Ben Huh is a very busy man. He’s only 32, yet he’s already spent much of the last few years soaking up the media spotlight due to the almost instant success of his network of humor blogs famous for its eccentric and misspelled name, I Can Has Cheezburger. In the three years since Huh purchased … Continue reading “Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh on Surrounding Himself with More Talent, and the Future of the Global Humor Blog Network”
Category: Seattle
Longworth and OVP Put $4M Into Symform, Raise Stakes in Cloud Data Storage
Some interesting bicoastal news in cloud computing today. Seattle startup Symform, a maker of cloud storage and data protection technology, has raised $4 million in its second round of funding, led by Boston-area VC firm Longworth Venture Partners. Original investor OVP Venture Partners, based in Kirkland, WA, also participated in the round. As part of … Continue reading “Longworth and OVP Put $4M Into Symform, Raise Stakes in Cloud Data Storage”
World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode III, Who’s Wade?
Mile 971—northern Michigan. We definitely aren’t taking the direct route from Boston to San Francisco. We’ve veered north in order to take in Torch Lake—where we’ve spent the last two nights with my parents—and Minneapolis, our next destination. We were at Torch Lake long enough to record two videos. The second, coming tomorrow, is a … Continue reading “World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode III, Who’s Wade?”
Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Nabs $40M in Washington’s Biggest Venture Deal of 2010
Seattle-based Calistoga Pharmaceuticals has nailed down $40 million in new venture capital, making it the biggest VC deal of the year so far in Washington state (if you don’t count broader private equity deals). The financing was led by a new investor, New York-based Quogue Capital. The rest of the money came from Calistoga’s existing … Continue reading “Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Nabs $40M in Washington’s Biggest Venture Deal of 2010”
Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Garners $40,000,000 Series C Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=495e8a98-1d23-4e6e-91a8-17802d492557&Preview=1 Date 6/30/2010 Company Name Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 2101 – 4th Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, is developing a drug candidate acquired from Icos that has potential to treat various forms of cancer, according to the company. Icos, maker of the impotence drug Cialis, was acquired by its … Continue reading “Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Garners $40,000,000 Series C Funding”
Symform Obtains $4,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f6020dee-6198-4e84-9e7c-26c682a8de5c&Preview=1 Date 6/30/2010 Company Name Symform Mailing Address 999 N. Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103 Company Description Symform is a privately-held company based in Seattle. We are developing cost effective solutions to large scale distributed data management problems. Symform is dedicated to the belief that technology products built on cooperative, decentralized principles … Continue reading “Symform Obtains $4,000,000 New Funding Round”
Azuray Secures $5,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b6988107-0bd2-4de9-b7c4-7d992f6e2cd8&Preview=1 Date 6/30/2010 Company Name Azuray Mailing Address 7646 SW. Mohawk Tualatin, OR 97062 Company Description Azuray Technologies is pioneering a transformation in the solar photovoltaic (PV) electronics landscape. We are inventing the next generation of electronics that add intelligence to PV solar systems which capture the sun’s rays and convert it … Continue reading “Azuray Secures $5,000,000 New Financing Round”
CityClub: Revenue Models in the Changing Media Landscape
Information and registration here. Featuring: Pat Balles, Seattle PI Cory Bergman, Next Door Media David Boardman, Seattle Times David Brewster, Crosscut Josh Feit, PubliCola Rita Hibbard, Investigate West Greg Huang, Xconomy Moderator: Hanson Hosein, Director, UW Digital Media Just over a year ago, Seattle’s long history as a two-paper town ended when the Seattle P-I … Continue reading “CityClub: Revenue Models in the Changing Media Landscape”
Tech Alliance’s Susannah Malarkey on Four Things Seattle Could Learn from Boston, and One Big Northwest Advantage
Susannah Malarkey, the executive director of the Technology Alliance in Seattle, spent three days earlier this month in Boston with a group of Seattle civic and business leaders as part of the 2010 Intercity Study Mission. These annual trips, organized by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce since 1983, enable Seattle business leaders to pick the … Continue reading “Tech Alliance’s Susannah Malarkey on Four Things Seattle Could Learn from Boston, and One Big Northwest Advantage”
World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode II: Rochester, NY
A confession: Graham and I recorded the first episode in this week’s video travelogue series, the interview with Mark Nelson at C.B. Fisk in Gloucester, MA, a couple of weeks ago as a dry run for our trip. Today’s episode is the first one shot en route. We left Boston early Sunday morning, June 27, … Continue reading “World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode II: Rochester, NY”
NanoString Hires Genzyme Vet as CEO to Lead Foray Into Molecular Diagnostics
