The Oregonian’s Mike Rogoway posted his list of the top tech stories of 2008 today. He highlights the emergence of Portland’s social-networking startups, as well as a few lowlights like Hewlett-Packard’s cutbacks in Vancouver, WA and Corvallis, OR, and the death of Portland’s municipal Wi-Fi network. Check out the full story here.
Category: Seattle
Seattle’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of the Half-Year (and Others We Just Plain Liked)
OK, I’m not usually a big fan of end-of-the-year lists. But given that Xconomy Seattle has been up and running for almost exactly six months (since June 16), Luke and I thought it would be fun and informative to share our site’s top 10 most-read stories so far—and why we think they were important or … Continue reading “Seattle’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of the Half-Year (and Others We Just Plain Liked)”
Gates, Ballmer Head List of Obama Donors
The list of donors to Barack Obama’s presidential inaugural committee includes some Seattle-area luminaries. The families of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer each contributed $100,000, while several other Microsofties, including Craig Mundie, also made donations. Rob Glaser of RealNetworks and John Vechey of PopCap Games contributed $50,000 each, and Nick Hanauer of Second Avenue Partners … Continue reading “Gates, Ballmer Head List of Obama Donors”
Procrastinating On Giving? A Last-Minute Guide to Seattle-Area Innovation Charities
Lots of people put off giving to charity until the last couple days of the year when you can still get the tax deduction (including some of us here at Xconomy). We know this year has been rough, but for those of you who can still give, we put together a list of organizations that … Continue reading “Procrastinating On Giving? A Last-Minute Guide to Seattle-Area Innovation Charities”
Atigeo Adds Heavyweights to Board, R&D
Bellevue, WA-based Atigeo, a data-intelligence firm, announced today that Joe Abrams has joined its board of directors. Abrams was the co-founder of Intermix, the company that developed MySpace. The move comes on the heels of Atigeo’s hiring of Oliver Downs, formerly of Mindset Media and Inrix, as chief scientist earlier this month. The company’s board … Continue reading “Atigeo Adds Heavyweights to Board, R&D”
Amazon Releases Holiday Stats, Lists
Seattle-based Amazon announced its sales for the 2008 holiday season were its best ever, peaking with 6.3 million items ordered worldwide on December 15. Best-selling items included the “Wall-E” DVD, Nintendo Wii video-game platform, Microsoft Office software, and, of course, the Amazon Kindle e-book reader.
Washington’s Life Sciences Ambassador, Jack Faris, Exits the Stage
From the minute he took the job as Washington state’s biotech ambassador, Jack Faris had a dream of making this mysterious business a little less intimidating, a little more embraceable, for the general public. Faris, a career ad man who helped Boeing airplanes capture the public imagination, wanted to do the same thing for an … Continue reading “Washington’s Life Sciences Ambassador, Jack Faris, Exits the Stage”
Wishing You A Healthy and Happy Holiday Season; Posting Will Be Light
Another year is coming to an end, and for us at Xconomy it has been an action-packed 12 months. Not only has our flagship Boston site grown beyond our expectations, we have also launched Xconomy Seattle and Xconomy San Diego, building our own small, but rapidly growing, network. We’d like to take this occasion to … Continue reading “Wishing You A Healthy and Happy Holiday Season; Posting Will Be Light”
AVI Gets Green Light for Ebola Trial
AVI Biopharma, a Portland, OR-based drug developer, said it has “verbal clearance” from the FDA to start clinical trials against the deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses. AVI expects to get a formal written go-ahead from the FDA in early 2009, the company said. Shares of the company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVII]]) shot up 63 percent to 80 … Continue reading “AVI Gets Green Light for Ebola Trial”
CellCyte Genetics Shuts Down
CellCyte Genetics, the Bothell, WA-based stem cell research company, has shut down. The company said it had a little more than $5,700 in cash at the end of September, according to its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as reported by The Seattle Times. “We presently do not have sufficient cash to fund … Continue reading “CellCyte Genetics Shuts Down”
Amazon’s Top 10 Best-Selling Gadgets, and a Kindle Update
In the shopping spirit of the season, I thought it might be useful to give a quick update on what the year’s best-selling tech gadgets have been on Amazon.com, and how Amazon’s own foray into gadgets is going. Probably too late to help with your own shopping list, but nevertheless here are a couple notable … Continue reading “Amazon’s Top 10 Best-Selling Gadgets, and a Kindle Update”
Biotech Vets Herd Cats at the UW, Hutch, and Children’s For “Translational Research”
