Category: Seattle

Microsoft, Akamai Partner on “Smooth HD” Video; Alternative to Brightcove

So, are Akamai and Brightcove—digital media companies located just a block apart in Cambridge’s Kendall Square—partners, rivals, or both? The confusion grew today as Akamai said in a joint announcement with Microsoft that it will supply the network infrastructure behind a new “adaptive” system that streams high-definition video over the Internet at varying resolutions depending … Continue reading “Microsoft, Akamai Partner on “Smooth HD” Video; Alternative to Brightcove”

PopCap Launches Casual Game With a Twist, Wants To Make Everyone a Gamer

I’m not really a Frank Gehry fan, but I have to say the Gehry-designed Experience Music Project at Seattle Center was the perfect venue for PopCap’s gala last night. The Seattle-based casual game maker was celebrating its new release in its bestselling “Bejeweled” series—Bejeweled Twist—and it pulled out all the stops. If the quality of … Continue reading “PopCap Launches Casual Game With a Twist, Wants To Make Everyone a Gamer”

Amazon Gets Into Games, Getty Grabs Jupiterimages, ZymoGenetics Settles a Suit, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

The leaves have changed, the World Series is winding down (hang in there, Tampa Bay), and the deals continue to flow in the Northwest. Digital media, software, and biotech were well represented in the last week. —Seattle-based HyperQuality, which makes software to improve call centers and customer experience, secured $7.6 million of a $12.1 million … Continue reading “Amazon Gets Into Games, Getty Grabs Jupiterimages, ZymoGenetics Settles a Suit, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Rep. Jay Inslee’s Fire Lights Up Renewable Energy Conference

U.S. Representative Jay Inslee walked into a room today full of VCs and portfolio managers who have seen a bloodbath in their cleantech portfolios. But he delivered a message that certainly got the crowd to take its anxious eyes off their Blackberries, to think a few months ahead to a new opportunity. “The cavalry is … Continue reading “Rep. Jay Inslee’s Fire Lights Up Renewable Energy Conference”

Microsoft Launches Cloud Computing Product, Goes Head-to-Head with Amazon

It looks like Microsoft is getting with the program. The cloud computing program, that is. Ray Ozzie, Microsoft’s chief software architect, has just announced “Windows Azure,” a cloud-based Web service that is hosted on Microsoft servers and lets developers build and run software applications via the Internet. Ozzie spoke about the new product in his … Continue reading “Microsoft Launches Cloud Computing Product, Goes Head-to-Head with Amazon”

Venture Returns Beat the Markets Through Q2—But Got Nowhere to Go But Down

The National Venture Capital Association usually prefers to track VC performance over a decade-long period, or possibly a five-year span. That’s because measuring performance over a one-year period, say, usually isn’t as useful since investment returns gyrate all over the place in the short term, according to Emily Mendell, the NVCA’s vice president for strategic … Continue reading “Venture Returns Beat the Markets Through Q2—But Got Nowhere to Go But Down”

Ikaria Drug Fails in Big Trial of Babies With Lung Disease

Ikaria has some disappointing news out today on its lead drug development candidate. The Clinton, NJ-based biotech company, which has research and development operations in Seattle, said over the weekend that its inhaled form of nitric oxide didn’t work for premature infants with bronchopulmonary disease. Results from a Phase III study of 800 premature infants … Continue reading “Ikaria Drug Fails in Big Trial of Babies With Lung Disease”

Trubion Shares Leap, Drop, Leap Again After Encouraging Clinical Trial News

(Update: This story has been updated to include Monday’s closing share price, and a description of preliminary Phase II re-treatment results.) Trubion Pharmaceuticals shares shot up 43 percent this morning, saw all the gains vanish within an hour, then finished the day up 12 percent after reporting encouraging news from a clinical trial of its … Continue reading “Trubion Shares Leap, Drop, Leap Again After Encouraging Clinical Trial News”

ZymoGenetics Drug Trial Halted Because of Infection Risk

ZymoGenetics has some bad news out this morning on its atacicept drug candidate. The Seattle biotech company said its partner, Germany-based Merck KGaA, halted a final-stage clinical trial of the drug for 200 patients with lupus of the kidneys because it posed a high risk of severe infections. ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) made the disclosure this … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Drug Trial Halted Because of Infection Risk”

