Category: Seattle

Microsoft, Ford Team Up on Energy

Microsoft and Ford announced today they have formed a partnership to deliver Web-based energy management software to electric vehicles. Ford says it will use Microsoft Hohm to help car owners decide when it is most efficient and affordable to charge their electric and hybrid vehicles, starting with the Focus Electric next year. Financial terms of … Continue reading “Microsoft, Ford Team Up on Energy”

The Dendreon Alumni: Where Are They Now?

[Updated: 3:12 pm, 9/27/10] Dendreon CEO Mitchell Gold has said for years he wants his company to morph into the anchor for Seattle’s biotech community, the prominent role once filled by Immunex in the 1990s. The notion is that Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) could become profitable, stable, and exciting enough to be a magnet that draws … Continue reading “The Dendreon Alumni: Where Are They Now?”

A Who’s Who of Breakthrough Ideas: Photos from the Xconomy Forum

More than 200 people gathered yesterday at the Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington to talk about changing the world. We had a stunning lineup of speakers across different disciplines—including Nick Hanauer of Second Avenue Partners, Nathan Myhrvold of Intellectual Ventures, and Lee Hood from the Institute … Continue reading “A Who’s Who of Breakthrough Ideas: Photos from the Xconomy Forum”

What’s Your Take on the iPad? An Xconomy Survey

With the Apple iPad set to hit stores at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, you can probably guess what my digital media column, World Wide Wade, is going to be about this Friday. But this time I want to leaven the punditry with some populism—so I’ve put together a quick, 9-question survey at SurveyMonkey. Please head … Continue reading “What’s Your Take on the iPad? An Xconomy Survey”

Sage Bionetworks Snags Deal with Merck, Second Major Pharma Partner

Stephen Friend has, you might say, a mutually beneficial relationship with his former employer. Friend, the former senior vice president of Merck’s cancer research division, has secured another round of support for his fledgling open-source biology movement from Merck. Sage Bionetworks, the nonprofit collaborative Friend co-founded a year ago in Seattle, has formed a multi-year … Continue reading “Sage Bionetworks Snags Deal with Merck, Second Major Pharma Partner”

No Time for the Academic Entrepreneur

The recurring question I hear from so many people in business is: “Why aren’t more startups generated by the university system?” It’s not an easy question, certainly not one to be solved in a single blog post. As I considered the many facets of academia that influence the actions of its researchers such as government … Continue reading “No Time for the Academic Entrepreneur”

Nick Hanauer, a “High-Functioning Contrarian,” on How to Think About Breakthroughs in Business and Society (Part 2)

Yesterday, we ran the first part of a sit-down interview with Nick Hanauer, a noted entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Seattle-based Second Avenue Partners. Hanauer, who has been involved in the early stages of such prominent companies as Amazon, aQuantive, and Insitu, spoke about the importance of new metaphors in recognizing and understanding breakthrough ideas; … Continue reading “Nick Hanauer, a “High-Functioning Contrarian,” on How to Think About Breakthroughs in Business and Society (Part 2)”

NexPlanar Lands $3,500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d3629f88-0ece-48ac-85a8-bc062a9b2d42&Preview=1 Date 3/30/2010 Company Name NexPlanar Mailing Address 7425 NW Evergreen Parkway Hillsboro, OR 97124 Company Description NexPlanar builds the next generation of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pads for the semiconductor device industry. Our propriety nano-domain technology coupled with patented molded grooves and the unique ability to tune the pads results in … Continue reading “NexPlanar Lands $3,500,000 New Funding”

Lee Hood’s Startup for Personalized Medicine, Integrated Diagnostics, Hires First CEO

Integrated Diagnostics, the Seattle-based company seeking to carry out biotech pioneer Leroy Hood’s vision for personalized medicine, has hired its first CEO. The company’s new leader is Albert Luderer, a veteran diagnostics executive who ran Woburn, MA-based BioTrove until that company was acquired last November by Carlsbad, CA-based Life Technologies (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LIFE]]) for an undisclosed … Continue reading “Lee Hood’s Startup for Personalized Medicine, Integrated Diagnostics, Hires First CEO”

Cowboys Like Us: Investor Nick Hanauer on How to Think About Breakthroughs in Business and Society (Part 1)