Some of the stories Lynn Rose told me the other week made me laugh out loud, and want to cry in mercy. One story was about the academic researcher who ran a single experiment in an animal species that panned out. This scientist, who shall remain nameless, figured it was time to call up the … Continue reading “Biotech Vets Herd Cats at the UW, Hutch, and Children’s For “Translational Research””
Jive Scores Another Customer
Portland, OR-based Jive Software, which makes social-networking and communication tools for businesses, announced it has signed up Bewag, the Austrian electric utility, as a customer. Since laying off a third of its staff in October, Jive has signed a number of new customers and partners, including United Business Media, Portland Energy Conservation, and Premiere Global … Continue reading “Jive Scores Another Customer”
Alliance of Angels: 10-Minute Pitch Clinic
Raising capital from angel investors can be a challenge, particularly given just 10 minutes to distill your entire business plan into a compelling presentation. What information is critical? How much detail is enough, or too much? What do angel investors consider when evaluating an investment opportunity? To learn more about how to register for this … Continue reading “Alliance of Angels: 10-Minute Pitch Clinic”
Google to Host Startup Weekend in Seattle
Want 54 hours to start a tech company? You got it. In a few weeks, Google will be hosting a talented group of entrepreneurs from the startup community, giving them time and space over a weekend, and adding stimulating discussions, activities, and, yes, food. With that potent mix at work, local organizers want to see … Continue reading “Google to Host Startup Weekend in Seattle”
Alnylam Pushes First RNAi Drug That Circulates Through Body Into Human Test
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, one of the leaders in developing drugs through RNA interference, has achieved another big first for the emerging field. The Cambridge, MA-based drug developer (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) is announcing today that it has filed an application with the FDA to start the first clinical trial of an RNAi drug that can circulate throughout the … Continue reading “Alnylam Pushes First RNAi Drug That Circulates Through Body Into Human Test”
3Tier Group Gets $10M, Socialmedian Sold for $7.5M, Gates Gives $7M to IDRI, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Heading into the holidays, the deals have slowed down a bit. But there was still a trickle of activity over the past week in biotech, renewable energy, and software. —Seattle-based Jobster’s co-founder and ex-CEO, Jason Goldberg, sold his New York startup, Socialmedian, to Hamburg, Germany-based Xing for $7.5 million. Socialmedian’s news-filtering service fits well with … Continue reading “3Tier Group Gets $10M, Socialmedian Sold for $7.5M, Gates Gives $7M to IDRI, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Pelago Partners With Maponics
Seattle-based Pelago, maker of the Whrrl mobile-networking application, announced it has partnered with Norwich, VT-based Maponics to provide the location-aware service to customers in more than 50,000 neighborhoods in 2,000 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Google’s Kirkland Site to Shrink, Microsoft Layoffs May Be Looming
Since my tech-savvy colleague Greg is off today, I’m scanning the web for the local tech news. Be warned, this isn’t good for holiday cheer. Here goes: —Google is giving up some of its office space at its new campus in Kirkland, according to this report by Brier Dudley in The Seattle Times. The Internet … Continue reading “Google’s Kirkland Site to Shrink, Microsoft Layoffs May Be Looming”
Biotech “Walks With Light,” But If We Don’t Start Explaining it Better, We’re “Cuckoo”
For the last 17 years my office at Targeted Genetics looked out closely onto a pretty major intersection, busy with cars and pedestrians going to and from downtown Seattle. For years the pedestrian crossing signs stated “Walk with Light.” Maybe I’m a romantic fool, but I always thought of that phrase, “walk with light,” as … Continue reading “Biotech “Walks With Light,” But If We Don’t Start Explaining it Better, We’re “Cuckoo””
Seattle Docs, Via Qliance, Aim to Revolutionize Health Care By Freezing Out Insurance
One of the simplest—and most disruptive—business ideas I’ve heard for U.S. health care reform is gaining momentum in downtown Seattle. It’s with a small group of primary care doctors at a company called Qliance, who don’t accept health insurance payments of any kind. I made a beeline over to the Qliance office after hearing about … Continue reading “Seattle Docs, Via Qliance, Aim to Revolutionize Health Care By Freezing Out Insurance”
Cepheid, Maker of Test to Spot MRSA Staph Infections, Builds Growing Presence in Washington
Lots of innovation is happening inside nondescript office buildings in Bothell, but this activity gets little attention because it takes place at branch operations of companies headquartered elsewhere. Cepheid, the maker of molecular diagnostic tools based in Sunnyvale, CA, is one of those companies. So I jumped at an opportunity to interview CEO John Bishop … Continue reading “Cepheid, Maker of Test to Spot MRSA Staph Infections, Builds Growing Presence in Washington”
Can Technology Save the U.S. Auto Industry?
