Category: Seattle

Online Video Advertisers: Enough Double Stuf, Time to Get Targeted

What a wonderful world: Thanks to Fox, Comedy Central, and the other TV networks that are generous enough to post the latest episodes from their hit shows online, I can watch all of my favorite episodes on the Web on demand without paying a dime to Comcast (oops, “Xfinity”) for premium cable channels or DVR … Continue reading “Online Video Advertisers: Enough Double Stuf, Time to Get Targeted”

NanoString Chairman Bill Young Scopes Out Diagnostic Future, Considers Bay Area Expansion

Big decisions about the future of NanoString Technologies are in the works. The Seattle-based maker of genetic analysis tools is crafting a strategy to enter the clinical diagnostics market, it expects to hire a permanent CEO within a couple months, and it may establish its headquarters to the San Francisco Bay Area to get the … Continue reading “NanoString Chairman Bill Young Scopes Out Diagnostic Future, Considers Bay Area Expansion”

Nathan Myhrvold Shares Plan to Create Invention Capital Industry, but Skeptics Abound

Intellectual Ventures has been making a lot of waves lately. Today the Bellevue, WA-based firm, focused on the business of invention and patents, laid out its arguments for creating a new industry of “invention capital,” in a Harvard Business Review article penned by CEO and co-founder, Nathan Myhrvold. In a separate piece, the New York … Continue reading “Nathan Myhrvold Shares Plan to Create Invention Capital Industry, but Skeptics Abound”

Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal Approved

Tech giants Microsoft and Yahoo announced today they have received clearance for their search and advertising agreement from U.S. and European regulators. The news means the companies can move forward with their plan to transition Yahoo’s search platforms to Microsoft’s Bing (which should be complete by the end of this year), while Yahoo will handle … Continue reading “Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal Approved”

RealNetworks, With Narrowed Focus, Seeks to Help Consumers Manage Digital Media Clutter

You might not know it, but you could say RealNetworks is being reborn today. The Seattle-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) is announcing a new version of RealPlayer SP, its signature software for downloading, sharing, and transferring personal videos to smartphones and other devices. The new features include quick video editing—so you can keep just the parts … Continue reading “RealNetworks, With Narrowed Focus, Seeks to Help Consumers Manage Digital Media Clutter”

Sentillion Sees Brighter Future in Healthcare Software Under Microsoft’s Ownership

Sentillion is no longer one of the little guys on the block. The Andover, MA-based provider of healthcare software announced this month that it officially became a subsidiary of technology giant Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]), a development that Sentillion founder Robert Seliger says will accelerate adoption of the firm’s software around the globe. Seliger, who had … Continue reading “Sentillion Sees Brighter Future in Healthcare Software Under Microsoft’s Ownership”

Cell Therapeutics Panel Stalled, Medical Device Angels Band Together, Calypso Cuts Side Effects, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

The world knows all too well that we don’t have much snow here in the Pacific Northwest (sorry, Vancouver), but we certainly felt the impact of the East Coast snowstorm here on the biotech beat over the last week. —Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) is waiting a little longer than expected for its judgment day. … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Panel Stalled, Medical Device Angels Band Together, Calypso Cuts Side Effects, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Yapta, Kayak Team Up in Travel Search

Seattle-based Yapta, the online airfare-tracking service, announced today it has formed a partnership with travel search site Kayak, based in Norwalk, CT. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given, but Kayak will power the flight search engine on Yapta.com, which should give consumers more options in tracking fares and planning travels. Kayak is also interested … Continue reading “Yapta, Kayak Team Up in Travel Search”

How to Win the Future of Social Mobile Gaming: The Z2Live Story

Take two technology areas that Seattle is best known for: mobile and gaming. Mix them together in a fast-growing market (iPhone multiplayer games), put some shrewd venture capital behind it (Madrona Venture Group), and what do you get? Answer: Z2Live. This isn’t two guys in a garage working on their passion. This Seattle startup was … Continue reading “How to Win the Future of Social Mobile Gaming: The Z2Live Story”

