And the World Rushed In: San Diego Meets the Xconomists

It might seem hard to believe, but our recent “Meet the Xconomists” reception marked the fourth anniversary of Xconomy’s arrival in San Diego. As Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs put it in an email, “It doesn’t seem that long, are you sure you are counting correctly?” The reception is our way of saying “Thanks” to the … Continue reading “And the World Rushed In: San Diego Meets the Xconomists”

Genomes-R-Us: Is BGI now Complete?

The sad endgame in the acquisition of Complete Genomics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GNOM]]) came last week: having failed to create a sustainable business, CGI was put up for sale in June of this year, culminating in a takeover by sequencing powerhouse BGI for $117.6 million in cash plus $30 million in bridge financing. Behind that headline is … Continue reading “Genomes-R-Us: Is BGI now Complete?”

Nutrition Initiative to Fund Exacting Research in What Makes Us Fat

What better place to meet Peter Attia, president of San Diego’s recently unveiled Nutritional Science Initiative (NuSI), than at our “Meet the Xconomist” reception, where invited leaders of San Diego’s innovation community kibitzed while nibbling appetizers? Before co-founding NuSi (pronounced Nu-see) with the science writer Gary Taubes, Attia worked at McKinsey & Co. as a … Continue reading “Nutrition Initiative to Fund Exacting Research in What Makes Us Fat”

OneRoof Energy Garners $6,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e80c18cd-63f5-41ba-b3ec-00267959dae5&Preview=1 Date 9/25/2012 Company Name OneRoof Energy Mailing Address 4445 Eastgate Mall Road San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description OneRoof Energy is a San Diego, California based company that develops, owns, and operates solar energy generation systems for the residential market. Website http://www.oneroofenergy.com Transaction Type Debt, Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “OneRoof Energy Garners $6,000,000 New Financing”

OneRoof Energy Receives $6,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e80c18cd-63f5-41ba-b3ec-00267959dae5&Preview=1 Date 9/25/2012 Company Name OneRoof Energy Mailing Address 4445 Eastgate Mall Road San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description OneRoof Energy is a San Diego, California based company that develops, owns, and operates solar energy generation systems for the residential market. Website http://www.oneroofenergy.com Transaction Type Debt, Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “OneRoof Energy Receives $6,000,000 New Funding Round”

GroundMetrics Garners $1,200,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fe7ac742-a7c5-418f-a933-d3288a41bd07&Preview=1 Date 9/25/2012 Company Name GroundMetrics Mailing Address 5764 Pacific Center Blvd San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description GroundMetrics, Inc is the world leader in the development of land-based EM sensing and is working with oil, gas, mining, and geothermal companies to commercialize a new class of sensor system and methods and … Continue reading “GroundMetrics Garners $1,200,000 Series A Financing”

Xirrus Garners $23,500,000 Series E Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d1617381-b1aa-4782-a39c-07e1d89c6be3&Preview=1 Date 9/25/2012 Company Name Xirrus Mailing Address 2101 Corporate Center Drive Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 Company Description The company provides wireless solutions to the enterprise. Website http://www.xirrus.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $23,500,000 Transaction Round Series E Proceeds Purposes Xirrus will use this financing round to accelerate global sales growth … Continue reading “Xirrus Garners $23,500,000 Series E Financing Round”

Social News Reader Flud Expands to Serve Businesses

Flud, creator of a social news reader that delivers visually appealing, shareable news streams to consumers’ mobile and tablet devices, has pivoted slightly to offer a version of its platform tailored to businesses. The San Diego and Detroit-based startup wants to disrupt the current intranet and inter-office email mode of conversation, with all those annoying … Continue reading “Social News Reader Flud Expands to Serve Businesses”

Small Companies Storm the Edutech Market

Online education is now available for everyone. Parents can home school their children from the moment they start kindergarten until they graduate from high school. Online colleges and universities continue to gain legitimacy as more and more people pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees via the Internet. Schools such as the University of Phoenix no longer … Continue reading “Small Companies Storm the Edutech Market”

Who Should Life Science Pros Follow on Twitter?

[Updated: 6:45 pm ET] Last week, I made a case that Twitter has begun to come of age in biotech, and it’s now a must-read source of real-time industry news and information. But one helpful reader (on Twitter, of course) pointed out something was missing in that column: a list of people in the biotech … Continue reading “Who Should Life Science Pros Follow on Twitter?”

