The next decade will see the realization of many of the buzzwords of the last decade. The combination of the information era, the biotechnology revolution, and materials breakthroughs will drive new medical and cleantech inventions that will change our lives. The future of innovation in the United States is promising at its core and we … Continue reading “Top Five Innovations to Watch in the Coming Decade”
Category: Seattle
ZymoGenetics Gets $79M in Stock Sale
ZymoGenetics, the Seattle-based biotech company, said today it has raised about $79 million after expenses from an underwritten stock offering. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) sold 14 million shares at $6 apiece, and also offered its underwriters a 30-day option to buy another 2.1 million shares. Leerink Swann was the sole book-running manager of the offering, … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Gets $79M in Stock Sale”
Three Questions on Hyperlocal Advertising with Satbir Khanuja, CEO of DataSphere
In the world of news media these days, there’s no getting away from two things: online advertising, and hyperlocal sites. Where they meet is a company called DataSphere in Bellevue, WA. On Tuesday, we reported that DataSphere had raised $10.8 million in Series B funding. The investors in the new round are Ignition Partners, also … Continue reading “Three Questions on Hyperlocal Advertising with Satbir Khanuja, CEO of DataSphere”
HaloSource Garners $10,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=de08e326-1724-42f9-9af4-fa2d4a8f9913&Preview=1 Date 1/7/2010 Company Name HaloSource Mailing Address 1631 220th Street SE Bothell, WA 98021 Company Description HaloSource health science technologies focus on antimicrobial and disease prevention solutions that reliably and effectively kill germs. For partners that want competitive differentiation through unique proprietary technologies, HaloSource provides reliable, tested and proven solutions in … Continue reading “HaloSource Garners $10,000,000 New Funding Round”
Halosource Nails Down $10M for Global Expansion of Water Purifying Technology
Halosource, the Bothell, WA-based company with a cheap and simple technology for purifying water in developing countries, has raised another $10 million in a venture financing that could be worth as much as $15 million, Xconomy has learned. The investment is being led by Prime Partners Asia Merchant Capital of Singapore, according to Halosource’s chief … Continue reading “Halosource Nails Down $10M for Global Expansion of Water Purifying Technology”
ZymoGenetics On the Prowl to Raise $85M in Stock Deal
ZymoGenetics is on the prowl for a lot more cash from investors—possibly more than $85 million. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) said today it is looking to sell 12 million new shares to investors in an underwritten stock offering, plus another 1.8 million shares to its underwriters. The company currently has about 69 million … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics On the Prowl to Raise $85M in Stock Deal”
Stratos Gets WTC Lab Access
Stratos Genomics, a Seattle-based company developing faster and cheaper DNA sequencing technology, has been granted three months of access to a microfabrication laboratory operated by the Washington Technology Center on the University of Washington campus. Stratos’ proposal is to create a “Nanopore Noise Reduction Project” that “creates, encodes and measures surrogate molecules derived from DNA … Continue reading “Stratos Gets WTC Lab Access”
SpectraWatt, Now in NY, Gains $12M
Solar cell manufacturer SpectraWatt, a spinoff from Intel formerly based in Hillsboro, OR, has raised $12 million in equity, debt, and options (out of a $41.4 million offering), according to a regulatory filing. The investors were not disclosed. Last spring, SpectraWatt announced it was moving its headquarters to upstate New York, citing “green business incentives.” … Continue reading “SpectraWatt, Now in NY, Gains $12M”
Seattle Genetics Maps Out a Future With Antibody Drugs That Are “Empowered”
Some of the best-selling drugs in the pharmaceutical industry are what biotechies call “naked” antibodies. These are engineered Y-shaped proteins that zero in on markers of diseased cells, while sparing healthy ones. They generate an estimated $30 billion in annual sales, from big names like Roche’s trastuzumab (Herceptin) for breast cancer. But to hear one … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Maps Out a Future With Antibody Drugs That Are “Empowered””
OVP Leads $9M Investment in Aggregate Knowledge, Gets Serious About Online Ads
Kirkland, WA-based OVP Venture Partners is leading a new $9 million Series C financing round in Aggregate Knowledge, an online advertising and analytics firm in San Mateo, CA. Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, DAG Ventures, and original angel investors are also participating. In connection with the deal, OVP managing director Lucinda Stewart is joining the … Continue reading “OVP Leads $9M Investment in Aggregate Knowledge, Gets Serious About Online Ads”
A Comparison of E-Book Readers for the New Year
Before any big trip, I always make sure I have enough books to read. That used to mean weighing myself down with pounds and pounds of paper, but now I can carry a library in my pocket. The new question is not which books to take, but which e-book reader to choose. Seattle-based Amazon.com’s Kindle … Continue reading “A Comparison of E-Book Readers for the New Year”
Five Biotechnologies That Will Fade Away This Decade
[Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of posts from Xconomists and other technology leaders from around the country who are weighing in with the Top 5 innovations they’ve seen in their respective fields the past 10 years, or the Top 5 disruptive technologies that will impact the next decade.] We look at amazement … Continue reading “Five Biotechnologies That Will Fade Away This Decade”
SpectraWatt Obtains $12,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e593f2f0-1a08-4b61-8274-41a9224c78b0&Preview=1 Date 1/6/2010 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 Obtains $12,000,000 New Funding Round”
How Will Green Return the Green?
