What an incredible time to be a tech startup! The opportunities out there are just tremendous. Digital payments, wearable technology, mobile healthcare, virtual reality and gamification, predictive analytics, and green tech—these are just a few of the startup areas that are expected to be big this year, according to venture capitalists and industry experts. “Full … Continue reading “My Best Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Tech Startups”
Category: Raleigh-Durham
NIH Director Hails “Stunning Case” as Example of Genomic Revolution
A pregnant mom who got a non-invasive prenatal test because she knew at age 40 that her baby was a higher risk for Down syndrome has become a case study in the potential power of precision medicine. The certified blood test, developed by San Diego-based Sequenom (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SQNM]]), is sensitive enough to identify bits of … Continue reading “NIH Director Hails “Stunning Case” as Example of Genomic Revolution”
G20 Ventures Closes $63M Fund for East Coast Enterprise Tech
Smaller, faster, cheaper: it’s a trend in early-stage tech venture capital that mirrors the rise of the computing industry. The latest exhibit is G20 Ventures, a Boston-based investment firm that has closed its first fund at $63.45 million. G20 was founded by Bob Hower and Bill Wiberg, both general partners at Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV). … Continue reading “G20 Ventures Closes $63M Fund for East Coast Enterprise Tech”
Semprius Obtains $642,110 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=26df74a6-7acd-4714-a545-483af603f561 Date 3/5/2015 Company Name Semprius Mailing Address 4915 Prospectus Drive Durham, NC 27713 USA Company Description Semprius, Inc. is commercializing a newly invented process for printing high performance single crystal semiconductors on any substrate, including glass, plastic and other semiconductor materials. Website http://www.semprius.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $642,110 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Semprius Obtains $642,110 New Financing Round”
North Carolina Tech Investments Outpaced Life Science Deals in 2014
At a North Carolina conference full of life science professionals, technology companies made the loudest investment noise. Investments in tech companies last year outpaced life science dealflow, both in total dollars raised and the number of deals—the first time in a long time that tech deals overshadowed life science deals. A total of 83 tech … Continue reading “North Carolina Tech Investments Outpaced Life Science Deals in 2014”
Vascular Pharmaceuticals Receives $9,000,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=681c8f40-7202-4ab8-8d09-606136ab02ce Date 3/4/2015 Company Name Vascular Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 510 Meadowmont Village Way Chapel Hill, NC 27517 USA Company Description Vascular Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics targeting the treatment of diabetes associated complications. Website http://www.vascularpharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $9,000,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “Vascular Pharmaceuticals Receives $9,000,000 Series A Funding”
Vascular Pharmaceuticals Lands $9M For Diabetes Drug Trials
Patients whose diabetes has progressed to a type of kidney damage called diabetic nephropathy have few treatment options available to them. Some doctors treat the condition with blood pressure medication. But there are no FDA-approved drugs to specifically treat diabetic nephropathy, which can lead to end-stage renal failure. At that stage, patients will likely need … Continue reading “Vascular Pharmaceuticals Lands $9M For Diabetes Drug Trials”
Focused on Glaucoma, Aerie Looks Toward Unblinding Critical Data
Glaucoma is a ripe opportunity for drug developers. Generics litter the field, yet it’s a roughly $5 billion market that will only grow with an aging population. What’s more, nothing out there cures the disease. Patients typically take eye drops, chronically, for the rest of their lives. In other words, there’s room for innovation. That’s … Continue reading “Focused on Glaucoma, Aerie Looks Toward Unblinding Critical Data”
Tiger Teams, Dropping Subs, and Biotech’s Elusive Second Strikes
Onesie-twosie? Double dipping? The old razzle dazzle? Whatever you call it, it’s a rare feat to sell a biotech company, hold something back to start a new company, then ride that second horse to success. The team behind Flexus Biosciences is halfway there, as I wrote about last week. They sold a preclinical cancer immunotherapy … Continue reading “Tiger Teams, Dropping Subs, and Biotech’s Elusive Second Strikes”
Chimerix Drug Shows Promise As Virus Fighter for Transplant Patients
