Michael Arrington, the founder of TechCrunch, the Silicon Valley-based startup and technology blog, said today he has moved his primary residence to Seattle and will split his time between here and the Bay Area. Arrington calls Seattle “the minor leagues of the startup world,” but admits it’s “a hotbed of entrepreneurism.” He cites the desire … Continue reading “TechCrunch’s Arrington Moves to Seattle”
Category: Seattle
How Can IT Tame the $2.5 Trillion Healthcare Beast? Xconomy Takes Close Look May 12
Stephen Friend, the former chief of Merck’s cancer research and the visionary founder of an open-source movement for biology, likes to riff about the need for “globally coherent datasets.” What in the world is he talking about? Say you’re starting with a cancer patient. He’s talking about taking measurements of the patient’s DNA, RNA, and … Continue reading “How Can IT Tame the $2.5 Trillion Healthcare Beast? Xconomy Takes Close Look May 12”
SonoSite Deals With Physio-Control
SonoSite (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SONO]]), the Bothell, WA-based maker of portable ultrasound machines, said today it has formed a partnership with Redmond, WA-based Physio-Control, the big maker of heart defibrillators. The deal calls for Physio-Control’s sales reps to help pitch SonoSite’s ultrasound diagnostic tools to emergency medicine workers. Terms of the arrangement weren’t disclosed.
Microsoft Builds Open-Source Tool for Biologists Drowning in Data, an ‘On-Ramp’ for Customers Who Pay
The boss at the world’s leading maker of high-speed gene sequencing instruments, Illumina CEO Jay Flatley, pulled no punches a couple weeks ago when asked about bioinformatics. This is the field in which people make software to help biologists store, analyze, and visualize vast piles of genomic data that are accumulating every day. “If you … Continue reading “Microsoft Builds Open-Source Tool for Biologists Drowning in Data, an ‘On-Ramp’ for Customers Who Pay”
Summer Beach Party & Barbecue—WBBA Event
The Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association is organizing its annual summer social this year on July 15 at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club. The WBBA says it will be grilling out, offering up cocktails along the water, and an opportunity to network while soaking up some sun. For more information on how to register, click … Continue reading “Summer Beach Party & Barbecue—WBBA Event”
Business With Asia—WBBA Event
The Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association is organizing an event on May 20 on how life sciences companies can do business with partners in Asia. The speakers include Susan Wang of Ricerca Biosciences, David Fanning of Theraclone Sciences, Ryo Kubota of Acucela; Daniel Liao, of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, Seattle, and Biaoyang Lin … Continue reading “Business With Asia—WBBA Event”
Campus Reactions to UW President Mark Emmert’s Departure to the NCAA
The big news in local academic circles this week is that University of Washington president Mark Emmert is leaving after almost six years to become head of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), based in Indiana, effective November 1. The move surprised many in the academic and business communities. Emmert, 57, has a reputation as … Continue reading “Campus Reactions to UW President Mark Emmert’s Departure to the NCAA”
Dr. Celestia Higano on Dendreon’s Provenge: Seattle Times Live Chat
Dr. Celestia Higano, a prostate cancer specialist at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, will be part of a live online chat from 11 am to Noon on May 4 at Seattletimes.com. Dr. Higano participated in the clinical trials for sipuleucel-T (Provenge), the first-of-its-kind immune booster for prostate cancer that was … Continue reading “Dr. Celestia Higano on Dendreon’s Provenge: Seattle Times Live Chat”
Cleantech Becoming ‘Third Leg’ of VC Investing Stool—But Just How Big is That Leg?
When Ira Ehrenpreis came through San Diego a couple of weeks ago, the cleantech investment partner at Palo Alto, CA-based Technology Partners said there was no such thing as a cleantech investment category when his firm began investing 25 years ago. At that time, Technology Partner’s investments in environmentally friendly technologies amounted to less than … Continue reading “Cleantech Becoming ‘Third Leg’ of VC Investing Stool—But Just How Big is That Leg?”
