Category: San Diego

Xconomy Q&A: Vuforia, Pokémon Go, and Augmented Reality

Talk about auspicious timing. It’s been less than a year since Needham, MA-based PTC (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PTC]]) shelled out $65 million to acquire Vuforia, the augmented reality technology created by San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]). Qualcomm had worked to develop its Vuforia technology for at least five years before a maturing smartphone market and new economic … Continue reading “Xconomy Q&A: Vuforia, Pokémon Go, and Augmented Reality”

Aligned TeleHealth Lands $12,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2e6d2647-5a2d-4388-aa42-5208d1d15e9f Date 8/9/2016 Company Name Aligned TeleHealth Mailing Address 26135 Mureau Rd. Calabasas, CA 91302 USA Company Description Aligned TeleHealth is a rapidly growing telemedicine & healthcare management company providing clinical services through highly innovative techniques nationwide. We provide a variety of clinical services and strongly specialize in psychiatric consultation services. Website … Continue reading “Aligned TeleHealth Lands $12,000,000 Series A Financing”

MEI Pharma Partners with Helsinn on Drug with Potential $464M Payoff

After reporting encouraging news last week from a mid-stage trial of its lead anti-cancer drug, San Diego’s MEI Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MEIP]]) said it has signed a drug development deal with the Swiss pharmaceutical group Helsinn that could eventually be worth over $464 million. Under terms of their agreement announced today, Helsinn will pay MEI $15 … Continue reading “MEI Pharma Partners with Helsinn on Drug with Potential $464M Payoff”

SecureAuth Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a259a1c9-5d04-47fd-b061-10b4a05dcbd4 Date 8/8/2016 Company Name SecureAuth Mailing Address 8965 Research Drive Irvine, CA 92618 USA Company Description SecureAuth Corporation, formerly MultiFactor Corporation was founded in October 2005 with a mission to help customers establish secure, simple access to every application over the Internet and via VPNs to conduct business. Website http://www.secureauth.com Transaction … Continue reading “SecureAuth Secures $1,000,000 New Funding Round”

Oblong Industries Secures $30,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=192572d8-25a2-4a41-b459-f0122503f826 Date 8/8/2016 Company Name Oblong Industries Mailing Address 923 E. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 USA Company Description A Mezzanine workspace lets any person on a network share content and applications with any colleague, anywhere in the world, interactively. Mezzanine is a turnkey appliance which combines presentation design and delivery, … Continue reading “Oblong Industries Secures $30,000,000 New Round”

Google Acquires Orbitera for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4af45eaf-40d6-4ba4-a2bb-b41154867d27 Date 8/8/2016 Company Name Orbitera Mailing Address 8252 1/2 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90046 USA Company Description Orbitera is focused on solving the most complex challenges that come with the shift of enterprise workloads to cloud platforms. Our wealth of experience working at and with cloud computing providers, channel … Continue reading “Google Acquires Orbitera for Undisclosed Sum”

Biotech Roundup: Biogen Rumors, Theranos, Electro-Drugs & More

Biogen was once again all over the biotech newswire this week. First came a positive surprise; data that could set the stage for the first-ever drug approved for spinal muscular atrophy, a rare and debilitating muscle disease. Then came the rumor mill: Companies may or may not be approaching Biogen about a sale, and Biogen … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Biogen Rumors, Theranos, Electro-Drugs & More”

Vault RMS Garners $1,300,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=26b271f5-fcb8-4918-ba90-cab1464b32b3 Date 8/5/2016 Company Name Vault RMS Mailing Address 101 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 USA Company Description Chris Memmott founded VaultRMS in May 2013 as a cloud-based technology platform for public safety agencies. Then and now, the company seeks to simplify the purchasing process for municipal governments without sacrificing the … Continue reading “Vault RMS Garners $1,300,000 Seed Funding Round”

Kyriba Receives $22,708,012 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ecf289e6-cdbf-4cfa-bc73-f2449acf08b8 Date 8/5/2016 Company Name Kyriba Mailing Address 9620 Towne Centre Drive San Diego, CA 92121 USA Company Description Kyriba is a leading provider of Treasury solutions delivered under the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Website http://www.kyriba.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $22,708,012 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Kyriba Receives $22,708,012 New Funding”

