San Diego’s Assay Depot, which unveiled an online marketplace of laboratory services for Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) a year ago, says today it has established a similar vendor relationship management system for AstraZeneca (LSE: [[ticker:AZN]]), the British multinational pharmaceutical. The Web-based system, which Assay Depot describes as a “research exchange” and “private virtual laboratory,” enables AstraZeneca scientists … Continue reading “San Diego’s Assay Depot Unveils Online Exchange for AstraZeneca’s R&D”
Category: San Diego
The 4G Security Threat for Mobile Developers
We are accustomed to thinking that smartphone safety depends on the habits of the user, but that’s likely to change with the transition to Long-Term Evolution (LTE) architecture, popularly known as 4G. Even the most careful user who never loses a phone, installs security software, and never uses suspicious apps might be more vulnerable than … Continue reading “The 4G Security Threat for Mobile Developers”
A Lonely Voice Asking Tough Questions on Cancer Cost-Effectiveness
If a new cancer drug comes out at a price of $100,000 per person, how many patients likely to benefit will actually get it? How many will drain their entire life savings just to make the insurance co-pays? How many people will go bankrupt to stay alive a few more months? How many people will … Continue reading “A Lonely Voice Asking Tough Questions on Cancer Cost-Effectiveness”
PayDragon Lands $1,350,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6a1c1b1b-6a64-4621-9984-eb2fd173bdba&Preview=1 Date 7/30/2012 Company Name PayDragon Mailing Address 7402 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90046 Company Description PayDragon makes shopping on-the-go a breeze. With the free PayDragon iPhone or Android app, you can buy an item blocks away from a store and have it ready for you to pick up by the … Continue reading “PayDragon Lands $1,350,000 Seed Funding Round”
Vertex Wins EU Approval for Cystic Fibrosis Drug
[Updated: 2:30 pm ET] Vertex Pharmaceuticals made big news in the U.S. cystic fibrosis community six months ago when it won FDA approval for a groundbreaking drug, and now it’s taking the product to Europe. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]), which has significant operations in San Diego, said today it has gotten clearance … Continue reading “Vertex Wins EU Approval for Cystic Fibrosis Drug”
A Mouse and Keyboard Don’t Make a Hardware Company
Microsoft is not, and never will be, a hardware company. Please don’t go off saying “what about Xbox or mice and keyboards?” Microsoft does not really want to build and sell hardware. Surface is akin to Google’s Nexus; a ‘north star’ product intended to lead OEMs in the right direction. “With Surface we wanted to … Continue reading “A Mouse and Keyboard Don’t Make a Hardware Company”
Not All E-Mails Are Created Equal; SaneBox Knows the Difference
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a column on ways we can work together to restore e-mail sanity. I argued that e-mail overload has a simple cause that’s often overlooked: we’re all sending each other too many messages. We can try all the time-management tricks and software plugins in the book to deal with … Continue reading “Not All E-Mails Are Created Equal; SaneBox Knows the Difference”
Pop-Up Pantry Lands $1,700,000 Seed Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=296c7189-bf06-478c-a6be-25dba616ff03&Preview=1 Date 7/27/2012 Company Name Pop-Up Pantry Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90049 Company Description We’re a small, dedicated team of food lovers based in Southern California. With year-round availability of wonderful fresh, artisanal food products, the best wine growing regions in the country and an innovative restaurant scene, the Pop-Up … Continue reading “Pop-Up Pantry Lands $1,700,000 Seed Financing Round”
JustFab Obtains $76,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a0c54324-6758-4175-af9e-ef3958b26f25&Preview=1 Date 7/26/2012 Company Name JustFab Mailing Address 2301 Rosecrans Ave El Segundo, CA 90245 Company Description At JustFab, we believe that every woman deserves to wear the same fashion-forward designs as the rich and famous regardless of her social status. Not to mention the fact that establishing an on-trend wardrobe filled … Continue reading “JustFab Obtains $76,000,000 New Funding”
Pet Dogs Help Biotech Startups Find New Weapons to Fight Cancer
A few weeks back, a black-and-white terrier mix named Chance entered a clinical trial for a drug that may offer a completely new way to combat cancer—not only in dogs, but in people, too. The drug, made by San Diego-based Genelux, uses a genetically engineered virus to annihilate tumor cells. Genelux made two different versions … Continue reading “Pet Dogs Help Biotech Startups Find New Weapons to Fight Cancer”