Northwest Under-the-Radar Deals: 11 Financings Worth $1 Million or Less in March
When it came to startup investing in the Northwest last month, it was a bit of a give and take. Washington-based companies raised about $21 million across three deals, each worth more than $1 million, plummeting from the $53.5 million that companies pulled in across 10 such transactions in February. But the number of “under-the-radar” … Continue reading “Northwest Under-the-Radar Deals: 11 Financings Worth $1 Million or Less in March”
The iPad May Kill the Kindle, But Amazon Could Still Come Out Ahead: The Only Comparison You Need to Read
If you’re interested in the electronic book craze, but you don’t yet own an e-book reading device, your options just got a lot more complicated. Not only are there a handful of great devices that use electrophoretic screens from Cambridge, MA-based E Ink, such as the Amazon Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook, and the … Continue reading “The iPad May Kill the Kindle, But Amazon Could Still Come Out Ahead: The Only Comparison You Need to Read”
Seattle Is #3—Where Does Michigan Want To Be?
Seattle has, from my point of view, carved out its position as the No. 3 biotech market in the U.S. behind Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area. Michigan is currently an outsider looking in. Where does Michigan want to be in this hierarchy, and what will they need to do to get there? Michigan … Continue reading “Seattle Is #3—Where Does Michigan Want To Be?”
A Party With a Purpose: Young People Pulling Together For Global Health
The Washington Global Health Alliance is organizing “A Party With a Purpose,” on June 3. This cocktail party is designed to attract people in their 20s and 30s, raising awareness of global health problems, particularly rotavirus. The goal is to get 500 people to buy $25 tickets, which should support 63 centers for rotavirus treatment. … Continue reading “A Party With a Purpose: Young People Pulling Together For Global Health”
Dendreon CEO Mitch Gold: Seattle Biotech Has An Anchor Tenant Again
The impact of today’s FDA approval of Dendreon’s prostate cancer drug is being covered exhaustively from every angle on the Web. There’s the company saga, the benefit for prostate cancer patients, the boost to the field of cancer immunotherapy research, and the stock market surge. But one thing that’s not lost on Dendreon CEO Mitch … Continue reading “Dendreon CEO Mitch Gold: Seattle Biotech Has An Anchor Tenant Again”
Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger
Schrödinger, a New York and Portland, OR-based maker of chemical-simulation software for drug development and research, has received a $10 million equity investment from Bill Gates through Cascade Investment, Gates’s private investment and holding company. The news was reported earlier today by the Wall Street Journal. The money will be used to support R&D projects … Continue reading “Bill Gates Backs Schrödinger”
Beyond the Electronic Health Record
With the passage of health care reform legislation last month, attention has now turned from arguing its merits to understanding its practical implications. In the world of health information technology, or health IT, the electronic health record (EHR) is one focus of this attention, but applications that build on their widespread adoption are where the … Continue reading “Beyond the Electronic Health Record”
Dendreon Sets Provenge Price at $93,000, Says Only 2,000 People Will Get it in First Year
[Updated: 12:55 pm Pacific] Dendreon’s groundbreaking new immune-booster for prostate cancer helps men live longer, and it will not be cheap. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said it is planning to charge $93,000 per patient for the new drug. The product, sipuleucel-T (Provenge) will cost $31,000 per infusion, and patients will get three infusions … Continue reading “Dendreon Sets Provenge Price at $93,000, Says Only 2,000 People Will Get it in First Year”
Deploy 2010 by Seattle 2.0
Info and registration here. Deploy is a one-day event designed to empower you with the technology know-how to make your startup a success. Come hear leading startup technologists talk about the techniques and cutting-edge tools they’ve used to successfully build their products and their businesses. Who should come to Deploy 2010? * CTOs & VPs … Continue reading “Deploy 2010 by Seattle 2.0”
Seattle Lunch 2.0 at TalentSpring
Info and details here. Speaker: Jonathan Sposato, former CEO of Picnik (now Google) Hosted by TalentSpring, and Socrata is a sponsor.