Qualcomm Making Inroads with Wireless EV Charging Technology

If there’s one thing that’s become clear in the five years since Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) acquired its Halo wireless automotive charging technology, it’s that building a new business—and a new industry—takes time. As the global market for mobile phones has matured, Qualcomm has been seeking new opportunities in the wireless technology business. The San Diego … Continue reading “Qualcomm Making Inroads with Wireless EV Charging Technology”

StatRad Lands $13,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2d0de689-5cf6-40d2-bd50-024c59e952e7 Date 8/4/2016 Company Name StatRad Mailing Address 13280 Evening Creek Dr. S San Diego, CA 92128 USA Company Description Privately owned by radiologists, StatRad is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in the industry and forging long-lasting relationships with radiology groups. Unlike other teleradiology companies, we will not compete with … Continue reading “StatRad Lands $13,000,000 New Round”

Pawn Shops Finally Go Digital, Helping Underbanked Find Quick Cash

In May and June, the financial industries that serve low-income Americans began to change in big ways. First, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed new rules for payday lenders. The first banned lenders from withdrawing money directly from their customers’ bank accounts, while the second restricted their ability to lend by imposing credit limits. Then … Continue reading “Pawn Shops Finally Go Digital, Helping Underbanked Find Quick Cash”

Bioniz Therapeutics Secures $13,000,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b0bd0224-ecbd-41b9-817b-656a1b29e233 Date 8/3/2016 Company Name Bioniz Therapeutics Mailing Address 5 Mason St. Irvine, CA 92618 USA Company Description Bioniz is a biopharmaceutical company leading the discovery and development of first-in-class multi-cytokine inhibitory peptide therapeutics to address immuno-inflammatory diseases and cancer, with an initial focus on orphan diseases that have an immune component. … Continue reading “Bioniz Therapeutics Secures $13,000,000 Series A Round”

PacketSled Raises $5M for Automated Cybersecurity Monitoring System

PacketSled, a cybersecurity startup based in suburban San Diego, has raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by Keshif Ventures, a local angel investment fund that has put money into dozens of tech startups in the San Diego area. Two other small funds, Blu Ventures and JHS Ventures joined in the round. … Continue reading “PacketSled Raises $5M for Automated Cybersecurity Monitoring System”

Biogen Buys Ionis Spine Disease Drug For $75M, Eyes FDA Filing

Spinal muscular atrophy affects over 25,000 people in the U.S. and stops many of them from ever being able to walk. Yet scientists’ understanding of the underlying genetic cause of SMA is fairly recent, which is why drugs for the disease are only now progressing through the pipelines of biotech and pharma companies. The most … Continue reading “Biogen Buys Ionis Spine Disease Drug For $75M, Eyes FDA Filing”

Gaining an Edge: Understanding Cyber Risk Appetite

Not long ago, companies prepared for cyber risks the way they might for a hurricane, flood, or other disaster situation: Brace for the worst, and hope for the best. Those days are over. Security breaches across industries have put cyber squarely on everybody’s risk agenda. But while they’re taking cyber threats seriously, many companies are … Continue reading “Gaining an Edge: Understanding Cyber Risk Appetite”

PacketSled Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7dbb02e6-a056-46dc-95e0-45b306ecfc4a Date 8/1/2016 Company Name PacketSled Mailing Address 1104 Camino Del Mar Del Mar, CA 92014 USA Company Description PacketSled fuses immutable network truth,with expert knowledge to provide continuous monitoring, automated detection, and response capabilities. PacketSled enables compliance and governance organizations to deeply understand areas that need attention, in real-time and historically. … Continue reading “PacketSled Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Financing”

Biotech Roundup: Gilead Slump, Celgene Goes Trump, Hemo Data & More

Quarterly biopharma earnings added a little heat to the already high summer temperatures. Amongst several companies to report this week, the biggest news came from Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]), whose hepatitis C drugs have become some of the top revenue producers in the industry. But the company said this week that sales of Sovaldi and … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Gilead Slump, Celgene Goes Trump, Hemo Data & More”