Cozi CEO Confirms $5M Funding, Affirms Advertising Business Model

Maybe online advertising revenues are coming back—at least in certain markets. That’s what I thought after catching up yesterday with Robbie Cape, the founder and CEO of Seattle-based Cozi. Earlier this week, the family-focused software company disclosed in an SEC filing that it has raised $5 million in new equity funding. The news was first … Continue reading “Cozi CEO Confirms $5M Funding, Affirms Advertising Business Model”

RealNetworks Spins Off Rhapsody, Urban Airship and Swype Raise Cash, Winshuttle Buys A1, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

There were a bunch of small deals in the Northwest this week. Some hot spots were mobile, business software, and alternative fuels. —Portland, OR-based Urban Airship, a mobile software startup, raised $1.1 million in a deal led by True Ventures. Seattle-based Founder’s Co-op also participated in the round. Urban Airship makes infrastructure for mobile messaging … Continue reading “RealNetworks Spins Off Rhapsody, Urban Airship and Swype Raise Cash, Winshuttle Buys A1, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Calypso Study Shows Pinpoint Radiation for Prostate Cancer Curbs Side Effects

Calypso Medical Technologies was founded a decade ago on the belief that it could reduce side effects for cancer patients getting radiation treatment. Now the Seattle-based company has the first batch of clinical trial data to prove it. A study of 64 patients who used the Calypso system to track their prostate tumors in real-time … Continue reading “Calypso Study Shows Pinpoint Radiation for Prostate Cancer Curbs Side Effects”

How EcoATM Became San Diego’s Hottest Startup Deal, If I Say So Myself

For a company that was founded by three wireless industry veterans only about a year ago, ecoATM ended 2009 with some pretty impressive results. If there was a yearbook for San Diego startups, you could say we were voted most likely to succeed: Out of more than 100 local start-ups that entered the San Diego … Continue reading “How EcoATM Became San Diego’s Hottest Startup Deal, If I Say So Myself”

Kashless Acquires Mercata Patents from Vulcan, Rolls Out New Group Buying Site, Tippr

“I believe it’s the pocket aces of IP in group collective buying,” Martin Tobias tells me. Tobias, the Seattle entrepreneur and investor who heads up the online community site Kashless, is talking about his latest strategic move. His company has acquired the patent portfolio of former Bellevue, WA-based dot-com Mercata from Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, … Continue reading “Kashless Acquires Mercata Patents from Vulcan, Rolls Out New Group Buying Site, Tippr”

The Emergence of the Semantic Web: New Directions in Search and Information Discovery

Google and Bing’s epic battle for search engine domination is well known at this point, but there are also smaller names out there looking to revamp the world of information discovery. This panel will highlight Evri, a Seattle company developing a search platform that pulls content from news sites, blogs, and Tweets and sorts it … Continue reading “The Emergence of the Semantic Web: New Directions in Search and Information Discovery”

Urban Airship Gets Funded

Portland, OR-based Urban Airship, a mobile messaging startup, has raised $1.1 million led by True Ventures, with participation from Seattle-based Founder’s Co-op. The news was first reported by Rick Turoczy of Silicon Florist. Urban Airship provides software infrastructure for mobile messaging services like Apple Push Notifications, which lets companies send news and alerts to iPhones … Continue reading “Urban Airship Gets Funded”

Medical Device Entrepreneurs Converge on Wings, a New Angel Investing Network

People who make a living creating medical devices, like ultrasound machines or stents to prop open clogged arteries, have lived through a crummy 18 months. But that’s not discouraging a group of prominent medical device entrepreneurs from Seattle who are building the region’s first dedicated network of angel investors who have the money and expertise … Continue reading “Medical Device Entrepreneurs Converge on Wings, a New Angel Investing Network”

Winshuttle Expands to Germany with Acquisition, Keeps Growing Through the Recession

The global expansion continues for Winshuttle, one of the unsung heroes of the Seattle tech scene that I highlighted back in August. The Bothell, WA-based software company is announcing today it has acquired the German firm A1 Professional Software. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given, but Winshuttle is keeping the A1 Professional team of … Continue reading “Winshuttle Expands to Germany with Acquisition, Keeps Growing Through the Recession”

