It may seem obvious that companies in the Midwest face challenges attracting and retaining talent, given our weather and location far from the coasts. One need only to look at college football recruiting, after all, to see how the average annual snowfall on campus matters almost as much as last season’s win/loss record. To some … Continue reading “Want to Find Stellar Software Engineers in the Midwest? Here’s How”
Category: San Diego
Techstars Anywhere Inaugural Class Takes Virtual Graduation Walk
[Corrected 4/20/09, 5:35 am. See below.] From Adelaide to Toronto, the Techstars accelerator that began in Boulder, CO, runs 39 programs in 27 cities around the world—with the prerequisite that admitted startups must relocate, if necessary, to the city where their three-month program is based. Today, however, the inaugural class of the 40th program—Techstars Anywhere—is … Continue reading “Techstars Anywhere Inaugural Class Takes Virtual Graduation Walk”
10xBio Raises $2.7M to Test Body Sculpting Drug in Clinical Trial
John Dobak, a life sciences serial entrepreneur in San Diego, said a new startup he’s leading has raised $2.66 million to advance a drug that is already approved to shrink varicose veins through early-stage clinical trials testing it in a new use —fat reduction body sculpting. The biotech, 10xBio, announced earlier this month that the … Continue reading “10xBio Raises $2.7M to Test Body Sculpting Drug in Clinical Trial”
Facebook: Lip Service to Privacy Is Over
As publicity-shy Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before both houses of Congress last week amid an avalanche of criticism about the dearth of user privacy on the world’s biggest social media network, it became crystal clear that the entire social media industry has entered a new and perilous phase. Trust in all social media … Continue reading “Facebook: Lip Service to Privacy Is Over”
Clarify Medical Appoints George Mahaffey President & CEO
George Mahaffey has been appointed president and CEO of San Diego-based Clarify Medical. Mahaffey will also serve on Clarify’s board of directors. He takes the place of Rex Bright, who was named interim president and CEO in February. Bright will continue to serve on the board. Clarify is commercializing a light therapy device that has … Continue reading “Clarify Medical Appoints George Mahaffey President & CEO”
Cancer Wrap: Blueprint, Checkmate, More AACR News & Phase 3 Blues
The big headlines from the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Chicago were all about the battle over the latest lung cancer data, and for good reason. Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer, but the Phase 3 data suggest that treatment options for some of the direst cases could soon rapidly expand. There were … Continue reading “Cancer Wrap: Blueprint, Checkmate, More AACR News & Phase 3 Blues”
Xconomy Forum Rides Wave of Big Data/Big Bio Startups in San Diego
As the Xconomy Forum on Big Data Meets Big Biology draws near, one of the best arguments for understanding the significance of the convergence of data science and the life sciences may lie in what came out of the 2013 sale of San Diego’s EcoATM. Founded by several veterans of the wireless semiconductor industry, EcoATM … Continue reading “Xconomy Forum Rides Wave of Big Data/Big Bio Startups in San Diego”
U.S. Funding for Biomedical Research Takes Upturn
At the end of March, Congress passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill to fund federal agencies for the rest of the fiscal year and avert another government shutdown. The 2,232-page legislation included a $3 billion funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the second largest in the health agency’s history. Other research and … Continue reading “U.S. Funding for Biomedical Research Takes Upturn”
Adecco to Buy General Assembly for $412.5M to Grow Tech Workforce
The Adecco Group, the global staffing and worker training giant, has inked a $412.5 million agreement to acquire General Assembly, a tech training and career development company that offers courses online and at 20 campuses worldwide. The deal underscores the growing demand for software coding and other digital skills—and employers’ increased willingness to turn to … Continue reading “Adecco to Buy General Assembly for $412.5M to Grow Tech Workforce”
For More Lung Cancer Patients, the Promise of No Chemo Looms Larger
[Editor’s note: Ben Fidler co-authored this report.] A decade from now, it’s possible that immunotherapy will have made a big dent in lung cancer, which is by far the deadliest type of the disease. Drugs from several companies have worked their way forward, initially for patients who have failed chemotherapy, and now, in some cases, … Continue reading “For More Lung Cancer Patients, the Promise of No Chemo Looms Larger”
Bio Roundup: Lung Cancer Showdown, Gene Therapy Deals, IPO Busts