The commonly found adenovirus poses little problem for healthy people, whose immune systems can fight the respiratory and gastrointestinal infections the virus can cause. But in bone marrow and organ transplant patients, adenovirus often becomes deadly. Their weakened immune systems can’t fight off the virus, which studies show can be fatal in up to 80 … Continue reading “Chimerix Drug Shows Promise As Virus Fighter for Transplant Patients”
Cancer Immunotherapy Companies: Looking Forward and Looking Back
[Updated, 4/7/15, see below] I’ve been researching one of our local immunotherapy developers here in Seattle, trying to round up the views of industry experts regarding the future prospects of a drug at the front of its pipeline. Do they think it’s a good investment? Here’s what I found out: Analysts predict that sales of … Continue reading “Cancer Immunotherapy Companies: Looking Forward and Looking Back”
Innovation Hub: Advertising’s New Age
A product, a camera phone, and a sensor. Those may be the essential tools of advertising in the 21st century. Increasingly, we’re witnessing the disappearance of the classic, 30-second ad. Now products are looking to lure us with humor (I’m looking at you, Old Spice Guy) or whiz-bang theatrics (think Jean-Claude Van Damme straddling Volvos). … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Advertising’s New Age”
Milestones of Innovation 3: ‘Modern Pioneers’ at the Waldorf–1940
When people made lists of leading innovators 75 years ago, they saw a landscape very different from today’s for putting discoveries, techniques, money, workers, and customers together to get something new and useful onto the market. In the brief interval between the Depression and World War II, the dominant factor was the large, vertically integrated … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 3: ‘Modern Pioneers’ at the Waldorf–1940”
Physcient Garners $1,168,118 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ff97113-428f-411e-93b9-9fc6b26fdab3 Date 2/26/2015 Company Name Physcient Mailing Address 112 S Duke St. Durham, NC 27701 USA Company Description Physcient develops new technologies for the life and health sciences. Website http://www.physcient.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,168,118 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology company … Continue reading “Physcient Garners $1,168,118 New Round”
To Manage a Successful Sports Team, Focus on Data
The mantra of youth sports where “everyone gets a trophy” is permeating professional leagues. These days every team can claim some semblance of winning. In the bygone era of the NFL, two teams made the playoffs and that consisted of one game, the Super Bowl. Today six teams from each conference advance, and there is … Continue reading “To Manage a Successful Sports Team, Focus on Data”
Financial Software Startup nCino Banks $29M in Series B Round
[Updated 2/24/15, 4:19 pm. See below] Cloud banking software company nCino has raised $29 million in a Series B round of financing as the startup charts a growth course that could take its offering into bigger banks and international markets. Insight Venture Partners led the round, which also included investments from existing investors Wellington Management; … Continue reading “Financial Software Startup nCino Banks $29M in Series B Round”
Raleigh-Durham Roundup: LabCorp, Alevo, Piedmont Pharma, & More
Here are the headlines from the past week in North Carolina tech, biotech, and cleantech news. —LabCorp completed its $6.2 billion acquisition of Covance. Burlington, NC-based LabCorp (NYSE:[[ticker:LH]]), announced last November an agreement to acquire New Jersey-based Covance, a provider of outsourced services to the pharmaceutical industry. LabCorp, a laboratory testing and diagnostics company, says … Continue reading “Raleigh-Durham Roundup: LabCorp, Alevo, Piedmont Pharma, & More”
Ecomdash Garners $1,200,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0164688f-78f6-4a4f-9e8b-0f0ae4c65540 Date 2/24/2015 Company Name Ecomdash Mailing Address 9319 Robert D. Snyder Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28223 USA Company Description Above all, we exist to make our customers lives easier and more efficient. That’s what really matters to us. When a customer shares that our tool has allowed them to relax and get … Continue reading “Ecomdash Garners $1,200,000 New Funding”
BioMedomics Obtains $275,752 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=67bc41f9-c45e-40f0-9536-f888b1415eff Date 2/24/2015 Company Name BioMedomics Mailing Address 6 Davis Dr. Durham, NC 27709 USA Company Description BioMedomics is a privately held bioscience and medical device company with facilities located in Research Triangle Park which is one of the most prominent high-tech R&D centers in the United States. Website http://www.biomedomics.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “BioMedomics Obtains $275,752 New Funding”