Dan Preston, CEO of Medius Technologies, will discuss the role of technology in reviving the U.S. auto industry. His company played a key role in the creation of OnStar technology for General Motors. He will focus on using Bluetooth technology to create the next generation of connected cars, which are more fuel efficient, safer, and … Continue reading “Can Technology Save the U.S. Auto Industry?”
WTIA Industry Achievement Awards
The WTIA’s Industry Achievement Awards celebrates companies and agencies which best demonstrate innovation and excellence in technology. From business and consumer applications to contributions to public service, Industry Achievement Award finalists have made significant contributions to the way we work and live. Noted as the tech industry event of the year, WTIA’s IAA celebration attracts … Continue reading “WTIA Industry Achievement Awards”
Building the Company of Your Dreams: Stuart Jamieson
Getting started as an entrepreneur – You made a New Year’s resolution to finally start a business but are hitting roadblocks. How do you find the right service providers? How do you negotiate with them? When does it make sense to have them work for equity or deferred comp? Stuart Jamieson, a serial entrepreneur and … Continue reading “Building the Company of Your Dreams: Stuart Jamieson”
Google’s Brian Bershad on The Future of Search
Google’s Brian Bershad will speak on the future of Internet search on March 13 as part of the Technology Alliance’s Science & Technology Discovery Series. To register, click here.
Leroy Hood on Systems Biology: Science & Technology Discovery Series
Leroy Hood, the co-founder and president of the Institute for Systems Biology, will speak at the Technology Alliance’s Science and Technology Discovery Series on Feb. 13 about biological complexity and understanding how biological systems function. To learn more about how to register, click here.
Washington Innovation Summit
Washington’s Innovation Summit 2009 will bring together more than 400 innovators and thought leaders in sustainability and technology who are driving industry development in sustainable energy, innovative materials & manufacturing, urban sustainability, and healthy ecosystems. Organized by the Washington Technology Center. Keynote speakers include Gifford Pinchot, the co-founder of the Bainbridge Graduate Institute and Thomas … Continue reading “Washington Innovation Summit”
The Tyranny of Dead Ideas: Matt Miller
America is at a crossroads and our economy is about it face its most severe test in nearly a century. In The Tyranny of Dead Ideas, Matt Miller overturns orthodoxies of the right and the left-including free trade is always good, employers should be responsible for health coverage, taxes hurt the economy, schools are a … Continue reading “The Tyranny of Dead Ideas: Matt Miller”
A New View of Human Capacity: Ken Robinson
Ken Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity and innovation who works with Fortune 500 companies, governments, and educational systems on ways to create environments that enhance talent and learning. In “The Element: A New View of Human Capacity” Robinson identifies the point where the activities individuals enjoy and are naturally … Continue reading “A New View of Human Capacity: Ken Robinson”
Malcolm Gladwell on “Outliers”
Malcolm Gladwell, the New Yorker writer and author of “The Tipping Point,” will discuss his latest book, “Outliers,” in a talk at Town Hall Seattle on Saturday Jan. 17. Gladwell’s book looks at why some people are so accomplished, while so many more never reach their potential. He asserts that environmental factors such as the … Continue reading “Malcolm Gladwell on “Outliers””
Future of Health: William Hanson on The Edge of Medical Technology
What if cancer could be diagnosed by just smelling it? Dr. William Hanson, author of “The Edge of Medicine,” explains how an electronic nose can do just that. Hanson, Director of Surgical Intensive Care at University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, offers intimate true-life accounts illustrating the cutting edge of biotechnology-including computer health wizards which will … Continue reading “Future of Health: William Hanson on The Edge of Medical Technology”
Amgen Seeks FDA Nod For Bone Drug
