Replicating the car dealership experience online has historically been a challenge. Although many of us have grown to prefer the ease and convenience of shopping online, there’s nothing quite like kicking the tires of a vehicle in person. Because cars are one of the most expensive purchases many of us will make, it’s especially important … Continue reading “Hyundai Launches Digital Showroom on Amazon to Better Reach Customers”
Category: Seattle
If the Shoe Fits: Luxury Shoe Club Launches E-Consignment Store
One in five pairs of shoes sit unworn in the average woman’s closet. So, why not sell these unused, or slightly used, pairs to someone who will wear them? That’s the view of Scott Van Valkenburgh, co-founder of Luxury Shoe Club, a Raleigh, NC-based startup that caters to women who want to buy and sell … Continue reading “If the Shoe Fits: Luxury Shoe Club Launches E-Consignment Store”
E.U. Slaps $5B Antitrust Fine on Google; Trump Blasts Back With Tweet
[Updated 7/19/18, 9:59 am. See below.] If top European leaders faced a testy President Donald Trump in a series of meetings this summer, imagine the mood when the president of the European Commission arrives at the White House next Wednesday. President Trump and the European Union’s top executive officer, Jean-Claude Juncker, are slated to discuss … Continue reading “E.U. Slaps $5B Antitrust Fine on Google; Trump Blasts Back With Tweet”
Juno’s Fontenot Joins Immusoft as Chief Scientific Officer
Jason Fontenot has been appointed chief scientific officer of Seattle cell therapy developer Immusoft. Fontenot most recently worked at Seattle cancer immunotherapy company Juno Therapeutics, which was acquired by Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) earlier this year in a $9 billion deal. Immusoft is researching a way of reengineering the B cells of the body into treatments for … Continue reading “Juno’s Fontenot Joins Immusoft as Chief Scientific Officer”
Walmart, Microsoft Deepen Partnership as Both Grapple With Amazon
The enemy of my enemy is my friend—even in the retail and cloud computing businesses. So says retail giant Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]]) as it announced this morning a five-year partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) to use machine learning and other technologies, deepening an existing partnership between two of Amazon’s biggest rivals. “Whether it’s combined with our … Continue reading “Walmart, Microsoft Deepen Partnership as Both Grapple With Amazon”
New Ethics Code Urges Tech Firms and Coders To Avoid Harming Society
Selling a new Web-connected thermostat or other wired gizmo to consumers without a plan to deliver the necessary security patches is not only bad business—it’s unethical. So is failing to challenge a law or tech company rule that governs work on technology products, if that rule causes unjustifiable harms to people or the environment. Those … Continue reading “New Ethics Code Urges Tech Firms and Coders To Avoid Harming Society”
Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Prices, Novartis Cuts, Gene Therapy Guide & More
Drug price changes typically happen either at the start of the calendar year or the beginning of the third quarter. Such changes are routine for many companies, but Pfizer took an unusual step this week by rolling back scheduled price increases on 40 of its drugs. The change of plan happened after Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Prices, Novartis Cuts, Gene Therapy Guide & More”
E-Retail Startup Pointy Raises $12M, Helps Small Shops Be Found Online
Mark Cummins wondered why online search engines could help you locate a landmark halfway around the world in a second but couldn’t tell him whether the corner store had a craft beer he liked. That’s what led him to co-found Pointy, which makes a hardware device that enables small retailers to easily upload inventory onto … Continue reading “E-Retail Startup Pointy Raises $12M, Helps Small Shops Be Found Online”
Venture Funding Keeps Momentum Amid IPO Wave; Plus Q2’s Top 10 Deals
[Updated 7/12/18, 9:24 am. See below.] Last year, U.S. venture capital investments swelled to a level not seen since the dot-com era of the early 2000s. This year could be even bigger. Investors funneled $57.5 billion into U.S. companies through the first six months of 2018, according to the latest Venture Monitor report produced quarterly … Continue reading “Venture Funding Keeps Momentum Amid IPO Wave; Plus Q2’s Top 10 Deals”
CTI BioPharma’s Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Drug Fails Study, Shares Sink
A CTI BioPharma treatment for a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma has failed a clinical trial key for maintaining its approval in Europe, casting doubt on the drug’s prospects with the FDA. Seattle-based CTI (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) said Monday that its drug, pixantrone, failed to meet the goal of improving progression-free survival, which is the length of … Continue reading “CTI BioPharma’s Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Drug Fails Study, Shares Sink”