The Truth About Innovation Resistant Companies

The bigger the company, the tougher it is to innovate. There are two main pillars to this “innovation resistance” that seem common in large, profitable organizations. 1. Fear that innovative products will cannibalize existing revenue streams. The bigger the product line revenue, the more resistant that product group is to innovation that would threaten its … Continue reading “The Truth About Innovation Resistant Companies”

Cozi Group Garners $5,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=70fc7651-8f78-457f-8c08-39a53a42ab85&Preview=1 Date 2/16/2010 Company Name Cozi Group Mailing Address 506 Second Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description Cozi delivers a new type of service called family-ready software services. These are created specifically with family dynamics in mind, with an emphasis on making life easier, less stressful and more fun for busy families. … Continue reading “Cozi Group Garners $5,000,000 New Funding”

Urban Airship Obtains $1,100,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ccddb18-0136-4c28-add4-3f9805bc30d5&Preview=1 Date 2/16/2010 Company Name Urban Airship Mailing Address 1227 NW Davis St Portland, OR 97209 Company Description Urban Airship provides an easy, affordable way to deliver real-time push notifications and in-app purchase content for mobile developers. Website http://www.urbanairship.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,100,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Urban Airship Obtains $1,100,000 New Funding”

Swype Garners $1,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ae98be78-f717-4451-b64a-18d2d50116b3&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2010 Company Name Swype Mailing Address 701 North 34th St Seattle, WA 98103 Company Description Swype is a maker of text-input technology for mobile devices. Website http://www.swypeinc.com/ Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor DoCoMo Capital

Inside the McKinstry Innovation Center: A First Look at Seattle’s Big Cleantech Hope

Elsa Croonquist of McKinstry would cringe at the hype, but I’m here to say it’s at least partly true. The Seattle alternative energy scene has been eerily quiet as of late. This is not to diminish the efforts of organizations like the Clean Tech Open, Washington Clean Technology Alliance, Clean Energy Council, Climate Solutions, and … Continue reading “Inside the McKinstry Innovation Center: A First Look at Seattle’s Big Cleantech Hope”

The First Rule of FounderDating, and More Takeaways from the Group’s First Seattle Event

The next big startup out of Seattle might have been conceived on the top floor of the Washington Athletic Club this past Tuesday. That’s where 35 carefully selected tech entrepreneurs and business people gathered over drinks and light appetizers for the first-ever FounderDating session in Seattle. The idea, as we reported on a couple weeks … Continue reading “The First Rule of FounderDating, and More Takeaways from the Group’s First Seattle Event”

Why Biotech Innovators Are Beating a Path to Seattle

As the life sciences sector continues to navigate the changing seas of innovation in the new economy, we’ve trained our gaze toward a few beacons. Seattle and the Pacific Northwest have become a light shining on the horizon. In March, the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association and Burrill & Company will together present Life Science … Continue reading “Why Biotech Innovators Are Beating a Path to Seattle”

The $14.99 E-Book: Publishing’s Salvation, Or Just the Last Nail in the Coffin?

Last summer, when the UK National Portrait Gallery and the Wikimedia Foundation got into a kerfuffle over whether the foundation had the right to copy thousands of the gallery’s high-resolution digital images to the Wikimedia site without paying, I wrote that the foundation may have been within its rights, since the original portraits are in … Continue reading “The $14.99 E-Book: Publishing’s Salvation, Or Just the Last Nail in the Coffin?”

Seattle Applying for Google Fiber Network

Seattle mayor Mike McGinn announced today that the city will respond to Google’s request for information from communities across the U.S. that want to partner with Google to build ultra-high-speed fiber broadband networks. The experimental idea is to connect homes to the Internet via ultra-fast fiber optics (100 times faster than a conventional broadband network), … Continue reading “Seattle Applying for Google Fiber Network”

RealNetworks Acting CEO Bob Kimball Speaks on Rebuilding the Company, Transforming the Culture, and Spinning Off Music and Games

In today’s RealNetworks earnings call, we heard from president and acting CEO Bob Kimball for the first time. Kimball recently took over from founder Rob Glaser, who stepped down as CEO a month ago. Kimball originally joined RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) in 1999 and served for 10-plus years as the senior executive responsible for all legal … Continue reading “RealNetworks Acting CEO Bob Kimball Speaks on Rebuilding the Company, Transforming the Culture, and Spinning Off Music and Games”