Entrepreneurs in the clean technology sector face challenges unique to cleantech and the Pacific Northwest. A panel of experts, moderated by Jesse Berst, founding editor of Cleantech News, explores these challenges and opportunities, including financing, regulatory and policy frameworks, and partnerships. More information on the event web site.
MIT MBA “Tech Trekkers” in Seattle
No, not Trekkies. These Trekkers are MIT Sloan MBAs who are testing Seattle’s economic waters. Join them for an evening of networking and hear what they’ve learned from potential Seattle employers including RealNetworks, Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, T-Mobile, and Adobe. For more information or to attend, please email Paul Denning at [email protected].
DataSphere Raises $10.8M to Help Media Companies Manage Hyperlocal Websites (and Make Money)
Bellevue, WA-based DataSphere, an Internet software and advertising sales company, has raised $10.8 million in equity and options, according to a filing with the SEC. The investors in the round were not disclosed, but the company is backed by the venture firm Ignition Partners, also based in Bellevue. John Connors of Ignition is listed on … Continue reading “DataSphere Raises $10.8M to Help Media Companies Manage Hyperlocal Websites (and Make Money)”
Verdiem Nabs $4.7M To Help Make Computers Use Less Energy
Verdiem, the Seattle-based developer of software that helps computers use less energy, has raised $4.7 million in new equity financing out of a round that could be worth as much as $5.9 million, according to a regulatory filing. The filing doesn’t say who is pumping in the new capital, although it says eight investors have … Continue reading “Verdiem Nabs $4.7M To Help Make Computers Use Less Energy”
The 12 Days of Xconomists: Leading Innovators Give Their Top Advances of the Past Decade
Over the last few weeks, as the holiday season heated up and the decade wound down, we reached out to our distinguished network of Xconomists—who include many of the top technologists, scientists, and business innovators in our three cities—and asked them (and a few more tech and life sciences leaders) to describe the most important … Continue reading “The 12 Days of Xconomists: Leading Innovators Give Their Top Advances of the Past Decade”
Stephen Wolfram Talks Bing Partnership, Software Strategy, and the Future of Knowledge Computing
There is something oddly human about Stephen Wolfram using his iPhone to look up the mass of the “cascade hyperon,” a subatomic particle with who-knows-what properties. That’s what Wolfram, one of the world’s most distinguished experts in physics and computing, was doing on the day we spoke a few weeks ago. Maybe it stood out … Continue reading “Stephen Wolfram Talks Bing Partnership, Software Strategy, and the Future of Knowledge Computing”
2010 Venture Capital Oscar Predictions
Even though Oscar buzz is not yet in the air, it is pretty clear what film titles will rule in 2010. So sit back, grab your popcorn…the envelopes please. Precious: The statuette goes to this film about the Greenback, which continues to be really hard to come by. The venture industry weathered a swift-yet-painful contraction … Continue reading “2010 Venture Capital Oscar Predictions”
Verdiem Corporation Garners $4,700,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=da4b30cc-fba8-4d87-ba2d-799db0bb0e9c&Preview=1 Date 1/5/2010 Company Name Verdiem Corporation Mailing Address 1601 2nd Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 Company Description Verdiem is the leading developer of power management software for PC networks. Verdiem’s SURVEYOR software provides measurable energy and cost savings, simplified and automated management of PC power options, and painless implementation that comes with … Continue reading “Verdiem Corporation Garners $4,700,000 New Financing Round”
DataSphere Obtains $10,800,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3b6cba90-8ffc-4dd9-b4c5-ad22e2827379&Preview=1 Date 1/5/2010 Company Name DataSphere Mailing Address 15395 SE 30th Place Bellevue, WA 98007 Company Description DataSphere Technologies, Inc. is a Software as a Service (SaaS) Web technology company built by a group of senior online technologists and Web marketers. With decades of experience in driving traffic and site design at … Continue reading “DataSphere Obtains $10,800,000 New Funding Round”
The Startup Whisperer’s 2010 Technology Predictions
Now that I’ve posted my results for 2009, here are my predictions for 2010. Apple will have another hit with the Apple Tablet (iTablet) – get ready for the cage match between the iTablet and the Amazon Kindle. The Apple Tablet wont be a revolution and certainly wont have the same type of unit distribution … Continue reading “The Startup Whisperer’s 2010 Technology Predictions”