nCino Receives $29,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a128c905-f08c-440e-acfb-cb920978f782 Date 2/24/2015 Company Name nCino Mailing Address 2605 Iron Gate Drive Wilmington, NC 28412 USA Company Description Through its flagship Bank Operating System solution, nCino leverages the power of the Salesforce Platform to provide small- to mid-sized financial institutions with superior transparency and clarity into their existing loan production pipelines. Website … Continue reading “nCino Receives $29,000,000 Series B Funding”
Triangle Startup Weekend Unites Educators, Entrepreneurs
Educators and entrepreneurs converged during the latest iteration of Triangle Startup Weekend in Raleigh, NC, to brainstorm and launch ideas aimed at solving problems in the K-12 system. During the final hours of the event Feb. 22, 10 teams scrambled to finish demos of products designed to address issues such as student engagement, parent-teacher communication, … Continue reading “Triangle Startup Weekend Unites Educators, Entrepreneurs”
Valeant to Acquire Specialty Pharma Salix in $14.5B Deal
Valeant Pharmaceuticals has reached an agreement to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals in a cash deal that values the gastrointestinal drug company at $14.5 billion, the companies said Sunday. Under the definitive agreement, Valeant (NYSE: [[ticker:VRX]]) based near Montreal, Canada, will acquire Raleigh, NC-based Salix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SLXP]]) for $158 per share, a modest premium given the stock’s … Continue reading “Valeant to Acquire Specialty Pharma Salix in $14.5B Deal”
Innovation Hub: Meet the Science Evangelist
Ainissa Ramirez says she’s a “Science Evangelist,” and she travels the country to preach her gospel in classrooms. As a result, the former Yale professor hopes to invigorate students, amping up their engagement with everything from nanotech to material science. I talked to her about how you help a generation of kids find their inner … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Meet the Science Evangelist”
Fears Percolate as Billion-Dollar Private Company Valuations Climb
There are 73 private companies in the world with valuations of more than $1 billion, up from 40 just one year ago, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Some of those 40 companies are no longer on the list. Beats, valued in February 2014 at $1.1 billion, was sold to … Continue reading “Fears Percolate as Billion-Dollar Private Company Valuations Climb”
For Life Science Industry, Social Media Takes on New Significance
It seemed like a question out of left field at the time: “How many of you maintain and monitor Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr accounts?” The question was posed by Jeremy Levin, former president and CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: [[ticker:TEVA]]), and just a few hands went up at the 2014 CED Life Science conference … Continue reading “For Life Science Industry, Social Media Takes on New Significance”
Heat Biologics, OncoSec Collaborate on Cancer Immunotherapy
Heat Biologics and OncoSec Medical are joining forces to see how their different approaches to cancer immunotherapy might work together. Durham, NC-based Heat (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HTBX]]) and San Diego-based OncoSec (OTC: [[ticker:ONCS]]) announced the collaboration Wednesday. No financial terms were disclosed. Heat has developed a technology platform that introduces antigens that share characteristics of cancer cells. … Continue reading “Heat Biologics, OncoSec Collaborate on Cancer Immunotherapy”
Biotech M&A by Slow Simmer: An Inside Look at the Build to Buy Deal
Here’s a question for consideration: What does it mean to acquire a virtual, single asset biotech that was ‘built’ for the sole purpose of being bought? The answer is much more complex than you might think. In this post I’ll explain by peeking under the hood at The Medicines Co.’s recent acquisition of Annovation Biopharma, … Continue reading “Biotech M&A by Slow Simmer: An Inside Look at the Build to Buy Deal”
Ready, Aim, CRISPR: Will Gene-Editing Tools Hit Their Targets?
Gene therapy is finally upon us. After more than two decades of work, one product is approved in Europe. Others are steadily advancing through clinical trials, and gene therapy companies are doing big deals and raising big sums of cash. Now here comes a more precise version of gene therapy—gene editing. Instead of trying to … Continue reading “Ready, Aim, CRISPR: Will Gene-Editing Tools Hit Their Targets?”
