Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8a000341-5de8-4d48-8f1b-4c674ea38450&Preview=1 Date 5/14/2009 Company Name Delve Networks Mailing Address 1008 Western Ave Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description The answer is Delve Networks, making it possible for any organization to realize the potential of online video. Delve offers a complete plug and play solution to manage, publish, measure, and monetize video on the … Continue reading “Delve Networks Lands $1,650,000 New Financing”
Category: Seattle
Dashwire Raises $1.6M from Geoff Entress, Best Buy, to Sync Your Cellphone with the Web
Seattle-based Dashwire, a mobile-Web software startup, has closed a $1.6 million round of financing (out of a $2.3 million offering), according to a regulatory filing. The round was led by Seattle-area investor Geoff Entress, who has previously backed the company and serves on its board, and Best Buy Capital, who has added Ying Zeng to … Continue reading “Dashwire Raises $1.6M from Geoff Entress, Best Buy, to Sync Your Cellphone with the Web”
Seattle Firms iLike, PopCap, Evri, and Zumobi Partner with Apple—an iPhone Update
It’s hard to keep up with the flood of new iPhone applications these days, but a few Seattle-based companies warrant a mention here for their recent news. Especially coming on the heels of the high-profile acquisitions of Seattle’s Urbanspoon (makers of the popular restaurant guide app) by IAC, and Lexcycle (makers of the e-book app … Continue reading “Seattle Firms iLike, PopCap, Evri, and Zumobi Partner with Apple—an iPhone Update”
Zymo Melanoma Drug Shrinks Tumors
ZymoGenetics, the Seattle biotech company, said today that one of its experimental cancer drugs that it is seeking to outlicense showed an ability to shrink tumors in a clinical trial. Interim results from a trial of 24 patients with metastatic melanoma—a form of skin cancer that has spread through the body and is difficult to … Continue reading “Zymo Melanoma Drug Shrinks Tumors”
Seattle is “Minor League” Innovation Town, So We Shouldn’t Be So Smug, Tech Leaders Say
Seattle can be a very politically correct place, and one very un-PC thing to say is that we’re a second-rate burg when it comes to spawning innovative industries of the future. But Ed Lazowska, one of Seattle’s gutsiest public intellectuals, let it rip yesterday in front of a small gathering of about 100 technology elites … Continue reading “Seattle is “Minor League” Innovation Town, So We Shouldn’t Be So Smug, Tech Leaders Say”
Dashwire, Inc Obtains $1,600,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=34f3d14e-5433-437a-8565-73d31b931c6d&Preview=1 Date 5/13/2009 Company Name Dashwire, Inc Mailing Address 936 N. 34th Street Seattle, WA 98103 Company Description Dashwire seamlessly integrates your mobile phone and the world it captures with your computer and the web, helping you access and share your mobile experiences – no cables required. Website http://www.dashwire.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Dashwire, Inc Obtains $1,600,000 New Funding”
Gerry Langeler of OVP on Digital Energy and the Cyclical Nature of Venture Capital
Maybe it’s not such a bad time to be an investor after all. OVP Venture Partners, based in Kirkland, WA, held its sixth annual Technology Summit today at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Seattle, and the mood was decidedly upbeat. The crowd was a real who’s who of the technology and life sciences industries; … Continue reading “Gerry Langeler of OVP on Digital Energy and the Cyclical Nature of Venture Capital”
Nokia Closes Kirkland Office, Cuts Services
Finnish mobile giant Nokia (NYSE: [[ticker:NOK]]) said today it is halting investment in its first big Internet services effort, built around technology from the Seattle firm Twango, which it bought in 2007. As part of this strategic shift, Nokia is closing its office in Kirkland, WA, but says it is keeping the photo and video … Continue reading “Nokia Closes Kirkland Office, Cuts Services”
WildTangent, Mochi Form Ad Network
Redmond, WA-based WildTangent announced today it has formed a partnership with San Francisco-based Mochi Media to create the largest online game advertising network in the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the network will link advertisers with some 14,000 Flash games distributed across Internet portals and social networks, reaching some 30 million U.S. customers … Continue reading “WildTangent, Mochi Form Ad Network”
Dendreon and Cell Therapeutics Sell Stock, Microsoft Buys BigPark, Calistoga Raises $30M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