Seattle-based NanoString Technologies hasn’t had a permanent CEO for more than a year, and now the search has ended in Boston. The company, which makes instruments to help scientists perform sophisticated genetic analyses, has named Brad Gray, the former vice president of product and business development for Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme Genetics, as its new president … Continue reading “NanoString Hires Genzyme Vet as CEO to Lead Foray Into Molecular Diagnostics”
Dream of an IPO, but Plan for an Acquisition
It’s now very clear to me: a successful M&A exit is far more likely for entrepreneurs than the once vaunted IPO. Structural changes in the venture-IPO ecosystem over the past 15 years have made it increasingly difficult for young companies to successfully tap the public markets to fuel their continued growth. While this fact has … Continue reading “Dream of an IPO, but Plan for an Acquisition”
HP Buys Melodeo, RumbleFish Partners With YouTube, Motricity Declines & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Although it hasn’t been the biggest deal week for Northwest tech companies volume-wise, there have been some sizeable transactions worth mentioning in the roundup. In the past week, we’ve seen three global companies take particular interest in our local startup scene, especially in some pretty unusual music and mobile ventures. Take a look at the … Continue reading “HP Buys Melodeo, RumbleFish Partners With YouTube, Motricity Declines & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Say Goodbye to Greg, Meet Thea on Thursday at Xconomy Open House
Two weeks have gone by since we added Xconomy San Francisco, and a chain reaction of personnel moves to go with it. So it’s about time we have a party. We’re hosting an open house from 4 pm to 7 pm on Thursday, July 1, at our office building at 1102 Columbia St. on First … Continue reading “Say Goodbye to Greg, Meet Thea on Thursday at Xconomy Open House”
Emerald, Forma Strike Deal
Emerald Biostructures, the Bainbridge Island, WA-based company that produces X-ray crystallography images of drug targets, said today it has formed a partnership with Cambridge, MA-based Forma Therapeutics. The multi-year deal covers multiple targets for cancer drugs that Forma is seeking to develop. Financial terms of the deal aren’t being disclosed, although it will provide salaries … Continue reading “Emerald, Forma Strike Deal”
World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode I: Gloucester, MA
If you don’t know where you started from, it’s harder to figure out where you’re going. That’s why we chose to kick off this week’s special video travelogue series, World Wide Wade Goes West, in a place that’s as East Coast as they come: the historic seaport of Gloucester, MA. While Gloucester is famous for … Continue reading “World Wide Wade Goes West—Episode I: Gloucester, MA”
Bonanzle and PhysioSonics, Plus a Few New Kids on the Block in May’s Under the Radar Deals
Much like April’s “under the radar” roundup, this month a number of smaller, but still significant deals (between $100,000 and $1,000,000) have come through for a number of companies we’ve been following for some time. But we also saw a handful of companies for the first time in this month’s installment of local micro-deals compiled … Continue reading “Bonanzle and PhysioSonics, Plus a Few New Kids on the Block in May’s Under the Radar Deals”
Future Biotech Winners Will Help Nurses Clean up Less (Stuff), Says Roger Longman
Savvy biotech companies developing, say, cancer drugs, will have to do more in the future than just look at whether a new drug is safe and kills tumors, according to Roger Longman. They’ll also measure things that really count for payers, like length of hospital stays, and—set aside your bowl of Cheerios—how much time it … Continue reading “Future Biotech Winners Will Help Nurses Clean up Less (Stuff), Says Roger Longman”
New England’s Under-the-Radar List: 19 Startup Financings in May You Probably Haven’t Heard About
As temperatures warmed up in New England in the month of May, so did smaller startup investments. There were 19 financings worth less than $1 million last month, and they went to companies spanning the medical devices, social media, energy, and software spaces. (A huge jump from April, when we rounded up seven such deals … Continue reading “New England’s Under-the-Radar List: 19 Startup Financings in May You Probably Haven’t Heard About”
10 Stories from Xconomy Seattle’s Early Days (With Some Added Perspective)
There has been plenty of tech-business news in the past week to put Seattle on the national radar. But it takes years to understand the innovation community here; I’ve only scratched the surface so far. So, in honor of my colleague Thea’s first week on the job, I thought it would be useful to look … Continue reading “10 Stories from Xconomy Seattle’s Early Days (With Some Added Perspective)”
Olympus Acquires Redmond’s Spiration, Maker of Lung-Disease Valve, for Undisclosed Sum
[Update: 10:45 am] Spiration’s independent days are over. The Redmond, WA-based company, the developer of a minimally-invasive valve to treat lung diseases, has agreed to be acquired by Japan-based Olympus for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is really the culmination of a relationship that’s been growing between the two companies since 2008, when Olympus obtained … Continue reading “Olympus Acquires Redmond’s Spiration, Maker of Lung-Disease Valve, for Undisclosed Sum”
