Microvision, the Redmond, WA-based developer of light display technologies, said today it has raised $9.3 million in a stock offering. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MVIS]]) sold 3.33 million shares, at $3 apiece, to a single current institutional investor. Oppenheimer & Co. was the sole book-running manager of the offering, while Craig Hallum Capital served as co-manager.
Category: Seattle
Vulcan Backs Bizo, EndoGastric Closes Financing, Datacastle Raises $3M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a pretty quiet week for deals in the Northwest, what with the Thanksgiving holiday. But there was some activity in the software, Internet, and medical device sectors. —Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital participated in a $6 million equity funding round for San Francisco-based Bizo, an online ad network and audience targeting platform. Bessemer Venture … Continue reading “Vulcan Backs Bizo, EndoGastric Closes Financing, Datacastle Raises $3M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Vulcan Re-ups with Bizo
Seattle-based Vulcan Capital has participated in a $6 million equity funding round for Bizo, an online advertising network and audience targeting platform based in San Francisco. Bessemer Venture Partners led the round, with participation from existing investors Venrock, Vulcan, and Ascent. Bizo, which spun out of ZoomInfo in May 2008, has also been named one … Continue reading “Vulcan Re-ups with Bizo”
Ignition in $1.1M Fotopedia Deal
Fotonauts, a France-based provider of a Wikipedia-inspired online photo encyclopedia called Fotopedia, has raised $1.1 million in an equity financing, according to an SEC filing. TechCrunch reports that Ignition Partners, of Bellevue, Paris-based Banexi Ventures Partners, and company co-founder and former Apple executive Jean-Marie Hullot invested in the round. Ignition partner Brad Silverberg is on … Continue reading “Ignition in $1.1M Fotopedia Deal”
Swype, Following T9 Model, Releases Text Input Software on Samsung Phone
It’s been seven years in the making, but we might be looking at the biggest new text-input technology for mobile phones since T9 predictive texting. At least that’s what Swype is hoping. The Seattle startup is releasing its software for the first time today, on the Samsung Omnia II, an advanced smartphone with a touch … Continue reading “Swype, Following T9 Model, Releases Text Input Software on Samsung Phone”
Rested and Ready, Pathway Medical Founder Scouts UW, Gets Itch to Start Something New
One of the Northwest’s leading medical device entrepreneurs has had a chance to rest for the first time in 20 years, do a little scuba diving, and sniff around the University of Washington for the next big idea. Now Tom Clement says he’s getting the “itch” to get back to work. “I’m anxious to get … Continue reading “Rested and Ready, Pathway Medical Founder Scouts UW, Gets Itch to Start Something New”
Report: Smith & Tinker Lays Off 30 Percent
Bellevue, WA-based gaming company Smith & Tinker has cut about 30 percent of its staff, according to a report in VentureBeat. The company has confirmed an unspecified number of layoffs. Led by co-founders Jordan Weisman and Joe Lawandus, Smith & Tinker had some 50 employees as of August, when it released its flagship game, Nanovor. … Continue reading “Report: Smith & Tinker Lays Off 30 Percent”
Vaccines to Prevent Cancer-Causing Viruses: Science & Technology Discovery Series
Denise Galloway, a scientist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who made a key discovery that paved the way for Merck’s human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil), will talk about the latest in vaccine research against cancer on December 11. Galloway will be the featured speaker at the Technology Alliance’s Science and Technology Discovery Series. For … Continue reading “Vaccines to Prevent Cancer-Causing Viruses: Science & Technology Discovery Series”
The Future of Search Photo Gallery
We spend a lot of time at Xconomy reporting, analyzing, writing, and editing stories about technology in the Northwest, but when it comes to photography—well, we can’t be experts at everything. So Luke asked (politely) whether his lovely and talented wife, Tracy Cutchlow, might want to take some photos for our “Future of Search and … Continue reading “The Future of Search Photo Gallery”
Clearwire Rolls Out Seattle WiMax
Kirkland, WA-based Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]) switched on its WiMax wireless broadband service in the Puget Sound region of Washington today. The coverage area for fast Internet access is about 1,300 square miles around Seattle, extending as far as Arlington, Lakewood, North Bend, and Silverdale. Clearwire’s service is expected to go live in more than 25 … Continue reading “Clearwire Rolls Out Seattle WiMax”