Tribogenics Lands $6,200,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6a2d038-7e96-428c-96f6-80a0496abca4&Preview=1 Date 9/24/2012 Company Name Tribogenics Mailing Address 4040 Del Rey Avenue Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 Company Description Tribogenics patented technology enables portable, compact x-ray solutions for applications in precious metal, mining, military, medical imaging, security and other industries. By miniaturizing X-ray sources and eliminating the need for high voltage. Website … Continue reading “Tribogenics Lands $6,200,000 New Round”

PCN Technology Garners $5,250,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f95bf467-0bac-44ee-9fca-a73c1cfc3bda&Preview=1 Date 9/24/2012 Company Name PCN Technology Mailing Address 16450 Via Esprillo San Diego, CA 92127 Company Description PCN Technology, Inc. (PCN) designs, develops and markets advanced I/O subsystem components that leverage existing energy grids and systems of products, devices, machinery, and installations in order to communicate and network mission critical data. … Continue reading “PCN Technology Garners $5,250,000 New Funding”

Ormet Circuits Lands $1,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f1674beb-b9f1-406e-b764-a6deeede6b04&Preview=1 Date 9/24/2012 Company Name Ormet Circuits Mailing Address 10080 Willow Creek Road San Diego, CA 92131 Company Description Ormet materials provide high electrical and thermal conductivity, good solderability, adhesion to most substrates and low curing temperatures. During cure, Ormet ink becomes a fused metal network that alloys itself to conventional circuit … Continue reading “Ormet Circuits Lands $1,000,000 New Financing”

San Diego 92037: The View From the Top of Torrey Pines Mesa

The Salk Institute, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and The Scripps Research Institute are unquestionably three of the premier research centers in the world, all located in La Jolla’s prestigious 92037 zip code and within a half-mile of the first hole at Torrey Pines South. This concentration of high-powered research has played a seminal role in … Continue reading “San Diego 92037: The View From the Top of Torrey Pines Mesa”

Tijuana Innovadora: Creativity, Industry, & Humanities

The cross-border conference on innovation presents renowned innovation leaders in industry, creativity, and the humanities within walking distance of the San Diego border crossing at San Ysidro. However delivered, all sessions will be simultaneously translated to English or  Spanish. Speakers include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Toms Shoes entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, innovation author Richard Florida, and … Continue reading “Tijuana Innovadora: Creativity, Industry, & Humanities”

PACE Data Mining Boot Camp

The Predictive Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE) is holding its first industry-focused event at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. The PACE Data Mining Boot Camp is designed to assist individuals in scientific communities, including industry, to learn more about the latest predictive analytic strategies associated with the growing discipline of data mining. Participants will explore, … Continue reading “PACE Data Mining Boot Camp”

MIT Enterprise Forum: How Three CEOs are Creating Their Own Big Bang

Meet three CEOs in the medical device industry whose “Big Bang” ideas launched companies and accelerated some of the hottest new technologies available today. Histogen co-founder and CEO Gail Naughton will interview Medipacs CEO Mark McWilliams, Freedom Meditech CEO Craig Misrach, and Organovo CEO Keith Murphy. Based on the success of such programs as Tech … Continue reading “MIT Enterprise Forum: How Three CEOs are Creating Their Own Big Bang”

MobileCon: The CTIA Mobile IT and Enterprise Conference

MobileCon, previously known as the CTIA Enterprise & Applications conference, has been designed specifically for the IT executive and professional. This user conference meets trade show is a one-stop shop for learning how to solve your most pressing problems in mobility. More information and online registration is available here.

WellnessFX Offers Insights—But Are Americans Ready to Be Healthy?

“It says here you drink four or more cups of coffee a day. Do you feel like you really need that much?” Yes. Yes, I do, thank you very much. I’m on the phone with a doctor in Sacramento. He’s looking at the results of the blood-chemistry tests I recently commissioned through WellnessFX, along with … Continue reading “WellnessFX Offers Insights—But Are Americans Ready to Be Healthy?”