The days have gotten longer, and deals are really flowing in the Northwest. In the past week, there has been quite a bit of activity across different sectors of biotech, energy, and software. —Luke reported that Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) sold $20 million worth of common stock, and warrants to buy stock, to a … Continue reading “Dendreon and Cell Therapeutics Sell Stock, Microsoft Buys BigPark, Calistoga Raises $30M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Hydrovolts Hopes to Flip Open Door to Hydropower with Novel Underwater Turbine
Burt Hamner, founder and CEO of the tiny Seattle startup Hydrovolts, has an idea he hopes will revolutionize the hydropower industry. His invention, the “flip wing” turbine, is still in development. It is a simple and cheap spin on the paddle wheel, but comes with a twist that boosts its power production. The turbine is … Continue reading “Hydrovolts Hopes to Flip Open Door to Hydropower with Novel Underwater Turbine”
Cell Therapeutics Raises $20M from Single Investor, Hopes to Unload $89.2M in Debt
[[Update with corrected Zevalin sale price]] Cell Therapeutics is trying to get rid of a major load of debt. The Seattle biotech company said today it has sold $20 million worth of common stock and warrants to buy stock to a single unnamed institutional investor. It hopes to swap some of that money, along with … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Raises $20M from Single Investor, Hopes to Unload $89.2M in Debt”
How Microsoft BizSpark Is Doing With Startups—And How It Can Do Better
Last November, Microsoft began an ambitious experiment. It would offer free software, development tools, and technical support to startup companies around the world, in exchange for getting its technology into the hands of young developers—and a small fee when startups exit the program. BizSpark, as the program is called (not to be confused with BigPark, … Continue reading “How Microsoft BizSpark Is Doing With Startups—And How It Can Do Better”
Tekmira Nabs $50M RNAi Deal
Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, the Vancouver, BC developer of RNA interference drug delivery technology, said it it will receive $18.4 million in upfront cash under a partnership with Swiss healthcare giant Roche. Tekmira’s lipid-nanoparticle technology to keep RNAi drugs stable in the blood, which is also licensed to Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, will be used on Roche’s … Continue reading “Tekmira Nabs $50M RNAi Deal”
ProteoTech Raises $519K
ProteoTech, a Kirkland, WA-based developer of neurology drugs, said it has raised $519,000 in a debt offering, according to a regulatory filing. The company, founded in 1996, is testing an oral pill called Exebryl-1 in clinical trials for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and has another drug in animal testing for Parkinson’s disease, according to … Continue reading “ProteoTech Raises $519K”
CMC Icos to Make Lung Drug
CMC Icos Biologics, the Bothell, WA-based contract manufacturer of biotech drugs, said today it has signed a deal to manufacture an experimental drug for acute lung injury. CMC will make IC14, an antibody drug, for Brisbane, Australia-based Implicit Bioscience. The treatment, which is scheduled to enter Phase II trials next year, was previously tested in … Continue reading “CMC Icos to Make Lung Drug”
How Coaching T-Ball Is Like Running a Startup: Insights From Matt Hulett of Mpire
While the Mariners are still in contention for the American League West lead, I thought it might be useful to make some analogies between baseball teams and startup companies. This came out of a recent chat I had with Matt Hulett, the chief executive of Seattle-based Mpire, makers of the Widgetbucks ad network and AdXpose … Continue reading “How Coaching T-Ball Is Like Running a Startup: Insights From Matt Hulett of Mpire”
Dendreon Raises $197M in Stock Offering
Dendreon raised $197.4 million in the offering it announced last week, according to a regulatory filing. The Seattle biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) sold 10.7 million shares of stock at $18.45 apiece last Thursday, about a 15 percent discount on the closing market stock price of $19.76 that day. The sale is expected to close on … Continue reading “Dendreon Raises $197M in Stock Offering”
Biotech Needs Charity, and Profit Motive, To Flourish
Is it still possible to have a long, successful career doing research at a biotech company in the Seattle area? A young scientist today has only a slim chance of working for the next Immunex or Icos. Companies that last even 10 or 15 years are very rare. Yet a closer look at some of … Continue reading “Biotech Needs Charity, and Profit Motive, To Flourish”
DocuSign Scores $5M More
Seattle-based DocuSign, a digital-signature software startup, has closed $5 million in Series D funding, led by existing investors Frazier Technology Ventures, Ignition Partners, Sigma Partners, and West River Capital. The news was reported by TechFlash and TechCrunch. DocuSign was founded in 2003 and has raised some $30 million in venture funding.