StackSocial Garners $800,000 Seed Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=41a6d8fc-7b7c-4031-9881-98648db490e9&Preview=1 Date 7/25/2012 Company Name StackSocial Mailing Address 1600 Main St Venice, CA 90291 Company Description StackSocial is the fastest, easiest way for technology-focused publishers to integrate relevant ecommerce on their sites. Our platform matches passionate tech enthusiasts across the web with unique and exclusive sales on the best digital tools and … Continue reading “StackSocial Garners $800,000 Seed Funding Round”
BlueCava Garners $1,250,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e6a2a84a-21da-46e0-a33a-9a61237ab837&Preview=1 Date 7/25/2012 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 Garners $1,250,000 New Funding”
Domain, Rusnano Alliance Pumps $20M into SD’s CoDa Therapeutics
Domain Associates turned some heads in the venture capital world in March when it struck a deal with Rusnano, a Russian state technology firm, to jointly invest $760 million in biotech companies in the U.S. and Russia. Now the first investment from that collaboration is going to a Domain portfolio company not far from its … Continue reading “Domain, Rusnano Alliance Pumps $20M into SD’s CoDa Therapeutics”
Illumina, Leaning on Amazon, Looks to Be Hub of Genomic Computing
[Updated: 11:35 am PT] Illumina wants to be not just a hardware company, but really an integrated hardware/software company that’s the Apple of the genomics business. Now the San Diego-based company is moving that direction, in a bid that could help the genomics community grow, by offering lots of free storage and processing of DNA … Continue reading “Illumina, Leaning on Amazon, Looks to Be Hub of Genomic Computing”
EMN8 Obtains $6,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3f6dd93d-5b78-4735-a85b-67c82701b077&Preview=1 Date 7/24/2012 Company Name EMN8 Mailing Address 10070 Mesa Rim Rd. San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description EMN8 is the leading innovator of rich media software delivered over enterprise networks that automate the customer ordering and payment processes in quick service restaurants, movie theatres, theme parks and other exhibition and retail … Continue reading “EMN8 Obtains $6,000,000 New Round”
BlueCava Lands $1,250,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e6a2a84a-21da-46e0-a33a-9a61237ab837&Preview=1 Date 7/24/2012 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 Financing Round”
Woeful Websites: How to Guarantee Your Startup Won’t Get Funding
You don’t have to work in venture capital to know that many biotech startups are having a difficult time raising money. The economy remains in the tank, and the former Olympic-sized pool of accessible cash now more closely resembles a wading pool. There are an enormous number of reasons why a company will have difficulty … Continue reading “Woeful Websites: How to Guarantee Your Startup Won’t Get Funding”
Scarcity of Samples Threatens Personalized Medicine
Plenty of factors can conspire to slow down progress in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine. There’s never enough money to run all the experiments scientists can imagine, it’s hard to gather data that squares with traditional medical evidence standards, and society is willing to pay a lot more money for drugs than diagnostics. But there’s … Continue reading “Scarcity of Samples Threatens Personalized Medicine”
Can Anyone Catch Khan Academy? The Fate of the U in the YouTube Era
Traditional American universities are suddenly running scared of the Internet, and for good reason. They successfully weathered the rise of online, open-enrollment degree programs like the University of Phoenix, but now they’re confronting a much more terrifying enemy: YouTube. Not just YouTube, of course—there’s also Vimeo and 5min and iTunes U and TED and the … Continue reading “Can Anyone Catch Khan Academy? The Fate of the U in the YouTube Era”
The Slog Continues…
Last week the National Venture Capital Association (where I am on the Executive Committee) and Thomson Reuters announced the 2Q12 fundraising data for venture firms—don’t worry, you are excused if you did not see the results. Not pretty. The data has some potentially troubling implications for entrepreneurs. While the headline looked encouraging with $5.9BN raised … Continue reading “The Slog Continues…”
San Diego Startups Raise Over $300M From VCs in Second Quarter
[Corrected 7/20/12, 10:55 am. See below.] It wasn’t the best of times for venture capital activity in San Diego. But it wasn’t the worst of times, either. Venture capital firms invested $304.8 million in 27 startups during the three months that ended June 30, according to regional data released as part of the MoneyTree Report … Continue reading “San Diego Startups Raise Over $300M From VCs in Second Quarter”