Modulated Imaging Garners $500,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f30a36cd-4289-473f-bf3b-5fa3ace1ccb1 Date 7/29/2016 Company Name Modulated Imaging Mailing Address 17151 Gillette Avenue Irvine, CA 92614 USA Company Description We build light based imaging devices that give professionals transformative tools for preventing, diagnosing, and curing medical skin conditions. Our unprecedented science profoundly impacts the health and resilience of skin, and increases quality of … Continue reading “Modulated Imaging Garners $500,000 Series A Funding”

Cloudvirga Obtains $7,500,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=82f2848c-1007-46b6-8778-dc61bc5f89d7 Date 7/29/2016 Company Name Cloudvirga Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90001 USA Company Description The story behind cloudvirga is unique. We began as an internal development initiative within one of the country’s top 25 lenders. It was an experiment to see if it was possible to transform the chaos and … Continue reading “Cloudvirga Obtains $7,500,000 Series A Funding Round”

At Big Hemophilia Meeting, More Data, and Promise, For Gene Therapy

This week’s World Federation of Hemophilia World Congress in Orlando, FL, where researchers gathered to present the latest updates in treatments for the chronic bleeding disorder, marked the latest step in a journey that dates back more than two decades for one particular treatment: gene therapy. Gene therapy provides the potential of a long-term treatment … Continue reading “At Big Hemophilia Meeting, More Data, and Promise, For Gene Therapy”

How Richard Branson and Snoop Dogg Use Social Media Vs. Social Unrest

Last month, I spent a week on Necker Island, where Richard Branson and a bunch of entrepreneurs were discussing how we could help address political upheavals, intolerance, violence, social inequality, and other issues. It’s almost like we’re in a war right now. Nations are split in half. On one side you have citizens who want … Continue reading “How Richard Branson and Snoop Dogg Use Social Media Vs. Social Unrest”

LabCorp Boosts Prenatal Testing Presence with $371M Sequenom Deal

LabCorp, already a giant in diagnostics and laboratory testing, is building its capabilities in prenatal testing with an agreement to acquire Sequenom in a $371 million deal. Under the tender offer, Burlington, NC-based LabCorp (NYSE: [[ticker:LH]]) will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Sequenom for $2.40 per share, for a total equity value of … Continue reading “LabCorp Boosts Prenatal Testing Presence with $371M Sequenom Deal”

Ostendo Raising Funds to Advance Virtual Reality Display Technology

Ostendo Technologies, a Carlsbad, CA-based company founded in 2005 to advance curved screens and other innovative display technologies, has raised $41.8 million of a new financing round intended to bring in $62.8 million, according to a recent regulatory filing. The financing includes both new investment funding and a conversion of debt to equity, according to … Continue reading “Ostendo Raising Funds to Advance Virtual Reality Display Technology”

Clinton Versus Trump: Who’s Stronger on Innovation?

With the Republican National Convention behind us and the Democratic convention in full swing, it seems like a good moment to ask how a Donald Trump presidency or a Hillary Clinton presidency might affect the prospects for high-tech entrepreneurship and business growth in the United States. At this stage, both candidates have given major economic … Continue reading “Clinton Versus Trump: Who’s Stronger on Innovation?”

Profitability Helps San Diego Lender Step Out from Industry Cloud

With a cloud lingering over the peer-to-peer lending industry, privately held National Funding is disclosing new details today about its operations, in a bid to step into the light and differentiate itself as a fintech company and alternative lender. In contrast to some alternative lenders, the San Diego firm said it is growing fast and … Continue reading “Profitability Helps San Diego Lender Step Out from Industry Cloud”

Kite & Lightning Obtains $2,500,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5e56d47f-fb8c-4822-b2c1-5ddfa8944bed Date 7/26/2016 Company Name Kite & Lightning Mailing Address Undisclosed Los Angeles, CA 90049 USA Company Description Kite & Lightning is a cinematic VR company that blends gaming, social and story to create emotionally transformative experiences. Website http://www.kiteandlightning.la Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,500,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “Kite & Lightning Obtains $2,500,000 Seed Round”

Scopely Garners $55,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e4a14c1c-1c2a-4fb5-887b-c67f785196ac Date 7/26/2016 Company Name Scopely Mailing Address 9950 Jefferson Blvd. Building 2 Culver City, CA 90232 USA Company Description The hottest new consumer web startup in Los Angeles, Scopely is in stealth mode preparing to disrupt a segment of the social web that is ripe for innovation. The Scopely team includes … Continue reading “Scopely Garners $55,000,000 Series B Funding”

The Outbreaks Are Here, Where’s Our Response Plan?

