Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=157d5c28-ae32-4ade-9379-672d22da60e8&Preview=1 Date 9/12/2012 Company Name Tandem Diabetes Care Mailing Address 11045 Roselle Street San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description The company develops medical devices for the treatment of diabetes. Website http://www.tandemdiabetes.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $36,387,925 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A … Continue reading “Tandem Diabetes Care Obtains $36,387,925 New Financing”
Category: San Diego
Inktank Garners $1,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d956c3b9-87c0-424b-838a-7cf1f8b05cf8&Preview=1 Date 9/12/2012 Company Name Inktank Mailing Address 707 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90017 Company Description Inktank is a professional services and support company that was founded in 2012 by several creators of Ceph, including Sage Weil, cofounder of DreamHost and CEO and Chief Architect of Ceph. The company is based … Continue reading “Inktank Garners $1,000,000 New Financing”
U.S. CTO Todd Park Out to Spur Entrepreneurship With Data “Jujitsu”
The chief technology officer of a company can have a wide range of responsibilities—from overseeing development of innovative new products to making sure servers stay up. But what about the chief technology officer of the United States of America? The position is barely three years old, created by President Obama in 2009, and is evolving … Continue reading “U.S. CTO Todd Park Out to Spur Entrepreneurship With Data “Jujitsu””
The FDA Turns Friendly Toward Pharma in 2012
The FDA, for most of the past 10 years, was the regulatory agency that many people in biotech and pharma loved to hate. Critics have long complained about bureaucratic foot-dragging, byzantine organization, poor communication, excessive aversion to risk, and arbitrary decisions around whether to approve new drugs for sale in the U.S. But FDA bashers, … Continue reading “The FDA Turns Friendly Toward Pharma in 2012”
The End of Meat. And Driving. And Football.
Americans are great at giving up things—in emergencies, anyway. Under World War II rationing plans, U.S. citizens cut way back on their use of gasoline, nylon stockings, coffee, sugar, and everything made of steel or rubber. In the 1970s, in response to the Middle East oil embargoes, the federal government imposed odd-even gasoline rationing in … Continue reading “The End of Meat. And Driving. And Football.”
Rox Medical Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c91a361-3da6-4cb8-a226-2d8a7d11a9f4&Preview=1 Date 9/7/2012 Company Name Rox Medical Mailing Address 150 Calle Iglesia San Clemente, CA 92672 Company Description ROX Medical is an early phase medical device company that is pioneering an innovative treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Our therapy is intended to improve the delivery of oxygen to tissue to … Continue reading “Rox Medical Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding Round”
Amid Talk of Bubble, Xconomy Incubator Guide Grows to 121 Listings
After we put out the 2011 Xconomy Guide to Venture Incubators, my colleague Wade wrote a Friday column entitled “There Is an Incubator Bubble—And It Will Pop.” That particular guide listed 64 startup incubator programs, up from 34 in 2010, and 20 in our first guide in 2009. Wade concluded his column with the admonition: … Continue reading “Amid Talk of Bubble, Xconomy Incubator Guide Grows to 121 Listings”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Santarus, Shire, Illumina, & More
An appellate court ruling could spell relief for the heartburn that Santarus has been feeling over the past couple of years. We have the latest developments, along with the rest of San Diego’s life sciences news. —San Diego-based Santarus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SNTS]]) said it partially won a federal appeals court ruling regarding patents Santarus had asserted … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Santarus, Shire, Illumina, & More”
SweetLabs Offers an Option for PCs in Desperate Need of a Makeover
As a startup aiming to disrupt the personal computing continuum, San Diego’s SweetLabs represents an intriguing challenge to the Microsoft juggernaut. With the new Windows 8 operating system scheduled for general availability next month, SweetLabs recently completed beta testing its Pokki technology for the desktop PC, saying Pokki now has more than 1 million monthly … Continue reading “SweetLabs Offers an Option for PCs in Desperate Need of a Makeover”
Would Longer Drug Patents Really Lead to Lower Drug Prices?
Imagine needing a drug to save your life, finding one that is likely to work, and then realizing you can’t afford it. This was the ironic situation that recently confronted a research physician who was diagnosed with leukemia, the very disease he had devoted his life to studying. Fortunately, the doctor’s friends raised the money … Continue reading “Would Longer Drug Patents Really Lead to Lower Drug Prices?”
