Category: Seattle

How the Wrong Decision in Schwarzenegger v. EMA Could Cripple Video Game Innovation

In 2005 the Terminator signed a bill to outlaw the sale of “violent” video games to anyone under 18 years of age in California. Granted, he was wearing his off-set persona as the Governor of California, but this irony flows through a case the U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear entitled Schwarzenegger v. EMA. … Continue reading “How the Wrong Decision in Schwarzenegger v. EMA Could Cripple Video Game Innovation”

Oncothyreon Raises $14.9M

Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONTY]]), the Seattle-based developer of cancer drugs, said today it has raised $14.9 million through a private placement transaction. The company sold 4.24 million securities units (a combination of common stock and warrants) at $3.50 apiece. That represents a 7.2 percent discount to the 30-day trailing average stock price, Oncothyreon said. JMP Securities … Continue reading “Oncothyreon Raises $14.9M”

Anybots, Y Combinator’s Housemate, Brings Remote-Controlled Robots to the White-Collar World

[Video included, please scroll down] Trevor Blackwell used to think that telepresence robots were all about manipulation: being able to grasp and move things from afar. So he and his colleagues at Mountain View, CA-based Anybots spent years building robots with beautifully articulated hands that users could operate over a standard Internet connection. The company’s … Continue reading “Anybots, Y Combinator’s Housemate, Brings Remote-Controlled Robots to the White-Collar World”

Trupanion, Riding the Wave of Fast-Growing Industry, Seeks to Lead in Pet Medical Insurance

[Corrected: 11:30 am] Little known fact: more than half of American pet owners now buy holiday presents for their pets. But even in a country where buying stocking stuffers for your four-legged pal is more than commonplace, the sale of medical insurance plans to protect pets—and their owners’ pocketbooks—from medical emergencies and other health related … Continue reading “Trupanion, Riding the Wave of Fast-Growing Industry, Seeks to Lead in Pet Medical Insurance”

Brammo Scores $12.5M More, Fueling New Wave of Electric Motorcycles

Tesla may have made the electric car chic, but Ashland, OR-based Brammo is taking the electric vehicle even further—on two wheels. The electric motorcycle company, founded in 2002, has raised a $12.5 million out of a Series B financing round that could be worth as much as $30 million, according to a report by The … Continue reading “Brammo Scores $12.5M More, Fueling New Wave of Electric Motorcycles”

Six Finalists Vie For $100K From the Zino Society

Zino Society, the Seattle-based investor and entrepreneur network, just wrapped up one of its biggest annual events—the Zino Zillionaire Investment Forum. Now it’s time to follow up on who made the initial cut in the competition for its two $50,000 investment prizes. At the end of the event, Zino named the six finalists among the … Continue reading “Six Finalists Vie For $100K From the Zino Society”

Lee Hartwell’s Next Career Move, Swedish’s Social Media Ace, Cell Therapeutics’ Lifeline, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

This week, I profiled a person in his 70s and someone in her 20s. It really reminded me how covering the life science innovation beat leads to a lot of fascinating people at different stages of their careers. —Lee Hartwell, the Nobel Prize-winning biologist who is stepping down as president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer … Continue reading “Lee Hartwell’s Next Career Move, Swedish’s Social Media Ace, Cell Therapeutics’ Lifeline, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Brammo Obtains $12,500,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9089028a-e893-4bb6-93e0-66d4d719bd60&Preview=1 Date 9/23/2010 Company Name Brammo Mailing Address 550 Clover Lane Ashland, OR 97520 Company Description Brammo is in business for one simple reason – to drive change in the New Energy Economy. Our technically-advanced Enertia plug-in electric motorcycle – which gets up to 45 miles per charge – is the lightweight, … Continue reading “Brammo Obtains $12,500,000 Series B Financing”

Tekmira Gets $5.8M from Hana

Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, the Vancouver, BC-based company with technology to deliver RNA-based therapies in the body, said it has amended a licensing agreement with South San Francisco-based Hana Biosciences. Tekmira has agreed to accept a $5.75 million payment from Hana now, while agreeing to accept lower milestone payments from product candidates later. Tekmira has also agreed … Continue reading “Tekmira Gets $5.8M from Hana”

