The Wellcome Trust has funding opportunities for biomedical technologies and therapies that address an unfilled medical need or are an enabling tool in healthcare research and development. The Wellcome Trust is the UK’s largest provider of non-governmental funding for scientific research, with an endowment of over $21 billion. Leading representatives of the trust plan to … Continue reading “Prescience Event at Janssen Labs: Meet the Wellcome Trust”
Category: San Diego
Meet the San Diego Tech Coast Angels
The Tech Coast Angels invites San Diego’s up and coming entrepreneurs to “Meet the Angels.” The San Diego Tech Coast Angels has capital to help get promising entrepreneurs started, and the expertise to help guide the business. More information and online registration is here.
Reproductive Biology and the $25M Michelson Prize
The San Diego Biotechnology Network (SDBN) has arranged for Barbara Durrant, director of reproductive physiology at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research and Becky Cyr, program coordinator for the Michelson Prize & Grants in Reproductive Biology to speak at its February meeting. The Michelson Prize and the Found Animals Foundation are sponsoring the … Continue reading “Reproductive Biology and the $25M Michelson Prize”
UCSD Entrepreneur Challenge: Elevator Pitch Competition
UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla will deliver the keynote address for the Seventh Annual UCSD Entrepreneur Challenge Elevator Pitch Competition. Finalists from two tracks—Life Sciences and General Technology Innovation—will present their work without notes or slides in two minutes before a live audience. More information and online registration is here.
Rock Stars of Innovation Summit
Connect and Xconomy are putting the band back together again, and this year’s Rock Stars of Innovation Summit again has some marquee names on the agenda, including 3D Robotics Founder and former Wired editor Chris Anderson. We’ll also have many of the nation’s most-prominent VC investors on hand, including Versant Ventures, DFJ Frontier, and North … Continue reading “Rock Stars of Innovation Summit”
Executive Training: From Laboratory to Leadership
This is the second session in a four-day program. With help from Biocom, The Leadership Edge has developed the Laboratory to Leadership Series as a four-day program designed to turn science-minded managers into capable business leaders. These courses are designed exclusively for managers in scientific fields to provide the core management skills needed to fully … Continue reading “Executive Training: From Laboratory to Leadership”
San Diego’s EcoATM Raises $40M to Add 600+ Recycling Kiosks
San Diego’s EcoATM, which operates automated kiosks that enable consumers to recycle their mobile devices, says it has raised $40 million in debt financing from Boston’s Falcon Investment Advisors to expand beyond its existing network of 300 kiosks in 20 states. In the statement, EcoATM chairman and CEO Tom Tullie says, “There’s still a large … Continue reading “San Diego’s EcoATM Raises $40M to Add 600+ Recycling Kiosks”
But This Internet Had Such Promise!
It wasn’t the astonishing and radical new technology of the Internet that transformed my life in graduate school and defined my career, it was the possibilities. To a callow youth with a vivid imagination, the next 50 years of my life seemed instantly visible, so I joined the growing army of people with whom I … Continue reading “But This Internet Had Such Promise!”