Amgen, the world’s largest biotech company, said today it has applied for FDA clearance to sell denosumab for women with osteoporosis and to treat and prevent bone loss for certain patients with prostate or breast cancer. The drug showed in clinical trials it can lower the risk of spinal fractures, a finding that analysts say … Continue reading “Amgen Seeks FDA Nod For Bone Drug”
Putting XO Laptops Under Christmas Trees—and into Classrooms—via Amazon
As the holidays approach, the Cambridge, MA-based One Laptop Per Child Foundation (OLPC) has revived its Give One, Get One program, designed to encourage consumers in industrialized nations to buy the foundation’s XO laptops for schoolchildren in the developing world while also securing one for a child in their own family. The foundation, which is … Continue reading “Putting XO Laptops Under Christmas Trees—and into Classrooms—via Amazon”
Ex-Jobster’s Firm Sold for $7.5M
Seattle-based Jobster’s co-founder and former CEO, Jason Goldberg, has sold his new startup, Socialmedian, to Hamburg, Germany-based Xing for about $7.5 million. Socialmedian is a New York-based news-filtering service that works well with social sites like Xing, which is focused on professional networking. Goldberg, who left Jobster a year ago, will be moving to Germany … Continue reading “Ex-Jobster’s Firm Sold for $7.5M”
Where Food Meets Tech: iPhone Apps, Bacon Salt, The Coffee Nazi, and Other Tasty Seattle Connections
In a great food town like Seattle, it’s no surprise there are so many food-related startups. But lately we’ve been hearing even more about tech companies and food than expected—big successes, wacky products, major projects—so we figured it was time to round up (and update) our recent coverage of said companies. Plus, what better time … Continue reading “Where Food Meets Tech: iPhone Apps, Bacon Salt, The Coffee Nazi, and Other Tasty Seattle Connections”
Top Web Apps for the Real World: Seattle and Boston Startups Make 2008 List
Seattle and Boston, two of Xconomy’s network cities, have something extra to be proud of today—at least when it comes to Internet startups. Each city contributed two companies to a popular list of the year’s best Web applications for improving customers’ real lives. That’s according to the tech-news blog ReadWriteWeb, which has published its list … Continue reading “Top Web Apps for the Real World: Seattle and Boston Startups Make 2008 List”
The 3-D Graphics Revolution of 1859—and How to See in Stereo on Your iPhone
Gadget lovers and other technology enthusiasts suffer from a curious myopia about the past. The general assumption—fostered by the admittedly blinding pace of progress in computing and software—is that everything really cool must have been invented in the last decade or two. Marvels like wearable virtual-reality displays with force feedback gloves are often described as … Continue reading “The 3-D Graphics Revolution of 1859—and How to See in Stereo on Your iPhone”
Oncothyreon Sells Off Stimuvax, Cuts Jobs, Facilities To Preserve Cash
Seattle-based Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONTY]]) made a series of strategic moves today to preserve its remaining cash, and find a way to survive on its own as a developer of cancer drugs. Some investors liked the decision, as shares more than doubled from 73 cents to $1.70 in after-hours trading. First, the company said it agreed … Continue reading “Oncothyreon Sells Off Stimuvax, Cuts Jobs, Facilities To Preserve Cash”
Kashless Is Hiring, Expanding, and Pioneering “Recommerce,” Says Founder Martin Tobias
This morning, I had a good chat with Seattle entrepreneur and investor Martin Tobias, in advance of tomorrow’s holiday open house at his new startup, Kashless. Known to get around on his Segway, Tobias said he trudged down the hill on foot today to his new office, which is in Lower Queen Anne. All of … Continue reading “Kashless Is Hiring, Expanding, and Pioneering “Recommerce,” Says Founder Martin Tobias”
Insilicos Nabs $900K Grant From NIH
Insilicos, a Seattle-based company that makes software for drug researchers, said today it has won a $900,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health. The money will be used to study “ensemble learning,” which uses a blend of statistical models to make a more accurate prediction about a biological experiment than a single model. Insilicos … Continue reading “Insilicos Nabs $900K Grant From NIH”
3Tier Raises $10M in Venture Round to “Remap the World” for Alternative Energy
