Category: Seattle

Kai-Fu Lee, Founder of Microsoft’s China Research Lab, Quits Google to Head $115M Startup Incubator in China

Kai-Fu Lee, the charismatic former Microsoft VP and founding director of the company’s research lab in Beijing who reported last week that he was quitting as head of Google’s China arm, has announced that he has raised $115 million to create a new incubator for high-tech startups in China. The new organization, Innovation Works, will … Continue reading “Kai-Fu Lee, Founder of Microsoft’s China Research Lab, Quits Google to Head $115M Startup Incubator in China”

A Slice of the Seattle Blogosphere: OVP, IPOs, and Small Businesses

Heading into the holiday weekend, I wanted to highlight a few interesting recent blog posts from around town. They cut across the topics of venture capital, IPOs, and small business owners. —OVP Venture Partners, based in Kirkland, WA, has a new blog as of this summer. In a recent post, managing director Gerry Langeler talks … Continue reading “A Slice of the Seattle Blogosphere: OVP, IPOs, and Small Businesses”

AltaRock Suspends DOE-Backed Project

AltaRock Energy, a geothermal startup based in Sausalito, CA, and Seattle, announced earlier this week it has suspended drilling of a deep well in Northern California because of “geologic anomalies.” The well is part of a Department of Energy-funded demonstration project for AltaRock’s engineered geothermal system, which would create reservoirs of hot, subterranean water artificially. … Continue reading “AltaRock Suspends DOE-Backed Project”

Seven Projects to Stretch Your Digital Wings: Part One

I love September. There’s a back-to-school crispness in the air that always gets me jazzed to learn something new, even though I’ve been out of school for 15 years. Maybe you feel it too. And with a long holiday weekend coming up, perhaps you’ve got a few hours free to experiment with a new tool … Continue reading “Seven Projects to Stretch Your Digital Wings: Part One”

Gaming Away the Holiday: The Top 10 Sessions at PAX

The Labor Day holiday weekend is finally upon us. If you’re a video gamer or a game developer, this means only one thing: Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) is happening in Seattle. PAX has become the biggest trade show in North America for computer and video games. It draws tens of thousands of people for a … Continue reading “Gaming Away the Holiday: The Top 10 Sessions at PAX”

TriQuint Buys TriAccess

Hillsboro, OR-based TriQuint Semiconductor (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TQNT]]) announced today it has acquired TriAccess Technologies, based in Santa Rosa, CA. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. TriAccess makes integrated-circuit amplifiers for audio, video, and HDTV applications. TriQuint Semiconductor, founded in 1985, makes wireless communication technologies for mobile manufacturers, cellular base stations, and defense and aerospace contractors.

Forget Typing: VoiceBox Technologies Raises Cash to Search for Info by Voice Alone

[Updated 9/3/09, 3:00 pm. See below.] Bellevue, WA-based VoiceBox Technologies, a developer of speech recognition systems for use in cars and mobile applications, has raised about $13 million from corporate investors in Asia over the past year. The investors include AutoNavi, Inventec, MiTAC, and the Morningside investment fund. [An earlier version of this story cited … Continue reading “Forget Typing: VoiceBox Technologies Raises Cash to Search for Info by Voice Alone”

Finding HIV’s Weak Spot, Scientists at Seattle’s Theraclone and San Diego’s Scripps See Opening for New Vaccine

Scientists have been trying for years to solve the mystery of why a few rare individuals get infected with HIV, yet somehow retain immune defenses so they never get sick. Today, researchers at a small Seattle biotech company, Theraclone Sciences, and collaborators at San Diego’s Scripps Research Institute say they have found a new vulnerability … Continue reading “Finding HIV’s Weak Spot, Scientists at Seattle’s Theraclone and San Diego’s Scripps See Opening for New Vaccine”

Bicoastal Brain Scramble? Company Cultures Boiled Down to One Word, Part 2—Boston vs. Seattle