Dendreon Makes History: FDA Approves First Active Immune-Booster to Fight Cancer
[Updated: 11:05 am Pacific] Scientists have been dreaming for a century about therapies that actively harness the power of the body’s immune system to kill cancer cells like an invading virus or bacteria. Today, Seattle-based Dendreon has made history by winning the first-ever FDA approval for this kind of cancer-fighter. Shares climbed 15 percent to … Continue reading “Dendreon Makes History: FDA Approves First Active Immune-Booster to Fight Cancer”
Mirina Nabs $3.9M
Mirina, the microRNA drug developer at Accelerator, raised $3.9 million in its “expansion round” of financing that was reported earlier this week, according to a regulatory filing. The money ought to be enough to operate the company inside Accelerator for another 12-15 months as the company seeks to nail down more intellectual property around some … Continue reading “Mirina Nabs $3.9M”
Entrepreneurs at UW Business Plan Competition Show Drive for Cleantech, Biotech, High Tech
The University of Washington’s president, Mark Emmert, has been talking about making the state’s biggest institution of higher education an “entrepreneurial university.” While Emmert is on his way out, the startup fire was still burning bright yesterday when I was on campus to serve as a judge for the UW’s 13th annual Business Plan Competition. … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs at UW Business Plan Competition Show Drive for Cleantech, Biotech, High Tech”
Accelerator’s Mirina Advances, Qliance Nabs Bezos Bucks, Spiration Adds $6.5M Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
There was quiet before the storm this week, as Dendreon is eagerly awaiting the FDA’s decision by May 1 on whether it will clear the company’s prostate cancer drug for sale. Buckle your seat belts for that one. —Accelerator’s microRNA startup, Mirina, has made enough progress in its early days that it has secured an … Continue reading “Accelerator’s Mirina Advances, Qliance Nabs Bezos Bucks, Spiration Adds $6.5M Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
What U.S. Manufacturers Can Learn from Europe—One Reporter’s Perspective
On March 29 MIT arranged a round table seminar entitled “The Future of Manufacturing Innovation—Advanced Technologies.” The seminar focused on technological advances that could spur manufacturing in the U.S. MIT president Susan Hockfield opened the afternoon by reflecting on the status of the U.S. as a manufacturing nation. “Many Americans tend to believe that hardly … Continue reading “What U.S. Manufacturers Can Learn from Europe—One Reporter’s Perspective”
Bonanzle Raises $1M from Angel Investors, Plus Three VC Firms, to Expand Its Online Marketplace
The motto of Bonanzle is “everything but the ordinary.” That about sums up the latest news from this Seattle-area startup, which has built a fast-growing online marketplace for niche items and collectibles. I learned through the grapevine that Bonanzle founder Bill Harding has closed a $1 million funding round led by angel investor and venture … Continue reading “Bonanzle Raises $1M from Angel Investors, Plus Three VC Firms, to Expand Its Online Marketplace”
Bonanzle Lands $1,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=89edd15f-7799-46e5-9db0-0952fed84bd8&Preview=1 Date 4/29/2010 Company Name Bonanzle Mailing Address 9805 NE 116th St PMB Kirkland, WA 98034 Company Description Prior to the web’s arrival in the mid-90’s, when you bought an item from a seller, you saw their face and learned their name. And if you weren’t in a hurry, you talked. Two … Continue reading “Bonanzle Lands $1,000,000 New Financing”
Academia.edu Obtains $1,600,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b5576e85-9add-4e68-81d7-1f2dada6fc94&Preview=1 Date 4/29/2010 Company Name Academia.edu Mailing Address 942 Windemere Dr NW Salem, OR 97304 Company Description Academia.edu is a social sharing site for academic researchers. Website http://www.academia.edu Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,600,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor SPARK Ventures … Continue reading “Academia.edu Obtains $1,600,000 Series A Financing”
H. Stewart Parker Joins WBBA
H. Stewart Parker, the founder and longtime CEO of Seattle-based Targeted Genetics, has agreed to join the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association as a part-time commercialization adviser to local life sciences researchers and entrepreneurs. Parker, who has inspired and mentored a generation of biotech professionals in Seattle, resigned from Targeted Genetics in November 2008 after … Continue reading “H. Stewart Parker Joins WBBA”
What Do Techies Know About the Future of Healthcare? Find Out on May 12
Health IT is one of those innovation sectors that is exploding around us here at Xconomy. Every day we’re hearing about a new company, or health-related website or gadget, or experienced financier who’s getting into the act. It’s still pretty early, but it won’t be for long. And the Northwest is already positioning itself as … Continue reading “What Do Techies Know About the Future of Healthcare? Find Out on May 12”
How to Predict Whether a Startup Will Succeed or Fail: Testing the “Disruptive Innovation” Model