26 Apps to Drive Your iPad Wild!
Being one of the earliest of early adopters—I got my first iPad about half an hour after they went on sale on April 3—I’m often asked by friends, family members, and readers about my favorite iPhone and iPad applications. I’ve written plenty of columns about iPhone apps, so now it’s the iPad’s turn. Given the … Continue reading “26 Apps to Drive Your iPad Wild!”
Olympus Medical Acquires Spiration for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e75d6360-0804-49d7-a6cd-11cb77994fa1&Preview=1 Date 6/25/2010 Company Name Spiration Mailing Address 6675 185th Avenue N.E. Redmond, WA 98052 Company Description Spiration Inc. designs, manufactures and markets innovative Medical Devices & Instruments for the treatment of lung disease, including lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which together claim nearly 275,000 lives in the United … Continue reading “Olympus Medical Acquires Spiration for Undisclosed Sum”
Casual Connect Seattle 2010
Casual Connect is an annual event put on by the Casual Games Association that brings the most talented and knowledgeable experts in the casual gaming field together to further the casual games industry through networking events, lectures, sessions and parties. The conference will be held from from 9 am to 5 pm on Tuesday, July … Continue reading “Casual Connect Seattle 2010”
Science on Tap: ISB’s Arian Smit on Gene Sequencing of Whole Families
Arian Smit, a senior research scientist at the Institute for Systems Biology, will be giving a free talk at 7 pm on Monday, June 28 about the first whole-genome sequencing of a family and how it will affect future scientific research. This event will be held at the Third Place Pub in Ravenna.
Rumblefish, YouTube Team Up to Offer Music Licensing Service for Consumers
One of the complications of living in an information age is the fact that an endless amount of digital content is available anywhere and at all times, no matter who owns it. For creators—artists, writers, musicians—the massive influx of digital information has meant intellectual property is more easily reprinted, plagiarized, pirated and downright stolen virally. … Continue reading “Rumblefish, YouTube Team Up to Offer Music Licensing Service for Consumers”
BuddyTV, Flixster Join Forces
Seattle-based BuddyTV and San Francisco-based Flixster announced today they have formed a long-term partnership to create what they call “the ultimate social network for entertainment fans.” BuddyTV.com is the biggest independent online TV community, while Flixster is the biggest online movie community (comprising Flixster.com and RottenTomatoes.com). Financial terms of the partnership weren’t disclosed, but it … Continue reading “BuddyTV, Flixster Join Forces”
Seattle Sensor Systems Loses New CEO Who Stirred Buzz at Zino Society, Technology Alliance
[Update: 4:22 pm Pacific] Seattle Sensor Systems, a University of Washington spinout company that appeared rejuvenated earlier this year by hiring a new chief executive with a new business plan, has suddenly decided to dump CEO Carole Spangler. Spangler confirmed that she’s out of the picture, but didn’t say why. “News travels fast. It is … Continue reading “Seattle Sensor Systems Loses New CEO Who Stirred Buzz at Zino Society, Technology Alliance”
Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse, Gilead Beats Novartis, Oncothyreon Back in the Saddle, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Summertime may be officially here, but we are a long way from the dog days. This week, the Seattle biotech desk had reports on cancer drugs, drug discovery tools, and antibiotics, as well as a few sharp guest editorials. —Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) has generated a lot of buzz about its drug candidate, an “empowered … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse, Gilead Beats Novartis, Oncothyreon Back in the Saddle, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Startup School, Round Two: The 2010 Xconomy Guide to Venture Incubators
A common trait among entrepreneurs is their distaste for working alone. Fortunately, there are programs across the country that aim to surround startups with entrepreneur comrades, seasoned execs, and investors, to provide both community and guidance. We rounded up these programs last year in the inaugural Xconomy Guide to Venture Incubators, and are back again … Continue reading “Startup School, Round Two: The 2010 Xconomy Guide to Venture Incubators”
Fixing the Broken Model: Look Inside Your Company
You know that ominous figure people always talk about, that one staggering number—$1.3 billion these days—that represents the cost to develop and market a drug? It is, to be sure, way too high and unsustainably so. The billions of dollars that have been invested to discover the next generation of blockbusters have, for the most … Continue reading “Fixing the Broken Model: Look Inside Your Company”