Corporate Venture Activity Rebounds After Slump in Deals and Dollars

Corporate venture capital investments started strong and stayed high during the second quarter, with $2.1 billion invested in innovative startups throughout the United States during the three months that ended in June, according to a survey released today. That’s a 16 percent gain over the $1.8 billion that corporate VCs invested during the same quarter … Continue reading “Corporate Venture Activity Rebounds After Slump in Deals and Dollars”

Skylight Healthcare Systems Lands $5,000,000 Series D Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c02778fc-2f31-44e8-a2a6-fa12726d72d0&Preview=1 Date 9/20/2012 Company Name Skylight Healthcare Systems Mailing Address 10935 Vista Sorrento Parkway San Diego, CA 92130 Company Description About Us SkylightSM Healthcare Systems installs and operates the ACCESSSM Interactive Patient System. Founded in April 1999, Skylight Healthcare Systems developed its applications and technology utilizing a dedicated, high-speed digital network, interactive … Continue reading “Skylight Healthcare Systems Lands $5,000,000 Series D Funding”

Saban Brands Acquires Kidzui for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f0eba389-114f-45a5-8d4e-403d84fce68f&Preview=1 Date 9/20/2012 Company Name Kidzui Mailing Address 2448 Historic Decatur Rd San Diego, CA 92106 Company Description The company is developing software that lets children harness info from the internet. Website http://www.kidzui.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the transaction were not … Continue reading “Saban Brands Acquires Kidzui for Undisclosed Sum”

Saban Brands Adds San Diego’s Zui to its Kid Entertainment Holdings

Saban Brands, a Los Angeles-based holding company, said today it has acquired San Diego’s Zui, the kid-friendly Internet startup founded in 2008 as KidZui. The deal includes Zui.com, a search engine for Web content approved for pre-teens, and KidZui, a plug-in Internet browser. Saban said Internet traffic for the combined Web services amounts to about … Continue reading “Saban Brands Adds San Diego’s Zui to its Kid Entertainment Holdings”

Startup Gets First Aid From Revamped West Health Institute

San Diego’s West Health Institute has enrolled the first company in its new startup incubator, a move that advances wireless fetal monitoring technology developed in-house when the nonprofit was known as the West Wireless Health Institute. The institute says it is licensing its Sense4Baby technology to the startup, also called Sense4Baby. The institute says the … Continue reading “Startup Gets First Aid From Revamped West Health Institute”

Illumina Steps Up Diagnostics Game, Acquires UK’s BlueGnome

Illumina wants to become not just a genomic instrument company, but a more diversified maker of genetic diagnostic tools that make it into everyday clinical use. Today it took another step in that direction. The San Diego-based maker of DNA sequencing tools (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) said it has agreed to acquire Cambridge, UK-based BlueGnome for an … Continue reading “Illumina Steps Up Diagnostics Game, Acquires UK’s BlueGnome”

Ensuring TPP Doesn’t Derail Innovation

From e-commerce and the iPad to new medical devices and cutting edge manufacturing breakthroughs, American innovation has been on hyper drive over the last decade and has dynamically altered the ways in which we work and live in today’s modern economy. Yet, now there are questions as to whether the United States will continue to … Continue reading “Ensuring TPP Doesn’t Derail Innovation”

Scopely Garners $8,500,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ecb60e31-7b4e-4d20-a09c-3428b4b93b3d&Preview=1 Date 9/19/2012 Company Name Scopely Mailing Address 3780 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90010 Company Description The hottest new consumer web startup in Los Angeles, Scopely is in stealth mode preparing to disrupt a segment of the social web that is ripe for innovation. The Scopely team includes 12 senior engineers … Continue reading “Scopely Garners $8,500,000 New Financing Round”

ShowUhow Expands Online Video Technology, Targeting CRM

At booth 35 on the floor of the Dreamforce 2012 conference in downtown San Francisco this morning, ShowUhow founder and CEO Kim Folsom was demonstrating technology that represents a new initiative and a strategic shift for the San Diego startup. Folsom founded ShowUhow in 2007 to create and host online video user manuals and instruction … Continue reading “ShowUhow Expands Online Video Technology, Targeting CRM”

