E-Band Communications Corporation Obtains Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a538b553-9261-428b-bbf4-0f906fef366c&Preview=1 Date 5/27/2009 Company Name E-Band Communications Corporation Mailing Address 10095 Scripps Ranch Ct. San Diego, CA 92131 Company Description EBCC designs and manufactures multi-gigabit capacity wireless communication systems based on 71-86GHz millimeter-wave radio technology. We are using highly integrated microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) technology that enables EBCC to manufacturer highest … Continue reading “E-Band Communications Corporation Obtains Series C Financing Round”

Vical Raises $20M in Private Stock Placements

Vical (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VICL]]), the San Diego biotech developing a vaccine for the H1N1 swine flu, says it has raised about $20 million in private stock sales arranged with several institutional investors. The overall deal includes a $4.6 million commitment announced today from Special Situations Funds, a New York institutional investor. The company says it is raising approximately $15.4 million … Continue reading “Vical Raises $20M in Private Stock Placements”

Icahn Wins Key Endorsement In Proxy Fight With Biogen Idec

Carl Icahn has gotten the support of a key outside voice in his proxy fight with Biogen Idec. The billionaire investor received an endorsement from RiskMetrics Group for two of the four candidates he has nominated to the 13-member board of the Cambridge,MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]). Riskmetrics, formerly known as ISS, recommended shareholders vote … Continue reading “Icahn Wins Key Endorsement In Proxy Fight With Biogen Idec”

Homegrown VCs a Vanishing Breed, Cardiologist Eric Topol Sees a Revolution in Wireless Health, Local Companies Raise Capital, & More San Diego BizTech News

It seems as though a number of San Diego tech companies saw the week before the Memorial Day weekend as a time to clear the decks, launch a few online products, and to raise some more capital. We also highlight the emergence of wireless healthcare and add some perspective to San Diego’s homegrown venture capital firms.  —I … Continue reading “Homegrown VCs a Vanishing Breed, Cardiologist Eric Topol Sees a Revolution in Wireless Health, Local Companies Raise Capital, & More San Diego BizTech News”

Shareholder Showdown at Amylin Headquarters

A battle for control of Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMLN]])  that began last year will come to a final showdown tomorrow at the company’s annual shareholder meeting. Challenging Amylin’s leadership in the proxy fight is Carl Icahn, the billionaire New York investor, who owns approximately 10.5 percent of Amylin’s stock, and Eastbourne Capital Management, a hedge … Continue reading “Shareholder Showdown at Amylin Headquarters”

OpenX Receives $10,000,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cd7baa33-3738-474c-a0ce-0f422a2e4964&Preview=1 Date 5/26/2009 Company Name OpenX Mailing Address 20 E. Del Mar Blvd Pasadena, CA 91105 Company Description In a market dominated by big advertisers and huge networks, life as a publisher can be tough. Well, OpenX is here to help. We’re an open source advertising community dedicated to helping publishers make … Continue reading “OpenX Receives $10,000,000 Series C Round”

Plastic Jungle, Inc Secures $4,800,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=825d1a64-0551-49c5-b811-eb9987fed520&Preview=1 Date 5/26/2009 Company Name Plastic Jungle, Inc Mailing Address 2491 Alluvial Ave Clovis, CA 93611 Company Description Plastic Jungle is the leading Web site for gift card exchanges — whether you want to buy gift cards at substantial savings, sell them for cash, or trade pre-owned gift cards with others, www.plasticjungle.com … Continue reading “Plastic Jungle, Inc Secures $4,800,000 Series A Round”

Bootstrapping Your Business Through the Great Recession

Join Javier Rojas, managing director of Silicon Valley’s Kennet Partners, to learn the dos and don’ts of bootstrapping – from managing growth and building the right team to choosing external partners and eventually investors. Additionally, learn when to raise capital, why it is essential to scaling a company for success, and how to prepare for … Continue reading “Bootstrapping Your Business Through the Great Recession”

Partnership and Distribution Relationships

How and why do problems arise when your small-to-medium business creates sales channels and distribution partnerships? Presenter Timothy Gendreau of The Gendreau Group, a revenue strategy company, offers concrete recommendations for what companies can do to avoid or address such problems. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., or register online here.

