Last week I wrote a story about Highland Capital Partners’ all-out 20th anniversary bash here in Boston entitled, What Financial Crisis? The same title might be fitting for a piece about the data on private equity fundraising that was released today. Buoyed by a strong third quarter, private equity firms—including venture firms like Highland—are on … Continue reading “U.S. Private Equity Firms On Pace For Record Fundraising Year through Q3: But Does Anyone Think It Will Last?”
Category: Seattle
Jeff Bezos Helps You Find a Doc, Oberon Goes to China, Imperium Gets Investment, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Heading into the baseball battles of October (go Red Sox), the dealflow is really picking up. In the past week, the Northwest has seen deals in gaming, mobile software, healthcare, genomics, and biofuels. —Oberon Media, a maker of casual games and gaming platforms that is based in New York but has a publishing arm in … Continue reading “Jeff Bezos Helps You Find a Doc, Oberon Goes to China, Imperium Gets Investment, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
OVP, Enterprise Partners See Big Opportunity in $5,000 Human Genome Sequencing
It’s getting cheaper by the day to sequence the entire string of 6 billion chemical units of DNA that make up an individual human being. Yesterday, Complete Genomics of Mountain View, CA unveiled plans for what amounts to a democratization of genomics. It will offer a service to sequence full human genomes for just $5,000, … Continue reading “OVP, Enterprise Partners See Big Opportunity in $5,000 Human Genome Sequencing”
A Clear Choice on Science, Technology, and Innovation
Washington’s economy is one of the most technology-intensive in the nation. Software. Precision agriculture. Aerospace. Biomedicine. E-tailing. New media. Alternative energy. Public and private research institutions. Even narrowly defined, the technology sector is responsible, directly or indirectly, for nearly 50 percent of the jobs in Washington. East to west, north to south, we are driven … Continue reading “A Clear Choice on Science, Technology, and Innovation”
Pacific Northwest Center for Neural Engineering Workshop
The Pacific Northwest Center for Neural Engineering, an interdisciplinary center at the University of Washington, is hosting a workshop for researchers Oct. 9 to 11 at the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA. The aim of the group is to “address the most pertinent issues facing the neural engineering field as well as brainstorming sessions to … Continue reading “Pacific Northwest Center for Neural Engineering Workshop”
Oberon, Maker of Casual Games and Platforms, Scores $20M Investment, Chinese Partnership
Things are really heating up in the casual games business. Today, Hong Kong-based Infinity Equity announced it has invested $20 million in Oberon Media, a major developer of casual games and gaming platforms. Oberon is based in New York, but has a publishing office in Seattle called I-Play. The news comes on the heels of … Continue reading “Oberon, Maker of Casual Games and Platforms, Scores $20M Investment, Chinese Partnership”
TriQuint Wins $4.5M Navy Contract
Hillsboro, OR-based TriQuint Semiconductor has announced it has won a 21-month, $4.5 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to manufacture high-power, high-frequency gallium arsenide amplifiers. The technology is used in radar, electronic warfare, and communications applications. TriQuint (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TQNT]]) is a maker of integrated circuits for communications, defense, and aerospace.
Washington and Oregon Could Lead the U.S. in Cleantech Under New Policies, Report Says
The Pacific Northwest could potentially be the first region in the United States to achieve 75 percent of its electricity supply from carbon-free sources like hydropower and renewables. But that will require a dedicated new effort in cleantech policy and investment which, if successful, could create 41,000 to 63,000 new jobs in Washington and Oregon … Continue reading “Washington and Oregon Could Lead the U.S. in Cleantech Under New Policies, Report Says”
Cooley Godward Snaps Up Heller Ehrman Refugees in Seattle
Cooley Godward Kronish, a national law firm, is opening an office in Seattle five years after it left the region in the wake of the dot-com bust. The new Cooley office will have four partners it has picked up after Heller Ehrman recently closed its doors, and will be led by corporate partner John Robertson, … Continue reading “Cooley Godward Snaps Up Heller Ehrman Refugees in Seattle”
ISB, Complete Genomics Form Partnership To Sequence Multiple Human Genomes
The Institute for Systems Biology and Complete Genomics, a Mountain View, CA-based maker of DNA sequencing technology, have formed a partnership to sequence the genomes of 100 people in 2009 and another 2,000 in 2010. Complete Genomics, founded in 2006, said in a separate release that it will be the first company to sequence complete … Continue reading “ISB, Complete Genomics Form Partnership To Sequence Multiple Human Genomes”