This weekend, cancer immunotherapy will once again take biopharma’s center stage. At one of the year’s big cancer meetings, investors, researchers, and many others will have a close eye on a group of presentations touting new lung cancer regimens that combine immunotherapies with other treatments. The presentations could shift the dynamics of the fast-moving landscape, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Lung Cancer Showdown, Gene Therapy Deals, IPO Busts”
Procrastinators’ Special! Save on Big Data Meets Big Biology 4/26
The countdown clock is running for Big Data Meets Big Biology, and time is almost up to grab a seat for Xconomy’s half-day forum that will convene technology and life science innovators and influencers. Register today and save with our Procrastinator’s Special while it lasts. This is an event you don’t want to miss, and … Continue reading “Procrastinators’ Special! Save on Big Data Meets Big Biology 4/26”
No “Pink Tax”: Billie, a Shave Club for Women, Raises $6M
[Corrected, 4/11/18, 4:48 p.m. ET. See below.] Billie, a direct-to-consumer seller of monthly shaving and body care products subscriptions, has raised $6 million in new funding. The New York-based startup, which launched in November, previously raised $2.5 million. This latest round of funding was led by Silverton Partners in Austin and included existing investors Female … Continue reading “No “Pink Tax”: Billie, a Shave Club for Women, Raises $6M”
With New Data, Drug Combos, Lung Cancer Experts Scramble to Keep Pace
When oncologist Renato Martins finished his medical training, advanced lung cancer was almost certainly a quick death sentence. “I knew, by name, every patient who had survived two years,” he says. Thanks in large part to the arrival of cancer immunotherapy, things are much different today. While lung cancer remains by far the leading cause … Continue reading “With New Data, Drug Combos, Lung Cancer Experts Scramble to Keep Pace”
San Diego VC Funding Hits $547.2M in Q1; Ideaya Leads Top 10 Deals
Venture capital investors sank $547.2 million into 37 startup companies throughout San Diego County during the first three months of 2018, maintaining roughly the same level of venture funding seen in recent quarters, according to the Venture Monitor Report. The amount of capital invested in the San Diego area was up slightly from the $541.2 … Continue reading “San Diego VC Funding Hits $547.2M in Q1; Ideaya Leads Top 10 Deals”
Expectations Rise on Q1 Surge in Venture Funding; and Top 10 Deals
[Updated 4/11/18 10:13 am. See below.] Venture capital investors poured more than $28.2 billion into U.S. companies during the first three months of 2018—marking the strongest single quarter in at least a dozen years, according to the Venture Monitor Report released today by Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The $28.2 billion that … Continue reading “Expectations Rise on Q1 Surge in Venture Funding; and Top 10 Deals”
E-Commerce Startups Open Door to Endless Virtual Closet
The sharing economy is moving into our bedroom closets. We already apply this idea to transportation (Uber vs. taxi) and vacation accommodations (Airbnb vs. hotel). Now, thanks to a growing number of e-commerce companies, the ability to share goods and services is being applied to our wardrobes through programs that offer clothing rentals for a … Continue reading “E-Commerce Startups Open Door to Endless Virtual Closet”
Xconomy Roadmap 2018: Top 15 Innovation Areas to Watch
With the first quarter in the books, it’s time to step back and lay out Xconomy’s editorial map for the rest of the year. As readers know, we strive to cover a wide range of innovation sectors, from tech and life sciences to healthcare and education—all with a mix of on-the-ground reporting, daily news stories, … Continue reading “Xconomy Roadmap 2018: Top 15 Innovation Areas to Watch”
Xconomy Giveaway: 20 Tickets for Startups at Big Data Meets Big Bio
At Xconomy we know how hard it is to be a startup founder. We’re always meeting bootstrapping entrepreneurs who take that lean startup model a little too literally. So we have some exciting news for startup teams! Due to the generosity of our community supporters, Xconomy has a block of 20 complimentary startup tickets for … Continue reading “Xconomy Giveaway: 20 Tickets for Startups at Big Data Meets Big Bio”
Bio Roundup: Ex-Kiters Say Allo, NASH Cash & Data, Alkermes No & More
Happy Friday, everyone. We’ll start this week with biotech deals, one featuring a couple of CAR-T heavyweights who have re-emerged after selling Kite Pharma for $12 billion. They will try to shepherd to market a different type of the promising cancer immunotherapy: allogeneic T cells that come from donors, not from a patient’s own blood. … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Ex-Kiters Say Allo, NASH Cash & Data, Alkermes No & More”
Arcturus Proxy Fight Heats Up; Ex-CEO Responds to Board’s Charges