MarketOutsider Tells Investors Who’s Up, Who’s Down in the Media

When I first met Bryce Baril in June, he was a winning contestant in Seattle LivePitch, an event in which local entrepreneurs pitch their startups in two minutes. For the past four months, Baril has been holed up with his company, MarketOutsider, quietly working away on a software prototype—a “robotic financial analyst” that could potentially … Continue reading “MarketOutsider Tells Investors Who’s Up, Who’s Down in the Media”

S3 Aspires To Get Biologists Thinking Outside the Styrofoam Box

Anytime a biologist needs a shipment of something that must be kept cold, like a blood sample or biotech drug, it comes in a polystyrene (Styrofoam) box. Usually from the East Coast. Usually two or three days after the order was placed. This all strikes Mickey Blake as pretty wasteful and inefficient. So she’s starting … Continue reading “S3 Aspires To Get Biologists Thinking Outside the Styrofoam Box”

Spiration Wins FDA Approval With Device for Lung Disease

Nine years after its founding, Spiration has gotten its first product cleared by the FDA for sale in the U.S. The Redmond, WA-based medical device maker said U.S. regulators approved its device for patients who suffer from prolonged air leaks after surgery to remove a diseased part of their lungs. This is the first time … Continue reading “Spiration Wins FDA Approval With Device for Lung Disease”

Welcome to Seattle, Al Gore—Can UW Startups Get Some VC Love?

Back in August, Luke sat down with the University of Washington’s incoming Vice Provost for Technology Transfer, Linden Rhoads. The serial tech entrepreneur talked about taking charge of the university’s tech transfer office, and how one of her top priorities was to meet with venture capitalists in the Northwest and in the San Francisco Bay … Continue reading “Welcome to Seattle, Al Gore—Can UW Startups Get Some VC Love?”

The Encyclopedia of Life: Can You Build A Wikipedia for Biology Without the Weirdos, Windbags, and Whoppers?

After 16 months in business, Xconomy has published about 3,400 pages of articles. At this pace, we’ll get to 1.8 million pages in about 700 years. But the Encyclopedia of Life—a new scientific and educational website that will have one page for every species on the planet—intends to hit that number in just 10 years. … Continue reading “The Encyclopedia of Life: Can You Build A Wikipedia for Biology Without the Weirdos, Windbags, and Whoppers?”

Seattle Needs to Stick to its Vision for Global Health, Recession or Not, Says Sen. Murray

Sen. Patty Murray is one of seven kids. While growing up, her dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. It was hard for him to support a family, so Murray’s mother went on food stamps for a time. But no matter how rough times got, the family had a goal that all seven kids would graduate … Continue reading “Seattle Needs to Stick to its Vision for Global Health, Recession or Not, Says Sen. Murray”

Merck Shutdown of Rosetta is Seattle’s Loss, Boston’s Gain As Company Tries to Lure Key Researchers East

Merck is saying goodbye to Seattle, and it’s really trying to entice its people to say hello to Beantown. Following up on Wednesday’s announcement that the Pharma giant is shutting down its Rosetta Inpharmatics research facility here in Seattle, yesterday I got the scoop on what’s happening from Douglas Bassett, Merck’s executive director of molecular … Continue reading “Merck Shutdown of Rosetta is Seattle’s Loss, Boston’s Gain As Company Tries to Lure Key Researchers East”

Investors Talk Biofuels Winners, Latecomers to the Party, and $100 Billion Dollar Companies at Algae Biomass Summit

Algae-based biofuels are the topic du jour. And why not—the prospect of using pond scum to power 21st-century transportation and replace crude oil is pretty appealing. So one of the highlights from the Algae Biomass Summit in Seattle yesterday, besides the keynote by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, was a panel of prominent VCs discussing the … Continue reading “Investors Talk Biofuels Winners, Latecomers to the Party, and $100 Billion Dollar Companies at Algae Biomass Summit”

Vinod Khosla Speaks at Seattle’s Algae Biomass Summit

This afternoon, I’ve been attending the second annual Algae Biomass Summit at the Bell Harbor Conference Center down by the waterfront in Seattle. This year’s conference has drawn 600 participants—who knew the algae community was this big already? Here at Xconomy, we’ve covered some algae biofuel startups with local connections, including AXI out of the … Continue reading “Vinod Khosla Speaks at Seattle’s Algae Biomass Summit”