Wemo Media Obtains $750,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=467e7d86-b854-486b-a576-15e3e5734647&Preview=1 Date 9/5/2012 Company Name Wemo Media Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90049 Company Description Wemo Media is a small team of developers and artists pioneering a new form of art and entertainment on the Web called “Maker Media”. Website http://www.wemomedia.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $750,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Wemo Media Obtains $750,000 New Round”
Running on Two-Year Cycle, Avalon Ventures Lands $200M for Tenth Fund
Healthy venture firms typically raise new funds every three to four years, but Avalon Ventures, which is based in San Diego and Cambridge, MA, appears to be operating closer to a two-year cycle. The venture firm, which invests early in both life sciences and Web technology startups, has secured $201.6 million for its tenth fund, … Continue reading “Running on Two-Year Cycle, Avalon Ventures Lands $200M for Tenth Fund”
Fearless Football and Biotech Picks For Fall 2012
Football season starts this week, which means a few things to me. Summer vacation season is over, people’s batteries should be recharged, and it’s time to start fresh at work and school. This is also the time of year I look for lessons and storylines from America’s most popular spectator sport for ways to liven … Continue reading “Fearless Football and Biotech Picks For Fall 2012”
BlueCava Lands $1,250,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e164cc84-3d40-49f1-9690-22e0ce388371&Preview=1 Date 9/4/2012 Company Name BlueCava Mailing Address 131 Innovation Drive Irvine, CA 92617 Company Description The company has created the BlueCava Device Identification Platform that helps identify any device that is connected to the Internet. Website http://www.BlueCava.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “BlueCava Lands $1,250,000 New Funding Round”
Phones on Flights: The New Mobile Madness
Earlier this week I was in seat 27D on an American Airlines 737 flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to San Francisco. We were descending into SFO on the final leg of the flight when I glanced across the aisle and was surprised to see that the people in 27B and 27C—an older gentleman and a young … Continue reading “Phones on Flights: The New Mobile Madness”
The Recipe for Success Behind Elevation Pharmaceuticals’ $430M Deal
What was Bill Gerhart’s recipe for success at San Diego’s Elevation Pharmaceuticals? Less than four years ago, Gerhart took a glycoyrrolate, a generic drug approved decades ago by the FDA, and set out to reformulate the compound for use with a nebulizer for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Gerhart … Continue reading “The Recipe for Success Behind Elevation Pharmaceuticals’ $430M Deal”
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Acquires Elevation Pharmaceuticals for $430,000,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=614dfec1-e872-4605-97a1-9975fee66565&Preview=1 Date 8/31/2012 Company Name Elevation Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 11455 El Camino Real San Diego, CA 92130 Company Description Founded in 2008, Elevation Pharmaceuticals is developing a pipeline of improved aerosol drug products for COPD patients. Our founding team has a successful track record starting companies and building dedicated teams to develop … Continue reading “Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Acquires Elevation Pharmaceuticals for $430,000,000”
Sunovion Targets Respiratory Drug in $430M Deal for Elevation Pharma
[Updated throughout 8/30/12 2:00 pm.] Sticking with a lean business model has paid off big for San Diego’s Elevation Pharmaceuticals, which has agreed to a buyout offer from Marlborough, MA-based Sunovion Pharmaceuticals that could eventually be worth as much as $430 million. With the deal, Sunovion (a subsidiary of the Japanese drug maker Dainippon Sumitomo) … Continue reading “Sunovion Targets Respiratory Drug in $430M Deal for Elevation Pharma”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: PrecisionMed, Acutus, & More
It’s been a light week for new developments among San Diego’s biotech and medical device companies. Here’s a very quick rundown. —PrecisionMed, a Solana Beach, CA-based supplier of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), said it has begun to enroll up to 2,000 donors in an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Registry. The ALS Registry would be used … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: PrecisionMed, Acutus, & More”
SDEE: There Must Be Some Way Out of Here
The San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange (SDEE) has invited experts to talk about the struggles of launching a life sciences startup and the difficulties around developing an exit strategy. It’s not enough to build a business worth a fortune; you have to make sure you have an exit strategy—a way to recoup your investment. More information … Continue reading “SDEE: There Must Be Some Way Out of Here”
Bagels at Biocom
Here’s a chance for members and non-members alike to network, to meet with staffers at San Diego’s Biocom industry group, and to learn more about the services and benefits that Biocom provides to San Diego’s life sciences companies. More information and online registration is here.