As a showdown stockholders meeting draws near for San Diego’s Arcturus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]), a proxy battle is boiling down to an argument over who represents the best interests of shareholders in the tiny RNA drug company. In an April 3 letter addressed to the company’s four board members, Arcturus co-founder and ex-CEO Joseph E. … Continue reading “Arcturus Proxy Fight Heats Up; Ex-CEO Responds to Board’s Charges”
Conatus Pharma’s Liver Disease Drug Flunks First Phase 2 Test
A Conatus Pharmaceuticals drug developed as a treatment for chronic liver disease has failed to beat a placebo in a mid-stage study, the first of four underway for the drug. Conatus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CNAT]]) tested its drug, emricasan, in liver transplant patients whose hepatitis C virus has cleared, but who still have fibrosis or cirrhosis in … Continue reading “Conatus Pharma’s Liver Disease Drug Flunks First Phase 2 Test”
Cleaner Vehicles Help Make Smarter Cities
Two of the most popular terms in urban planning today are smart cities and clean energy. These concepts naturally go hand-in-hand. As cities get smarter, they use energy more efficiently and in a more controllable fashion, and they are better able to incorporate intermittent clean energy sources. Cities, and the power grids that support them, … Continue reading “Cleaner Vehicles Help Make Smarter Cities”
Roche Buys Inception 5 MS Program, Versant Funds New Venture
When Versant Ventures, Roche, and Inception Sciences came together in 2014 to identify drugs that could repair damaged neurons, they were placing a bet on technology that amounted to a promising tool in a broader quest to find new ways to treat multiple sclerosis. Now, San Francisco-based Versant is offering validation of that bet, although … Continue reading “Roche Buys Inception 5 MS Program, Versant Funds New Venture”
How Next-Gen Chipmakers Are Raising Money, Taking On Tech Giants
The advent of big fundraising rounds for startup chip innovators—a class shunned by most venture capital firms only a few years ago—seems to mark a turnaround in recent VC attitudes about semiconductor investments. But it turns out VCs weren’t the only driving force behind the change in fundraising prospects for the young companies now inventing … Continue reading “How Next-Gen Chipmakers Are Raising Money, Taking On Tech Giants”
Getting Personal: Retailers Use New Tech to Court Individual Shoppers
“Personalized shopping” has long been the guiding light for retailers. But in the age of Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), traditional stores have been searching for the best way to digitize what was once a person-to-person process. “Internet shopping is now across mobile and Web, and now, the [question] is, ‘How do we create great experiences for … Continue reading “Getting Personal: Retailers Use New Tech to Court Individual Shoppers”
Straight Outta Wisconsin, LynxBio Wins EvoNexus Best Demo Vote
A startup team from the University of Wisconsin that moved to San Diego in January to advance their technology for optimizing treatment regimens for cancer patients won the audience vote for best pitch at the EvoNexus Spring Demo Day last week. Lynx Biosciences founder and CEO Chorom Pak said her startup has developed microfluidic technology … Continue reading “Straight Outta Wisconsin, LynxBio Wins EvoNexus Best Demo Vote”
Bio Roundup: Biotech IPOs, Migraine Progress, Takeda Woos Shire & More
If the recent IPO activity seems to be on overdrive, it’s not your imagination. The number of companies filing to go public in the U.S. in the first quarter was up 44 percent compared to the same period a year ago, according to data compiled by consulting and accounting firm EY. Life science companies accounted … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biotech IPOs, Migraine Progress, Takeda Woos Shire & More”
Arcturus Board Sues Ex-CEO, Alleges Deceit, in Prelude to Proxy Fight
The board that fired Arcturus Therapeutics co-founder and CEO Joseph E. Payne earlier this year unleashed a new broadside this week in the ongoing battle for control of the San Diego-based RNA drug developer. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday (see below) and in an open letter to shareholders issued Wednesday, the Arcturus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]) board … Continue reading “Arcturus Board Sues Ex-CEO, Alleges Deceit, in Prelude to Proxy Fight”
The Edge or the Cloud? It Depends on the App
There’s no arguing that the cloud has transformed the way organizations deal with data and apps. It has freed IT departments from constantly provisioning and managing storage, while bringing overall costs down. For these reasons and more, companies everywhere are moving more and more data and compute tasks to the cloud every day. It’s important, … Continue reading “The Edge or the Cloud? It Depends on the App”
Among Facebook’s Woes, EU’s Strict Privacy Laws May Loom Largest