Last week was a pretty good one for Nick Hanauer. When I visited his office, he was basking in the glow of the mid-afternoon sun—and the afterglow of President Obama’s signing of the much-ballyhooed healthcare reform bill. (Yes, he’s a staunch Democrat.) But I wasn’t there to talk politics. Hanauer is one of the Seattle … Continue reading “Cowboys Like Us: Investor Nick Hanauer on How to Think About Breakthroughs in Business and Society (Part 1)”

Young Scientists, Engineers Strut Their Stuff on Stage Where Sonics Used to Roam

Seattle’s KeyArena was rocking this morning. I walked in around 9 am, and heard the Guns N’ Roses hard rock anthem “Welcome to the Jungle” blaring from the speakers. Referees in pinstriped uniforms monitored every move of the gladiators on display. School mascots led the crowd in clapping, stomping, and cheering. “RO-bots! RO-bots! RO-bots!” You … Continue reading “Young Scientists, Engineers Strut Their Stuff on Stage Where Sonics Used to Roam”

Nine Years in the Making, Seattle BioMed’s Malaria Vaccine On Verge of First Human Trial

In just a few weeks, the folks at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute will start gathering precious bits of evidence on whether they’ve discovered something truly valuable over the past nine years. The global health nonprofit is on the verge of starting its first human clinical trial of a malaria vaccine, which it hopes will someday … Continue reading “Nine Years in the Making, Seattle BioMed’s Malaria Vaccine On Verge of First Human Trial”

Under the Radar in February: Five Northwest Startup Financings You Haven’t Heard About

For startups, it seems no amount of funding is too small. At least that’s what we like to keep in mind when analyzing monthly financings for area companies. February’s list of under-the-radar deals for Northwest startups was half as long as January’s, at just five deals. On the bright side, all five of the February … Continue reading “Under the Radar in February: Five Northwest Startup Financings You Haven’t Heard About”

Adaptive TCR, a Fred Hutch Spinoff, Nabs $4.5M to Uncover Immune System Secrets

Seattle experts in computer science and immunology are rallying around a new spinoff company from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Seattle-based Adaptive TCR has nailed down a $4.5 million round of angel investment to get up and running, Xconomy has learned. The basic concept is to provide scientists with a high-speed, high-resolution look into … Continue reading “Adaptive TCR, a Fred Hutch Spinoff, Nabs $4.5M to Uncover Immune System Secrets”

When Good Doctors Make Bad Decisions—The View from the Jury Box

On March 2, I reported to Suffolk County Superior Court for jury duty, certain that I’d be let go after my day of service or excused, just like every other time. So it was a bit of a shock to find myself seated, by the end of the day, as Juror No. 14 on a … Continue reading “When Good Doctors Make Bad Decisions—The View from the Jury Box”

Adaptive TCR Lands $4,500,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dc4d38e4-7e63-4929-ae49-9a2d727e0280&Preview=1 Date 3/26/2010 Company Name Adaptive TCR Mailing Address 307 Westlake Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 Company Description Adaptive TCR Corporation’s platform technology breaks open the field of genomics immunology. T-cell receptor profiling using Adaptive’s proprietary technology and software allows scientists to study the adaptive immune system to an unprecedented depth via … Continue reading “Adaptive TCR Lands $4,500,000 New Round”

SDL Globalization Conference

This event, put on by global information management software provider SDL, brings together industry leaders to share advice on how to get your products and services to global customers. Network with representatives of companies from around the world. Register here.

$90M Acquisition of PV Powered Signals Uptick in Cleantech M&A Market

[Updated 4:00 pm, 3/25/10. See below.] Bend, OR-based PV Powered, a maker of solar energy components, announced yesterday it is being acquired by Advanced Energy Industries of Fort Collins, CO. The deal will be worth as much as $90 million—$50 million upfront ($35 million in cash and $15 million in Advanced Energy’s common stock), and … Continue reading “$90M Acquisition of PV Powered Signals Uptick in Cleantech M&A Market”