CEO Christian Chabot on Tableau Software’s New Consumer App for Making Data Social

“I make the bold claim that this will be of interest to anyone who posts content online,” says Christian Chabot, the co-founder and chief executive of Seattle-based Tableau Software. We were talking recently about his company’s big move into consumer software, which was just announced today. “The target is really bloggers, journalists, writers, critics, researchers, … Continue reading “CEO Christian Chabot on Tableau Software’s New Consumer App for Making Data Social”

SinglePoint Buys M2Junction, Wants to Become Mobile Advertising Leader in India

Bellevue, WA-based SinglePoint, a mobile messaging software company, announced today it has acquired M2Junction, a leading mobile advertising startup based in Hyderabad, India. Financial terms of the deal weren’t given. The move should make it easier for SinglePoint to connect with and sell its services to content publishers, mobile operators, brands, and ad agencies in … Continue reading “SinglePoint Buys M2Junction, Wants to Become Mobile Advertising Leader in India”

Ready, Set, Go Public—The 10 Things You Need to Do Now

The IPO market is open for business. The IPO market window has slammed shut. Which is it? Unless your IPO is pricing in the next week or two, it doesn’t matter. The reality is that IPO planning typically takes six to 12 months. If you hope to go public in the next year-and want to … Continue reading “Ready, Set, Go Public—The 10 Things You Need to Do Now”

A Good Start? WA Companies Raised $57M in January, Up from $22M in Previous Month

Last month, companies based in Washington state raised a total of about $57 million in venture capital, in eight deals. That’s up from about $22 million in December 2009 (four companies), and $44 million (10 companies) in the month before that. The VC stats are courtesy of private company intelligence platform CB Insights. See the … Continue reading “A Good Start? WA Companies Raised $57M in January, Up from $22M in Previous Month”

Propel Fuels Gets Cash for CA Expansion

Propel Fuels, the alternative fuel company founded in Seattle but now based in Sacramento, CA, announced today it has raised $12 million in Series C equity financing led by new investor Craton Equity Partners, along with $8 million in debt financing. Previous investors Nth Power and @Ventures also participated in the equity round. The money … Continue reading “Propel Fuels Gets Cash for CA Expansion”

As Advertisers Expand Online, Covario Adds Web-Based Tools to Measure Their Success

A new generation of corporate marketing executives was in attendance last week when San Diego-based Covario convened its fourth annual corporate partners conference at the downtown Hard Rock Hotel. As a rock band jammed onstage, the gathering crowd included JP Morgan Chase’s vice president of search governance, Amgen’s senior marketing manager for oncology, and the … Continue reading “As Advertisers Expand Online, Covario Adds Web-Based Tools to Measure Their Success”

Halosource Vet Starts Company to Make Socks that Kill Bugs

For years, Halosource was what you might call a solution in search of a problem. It had anti-microbial technology that could theoretically kill viruses and bacteria anywhere and everywhere. But when it came down to making actual commercial products, it took many years to find its niche in purifying water. Now one of the veterans … Continue reading “Halosource Vet Starts Company to Make Socks that Kill Bugs”

UW CSE Colloquium: ARPA-E—Addressing the Sputniks of our Generation

Info and details here. ARPA-E: Addressing the Sputniks of our Generation Arun Majumdar (ARPA-E) Abstract The report “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” proposed the creation of ARPA-E, which was later authorized and appropriated by Congress. The report suggested ARPA-E to be modeled after DARPA, which was created in 1958 in response to the launch of … Continue reading “UW CSE Colloquium: ARPA-E—Addressing the Sputniks of our Generation”

UW CSE Colloquium: Harry Shum on Bing

Info and details here. Bing: Intent, Knowledge, and Decision Engine Harry Shum (Microsoft Corporation) Abstract On June 1, 2009, Microsoft Corporation released its search engine www.bing.com and called it decision engine. According to analysis firm ComScore, Microsoft’s Bing saw its search count grow faster than any of the other top search engines in 2009. Bing … Continue reading “UW CSE Colloquium: Harry Shum on Bing”