Dendreon Stock Booms As Provenge Shows Promise in Pivotal Trial
Dendreon’s stock rocketed up 33 percent today on good news for its Provenge treatment for prostate cancer. The Seattle biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today that an independent board of trial monitors reported that patients on Provenge have a 20 percent lower risk of death than those on a placebo in an ongoing trial of … Continue reading “Dendreon Stock Booms As Provenge Shows Promise in Pivotal Trial”
San Diego 92037
If it seems as if San Diego sprang to sudden prominence as a global capital for innovation, at least part of the explanation can be found atop the oceanside bluff known as Torrey Pines Mesa. This perch has one of the most prestigious zip codes in the world, 92037, used by the Burnham Institute for … Continue reading “San Diego 92037”
Xconomy Launches in San Diego—One of the World’s Great Innovation Clusters
Just over three months ago, Xconomy took its model of hyperlocal coverage of key innovation clusters—which we launched here in Boston in June 2007—to Seattle. This morning, I am pleased to announce, marks the official debut of Xconomy San Diego. The editor of Xconomy San Diego is Bruce Bigelow, an award-winning business and technology journalist … Continue reading “Xconomy Launches in San Diego—One of the World’s Great Innovation Clusters”
Tips from a Biotech Pioneer: Leroy Hood Reflects on His Career, and Offers Some Advice
I leave students (and even some of my colleagues) with several pieces of advice. First, I stress the importance of a good cross-disciplinary education. Ideally, I suggest a double major with the two fields being orthogonal-say, biology with computer science or applied physics. Some argue that there is insufficient time to learn two fields deeply … Continue reading “Tips from a Biotech Pioneer: Leroy Hood Reflects on His Career, and Offers Some Advice”
RealNetworks Could Be in Real Trouble Over DVD Lawsuit—Consumers Beware
[Addendum, 10/6/08: RealDVD has been offline as of this weekend—the result of a restraining order requested by the Hollywood studios and granted by a federal judge. The RealDVD site says, “Due to recent legal action taken by the Hollywood movie studios against us, RealDVD is temporarily unavailable. Rest assured, we will continue to work diligently … Continue reading “RealNetworks Could Be in Real Trouble Over DVD Lawsuit—Consumers Beware”
Amazon’s Werner Vogels, Speaker in UW Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series
Amazon’s Werner Vogels is the featured speaker at the University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering department’s Distinguished Lecture Series on Nov. 18. Vogels’ talk is titled “A Head in the Cloud. The Power of Infrastructure as a Service.” For more information or to register, click here.
Intel’s David Ditzel, Featured Speaker at UW Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series
Intel’s David Ditzel is the featured speaker at the University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering department’s Distinguished Lecture Series on Oct. 28. Ditzel’s talk is titled, “A 25-year perspective on binary translation, what worked, what didn’t.” For more information and to register, click here.
Google’s Vint Cerf, Featured Speaker at UW Computer Science Distinguished Lecturer Series
Google’s Vint Cerf, the company’s chief Internet evangelist, will be the featured speaker at the University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering department’s Distinguished Lecturer Series on Oct. 14. Cerf’s talk is titled “Internet Evolution and Some Challenges for the Early 21st Century.” For more information, click here.
Google’s Jeff Dean, Featured Speaker at UW Computer Science Distinguished Lecturer Series
Google’s Jeffrey Dean, the co-inventor of MapReduce, will be the featured speaker at the University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering’s Distinguished Lecturer Series on Oct. 7. Dean’s talk will concentrate on “Research Challenges Inspired by Large Scale Computing at Google.” The talk will be videotaped for UWTV and be broadcast live on the Internet. … Continue reading “Google’s Jeff Dean, Featured Speaker at UW Computer Science Distinguished Lecturer Series”
UW Computer Science & Engineering Industry Affiliates Meeting
The University of Washington’s Computer Science & Engineering department is holding its annual industry affiliates meeting on Oct. 23, with the following day for student recruiting. The event is a sort of “gong show” highlighting research at the school, says Xconomist Ed Lazowska, the Bill & Melinda Gates chair of the department. Major tech companies … Continue reading “UW Computer Science & Engineering Industry Affiliates Meeting”
NeuroCom Bought for $18M
Natus Medical, a San Carlos, CA-based healthcare company that makes screening and diagnostic tools, announced it is acquiring Clackamas, OR-based NeuroCom International for $18 million. NeuroCom, which was founded in 1984, makes computerized tools for assessing and rehabilitating patients with balance and mobility disorders.