The Games Begin at PAX East, A Seattle Transplant Uniting Gamers and Developers

The largest gaming expo on the East Coast, this weekend’s PAX East festival, will be preceded by what’s likely to be the biggest party the Boston gaming scene has ever witnessed, tonight at Microsoft’s New England R&D Center in Cambridge, MA. A packed house of 800 guests is expected at the PAX East “Made in … Continue reading “The Games Begin at PAX East, A Seattle Transplant Uniting Gamers and Developers”

FDA Panel Slams Cell Therapeutics, Oncothyreon Slumps, Biotech’s Healthcare Victory, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

The days are getting longer, spring is in the air, and hope is springing eternal for the Mariners. But a couple of Seattle biotech companies got clobbered this week. —Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) suffered a humiliating public beatdown this week at a long-awaited FDA advisory panel. The FDA committee voted 9-0 against the company’s … Continue reading “FDA Panel Slams Cell Therapeutics, Oncothyreon Slumps, Biotech’s Healthcare Victory, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Optify, Emerging from Stealth, Shows Off Software to Measure Sales and Marketing on the Web

Lead generation. B2B marketing. SEO. Fuh fuh fuh. Forget all these buzzwords. You want more customers? Talk to Optify. This Seattle startup, which came out of stealth mode yesterday, doesn’t have all the answers, but it does have what looks to be a pretty useful software product for marketers who want to track, organize, and … Continue reading “Optify, Emerging from Stealth, Shows Off Software to Measure Sales and Marketing on the Web”

Nathan Myhrvold, Lee Hood Forge Longstanding Partnership at Nexus of IT and Biology

Individuals in today’s world, Nathan Myhrvold once observed, are sort of like single B-cells in the immune system who go about their business oblivious to what’s happening in an entire human organism with 1 trillion cells. Biology, Leroy Hood often likes to say, is becoming an information science built on units of A, C, G, … Continue reading “Nathan Myhrvold, Lee Hood Forge Longstanding Partnership at Nexus of IT and Biology”

Voyager Adds Funding for Placecast

Seattle-based venture firm Voyager Capital has participated in a $3 million follow-on financing for Placecast, a San Francisco-based mobile marketing startup. Existing investors Quatrex Capital and Onset Ventures also participated in the funding, which is an add-on to the $5 million Series B round the company announced last November. Placecast, also known as 1020, is … Continue reading “Voyager Adds Funding for Placecast”

Future of Online Advertising Looks Like Video, Mobile…and Microsoft

Last night, we heard from a distinguished panel of executives on the opportunities in online advertising, at a TechFlash event in Seattle. The panel comprised some of the top names in the online ad world: —Aaron Finn, founder and chairman of AdReady —Brian McAndrews, former CEO of aQuantive, managing director at Madrona Venture Group —Jeff … Continue reading “Future of Online Advertising Looks Like Video, Mobile…and Microsoft”

Healthcare Reform Gave Biotech Everything It Wanted, and More

And so we embark on a new era of healthcare—one that may take many years to fully reach its potential for good or ill. But there are two small bits in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that are immediately relevant and timely for the biotechnology industry. One provides tax breaks for smaller biotechnology … Continue reading “Healthcare Reform Gave Biotech Everything It Wanted, and More”

Avvo Follows Amazon and Expedia, Ignition and General Catalyst Back Travel Startup, Gist Goes Networking, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

This was a busy week in the Northwest, with lots of action in consumer software, Internet, mobile, and biotech. The biggest startup deals involved former Expedia executives (see below). —A stealthy Seattle online-travel startup, co-founded by former Expedia execs Rich Barton, Greg Slyngstad, Sunil Shah, and Simon Breakwell, has raised $9.8 million in equity financing. … Continue reading “Avvo Follows Amazon and Expedia, Ignition and General Catalyst Back Travel Startup, Gist Goes Networking, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

ZINO Life Sciences Investment Forum

Venture capitalists, angel investors, and innovation thought leaders will gather to hear entrepreneurs pitch their technologies at this event. Twelve companies in the early stage or seeking an expansion of capital ranging from $250,000 to $5 million will present at this forum put on by ZINO, an organization for connecting entrepreneurs and investors. The deadline … Continue reading “ZINO Life Sciences Investment Forum”

Oncothyreon Stock Plummets as Side Effect Emerges in Cancer Patient, Trials Halted