In a continuing effort to regain the trust of its disillusioned users, Facebook on Wednesday announced new privacy controls where settings can be made from a central menu, rather than by tunneling through as many as 20 screens. As Facebook unveiled the sweeping revisions, though, it also made a striking admission: The company knew it … Continue reading “Among Facebook’s Woes, EU’s Strict Privacy Laws May Loom Largest”
Going Downhill: Roam Robotics’ Exoskeleton Supports Aging Skiers
Robotics has found its way to the ski slopes. San Francisco-based Roam Robotics has developed an exoskeleton, worn on the legs, that the company says will improve skiers’ endurance and safety while they blaze down trails. For skiers 45 or older, Roam says, the exoskeleton can provide vital support for aging knees that might be … Continue reading “Going Downhill: Roam Robotics’ Exoskeleton Supports Aging Skiers”
Reachify Rolls Out Healthtech Software for Patient Communications
[Updated 3/28/18 12:15 am. See below.] A healthtech startup founded by two doctors who set out in 2013 to improve the overall management of their respective medical practices is emerging from beta mode Wednesday to offer fellow physicians an office software suite. Reachify, founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, targets medical groups with … Continue reading “Reachify Rolls Out Healthtech Software for Patient Communications”
Are You Being Deliberate About Diversity in Your Investment Portfolio?
“We looked, but we couldn’t find any companies to acquire led by women or founders of color.” “I want to hire diverse talent, but it’s impossible to find.” “It’s not my fault that the financial sector doesn’t have a more varied talent pool or deals to make with non-white males.” I have heard all of … Continue reading “Are You Being Deliberate About Diversity in Your Investment Portfolio?”
FTC Opens New Probe: Revisits Its Old Charges On Facebook Privacy Practices
Among the host of legal woes Facebook is now confronting amid news about the misuse of its member profiles in election politics: The Federal Trade Commission revealed Monday that it is investigating the social media giant’s privacy practices. The FTC decision comes in the wake of recent reports about the ease with which political consulting … Continue reading “FTC Opens New Probe: Revisits Its Old Charges On Facebook Privacy Practices”
EY Report Suggests Improving Conditions for U.S. IPOs in 2018
U.S. IPO activity has been ticking up, with 36 IPOs raising more than $12.7 billion in the United States so far this year, according to data released Monday by EY, the global consulting and accounting firm. Although there are still several days remaining in the first quarter of 2018, EY reports the number of first-quarter … Continue reading “EY Report Suggests Improving Conditions for U.S. IPOs in 2018”
Leveraging the Value of City Data
With over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated daily, where do you start when looking to extract value from data? What are the key insights learned from successes identifying and demonstrating value to customers? How are these lessons applied to the mountains of data generated by smart cities every day? Join experts from academia and … Continue reading “Leveraging the Value of City Data”
Ada-AI Seeks to Build a Diverse Artificial Intelligence Community
Artificial intelligence innovation has become part of our everyday lives—retailers use it to tailor the product recommendations they make; biotech companies hope it can create customized medicine. But its shortcomings, born of human biases, are becoming apparent as well. Take, for example, facial recognition technologies that work best on white people and make the most … Continue reading “Ada-AI Seeks to Build a Diverse Artificial Intelligence Community”
SD Team Heads to US Ignite Summit to Advance Emergency Mobile App
A San Diego software development team with an idea for an emergency mobile app that it said would be faster than calling 911 is headed this week to US Ignite’s Application Summit in Kansas City, MO. The team (pictured above right) emerged as the judges’ top choice among 12 pre-qualified entrants that competed in San … Continue reading “SD Team Heads to US Ignite Summit to Advance Emergency Mobile App”
Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs Offers Farewell at Shareholders Meeting
Former Qualcomm executive chairman and CEO Paul Jacobs ended his 28-year career with the telecommunications giant Friday with a heartfelt farewell at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting. In a short speech to several hundred shareholders at Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) headquarters in San Diego, Jacobs acknowledged the role his father Irwin Jacobs played as Qualcomm’s founding … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs Offers Farewell at Shareholders Meeting”
Founders, Pay Attention to This Stuff—Not the Stock Market