Aperio Technologies Receives $450,450 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=94cf6389-c2ce-4622-a1cc-c41ad35137e1&Preview=1 Date 7/20/2012 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 “Aperio Technologies Receives $450,450 New Funding Round”
Software Surge Drives Up U.S. Venture Activity—and Top 10 Deals
Overall venture capital activity turned up sharply during the three months that ended June 30, with venture firms investing just over $7 billion in 898 deals throughout the United States, according to the latest MoneyTree survey. The study generally confirms the improving trend in VC activity that was highlighted in the quick take from CB … Continue reading “Software Surge Drives Up U.S. Venture Activity—and Top 10 Deals”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Life, BioSurplus, Obalon, & More
[Updated 7/10/12 9:25 am. See below.] It seemed as if much of San Diego’s life sciences industry took the past week off, and I plan to join them next week. If you can’t hold your breaking news until I return on July 30, send your bulletins to editors at Xconomy.com. —Life Technologies (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LIFE]]) bought … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Life, BioSurplus, Obalon, & More”
Biotech VCs, in Shadow of Tech, Start Delivering More Hits
A strange thing has happened during an otherwise bleak time for biotech venture capital. Life science venture capitalists are apparently hitting more of their investments out of the park. There were 17 so-called “Big Exits” for investors in privately held biotech companies, and 18 in the medical device business in 2011, the most of any … Continue reading “Biotech VCs, in Shadow of Tech, Start Delivering More Hits”
Movieclips Garners Series C Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6039029d-1785-4db3-92e7-2eaf57dcd9ea&Preview=1 Date 7/19/2012 Company Name Movieclips Mailing Address 1621 Abbot Kinney Blvd Venice, CA 90291 Company Description MOVIECLIPS.com is an online video destination offering audiences the largest and most diverse collection of movie scenes. MOVIECLIPS.com allows fans to find, watch and share more than 12,000 movie clips from the libraries of most … Continue reading “Movieclips Garners Series C Funding”
Retention Science Lands $1,300,000 Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=575cce36-9332-4408-a253-57719d6e5304&Preview=1 Date 7/19/2012 Company Name Retention Science Mailing Address 910 Colorado Ave Santa Monica, CA 90401 Company Description Retention Science is the leader in Retention Marketing. Our team consists of passionate data scientists, statisticians, engineers and marketing experts. We bring our expertise together to create the most effective customer retention solutions that … Continue reading “Retention Science Lands $1,300,000 Seed Round”
SBIRs for Early Stage & Venture-Backed Companies
The federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a critical source of (non-dilutive!) funding for early stage companies, providing over $2 billion annually. New changes will increase the funding levels dedicated to the program and expand eligibility to small businesses that are majority-owned by multiple venture capital funds, hedge funds, or private equity firms. … Continue reading “SBIRs for Early Stage & Venture-Backed Companies”
HubEdu Departs San Diego’s Downtown Incubator After Bay Area Buyout
When San Diego’s downtown EvoNexus incubator held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony five months ago, Jonny Simkin was eager to brief me about SwoopThat, a Web startup he created with two friends in 2010 after graduating from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA. He founded the website to offer textbooks substantially below the prices listed in … Continue reading “HubEdu Departs San Diego’s Downtown Incubator After Bay Area Buyout”
BioSurplus Garners $2,400,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3f5ae122-c51b-4127-b29d-63cdc326c4fb&Preview=1 Date 7/18/2012 Company Name BioSurplus Mailing Address 10805 Vista Sorrento Pkwy San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description BioSurplus is a leading provider of equipment management solutions and pre-owned scientific instruments to the life sciences industry. Website http://www.biosurplus.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,400,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Part … Continue reading “BioSurplus Garners $2,400,000 Series A Funding Round”
The Art of the Startup
Starting a company or becoming involved with a startup raises enormous challenges for entrepreneurs. Legal, fund-raising and other issues can often seem overwhelming, and there are numerous traps for the unwary or uninformed. Successfully avoiding the most common pitfalls can make a big difference in whether a startup can win funding, the type of financing, … Continue reading “The Art of the Startup”