Bio Roundup: Dunsire’s Danish, Price Hikes, Rare-Disease Race & More
[Corrected, 7/6/18, 1:26 pm. See below.] Xconomy was dumbstruck this week, and not by the fireworks overhead. Our friend and one of our earliest employees, San Diego editor Bruce Bigelow, died suddenly last weekend. Bruce covered everything—and everyone—in San Diego’s innovation scene, including the life sciences. Some of our favorite stories of his sprang from … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Dunsire’s Danish, Price Hikes, Rare-Disease Race & More”
The Empathy Economy: Emotional Intelligence in Customer Service
The “empathy economy” will help define the new reality of human and machine interactions in the customer service industry. A takeoff on the sharing economy, the empathy economy will grow due to brand mania and increased automation in the workplace. Consumers are inundated by brands in their day-to-day lives, and these brands sometimes create personal … Continue reading “The Empathy Economy: Emotional Intelligence in Customer Service”
In Celebration of Bruce Bigelow: Our Memories, His Playlist
[Updated, 7/5/18. See below] Bruce Victor Bigelow, editor of Xconomy San Diego, passed away Friday afternoon, June 29, at the age of 63. He had suddenly fallen ill less than a week earlier, after he returned to San Diego from a hiking trip in Utah. Our initial post about Bruce’s death is here. And the … Continue reading “In Celebration of Bruce Bigelow: Our Memories, His Playlist”
Xconomy Mourns the Loss of San Diego Editor Bruce Bigelow
[Updated, 7/5/18. See below] It is with profound sadness that we at Xconomy say goodbye to our longtime friend and editor of Xconomy San Diego, Bruce Bigelow. An outstanding journalist, colleague, and friend, and a fixture of the San Diego innovation scene, Bruce passed away today at age 63 after a brief illness. We are … Continue reading “Xconomy Mourns the Loss of San Diego Editor Bruce Bigelow”
Nanotech Liquidia Hops IPO Wave as Lead Drug Faces Late-Stage Test
Liquidia Technologies focuses on the small. Its method of producing nano-scale particles improves how a drug reaches its target in the body. Now the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company is aiming for something big: an IPO to finance tests of a pair of drugs that use this drug delivery technology. Research Triangle Park, NC-based Liquidia filed the … Continue reading “Nanotech Liquidia Hops IPO Wave as Lead Drug Faces Late-Stage Test”
SimpliSafe Sold to Private Equity Firm as Home Security Heats Up
[Updated 6/29/18, 3:38 pm. See below.] More deal-making in home security today: SimpliSafe has sold a majority stake in the company to private equity firm Hellman & Friedman. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed in a press release. A spokeswoman says Hellman & Friedman “made a majority investment alongside” SimpliSafe management. Founded in 2006, SimpliSafe … Continue reading “SimpliSafe Sold to Private Equity Firm as Home Security Heats Up”
Best Reads for Casual Friday: Cybersecurity (And Some Amazon, Too)
You’ve made it to Friday—it’s time to take a step back, prepare for a relaxing weekend, and read a few stories about the endless ways in which your personal information can be stolen. OK, maybe it’s better to spin it like this: Here are some of the most interesting reads from this last week on … Continue reading “Best Reads for Casual Friday: Cybersecurity (And Some Amazon, Too)”
Bio Roundup: Big Bucks For Calico, Data Dumps & The IPO Wave Rolls On
If you’re running a privately held biotech, the time to go public is now. Clinical data already in hand or not, biotechs have charged to Wall Street at a record pace over the past two weeks, raising more than $1 billion in offerings that all met or exceeded their projected valuations. And there are no … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Big Bucks For Calico, Data Dumps & The IPO Wave Rolls On”
Assembler Labs Aims to Get Detroit Entrepreneurs Out of Their Shells
Ian Sefferman is bullish on the Midwest, particularly Detroit. A native of the area, Sefferman started a Seattle-based app marketing company called MobileDevHQ that was acquired by TUNE in 2014. While Sefferman was deciding what to do next, he moved back to Detroit last year to be closer to family and learn more about the … Continue reading “Assembler Labs Aims to Get Detroit Entrepreneurs Out of Their Shells”
Amazon Acquiring Online Pharmacy PillPack, Eyes Prescription Drug Market
It’s Amazon, not Walmart, that’s buying online pharmacy PillPack. The companies announced the deal Thursday morning but didn’t disclose any financial terms. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2018. Back in April, Walmart was in serious talks to acquire PillPack. Those talks apparently broke down, and it’s no surprise that … Continue reading “Amazon Acquiring Online Pharmacy PillPack, Eyes Prescription Drug Market”
IPO Wave Rolls On as Five Life Science Firms Haul In $651M