Getty Images Buys Jupitermedia’s Online Photo Biz for $96M

It’s one of the biggest acquisitions of the year in the Northwest. Getty Images, the Seattle-based creator and distributor of online photos and video, is buying New York-based Jupitermedia’s online images business. The acquisition of Jupiterimages is worth $96 million in cash, and will help Jupitermedia pay off its bank debt, according to a statement … Continue reading “Getty Images Buys Jupitermedia’s Online Photo Biz for $96M”

Gilead Signs Lease to Grow in Seattle, Despite Aztreonam Delay

Gilead Sciences is going ahead with growth plans in Seattle. The Foster City, CA-based biotech company, which bought Seattle-based Corus Pharma two years ago, has signed a long-term lease on 106,000 square feet at 199 E. Blaine St., according to The Seattle Times. The building, being leased by Alexandria Real Estate Equities in South Lake … Continue reading “Gilead Signs Lease to Grow in Seattle, Despite Aztreonam Delay”

ZymoGenetics Gets $21M From Bristol-Myers To Settle Patent Suit

ZymoGenetics said today it has agreed to accept a $21 million lump sum payment from Bristol-Myers Squibb to settle a patent dispute between the companies over Ig fusion proteins, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) said it dropped its patent lawsuit against the company, originally … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics Gets $21M From Bristol-Myers To Settle Patent Suit”

Merck Bails on Seattle, Gates Foundation Backs Far-Out Ideas, Zymo Drug Shows Promise & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

Seattle biotech took an uppercut on the chin this week, as Merck bailed out on the region seven years after it established the first Big Pharma beachhead in the Northwest. Since pharma companies like this play critical roles in providing stability to biotech scene, there’s no other way to slice this than to call it … Continue reading “Merck Bails on Seattle, Gates Foundation Backs Far-Out Ideas, Zymo Drug Shows Promise & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Why Wetpaint Went from Wikis to Social Publishing—the Next Step in Social Networks

Back in the summertime, we did a short piece about Wetpaint, the Seattle-based Web startup that had just surpassed its 1-millionth-consumer-wiki milestone. Wetpaint is one of the more heralded tech startups in the Northwest, backed to the tune of $40 million in venture capital—including, most recently, a $25 million round led by DAG Ventures in … Continue reading “Why Wetpaint Went from Wikis to Social Publishing—the Next Step in Social Networks”

Vulcan’s Healey “Disappointed” in Merck Shutdown, But Says Other Tenants May Fill Void

Vulcan’s Ada Healey got a rude awakening this morning with news on the wires that Merck, one of her company’s main tenants in South Lake Union, is shutting down its Seattle research center to cut costs. Regardless, she says Paul Allen’s real estate portfolio isn’t going to take a serious hit in the neighborhood, and … Continue reading “Vulcan’s Healey “Disappointed” in Merck Shutdown, But Says Other Tenants May Fill Void”

Merck Closing Seattle’s Rosetta Research Center, Cutting 300 Jobs

Merck is leaving Seattle, and cutting 300 local jobs. The Whitehouse Station, NJ-based drug giant said today in its third-quarter earnings report that it is shutting down its Rosetta Inpharmatics research site in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood as part of a global cost-cutting plan to eliminate 7,200 jobs and save as much as $4.2 … Continue reading “Merck Closing Seattle’s Rosetta Research Center, Cutting 300 Jobs”

Puget Sound Business Journal Launches TechFlash Site with Cook, Bishop

Where are John and Todd? A month after Luke reported that venerable Seattle tech reporters John Cook and Todd Bishop left the Seattle P-I for new roles at the Puget Sound Business Journal, they have officially surfaced today at a new website, called TechFlash. Billed as “Seattle’s technology news source,” TechFlash will offer breaking news … Continue reading “Puget Sound Business Journal Launches TechFlash Site with Cook, Bishop”

Amazon Buys Reflexive Entertainment, Looks to Distribute Casual Games

It looks like Amazon is getting more serious about gaming. As we reported in July, the Seattle Internet retail giant backs Atomic Moguls, a Seattle-based social-network gaming firm. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is also an investor in Palo Alto, CA-based Social Gaming Network. But now, earlier this week, Reflexive Entertainment, a developer and … Continue reading “Amazon Buys Reflexive Entertainment, Looks to Distribute Casual Games”