Thomas Thurston is a startup predictor. Tell him about your company, and he’ll tell you whether it will survive or fail. No, he’s not an investor, or a psychic. By day, Thurston is a mild-mannered researcher and consultant whose training is in law and business. He’s the founder of Portland, OR-based Growth Science International, a … Continue reading “How to Predict Whether a Startup Will Succeed or Fail: Testing the “Disruptive Innovation” Model”
Domestic Companies with Global Health Impact: WBBA Event
The Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA) is organizing the third part of the “Domesticating Global Health” series from 5 pm to 7 pm on May 25 at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute. Executives from HaloSource, SonoSite & Micronics will join a panel discussion moderated by Lisa Cohen of the Washington Global Health Alliance. Cost … Continue reading “Domestic Companies with Global Health Impact: WBBA Event”
Spiration Borrows $6.5M
Spiration, the Redmond, WA-based maker of devices for lung disease, has raised $6.5 million in debt and options from a single investor, according to a regulatory filing. The company borrowed $7 million last September from its partner, Olympus Medical Systems. Spiration’s IBV valve device is designed to cut off air flow to diseased parts of … Continue reading “Spiration Borrows $6.5M”
Qliance Medical Management Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=361ac63f-f7be-4c5c-9916-5eaad402f5d5&Preview=1 Date 4/28/2010 Company Name Qliance Medical Management Mailing Address 509 Olive Way Medical Dental Building Seattle, WA 98101 Company Description Qliance’s unique approach to providing primary care has grown out of frustration with an unmanageable, expensive insurance system and a desire to put good, affordable, personalized primary healthcare back in the … Continue reading “Qliance Medical Management Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding Round”
Spiration Secures $6,500,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f61c7a64-5ff0-4596-9c80-fb97793826a1&Preview=1 Date 4/28/2010 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 “Spiration Secures $6,500,000 New Funding”
Qliance Nails $6M From Bezos, Dell, Drew Carey for Primary Care That Avoids Insurance
Qliance Medical Management isn’t the richest startup in Seattle, but it may have the most star power behind it. The company, which deals directly with patients and doesn’t accept health insurance for primary care medical services, has nailed down another $6 million in venture capital from a group led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and … Continue reading “Qliance Nails $6M From Bezos, Dell, Drew Carey for Primary Care That Avoids Insurance”
Twitter Buys Cloudhopper, Belkin Acquires Zensi, Mirina Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
A fairly busy week for deals in the Northwest. Twitter bought its first Seattle company. A prominent young mobile startup and a biotech company out of the Accelerator each got some important funding. But let’s start with the cleantech/energy news, of which there was plenty. —Seattle-based construction firm McKinstry acquired the Enterprise Energy Management software … Continue reading “Twitter Buys Cloudhopper, Belkin Acquires Zensi, Mirina Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
McKinstry Buys Itron Software Group
Seattle-based McKinstry, the construction and energy efficiency firm, said today it has acquired the Enterprise Energy Management software group from longtime partner Itron, the Spokane, WA-based utility technology and smart grid company (NASDAQ GS: [[ticker:ITRI]]). Financial terms of the deal were not released. Itron’s Web-based software will help McKinstry manage and monitor energy and water … Continue reading “McKinstry Buys Itron Software Group”
EnerG2 Raises $3.5M More
Seattle-based EnerG2, an advanced materials and energy storage company, has raised $3.5 million in new equity financing from an undisclosed investor, according to a regulatory filing. The company, led by CEO Rick Luebbe, develops nano-scale materials to make better ultracapacitors for electric and hybrid vehicles and other applications. EnerG2 spun out of the University of … Continue reading “EnerG2 Raises $3.5M More”
Ground Truth Raises $7M More; CEO Sterling Wilson Talks Company Culture, Global Expansion
Seattle-based Ground Truth, a mobile measurement and intelligence startup, is announcing a new $7 million Series B funding round today, led by new investor Emergence Capital Partners. OpenAir Ventures, another new investor, also participated, as did existing backers Voyager Capital and Steamboat Ventures. Ground Truth CEO and co-founder Sterling Wilson calls the deal “great confirmation … Continue reading “Ground Truth Raises $7M More; CEO Sterling Wilson Talks Company Culture, Global Expansion”
Verdiem, Cisco Team Up to Help Companies Lower Their Energy Bill for Networked Devices
Seattle-based Verdiem is announcing today a new partnership with San Jose, CA-based Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CSCO]]). Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will market and sell Verdiem’s energy management software for PCs and networked devices under Cisco’s “EnergyWise Orchestrator” brand, through its worldwide distribution network. Financial details weren’t given, but it’s an original equipment … Continue reading “Verdiem, Cisco Team Up to Help Companies Lower Their Energy Bill for Networked Devices”