Is Jon Carder from Mars? The Contrarian Views of Mogl’s Founding CEO
The Mogl headquarters in San Diego is designed around two long tables with dozens of workstations, where staffers manage different aspects of the company’s business—a Web-based platform for cultivating customer loyalty. In one corner, there is a game room with a foosball table and video games. Mogl founder and CEO Jon Carder, who is leading … Continue reading “Is Jon Carder from Mars? The Contrarian Views of Mogl’s Founding CEO”
FreedomPop Receives $4,300,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=46d80059-4255-4cd6-bf3e-343c01c74212&Preview=1 Date 2/7/2013 Company Name FreedomPop Mailing Address 18757 Burbank Blvd. Tarzana, CA 91356 Company Description FreedomPop is the nations first wireless internet provider committed to delivering 100% free internet with 4G broadband wireless internet access. FreedomPop’s partnered with leading wholesale 4G Wimax and 4G LTE wireless internet networks to deliver the … Continue reading “FreedomPop Receives $4,300,000 New Financing”
The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged
Much is being said on a daily basis about the “Series A crunch.” Supposedly, there aren’t enough venture investors to support all the startups winning seed funding these days. I will give you my thoughts on how to deal with the issue. Please note that this advice is entirely for entrepreneurs, not investors. First and … Continue reading “The Series A Crunch: Don’t Get Discouraged”
Sotera Wireless Lands $14,800,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6cc5cae0-651b-48a1-bd79-038a5143dd2c&Preview=1 Date 2/6/2013 Company Name Sotera Wireless Mailing Address 9444 Waples Street San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description Our vision is to revolutionize patient safety by enabling the early detection of deterioration in patients who are mobile and free to move about in the hospital or the home. With adequate warning of … Continue reading “Sotera Wireless Lands $14,800,000 New Financing”
Tapiture Obtains $825,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=38904a34-22ac-4168-aa54-076b2ae6a4f9&Preview=1 Date 2/6/2013 Company Name Tapiture Mailing Address 701 Ocean Front Walk Venice, CA 90291 Company Description Tapiture is a place to discover, share and buy the best stuff online. Whether you are in to tech gadgets, stuff for your home, traveling abroad or just looking good, Tapiture makes it easy to … Continue reading “Tapiture Obtains $825,000 Seed Funding Round”
TherOx Lands $3,494,690 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=aa5f7297-814a-4f99-8833-997bd9402a15&Preview=1 Date 2/6/2013 Company Name TherOx Mailing Address 17500 Cartwright Rd. Irvine, CA 92614-5846 Company Description TherOx is a private, venture financed medical device company based in Irvine, California. Website http://www.therox.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,494,690 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms … Continue reading “TherOx Lands $3,494,690 New Funding”
ecoATM Garners $41,504,733 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f702a722-f98c-4626-8728-c5b4b5d0be57&Preview=1 Date 2/6/2013 Company Name ecoATM Mailing Address 10515 Vista Sorrento Parkway San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description Solving the eWaste problem on a broad scale requires the collaboration of the OEM’s that make the devices, the retailers that sell them, and the consumers that buy and retire them. Website http://www.ecoatm.com Transaction … Continue reading “ecoATM Garners $41,504,733 New Funding”
JMI Equity, IGC Sink $31M for Strategic Growth at WhiteHat Security
WhiteHat Security, the Santa Clara, CA-based Web security company founded in 2001 by Jeremiah Grossman, has closed on $31 million in funding from a new investor, JMI Equity, and Investor Growth Capital, an existing investor. Both firms specialize in expansion stage investments in IT companies. In a statement today, WhiteHat says it secures the Web … Continue reading “JMI Equity, IGC Sink $31M for Strategic Growth at WhiteHat Security”
J&J Creates Space at Janssen Labs for Life Sciences Entrepreneurs
Johnson & Johnson’s innovation center, Janssen Labs, has admitted 18 early stage companies since opening its “no strings attached” business accelerator program in San Diego a year ago. Now the incubator is opening its doors to solo entrepreneurs as well. In a statement today, Janssen Research & Development says it is making room at Janssen … Continue reading “J&J Creates Space at Janssen Labs for Life Sciences Entrepreneurs”
Livrada Lands $730,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4d343e4b-35df-4532-8356-cec48566ad13&Preview=1 Date 2/5/2013 Company Name Livrada Mailing Address 103 E Lemon Ave Morovia, CA 91016 Company Description Livrada was founded to make e-book gifting more personal. For centuries, people have given books to each other. Books are the perfect gift; meaningful and personal, a book reflects the thought that the gift-giver put … Continue reading “Livrada Lands $730,000 New Funding Round”
Executive Training: From Laboratory to Leadership