[Updated: 6 pm Eastern] Bad news out of Seattle-based Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONTY]]) today. The company’s partner, the Merck Serono unit of Germany-based Merck KGaA, has halted clinical trials of an immune-boosting treatment for cancer after it saw an unexpected inflammation of the brain in a patient who joined an exploratory trial. Shares of Oncothyreon fell … Continue reading “Oncothyreon Stock Plummets as Side Effect Emerges in Cancer Patient, Trials Halted”

Cell Therapeutics Looks to Pick up the Pieces After FDA Smacks Down Lymphoma Drug

It’s time to talk about survival strategy if you’re Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) suffered a humiliating public beatdown yesterday from an FDA advisory panel, which said unanimously that the company’s lymphoma drug, pixantrone, isn’t ready for the U.S. marketplace. Even though the FDA doesn’t have to make a formal decision on this … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Looks to Pick up the Pieces After FDA Smacks Down Lymphoma Drug”

Bill Gates’s Nuclear Miracle? John Gilleland Says TerraPower Needs Discipline, Not Divine Intervention

John Gilleland’s first day on the job was a little different from most people’s. The nuclear physicist showed up at Intellectual Ventures in Bellevue, WA, and sat down at the conference table with his new boss, CEO Nathan Myhrvold, and another, shall we say prominent, techie. “The guy on my left looked familiar,” Gilleland says. … Continue reading “Bill Gates’s Nuclear Miracle? John Gilleland Says TerraPower Needs Discipline, Not Divine Intervention”

Dodd Bill Could Render Startups Too Small to Succeed

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) recently introduced sweeping legislation that aims to rein in the excesses that led large financial institutions to become “too big to fail.” Somewhat ironically, it also has the potential, as one commentator put it, to make startups “too small to succeed.” In the rush to prevent future problems, we risk taking … Continue reading “Dodd Bill Could Render Startups Too Small to Succeed”

Calling All Carriers: Mobile Software Startups Question Relevance of CTIA Wireless Expo

The mobile technology extravaganza known as the International CTIA Wireless Conference starts today in Las Vegas. Many thousands will attend. Keynotes will be given by such luminaries as Dan Hesse, the CEO of Sprint Nextel; John Stanton of Western Wireless and McCaw Cellular fame (also former CEO of T-Mobile USA); Randall Stephenson, the CEO of … Continue reading “Calling All Carriers: Mobile Software Startups Question Relevance of CTIA Wireless Expo”

SpectraWatt Receives $41,400,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3c77333c-6b18-4fe5-be32-9581e9b5bd22&Preview=1 Date 3/23/2010 Company Name SpectraWatt Mailing Address 7175 NW Evergreen Pkwy Hillsboro, OR 97124 Company Description SpectraWatt will manufacture and supply photovoltaic cells to solar module makers. In addition to focusing on advanced solar cell technologies, SpectraWatt will concentrate development efforts on improvements in current manufacturing processes and capabilities to reduce … Continue reading “SpectraWatt Receives $41,400,000 New Financing Round”

Lee Hood: Genomics 101

Institute for Systems Biology founder Lee Hood and his colleagues recently published a groundbreaking paper detailing the first whole genome sequencing of a family. Expected to boost the power and impact of genetic research, the study offers the first direct estimate of the human intergenerational mutation rate and pushes researchers closer to discovering the role … Continue reading “Lee Hood: Genomics 101”

13 Teams, 100 People, 54 Hours: Lessons from Startup Weekend in Seattle

“Exhaustingly awesome.” “The talent in that room is pretty inspiring.” “54 hours…from idea to products I’d pay money for in just 54 hours. Wow.” Those are just a couple comments I gleaned from some of the attendees and guests at the demos held at the Startup Weekend demo finale. I’d second each of these thoughts—you … Continue reading “13 Teams, 100 People, 54 Hours: Lessons from Startup Weekend in Seattle”

Rich Barton Travel Startup Funded

New Travelco, a stealthy Seattle startup co-founded by Rich Barton and Greg Slyngstad, has raised $9.8 million in equity financing, according to a regulatory filing. The investors were not disclosed, but Brad Silverberg of Ignition Partners and Joel Cutler of General Catalyst Partners are also listed on the form as directors of the company. Barton … Continue reading “Rich Barton Travel Startup Funded”