Xconomy is Growing; You Could Be Part of It
In the two and a half years that we’ve been live, Xconomy has been lucky to have some of the world’s best innovation journalists covering some of the nation’s most fascinating innovation hubs. But we’re well aware that there’s important tech and life sciences news happening beyond the borders of Boston, Seattle, and San Diego, … Continue reading “Xconomy is Growing; You Could Be Part of It”
Tech Executive Pay Raises Way Down, New Study Says
Technology executive pay raises in 2009 have taken their biggest nosedive of the past decade, according to a new compensation study. The study, which polled privately held firms from around the U.S., indicates that the current economic downturn has had a more drastic impact on executive pay than the period after the dot-com bubble burst. … Continue reading “Tech Executive Pay Raises Way Down, New Study Says”
Three Lessons on Startups, As Told By Ron Wiener From Earth Class Mail
Ron Wiener is best known these days as the founding CEO (now chairman) of Earth Class Mail, a Seattle-based software firm that digitizes postal mail for companies. He is a successful and outspoken entrepreneur who has run five investor-backed tech companies in the past 20 years—besides Earth Class Mail, he was previously CEO of Azure … Continue reading “Three Lessons on Startups, As Told By Ron Wiener From Earth Class Mail”
Future of Search Is Sold Out; See You Tonight
Tonight’s Xconomy Forum on The Future of Search and Information Discovery is now officially sold out. Thanks for all the interest—it’s going to be a great evening, with some really great networking. For those of you who grabbed tickets before they ran out, registration starts at 5:30 pm at the Walker-Ames Room in Kane Hall … Continue reading “Future of Search Is Sold Out; See You Tonight”
Founder Institute Ranks San Diego Lowest, Seattle Highest in Likelihood for Entrepreneurial Success
As if it wasn’t already hard enough to be an entrepreneur in San Diego. A recent survey suggests that San Diego entrepreneurs are the least likely to succeed in their startup ventures—while Seattle’s entrepreneurs are the most likely to break through to the other side. The survey, which was first reported by VentureBeat last week, … Continue reading “Founder Institute Ranks San Diego Lowest, Seattle Highest in Likelihood for Entrepreneurial Success”
WTIA Cocktails and Contributions Holiday Networking Cruise
The Washington Technology Industry Industry Association will host a holiday networking cruise on the evening of Dec. 2. For more information, click here.
TechFlash Holiday Party & Birthday Bash
TechFlash is holding a holiday party and celebrating its first birthday on Dec. 9 at Spitfire. The event will feature a trivia contest on Seattle technology. For more information, click here.
Ekos, Enduring Tough Year for Devices, Sticks With Goal to Break Even Next Year
Ekos is on a quest to change the way doctors think about how to best dissolve blood clots. Like a lot of bold visions, this hasn’t happened overnight or without some bumps along the way. But even in a very tough year for new medical devices, the Bothell, WA-based ultrasound company has been gradually increasing … Continue reading “Ekos, Enduring Tough Year for Devices, Sticks With Goal to Break Even Next Year”
A Smarter War on Cancer
[Editor’s Note: this editorial was co-authored by Jay (Marty) Tenenbaum of CollabRx and Leroy Hood of the Institute for Systems Biology.] One of society’s great challenges is to advance health care while deflecting its rising cost. Achieving this objective requires that we capitalize upon the immense potential of personalized medicine. Cancer is a case in … Continue reading “A Smarter War on Cancer”
EVO Media Raises $1.5M
Seattle-based EVO Media, creator of the DevHub Web publishing platform for managing and monetizing niche websites, has closed a $1.5 million round of equity financing. The investors include Jeff Schrock, Geoff Entress, John Cunningham, Alex Algard, Richard Wolpert, and an undisclosed private equity group. EVO Media CEO and co-founder Geoff Nuval says the money will … Continue reading “EVO Media Raises $1.5M”
Only a Few Tickets Left for Monday’s Future of Search Event
Going… going… I can count on one hand the number of tickets left for our Monday, Nov. 30 event on The Future of Search and Information Discovery at the UW. Other than the fact that it conflicts with the titanic Monday Night Football game between the Patriots and Saints, it should be a great night. … Continue reading “Only a Few Tickets Left for Monday’s Future of Search Event”
Bezos Family Gives $10M to Hutch, Bruce Carter Back in the Saddle, Dendreon Deadline Set, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