This is a special, bi-coastal edition of the X Factor (it doesn’t usually run in Seattle). For my column on Tuesday, I surveyed seven Boston-area startup CEOs and asked them to characterize their company cultures in one word. Truth be told, I canvassed nine CEOs, but only seven got back to me before my deadline. … Continue reading “Bicoastal Brain Scramble? Company Cultures Boiled Down to One Word, Part 2—Boston vs. Seattle”

Trubion Scores $20M, Archus Shuts Down, AVI Biopharma’s Hope for Muscular Dystrophy, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

One of the Seattle biotechs that’s been flying low on the radar this year popped back up on the scene with news of an important partnership. —Seattle-based Trubion Pharmaceuticals had its best day of the year last Friday, when it said it secured a partnership with Redwood City, CA-based Facet Biotech (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FACT]]) to co-develop … Continue reading “Trubion Scores $20M, Archus Shuts Down, AVI Biopharma’s Hope for Muscular Dystrophy, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Archus Orthopedics, Spine Device Maker that Raised $60M, Shuts Down Amid Cash Crunch

Archus Orthopedics, the Redmond, WA-based developer of implants to help people retain flexibility after back surgery, is shutting down its operations and dissolving after it was unable to raise enough capital to bring the product all the way to the U.S. market, Xconomy has learned. Archus filed paperwork with the Delaware Secretary of State to … Continue reading “Archus Orthopedics, Spine Device Maker that Raised $60M, Shuts Down Amid Cash Crunch”

Science & Technology Discovery Series (Technology Alliance)

Info and registration here. Speaker: Dr. Tadayoshi Kohno Tadayoshi Kohno is a computer security expert and an Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. As a grad student, Dr. Kohno made a name for himself when he presented his research on security flaws in Diebold voting machines to the U.S. … Continue reading “Science & Technology Discovery Series (Technology Alliance)”

Intel Capital’s Jeff Schrock on Trends in Video, Connected Consumers, and E-Commerce

What’s it like in the world of corporate venture capital these days? For Jeff Schrock, it’s pretty stable and good. Probably more stable than at many boutique venture firms, which are under increased pressure to raise funds and get quick returns. Schrock is a Seattle-based tech investor with Intel Capital. In a previous life, he … Continue reading “Intel Capital’s Jeff Schrock on Trends in Video, Connected Consumers, and E-Commerce”

Calling All Startups: nPost Rolls Out Metrics Program to Analyze Tech Industry Trends

Wondering how your startup stacks up with others in your sector? Or how consumer Internet companies, say, compare with mobile startups? Seattle-based nPost, a media and resource site for tech entrepreneurs, is preparing to launch a quarterly report on startups—that are based not just in Seattle, but everywhere—to help answer such questions. The program, called … Continue reading “Calling All Startups: nPost Rolls Out Metrics Program to Analyze Tech Industry Trends”

The Rosetta Diaspora: Genetics Talent Stays Close to Home After Merck Shuts Down in Seattle

Merck was the only Big Pharma company with a toehold in Seattle a year ago, so when it decided to shut down its Rosetta Inpharmatics research center last October as part of global cost-cutting, some local biotechies moaned about how this was another sign of the apocalypse for a once-thriving life sciences scene. But after … Continue reading “The Rosetta Diaspora: Genetics Talent Stays Close to Home After Merck Shuts Down in Seattle”

Dashwire Raises $1.1M More

Seattle-based Dashwire, which makes mobile-Web synchronization software, has raised about $1.1 million in new equity funding, according to founder and CEO Ford Davidson, who confirmed information from an SEC filing. Bellevue-based Trilogy Equity Partners is a new investor, with co-founder and partner Mikal Thomsen listed as a director. Back in May, Dashwire raised $1.6 million … Continue reading “Dashwire Raises $1.1M More”

Led by Ex-Microsofties, Raveable Makes Sense of User Reviews, Gives Hotel Ratings at a Glance