Bet the Jockey…and the Horse…and the Track
Earlier this month we announced a new investment in Iora Health, a fascinating company run by an extraordinary entrepreneur transforming an enormous sector of the healthcare economy: primary care. Rushika Fernandopulle (CEO and co-founder) is fundamentally re-architecting how many of us will buy and consume primary care—and in so doing, he has created a passionate, … Continue reading “Bet the Jockey…and the Horse…and the Track”
Innovation Hub: The Data Behind Online Dating
Online dating is big business. As of last year, it’s worth over 2 billion dollars, having grown at a steady 3.5 percent rate since 2008. And that big business has transformed the way we find love. If you’re getting married this year, there’s a one in three chance that you’ve met your spouse online. That’s … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: The Data Behind Online Dating”
Bivarus Secures $1,900,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=22e8721c-0ff0-4c43-9162-312d1b274db7 Date 2/13/2015 Company Name Bivarus Mailing Address 318 Blackwell Street Durham, NC 27701 USA Company Description Bivarus is the response to the frustration that exists with current measurement tools and their inherent lack of precision and actionable findings to improve care delivery for hospital-based outpatient services, community-based clinics, and group practices. … Continue reading “Bivarus Secures $1,900,000 Series A Financing”
Stats Acquires Automated Insights for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6de2f62a-6349-42cb-8e75-73596bc517dd Date 2/13/2015 Company Name Automated Insights Mailing Address 512 S Mangum St. Durham, NC 27701 USA Company Description Automated Insights’ patented Wordsmith platform transforms Big Data into narrative reports by spotting patterns, correlations and key insights in the data and then describing them in plain English, just like a human would. … Continue reading “Stats Acquires Automated Insights for Undisclosed Sum”
Big Data Startup Automated Insights Acquired by Vista Equity
Automated Insights, a startup whose software turns “big data” into plain English, has been acquired by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners. The deal will bring the Durham, NC, company under STATS, a Chicago sports-data company that Vista acquired last year. No financial terms were disclosed for the Automated Insights deal. The company had raised … Continue reading “Big Data Startup Automated Insights Acquired by Vista Equity”
NIH Opens Discussion: How to Build a U.S. Health Research Database?
National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins kicked off a two-day meeting in Bethesda, MD, this morning to discuss how to turn President Obama’s call for a national health research database into reality. The database, which NIH officials are calling the National Research Cohort, is one of two main thrusts of the administration’s precision medicine … Continue reading “NIH Opens Discussion: How to Build a U.S. Health Research Database?”
Health Analytics Firm Bivarus Raises $1.9M for Patient Software
Hospitals often try to improve their services by getting direct feedback from customers—their patients. But even when patient surveys are electronic, many patients decline to respond to all of the questions, if they bother to respond at all. Bivarus is addressing that problem with a software platform that simplifies the patient’s experience while giving hospitals, … Continue reading “Health Analytics Firm Bivarus Raises $1.9M for Patient Software”
WedPics Garners $2,250,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dd984f78-9c59-4c20-9369-83fc027a3db6 Date 2/11/2015 Company Name WedPics Mailing Address Undisclosed Raleigh-Durham, NC 27634 USA Company Description WedPics is a fun and easy way to capture and share all of your guests’ photos in a single interactive album. Website http://www.wedpics.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,250,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “WedPics Garners $2,250,000 Series B Financing”
“21st Century Cures” By Year’s End? Its Backers Want More Ideas
If you have an idea to include in the bipartisan initiative known as 21st Century Cures, Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) say they are all ears. But speak up quickly: They want to present a bill to the House of Representatives by Memorial Day. That was the message the two members of Congress … Continue reading ““21st Century Cures” By Year’s End? Its Backers Want More Ideas”
Metasurvey Says: Fewer Biopharmas Capturing More Venture Dollars
In biotech, young companies have been raising money from public and private investors alike at an astounding rate. But all the rain isn’t letting a thousand flowers bloom. In other words, there’s more money going into new biopharma companies, but the cash is not being spread widely. That’s according to a new survey released today … Continue reading “Metasurvey Says: Fewer Biopharmas Capturing More Venture Dollars”
Kickstarter Report: Top Crowdfunded Tech Projects in North Carolina
The top Kickstarter-backed North Carolina technology projects in 2014 tilted toward consumer convenience. Tired of fumbling with how to plug in the charging cord for your electronic devices? A company called BelayCords developed a cord that solves that problem. Want to keep beverages hot or find an easier way to channel-surf television channels? Those are … Continue reading “Kickstarter Report: Top Crowdfunded Tech Projects in North Carolina”
Resistance Is Futile: Why That’s A Good Thing In Biomedicine
Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation are very familiar with the Borg, a society of cybernetic individuals linked together in a collective mindset. The Borg navigate the universe in cube-shaped spacecraft actively seeking members of other races to absorb into their collective. Whenever others oppose their efforts, the Borg let them know, in no … Continue reading “Resistance Is Futile: Why That’s A Good Thing In Biomedicine”
Innovation on Kickstarter: The 10 Top-Funded Tech Ideas of 2014
A lot of ink has been spilled about the Coolest Cooler, a re-imagined picnic cooler equipped with a built-in blender, waterproof Bluetooth speaker, and UBS charger (among other things). To fund the project, inventor Ryan Grepper of Portland, OR, raised a record $13.3 million from 62,642 backers last summer on Kickstarter. The $13.3 million Grepper … Continue reading “Innovation on Kickstarter: The 10 Top-Funded Tech Ideas of 2014”
Milestones of Innovation 2: Gregor Mendel on Heredity, 1865
Today, as 150 years ago, for an innovation to happen, the idea it rests on must be understood by the people who hear it. On the 8th of February and the 8th of March 1865, the Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel told his local natural science society about a decade of results from thousands of cross-breeding … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 2: Gregor Mendel on Heredity, 1865”
Innovation Hub: Meet Amy, Your AI Assistant
Amy Ingram is the most well-liked personal assistant in New York City. She was created by Dennis Mortensen to do a real job: schedule business meetings. And, given the fact that she’s artificially intelligent, she’s very good at it. But Mortensen, CEO and founder of x.ai, envisions more. His AI trainers are researching ways to … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Meet Amy, Your AI Assistant”
The Clean Energy Promise of Student Entrepreneurs
[This article was co-authored by MBA candidates Molly Bales and Eric Kirchblum at the MIT Sloan School of Management.] Cleantech investing has taken quite a hit in recent years. Last year, CBS News highlighted the “cleantech crash” on U.S. primetime television, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a Bloomberg-owned energy data firm, has tracked the multi-year … Continue reading “The Clean Energy Promise of Student Entrepreneurs”
FDA’s Hamburg Stepping Down With Biopharma Turnaround as Her Legacy
[Corrected 2/6/15, 2:40 pm. See below.] FDA Commissioner Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg will step down in March after nearly six eventful years, transforming the agency from one of the life science industry’s biggest bete noirs into, arguably, a fairly reliable arbiter for innovators. She announced her decision this morning in an open letter to FDA employees. … Continue reading “FDA’s Hamburg Stepping Down With Biopharma Turnaround as Her Legacy”
Cancer Drug Developer G1 Therapeutics Closes $33M Series B Round
G1 Therapeutics CEO Mark Velleca knows that three large pharmaceutical companies are researching the same cancer target as his tiny startup. But even though Velleca concedes those companies are ahead for now, he believes G1 can eventually stand out against those bigger, better-financed counterparts by taking a different approach. Now the Research Triangle Park, NC-based … Continue reading “Cancer Drug Developer G1 Therapeutics Closes $33M Series B Round”
G1 Therapeutics Receives $33,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b85b0b86-ca85-462d-998f-22b61024aa30 Date 2/5/2015 Company Name G1 Therapeutics Mailing Address 79 T.W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA Company Description G1 Therapeutics is working to commercialize a proprietary small molecule-based approach to protect the bone marrow from damage due to chemotherapy or radiation. Website http://www.g1therapeutics.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “G1 Therapeutics Receives $33,000,000 Series B Funding”
Digital Marketer MaxPoint Interactive Files Plans for IPO
Digital marketing company MaxPoint Interactive, a company founded and led by former eBay (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EBAY]]) executives, has filed paperwork to raise an estimated $75 million in an initial public offering of stock. Morrisville, NC-based MaxPoint’s software analyzes “big data” to develop targeted marketing campaigns that help national retailers boost sales—not online, but at their brick … Continue reading “Digital Marketer MaxPoint Interactive Files Plans for IPO”
Tradier Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=baec03c5-abb4-4f87-93aa-2e6ccff49abb Date 2/4/2015 Company Name Tradier Mailing Address 11016 Rushmore Drive Charlotte, NC 28277 USA Company Description Tradier, Inc. is a financial services cloud provider that offers a groundbreaking solution to serve platform providers, developers and investors. The Tradier solution features an innovative set of fully hosted APIs, modules and out of … Continue reading “Tradier Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing Round”
Report: Troubled Salix Emerges as Valeant’s Latest Takeover Target
Rocked by accounting problems, Salix Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SLXP]] is now in the sights of serial acquirer Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: [[ticker:VRX]]), according to a report from Bloomberg News. Valeant’s exploration of a bid comes a week after news surfaced that the Raleigh, NC-based Salix, a gastrointestinal drug maker, had hired third party advisors to consider … Continue reading “Report: Troubled Salix Emerges as Valeant’s Latest Takeover Target”