Seattle Tech Investment Trends and Themes, From Madrona’s Tom Alberg (Part 2)
In the past month, Luke and I had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Alberg, the co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Madrona Venture Group, for a wide-ranging discussion. In earlier installments, we’ve reported on Alberg’s thoughts about the future of newspapers, as well as the rise of the high-tech innovation cluster in Seattle, … Continue reading “Seattle Tech Investment Trends and Themes, From Madrona’s Tom Alberg (Part 2)”
Aspen Medtech Shuts Down
Aspen Medtech, a Bellevue, WA-based medical device incubator, has shut down, according to Dow Jones Venture Capital Dispatch. Daniel Hawkins, the former general manager of Aspen Medtech, said it was founded in mid-2007 with $1 million from Prospect Venture Partners and Three Arch Partners, according to the report.
Biotech Exec Sentenced to Probation
Christopher Ma, a former director of business affairs with Auburn, WA-based Syntrix Biochip, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years of supervised release, 240 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine for making false statements. Ma, 35, was accused of submitting false audits to the National Institutes of Health, … Continue reading “Biotech Exec Sentenced to Probation”
Seattle 2.0 Awards Are a Smash; Picnik Cleans Up
In 1939, it was “Gone with the Wind.” 2009’s Academy Awards darling was “Slumdog Millionaire.” And now the Seattle startup community has its own awards sweep: Picnik, the photo-editing software company founded by Mike Harrington and Darrin Massena and led by CEO Jonathan Sposato, took home all four prizes for which it was nominated at … Continue reading “Seattle 2.0 Awards Are a Smash; Picnik Cleans Up”
Cell Therapeutics Cash To Last Into August
Cell Therapeutics has really been living life on the edge. The Seattle biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) had just $700,000 in cash left at the end of March, before it got another $6.5 million last month to keep paying the bills. Even after an investor put in another $15 million last month, it’s only enough to … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Cash To Last Into August”
Dendreon Sells Shares To Raise $200M For Provenge Manufacturing, Marketing
Dendreon is striking while the iron is hot. The Seattle biotech company said today it is offering 10.7 million new shares of stock to investors, and has hired Deutsche Bank Securities as the sole manager of the offering. Dendreon didn’t disclose the price of the shares, but with its shares trading at $19.50 a share … Continue reading “Dendreon Sells Shares To Raise $200M For Provenge Manufacturing, Marketing”
Why Kindle 2 is the Goldilocks of E-Book Readers
Fans of this column know that I spent months dithering over whether to buy Amazon’s Kindle 2 e-book reader. I had mercilessly panned the original Kindle, mainly for its ungainly looks. And while I was much more impressed by the Kindle 2 when it came out in February, I was put off by the $359 … Continue reading “Why Kindle 2 is the Goldilocks of E-Book Readers”
From MIT Blackjack Team to Amazon Acquisition: The Lexcycle Story
Neelan Choksi says he has an “addictive personality.” That might explain why he carefully orders an orange juice at the espresso bar, while I jack up my caffeine intake with another 12-ounce latte. We’re sitting at the Espresso Vivace in South Lake Union on a quintessentially rainy Seattle afternoon in early May. Choksi’s company, Lexcycle, … Continue reading “From MIT Blackjack Team to Amazon Acquisition: The Lexcycle Story”
DocuSign, Inc. Lands $5,000,000 Series D Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bfe27694-e128-46c9-98a3-b640d828fe1b&Preview=1 Date 5/8/2009 Company Name DocuSign, Inc. Mailing Address 701 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description DocuSign was founded in 2003 with one goal: to make electronic signatures as ubiquitous and simple as email. DocuSign delivers the final step in the online customer relationship—the ability to complete a legally binding agreement … Continue reading “DocuSign, Inc. Lands $5,000,000 Series D Round”
Microsoft To Buy BigPark
Microsoft announced today it plans to acquire Vancouver, BC-based BigPark, an interactive online gaming company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. BigPark will become part of Microsoft Game Studios. The company was co-founded by Hanno Lemke and Don Mattrick, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business.