Synthetic Genomics Gets Rights to Key Genome-Building Technology

Synthetic Genomics, the San Diego startup developing biofuels, industrial chemicals, sustainable animal feed, and other genetically engineered products, says it has acquired worldwide rights to key synthetic genomic technologies from Germany’s Febit Holding. Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed. “We need to make hundreds to thousands of genomes a day, not one every … Continue reading “Synthetic Genomics Gets Rights to Key Genome-Building Technology”

iRobot Acquires Evolution Robotics for $74,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=13994214-97a7-40f8-8fa4-15cd54c220be&Preview=1 Date 9/18/2012 Company Name Evolution Robotics Mailing Address 1055 E. Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91106 Company Description Evolution Robotics, Inc. develops state-of-the-art robotics solutions, and partners with original equipment manufacturers to integrate those technologies into new and more intelligent products. Whether used within autonomous robots for commercial or consumer use, or … Continue reading “iRobot Acquires Evolution Robotics for $74,000,000”

Bionomics Acquires Eclipse Therapeutics for $10,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5772f6c2-639d-4003-9d98-39a386d1cae9&Preview=1 Date 9/18/2012 Company Name Eclipse Therapeutics Mailing Address 11575 Sorrento Valley Road San Diego , CA 92121 Company Description Eclipse Therapeutics, Inc. is a private biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery and development of therapeutics that target cancer stem cells and other forms of innovative cancer treatment. Cancer stem cells are … Continue reading “Bionomics Acquires Eclipse Therapeutics for $10,000,000”

From San Diego to Boston: ValoreBooks CEO on SimpleTuition Deal

Back in August, I talked with entrepreneur Jonny Simkin about the sale of HubEdu, his San Diego online college textbook and retailing platform, to San Mateo, CA-based Rafter. Last week, Boston-based SimpleTuition said it had acquired ValoreBooks, another San Diego Web startup that enables students to order more than 18 million titles online. Financial terms … Continue reading “From San Diego to Boston: ValoreBooks CEO on SimpleTuition Deal”

Biotech Begins to Come of Age on Twitter

Two years ago, most everybody in biotech had heard of Twitter but most people were looking for reasons to ignore it. A year ago, people in the industry began realizing that even though they’re busy, it’s not a fad, and maybe they should see what the fuss was about. Now we’re just beginning to see … Continue reading “Biotech Begins to Come of Age on Twitter”

Scale Matrix San Diego Technology Symposium

With the ScaleMatrix technology campus as a backdrop, this free symposium aims to connect IT professionals with educational sessions, product demonstrations, premium networking and relaxing entertainment. Through a blend of IT-focused workshops and visionary keynotes, technology and business professionals will leave the event more connected, and with real-world takeaways which can provide insight to the … Continue reading “Scale Matrix San Diego Technology Symposium”

San Diego Venture Group: State of Venture Investing in Life Sciences

Venture capital investing has been contracting this year for both drug development and medical device startups, but what does that mean for companies searching for capital? Add a sluggish economic recovery, a bitter Presidential election, and continuing debates over healthcare policies, and you have one uncertain future. The San Diego Venture Group has asked four … Continue reading “San Diego Venture Group: State of Venture Investing in Life Sciences”

Tech Coast Angels: Annual Quick-Pitch Competition

Company finalists will present two-minute pitches to an expert panel of judges and an audience of over 500 leaders within the entrepreneurial community. Each pitch will be judged based upon investment potential and presentation quality. Competition winners will be announced at the conclusion of the evening and the overall winner will be awarded a large … Continue reading “Tech Coast Angels: Annual Quick-Pitch Competition”

Tribogenics Secures $4,673,785 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6a2d038-7e96-428c-96f6-80a0496abca4&Preview=1 Date 9/17/2012 Company Name Tribogenics Mailing Address 4040 Del Rey Avenue Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 Company Description Tribogenics patented technology enables portable, compact x-ray solutions for applications in precious metal, mining, military, medical imaging, security and other industries. By miniaturizing X-ray sources and eliminating the need for high voltage. Website … Continue reading “Tribogenics Secures $4,673,785 New Funding Round”

Software-Focused TVC Capital Raises $75M, Emphasizes Value Creation

TVC Capital, a boutique private equity firm based in San Diego, has raised $75 million for its second growth equity and buyout fund. The firm targets software companies and software-enabled service businesses that are profitable or growing to profitability, provide customers with a “mission-critical” service or product, and are seeking capital to accelerate growth. TVC … Continue reading “Software-Focused TVC Capital Raises $75M, Emphasizes Value Creation”

Why Journalists Shouldn’t Try to Think Like Investors

There are way more Bay Area tech companies than I can possibly cover, so I have to say no to a lot of story pitches. When I do that, I sometimes trot out the investor analogy. It goes like this: “I’m sort of like an angel or venture investor. Except I’m investing my time rather … Continue reading “Why Journalists Shouldn’t Try to Think Like Investors”