A flurry of Seattle biotech news kept us very busy around here right before the holiday. —The parents of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos made one of the largest private donations ever to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center this week, when they pledged $10 million to support immunotherapy research. —Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab, the developer … Continue reading “Bezos Family Gives $10M to Hutch, Bruce Carter Back in the Saddle, Dendreon Deadline Set, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
EndoGastric Solutions Receives $21,500,000 Series E Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=de56288e-8fe1-4be5-afba-360ec9a7cf6a&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name EndoGastric Solutions Mailing Address 8210 154th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 Company Description EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. (FKA Esophyx) is the pioneer in endoluminal procedures for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obesity. EGS’ mission is to utilize the most current wisdom … Continue reading “EndoGastric Solutions Receives $21,500,000 Series E Round”
EVO Media Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9054143d-9dd2-4d06-9251-500dd0ae1251&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name EVO Media Mailing Address 2101 4th Ave Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description EVO operates a vast network of niche websites and web-based platforms based on the emerging Internet Mediaconomy. Website http://www.evomediagroup.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes EVO Media CEO and … Continue reading “EVO Media Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing”
Microsoft CFO Liddell Leaving
Redmond, WA-based Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) said today that chief financial officer Chris Liddell is leaving the company at the end of this year to pursue other opportunities. He will be succeeded by Peter Klein, who is currently the CFO of Microsoft’s Business Division. Liddell joined Microsoft in 2005 and helped lead the company’s $6 billion … Continue reading “Microsoft CFO Liddell Leaving”
Datacastle Raises $3M More to Provide Data Backup and Security
Seattle-based Datacastle, the data backup and recovery software firm, has closed a $3 million funding round, according to CEO and president Ron Faith. The round was led by existing investor CM Capital Investments, a leading venture firm in Australia. The funding was disclosed in a regulatory filing. “We plan to use the funds for sales … Continue reading “Datacastle Raises $3M More to Provide Data Backup and Security”
Seattle Game Developers and Startups Go Social and Mobile, As Industry Shifts
Heading into the holidays, it seems like a good time to look at what’s going on in the gaming space around Seattle. While the core gaming giants like Xbox, Nintendo, Valve, and Bungie are gearing up for a busy shopping season, the mid-size casual game makers and publishers are actively trying to broaden their audience. … Continue reading “Seattle Game Developers and Startups Go Social and Mobile, As Industry Shifts”
Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a fairly busy week for deals heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. The Northwest saw some action across aviation, alternative fuels, wireless, software, and biotech. —Kent, WA-based Naverus was acquired by GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric (NYSE: [[ticker:GE]]). Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Naverus, founded in 2003, makes aviation navigation … Continue reading “Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Datacastle Lands $3,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=147dfcb4-f21a-4db8-9ef1-057dc2735c9b&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Datacastle Mailing Address 701 North 36th Street Seattle, WA 98103 Company Description Datacastle Corporation has a singular mission – to help organizations simply and cost effectively protect data against loss and laptop theft. We set out in 2005 to address the data protection challenges that expose organizations … Continue reading “Datacastle Lands $3,000,000 New Round”
Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE
Kent, WA-based Naverus, which develops navigation technologies for airplanes, has been acquired by GE Aviation, a Cincinnati-based division of General Electric. Financial terms weren’t disclosed today in GE’s official announcement of the deal. Naverus was founded in 2003 and focuses on “required navigation performance,” a technique that uses advanced avionics and GPS technology to guide … Continue reading “Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE”
Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?