Targeted Genetics, Mainstay of Gene Therapy, Faces Likely Shutdown
Targeted Genetics, one of the diehards in the field of gene therapy, appears to be near the end of the road. The Seattle-based biotech company said if it is unable to improve its finances by the end of next month, “We plan to begin the process of ceasing operations, seeking bankruptcy protection or otherwise winding … Continue reading “Targeted Genetics, Mainstay of Gene Therapy, Faces Likely Shutdown”
Amazon Invests in Foodista
Seattle-based Foodista, an online cooking encyclopedia and wiki, has raised Series A funding from Amazon and other angel investors. The news was reported by PE Hub and TechCrunch, which said the amount of funding was $550,000. Foodista was launched in December by Amazon veterans Barnaby Dorfman and Sheri Wetherell.
Dendreon’s Hiring Binge, Calistoga’s Venture Round, ZymoGenetics Unloads Drugs, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Biotech is a volatile business, and this week hammered home that point. Seattle had layoffs at one important device company (Pathway Medical), a hiring boom at another (Dendreon), and a national report that had some humbling stats about the local life sciences scene. —Dendreon is moving ahead fast to make the most of its good … Continue reading “Dendreon’s Hiring Binge, Calistoga’s Venture Round, ZymoGenetics Unloads Drugs, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
The Rise of Seattle’s High-Tech Cluster, As Told By Madrona’s Tom Alberg (Part 1)
One of the great pleasures of being a journalist is listening to influential leaders discuss where they come from and how it affects their strategy. Luke and I recently sat down with Tom Alberg, co-founder and managing director of Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group. In addition to sharing his thoughts on the future of newspapers and … Continue reading “The Rise of Seattle’s High-Tech Cluster, As Told By Madrona’s Tom Alberg (Part 1)”
Foodista Inc Receives Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e994e73f-4d6f-42d3-bd8d-767064d4516a&Preview=1 Date 5/7/2009 Company Name Foodista Inc Mailing Address 24 Roy Street Seattle, WA 98109 Company Description Foodista, Inc. is a Seattle company that operates http://www.foodista.com, the online cooking encyclopedia everyone can edit. The company leverages open source software, cloud computing resources, and wisdom of the crowds to rapidly develop cooking software … Continue reading “Foodista Inc Receives Series A Financing”
AllSeniorHomes Launches Elder Care Site
Seattle-based AllSeniorHomes.com rolled out its beta site today, an online directory of elder housing communities in Washington and Oregon. The site helps match families with senior care providers and senior housing. The startup was founded by Jay Goldstein and Chris Rodde, formerly of All Star Directories.
Acucela Drug for Macular Degeneration Passes Early Safety Test
Acucela, the Bothell, WA-based biotech company, is on a mission to develop the first effective treatment for the leading cause of blindness in elderly people. Today, it is presenting some preliminary data that shows its drug has passed an early safety test and is ready to advance to the next phase, in which it begins … Continue reading “Acucela Drug for Macular Degeneration Passes Early Safety Test”
Dumb, Getting Dumber?
Science journalist and author Chris Mooney will give a talk about his next book, “Unscientific America,” about the effects of science illiteracy in the general public. Mooney will be joined by local experts, including Dennis Schatz of the Pacific Science Center, Steve Jones of Washington State University, and Sandra Archibald of the University of Washington’s … Continue reading “Dumb, Getting Dumber?”