A week after seven biotechs went public, setting a new record for the Nasdaq, five more life sciences companies have joined the club. The latest crop continued the positive momentum for life sciences offerings, as the group either met or exceeded their projections and raised a total of $651 million. Neon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NTGN]]) was … Continue reading “IPO Wave Rolls On as Five Life Science Firms Haul In $651M”
Senators Grill HHS’s Azar on Drug Price Cuts That Have Yet to Come
When President Trump signed legislation last month allowing seriously ill patients the “right to try” unapproved drugs without FDA oversight, he voiced a bold prediction: Within two weeks, he said, drug companies would announce “voluntary massive drops in prices.” Asked for further detail, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declined to elaborate on … Continue reading “Senators Grill HHS’s Azar on Drug Price Cuts That Have Yet to Come”
How the Rise of Beijing and Shanghai Tech May Impact Silicon Valley
When it comes to startup tech hubs, U.S. cities from San Francisco to Austin to Boston come first to mind. But that is starting to change, as Asian cities—particularly in China—are snapping up more tech venture capital funding and exits, according to a new report from CB Insights. Silicon Valley tech startups pulled in the … Continue reading “How the Rise of Beijing and Shanghai Tech May Impact Silicon Valley”
Catalog Hauls In $9M to Make DNA-Based Data Storage Commercially Viable
The practice of encoding data in DNA molecules could be inching closer to graduating from research labs to finding practical commercial use. In the coming years, the explosion of data being generated by computing devices could outstrip the supply of hard drives needed to store it, some industry experts say. Some academic researchers and business … Continue reading “Catalog Hauls In $9M to Make DNA-Based Data Storage Commercially Viable”
Stitch Fix CTO Polinsky Says Its Style Shuffle Game Makes Data Fun
When Cathy Polinsky became chief technology officer of Stitch Fix in late 2016, she knew one of the San Francisco-based company’s key challenges was continually refining its core software algorithm to make sure customers received the right tailored suggestions in their monthly wardrobe boxes. So, she made it into a game. Style Shuffle is a … Continue reading “Stitch Fix CTO Polinsky Says Its Style Shuffle Game Makes Data Fun”
Some of the Best Reads for Casual Friday: Artificial Intelligence
Fridays can be the most productive work day, as you look to shore up everything before the weekend starts. Or, maybe instead, it’s a day filled with long lunches and listless Internet surfing, as you seek out all the interesting articles you missed during the week. Fear not: Xconomy has done the work for you, … Continue reading “Some of the Best Reads for Casual Friday: Artificial Intelligence”
Bio Roundup: Duchenne Data, Roche Buys Foundation, IPO Wave & More
Biotech financing is a cyclical thing. Two years ago, the IPO window was unlatched but a number of companies ended up withdrawing their stock offerings. Others that pushed their IPOs through couldn’t sell shares at the price they wanted. This year, the IPO window is wide open. A total of 93 IPOs have priced as … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Duchenne Data, Roche Buys Foundation, IPO Wave & More”
Intel CEO Resigns After Board Learns of His Relationship With Employee
Intel (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTC]]) announced Thursday that CEO Brian Krzanich has resigned in the wake of the company’s recent discovery that he had been involved in a past consensual relationship with an Intel employee. The relationship violated Intel’s non-fraternization policy—the finding of an ongoing investigation by internal and external counsel, the company said in a written … Continue reading “Intel CEO Resigns After Board Learns of His Relationship With Employee”
Tcare’s Software Aids People Who Live with, and Care for, Loved Ones
Retiring baby boomers are expected to more than double Medicare and Medicaid costs from 2017 to 2020, according to industry data. That may just be the tip of the iceberg: by 2035, Medicare will account for 8 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office. One major reason … Continue reading “Tcare’s Software Aids People Who Live with, and Care for, Loved Ones”
Latticework Launches Personal Hybrid Cloud for Private Data-Sharing
Were you aghast at revelations that third-party organizations were able to capture millions of Facebook profiles from users who were unaware of the company’s privacy policy terms? If so, a Silicon Valley startup is hoping to entice you with a new option for private data storage of your personal digital life, along with private channels … Continue reading “Latticework Launches Personal Hybrid Cloud for Private Data-Sharing”
Bio IPO Madness: Six Biotech Startups Raise $568M in 24 Hours