Raveable is a year-old Seattle-area startup that launched its hotel review summarization website in May. If there were a Raveable entry for Raveable itself, here’s what it might say: Ranked 116 out of 340 tech startup websites in Seattle. The good: Team is ambitious and knowledgeable; large market; useful technology; fun interface; customer focused; strong … Continue reading “Led by Ex-Microsofties, Raveable Makes Sense of User Reviews, Gives Hotel Ratings at a Glance”

Clearwire Does WiMax in Bellingham, Boise

Kirkland, WA-based Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]) announced today it has rolled out its WiMax wireless broadband service in 10 new cities, including Bellingham, WA, and Boise, ID. Also on the list are eight cities in Texas, including Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, and Waco. The new markets join Las Vegas, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Portland, OR as WiMax … Continue reading “Clearwire Does WiMax in Bellingham, Boise”

Omeros Gets Ready for IPO, Cray Buys SiCortex Assets, ClearEdge Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

It was a fairly quiet week for deals in the Northwest, with just a trickle of activity in software, computing, cleantech, and life sciences. But there was a hint that the IPO window may be about to open. —Seattle-based Cray (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRAY]]), the supercomputing company, acquired some assets from SiCortex, a Maynard, MA-based computing firm … Continue reading “Omeros Gets Ready for IPO, Cray Buys SiCortex Assets, ClearEdge Raises Cash, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

AVI Offers Glimmer of Hope for Muscular Dystrophy, Says UW Neuroscientist Jeff Chamberlain

Jeff Chamberlain first heard about muscular dystrophy as a kid watching the annual Jerry Lewis telethon on Labor Day weekend. That TV program has been raising awareness for 43 years about this genetic disorder that breaks down muscles, eventually crippling and killing young boys and men, usually by their 20s. The disease really captured Chamberlain’s … Continue reading “AVI Offers Glimmer of Hope for Muscular Dystrophy, Says UW Neuroscientist Jeff Chamberlain”

Cray Acquires SiCortex Assets

Seattle-based Cray (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRAY]]), the supercomputing company, announced late last week it has acquired the PathScale Compiler Suite assets from Maynard, MA-based SiCortex. Financial details were not released. SiCortex shut down in May. The purchase could help Cray improve its own compiler technology, as well as give PathScale customers a way to move forward on … Continue reading “Cray Acquires SiCortex Assets”

Startup Weekend’s Award Winners: Search Kick and Learn That Name

[Updated 8/31/09 11:15 am. See below.] Startup Weekend brought together about 180 people from 15 teams to compete for 54 hours at Microsoft’s Redmond campus, and in the end, two official winners emerged last night. A mobile software application called Learn That Name, for the iPhone and Palm Pre, won the audience favorite vote, while … Continue reading “Startup Weekend’s Award Winners: Search Kick and Learn That Name”

Microsoft’s Summer of Love: A Roundup of the Company’s Hottest Deals and Other News

It’s been quite a summer here in Seattle, with record droughts and a heat wave that left us all panting in line for an iced coffee. But despite a cool economic climate, Microsoft managed to stay as hot as the temperature outside its Redmond, WA, headquarters, with a series of big deals and other announcements … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Summer of Love: A Roundup of the Company’s Hottest Deals and Other News”

IDRI Licenses Vaccine Microneedles

The Seattle-based Infectious Disease Research Institute, a nonprofit global health research center, said today it has agreed to license technology from Israel-based NanoPass to use very short “microneedles” that cause less pain than traditional needles. The technology is supposed to stimulate the dense network of immune system cells just under the surface of the skin, … Continue reading “IDRI Licenses Vaccine Microneedles”

Will Solar Ever Live Up to the Hype? Paul Allen, Vinod Khosla Bet On Infinia’s Sun Engines

The early afternoon sun was bearing down on us, and it was about 100 degrees Fahrenheit the other day when J.D. Sitton walked behind his office, squinted, and pointed to the future of his company. Sitton, the CEO of Kennewick, WA-based Infinia, showed me a device resembling a satellite dish that has attracted some deep-pocketed … Continue reading “Will Solar Ever Live Up to the Hype? Paul Allen, Vinod Khosla Bet On Infinia’s Sun Engines”