DigitalScirocco Nabs $1.1M
Seattle-based digital content and service marketplace DigitalScirocco has raised $1.1 million in an equity financing, according to an SEC filing Tuesday. The company connects website owners looking to republish outside content on their sites to online content owners (such as media organizations) through an automated marketplace. This allows website owners to purchase content they want … Continue reading “DigitalScirocco Nabs $1.1M”
HP Buys Melodeo for Reported $30-$35M
[Updated and corrected: 2:40 pm] The team behind the nuTsie cloud-based music service, Seattle-based startup Melodeo, has been acquired by Hewlett-Packard, according to a TechCrunch report. The company was reportedly purchased for approximately $30 to $35 million earlier this month, “a source familiar with the deal” told TechCrunch. Melodeo provides an all-in-one music system that … Continue reading “HP Buys Melodeo for Reported $30-$35M”
Borders Joins E-Reader Price Wars with Kobo Device, Gift Cards, New Apps, Even A Free Cup of Joe
This isn’t quite the $49 “paperback Kindle” that marketing guru Seth Godin has been urging Amazon to build, but Ann Arbor, MI-based bookseller Borders is firing another shot in the e-reader price wars brought on by the introduction of Apple’s iPad, which scared the bejeezus out of the nascent industry. Borders has announced that it … Continue reading “Borders Joins E-Reader Price Wars with Kobo Device, Gift Cards, New Apps, Even A Free Cup of Joe”
Biotech Must Have Predictable Regs, More Capital, More Talented Workers to Thrive
Last week, a group of executives and leaders from state life sciences trade associations across the country, including myself, gathered here in Seattle to discuss the policy landscape at both the federal and state levels. Part of our agenda for the meeting, which took place at Amgen’s Helix campus along Elliott Bay, was to discuss … Continue reading “Biotech Must Have Predictable Regs, More Capital, More Talented Workers to Thrive”
Presage Biosciences, the Fred Hutch Spinoff, Adds CEO, Angel Bucks, Big Pharma Customers
Quite a lot has happened at Presage Biosciences in just a couple months. This Seattle-based company, a spinoff from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has recruited a new CEO, raised another $1 million, found new labs, and snapped up two active contracts from Big Pharma customers. Such are the heady early days for the … Continue reading “Presage Biosciences, the Fred Hutch Spinoff, Adds CEO, Angel Bucks, Big Pharma Customers”
Consumer Genetics Needs More Transparency, Not Excessive Regulation
[Editor’s Note: Daniel MacArthur, a researcher at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, UK, and the author of Genetic Future, co-wrote this post.] Are you ready for consumer genetics? Is your government? Recent announcements of federal investigations into the budding direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing industry suggest that authorities are preparing to increase regulation of … Continue reading “Consumer Genetics Needs More Transparency, Not Excessive Regulation”
DigitalScirocco Garners $1,100,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e1ca2ce0-fbee-4628-aa89-dda581df7eb8&Preview=1 Date 6/23/2010 Company Name DigitalScirocco Mailing Address 2101 Fourth Ave. Seattle , CA 98121 Company Description DigitalScirocco, an auction-based marketplace for digital content and services, officially launched at the prestigious DEMO Spring 2010 conference on March 22nd in Palm Desert. DEMO conferences have earned the reputation for consistently identifying tomorrow’s cutting-edge … Continue reading “DigitalScirocco Garners $1,100,000 New Funding Round”
RealNetworks Cuts 85 Jobs
Seattle-based RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) said today it is cutting 85 jobs, and eliminating one-fourth of its executive management positions. The reorganization is part of Real’s new strategy to do what it calls “simplify, restructure and grow.” “This reorganization marks a significant milestone in our transformation of RealNetworks,” president and acting CEO Bob Kimball said in … Continue reading “RealNetworks Cuts 85 Jobs”
Tom Ranken, Former WBBA Chief, Named CEO of Washington Clean Tech Alliance
The Washington Clean Technology Alliance (WCTA), a business network founded in 2007 to serve as an advocacy organization for Washington’s clean, green and environmental tech industries, has hired J. Thomas Ranken as its first full time president and CEO. The pick should help strengthen the local cleantech sector, and help the organization garner more support. … Continue reading “Tom Ranken, Former WBBA Chief, Named CEO of Washington Clean Tech Alliance”
Clearwire Raises $290M More
Kirkland, WA-based wireless Internet service company Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) said late Monday that it has raised an additional $290.8 million through a public market rights offering. The company said its shareholders exercised rights to purchase approximately 39.7 million shares of Class A common stock for the aggregate price. Back in November, Clearwire received a $1.5 … Continue reading “Clearwire Raises $290M More”