With help from Biocom, The Leadership Edge has developed the four-day program “From Laboratory to Leadership” to turn science-minded managers into capable business leaders. These courses are designed exclusively for managers in scientific fields to provide the core management skills needed to fully leverage the human capital of life sciences companies. More information and online … Continue reading “Executive Training: From Laboratory to Leadership”
Legend3D Closes $8M Round; Moves San Diego HQ Closer to Hollywood
Legend3D, which specializes in creating 3D visual effects for cinema and digital media, says today it has closed on $8 million in new funding, shortly after moving its headquarters from San Diego into a new “state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot studio in Carlsbad, CA. Augustus Ventures and Northwater Capital Management led the deal, which was described as a … Continue reading “Legend3D Closes $8M Round; Moves San Diego HQ Closer to Hollywood”
Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program—Lessons Learned
I ran into Ricardo Dos Santos and his amazing Qualcomm Venture Fest a few years ago and was astonished with its breath and depth. From that day on, when I got asked about which corporate innovation program had the best process for idea selection, I started my list with Qualcomm. This is part 2 of … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program—Lessons Learned”
What’s in a Name? A Lot, When It Comes to ‘Precision Medicine’
Personalized medicine was supposed to be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was going to be the payoff our society would see after investing in the Human Genome Project and so much other biomedical research. While most people on the street can’t say what it means, anybody can understand the … Continue reading “What’s in a Name? A Lot, When It Comes to ‘Precision Medicine’”
GluMetrics Receives $3,003,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=770e069d-f4f3-46b8-bdea-1f822f600507&Preview=1 Date 2/4/2013 Company Name GluMetrics Mailing Address 15375 Barranca Parkway Irvine, CA 92618 Company Description GluMetrics, Inc. is a medical device company focusing patented technology on a currently shifting paradigm in the care of critically ill patients. Website http://www.glumetrics.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,003,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “GluMetrics Receives $3,003,000 New Round”
Legend3D Garners $8,000,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4a5e6b70-3279-402f-9386-cd0941c08616&Preview=1 Date 2/4/2013 Company Name Legend3D Mailing Address 3721 Valley Centre Drive 5th Floor San Diego, CA 92130 Company Description Legend3D, Inc., is a leading digital media technology company that specializes in using its proprietary image processing technology and artistry to create greater value from entertainment assets for its clients. Legend3D’s technology … Continue reading “Legend3D Garners $8,000,000 Series B Financing Round”
Ellie Secures $2,000,000 Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=121c760e-e823-477d-88c2-f1b112da7b72&Preview=1 Date 2/2/2013 Company Name Ellie Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90001 Company Description Ellie makes high-end, comfortable, fashionable tank tops, workout shirts, yoga pants, hoodies, and leggings for women out of the very same fabric as the aforementioned womenswear giant – a technical performance fabric called Eclon, that the latter … Continue reading “Ellie Secures $2,000,000 Seed Financing”
Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy
The cost of ubiquitous cyber attacks and cyber probes in the United States and the rest of the world is a staggering, ever-growing challenge. Antivirus firm Symantec estimated the 2011 global price tag of direct financial loss and the cost of remediating attacks at $338 billion, excluding the theft of intellectual property and damage from … Continue reading “Cyber Attacks: A Growing Threat to the U.S. Economy”
How Lytro is Shifting Our Perspective on Photography
The first time I got to play with a Lytro light-field camera was in March, 2012. If I had to sum up my reaction in eight words, it would be: “Concept: Mind-blowing. Execution: Not quite there yet.” It was clear that the technology inside the camera—which makes it possible to refocus a picture after it’s … Continue reading “How Lytro is Shifting Our Perspective on Photography”
Ivantis Secures $27,000,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9f60c94a-68a9-4e31-9a18-67b09bd667da&Preview=1 Date 2/1/2013 Company Name Ivantis Mailing Address 13766 Alton Parkway Irvine, CA 92618 Company Description The company provides medical devices for the treatment of glaucoma. Website http://www.ivantisinc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $27,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes These funds will be used to support four randomized, prospective, controlled … Continue reading “Ivantis Secures $27,000,000 Series B Funding”
TakeLessons Receives $4,000,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=514e6875-9897-45de-9551-9117af84cfeb&Preview=1 Date 2/1/2013 Company Name TakeLessons Mailing Address 350 10th Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 Company Description TakeLessons is America’s full-service music and voice lessons provider. It was founded in 2004 to help people discover their creativity and pursue their passions. With lessons taught by Certified TakeLessons™ instructors in thousands of cities … Continue reading “TakeLessons Receives $4,000,000 Series A Funding Round”