How to Build a Billion-Dollar Company (And Keep An Academic Day Job), According to David Walt

Anyone compiling a list of the most successful life sciences entrepreneurs of the past decade would have to consider a soft-spoken academic named David Walt. He’s the chemistry professor at Medford, MA-based Tufts University who co-founded Illumina in 1998. San Diego-based Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) found its niche in the past decade by boosting the efficiency … Continue reading “How to Build a Billion-Dollar Company (And Keep An Academic Day Job), According to David Walt”

Google Is Hiring Again, Makes Bid to Be More Transparent to Seattle-Area Engineers

Last night, Google hosted a series of technology talks at its Fremont office in Seattle. The goal was to give the tech community a look at the core technologies and problems Google is working on in the Northwest—the first time Google Seattle has spoken publicly in detail about a number of projects it’s pursuing. Between … Continue reading “Google Is Hiring Again, Makes Bid to Be More Transparent to Seattle-Area Engineers”

Trubion Gets $20M Upfront in Leukemia Drug Partnership With Facet; Shares Boom

Trubion Pharmaceuticals has been pretty quiet this year, but put out some some good news this morning that sent shares soaring more than 40 percent. The Seattle biotech company said it has signed a global partnership with Redwood City, CA-based Facet Biotech to co-develop and market an experimental treatment for leukemia. Trubion (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TRBN]]) will … Continue reading “Trubion Gets $20M Upfront in Leukemia Drug Partnership With Facet; Shares Boom”

TheFunded to Bring Startup “Training Camp” to San Diego—Eyeing Other Cities From Seattle to Boston to Paris

The inaugural class of the TheFunded Founder Institute, a San Francisco-based training camp for startup CEOs, isn’t graduating until Sept. 8—but the institute’s founder, Bay Area serial entrepreneur Adeo Ressi, is already expanding the program to San Diego and elsewhere. Ressi, who previously founded the VC rating site TheFunded and operates the institute as an … Continue reading “TheFunded to Bring Startup “Training Camp” to San Diego—Eyeing Other Cities From Seattle to Boston to Paris”

Myhrvold, Mundie, Simonyi to Speak at UW

The University of Washington’s department of computer science and engineering announced its Distinguished Lecturer Series for the fall. Highlights will include talks by spaceman Charles Simonyi of Intentional Software (Oct. 1), cooking science experts Nathan Myhrvold and Chris Young of Intellectual Ventures (Oct. 6), wireless wizard Irwin Jacobs of Qualcomm (Oct. 15), software strategist Craig … Continue reading “Myhrvold, Mundie, Simonyi to Speak at UW”

WTIA Fall Networking Event—Fall Kickoff at Pike Pub & Brewery

Register here. After summer there is no better time in the Northwest than fall! So kickstart a great season with the WTIA at the famous Pike Pub & Brewery. Enjoy great food and drinks while you make new connections or build existing relationships. With the “Museum Room” reserved just for us, you’ll have plenty of … Continue reading “WTIA Fall Networking Event—Fall Kickoff at Pike Pub & Brewery”

WTIA Back to Work—Advice & Connections for Job Seekers

Register here. This event is geared towards job seekers as well as anyone who wants to stay up to date with the most current job search techniques in the market today. Top Human Resource professionals will speak about techniques to embrace the changing job market, stand out from the crowd and market yourself successfully, as … Continue reading “WTIA Back to Work—Advice & Connections for Job Seekers”

Xconomy Had a Bad Internet Day—But We’re Up and Running Again

Fingers crossed—it looks like we finally have our site back up and running. Most stories reposted, most lost comments restored. It has been a long, not-so-fun day here at Xconomy. Our site crashed around 11:30 am EDT and we didn’t get things back up and running until some eight or nine hours later. We have … Continue reading “Xconomy Had a Bad Internet Day—But We’re Up and Running Again”

Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference

The Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference is being held Sept. 21-23 in Portland, OR to gather nanotechnology researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs. The annual event is expected to draw 350 attendees. For more information, click here.