Open House at Janssen Labs
Janssen Labs, the new life sciences innovation center created by J&J’s Janssen Research & Development, will be offering guided tours of the 30,000 square foot research facility. Created to provide an efficient way for companies to discover and develop solutions to healthcare challenges, Janssen Labs offers modular and scalable lab units, designed to grow with … Continue reading “Open House at Janssen Labs”
MIT Enterprise Forum: PureForge Strategy vs. Toxic Brake Dust
Applying its disruptive metallurgy technology to the automobile industry, PureForge says its brakes maximize braking performance and minimize toxic brake dust. The company has a B2B marketing strategy, so the question before the MIT panel of experts is whether PureForge should invest critical resources to educate the consumer market about toxic brake dust. Or should … Continue reading “MIT Enterprise Forum: PureForge Strategy vs. Toxic Brake Dust”
Xconomist of the Week: Josh Linkner On Detroit “Getting Back Its Mojo”
Detroit Venture Partners CEO and managing partner Josh Linkner, with his success as a serial entrepreneur, venture fund backed by Quicken Loans founder and chairman Dan Gilbert, and unwavering commitment to nurturing Motor City startups, has become an icon of the city’s revitalization. He’s the kind of guy other investors all over the country—and I … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Josh Linkner On Detroit “Getting Back Its Mojo””
Amid Wave of Bioinspiration, San Diego Zoo Creates Innovation Center
Over the past few years, the San Diego Zoo has generated a new revenue stream by developing a variety of educational and business programs focused on biomimicry, a school of thought often described as “innovation inspired by nature.” Using its in-house expertise in conservation, zoology, botany, and other fields, the zoo has organized conferences, developed … Continue reading “Amid Wave of Bioinspiration, San Diego Zoo Creates Innovation Center”
Active Storage Secures $1,200,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3aed572f-11b7-4ec5-a742-79dbfbce01a7&Preview=1 Date 8/29/2012 Company Name Active Storage Mailing Address 2295 Jefferson St Torrance, CA 90501 Company Description We formed Active Storage because we saw an unfilled need for easy-to-use high performance storage for Apple users. As a team of storage veterans with many award-winning and innovative products behind us, we believe that … Continue reading “Active Storage Secures $1,200,000 New Round”
Acutus Medical Garners $2,500,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=eddb7515-379e-43d1-8137-839781f21a5b&Preview=1 Date 8/29/2012 Company Name Acutus Medical Mailing Address 11225 West Bernardo Court San Diego, CA 92127 Company Description Acutus Medical is a San Diego venture-backed medical device company focused on developing a breakthrough technology in the field of electrophysiology. Website http://www.acutusmedical.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $2,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Acutus Medical Garners $2,500,000 New Financing Round”
AirPay Starts Small, Seeks Feedback on New Mobile Payment System
I stopped by the launch party late yesterday for AirPay, an early stage startup incubating in San Diego’s Ansir Innovation Center that has been developing a mobile payment system with social media features. “I have friends who say we’re insane,” says James Adams, the CEO who co-founded AirPay with Web developer Eric Shultz almost two … Continue reading “AirPay Starts Small, Seeks Feedback on New Mobile Payment System”
San Diego’s Sapphire Energy Producing Green Crude From NM Algae Farm
San Diego’s Sapphire Energy says today it has harvested 81 tons of algal biomass from its farm in Columbus, N.M., less than two months after the first phase of its “green crude farm” became operational. The venture-backed company, which financed the project with a combination of private and public funding, says the demonstration proves that … Continue reading “San Diego’s Sapphire Energy Producing Green Crude From NM Algae Farm”
If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen
I recently took a vacation in Italy, and in my quest to eat everything not nailed down in the Lake Como region, I had the good fortune to participate in an amazing private cooking class in the resort kitchen of the Villa d’Este Hotel. The sous chef, a charming Italian man (duh) took my family through … Continue reading “If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen”
Nasty Gal Secures $40,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a70c5bd5-5a34-466a-9946-c07eccbcae77&Preview=1 Date 8/27/2012 Company Name Nasty Gal Mailing Address 523 W. 6th Street Los Angeles, CA 90027 Company Description Nasty Gal is a global online destination for fashion-forward, free-thinking girls. In 2006, founder Sophia Amoruso started an eBay store selling a highly curated selection of vintage pieces. In just five short years, … Continue reading “Nasty Gal Secures $40,000,000 New Financing Round”