Seattle-based 3Tier Group has raised $10 million in venture financing to drive its quest to help developers and financiers spot the best places in the world to build renewable energy facilities. Good Energies led the venture round, which will be used to establish offices in Europe and Asia, as first reported this morning by John … Continue reading “3Tier Raises $10M in Venture Round to “Remap the World” for Alternative Energy”
CMC Icos Biologics Postpones Expansion
CMC Icos Biologics is putting the brakes on its big expansion plan. The Bothell, WA-based operation, which manufactures biotech drugs under contract to other companies, said today it is postponing its growth plan announced in September because of the deepening recession. “With the current challenges of the global economy, we must carefully manage our resources … Continue reading “CMC Icos Biologics Postpones Expansion”
Gates Foundation Gives $7M to IDRI
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a three-year, $7 million grant to the Seattle-based Infectious Disease Research Institute to develop improved ways to diagnose and care for patients in Africa infected with visceral leishmaniasis. The infection, caused by a parasite, affects about 500,000 people each year and is deadly in about one in … Continue reading “Gates Foundation Gives $7M to IDRI”
State Tobacco Moneyman, John DesRosier, Aims to Push Biotech Ideas Beyond “Valley of Death”
A new batch of research grants, worth $19 million, was announced earlier this week by the state Life Sciences Discovery Fund. It’s the quasi-public agency charged with running a 10-year, $350 million program to invest the state’s tobacco settlement money in biomedical research and development. This round, grants were given to develop new vaccines, improve … Continue reading “State Tobacco Moneyman, John DesRosier, Aims to Push Biotech Ideas Beyond “Valley of Death””
Ventures West “Sells High” After Positive Prostate Cancer News From OncoGenex
Wonder why OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals stock suddenly dropped after it was the best performer on the Nasdaq last week? Here’s a clue: One of its largest shareholders, Vancouver, BC-based Ventures West Capital, sold almost half of its stake in OncoGenex after the company said its experimental drug could prolong the lives of terminal ill patients with … Continue reading “Ventures West “Sells High” After Positive Prostate Cancer News From OncoGenex”
Amgen Tries to “Personalize” Drug, VLST Snags Deal, Tobacco Money Backs Research, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Many life sciences shut down operations between Christmas and New Year’s Day, so obviously they need to cram a lot of work into weeks like the last one. Here’s a rundown of the big news. —Amgen, the giant biotech with about 1,000 employees in Washington, went before an FDA advisory panel to make an unusual … Continue reading “Amgen Tries to “Personalize” Drug, VLST Snags Deal, Tobacco Money Backs Research, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
3Tier Environmental Forecast Group Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9bd593d3-5e9c-471c-adb9-7f2c09bed1ae&Preview=1 Date 12/18/2008 Company Name 3Tier Environmental Forecast Group Mailing Address 2001 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description 3TIER is an energy efficiency company: we provide the core data and knowledge for clients to make the best decisions regarding their investment in a renewable energy generation technology. 3TIER is unique in … Continue reading “3Tier Environmental Forecast Group Receives $10,000,000 New Funding Round”
Ex-Entellium Execs Plead Guilty to Fraud
Seattle-based Entellium’s former CFO, Parrish Jones, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court today, as reported by the Seattle Times and TechFlash. Jones faces 33 to 41 months in prison for his alleged role in falsifying company revenues. Last week, Entellium’s former CEO Paul Johnston also pled guilty to fraud, … Continue reading “Ex-Entellium Execs Plead Guilty to Fraud”
Vampires, Smartphones, and Social Activism: Which Websites Were Hot in 2008
It’s not just Facebook, MySpace, and Wikipedia anymore. A large number of social websites and wikis have become major players on the Web. Today’s launch of the Seattle-based cooking site Foodista.com is the latest example. But the top social sites of the year were dedicated to TV shows, social activism, gaming, smartphones, and education—in that … Continue reading “Vampires, Smartphones, and Social Activism: Which Websites Were Hot in 2008”