Pivotal Makes First Investment in Solar, Bets Small and Strategic on Northwest Cleantech

On Tuesday, we reported that Pivotal Investments has led a $2 million financing round for Tuusso Energy, a solar power developer based in Seattle. Tuusso is an intriguing startup focused on developing and operating solar plants to supply renewable energy to utility companies; its first plant is slated to be built in the California desert … Continue reading “Pivotal Makes First Investment in Solar, Bets Small and Strategic on Northwest Cleantech”

ZymoGenetics Plays Hardball, Targeted Genetics’ Legacy, Omeros Preps for Fall IPO, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

We’re supposed to be oh-so-laid-back here in the Northwest, so the surprise of the week came when one of the local biotech mainstays showed it was willing to step up and punch a competitor in the nose. —Seattle-based ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) showed it was willing to ruffle some feathers in its quest to gain market … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Plays Hardball, Targeted Genetics’ Legacy, Omeros Preps for Fall IPO, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Should Cloud Computing Startups Beware Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud? No, Says Cloudswitch

Sometimes I worry too much about the fortunes of local technology startups. It usually turns out that they can take care of themselves. When I saw Amazon’s announcement yesterday about its new “Virtual Private Cloud” service—which is intended to make it easier for enterprises with expensive, existing data centers to tap into Amazon’s own, less … Continue reading “Should Cloud Computing Startups Beware Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud? No, Says Cloudswitch”

ClearEdge Power Garners $15,000,000 Series E Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=431c3942-3888-4502-9982-d0237bac75d5&Preview=1 Date 8/27/2009 Company Name ClearEdge Power Mailing Address 7205 NW Evergreen Parkway Hillsboro, OR 97124 Company Description ClearEdge Power is a pioneer and leading provider of ultra-clean and efficient on-site energy generation systems for homes and small businesses. With operations throughout the West Coast of the United States, our company is … Continue reading “ClearEdge Power Garners $15,000,000 Series E Round”

Omeros Plans to Test Waters with First Washington IPO in Two Years, Sources Say

Omeros, the Seattle biotech company developing a treatment to help people recover faster from knee surgery, is preparing a renewed push for an initial public offering this fall, possibly as soon as next month, Xconomy has learned from people familiar with the matter. The company first showed an interest in going public back in January … Continue reading “Omeros Plans to Test Waters with First Washington IPO in Two Years, Sources Say”

Amazon Rolls Out Private Clouds

Amazon Web Services announced it has launched Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, a Web service that helps big companies extend their IT infrastructure into the Internet cloud while addressing isolation and security concerns. Companies can use existing firewalls and security to create an isolated network, and then access the Amazon cloud within that network.

Marketfish Raises Cash from Alliance of Angels, Looks to Elbow List Brokers Out of Lead-Gen Space

[Updated Aug 27, 11pm PT, with clarification about the list marketing and lead-gen process (see below)] A stealthy Seattle startup in online marketing is starting to generate some buzz around town. Marketfish, which recently moved into new offices in Pioneer Square, has raised an undisclosed sum from private investors, led by Seattle-based Alliance of Angels … Continue reading “Marketfish Raises Cash from Alliance of Angels, Looks to Elbow List Brokers Out of Lead-Gen Space”

How a Nanotech Startup Could Change Your Life: The Modumetal Story

“What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?” “No, Neo. I’m trying to tell you that when you’re ready, you won’t have to.” It’s one of the many memorable exchanges from “The Matrix.” But next time, Keanu Reeves should just talk to Christina Lomasney about getting some Modumetal armor—so he truly … Continue reading “How a Nanotech Startup Could Change Your Life: The Modumetal Story”

Zooppa, Fisher Host Video Contest

Seattle-based Zooppa and Fisher Communications (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FSCI]]) announced today they have teamed up to host a user-generated video competition for Seattle-area neighborhoods. Community members will submit short videos to Zooppa.com, a user-generated advertising site, and Zooppa will post the videos on KOMO’s new network of 43 neighborhood websites.