Cell Therapeutics Shares Crash as Lymphoma Drug Gets Shot Down by FDA Panel

[Updated: 4:35 pm Eastern] Cell Therapeutics’ new lymphoma drug failed to win a recommendation today from a panel of cancer experts who advise the FDA. Shares of the company fell by 48 percent on the news. The crash came after FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 9 to 0 today against the Seattle-based company’s application … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Shares Crash as Lymphoma Drug Gets Shot Down by FDA Panel”

FDA Cancer Drug Boss Slams Cell Therapeutics Application For Lymphoma Drug

[Updated: 10:05 am Eastern, 3/22/10] The chief of cancer drug reviews at the FDA, Richard Pazdur, laid out a harsh critique this morning of a new drug that Cell Therapeutics is hoping will win approval for the U.S. market. The company’s case for pixantrone (Pixuvri) is being heard this morning in front of the Oncologic … Continue reading “FDA Cancer Drug Boss Slams Cell Therapeutics Application For Lymphoma Drug”

DigitalScirocco Rolls Out of Stealth, Creates New Marketplace for Web Content

Bruce D’Ambrosio wants to change the way content and services are distributed on the Web—and how people make money from them. His new startup, Seattle-based DigitalScirocco, is emerging from pseudo-stealth mode today at the semi-annual DEMO conference in Palm Desert, CA. The company’s service has been live for a couple of months, but has been … Continue reading “DigitalScirocco Rolls Out of Stealth, Creates New Marketplace for Web Content”

New Travelco Garners $9,800,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8b61cd06-b620-44b5-bff4-2692e50e37b6&Preview=1 Date 3/22/2010 Company Name New Travelco Mailing Address 401 2nd Ave South Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description We believe it is still early days in the Internet travel revolution. The increasing power of transparency, connectivity, and mobility will continue to open new worlds to travelers and new channels for suppliers. We … Continue reading “New Travelco Garners $9,800,000 New Funding Round”

Lindbergh Grandson Launches Incentive Prizes for Advances in Electric Aircraft and Green Aviation

As paragliders and hang gliders swooped overhead, the grandson of famed aviator Charles “Lucky Lindy” Lindbergh chose a stunning panoramic San Diego clifftop to announce the formation of a new incentive prize to recognize advancements in electric aircraft technology. Seattle-area resident Erik Lindbergh says the Lindbergh Electric Aircraft Prize, or LEAP, is intended to stimulate … Continue reading “Lindbergh Grandson Launches Incentive Prizes for Advances in Electric Aircraft and Green Aviation”

Theraclone Raises $1.5M

Theraclone Sciences, the Seattle-based developer of antibody drugs, has raised another $1.5 million in equity financing, according to a regulatory filing. The new equity comes after Theraclone received $29 million in venture capital in March 2007 from Arch Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, Healthcare Ventures, Amgen Ventures, MPM Capital, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities. The company … Continue reading “Theraclone Raises $1.5M”

Avvo, New $10M in Hand, Tears a Page from Expedia, Amazon Playbooks

Anytime a consumer Internet startup raises $10 million, it’s big news, especially around Seattle these days. So you’d think Avvo would want to tell the world about what it’s doing with all that money, which it just raised in a Series C investment round from DAG Ventures, Benchmark Capital, and Ignition Partners. But founder and … Continue reading “Avvo, New $10M in Hand, Tears a Page from Expedia, Amazon Playbooks”

Cell Therapeutics FDA Panel Primer: Take Two

Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) is getting ready, one more time, for its make-or-break moment. The big East Coast snowstorm of mid-February postponed this day of reckoning a few weeks, so the company is now getting ready to make its case in front of a committee of cancer drug experts on Monday, March 22. For … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics FDA Panel Primer: Take Two”

Why I’ve Abandoned Quicken, But Not Intuit

Somebody at Intuit must have seen the writing on the wall. Last September, the Mountain View, CA, software company, which has been selling PC-based personal finance programs since 1983 via floppy discs, CD-ROMs, and downloads, paid $170 million to buy a two-year-old Web startup called Mint.com. If you believe, as I do, that almost everyone … Continue reading “Why I’ve Abandoned Quicken, But Not Intuit”