Gates Foundation Invests in 104 “Untried, Unproven” Ideas for Global Health

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is doling out smaller chunks of cash to spur bigger thinking. The world’s largest private foundation is announcing today it is awarding 104 grants to scientists—at $100,000 apiece—to support off-the-wall ideas that have potential to shake up the conventional wisdom in global health. The Seattle-based foundation hopes to pump … Continue reading “Gates Foundation Invests in 104 “Untried, Unproven” Ideas for Global Health”

ZymoGenetics’ Kidney Cancer Drug, Taken with Nexavar, Shrinks Tumors in Relapsed Patients

ZymoGenetics has some minor good news coming out today. The Seattle biotech company said that a study showed its genetically-engineered protein drug, IL-21, was able to help shrink and stabilize kidney tumors in combination with another targeted drug, even in patients whose disease relapsed after prior therapy. The preliminary results show that three of 18 … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics’ Kidney Cancer Drug, Taken with Nexavar, Shrinks Tumors in Relapsed Patients”

Frontiers of Research on Infectious Diseases

National Academy Member Dr. Guy Palmer of Washington State University and University of Washington Professor Sam Miller, Director of the Northwest Regional Center for Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, will show examples of how innovative technology can help us better understand the complexities of infectious disease and how many such diseases arise … Continue reading “Frontiers of Research on Infectious Diseases”

Diabetes Research: Participation Critical

The American Diabetes Association, Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association and Northwest Association for Biomedical Research invite you to be a “Research Hero.” Learn about the frontiers of diabetes research and the heroes, including volunteers in clinical trials, who are making advancements toward better treatment, better prevention, and the hope of a cure. Speakers include Paul … Continue reading “Diabetes Research: Participation Critical”

Last Day to Take the Financial Crisis Survey

Two weeks ago, the Washington Technology Industry Association launched a survey to get feedback from the tech community about the current financial crisis and its impact on businesses. Xconomy is the WTIA’s exclusive media partner for the survey, and we plan to report its findings next week. The survey is scheduled to close by the … Continue reading “Last Day to Take the Financial Crisis Survey”

Bellingham Pioneer of ‘Ultra Rice’ Wins Business Week Innovation Honor—Except They Didn’t Name Him

Duffy Cox isn’t a one-hit wonder with “Ultra Rice.” The Bellingham, WA-based inventor, who has worked to fortify rice with essential nutrients for people in developing countries, has been honored by Business Week for his work to pasteurize eggs while they’re still in the shells. Cox and his company, Bon Dente International, don’t get the … Continue reading “Bellingham Pioneer of ‘Ultra Rice’ Wins Business Week Innovation Honor—Except They Didn’t Name Him”

Tech Advice for the Next U.S. President: Seattle and Boston Leaders Weigh In

Whether it’s John McCain or Barack Obama, what should the new American president do to promote technological innovation and global competitiveness? Computerworld asked a collection of tech luminaries from around the country for their advice, and published their thoughts today. Here are contributions from three info-tech experts in Xconomy cities. Rick Rashid, senior vice president … Continue reading “Tech Advice for the Next U.S. President: Seattle and Boston Leaders Weigh In”

Earth Class Mail Raises $5.1M

Seattle-based Earth Class Mail, which digitizes paper mail and delivers it via the Internet, has announced it has raised $5.1 million in angel investment led by Keiretsu Forum. Earth Class Mail also said it has increased staffing by 35 percent in the past two quarters to keep up with demand from corporate and government customers.

Accium Biosciences, Pioneer of Particle Accelerator for Drug Development, Finds Niche

Particle accelerators are used as tools of archaeology that tell you the approximate age of King Tut. But Seattle-based Accium Biosciences has hit upon a way to use these tools to improve everyday prescription drug development. I discovered this enormous cylinder—which weighs a whopping 15 tons—on a tour last week of Swedish Medical Center’s new … Continue reading “Accium Biosciences, Pioneer of Particle Accelerator for Drug Development, Finds Niche”

Imperium Infused with $18M, Winshuttle Wins Over the French, the Top 10 Q3 Venture Deals, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

With baseball’s Fall Classic about to begin (hats off to the Tampa Bay Rays), deals in the Northwest have continued to pick up. No blockbusters in the past week, but there was decent action in tech mergers and acquisitions, as well as funding of biotech and energy companies. —Bob reported on the top 10 venture … Continue reading “Imperium Infused with $18M, Winshuttle Wins Over the French, the Top 10 Q3 Venture Deals, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Social Networks, Swedish Phone Throwing, & More at Mobile Northwest