Imperium Renewables Gets New Investment to Settle Debts, Regain Footing
Back in August, we wrote about the ongoing struggles of Imperium Renewables, the Seattle-based biodiesel fuel producer that canceled its $345 million IPO, went through several rounds of layoffs, and lost a key contract with Royal Caribbean. Today, Imperium announced a recapitalization involving its existing investors. The majority of the new investment (the value and … Continue reading “Imperium Renewables Gets New Investment to Settle Debts, Regain Footing”
Microsoft’s Craig Mundie on U.S. Broadband Efforts
Microsoft’s chief strategic thinker, Craig Mundie, believes the United States’ situation with broadband access represents a “total policy failure.” In an interview with the Washington Post, Mundie decries the fact that, by some measures, the U.S. ranks 14th in the world when it comes to rolling out broadband Internet service. He says Internet access in … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Craig Mundie on U.S. Broadband Efforts”
Dexterra Raises $21.5 Million, Affirms Growing Market for Mobile Business Software
It’s one of the bigger tech funding rounds as of late. And, not too surprisingly, it’s in the mobile sector. Bothell, WA-based Dexterra, a maker of software that helps businesses manage mobile workflow, has announced it has closed a $21.5 million investment round led by New Enterprise Associates, with previous investors Canaan Partners, Intel Capital, … Continue reading “Dexterra Raises $21.5 Million, Affirms Growing Market for Mobile Business Software”
Acucela Cuts Staff, Shifting Focus to Development of Eye Disease Drugs
Acucela’s good news wasn’t so good for everybody. Less than a month after it struck a lucrative new partnership with Tokyo-based Otsuka Pharmaceutical to co-develop drugs for eye diseases, the Bothell, WA-based biotech company has cut almost a third of its staff. Acucela cut loose “fewer than 10 employees” from its payroll, out of a … Continue reading “Acucela Cuts Staff, Shifting Focus to Development of Eye Disease Drugs”
Nathan Myhrvold & Co. on Tour as Intellectual Ventures Opens Offices Across Asia
When I visited Nathan Myhrvold in the summertime, he lamented that he wasn’t able to attend the Olympics in Beijing (though he did provide some insight into the physics of ping-pong matches). But this week and next, Myhrvold is taking a grander tour of Asia, as his Bellevue, WA-based invention company, Intellectual Ventures, opens a … Continue reading “Nathan Myhrvold & Co. on Tour as Intellectual Ventures Opens Offices Across Asia”
Four Ways Amazon Could Make Kindle 2.0 a Best Seller
[Addendum, 10/4/08: Boy Genius Report has published pictures from a reader who obtained a Kindle 2. It’s unclear so far which, if any, of the features described in my article below, published 10/3, are included.] I wanted to love the Amazon Kindle. I’ve been a believer in the future of e-books ever since the late … Continue reading “Four Ways Amazon Could Make Kindle 2.0 a Best Seller”
Imperium Renewables Receives New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4ec1fc5c-b4b9-4ca1-b747-15adbb855dc9&Preview=1 Date 10/3/2008 Company Name Imperium Renewables Mailing Address 1741 First Avenue South., Third Floor Seattle, WA 98134 Company Description Imperium Renewables Inc. (IRI) is a national leader in next generation biodiesel refining and manufacturing technology. IRI is a technology driven producer and provider of biodiesel. Website http://www.imperiumrenewables.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Imperium Renewables Receives New Financing”
Dexterra Inc. Receives $21,500,000 Series F Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=686f4c4d-1113-419f-b6d0-9696fcbd9659&Preview=1 Date 10/3/2008 Company Name Dexterra Inc. Mailing Address 21540 30th Dr SE Bothell, WA 98021 Company Description Dexterra offers the leading mobile platform available today, Dexterra ConcertTM, to enterprises across the globe in industries such as manufacturing, transportation, real estate, utilities, IT consulting, government, facilities management and consumer packaged goods. Website … Continue reading “Dexterra Inc. Receives $21,500,000 Series F Financing”
Microsoft Opening Three-Headed Search Technology Center in Europe to Challenge Google
When corporate R&D rains, it pours. On the heels of Intel Research Seattle’s annual open house, an even bigger tech giant across Lake Washington is stirring up some serious action across the pond. Microsoft announced today it is opening a European Search Technology Center, with three main offices in the Paris, London, and Munich areas. … Continue reading “Microsoft Opening Three-Headed Search Technology Center in Europe to Challenge Google”
Digini Discloses Funding Round, Release Date
Issaquah, WA-based Digini, a maker of video-game development tools, announced it has closed an institutional investment from California Technology Ventures, a venture capital fund. The amount was not disclosed. Digini also announced it is releasing Blade3D, a tool for developing Windows and Xbox 360 games, on October 29.