Author and Motivational Speaker Guy Kawasaki

Former Apple evangelist and startup guru Guy Kawasaki is a keynote headliner in a breakfast program sponsored by the San Diego Venture Group. In addition to publishing nine books, Kawasaki writes a bi-weekly, Q&A column for Forbes magazine called “The Art of the Start” to address the questions of entrepreneurs and wannabe entrepreneurs. Register online … Continue reading “Author and Motivational Speaker Guy Kawasaki”

Biocom Breakfast With Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield

Kevin McCarthy represents California’s 22nd Congressional District, which covers most of Kern and San Luis Obispo Counties, and northeastern Los Angeles County. The 22nd District is produces over $3 billion in crops such as cotton, citrus, grapes, stone fruits, and pistachios. Kern County annually produces more oil than the state of Oklahoma. Register online through … Continue reading “Biocom Breakfast With Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield”

All Day BioBriefing for Non-Scientists

The one-day seminar provides a concise overview of the key concepts of modern biology and an introduction to the technology and terminology used in the biotech and medical device industries. Classes are specifically geared toward the non-science professional who needs to better understand industry terminology, science, techniques and issues. Register through Biocom here.

Marketing in the New Age of Social Media.

Join Mashable Associate Editor Jenn Van Grove, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. Marketing Manager Ginger Anderson, and Red Door Interactive President Reid Carr for this session on social media marketing. Register online through CommNexus here.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Landing Page Design

Learn how to avoid the seven deadly sins of landing page design in a “must-attend” session for anyone responsible for online marketing programs. The instructor is Tim Ash, president and CEO of SiteTuners and author of “Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide To Testing and Tuning for Conversions.” Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. or register … Continue reading “The Seven Deadly Sins of Landing Page Design”

Become an Internet Power User

Internet entrepreneur Dmitry Shapiro provides a special one-hour presentation on becoming an Internet power user, which is part of the all-day course offered through WeekendU. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. or register online here.

Breach Security Raises $2.2M

Carlsbad, CA-based Breach Security, a five-year-old startup developing network security technology, has raised $2 million of a $2.2 million convertible debt offering, according to documents filed earlier this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. When Breach was launched in 2004, the company said it had raised $7.5 million in a Series A venture round … Continue reading “Breach Security Raises $2.2M”

X Prize Founder Peter Diamandis Targets Breakthroughs With More Incentive Prizes

It has been almost five years since a team of aerospace entrepreneurs funded by a software billionaire claimed the Ansari X Prize, the $10 million prize competition to develop the first reusable private spacecraft. Since then, the frustrated space enthusiast who established the X Prize as a way to re-ignite astronautical innovation, Peter Diamandis, has … Continue reading “X Prize Founder Peter Diamandis Targets Breakthroughs With More Incentive Prizes”

People Doing Strange Things With Soldering Irons: A Visit to Hackerspace

You might think that all of the engineering brainpower in cities like Boston, San Diego, and Seattle is sucked up by high-voltage startups or by giant employers in the software, server, or semiconductor businesses. But proof that there’s plenty of surplus technological creativity in these regions is popping up in odd places like Willoughby & … Continue reading “People Doing Strange Things With Soldering Irons: A Visit to Hackerspace”

Biomatrica Wants to Make Labs Greener by Unplugging the Freezer

Walk into any biology lab, and you’ll see freezers full of precious biological samples that researchers typically use to gain insights on cancer, heart disease or some other ailment. The freezers run around the clock for years, sucking up lots of electricity. But what if scientists could store their samples at room temperature by just … Continue reading “Biomatrica Wants to Make Labs Greener by Unplugging the Freezer”