Forget the Facebook Movie; Here’s the TechStars Casting Call

All this talk about “The Social Network,” and Mark Zuckerberg this and that, got me thinking. What if they made a movie about a technology company that’s doing something really innovative now? A modest company that’s expanding nationally and helping to set the agenda and culture for a new generation of techie entrepreneurs…One with deep … Continue reading “Forget the Facebook Movie; Here’s the TechStars Casting Call”

Focus on Discovery, Not Decision-Making, Is Key To Success

We’ve experienced a slew of “system” failures in the last years—corporate, regulatory, financial and technological—with disastrous results. Toyota suffered a huge hit to its sales and corporate prestige. The damage to the Gulf of Mexico is still being tabulated. And we’re even now trying to fully restart the economy after it was crippled by the … Continue reading “Focus on Discovery, Not Decision-Making, Is Key To Success”

Swedish’s Young Social-Media Ace Coaches Docs in the Ways of the Web

Dana Lewis, at 22, found a job telling doctors what to do. It has nothing to do with deciding which diagnostic test to run, what drug to prescribe, or how much they can bill for an MRI. It has everything to do with how physicians can better communicate with patients over the Web in the … Continue reading “Swedish’s Young Social-Media Ace Coaches Docs in the Ways of the Web”

Ground Truth, Urban Airship Team Up with Verizon

Verizon Wireless announced today it is working with Seattle-based Ground Truth and Portland, OR-based Urban Airship (among other companies) to provide tools for the Verizon Developer Community. Financial details of the partnerships were not given. Ground Truth’s technology will help developers access aggregate data on demographics and mobile Web usage on their applications (for Android, … Continue reading “Ground Truth, Urban Airship Team Up with Verizon”

Bonanza for Bonanzle: Startup Changes Name, Buys 1000Markets, Leads Social Commerce Wave

The Seattle-based online marketplace Bonanzle is on the move today. The company announced it has changed its name to Bonanza (it now uses Bonanza.com), and has acquired 1000Markets, an online community of marketplaces for niche products and artisan crafts, also based in Seattle. (See this blog post on the phase-out of 1000Markets.) Financial terms of … Continue reading “Bonanza for Bonanzle: Startup Changes Name, Buys 1000Markets, Leads Social Commerce Wave”

ZymoGenetics Will Be Missed. How Seattle Biotech Can Recover and Thrive

I agree with Carl Weissman’s recent Xconomy column about the ZymoGenetics acquisition when he says that Seattle needs to be a place where biotech startups thrive. Unfortunately, his column didn’t put forth any novel solutions for making this happen (I know this wasn’t his point in writing the article). I am also in agreement that … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Will Be Missed. How Seattle Biotech Can Recover and Thrive”

Smartsheet Raises New Cash, Amazon Bets on Cirtas, RealNetworks Buys Backstage, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

Thea is taking some time off, so that means the biotech guy in the house has to write up the weekly tech roundup. I’ll try not to say anything too dumb. —Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet, the developer of software to help people collaborate on projects, raised $1.5 million in a new equity round led by Madrona … Continue reading “Smartsheet Raises New Cash, Amazon Bets on Cirtas, RealNetworks Buys Backstage, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

A One-Size-Fits-All License Agreement: The Holy Grail of Tech Transfer?

One common complaint I hear from biotech entrepreneurs is that negotiating a license agreement with a university can be a nightmare. There are universities—some of them within the very top echelons of academia—that are infamous for having technology transfer people who are described as very difficult to work with. It’s not that surprising that these … Continue reading “A One-Size-Fits-All License Agreement: The Holy Grail of Tech Transfer?”

Lee Hartwell, at 70, Tackles Personalized Medicine, Education in Latest Career Phase

Lee Hartwell would be excused if he wanted to rest on his laurels at the age of 70 and enjoy the sort of retirement that you read about in personal finance magazines. Instead, he’s now setting out to do the most ambitious things of his career. He wants to change the way the world thinks … Continue reading “Lee Hartwell, at 70, Tackles Personalized Medicine, Education in Latest Career Phase”

The Future of Humankind Depends on Quality Science Education

Each decade produces new insights into science, especially life sciences, where we are learning more about ourselves. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on its scientific legacy, it becomes more and more important that each new generation understands the role of science in our lives. However, the accumulation of facts can be daunting to students … Continue reading “The Future of Humankind Depends on Quality Science Education”