Oh no you didn’t. Come on, Andrew Chen, you know better than to call out Seattle tech startups for not producing a world-changing consumer Internet company in the past few years. You’re an outsider now, having left Seattle for the San Francisco Bay Area after 2006. And now you’re telling us why you left? Them’s … Continue reading “Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?”
Root Wireless Raises $3.25M Series B
Bellevue, WA-based Root Wireless, a maker of technologies that analyze and map the performance of cellular networks and devices, announced today it has closed $3.25 million in Series B funding co-led by Fred Warren and Oliver Grace, Jr. Also participating in the round were existing investors Scott Anderson, Jack Roberts and John Stanton. Root Wireless … Continue reading “Root Wireless Raises $3.25M Series B”
Infinia Grabs $2.6M
Infinia, the Kennewick, WA-based company developing new solar power generation technology, has raised $2.6 million in new financing from equity and options, according to a regulatory filing. That comes a month after the company pulled in $3.25 in debt and options, according to a previous filing. Infinia, as I described in a profile back in … Continue reading “Infinia Grabs $2.6M”
Seattle Genetics Gets $12M From Agensys
Seattle Genetics, the Bothell, WA-based developer of cancer drugs, said today it will get a $12 million upfront fee from Agensys, an affiliate of Japan-based Astellas Pharma, under a renegotiated partnership to develop targeted antibody treatments loaded with toxins to make them more potent. Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) struck its first partnership with Agensys in … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Gets $12M From Agensys”
So Much For Gardening: Bruce Carter Joins Vaccine Startup Immune Design To Raise Cash
One of Seattle’s leading life sciences entrepreneurs, Bruce Carter, is back in the saddle. Carter has agreed to take an active management role as executive chairman of Seattle-based Immune Design, a year after he announced he was retiring as CEO of ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]). Carter has agreed to work about three days a week at … Continue reading “So Much For Gardening: Bruce Carter Joins Vaccine Startup Immune Design To Raise Cash”
Bezos Family Pledges $10M to the “Hutch” for Next-Generation Cancer Therapies
The parents of Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos have pledged a $10 million donation to the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center with an eye toward creating new therapies that trigger the immune system to seek out and kill cancer cells like a virus. The offering from Jackie and Mike Bezos, one of the … Continue reading “Bezos Family Pledges $10M to the “Hutch” for Next-Generation Cancer Therapies”
Bio Architecture Lab, Maker of Seaweed Biofuel, Snags $8M Venture Round, DuPont Deal
[Updated and corrected: 11:04 am Pacific, 11/23/09] Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab, the company using the emerging science of synthetic biology to make alternative fuels, has raised $8 million in its initial venture financing and secured a research collaboration with chemical giant DuPont to make biofuels from ocean seaweed. [Correction: An earlier version said Energy Capital … Continue reading “Bio Architecture Lab, Maker of Seaweed Biofuel, Snags $8M Venture Round, DuPont Deal”
Root Wireless Garners $3,250,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e65439e4-893b-4806-9e01-aac60bf475a6&Preview=1 Date 11/23/2009 Company Name Root Wireless Mailing Address 11000 NE 33rd Place Bellevue, WA 98004 Company Description Root Wireless provides a full spectrum of Root Coverage™ solutions for the wireless ecosystem to give customers the power to choose. No matter if, you are a publisher that needs industry-changing content, or a … Continue reading “Root Wireless Garners $3,250,000 Series B Funding Round”
Blue Marble Snags $2M State Grant
Seattle-based Blue Marble Energy, the developer of renewable energy and specialty chemicals from biomass, said it has received a $2 million state grant through a partnership with the Odessa Public Development Authority. The company plans to use the grant, from the Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board, to build a refinery in Lincoln County that will … Continue reading “Blue Marble Snags $2M State Grant”
Google Demos Chrome OS, Microsoft Links Into LinkedIn, Amazon Ramps Up for Holidays, & More Big Company News
It’s been a busy week around here for the big tech companies. At Xconomy, we don’t usually report on things like product releases from Microsoft or sales figures from Amazon—our main focus is on new ideas, models, and companies—but readers need to understand where the big players are heading so they can see the gaps … Continue reading “Google Demos Chrome OS, Microsoft Links Into LinkedIn, Amazon Ramps Up for Holidays, & More Big Company News”