RealNetworks Acquires Varia Mobile
RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]) confirmed it has acquired Seattle startup Varia Mobile for an undisclosed price. The news was first reported by TechFlash. Varia makes content distribution and publishing software for mobile phones. The startup was founded in 2007 and already has a strategic alliance with RealNetworks. The deal also fits with Real’s increasing focus on … Continue reading “RealNetworks Acquires Varia Mobile”
Stem Cells: Translation to the Clinic
Seattle’s stem cell community will gather Jan. 8 for a series of talks on current issues pertaining to stem cells and translation to the clinic. Phillipe Menasche, a professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Université de Paris Déscartes, will be the keynote speaker. Speakers from the UW and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center include … Continue reading “Stem Cells: Translation to the Clinic”
M&A Liquidity Up, IPO Market Still Anemic: Fourth-Quarter Data on Venture Exits Is a Mixed Bag
It’s too early to say whether it’s the beginning of the end of the liquidity drought, or just the end of the beginning. But after seven straight quarters of declining IPO and M&A earnings for venture-backed U.S. companies, there was a ray of hope in the fourth quarter of 2009. Venture-backed firms raised $7.5 billion … Continue reading “M&A Liquidity Up, IPO Market Still Anemic: Fourth-Quarter Data on Venture Exits Is a Mixed Bag”
Alder Rises From Ashes of Layoffs to Become Seattle Biotech Force
Nobody would have guessed the seeds for one of Seattle’s most promising biotech companies were being planted just before Thanksgiving in 2003. That’s when Randy Schatzman had the depressing task of firing all 90 people who worked for him, and closing the doors at Celltech R&D in Bothell, WA. Celltech’s headquarters back in the U.K. … Continue reading “Alder Rises From Ashes of Layoffs to Become Seattle Biotech Force”
UW Startup Nanocel Seeks Funding and Partners, Wants to Make Computers Cooler
Last May, the Seattle startup Nanocel won the University of Washington’s yearly business plan competition. Now the company—founded by UW mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Dustin Miller and recent UW MBA grad Daniel Rossi—is gearing up for a big year in 2010. Their planned first products, affordable fluid-based cooling systems for computer chips, will fill a … Continue reading “UW Startup Nanocel Seeks Funding and Partners, Wants to Make Computers Cooler”
Top Five Robotics “Hits” of the 2000s
Robotics, in the noughties (I have rank ordered them in importance): 1. Thousands of remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft in the U.S. military. 2. Thousands of supervisory controlled ground robots in the U.S. military. 3. Millions of autonomous home cleaning robots in people’s houses. 4. Autonomous vehicles in the two DARPA grand challenge demonstrations. 5. … Continue reading “Top Five Robotics “Hits” of the 2000s”
RealNetworks Acquires Varia Mobile for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2ad82980-b912-4127-86a0-6cb751464354&Preview=1 Date 1/3/2010 Company Name Varia Mobile Mailing Address 1000 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Company Description Varia provides immediate publishing, integration and deployment of Web 2.0 desktop services directly to mobile devices. Website http://www.variamobile.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the … Continue reading “RealNetworks Acquires Varia Mobile for Undisclosed Sum”
A Brief Year-End Review of Seattle Biotech
Well, 2009 did not turn out to be the biotechnology disaster here in Seattle that many people had predicted. By my reckoning, only four of the local biotech companies that I track on my website went bust in 2009 (Eden Biosciences, VizX Labs, Northstar Neurosciences, and Rosetta Inpharmatics). This last blow was softened when Microsoft … Continue reading “A Brief Year-End Review of Seattle Biotech”
Top Five Biotech Innovations of the 2000s
My list is brief, but the innovations that stood out for me in the past decade were first-in-class drugs that can treat or prevent major unmet medical needs. 1. Genentech’s ranibizumab (Lucentis)—The first treatment of its kind for the “wet” form of macular degeneration. It has high efficacy rates and low side effects, has saved … Continue reading “Top Five Biotech Innovations of the 2000s”
Top Five Global Health Innovations of the 2000s
