. SocialFlow’s software ensures that you … Continue reading “SocialFlow Secures $5,049,999 New Funding”

Zeel Networks Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=afb1383d-d675-4fd0-88eb-d1b7b6924f20 Date 7/14/2015 Company Name Zeel Networks Mailing Address 33 West 17th Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10011 USA Company Description We created this site for health-conscious individuals looking for trusted information on health, wellness and beauty and an easy way to find and book the best practitioners in the business. … Continue reading “Zeel Networks Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round”

FanDuel Secures $275,000,000 Series E Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dd13f155-87f4-4bf1-8b13-d7c3c54b887d Date 7/14/2015 Company Name FanDuel Mailing Address 19 Union Square West 9th Floor New York, NY 10003 USA Company Description FanDuel.com lets you play and win at fantasy sports in a day instead of waiting the whole season. Players can draft a new team at any time, and pitch it head-to-head … Continue reading “FanDuel Secures $275,000,000 Series E Funding”

East Coast Biotech Roundup: Biogen, Epizyme, Armored CARS, & More

Biotech continued its active summer on the east coast this week, with everything from licensing deals to acquisitions to IPOs. Here are the highlights, in case you missed them. —After four years of revamping and rebuilding Biogen’s development pipeline, R&D chief Douglas Williams announced he is leaving the company to take the helm at a … Continue reading “East Coast Biotech Roundup: Biogen, Epizyme, Armored CARS, & More”

Five Lessons Every App Startup Should Learn

Mobile devices create plenty of pitfalls for entrepreneurs. The nuances of nailing not only the on-screen user experience, but the broader experience of integrating a piece of software into one’s everyday life dramatically increases the risk of failure. As a mobile entrepreneur, you have more variables that you need to test and control in your … Continue reading “Five Lessons Every App Startup Should Learn”

The Near Death, and Second Life, of Cerulean Pharma

It’s not often that a biotech with a single drug in clinical testing can bounce back from a trial that not only fails, but bombs spectacularly. But by the skin of its teeth, Cerulean Pharma has gotten that chance. Over the next year, Cerulean (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CERU]]) will produce data from four early and mid-stage clinical … Continue reading “The Near Death, and Second Life, of Cerulean Pharma”

InVisionApp Obtains $40,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5ea03504-04f9-48cf-9001-8e6a3f9065c3 Date 7/13/2015 Company Name InVisionApp Mailing Address 41 Madison 25th Floor New York, NY 10010 USA Company Description We created InVision because we felt strongly that for a prototype to effectively capture the attention of our stakeholders it had to have three things. Website http://www.invisionapp.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “InVisionApp Obtains $40,000,000 New Financing Round”

Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China

The question is no longer whether we are in a tech bubble—we are—but rather what it all means for the future. And maybe the near future. Everyone seems to agree the market conditions are very different from 2000, but so what? Uber’s valuation is north of $40 billion, and the company is losing money as … Continue reading “Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China”

Astro Twists in Its Smart Light Bulbs in Connected Apartments

For all their promise of transforming homes into something out of Star Trek, connected devices are still trying to find a place in the mainstream. New York-based Astro, a graduate of the R/GA Accelerator, is building hardware and software that CEO Shaun Springer says could cast “smart homes” in a new light. His company’s platform … Continue reading “Astro Twists in Its Smart Light Bulbs in Connected Apartments”

21st Century Cures Act Passes House, Now Must Navigate Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives took a big step this morning toward major changes in the federal government’s relationship to biomedical research, funding, and regulation. The chamber passed the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill championed early on by a Democrat and a Republican, by a vote of 344-77, an astonishing percentage in this age … Continue reading “21st Century Cures Act Passes House, Now Must Navigate Senate”