Breach Security Inc. Receives $2,200,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7aff2d0e-bf29-44a2-b503-f713475e7502&Preview=1 Date 5/22/2009 Company Name Breach Security Inc. Mailing Address 2075 Las Palmas Drive Carlsbad, CA 92011 Company Description Breach Security, Inc. provides next-generation web application security to protect privileged information. Breach, a leader in the emerging market for Intelligent Web Application Security, addresses todays security needs by delivering solutions for enterprises … Continue reading “Breach Security Inc. Receives $2,200,000 New Funding Round”

Fallbrook Spinout Viryd Technologies Raises $2.2 Million for Wind Turbine Technologies

San Diego’s Fallbrook Technologies spent a decade developing its innovative transmission technology before it finally raised $25.4 million in its first round of venture funding four months ago. Before that, the company had raised $25 million from more than 80 private investors. Now it’s happening again at Viryd Technologies, a Fallbrook spinout that is adapting … Continue reading “Fallbrook Spinout Viryd Technologies Raises $2.2 Million for Wind Turbine Technologies”

Amylin Nears Endgame With Icahn, Sciele Pharma Declares Victory in Buyout, Nanogen Files Bankruptcy, & More San Diego Life Sciences News

With the proxy battle for control of San Diego’s Amylin Pharmaceuticals coming to a crucial shareholder vote next Wednesday (and with a similar fight at Biogen Idec coming to a head on June 3), we decided it was an opportune time to launch a life sciences news roundup at Xconomy San Diego. We’ve also wrapped … Continue reading “Amylin Nears Endgame With Icahn, Sciele Pharma Declares Victory in Buyout, Nanogen Files Bankruptcy, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”

Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc Garners $8,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0e5c8e7c-c266-4e40-89e1-de03041bb307&Preview=1 Date 5/21/2009 Company Name Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc Mailing Address 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description Aragon Pharmaceuticals is a San Diego based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of new anti-endocrine therapies targeting the biology of hormone resistant cancers. Website http://www.aragonpharmaceuticals.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc Garners $8,000,000 Series A Financing”

SDG&E Links Smart Meters to Google Gadget

San Diego Gas & Electric says it is one of eight utilities in the United States, India, and Canada that will enable customers to access their daily energy use online by using Google’s PowerMeter gadget. When connected to a utility-installed smart meter, the PowerMeter displays personal electricity consumption data on home computers. SDG&E began installing smart … Continue reading “SDG&E Links Smart Meters to Google Gadget”

Loop’d Network Gets $800K

San Diego’s Loop’d Network, an online media network for action sports, has raised $800,000 in funding from its existing private investors and Southern California’s Tech Coast Angels, a new investor. The startup founded in late 2007 says it plans to use the funding to accelerate development of its innovative business strategy, which combines e-commerce, social … Continue reading “Loop’d Network Gets $800K”

Sciele Pharma Expands Into Pain Market With Victory Pharma Buyout

Sciele Pharma, an Atlanta, GA, pharmaceutical company owned by Japan’s Shionogi & Co., says it is acquiring San Diego-based Victory Pharma for $150 million. Sciele specializes in the sales, marketing and development of branded drugs for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, women’s health, and pediatrics. The acquisition adds Victory’s lead product, a once-daily sustained release formulation of … Continue reading “Sciele Pharma Expands Into Pain Market With Victory Pharma Buyout”

San Diego’s Homegrown VCs Waning, But Out-of-Town VCs Make Up the Difference

Here’s a question that CEOs might be able to relate to: What should you do when the purring financial machinery under your control just doesn’t feel right (and the anecdotal evidence suggests something has gone haywire) but your outside auditor is saying, “Nope. Everything is looking pretty normal to me.” In this particular case, the … Continue reading “San Diego’s Homegrown VCs Waning, But Out-of-Town VCs Make Up the Difference”

Genzyme, Isis Cholesterol Drug Reaches Goal in Pivotal Study, Paving the Way to FDA