Zalicus, Formerly the Bicoastal Biotech CombinatoRx, Seeks New Identity with Name Fit for a Warrior

Mark Corrigan, the chief executive of the biotech Zalicus (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ZLCS]]), has been shuttling back and fourth from Boston to New York this week as part of the Cambridge, MA-based firm’s effort to gain greater visibility on Wall Street. In fact, last Friday he was due to ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ stock market … Continue reading “Zalicus, Formerly the Bicoastal Biotech CombinatoRx, Seeks New Identity with Name Fit for a Warrior”

Moseo Receives $1,203,288 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f26f8055-364e-4f68-867c-0397de0b776c&Preview=1 Date 9/19/2010 Company Name Moseo Mailing Address 2722 Eastlake Ave E Seattle, WA 98102 Company Description SeniorHomes.com was created to be the starting point for your search and a valuable resource that you come back to. We have articles to help you learn more about the process of looking for Senior … Continue reading “Moseo Receives $1,203,288 New Financing Round”

BUUTEEQ Secures $1,178,304 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d814e7ba-e101-4483-8f9c-2603a607fdc8&Preview=1 Date 9/19/2010 Company Name BUUTEEQ Mailing Address 4412 – 2nd Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105 Company Description BUUTEEQ offers a hosted digital marketing solution for small/medium size independently managed hotels. Website http://www.buuteeq.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,178,304 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory … Continue reading “BUUTEEQ Secures $1,178,304 New Funding”

Buteeq Raises $1.1M

Seattle-based Buteeq, a stealthy developer of mobile phone applications, has raised $1.1 million in new equity financing, according to a report in TechFlash. Adam Brownstein, a veteran of Microsoft and Sony, heads up the company, according to TechFlash.

Can #NewTwitter Swim Faster Than a Fail Whale?

The Coast Guard reported Thursday that a ship entering San Francisco Bay struck a 25-foot whale and dragged it all the way to Berth 57 at the Port of Oakland, where it was pronounced DOA. (I’m not joking.) If you worked at San Francisco-based Twitter and you were looking for bad omens, this might be … Continue reading “Can #NewTwitter Swim Faster Than a Fail Whale?”

Intel and the Three Ds of the App Store Business

Where are app stores going next? For the past few years, the app store model has spread through the wireless ecosystem like wildfire. There have been a few big winners and lots of…well, losers is probably too strong, but let’s say there are a lot of app stores that have yet to reach critical mass. … Continue reading “Intel and the Three Ds of the App Store Business”

Smartsheet Raises $1.5M From Madrona, Riding Wave of Support from Google Apps Marketplace

Smartsheet, the Bellevue, WA-based collaborative project management software company, has raised $1.5 million more in a Series C round led by existing investor Madrona Venture Group. The company, founded in 2005 by local entrepreneur Brent Frei, develops business software that helps companies oversee online project management, manage team-based collaboration, file share, and track outsourced tasks. … Continue reading “Smartsheet Raises $1.5M From Madrona, Riding Wave of Support from Google Apps Marketplace”

SmartSheet.com Receives $1,500,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fc3b61fd-43a5-475c-b249-b0ea17734665&Preview=1 Date 9/17/2010 Company Name SmartSheet.com Mailing Address 325 118th Ave. SE Bellevue, WA 98005 Company Description Smartsheet.com is a privately-held Software as a Service (SaaS) provider based in Bellevue, Washington (USA). Incorporated in 2005, the company launched its Smartsheet.com service in August of 2006. Since that time, thousands of users throughout … Continue reading “SmartSheet.com Receives $1,500,000 Series C Round”

WTIA Cocktails & Contributions Holiday Networking Event

Dress to impress and join the WTIA community in celebrating the holiday season on The Royal Argosy Cruise Ship! Cocktails :: Have a drink on us and enjoy a full appetizer buffet of Argosy’s most delicious samplings and treats, while mixing and mingling with Seattle’s current and up-and-coming movers & shakers. Use your time to … Continue reading “WTIA Cocktails & Contributions Holiday Networking Event”