The news of the first Zika case in Pierce County—the 14th in Washington State—reminds us that the spread of disease is inevitable. While we don’t have in our region the kind of mosquito that transmits Zika, the latest infected patient returned from a visit to Puerto Rico. Thanks to modern travel, whether by mosquitoes or … Continue reading “The Outbreaks Are Here, Where’s Our Response Plan?”

The Real Cracks in the Foundation of Ransomware

The rise of ransomware has been striking over the past two years, rapidly dominating headlines with its frequency, its wide range of victims, and its profitability. So when news hit that two of the largest and most notorious delivery systems for ransomware — the Necurs botnet and the Angler exploit kit — had gone dark, … Continue reading “The Real Cracks in the Foundation of Ransomware”

Biotech Roundup: Scangos’s Exit, Zafgen’s Shakeup, Jounce, Relypsa & More

The top news in biotech this week centers around one big job opening: the head seat at Biogen, now that George Scangos has announced plans to leave the company. Who takes the gig, and the strategic direction he or she chooses for Biogen will have implications not just for the company and its employees, but … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Scangos’s Exit, Zafgen’s Shakeup, Jounce, Relypsa & More”

Zingle Raises $3M to Expand and Improve Messaging App Technology

Zingle, a Carlsbad, CA-based tech startup targeting the service industry and consumer-facing businesses with its messaging app technology, has raised $3 million in venture capital, according to a regulatory filing earlier this month. The funding, provided by Santa Barbara, CA-based Rincon Venture Partners and Venice, CA-based CrossCut Ventures, represents the first institutional investment for Zingle. … Continue reading “Zingle Raises $3M to Expand and Improve Messaging App Technology”

Nuance Communications Acquires TouchCommerce for $215,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4cdfd3c3-1137-4a80-b4eb-8fbb28bd4e89 Date 7/22/2016 Company Name TouchCommerce Mailing Address 30501 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, CA 91301 USA Company Description TouchCommerce is a leader in online interaction optimization. TouchCommerce solutions increase web site conversion for clients like Sprint, AT&T, Virgin Media, and Wyndham Hotels by 20% or more. Website http://www.touchcommerce.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction … Continue reading “Nuance Communications Acquires TouchCommerce for $215,000,000”

Zingle Garners $3,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e488f85a-2f9e-4b8c-8387-2de03d000f01 Date 7/22/2016 Company Name Zingle Mailing Address 2270 Camino Vida Roble Carlsbad, CA 92011 USA Company Description Zingle is a texting & messaging software solution that helps businesses communicate with customers, growing revenue & improving customer satisfaction. Website http://www.zingle.me Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Zingle Garners $3,000,000 New Round”

Dauntless Takes Flight with New Business Model for Starting Biotechs

First came Inception Sciences, a holding company for spinning out biotech startups established by Versant Ventures and Peppi Prasit, the veteran San Diego drug developer. Then came COI Pharmaceuticals, the shared “community of innovation” for startup biotechs established by San Diego’s Avalon Ventures as part of its partnership with GlaxoSmithKline. And now there is Dauntless … Continue reading “Dauntless Takes Flight with New Business Model for Starting Biotechs”

Audentes Prices $75M IPO As Gene Therapy Eyes First U.S. Approval

As the possibility of the first ever gene therapy approval in the U.S. draws closer, more gene therapy players are entering the public markets. Today, it’s San Francisco’s Audentes Therapeutics, which aims to use gene therapy to treat a group of rare diseases. Audentes sold 5 million shares at $15 apiece in its IPO last … Continue reading “Audentes Prices $75M IPO As Gene Therapy Eyes First U.S. Approval”