HelpHive Rolls Out Home Services Site
Seattle-based HelpHive has launched today an online marketplace for home owners and home service providers. The beta version of the site includes some 6,500 listings in the Seattle-Tacoma area for services like home repair, home improvement, maintenance, and cleaning. HelpHive was founded by Real Networks veterans Dave Richards and Karim Meghji, and has been in … Continue reading “HelpHive Rolls Out Home Services Site”
Dendreon Plans to Raise Cash for Manufacturing, Marketing
Dendreon is gearing up to raise more cash. The Seattle biotech company disclosed today in its quarterly report that it had $91.2 million in cash and investments on hand on March 31, an amount that “will not be sufficient” to pay all the bills over the next 12 months as it ramps up to market … Continue reading “Dendreon Plans to Raise Cash for Manufacturing, Marketing”
Global Competitiveness Summit
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon is hosting a Global Competitiveness Summit on May 13, along with a panel of some of the state’s most influential angels, architects and builders of future business and industry, in an important discussion on how to improve our state’s business climate. Brent Frei, co-founder of SmartSheet; Eric Dobmeier, chief business … Continue reading “Global Competitiveness Summit”
AVI Wins Part of $2.5M Contract
AVI Biopharma, the Portland, OR-based developer of RNA-based therapies, said today it has been awarded part of a $2.5 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a drug for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The contract, awarded to researchers at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C., will support animal studies to develop … Continue reading “AVI Wins Part of $2.5M Contract”
Small Businesses Will Inherit the Earth
The economy is forcing companies of all sizes to do more with less. The big winners are increasingly the small businesses and specialized sole proprietors. On one hand, they provide the “just in time” component services no longer staffed at the downsized firms, and on the other, they are adept at operating with lean resources … Continue reading “Small Businesses Will Inherit the Earth”
How Foundry Group Got the Gist of T.A. McCann’s Startup: Anatomy of a Software Deal
Every deal has a back story you can learn from. In the case of Gist—the Seattle software startup that announced yesterday it raised $6.75 million in Series A funding from Foundry Group and Vulcan Capital—the key connection came about because of a timely combination of blogs and social networks. Which is fitting because Gist is … Continue reading “How Foundry Group Got the Gist of T.A. McCann’s Startup: Anatomy of a Software Deal”
Dendreon Goes on Hiring Binge After Prostate Cancer Drug Boosts Survival
Dendreon partied at a medical meeting last week in Chicago after it showed that its immune-stimulating therapy could extend the lives of prostate cancer patients with minimal side effects. Now the biotech company is fast at work again, looking to hire 60 new people to make sure it performs all the work necessary to turn … Continue reading “Dendreon Goes on Hiring Binge After Prostate Cancer Drug Boosts Survival”
ZymoGenetics Drug Sales Still Slumping After Full Year on Market
ZymoGenetics is still struggling to generate sales from its lone commercial product. The Seattle biotech company said today it had $4.5 million in sales of recombinant thrombin (Recothrom) for surgical bleeding in the first quarter, which is down slightly from $4.7 million in the previous quarter. The trend can’t be encouraging, although ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Drug Sales Still Slumping After Full Year on Market”
Dendreon Execs Sell Shares
Dendreon CEO Mitchell Gold and other executives sold big stakes in the company a day after reporting positive results of their immune-stimulating drug for prostate cancer, according to this Dow Jones report. Gold sold 600,000 shares of the company at $24.92 apiece on April 29, generating gross proceeds of $15 million, according to this filing … Continue reading “Dendreon Execs Sell Shares”
WBBA Pub Night
The Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association is hosting a networking event at Lucky Strike Lanes in Bellevue. This is part of a series of events at rotating locations around Puget Sound. This will be a no-host bar.
Microsoft Makes Second Round of Cuts
Microsoft is implementing the rest of its plan to cut 5,000 positions, as originally announced in January. That’s according to numerous media reports and a Microsoft statement. The company hasn’t said how many jobs are being cut locally, but The Seattle Times reports 1,200 workers will be affected in Washington state. The news comes on … Continue reading “Microsoft Makes Second Round of Cuts”
Powerit Pulls in $6M to Solidify Position in Energy Efficiency and Management
Seattle-based Powerit Solutions, a maker of energy management and energy efficiency technology for commercial and industrial facilities, announced today it has raised $6 million in new funding. The round was led by new investors Siemens Venture Capital and ArcelorMittal’s Clean Technology Fund, and included existing investors @Ventures and Expansion Capital Partners. Powerit (pronounced “Power I.T.”) … Continue reading “Powerit Pulls in $6M to Solidify Position in Energy Efficiency and Management”