Nuance Acquires ShapeWriter, Ramps Up Pressure on Seattle Startup Swype
Memo to mobile-interface companies: Nuance is on the prowl. The speech-recognition and imaging software giant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]), based in Burlington, MA, has acquired ShapeWriter, a Silicon Valley-based spinout from the IBM Almaden Research Center, for an undisclosed sum. Nuance has not spoken publicly about the acquisition, but a message on the ShapeWriter website as of … Continue reading “Nuance Acquires ShapeWriter, Ramps Up Pressure on Seattle Startup Swype”
Precision Polling Acquired by Survey Monkey
Seattle-based phone polling developer Precision Polling was snatched up by web-based survey giant Survey Monkey Monday, according to TechCrunch. The financial terms of the acquisition have not yet been disclosed, however according to TechCrunch, both Precision co-founders Gaurav Oberoi and Charles Groom will stay employed with the company out of Seattle. Survey Monkey was founded … Continue reading “Precision Polling Acquired by Survey Monkey”
Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse Drug Candidate Approaches Home Stretch in Leukemia Study
[Correction: 10:05 am Pacific] The buzz around Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) has been about whether it will finally prove, after more than a decade, that an “empowered antibody” can be an effective treatment for cancer. But while fewer people are watching, the company is eagerly awaiting clinical results for a traditional antibody that also has … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics’ Dark Horse Drug Candidate Approaches Home Stretch in Leukemia Study”
Cleantech Open Names Semifinalists, Opscode Pulls in $11M, Greg’s Five Trends to Watch, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
This past week has been a slow one on the deals front, partly because of our own transition here at Xconomy Seattle. Greg has been over in Boston this past week setting up for his new post, and yesterday was my first day on the job as the new assistant editor here in Seattle. Still, … Continue reading “Cleantech Open Names Semifinalists, Opscode Pulls in $11M, Greg’s Five Trends to Watch, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Opscode Nabs $11M From Battery Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson for Software Automation
Seattle-based automation software developer Opscode said today it has raised $11 million in a Series B financing led by Battery Ventures. This latest round of funding includes a follow-on investment from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, which led the company’s $2.5 million Series A round back in April 2009. Opscode plans to use the money to hire … Continue reading “Opscode Nabs $11M From Battery Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson for Software Automation”
Meet Xconomy Seattle’s Newest Team Member: Thea Chard
We played musical chairs last week at Xconomy, as we expanded into the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the important moves will become clear today, as I’m happy to introduce the newest member of our editorial team in Seattle, Thea Chard. Thea (pronounced TAY-uh) is trekking over to our First Hill office today for … Continue reading “Meet Xconomy Seattle’s Newest Team Member: Thea Chard”
SF and Silicon Valley: Drop the Incrementalism and Invest in True Innovation
“Just as energy is the basis of life itself and ideas the source of innovation, so is innovation the vital spark of all human change, improvement and progress”—Theodore Levitt I have lived in the Seattle area for many years, and I spend a fair amount of time interacting with senior executives and fellow venture capitalists … Continue reading “SF and Silicon Valley: Drop the Incrementalism and Invest in True Innovation”
Opscode Obtains $11,000,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ddf5d931-ad89-4c39-b791-4fe590c2a4fa&Preview=1 Date 6/21/2010 Company Name Opscode Mailing Address 1008 Western Ave #600 Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description Opscode is building the best systems integration and automation platform on the planet. We are some of the most respected and well-known systems engineers, software developers, and systems architects in the world, who have built … Continue reading “Opscode Obtains $11,000,000 Series B Financing Round”
WBBA, Life Sciences Discovery Fund Open House
At this co-hosted open house, guests mingle with LSDF Trustees and donors, WBBA board and executive committee Members, Washington state and federal legislators, and life sciences executives from across Washington State and the Queensland Alliance. For more information on this year’s event, click here.