Personal Robots, Home Sensing, Private Networks, and More from Intel Research Seattle’s Open House
Want wireless power? Better network privacy? Automated elder care? You’ve come to the right place. That place is the 2008 Intel Research Seattle open house, which I had the opportunity to attend yesterday afternoon. I had gotten a sneak preview the day before from lab director David Wetherall, and just before hitting the demos, I … Continue reading “Personal Robots, Home Sensing, Private Networks, and More from Intel Research Seattle’s Open House”
Cell Therapeutics Applies for FDA Approval of Zevalin as First-Line Therapy
Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) said today it has applied to the FDA for expanded usage of Zevalin. The drug is currently approved for relapsed forms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the new application, if approved, would allow sale for patients getting first-line treatment. Results from a 414-patient clinical trial of Zevalin in first-line patients showed it … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Applies for FDA Approval of Zevalin as First-Line Therapy”
Intel’s Global Research Head, Andrew Chien, Sizes Up the State of West Coast Innovation
My last memory of Andrew Chien might be wrestling with him on the living room floor circa 1981. Growing up in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, his family and mine were friends. Chien grew up to be a professor of computer science at his hometown University of Illinois, then a professor of computer science and engineering at the … Continue reading “Intel’s Global Research Head, Andrew Chien, Sizes Up the State of West Coast Innovation”
ZymoGenetics “Sleeper” Wakes Up, Leroy Hood Unveils New Company, CMC Icos Expands, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Quote of the week in Seattle life sciences goes to Xconomist Clay Siegall: “For biotechnology, it sometimes feels as if we are always in a financial crisis,” he says. While the world faced the possibility of economic catastrophe, the headlines from Seattle biotech suggest it wasn’t all that unusual of a week, as companies continued … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics “Sleeper” Wakes Up, Leroy Hood Unveils New Company, CMC Icos Expands, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
RealNetworks Vs. Hollywood: Let the DVD Lawsuits Begin
Digital rights management, here we go again. First, it was the music industry. Now Seattle-based RealNetworks and Hollywood’s big movie studios are suing one another in California federal court, after yesterday’s release of RealDVD on RealNetworks’ site. The software, which costs $30, allows DVD users to make copies of their videos on their computer and … Continue reading “RealNetworks Vs. Hollywood: Let the DVD Lawsuits Begin”
Bezos Expeditions Backs ZocDoc
New York-based ZocDoc, a healthcare startup that helps you find doctors and book appointments online, announced it has expanded its Series A investors to include Jeff Bezos from Amazon.com and Marc Benioff from SalesForce.com. Financial terms were not disclosed. Last month, ZocDoc announced it had raised $3.3 million, led by Khosla Ventures.
Brain Cancer Breakthroughs Wanted: Swedish and ISB Pool Resources To Spot Disease Early
The Swedish Neuroscience Institute has pieces of brain tumors waiting to be analyzed. The Institute for Systems Biology has computing power and ambitious scientists. Now the two Seattle-based groups are pooling their efforts to see if they can make breakthroughs to detect deadly brain cancers at an earlier, and more treatable, stage. The collaboration is … Continue reading “Brain Cancer Breakthroughs Wanted: Swedish and ISB Pool Resources To Spot Disease Early”
Venture Exits Drop 66 Percent in Third Quarter: Sign of “Nuclear Winter?” To Come
When the tech boom of the 1990s began to evaporate at the end of the last millennium, a handful of VCs-turned-meteorologists predicted the climate was turning into a “nuclear winter” for many startup ventures. Well, it’s getting cold again. Exits by venture-backed companies nationwide declined 66 percent in the third quarter of 2008, according to … Continue reading “Venture Exits Drop 66 Percent in Third Quarter: Sign of “Nuclear Winter?” To Come”
Director of Intel Research Seattle Focuses on Game-Changing Technologies, Opening New Markets
On a clear day, David Wetherall can see Mount Rainier from his desk. On a clearer day, he can see the future of Intel. OK, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But Wetherall, the director of Intel Research Seattle, has certainly been charged with leading an exploratory research effort for the chip-making giant—blue-sky, “off-roadmap” … Continue reading “Director of Intel Research Seattle Focuses on Game-Changing Technologies, Opening New Markets”