Life Sciences Is Gaining on Software as a Job Creator & Other Notes from Zino Society Forum
Washington’s fast-growing life sciences community enjoys a strong and collaborative environment that has propelled it to No. 5 among the state’s largest employers according to recent data from the Washington State Department of Employment Security. That was the conclusion of the ZINO Life Sciences Investment Forum panel discussion that I participated in earlier this week. … Continue reading “Life Sciences Is Gaining on Software as a Job Creator & Other Notes from Zino Society Forum”
EnerG2 Secures $3,500,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5cc9b82a-d31e-4a13-bbfd-2d1dfa7a0ed6&Preview=1 Date 4/27/2010 Company Name EnerG2 Mailing Address 100 NE Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98105 Company Description Founded in 2003 in Seattle, Washington, EnerG2 pursues commercial opportunities in energy storage created by advanced material processing techniques. Working closely with the University of Washington’s Department of Materials Science & Engineering, EnerG2 has produced … Continue reading “EnerG2 Secures $3,500,000 New Round”
Ground Truth Garners $7,000,000 Series B Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3d17d89f-9c48-47f8-a54c-6c61a7778f5c&Preview=1 Date 4/27/2010 Company Name Ground Truth Mailing Address 719 Second Ave Seattle, WA 98104-1730 Company Description Ground Truth is a mobile measurement firm that delivers the precise, timely and actionable mobile intelligence required for operators, advertisers and publishers to measure, optimize and grow their businesses. Website http://www.groundtruth.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Ground Truth Garners $7,000,000 Series B Round”
EnergySavvy Receives $315,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ca17180-c51f-47f6-9249-da7b3ef3758b&Preview=1 Date 4/27/2010 Company Name EnergySavvy Mailing Address 2109 9th Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description The company operates a one stop shop web application that helps homeowners become more energy efficient. Website http://www.energysavvy.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $315,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The new funding will be used … Continue reading “EnergySavvy Receives $315,000 New Financing Round”
Seattle Tech Luminaries in the News: Redfin, Jeremy Jaech, and Kindle Vs. iPad
Just a quick roundup of Seattle-area tech leaders making the national news this weekend: —The New Yorker has a very interesting feature by Ken Auletta about the competition between the Amazon Kindle and Apple’s iPad, and what it means for the future of books. I haven’t had time for it to sink in yet, but … Continue reading “Seattle Tech Luminaries in the News: Redfin, Jeremy Jaech, and Kindle Vs. iPad”
ExtraHop, F5 Networks Team Up
Seattle-based ExtraHop Networks, a network-management technology startup, said today it has formed an alliance with F5 Networks (NASDAQ GS: [[ticker:FFIV]]), also based in Seattle, to collaborate on new products and marketing and distribution efforts. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given. ExtraHop was founded in 2007 by F5 alums Jesse Rothstein and Raja Mukerji. It … Continue reading “ExtraHop, F5 Networks Team Up”
UW’s O’Donnell Leads National Summit to “Sexify” Engineering, Inspire Students, Entrepreneurs, VCs
Engineering has an image problem. Sure, it’s the technical backbone of many things people use every day, from airplanes, cars, and buildings to new medicines, mobile devices, and the Internet. But it doesn’t always attract the best and brightest young people interested in solving society’s biggest problems or changing the world. That’s because people often … Continue reading “UW’s O’Donnell Leads National Summit to “Sexify” Engineering, Inspire Students, Entrepreneurs, VCs”
Accelerator’s MicroRNA Play, Mirina, Forges Ahead With One More Year of Cash
Mirina, one of the intriguing startups hatched in the past couple years at Seattle-based Accelerator, has passed a key test that will allow it to live to fight another day. The developer of microRNA-based therapies has secured an undisclosed “expansion round” of financing that will allow it to operate another 12 to 15 months, according … Continue reading “Accelerator’s MicroRNA Play, Mirina, Forges Ahead With One More Year of Cash”
How Sharing Increases Innovation
I believe there is a strong tie between sharing and the ability to innovate. This post will walk you through the logic. Innovation is built on these things: 1. The existence of problems and the desire to solve them 2. The ability to apply new ways of thinking to these problems 3. The cost of … Continue reading “How Sharing Increases Innovation”
Mirina Corporation Obtains Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ce484bc-73f2-4c5a-a1cd-8f0a53f91fa7&Preview=1 Date 4/26/2010 Company Name Mirina Corporation Mailing Address 161 Eastlake Avenue E. Seattle, WA 98102 Company Description The company develops microRNA therapeutics. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes We’re very pleased our team at Mirina has successfully executed on its milestones over … Continue reading “Mirina Corporation Obtains Series A Round”