The Dow Jones Industrial Average. Nasdaq. Startup exits. Funding rounds. In our 24/7 connected world, there’s no shortage of data you can access, study, and agonize over. The market’s latest move—from boom to correction—has commentators and analysts in a tizzy; many investors are feeling anxious, too. It’s easy to get distracted by all this chatter, … Continue reading “Founders, Pay Attention to This Stuff—Not the Stock Market”
Bio Roundup: CMS Backs Cancer Tests, Right to Try Passes, AbbVie Sinks
We’ll start this week’s roundup with several stories from Washington, DC, that could have a lasting effect on public health. The FDA continued its campaign against cigarettes, while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave a much-needed boost to the developers of cancer diagnostics. In its omnibus spending bill, Congress set aside more … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CMS Backs Cancer Tests, Right to Try Passes, AbbVie Sinks”
YouTube Limits Firearms Videos; Gun Rights Group Cries Censorship
YouTube has broadened its restrictions on gun-related videos, while thousands of Americans are mobilizing to demand stricter gun controls Saturday in a mass march spurred by young survivors of a deadly armed attack on a Florida high school last month. Google’s popular video-hosting site will bar videos that facilitate direct sales of firearms or accessories, … Continue reading “YouTube Limits Firearms Videos; Gun Rights Group Cries Censorship”
Freenome Co-founder & Investor Chat Where Big Data Meets Big Bio
Through the years, Xconomy has taken many of the stories we’ve published about innovation and entrepreneurship and brought them to life on stage at our events. In the process, we have learned that combining an entrepreneur with a venture investor for a one-on-one chat can provide some fascinating insights into the startup process. So we’re … Continue reading “Freenome Co-founder & Investor Chat Where Big Data Meets Big Bio”
After Decades of R&D, Bose Amps Up VC Deals in AR, Wearables, Wellness
[Updated 3/22/18, 1:14 pm. See below.] For the first 50 years of its existence, Bose Corporation invested primarily in in-house research and development to produce its lineup of high-end headphones, speakers, and other audio technologies. Bose’s Steve Romine says that’s still an important focus for the Framingham, MA-based company, which has been awarded hundreds of … Continue reading “After Decades of R&D, Bose Amps Up VC Deals in AR, Wearables, Wellness”
Don’t Want Your Facebook Profile Scraped? A Do-It Yourself Fix
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg tried to reassure users Wednesday that its new and old modifications will prevent the wholesale capture of millions of personal profiles, like the 50 million that fell into the hands of political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica by 2015. But an MIT team says canny software developers could still amass these profiles … Continue reading “Don’t Want Your Facebook Profile Scraped? A Do-It Yourself Fix”
At Opioid Hearing, BIO Exec Proposes Ways to Boost Pain Drug Development
After months of meetings and Congressional hearings on the unrelenting opioid addiction crisis, Congress has finally responded, with 25 bills that aim to attack the problem from all sides. The House Energy and Commerce Committee began two days of hearings on Wednesday that reviewed the draft legislation that lawmakers want to get to the House … Continue reading “At Opioid Hearing, BIO Exec Proposes Ways to Boost Pain Drug Development”
Hungry for Innovation, Big Food Firms Seek Alliances With Startups
Big Food is getting serious about innovation. Many top food companies are increasingly pumping money into supporting young, innovative startups, according to a recent analysis by CB Insights. The firms include stalwarts like Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KHC]]), which has an incubator and accelerator program called Springboard, and relative newcomers like the Greek-style yogurt maker Chobani, … Continue reading “Hungry for Innovation, Big Food Firms Seek Alliances With Startups”
Uber’s Driverless Fatality Sparks Fallout and Finger-Pointing
The fallout from Uber’s autonomous car fatality continues today, with a number of new developments. We’re recapping them very quickly here, and adding two reaction quotes we received from Carrie Morton, deputy director of the University of Michigan’s Mcity research facility and test bed, and Shahin Farshchi, a partner at Lux Capital, a Silicon Valley … Continue reading “Uber’s Driverless Fatality Sparks Fallout and Finger-Pointing”
Human Longevity Hires Ancestry Executive as CTO
San Diego-based Human Longevity, which is combining genomic and phenotypic data and using machine learning to extract insights about health and wellness, has named Scott Sorensen as chief technology officer. Sorensen, who reports to founder, chairman, and CEO J. Craig Venter, was previously the CTO at Ancestry. In a statement Monday, Human Longevity said Sorensen … Continue reading “Human Longevity Hires Ancestry Executive as CTO”