Glow Digital Media Secures $1,300,000 Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2bd49782-c92a-430a-87a5-d9876fc45dd4&Preview=1 Date 2/1/2013 Company Name Glow Digital Media Mailing Address 130 W. Union Street Pasadena, CA 91103 Company Description Glow provides amazing value and first class service to well over 80 sophisticated, performance customers around the world and many global agencies. Glow has been working with the Facebook Ads API since its … Continue reading “Glow Digital Media Secures $1,300,000 Seed Funding”
Take Lessons Raises $4M in Expanded Round, Plans Expanded Services
After raising $6 million in mid-2011, San Diego’s TakeLessons says today it has raised another $4 million to improve its online services for music teachers and students, and to move into related markets. The follow-on Series A financing, led by Triangle Peak Partners of Palo Alto, CA, brings the company’s total venture funding to more … Continue reading “Take Lessons Raises $4M in Expanded Round, Plans Expanded Services”
California Stem Cell Agency Shifts Focus to Clinical Treatments
California’s stem cell research funding agency has been shifting gears, and California entrepreneurs stand to benefit. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars over the next four years to support early stage clinical trials and other work toward regulatory approval of commercial therapies. What’s more, industry advisors … Continue reading “California Stem Cell Agency Shifts Focus to Clinical Treatments”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Isis, Afraxis, Organovo, & More
Developments at Isis and Afraxis were the main events for the local biotech crowd this week, with Isis winning FDA approval for its first-in-class antisense drug and Afraxis licensing all of its drug compounds to Genentech. Here’s my roundup. —The price of shares in Isis Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ISIS]]) gained 9.8 percent yesterday, closing at $14.69 … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Isis, Afraxis, Organovo, & More”
Monsanto Acquires Parts of Agradis, Partners with Synthetic Genomics
Just over 15 months ago, the genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter told me he had decided to spin out some plant breeding and genomics technologies from San Diego’s Synthetic Genomics to form a new agricultural biotech called Agradis. Now the big multinational agricultural giant Monsanto (NYSE: [[ticker:MON]]) says it has purchased certain technology assets from … Continue reading “Monsanto Acquires Parts of Agradis, Partners with Synthetic Genomics”
Genentech Acquires aFraxis for $187,500,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=380e6c9b-72ff-4c13-b48e-acfc9115e51e&Preview=1 Date 1/31/2013 Company Name aFraxis Mailing Address 11099 N Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla, CA 92037 Company Description Afraxis is discovering and developing drugs to treat diseases of the central nervous system, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorders. Recent scientific discoveries have linked these disorders to … Continue reading “Genentech Acquires aFraxis for $187,500,000”
The Post-Kickstarter Conundrum: Delivering Companies DOA?
Picture this: two guys in a garage coding The Next Big Thing. It’s an iconic and familiar image. Now imagine their ubiquitous computer keyboards being overtaken by a colony of 3-D foam models or CAD drawings. Now your mind’s eye sees these same guys (or gals) hacking away at something entirely different. This shift in … Continue reading “The Post-Kickstarter Conundrum: Delivering Companies DOA?”
Organovo Joins with OHSU to Bio-Engineer Cancer Tissue for Drug R&D
Along the way to developing technology for bio-engineering human livers, kidneys, and other vital organs, Organovo CEO Keith Murphy says the San Diego startup realized its 3-D bio-printing technology could be used to address a huge unmet need more immediately. As Murphy explained 18 months ago, Big Pharma companies have been searching for better and … Continue reading “Organovo Joins with OHSU to Bio-Engineer Cancer Tissue for Drug R&D”
Tech M&A: Report Finds Most Startups Didn’t Raise Outside Cash
Investors have been in a rush to finance early stage companies in the past few years, leading to angst among startup founders confronting a tougher time making it to the next stage of investment. But for companies that get successfully acquired, it turns out that outside financing isn’t a necessity. In fact, it’s a rarity. … Continue reading “Tech M&A: Report Finds Most Startups Didn’t Raise Outside Cash”
DB Networks Obtains $4,500,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=aadd366c-92cc-4f6d-b9fe-db496bca6ee2&Preview=1 Date 1/30/2013 Company Name DB Networks Mailing Address 11440 West Bernardo Court San Diego, CA 92127 Company Description Nearly four years of development has been invested into the company’s intellectual property in database protocol analysis and web site security. Members of the management team have been successful in creating new markets … Continue reading “DB Networks Obtains $4,500,000 Series B Funding Round”
FDA OKs First-in-Class Drug From Isis for Rare Cholesterol Disorder