The window for biotech IPOs remains wide open and six more companies have charged through it, raising more than $568 million in the span of 24 hours. The first was Eidos Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EIDX]]), which raised $106 million in its stock market debut. The San Francisco company priced its IPO late Tuesday, selling 6.25 million … Continue reading “Bio IPO Madness: Six Biotech Startups Raise $568M in 24 Hours”
New Amazon-Led Healthcare Venture Taps Surgeon, Author Gawande as CEO
The new, independent, healthcare-focused company Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase plan to launch made a big splash when it was first announced in January, but few details have emerged since. On Wednesday, the trio of American business heavyweights revealed a little more. They said Atul Gawande, a surgeon and author who is well known … Continue reading “New Amazon-Led Healthcare Venture Taps Surgeon, Author Gawande as CEO”
CrowdStrike Hauls In $200M, Reports Valuation Over $3 Billion
CrowdStrike, a Silicon Valley cybersecurity company that fends off hackers by patrolling the edge devices connected to a network, announced today it raised $200 million in a financing round that sets the company’s valuation at more than $3 billion. Sunnyvale, CA-based CrowdStrike, as an endpoint protection and response platform, uses next-generation antivirus software, scans for … Continue reading “CrowdStrike Hauls In $200M, Reports Valuation Over $3 Billion”
What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech: Tech, Life Sciences Convergence & More
Like a good cup of coffee, Seattle’s life sciences ecosystem is a balanced blend of complementary parts: research to find the underpinnings of disease, and information technology that helps scientists make sense of the data. That convergence was on display last week at Xconomy’s annual What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech event. Here are a few … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech: Tech, Life Sciences Convergence & More”
CVS Health Expands Delivery, as Pharmacies Try to Keep Amazon at Bay
CVS Health said Tuesday that it has expanded its prescription-drug delivery service nationwide. Customers of the Rhode Island-based retail pharmacy giant, which operates about 9,800 stores in the U.S., will be able to get their medications, as well as over-the-counter items, delivered to their mailboxes in one to two days, said CVS Pharmacy, the retail … Continue reading “CVS Health Expands Delivery, as Pharmacies Try to Keep Amazon at Bay”
Biotech Beware, Your Culture Is Showing
In a recent survey of 220 scientists, 60 percent of the respondents reported having experienced harassment at a conference at some point in their careers. Even more astounding is the fact that 82 percent of those who reported harassment did not report it when it occurred. That’s why it’s easy to say, “How big of … Continue reading “Biotech Beware, Your Culture Is Showing”
Teva’s Migraine Drug Fails in Phase 3 for Chronic Cluster Headaches
Teva Pharmaceutical’s bid to add a new therapeutic application for its experimental migraine-prevention drug has faltered in a late-stage study. Israel-based Teva (NYSE: [[ticker:TEVA]]) said Friday that it is stopping a Phase 3 clinical trial testing its drug, fremanezumab, for prevention of chronic cluster headaches. According to the company, an analysis found that the study … Continue reading “Teva’s Migraine Drug Fails in Phase 3 for Chronic Cluster Headaches”
Bio Roundup: Not-BIO Party Foul, CRISPR Drama, Sickle Cell Updates
This week brought a sobering reminder of how far away we are from true gender equality in the life sciences. An industry party held during BIO’s annual meeting in Boston last week featured scantily clad women with company logos painted on their bodies—two years after the infamous party at the J.P. Morgan party in San … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Not-BIO Party Foul, CRISPR Drama, Sickle Cell Updates”
For Sickle Cell, a Complex Disease, New Drugs Could Bring Complex Costs
Cassandra Trimnell has sickle cell disease. She also loves to travel. For her 30th birthday last year, she and her husband planned a trip to Indonesia, and she figured she would be fine. Growing up in Iowa, she was sick all the time, in and out of hospitals with severe pain episodes, or “crises,” and … Continue reading “For Sickle Cell, a Complex Disease, New Drugs Could Bring Complex Costs”
New York Fashion Tech Lab Connects Retail to Crucial Innovations
Amazon is fundamentally disrupting how and where we shop, but in-store retail still has life in it. The Seattle e-commerce giant is “a hefty competitor, but that doesn’t mean brands and retailers don’t have the ability to fight back,” says Kay Koplovitz, co-founder and managing partner of Springboard Growth Capital in New York. In fact, … Continue reading “New York Fashion Tech Lab Connects Retail to Crucial Innovations”
Allergan’s Migraine-Reducing Pill Hits Study Goals, Heads to Phase 3