Understanding Big Data: The 2012 Joint Statistical Meetings
It’s the era of Big Data, and the 2012 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), the world’s largest annual gathering of statisticians, will embrace the topic as 6,000 statisticians descend on San Diego to shed light on the theme of “Statistics: Growing to Serve a Data-Dependent Society.” The week-long conference is conducted jointly with the American Statistical … Continue reading “Understanding Big Data: The 2012 Joint Statistical Meetings”
In Unexpected Plus, BioSurplus Raises $2.4M in Oversubscribed Round
Preston “Cinco” Plumb says he had no thought of expanding beyond San Diego, much less the United States, seven years ago when he bought a business that buys and sells used biotech equipment. Since then, he says BioSurplus sales have grown by five times, and the company has expanded to Fremont, CA; Incheon, South Korea; … Continue reading “In Unexpected Plus, BioSurplus Raises $2.4M in Oversubscribed Round”
Zadara Storage Receives $7,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=df3fb056-b953-41eb-9fb0-14ece3c6c4cf&Preview=1 Date 7/17/2012 Company Name Zadara Storage Mailing Address 18003 Sky Park Circle Irvine, CA 92614 Company Description Zadara Virtual Private Storage Arrays combine innovative software with standard hardware to create truly private Cloud storage with your own dedicated drives, CPUs, memory and I/O. Website http://www.zadarastorage.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Zadara Storage Receives $7,000,000 Series A Financing”
Life Technologies Buys Navigenics in New Gene Diagnostics Strategy
Life Technologies (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LIFE]]), the Carlsbad, CA-based maker of gene sequencing equipment, says today it has acquired Navigenics, the venture-backed startup in Foster City, CA, that provides personalized genomics testing for consumers. Life says the deal represents the company’s first step in a strategy to build out its molecular diagnostics business through select acquisitions, internal … Continue reading “Life Technologies Buys Navigenics in New Gene Diagnostics Strategy”
Biocom Workshop: Presentation AdvantEdge
Over 33 million presentations are delivered each business day. Many of these presentations are trying to accomplish the same thing—sell a message, raise money, or to promote research, products, and services. Whether you are presenting to a prospective strategic partner, communicating to the board of directors, or preparing to present to the FDA, presenters have … Continue reading “Biocom Workshop: Presentation AdvantEdge”
Venture Investment Hits Highest Level Since Dot-Com Era
Venture capitalists invested some $8.1 billion in more than 800 deals in the second quarter, registering the highest such total in more than a decade, according to a new report from the analysts at CB Insights. The totals represent a fairly modest uptick from the second quarter last year: A 5 percent rise in dollars, … Continue reading “Venture Investment Hits Highest Level Since Dot-Com Era”
Startup Circle: Startups 2 Startups Demo Series
An entrepreneur’s credibility can stand on your ability to explain what you do. It’s even possible to lose customers and investors if the answer to the question isn’t clear and concise, engaging, and at least memorable enough to keep the prospect riveted for those few seconds. The upcoming EV-Experience Event offers a solution-oriented and informative … Continue reading “Startup Circle: Startups 2 Startups Demo Series”
San Diego’s Tealium Raises $10.5M to Advance Tag Management System
Tealium, the four-year-old San Diego startup that created a Web-based service to make it easier for enterprise network marketing staffers to manage their own Web page tags, says today it has raised $10.5 million in Series B financing. Tealium co-founder Ali Behnam tells me that Boston’s Battery Ventures provided nearly all of the funding, except … Continue reading “San Diego’s Tealium Raises $10.5M to Advance Tag Management System”
A Summer Reading List for Biotech Pros
[Updated: 7/17 9:15 am PT] Summer is here, so there’s a bit of a lull on the average biotech pro’s schedule. If there’s ever an opportunity to take a breather from the relentless scientific, medical, and investor meetings that dominate the industry calendar, this is it. Time to catch up on reading a few good … Continue reading “A Summer Reading List for Biotech Pros”
Liquipel Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=17ba45f8-65fb-4d3e-a7b5-41e8fbed0fa3&Preview=1 Date 7/16/2012 Company Name Liquipel Mailing Address 2911 Tech Center Dr Santa Ana, CA 92705 Company Description Liquipel is a southern California based company that has specialized in researching and developing innovative coatings for the past five years. It was through an incredible demand for water resistant electronics and a revolutionary … Continue reading “Liquipel Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round”