The FDA today approved the cholesterol-lowering drug mipomersen (Kynamro)—the first major RNA therapeutic developed by Carlsbad, CA-based Isis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ISIS]]). Isis has been developing its lead drug candidate under a 2008 partnership with Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme, now part of the French drug giant Sanofi (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]). In a statement released late today, the FDA … Continue reading “FDA OKs First-in-Class Drug From Isis for Rare Cholesterol Disorder”
CEOs, Legislators Fight Retroactive Tax on Small-Business Investors
In December, reacting to a court ruling, the California Franchise Tax Board eliminated a tax break designed to encourage small-business investment in the state, and it said it would demand retroactive tax payments from everyone who took advantage of the incentive since 2008. Now angry voices are rising in opposition to that decision, which will … Continue reading “CEOs, Legislators Fight Retroactive Tax on Small-Business Investors”
Defense Secretary Gates: Underfund Basic Research at America’s Peril
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates distills a critical challenge to America’s continued prosperity and global leadership: Deliver to his generation all promised entitlements, or invest in research and education—the foundations of the country’s success. “I think it’s fair to say America’s economic pre-eminence—and I would argue our national security, and national influence as well—is largely … Continue reading “Defense Secretary Gates: Underfund Basic Research at America’s Peril”
Afraxis Licenses its Drug Compounds to Roche Subsidiary Genentech
Afraxis, a San Diego biopharmaceutical founded in 2007, says today it has licensed exclusive global rights for all of its proprietary drug compounds to Genentech, the Roche subsidiary based in South San Francisco, CA. While details of the deal were not disclosed, it still counts as an exit. Afraxis says it’s eligible to get as … Continue reading “Afraxis Licenses its Drug Compounds to Roche Subsidiary Genentech”
Khosla Ventures Leads $4.5 Million in Funding for DB Networks
DB Networks, a San Diego database security equipment startup, says today it has raised $4.5 million in a Series B round of venture funding led by Khosla Ventures of Menlo Park, CA. The funding will be used to build sales and marketing for its database security equipment. DB Networks was founded in 2009, and Brett … Continue reading “Khosla Ventures Leads $4.5 Million in Funding for DB Networks”
Designing Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program
I ran into Ricardo Dos Santos and his amazing Qualcomm Venture Fest a few years ago and was astonished with its breath and depth. From that day on, when I got asked about which corporate innovation program had the best process for idea selection, I started my list with Qualcomm. This is Ricardo’s “post mortem” … Continue reading “Designing Qualcomm’s Corporate Entrepreneurship Program”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: VC Outlook, Organovo, Life, & More
A spate of stories late last week, including three venture capital partners who gave their outlook for 2013 to the San Diego Venture Group, pushed back my roundup of life sciences news a little. Here’s the wrap up of news over the last week. —Josh Green of Menlo Park, CA-based Mohr Davidow Ventures sees new … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: VC Outlook, Organovo, Life, & More”
Ten Companies in Three Days: The MIT Sloan Tech Trek
[Editor’s note: The Technology Club at MIT’s Sloan School of Management organizes an annual student trip to Silicon Valley to tour top technology companies. Xconomy traditionally invites one Sloan student each year to blog about the experience.] I’ve always been interested in technology, but after working on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan, I decided to make … Continue reading “Ten Companies in Three Days: The MIT Sloan Tech Trek”
Crowdfunding Is Coming to Biotech, so Get Ready for a Wild Ride
Most biotech pros will shrug, or chuckle, if you ask whether crowdfunding will transform life sciences financing in the U.S. This, after all, is an industry where you often need to raise at least $50 million or $100 million to even have a chance at developing a new drug or medical device. Scraping together a … Continue reading “Crowdfunding Is Coming to Biotech, so Get Ready for a Wild Ride”
Introverts and the Internet
If you live in San Francisco, it’s hard to justify traveling anywhere else, since you already have a bed in the postcard-perfect place that 16 million other people go out of their way visit every year. Still, sometimes you just need to get the hell out of Dodge. That’s why I drove up to Napa … Continue reading “Introverts and the Internet”
Crowdfunding Helps Bring Xconomy to Colorado; Now Writers Needed
If you’ve spent much time in the Colorado back country, you probably remember feeling a profound sense of elation that comes after hours of relentless upward hiking, when you finally reach the summit and a panorama of the Rocky Mountains opens around you. We’re feeling a little like that now, after learning a crowdfunding initiative … Continue reading “Crowdfunding Helps Bring Xconomy to Colorado; Now Writers Needed”