Real Spins Off Rhapsody

Seattle-based RealNetworks and MTV Networks announced today they will spin off their digital music service joint venture, Rhapsody, into a separate company. Under the terms of the deal, RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) will no longer be the majority owner and operator of Rhapsody; the new company will not have a single majority owner. Real says this … Continue reading “Real Spins Off Rhapsody”

What’s Your Breakthrough Idea? Let’s Talk About How to Change the World on March 29

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an investor, a researcher, a corporate executive, a journalist, or a patent attorney, you’ve heard it: an idea that will supposedly change the world. In fact, you probably come across someone trying to pitch you an idea like that every week, if not every day. Maybe you even have one you’re … Continue reading “What’s Your Breakthrough Idea? Let’s Talk About How to Change the World on March 29”

Xconomy Forum: What’s Your Breakthrough Idea? **SOLD OUT**

Breakthrough ideas are catalysts of innovation and progress. But in the world of technology and business, seemingly great ideas are a dime a dozen. What really counts is forethought, execution, and results. So what makes for a true breakthrough idea, and how do you know one when you see one? How can entrepreneurs, researchers, and … Continue reading “Xconomy Forum: What’s Your Breakthrough Idea? **SOLD OUT**”

Battle of the Tech Bands 3: Boston vs. Seattle—A Video and Photo Extravaganza

It’s not every day you get to see three great East Coast rock bands on the same stage with two amazing West Coast bands—so we made a point of documenting our big fundraiser last Thursday, the Battle of the Tech Bands 3: Seattle vs. Boston. Today we want to share the amazing footage and images … Continue reading “Battle of the Tech Bands 3: Boston vs. Seattle—A Video and Photo Extravaganza”

Amazon Buys Touchco, Infinia Raises More Cash, the Truth About Photobucket, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

Another quiet week for deals in the Northwest as we head into the depths of winter. Nevertheless, there were a few notable deals in software, hardware, and energy. —Kennewick, WA-based Infinia snapped up another $11.5 million in equity financing in a round that could total $75 million over time, as Luke reported. The investors in … Continue reading “Amazon Buys Touchco, Infinia Raises More Cash, the Truth About Photobucket, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Voyager Capital’s Daniel Ahn on the Firm’s Refocused Clean-IT Strategy

To Voyager Capital managing director Daniel Ahn, “cleantech” is just a buzzword. “Clean IT” is much more precise—and, to the point, it’s something a hardcore techie venture capitalist can get his hands around. Last week, I spoke with Ahn by phone about Voyager’s recent investment in Coulomb Technologies, a Campbell, CA-based startup focused on electric … Continue reading “Voyager Capital’s Daniel Ahn on the Firm’s Refocused Clean-IT Strategy”

IdeaScale Used for 24 Government Sites

Seattle-based Survey Analytics has rolled out a total of 24 crowdsourcing websites for U.S. government agencies to help them solicit and manage feedback from citizens. Financial details of the current partnerships weren’t given. The sites are powered by IdeaScale, the company’s software platform for hosting and managing feedback from communities and customers. Last May, the … Continue reading “IdeaScale Used for 24 Government Sites”

Cell Therapeutics Shares Fall as FDA Says Lymphoma Drug Has “Substantial” Side Effects

Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics’ experimental drug for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was tested in “substantially fewer” patients than planned in a pivotal clinical trial, and the data that it gathered to support its application shows the treatment has “substantial” toxicity to blood cells and the heart, according to an analysis by FDA staff posted online today. The FDA’s … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Shares Fall as FDA Says Lymphoma Drug Has “Substantial” Side Effects”

TripAdvisor: The Travel Company That’s Really All About Data

TripAdvisor, which was founded 10 years ago this month, is a study in paradoxes: • The Newton, MA-based company’s family of travel-related websites attracts 35 million unique visitors each month, making it one of the most successful Web properties in the Boston area—yet few people even realize the company is headquartered in New England. • … Continue reading “TripAdvisor: The Travel Company That’s Really All About Data”