An experimental Allergan pill meant to help reduce the frequency of migraines met the main goals of a key study, bolstering its chances of eventually being in the mix with a new wave of injectable migraine-preventing therapies. The results announced Monday for the Allergan (NYSE: [[ticker:AGN]]) drug, atogepant, come a month after Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) … Continue reading “Allergan’s Migraine-Reducing Pill Hits Study Goals, Heads to Phase 3”
Data Centers on Wheels: How Intel Plans to Capitalize on Mobility
Intel sealed its commitment to become a player in the burgeoning autonomous vehicle industry when it bought computer vision company Mobileye for more than $15 billion in 2017. The venerable Santa Clara, CA-based chipmaker is betting that its data analytics and connectivity chops—as well as its semiconductors—combined with Mobileye’s computer vision and mapping functions, will … Continue reading “Data Centers on Wheels: How Intel Plans to Capitalize on Mobility”
Bio Roundup: Wrapping ASCO, Dreaming IPO, Rebooting Axovant & More
Most of the cancer news this week happened at the massive ASCO meeting in Chicago. But not all, as we’ll see in a moment. Also this week, Biogen and Eisai reported good news about an Alzheimer’s drug, but with plenty of caveats. Axovant Sciences, which hit the skids last year because of a massive Alzheimer’s … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Wrapping ASCO, Dreaming IPO, Rebooting Axovant & More”
Alder BioPharmaceuticals Picks Juno’s Robert Azelby for CEO
Robert Azelby has been named president and CEO of Alder BioPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALDR]]). He will also join the Bothell, WA, company’s board of directors. After Azelby starts his new role on June 13, Alder’s interim CEO Paul Cleveland will resume his role as a member of the company’s board. Alder’s founding CEO, Randy Schatzman, resigned … Continue reading “Alder BioPharmaceuticals Picks Juno’s Robert Azelby for CEO”
Last Chance to Save on What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech
There’s just one week left before Xconomy’s latest biotech event, “What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech.” Don’t let the clock run out while you can still save some cash on a ticket. Next Tuesday, June 12, we’re bringing together some of the Emerald City’s top life science entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors to discuss the strengths and … Continue reading “Last Chance to Save on What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech”
ASCO Wrap: Cancer Combos, Precision Meds, Stock Movers & More
The American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, the world’s largest cancer conference, wraps up today in Chicago. Investors have dissected the data, picked winners and losers, and sent some biotech stocks soaring and others tumbling. In the days before ASCO, Xconomy previewed two major themes: the feverish and flawed race to develop cancer immunotherapy … Continue reading “ASCO Wrap: Cancer Combos, Precision Meds, Stock Movers & More”
Biotech’s Looming Talent Crisis: 5 Ways to Prepare for the Storm
Finding and keeping great talent has always been a limiting factor for building companies—and even more so in the life science industry, which requires highly specialized skills. As an executive recruiter focused solely on life sciences, I know firsthand the challenges of filling key executive roles, and I’m often the first to see signs of … Continue reading “Biotech’s Looming Talent Crisis: 5 Ways to Prepare for the Storm”
Why Microsoft Bought GitHub for $7.5B, and What Developers Think
Since Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the company’s dedication to cloud computing and developer-focused software products has been palpable. Nadella was executive vice president of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise group before taking the helm of the entire business. And revenues for the company’s cloud computing services, such as Microsoft Azure, … Continue reading “Why Microsoft Bought GitHub for $7.5B, and What Developers Think”
Xconomy’s Napa Summit Is June 14-15: Last Call for Invites
Just 10 days to go—but it’s not too late to request your invitation to Xconomy’s most unique and thought-provoking event of the year: our annual Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. We only have a few spots left open, so get your wine on and request your invitation today. You will … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Napa Summit Is June 14-15: Last Call for Invites”
Price Check on Aisle 3: Retailers Turn to Robots to Manage Inventory
Inventory management is crucial to operating a successful retail operation. And as hard as it may be to believe, retailers “don’t really know what’s on the shelves,” says Sarjoun Skaff, founder and CTO of Bossa Nova Robotics. A combination of the sheer number of products a retailer like Walmart has on offer and the pace … Continue reading “Price Check on Aisle 3: Retailers Turn to Robots to Manage Inventory”