10 Indispensable Apps for the Back-to-School Season
There’s a reason that George Fox University, Regis College, Chicago State University, Seton Hill, and other colleges and universities are giving iPads to all incoming freshmen this fall. It’s because the Apple tablets are just as good as laptops for many types of educational tasks, such as notetaking, and even better for others, such as … Continue reading “10 Indispensable Apps for the Back-to-School Season”
Qualcomm Acquires Israeli Company with Small Cellular Technology
Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]), the San Diego wireless chipmaker, says it has acquired DesignArt Networks, an Israeli company that specializes in modem and system design for small cell base stations and high-speed wireless backhaul equipment. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the English version of the Israeli business daily “Globes” estimates the deal to be about … Continue reading “Qualcomm Acquires Israeli Company with Small Cellular Technology”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Regulus IPO, Fate Funding, & More
The week’s big news in San Diego’s life sciences sector came with the IPO filing by Regulus Therapeutics. The proposed IPO also will test relaxed rules for emerging companies under the new Jump Start Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. It will be a story worth following, and you can get started here. —After signing partnerships … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Regulus IPO, Fate Funding, & More”
The Top 5 Risks Confronting Startups
You might have a great idea for a startup. You may be passionate, driven, and ready to go. But how ready are you to manage your risks? Many startups fail because of ineffective risk management. So how do you avoid a similar fate? It all depends on how well you understand and manage your risks. … Continue reading “The Top 5 Risks Confronting Startups”
On Deck Capital Garners $97,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d559ebe6-3cbc-44fc-8c95-568815fe2f7c&Preview=1 Date 8/23/2012 Company Name On Deck Capital Mailing Address 13807 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Company Description On Deck Capital was founded in 2006 to help businesses get small business loan financing when traditional bank loans are not an option. Our vision is to help small businesses get access to … Continue reading “On Deck Capital Garners $97,000,000 New Financing”
FUHU Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3a3704a0-9024-4cc4-a8b5-5b523ce7cb21&Preview=1 Date 8/23/2012 Company Name FUHU Mailing Address 909 N. Sepulveda Blvd El Segundo, CA 90245 Company Description FUHU is a leading provider of Web 2.0 properties and applications that help people manage, access and share their digital life anywhere, anytime. Website http://www.fuhu.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “FUHU Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round”
Novira Therapeutics Lands $10,995,221 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c05e1fa9-7681-484d-b02b-83447c1f3c95&Preview=1 Date 8/23/2012 Company Name Novira Therapeutics Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90041 Company Description Novira is an antiviral drug discovery company launched in 2009 that is focused on the discovery of novel, first-in-class therapeutics for the treatment of HBV and HIV, two global diseases in need of better therapies. The … Continue reading “Novira Therapeutics Lands $10,995,221 New Financing”
Leica Biosystems Acquires Aperio Technologies for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=87eff18e-cdcf-4e8f-893e-4f34b4e3757d&Preview=1 Date 8/23/2012 Company Name Aperio Technologies Mailing Address 1360 Park Center Dr. Vista, CA 92081 Company Description Aperio is digitizing pathology. We provide systems and services for digital pathology, a digital environment for the management and interpretation of pathology information that originates with the digitization of a glass slide. Website http://www.aperio.com … Continue reading “Leica Biosystems Acquires Aperio Technologies for Undisclosed Sum”
In a Requiem for Helix Wind, Critics Come to Bury More Than Praise
Back in May, I noted that Sauer Energy of Newbury Park, CA, had acquired the assets from San Diego’s defunct Helix Wind, which ceased operations at the end of 2010 with an accumulated deficit of nearly $42 million. During its three years in the sun, Helix attracted widespread attention for the iconic design of its … Continue reading “In a Requiem for Helix Wind, Critics Come to Bury More Than Praise”