During the past decade, we have seen tremendous technological advances in the field of global health. These innovations promise to bring us closer to a world where health is within reach for everyone. However, realizing their full potential will require further investment to implement these breakthroughs within affordable product platforms. It will also require innovation … Continue reading “Top Five Global Health Innovations of the 2000s”
Fluke Networks Acquires Clearsight Systems for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=25fcb911-0496-46c6-8e4a-66c00e24ccb9&Preview=1 Date 12/30/2009 Company Name Clearsight Systems Mailing Address 3655 131st Ave S E Bellevue, WA 98006 Company Description Clearsight Systems, headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., delivers software application components for the real-time enterprise. Website http://www.clearsightsystems.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the transaction … Continue reading “Fluke Networks Acquires Clearsight Systems for Undisclosed Sum”
Top Five Medical Innovations of the 2000s (And One Big Concern)
1—The development of novel mechanisms and combination therapies in HIV, which have turned a universally fatal disease into a chronic one. 2—Targeted cancer therapies. Novartis’ imatinib (Gleevec) is the poster child for this. 3—Sequencing the human genome, and rapidly expanding the technology to allow the analysis of comparative genomes across species and disease areas (e.g., … Continue reading “Top Five Medical Innovations of the 2000s (And One Big Concern)”
Four Groundbreaking Innovations from the 2000s (And One More Life-Changing Event)
Let me start out the great moments/innovations/developments of the past decade with one that was very important to me individually. 1. As a strapping, 6-year-old boy, I had the privilege of seeing Ted Williams’s last game. I don’t know about you, but growing up in Boston in the 1960s there were two heroes: Ted Williams … Continue reading “Four Groundbreaking Innovations from the 2000s (And One More Life-Changing Event)”
Top Five Biomedical Innovations of the 2000s
1—Increasing use, validation and acceptance of surrogate endpoints for clinical trials. 2—Novartis’ imatinib (Gleevec). The first drug for specifically inhibiting an enzyme causing cancer rather than killing fast dividing cells…. 3—Human papillomavirus vaccines. This is both for innovative science, and innovative treatment of a vaccine for a virus tied to cancer. 4—Robotic surgery. (Intuitive Surgical) … Continue reading “Top Five Biomedical Innovations of the 2000s”
Ringing in a New Year With Predictions for Hot Software Sectors
The constrained venture capital markets and difficult environment for IPOs, will make 2010 a big year for M&A transactions. The leaders in hot new software sectors will be swallowed up at a premium, along with entrepreneurs tired of running on the treadmill as they get closer to retirement, will drive more M&A transactions than ever. … Continue reading “Ringing in a New Year With Predictions for Hot Software Sectors”
Enjoy the holidays, and watch this space…
The boys and I will be taking some much needed time off for the next week and a half, so posting will be light in the main blog and News Xpress sections. But keep your eyes peeled, because over in the Xconomist Forum things are going to be hopping right on through the New Year. … Continue reading “Enjoy the holidays, and watch this space…”
MDRNA Grabs $1M Bridge Loan
MDRNA, the Bothell, WA-based company developing RNA interference technology, said today it has raised $1 million through a debt financing to ensure it has “sufficient resources” to meet its near-term goals of finding a partner or securing more financing in 2010. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRNA]]) said in a regulatory filing that it issued promissory notes … Continue reading “MDRNA Grabs $1M Bridge Loan”
Editor’s Picks: The Best of 2009 From Xconomy Seattle
Every day in 2009, I got out of bed and thought about how to create excellent, original stories for Xconomy Seattle. So did my brother-in-arms, editor Greg Huang. We want Xconomy to be a source of original, in-depth, engaging content for you. We are always looking to dig up things about the local tech, biotech, … Continue reading “Editor’s Picks: The Best of 2009 From Xconomy Seattle”
Cell Therapeutics Dangles Exec Bonuses, Oncothyreon’s Turnaround Year, VLST Layoffs, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
