Although the development of self-driving vehicles is well under way, there are still a lot of questions about potential safety regulations and which segment of government will oversee them. Because the federal government has so far not drafted any rules governing the testing and operation of autonomous cars, it has been left up to state … Continue reading “Will Federal Regulations Nullify State Autonomous Driving Laws?”
Category: Seattle
A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests
This story is part of an Xconomy series on artificial intelligence in healthcare. Some of the other stories cover a genomics hackathon, A.I. and radiology, and the impact on doctors and patients. In the classic 1967 film “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s just-out-of-college character gets one word of career advice from a family friend: plastics. In … Continue reading “A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests”
Civic Data Startup LiveStories, Estate App Tomorrow Ideas Raise Cash
[Corrected 7/20/17, 1:31 p.m. See below.] Here’s a look at funding news for two interesting Seattle-area technology startups this week: LiveStories raised $10 million to grow its civic data analysis and visualization business and Tomorrow Ideas raised $2.6 million to support a new estate planning app. —LiveStories, an online service for creating visualizations and analysis … Continue reading “Civic Data Startup LiveStories, Estate App Tomorrow Ideas Raise Cash”
Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future
On our new Xconomy Voices podcast, we find the smartest, most successful entrepreneurs and innovators in Xconomy’s network of cities and regions, and we ask them to open up about what they’re working on, what they’re excited about, and why they think their company, product, or idea is going to take the world by storm. … Continue reading “Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future”
Google Glass Upgrades to Business Class, With Enterprise Edition
When Ian Shakil co-founded a company in 2012 to deploy Google Glass in doctor’s offices, his team had never possessed a set of the computer-enhanced eyewear that Google debuted that year. Google wasn’t yet selling the augmented reality glasses, which were being touted as the next big thing in consumer electronics, not as business tools. … Continue reading “Google Glass Upgrades to Business Class, With Enterprise Edition”
What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)
The Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf came to San Diego recently on an unusual quest—to meet with dozens of local technology leaders and assess what the region has to offer in terms of innovation. It was Veni, Vidi, Vinti. He came. He saw. He Cerfed. The visit was unusual in part because of Cerf himself. As … Continue reading “What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)”
First Slice of Long-Term “100K” Study: Useful Data, No Health Outcomes
It’s easy to find hope that new biomedical technologies, from genetic sequencing to wearable fitness trackers, will lead to a healthier populace. It’s harder to find evidence. There has even been caution about the idea of analyzing the DNA of seemingly healthy people. But a small study in Seattle called the Pioneer 100 Wellness Project, … Continue reading “First Slice of Long-Term “100K” Study: Useful Data, No Health Outcomes”
Y Combinator Mulls New Startup App—Rating VCs on Sexual Harassment
Y Combinator, a Silicon Valley hub that incubates and funds scores of tech startups every year, is entering the fray over sexual harassment in the venture capital industry. YC has opened an online reporting mechanism that women can use to identify venture capital firm partners or executives who have pressured them for sex or groped … Continue reading “Y Combinator Mulls New Startup App—Rating VCs on Sexual Harassment”
Redfin Sets IPO Price Range, Would Raise Up to $148.6 Million
Redfin would raise up to $148.6 million in its planned initial public offering, according to an updated securities filing Monday. The Seattle-based online real estate brokerage lifted the veil on its IPO plans June 30, initially filing to raise up to $100 million. With Monday’s amended filing, the company set its proposed IPO price at … Continue reading “Redfin Sets IPO Price Range, Would Raise Up to $148.6 Million”
Amazon Alexa Accelerator Begins in Seattle With Nine Startups
Amazon and Techstars announced the nine companies selected for the Amazon Alexa Accelerator, which began its initial 13-week program in Seattle Monday. Why it matters: Seattle is already a hub of artificial intelligence research and commercialization activity at technology giants including Microsoft and Amazon, and research institutions such as the University of Washington and the … Continue reading “Amazon Alexa Accelerator Begins in Seattle With Nine Startups”
Techstars Mobility Announces 2017 Class, New Industry Partners
The Detroit-based Techstars Mobility program announces its third cohort today, and managing director Ted Serbinski says it’s the most international class yet with startups from five countries. There are also new corporate partners coming on board and additions to the accelerator’s in-house support staff, including two people who have relocated to the Motor City from … Continue reading “Techstars Mobility Announces 2017 Class, New Industry Partners”
Seattle Tech Delegation Heads to Japan, Seeking A.I. Business
Eleven Seattle-area tech companies are heading to Japan this week, carrying with them this region’s credentials in artificial intelligence in hopes of winning new business. The visit follows five meetups organized in Seattle over the last two years in which representatives of large Japanese corporations have heard pitches and discussed business deals with Northwest companies. … Continue reading “Seattle Tech Delegation Heads to Japan, Seeking A.I. Business”