“One banker says to the other—wait, what other banker?” says Tom Huseby. The Seattle venture capitalist and wireless guru slipped in a joke about the thinning ranks of financiers during his keynote talk at today’s second annual Mobile Northwest Conference. I had a chance to stop by and see this morning’s session at the convention … Continue reading “Social Networks, Swedish Phone Throwing, & More at Mobile Northwest”

GrapeCity Grabs Data Dynamics

GrapeCity, an international software company with U.S. headquarters in Kirkland, WA, announced it has acquired Columbus, OH-based Data Dynamics. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the transition will begin in January 2009. GrapeCity is based in Japan and partners with Microsoft to build software tools and services for businesses.

WRF Capital, With Clock Ticking on Expiring Patents, Aims to Build Sustained Venture Fund

Ron Howell’s job forces him to think a lot about the year 2014. Howell, the CEO of the Washington Research Foundation, has no other choice, because that’s the year when the patents run out on an invention that has been his organization’s primary source of cash since the 1980s. It’s a big reason why he’s … Continue reading “WRF Capital, With Clock Ticking on Expiring Patents, Aims to Build Sustained Venture Fund”

Top 10 Q3 Venture Deals in the Northwest

The third quarter saw a pretty significant decline in Northwest venture deals, as Greg reported on Saturday. But still some big ones were landed—starting with one of the biggest in the nation: Big Fish Games. The Seattle maker of casual and online games (a 2002 spinoff from RealNetworks) took in a whopping $83.3 million, more … Continue reading “Top 10 Q3 Venture Deals in the Northwest”

The Lights Are Still On (Think Energy and Biotech Investments), but the Party’s Over for Many U.S. Venture Deals

The venture-capital numbers for the U.S. are out for the third quarter of 2008, and they don’t quite reflect the turmoil in the broader financial markets—at least not yet. Total venture investment in U.S. companies in Q3 amounted to $7.1 billion in 907 deals, which is down 7 percent from the second quarter of this … Continue reading “The Lights Are Still On (Think Energy and Biotech Investments), but the Party’s Over for Many U.S. Venture Deals”

Real-Estate Startups Reeling as Zillow Lays Off a Quarter of Its Staff

Bad news comes in threes. (Or let’s hope it’s only in threes.) After this week’s layoffs at Seattle-based Redfin and Portland, OR-based Jive Software, Seattle real estate firm Zillow today announced it has cut 25 percent of its staff. Last month, Zillow’s CFO Spencer Rascoff said the company had 150 employees. That would mean the … Continue reading “Real-Estate Startups Reeling as Zillow Lays Off a Quarter of Its Staff”

Allozyne Advances Toward Clinic, Sonosite Boots CFO, Leroy Hood’s Common Thread With Tupac, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

It was a volatile week in the stock market, and as usual, in Seattle biotechnology. We got insights into an expansion of a biotech drug factory, the advance of a potentially important new drug for multiple sclerosis, and a warning that cuts are coming at Arch Venture Partners’ portfolio companies. Here are some of the … Continue reading “Allozyne Advances Toward Clinic, Sonosite Boots CFO, Leroy Hood’s Common Thread With Tupac, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

SolarWorld Opens Huge Factory in Oregon, Wants to Lead the World in Photovoltaics

Today marks the opening of what will be North America’s largest solar-cell manufacturing plant. And it’s right here in the Northwest. SolarWorld, based in Bonn, Germany, is launching a new solar facility in Hillsboro, OR. On the docket this morning is a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the sprawling, 480,000 square-foot facility. Expected to … Continue reading “SolarWorld Opens Huge Factory in Oregon, Wants to Lead the World in Photovoltaics”

Is Brown the New Green? Why Boston’s Ugly, Expensive Macallen Condos Shouldn’t Be a Model For Green Buildings

Along West 4th Street in Boston, just past I-93 and the MBTA train yard, there’s a big brown apartment building with an odd sloping roof. I live about a mile away, and I’ve gone past this building several times on walks and bike rides without thinking much about it, except that it’s unattractive in an … Continue reading “Is Brown the New Green? Why Boston’s Ugly, Expensive Macallen Condos Shouldn’t Be a Model For Green Buildings”