[[Update below]] Genzyme and Isis Pharmaceuticals have bet big on a new kind of cholesterol-lowering drug, and today the companies said it worked in a pivotal clinical trial. Mipomersen, a drug designed to block production of a protein that carries LDL cholesterol in the blood, reached its goal in a study of 51 patients with … Continue reading “Genzyme, Isis Cholesterol Drug Reaches Goal in Pivotal Study, Paving the Way to FDA”

Cardiologist Eric Topol Outlines Goals for San Diego’s West Wireless Healthcare Institute

As a scientific advisor to CardioNet (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BEAT]]) (before the San Diego startup went public last year and moved to Pennsylvania), Eric Topol was in a position to see the coming wave of next-generation wireless technologies in healthcare. Among other things, Topol is the chief academic officer at Scripps Health in San Diego and director … Continue reading “Cardiologist Eric Topol Outlines Goals for San Diego’s West Wireless Healthcare Institute”

Getting Prepared for an IPOpening

A half-day workshop on the steps a company must take now to prepare for an initial public stock offering. Presentations include the managerial, legal, and accounting issues that need to be addressed before an IPO, and include a case study on San Diego-based Bridgepoint Education’s April IPO. Bridgepoint (NYSE: [[ticker:BPI]]) was San Diego’s first IPO in about 15 months. Registration begins … Continue reading “Getting Prepared for an IPOpening”

Startup Targets Business Users With iPhone Graphics App

By some estimates, some 40,000 software applications have been developed for the Apple iPhone. But with a few notable exceptions, such as Apperian, the Boston startup that Wade profiled earlier this year, not many companies are working on business apps for the versatile mobile phone. So today’s introduction of a new iPhone app by MeLLmo, … Continue reading “Startup Targets Business Users With iPhone Graphics App”

Concerro and Hospitals: How Job-Bidding Software Enables Savings

“Healthcare is such a mess,” sighs Graham Barnes, the CEO of San Diego-based Concerro. “It was supposed to be recession-proof. It wasn’t. But we can save them a lot of money, as we have a great story also in this economy.” Concerro was founded in 2002 as BidShift, a software developer that specializes in Web … Continue reading “Concerro and Hospitals: How Job-Bidding Software Enables Savings”

San Diego’s Acadia Awaits Parkinson’s Trial Results (and a Chance to Prove Naysayers Wrong)

One thing is clear to Uli Hacksell, chief executive of San Diego’s Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACAD]]): the market just doesn’t understand his company. Just a couple of weeks ago, the life sciences startup got a strong vote of confidence from Canada’s Biovail, which paid $30 million upfront as part of a deal to develop a promising drug … Continue reading “San Diego’s Acadia Awaits Parkinson’s Trial Results (and a Chance to Prove Naysayers Wrong)”

Icahn Wants to Fix Amylin First, Not Sell on the Cheap, Alex Denner Says

Carl Icahn didn’t become a billionaire by buying stocks high, and selling them low. So he isn’t looking to quickly flip San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMLN]]) if he and other dissident shareholders gain control of a few board seats. “Our plan is not to sell the company,” said Alex Denner, a portfolio manager for … Continue reading “Icahn Wants to Fix Amylin First, Not Sell on the Cheap, Alex Denner Says”

Fulham Co Inc Lands $10,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=10c7c4a6-736d-4ea5-8701-406f2df49d35&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2009 Company Name Fulham Co Inc Mailing Address 12705 South Van Ness Ave Hawthorne, CA 90250 Company Description Today, with two factories in China, sales offices in Hong Kong, USA, Taiwan and Japan and customers in 32 countries – Fulham has grown to become one of the leading suppliers of … Continue reading “Fulham Co Inc Lands $10,000,000 New Funding”

Qualcomm Launches Mobile Retail App Store

Taking a cue from the success of Apple’s App Store, San Diego wireless giant Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) said today it is opening its own suite of mobile software solutions and expanding its online retail site for mobile subscribers. Qualcomm says its Plaza Retail, rather than targeting a single platform, gives online publishers and developers the … Continue reading “Qualcomm Launches Mobile Retail App Store”