This was the last week of 2009 that anybody could realistically get deals done, and quite a few did. —Bothell, WA-based OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OGXI]]) secured a partnership to develop its experimental prostate cancer treatment with Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical, the generic drug giant. OncoGenex pulled in $60 million in upfront cash, but investors objected to … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Dangles Exec Bonuses, Oncothyreon’s Turnaround Year, VLST Layoffs, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Exponentials R Us: Seven Computer Science Game-Changers from the 2000’s, and Seven More to Come
Forty years ago, in 1969, Neil Armstrong left footprints on the surface of the moon. It was an extraordinary accomplishment. Also in 1969, with much less fanfare and at much less expense, Len Kleinrock’s programmer Charley Kline sent the first message over ARPANET. (The message was “lo” – the first two letters of “login.” Then … Continue reading “Exponentials R Us: Seven Computer Science Game-Changers from the 2000’s, and Seven More to Come”
Announcing Xconomy Battle of the Tech Bands 3: Seattle vs. Boston
Are you tired of this whole East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry? Do you want it settled once and for all? What better way to do so than with a knock-down drag-out fight— with bass, drums, and guitars. That’s the idea behind Xconomy Boston’s third annual Xconomy Battle of the Tech Bands. The theme of … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Battle of the Tech Bands 3: Seattle vs. Boston”
Oncothyreon CEO on Next-Generation Cancer Vaccines, Two Key Zymonites, and Serious Luck
Biotech companies can be resilient little animals, and one example in Seattle is Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONTY]]). This company looked like a goner a little over a year ago, when it was down to its last few months of cash and its stock was trading for less than a buck. Somehow, when his back was against … Continue reading “Oncothyreon CEO on Next-Generation Cancer Vaccines, Two Key Zymonites, and Serious Luck”
Founder of Adaptiva, Deepak Kumar, on Green-IT Strategy and Working with Microsoft
Seattle knows green—green trees, green ideas, and green innovation. As businesses rush to become more environmentally friendly, organizations like New York and London-based 1E and Seattle-based Verdiem have emerged as leaders in green-IT management. They offer systems that allow companies to cut off power to their computers remotely, saving energy and IT costs, and make … Continue reading “Founder of Adaptiva, Deepak Kumar, on Green-IT Strategy and Working with Microsoft”
The Top Five Advances From the Decade of Genomics
1. The Human Genome Project 2. Massively parallel DNA sequencing 3. Personalizing therapeutics via companion diagnostic tests (Herceptin, Gleevec, OncoDX, …) 4. Advanced diagnostics by blood biomarker analysis (e.g. fetal DNA/cells in mother’s blood) 5. The launch of the field of systems biology [Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of posts from Xconomists … Continue reading “The Top Five Advances From the Decade of Genomics”
“I Made It All The Way to IPO, And All I got Was This T-shirt!” Stories and Strategies for Surviving Your Exit
The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest is organizing an event on Jan. 14 titled, “I made it all the way to IPO, and all I got was this T-shirt!”: Stories and Strategies for Surviving Your Exit. It will feature serial entrepreneurs as they share their stories and strategies to help you survive your exit … Continue reading ““I Made It All The Way to IPO, And All I got Was This T-shirt!” Stories and Strategies for Surviving Your Exit”
AVI Biopharma Drug Shows Hint of Effect Against Muscular Dystrophy In Small Study
Bothell, WA-based AVI Biopharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVII]]) is trying to develop the first treatment to correct an underlying molecular abnormality in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and after taking an early peek at a small clinical trial, the drug appears to be doing what it’s supposed to do in at least one patient. The preliminary results … Continue reading “AVI Biopharma Drug Shows Hint of Effect Against Muscular Dystrophy In Small Study”
Livemocha Scores $8M Series B Round, Looks to Expand Globally with New Partnerships
Now here’s an interesting deal from a company we’ve had our eye on for a while. Bellevue, WA-based Livemocha, which runs a popular language-learning website, announced today it has raised $8 million in Series B financing, led by new investor August Capital in Menlo Park, CA. Existing venture investor Maveron, based in Seattle, also participated … Continue reading “Livemocha Scores $8M Series B Round, Looks to Expand Globally with New Partnerships”