WTIA 13th annual Oktoberfest

On October 13th, 2010 join TechAmerica (formerly AeA) and the Washington Technology Industry Association for our 13th Annual Oktoberfest. Schmooze with Washington’s Technology Leaders while sampling delights and refreshing your palate with craft brews from Redhook Brewery. Use your time to make new connections, grow your existing business relationships, or just relax and have fun … Continue reading “WTIA 13th annual Oktoberfest”

Cell Therapeutics Finds Way to Survive, Persuading Investors to OK Sale of 400M Shares

[Updated: 6:20 pm Pacific] Cell Therapeutics isn’t ready to close its doors just yet, even after suffering what could have been a fatal setback this year. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]), which had a new drug application soundly rejected by the FDA in April, said today that shareholders have given it the green light … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Finds Way to Survive, Persuading Investors to OK Sale of 400M Shares”

What We Can Learn from the Flight of Microsoft Execs to Amazon, AOL, GM, Nokia, Yahoo…and Micro VC

Sometimes all you need to do is look at where former Microsoft executives are going, to piece together some interesting trends in the tech industry. In recent months, a number of high-profile leaders from very different divisions of the Redmond, WA-based software firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) have departed. This might be true in any given year … Continue reading “What We Can Learn from the Flight of Microsoft Execs to Amazon, AOL, GM, Nokia, Yahoo…and Micro VC”

Six Angel Investors Share Lessons of Wins & Losses at Zino Society Investment Forum

Every year the Zino Society‘s Zillionaire Investment Forum is a must-go event for entrepreneurs looking for funding opportunities and investors looking for new projects. The one-day forum is a chance for startups and young companies to pitch five minute presentations, rub shoulders with potential investors, demo products, sit in on panels with local venture capitalists … Continue reading “Six Angel Investors Share Lessons of Wins & Losses at Zino Society Investment Forum”

Infinia, InnovaTek Win U.S. Grants

Two companies from the Tri-Cities, Kennewick, WA-based Infinia and Richland, WA-based InnovaTek, have received commercialization grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. Infinia, the developer of solar power generators, is getting $1.5 million for what the Department of Energy calls a “high-efficiency maintenance-free cryocooler” for high-temperature superconductors. InnovaTek will receive $2.2 million to generate power … Continue reading “Infinia, InnovaTek Win U.S. Grants”

Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse Fails, The Future of Zymo’s Landmark, PATH Nabs Flu Vaccine Contract, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences

Seattle biotech is still buzzing more than a week later about Bristol-Myers Squibb’s acquisition of ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) and whether it means we live in some dead-end biotech loserville. If you have some thoughts on this, please shoot me a note, because the last words haven’t yet been written on the Zymo deal. —Everyone wants … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse Fails, The Future of Zymo’s Landmark, PATH Nabs Flu Vaccine Contract, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences”

Fierce 15 Shines Light on Some of Our Favorite Companies in Boston and Beyond

I’ve never actually met the folks at FierceBiotech in person, but today I felt like we had undergone some kind of Vulcan mind meld. The online industry publication unveiled its annual Fierce 15 list of the 15 most promising private biotech companies in the U.S. What jumped out at me right away? All but one … Continue reading “Fierce 15 Shines Light on Some of Our Favorite Companies in Boston and Beyond”

Seaweed Biofuel Maker, Bio Architecture Lab, Snags Partnership With Norway’s Statoil

A startup with a dream of turning seaweed into renewable biofuels just got some important validation from a big oil company. Berkeley, CA-based Bio Architecture Lab said today it has secured a partnership with the world’s biggest offshore oil and gas producer, Norway-based Statoil, to build up capabilities to turn seaweed from off the Norwegian … Continue reading “Seaweed Biofuel Maker, Bio Architecture Lab, Snags Partnership With Norway’s Statoil”

Livemocha Seeks to Upend Rosetta Stone, Taking Language Learning to New Heights Online

Livemocha is ready to kick some language learning butt—at least according to chief executive Michael Schutzler. The Bellevue, WA-based startup is already the largest online language learning community in the world, with over six million members from over 200 countries actively studying some 38 languages—not bad numbers for a 3-year-old company. But this isn’t enough … Continue reading “Livemocha Seeks to Upend Rosetta Stone, Taking Language Learning to New Heights Online”