Amylin Dissidents Win More Support

Two more firms that advise shareholders on proxy voting—Glass, Lewis & Co. and Proxy Governance—have recommended shareholders of Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMLN]]) throw their support behind dissident directors nominated by Eastbourne Capital and billionaire investor Carl Icahn. Glass Lewis is recommending shareholders vote for three of the five dissidents nominated to the 12-member board, while … Continue reading “Amylin Dissidents Win More Support”

Amylin Co-Founder Ted Greene Explains His Switch in Proxy Battle

Big proxy battles, like the one unfolding at San Diego’s Amylin Pharmaceuticals, have become much like national political campaigns. There’s a media strategy. There are carefully choreographed events. There are war rooms on both sides. When dissident shareholder Eastbourne Capital Management submitted its filing “Amylin Pharmaceuticals: The Case for Change” to the SEC on May … Continue reading “Amylin Co-Founder Ted Greene Explains His Switch in Proxy Battle”

ID Analytics Offers Consumers Free Online Check-Up for Identity Theft

San Diego-based ID Analytics is launching a free online test that measures the vulnerability of individual consumers to identity theft.  The test, called My ID Score, makes use of the same huge database and analytical software technology that ID Analytics uses to rank the probability that credit card purchases and other transactions are authentic. The … Continue reading “ID Analytics Offers Consumers Free Online Check-Up for Identity Theft”

Slacker Gets Funding, Daylight Solutions Gets the Military Interested in its Laser Technology, Startup CEOs Get Survival Advice, and More San Diego BizTech News

One of San Diego’s technology startups made an acquisition, and another got a secondary round of venture funding last week. That might not signify the end of the downturn for San Diego’s venture-backed companies, but they were welcome developments nevertheless. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs in San Diego’s technology sector got lots of survival advice. —Our timing made us look prescient this … Continue reading “Slacker Gets Funding, Daylight Solutions Gets the Military Interested in its Laser Technology, Startup CEOs Get Survival Advice, and More San Diego BizTech News”

Amylin Dissidents Ought to Win Proxy Fight, Influential Advisory Firm Says

The investors who want to shake up the boardroom of San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals have made a convincing argument, and three of the five directors they have nominated ought to win election against the company’s slate of directors, according to RiskMetrics, an influential firm that advises institutional investors on proxy votes. The recommendation from RiskMetrics, … Continue reading “Amylin Dissidents Ought to Win Proxy Fight, Influential Advisory Firm Says”

Icahn’s Plan to Split Up Biogen Idec Would “Destroy Shareholder Value,” Company Says

Biogen Idec delivered a second counterpunch today against Carl Icahn—this time against the billionaire investor’s proposal to split the company into two parts. The company said Icahn’s idea would add administrative costs, make Biogen less attractive to a potential buyer, and “destroy shareholder value.” The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) offered its latest salvo … Continue reading “Icahn’s Plan to Split Up Biogen Idec Would “Destroy Shareholder Value,” Company Says”

FiRe, as in Future in Review, Comes to San Diego

Tesla Motors Chairman and CEO Elon Musk and Hewlett-Packard Chairman and CEO Mark Hurd are among the speakers scheduled for this year’s four-day FiRe Conference. The event hosted by Mark Anderson, founder and publisher of the Strategic News Service, consists entirely of focused conversations on subjects affecting the near- and mid-term future. Online registration is … Continue reading “FiRe, as in Future in Review, Comes to San Diego”

Nanogen Files for Bankruptcy, Arranges Asset Sale

Unable to consummate a merger with Elitech of France that was announced last year, San Diego’s Nanogen says it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans instead to sell its assets to Elitech for $25.7 million. Nanogen, which specializes in molecular diagnostics kits and reagents for rapid, point-of-care, diagnostic tests, revealed its merger plans with … Continue reading “Nanogen Files for Bankruptcy, Arranges Asset Sale”