Dendreon FDA Deadline Set For May 1
Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]), the developer of what it hopes will be the first FDA-approved treatment to actively stimulate the immune system against cancer, said today the U.S. regulatory agency has received its amended application and set a deadline of May 1, 2010 to complete its review. The company is seeking clearance to start selling … Continue reading “Dendreon FDA Deadline Set For May 1”
Under the Radar Deals: 12 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About
We hope to make this a regular feature in our Xconomy cities. It’s a look at small financings of private companies in tech, life sciences, and cleantech. These are deals in the roughly $100,000 to $1 million range, and they’re increasingly where the action is for local entrepreneurs, yet they’re often harder to track than … Continue reading “Under the Radar Deals: 12 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About”
Mobile Breakfast Series
Topic: The Impact and Evolution of Mobile Broadband Info and registration here. Mobile Breakfast Series is a quarterly event that brings together thought leaders and visionaries from the global mobile industry to interact and share ideas, insights, and best practices with the pacific northwest entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and others who are passionate about mobile. The event … Continue reading “Mobile Breakfast Series”
NWEN Venture Breakfast and Partner Fair
Info and registration here. As founders and executives, you need to make some smart bets on growth, and will face the build or buy dilemma: develop a team internally? Contract services from professionals? How and when should you partner on key areas of your business? In December, we’ll reprise the popular “Partner Fair” we piloted … Continue reading “NWEN Venture Breakfast and Partner Fair”
NWEN December Think Tank
Info and registration here. Open and free to the public. What does it take to transform a new technology from a great idea embraced by “the few” to a multimillion dollar “must-have” innovation? Why is it that some new technology products typically sell very well to a limited market, but then fall flat when introduced … Continue reading “NWEN December Think Tank”
Using Google’s Building Maker to Change the Face of Boston
When I was in fifth grade, I wanted to be an architect. (I also wanted to be a geneticist, a meteorologist, and an astronaut. I guess I wound up doing the next best thing to all of those sci/tech careers—writing about them.) I loved my junior builder kit, a collection of little plastic columns and … Continue reading “Using Google’s Building Maker to Change the Face of Boston”
Omeros Banks on First FDA Filing Next Year, Plans to “Unlock” Inaccessible Drug Targets
Seattle-based Omeros expects to apply for FDA clearance to start selling its first product by the second half of next year, and it also hoping to strike at least one partnership over the next couple of years with a bigger drugmaker, CEO Greg Demopulos said today in his first quarterly update running a public company. … Continue reading “Omeros Banks on First FDA Filing Next Year, Plans to “Unlock” Inaccessible Drug Targets”
17 New Web Startups Around Town
At least 17 Seattle-area startups rolled out new websites last month, according to the latest edition of Seattle 2.0’s startup index. The index now lists 373 companies, which are ranked on the basis of Web traffic estimates. The top 10 sites didn’t change much from previous months. The startups that are new to the list … Continue reading “17 New Web Startups Around Town”
Cozi Teams Up with MWV
Seattle-based Cozi announced today it has formed a strategic partnership with MeadWestvaco (NYSE: [[ticker:MWV]]), a Sidney, NY-based maker of school and office supplies and planning tools. Financial terms of the deal weren’t announced, but the partnership will give MWV consumers access to Cozi’s Web-based software for helping families manage their busy schedules. The tools include … Continue reading “Cozi Teams Up with MWV”
Microsoft Will Buy Twitter, Adobe to Buy Picnik, and Other Bold Predictions for 2010
It wasn’t so much the predictions as the discussion that was most interesting at last night’s annual predictions dinner, organized by the Washington Technology Industry Association. Will Twitter be acquired in 2010, and why? Who will have the dominant cloud computing platform in the next couple of years? What kind of startup are you looking … Continue reading “Microsoft Will Buy Twitter, Adobe to Buy Picnik, and Other Bold Predictions for 2010”