Synthorx Raises $10M to Expand Use of Synthetic DNA in Biologics

Synthorx, the San Diego synthetic biology startup that expanded the number of DNA base pairs with two synthetic nucleotides, said today it has raised $10 million in a Series B financing round led by RA Capital Management, the Boston life sciences hedge fund. Existing investors Avalon Ventures and Correlation Ventures joined in the round. The … Continue reading “Synthorx Raises $10M to Expand Use of Synthetic DNA in Biologics”

Synthorx Obtains $10,000,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44eed834-280b-4d12-9ac1-c47bb73bc6ab Date 7/20/2016 Company Name Synthorx Mailing Address 11099 North Torrey Pines Road La Jolla, CA 92037 USA Company Description Synthorx is a biotechnology company using synthetic biology to discover and develop novel therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines. Website http://www.synthorx.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Synthorx Obtains $10,000,000 Series B Financing”

Unilever Acquires Dollar Shave Club for $1,000,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a4915a8c-fe6c-4982-8c9f-1696b8e14394 Date 7/20/2016 Company Name Dollar Shave Club Mailing Address 513 Boccacio Avenue Venice, CA 90409 USA Company Description DollarShaveClub.com sends awesome razors right to your door for a few bucks a months. No more over-paying for brand name razors. No more forgetting to buy them at the store. “Shave Money. Shave … Continue reading “Unilever Acquires Dollar Shave Club for $1,000,000,000”

Is the Future of Cybersecurity in M&A?

Last month Symantec announced its plans to buy Blue Coat for $4.7 billion. Has the consolidation—and creation of this enterprise security giant—put immense pressure on other industry players? In an ideal world, and from the perspective of a venture investor, this would absolutely be the case. In 2015, Cybersecurity startups saw 332 funding deals with … Continue reading “Is the Future of Cybersecurity in M&A?”

Evoke Pharma’s Stock Sinks on Stomach Drug’s Phase 3 Failure

Evoke Pharma is taking a hit in the markets after announcing a Phase 3 trial on a gastrointestinal drug for diabetes patients failed to meet its goals. In early trading Monday, Evoke’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EVOK]]) stock price was down 72 percent to $3.02 per share as of 11:30 a.m. in New York. The company is developing a … Continue reading “Evoke Pharma’s Stock Sinks on Stomach Drug’s Phase 3 Failure”

Q2 VC Funding Soars in San Diego (After Revisions), and Top 10 Deals

What a difference a megadeal (or two) can make. After the national MoneyTree Report was released last week, PricewaterhouseCoopers partner Ryan Spencer said he spent time on a call with Thomson Reuters, which provides the raw data, trying to figure out a change in the numbers for venture capital activity in San Diego. PricewaterhouseCoopers and … Continue reading “Q2 VC Funding Soars in San Diego (After Revisions), and Top 10 Deals”

ZestFinance Receives New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3f3c08db-1c0a-4e39-b7a6-4369c290aa6c Date 7/18/2016 Company Name ZestFinance Mailing Address 6636 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA Company Description ZestFinance offers a fair and transparent alternative for people who need short-term loans but do not have access to traditional credit. We designed ZestCash loans to help people meet their basic life needs without … Continue reading “ZestFinance Receives New Financing Round”

AltheaDx Garners $2,221,227 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b6adb615-df00-4f81-83aa-5fdbf3a58afb Date 7/18/2016 Company Name AltheaDx Mailing Address 10578 Science Center Drive San Diego, CA 92121 USA Company Description AltheaDx provides molecular biomarker discovery, assay development and validation, clinical trial testing and companion diagnostics development services. Website http://www.altheadx.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,221,227 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “AltheaDx Garners $2,221,227 New Financing”

GrayMeta Obtains $3,496,607 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7bd8c46f-e24b-4076-aa6f-8f515d954029 Date 7/18/2016 Company Name GrayMeta Mailing Address 5835 Kanan Rd. Agoura Hills, CA 91301 USA Company Description What most people don’t realize is that embedded in every file is a trove of metadata that in and of itself can be descriptive and relevant, but when combined with metadata from other databases, … Continue reading “GrayMeta Obtains $3,496,607 New Financing”