Tealium Receives $10,500,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d0ec8f66-eee7-4152-9a37-6c12b21f4ac3&Preview=1 Date 7/16/2012 Company Name Tealium Mailing Address 12526 High Bluff Drive San Diego, CA 92130 Company Description Tealium is the global leader in Tag Management, serving some of the most demanding clients worldwide. Website http://www.tealium.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,500,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The new funding, … Continue reading “Tealium Receives $10,500,000 Series B Funding Round”
7 Ways We Can Work Together to Restore E-Mail Sanity
Just like you, I’m locked in a perpetual battle against e-mail. I spend the whole day fending off the incoming messages, like some cranky old dude standing on his porch with a weed whacker. I feel compelled to do this, because if I don’t, my inbox will quickly swell beyond my ability to tame it. … Continue reading “7 Ways We Can Work Together to Restore E-Mail Sanity”
2012 Global Connect Summit: Building Sustainable Innovation Clusters and Competitive Supply Chains
This two-day Global Connect Summit is focused on success strategies for building innovation clusters, global exports, innovative manufacturing, and supplier clusters and supply chains. At this year’s Summit you’ll work in groups with top innovation leaders from around the globe to develop specific action plans for your region. More information and online registration is here. … Continue reading “2012 Global Connect Summit: Building Sustainable Innovation Clusters and Competitive Supply Chains”
How To Prepare For Seed Funding
In the current economic environment, founders and executives need to take steps to prepare their company for receiving outside investment long before approaching potential investors. This workshop, organized in partnership with the Tech Coast Angels and the Perkins Cole law firm, will cover how to structure a company for seed, angel, and venture capital investment, … Continue reading “How To Prepare For Seed Funding”
Altura Medical Garners $6,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b23b88d2-f970-47fb-8085-03ea2054ae31&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2012 Company Name Altura Medical Mailing Address 1120 Calle Cordillera San Clemente, CA 92673 Company Description The company is developing medical devices and methods for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Website http://www.alturainc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Altura Medical Garners $6,000,000 New Financing Round”
Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa — 7th Annual Scientific Symposium
The 2012 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa includes a scientific symposium on the last day of the conference. The first two days are intended to bring together senior members of the business development and scientific research communities with the goal of advancing stem cell science to cures for debilitating diseases and injuries. The third … Continue reading “Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa — 7th Annual Scientific Symposium”
Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa — Investor and Partnering Forum
The first two days of the 2012 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa will consist of an investor and partnering forum. The three-day conference is aimed at bringing together senior members of the business development and scientific research communities within the regenerative medicine field to advance stem cell science into cures for debilitating diseases and … Continue reading “Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa — Investor and Partnering Forum”
San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Halozyme, Sophiris, Arena, & More
Plans by Bedford, MA-based Hologic to acquire San Diego’s Gen-Probe, are moving ahead. We’ve got the latest details, along with the rest of the innovation news in San Diego’s biotech, diagnostics, and medical device sectors. —San Diego’s BioNano Genomics, which is getting ready to introduce its nanoAnalyzer System, has raised almost $11.6 million in a … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: Halozyme, Sophiris, Arena, & More”
Xconomist of the Week: ATV’s Bob Hower on “A” Startups, IPOs, & the God of VC
The venture capital industry is in flux. A lot of firms and funds are contracting. Big guys are doing more later-stage investments (see GitHub). Little guys are trying to innovate with early stage companies. Fund investors are trying to figure out how to get more bang for their venture buck. In the midst of all … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: ATV’s Bob Hower on “A” Startups, IPOs, & the God of VC”