Seattle Week in Review: VC Culture, Income Tax, Ayn Rand
The tech industry’s sexual harassment problem—and some potential avenues to address it—came home to Seattle this week. Meanwhile, pet services company Rover raised $65 million, A.I.’s impact on global GDP could be $15.7 trillion by 2030, and the city approved an income tax on high-earners, likely to be challenged. We’ve got more details on all … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: VC Culture, Income Tax, Ayn Rand”
Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More
Government and industry are rife with awkward acronyms. Take PDUFA, for example. First passed in 1992, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act allows the FDA to collect fees from biopharmaceutical companies when they apply for drug approval; those funds are designated for the regulator’s drug evaluation work. Congress must reauthorize the law every five years … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More”
Microsoft Paints Picture of Helpful A.I., Deployed to Benefit Humans
Microsoft laid out a higher purpose for its ongoing development of what could someday amount to a so-called general artificial intelligence: helping people and healing the planet. A flurry of announcements Wednesday touched on the business value of the suite of A.I. technologies the company is racing to develop alongside competitors including Google-parent Alphabet (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Microsoft Paints Picture of Helpful A.I., Deployed to Benefit Humans”
Unanimous Advice To FDA: Approve Landmark CAR-T Cancer Therapy
The first ever approval of a new kind of cancer immunotherapy called CAR-T is one step closer. A 10-member panel of doctors and researchers who advise the Food and Drug Administration recommended with a rare unanimous vote that the agency approve a treatment for kids and young adults with a severe form of leukemia who … Continue reading “Unanimous Advice To FDA: Approve Landmark CAR-T Cancer Therapy”
Artale Forced Out of VC Firm Ignition Partners After Misconduct Complaints
[Updated 7/13/17, 3:05 p.m. See below.] Ignition Partners, a venture capital firm based in Bellevue, WA, with offices in Los Altos, CA, announced the resignation of managing partner Frank Artale following complaints of inappropriate conduct. The firm issued a statement late Tuesday afternoon via Twitter (reproduced in full below) describing a misconduct complaint against Artale … Continue reading “Artale Forced Out of VC Firm Ignition Partners After Misconduct Complaints”
Under Silicon Valley’s Rough Turf, Tunnels of Women’s Networks Spread
[Corrected 7/11/17, 11:02 am. See below.] Revelations about gender bias and crude sexual harassment at Uber have been followed by similar claims by women against Silicon Valley venture capital investors, leaving a weary impression that the deck is almost hopelessly stacked against women in tech. But women aren’t facing these challenges alone, female entrepreneurs say—not … Continue reading “Under Silicon Valley’s Rough Turf, Tunnels of Women’s Networks Spread”
VC Investment in Seattle Companies Up 27 Percent in First Half
[Updated 7/11/17, 2:47 p.m. See below.] Seattle companies raised $803 million in venture capital during the first half of 2017, a 27 percent increase over the first six months of 2016, according to data the Venture Monitor report from Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The deal count is also up 34 … Continue reading “VC Investment in Seattle Companies Up 27 Percent in First Half”
VC “Self-Correction” Continues in Second Quarter, and Top 10 Deals
[Updated 7/12/17, 8:38 am, to add MoneyTree data. See below.] U.S. venture capital investments are showing more signs of returning to steady levels. Investors pumped $21.78 billion into 1,958 companies in the second quarter, according to data from the quarterly Venture Monitor report from Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The number … Continue reading “VC “Self-Correction” Continues in Second Quarter, and Top 10 Deals”
Before Key Meeting, FDA Stresses Risks of Novartis CAR-T Cancer Therapy
Two days before a panel of the FDA’s outside advisors grill Novartis about its groundbreaking cell therapy under review, agency staffers released their own assessment of the product, which now goes by the name tisagenlecleucel. If approved for kids and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, it would likely be the first so-called … Continue reading “Before Key Meeting, FDA Stresses Risks of Novartis CAR-T Cancer Therapy”
Seattle Week in Review: MSFT Sales Reorg, UW, Phytelligence, & More
Lots to catch up on this holiday-shortened week in Seattle tech. We’re reviewing a Microsoft sales reorganization and staff reduction; a battery-free cellphone from the University of Washington, as well as a spate of new computer science faculty hires at the Allen School; funding for agtech company Phytelligence; bike sharing in Seattle; and more. Read … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: MSFT Sales Reorg, UW, Phytelligence, & More”
Bio Roundup: BCRA Fireworks, Shkreli Muzzled, Endo Pulls Drug & More
The Fourth of July was this week, but members of Congress didn’t need to crane their necks skyward to see fireworks. Senators returned to their districts, where local news offered blistering headlines about the potential impact of the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Independence Day typically lets lawmakers mingle with constituents at … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: BCRA Fireworks, Shkreli Muzzled, Endo Pulls Drug & More”
With Triage System, Companies See Toehold for A.I. in Radiology