PATH Snaps Up $5M Contract to Make Flu Vaccines For Stockpiling, Hot Conditions

One of the big ideas PATH is pursuing to make vaccines more useful just got a strong vote of confidence. The Seattle-based global health nonprofit is announcing today it has secured a $5.2 million contract from the U.S. government to develop flu vaccines that can remain effective for years when they are stashed away in … Continue reading “PATH Snaps Up $5M Contract to Make Flu Vaccines For Stockpiling, Hot Conditions”

Genentech CEO Leaves Dendreon Board

Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today that Ian Clark, the CEO of Roche’s U.S.-based Genentech unit, is resigning from the Dendreon board. Clark was named to the Dendreon board just 11 months ago, along with former Eli Lilly executive Pedro Granadillo, as part of the company’s effort to add more board expertise in sales, marketing, … Continue reading “Genentech CEO Leaves Dendreon Board”

Seattle Genetics Snags Genmab Deal

Seattle Genetics, the developer of targeted antibody drugs, said today it has provided a license to Denmark-based Genmab to develop “empowered antibodies” against a target called Tissue Factor antigen found on numerous solid tumors. Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) is getting an undisclosed upfront fee, and retains an option to co-develop any drugs it wants on … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Snags Genmab Deal”

RealNetworks Acquires Backstage Technologies, Commits to Making GameHouse Social

Seattle-based digital entertainment services company RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) has acquired Canadian social games company Backstage Technologies for an undisclosed amount. The deal, according to Real, will add valuable game engineering and monetizing expertise to Real’s digital gaming division, GameHouse, as it works on its own expansion into the social gaming marketplace. “As we transform RealNetworks, … Continue reading “RealNetworks Acquires Backstage Technologies, Commits to Making GameHouse Social”

Synthetech Acquired for $19.2M

Columbia, MD-based W.R. Grace & Co said today it has entered into an acquisition agreement with Albany, OR-based Synthetech, to purchase the chemical manufacturer for approximately $19.2 million. Synthetech manufactures fine chemicals, specializing in organic synthesis, biocatalysis, and chiral technologies, for use in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Its products are used in drugs to … Continue reading “Synthetech Acquired for $19.2M”

Zillow Promotes Spencer Rascoff to CEO, Rich Barton Stays on as Executive Chairman

Zillow, the Seattle-based real estate website, mobile platform, and mortgage marketplace, said today that it has promoted chief operating officer Spencer Rascoff to CEO. Rascoff, who joined Zillow as part of its original executive team in 2005, is taking the place of co-founder Rich Barton, who has served as chief executive since the company’s founding. … Continue reading “Zillow Promotes Spencer Rascoff to CEO, Rich Barton Stays on as Executive Chairman”

Winshuttle Goes from Bootstrapped to World Beater With $12M (First Financing Round)

Bothell, WA-based Winshuttle said today it has raised $12 million in growth equity financing from Summit Partners. It’s big news for the business software company, which hasn’t taken outside financing until now. Winshuttle, which has been one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. over the last few years, bootstrapped its way to profitability … Continue reading “Winshuttle Goes from Bootstrapped to World Beater With $12M (First Financing Round)”

Cequint Acquired for $112.5M, DataSphere Raises $10M From OVP, Hydrovolts Prepares For Big Business, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

Over the last week, as summer waves goodbye, the autumn deals have started rolling in. Take a look at the highlights: —Seattle-based startup DigitalScirocco rolled out of stealth a few months ago, and into a deal with US Presswire last week. The digital content marketplace teamed up with the sports wire service to build out … Continue reading “Cequint Acquired for $112.5M, DataSphere Raises $10M From OVP, Hydrovolts Prepares For Big Business, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Seattle Doesn’t Need a Biotech Anchor Tenant. It Needs to Be a Place Where Startups Thrive

Over the past week or so, I have been asked by a number of people, both privately and in the media, what I think about the acquisition of Seattle-based ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) by Bristol-Myers Squibb. As is usually true in Seattle, the prevailing reaction following the announcement was some moaning and gnashing of teeth, with … Continue reading “Seattle Doesn’t Need a Biotech Anchor Tenant. It Needs to Be a Place Where Startups Thrive”