Digini Lands New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a02dd90b-6990-4bdd-b3da-a4e4fa1e947c&Preview=1 Date 10/1/2008 Company Name Digini Mailing Address 5280 NW Village Park Drive Issaquah, WA 98027 Company Description Digini, a leading tools and technology company, Blade3D is the world’s first integrated 3D game development system designed for everyone from development studios, to independent developers, and hobbyist game developers to students. From its … Continue reading “Digini Lands New Funding”
Heller Ehrman Lays Off 139; Tech Law Firm Is Dissolving
There has been a lot of bad news already this week. Now Xconomy has learned that the global law firm Heller Ehrman has laid off 139 workers in its Seattle office, effective November 28, according to Washington State’s Employment Security Department. This comes on the heels of the news that the company’s partners have voted … Continue reading “Heller Ehrman Lays Off 139; Tech Law Firm Is Dissolving”
What Does the Financial Crisis Mean for Innovation? Xconomists Weigh In
Yesterday was a dark day on Wall Street, and, according to many observers, a dark day for our political system. But what does the financial crisis mean for innovation, and what are the key things that investors, entrepreneurs, and big companies should do or not do during such an upheaval? Xconomy asked this question of … Continue reading “What Does the Financial Crisis Mean for Innovation? Xconomists Weigh In”
Seattle Genetics Hires Waller To Lead Regulatory Affairs, as SGN-35 Heads to Pivotal Trial
Seattle Genetics, the developer of targeted cancer drugs, said today it has hired Elaine Waller as senior vice president in charge of regulatory affairs. The Bothell, WA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) has some big meetings on the docket with U.S. regulators this fall, as it prepares its plan for a pivotal clinical trial of SGN-35 for … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Hires Waller To Lead Regulatory Affairs, as SGN-35 Heads to Pivotal Trial”
ZymoGenetics “Sleeper” for Hepatitis C Aims to Wipe Out Side Effects of Anti-Viral Therapy
Lots of people on Wall Street are hyped up about new treatments for hepatitis C from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Schering-Plough. But a little-known drug in development from Seattle-based ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) could steal a bit of thunder, and possibly ride the wave of enthusiasm those companies are creating among doctors and patients. Hepatitis C, a … Continue reading “ZymoGenetics “Sleeper” for Hepatitis C Aims to Wipe Out Side Effects of Anti-Viral Therapy”
Amazon Teams Up With Google, MOD Systems Scores $35M, RescueTime Raises Series A, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
Coming off a turbulent week in the financial markets, there were still plenty of deals getting done in Seattle with software, digital media, and biotechnology companies. —Amazon’s MP3 music store will be pre-loaded onto the G1, the first mobile phone to run Google’s Android operating system. The deal is being viewed as a push by … Continue reading “Amazon Teams Up With Google, MOD Systems Scores $35M, RescueTime Raises Series A, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Second Avenue Partners’ Keith Grinstein Dies at Age 48
Xconomy is sad to report that Keith Grinstein, a major figure in the Seattle-area innovation community, passed away suddenly last night from an apparent heart attack. He was 48. Grinstein was a founding partner in Seattle-based Second Avenue Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology deals. He was also a strategic advisor … Continue reading “Second Avenue Partners’ Keith Grinstein Dies at Age 48”
CMC/Icos Beefs Up Biotech Manufacturing in Bothell
CMC/Icos Biologics is growing in Bothell. The Danish company is planning to double its workforce from 135 people, and quintuple its manufacturing capacity by mid-2010, according to this report in The Seattle Times. It’s a dose of some needed good news for the region, after Eli Lilly & Co. axed most of the 500 Icos … Continue reading “CMC/Icos Beefs Up Biotech Manufacturing in Bothell”
Voyager Capital Founders Discuss Investment Strategy, Connected Computing, and the Future of Venture Firms
Bill McAleer and Enrique Godreau remind me of an old couple. They’ve been through the ups and downs together. They’ve raised three children (OK, venture funds) in the past 10 years. They even sometimes finish each other’s sentences. And together they’ve built Voyager Capital into one of the most forward-looking venture firms in town. First, … Continue reading “Voyager Capital Founders Discuss Investment Strategy, Connected Computing, and the Future of Venture Firms”
From White Center to Stanford: Technology Access Foundation Helps Kids of Color Prepare for High-Tech Jobs
Something like 2.7 percent of the workforce at Microsoft is composed of African Americans. This under-representation is true of plenty of other technology companies, too. Lots of people complain about the disparities in education that lead to numbers like that, but Trish Millines Dziko and her colleagues at the Technology Access Foundation are doing something … Continue reading “From White Center to Stanford: Technology Access Foundation Helps Kids of Color Prepare for High-Tech Jobs”