San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Tandem Diabetes, Santarus, & More

How the health care community reacts to the arrival of the nonprofit Nutrition Science Initiative could be an interesting experiment in itself. We have details about NuSI, along with the rest of San Diego’s life sciences news. —San Diego insulin pump maker Tandem Diabetes Care has raised $36.4 million in a new round of equity … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Tandem Diabetes, Santarus, & More”

San Diego Cloud Computing Startup Names Former AT&T CTO as CEO

LonoCloud, a San Diego-based startup that has developed a supra-platform for cloud computing, has named Hossein Eslambolchi, a former chief technology officer at AT&T, as CEO. Eslambolchi, who was consulting with the founders, holds more than 1,000 granted and pending patents worldwide and is known for his expertise in IP network design and reliability, and … Continue reading “San Diego Cloud Computing Startup Names Former AT&T CTO as CEO”

Xconomist of the Week: Sean MacLeod Says Stop Trying to Be SF

One of the most popular parlor games in Seattle, and every other city that isn’t in the center of the technology universe, starts with people asking themselves this: How can we become more like the San Francisco Bay Area? Sean MacLeod, president of Seattle’s Stratos Product Development and one of our Xconomists, says he’s heard … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Sean MacLeod Says Stop Trying to Be SF”

CrossFiber Garners $13,400,000 Series D Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3e04182d-078b-48b8-bd26-22c7f621fc14&Preview=1 Date 9/13/2012 Company Name CrossFiber Mailing Address 10455 Pacific Center Court San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description We develop and manufacture LiteSwitch Modules: flexible all-optical switching modules for a range of applications from ROADMs to automated fiber cross-connects. We re-invented every element of photonic switching, until we shrank size, packed performance … Continue reading “CrossFiber Garners $13,400,000 Series D Financing Round”

Stockr Secures $1,500,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=43d77eba-5bdf-498a-a42f-3de555005f11&Preview=1 Date 9/13/2012 Company Name Stockr Mailing Address Undisclosed Santa Monica, CA 90403 Company Description The Real-Time Social Network Connecting Investors, Traders and Public Companies. Website http://www.stockr.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Personal Capital Venture Investor … Continue reading “Stockr Secures $1,500,000 Seed Funding Round”

Cebix Receives $12,938,338 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4ff21f5f-e47f-41d7-ab27-9b07cbd51ea2&Preview=1 Date 9/13/2012 Company Name Cebix Mailing Address 1298 Prospect Street La Jolla, CA 92037 Company Description Cebix is focused on the development of chronic replacement therapy based on human proinsulin C-peptide for the treatment of type 1 diabetic neuropathy. The role of C-peptide will also be explored in type 1 diabetic … Continue reading “Cebix Receives $12,938,338 New Funding”

K2 Network Secures $1,292,326 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=df6d45f3-7d23-4aa5-adf4-0a05f6721346&Preview=1 Date 9/13/2012 Company Name K2 Network Mailing Address 14252 Culver Dr Irvine, CA 92604 Company Description K2 Network was founded on the belief that the community experience of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG’s) will become one of the most significant forms of entertainment in the 21st Century. A bold and visionary … Continue reading “K2 Network Secures $1,292,326 New Funding Round”

Akamai Acquires FastSoft for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4052f5ac-8b35-4ef0-9bb7-15f57b1658af&Preview=1 Date 9/13/2012 Company Name FastSoft Mailing Address 257 S. Fair Oaks Ave Pasadena, CA 91105 Company Description FastSoft, Inc. is a privately funded company based in the Los Angeles area. Its patent-pending FastTCP technology was developed at The California Institute of Technology’s networking laboratory (Netlab). The company’s mission is to generate … Continue reading “Akamai Acquires FastSoft for Undisclosed Sum”

Republic Project Receives $1,000,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ddacb93-1c28-47a2-82f0-45fc53d41216&Preview=1 Date 9/12/2012 Company Name Republic Project Mailing Address 216 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90291 Company Description Republic Project is a cloud-based ad platform that enables agencies and brands to improve brand engagement and purchasing behavior. Today’s most compelling company websites include live content, social media connectors, mobile delivery, and rich … Continue reading “Republic Project Receives $1,000,000 Series A Funding Round”