Fate Therapeutics Secures $9,244,679 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d37c3bbe-4bf3-490a-9c6c-c60860c85178&Preview=1 Date 8/22/2012 Company Name Fate Therapeutics Mailing Address 3535 General Atomics Court San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description The company’s revolutionary platform focuses on both regenerative and reprogramming medicine. Fate’s regenerative medicine platform involves developing drugs that awaken adult stem cells in the body to repair damaged cells and tissues. Fate’s … Continue reading “Fate Therapeutics Secures $9,244,679 New Round”
FDA Approves Sotera Wireless Technology for Monitoring Vital Signs
It took a little longer than expected, but FDA regulators have cleared the mobile technology that San Diego’s Sotera Wireless has developed for monitoring hospital patients’ vital signs. Sotera said in April that the FDA had cleared its ViSi mobile monitor, a device that continuously monitors blood pressure, respiration, skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and … Continue reading “FDA Approves Sotera Wireless Technology for Monitoring Vital Signs”
On Our New Mobile Site, You’ve Been Upgraded to Xconomy Class
Visiting Xconomy.com on a smartphone should be like flying first class in the Pan Am heyday: a chance to listen in on the conversations of some of the day’s biggest movers and shakers in state-of-the-art surroundings with the minimum of aggravation or delay. That’s why we’re excited to announce the arrival of a dramatically upgraded version … Continue reading “On Our New Mobile Site, You’ve Been Upgraded to Xconomy Class”
An Insider’s View on Raising Money from Life Sciences VCs
The life sciences venture capital industry is undergoing rapid change. Although many innovative ideas have been taken from the bench to scientific discovery to treating patients, funding today to develop new products and services is getting more difficult to attain. Getting a product to market involves not only a long scientific process, but a carefully … Continue reading “An Insider’s View on Raising Money from Life Sciences VCs”
MediciNova Raises Capital Through $20M Stock Purchase Agreement
Aspire Capital, a Chicago-based fund that invests directly in public companies, has agreed to invest as much as $20 million in San Diego-based MediciNova (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MNOV]]) over the next two years. Aspire agreed to pay the market price at the time of each purchase, with the company controlling the timing and number of shares sold. … Continue reading “MediciNova Raises Capital Through $20M Stock Purchase Agreement”
Regulus Therapeutics Files for IPO as ‘Emerging Growth’ Company
San Diego’s Regulus Therapeutics plans to raise $57.5 million in an IPO that takes advantage of incentives for emerging growth companies provided under the Jump Start Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act passed earlier this year. In its IPO filing, the preclinical biopharmaceutical says it plans to follow reduced IPO disclosure and financial reporting requirements for … Continue reading “Regulus Therapeutics Files for IPO as ‘Emerging Growth’ Company”
Alzheimer’s R&D Isn’t Doomed, it’s Learning From Failure
The biggest hope for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in a long time just went up in smoke. The next high-profile drug candidate will probably be toast in a few weeks, analysts say. The easiest thing now would be to write off the whole field of Alzheimer’s R&D, and declare that scientists have to go … Continue reading “Alzheimer’s R&D Isn’t Doomed, it’s Learning From Failure”
The Case of the Tilted Clubhouse: A Geographical Detective Story
Today, technologies like Google, Siri, and Wolfram Alpha can answer virtually any question in milliseconds. So it’s refreshing to come across a mystery that takes a little longer to unravel. I recently found the solution to a minor historical puzzle that’s been gnawing at me for almost two years, ever since I moved to the … Continue reading “The Case of the Tilted Clubhouse: A Geographical Detective Story”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Regulus, MEI Pharma, Qualcomm & More
Against a backdrop of declining VC activity in the life sciences, it’s heartening to see several financing deals come through for companies in the San Diego region. Here’s our rundown. —The Midwest isn’t the only place experiencing a drought. Venture funding for life sciences startups throughout the U.S. fell 39 percent in the second quarter, … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Regulus, MEI Pharma, Qualcomm & More”
Xconomist of the Week: Habib Kairouz Foresees a Valuation Correction
A perhaps overused idiom in technology news is to proclaim that the latest bubble is about to burst. While there have been flashy stories about the rise and stumblings of some high profile startups, Habib Kairouz, a managing partner with venture capital firm Rho Ventures in New York, says he believes the market is entering … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Habib Kairouz Foresees a Valuation Correction”