This story is part of an ongoing Xconomy series on A.I. in healthcare. Other stories cover big-company efforts, a genomics hackathon, the impact on doctors and patients, and business models of A.I. in healthcare. Years ago, radiology underwent a radical transformation with the shift from film to widespread use of digital image displays. That set … Continue reading “With Triage System, Companies See Toehold for A.I. in Radiology”
5 Privacy Worries on 4 Wheels: Staying Safe in the Connected Car Era
As modern vehicles are upgraded to include Internet-enabled technologies designed to access, store, and transmit data for entertainment and safety purposes, consumers are presented with a double-edged sword. On one hand, these connected systems provide important convenience benefits for consumers, but on the flip side, motor vehicles are being exposed to a growing number of … Continue reading “5 Privacy Worries on 4 Wheels: Staying Safe in the Connected Car Era”
Baidu Acquires Seattle Natural Language Startup KITT.AI
KITT.AI, a startup spun out of the Seattle-based Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in 2015 and backed by investors including Amazon’s Alexa Fund, has been acquired by Chinese technology giant Baidu. KITT.AI makes technology to enable voice interaction with digital devices and services, including a platform that allows people to “wake up” devices with a … Continue reading “Baidu Acquires Seattle Natural Language Startup KITT.AI”
A.I., Uber & What’s Next in Tech: Q&A With Kayak Founder Paul English
Technology can’t solve every problem. Sometimes engineers overlook human-driven solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. That was one of the takeaways from my chat with Paul English at Xconomy’s recent business conference, IMPACT, held at the Museum of Science in Boston. The serial entrepreneur is best known as the co-founder and former chief technology officer … Continue reading “A.I., Uber & What’s Next in Tech: Q&A With Kayak Founder Paul English”
What’s the Business Model for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare?
This story is part of an ongoing Xconomy series on A.I. in healthcare. Other stories cover big-company efforts, a genomics hackathon, and the impact on doctors and patients. These are heady times for using artificial intelligence to extract insights from healthcare data—in particular, from the tidal wave of information coming out of fields like genomics … Continue reading “What’s the Business Model for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare?”
Redfin Files for IPO, Discloses ‘Redfin Now’ Home Flipping Business
Seattle-based online real estate brokerage Redfin is filing to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering. The offering paperwork filed Friday afternoon by the 15-year-old company also revealed a new business it has quietly been testing called Redfin Now, which began purchasing properties earlier this year with the intent to refurbish and … Continue reading “Redfin Files for IPO, Discloses ‘Redfin Now’ Home Flipping Business”
Seattle Week in Review: State Budget, Startup Funding, Asteroid Day
The clock ticks toward midnight and the deadline for the state of Washington to pass a two-year budget or face a government shutdown. Lawmakers just released the 600-odd page, $43.7 billion budget for public review Friday morning. It was negotiated secretly. Some of the headlines include a 13.5 percent spending increase, and a $7.3 billion … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: State Budget, Startup Funding, Asteroid Day”
Bio Roundup: Senate Drama, A.I. Stories, Data Dives, Shkreli & More
There is no Obamacare replacement, at least not as of this writing. The Senate Republicans are fractured, with a handful of conservatives and moderates each giving a cold shoulder to their chamber’s version of healthcare reform, the Better Care Reconciliation Act. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office report Monday put the bill’s potential effects in stark … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Senate Drama, A.I. Stories, Data Dives, Shkreli & More”
As Big Pharma Flocks to Science Exchange, Norwest Leads $28M Funding
Some biology PhD’s become entrepreneurs because there are only so many posts around for university professors. But Elizabeth Iorns had scored one of those coveted entry-level academic jobs, so there was a lot at stake in 2011, when she was deciding whether to give it up to launch a startup. Six years later, Iorns says … Continue reading “As Big Pharma Flocks to Science Exchange, Norwest Leads $28M Funding”
Make.TV Enables Professional Live Video Production in the Cloud
Anyone with a smartphone can do a form of live video broadcasting on social media. Anyone with a drone can rig up a version of their own news chopper. But as live, amateur video proliferates, professional broadcasters need to both distinguish their content with higher production values, and incorporate the myriad video streams washing over the … Continue reading “Make.TV Enables Professional Live Video Production in the Cloud”
Cleantech Startups Aim to Mitigate, Use, and Adapt to Increasing CO2
It can be hard to wrap your mind around the scale of change necessary to restore the Earth’s climate trajectory to one that will restore conditions resembling those in which modern civilization blossomed. It requires nothing short of “a movement to unmake and rebuild the world we were born into,” in the words of futurist and … Continue reading “Cleantech Startups Aim to Mitigate, Use, and Adapt to Increasing CO2”
New Study: DNA Tests For Healthy People Have “Uncertain Value”
Genome sequencing is becoming more common for people diagnosed with cancer. Should it become part of a healthy person’s checkup, too? A new study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine questions the practicality of making DNA tests standard for people who don’t have a cancer diagnosis or aren’t trying to identify a mysterious … Continue reading “New Study: DNA Tests For Healthy People Have “Uncertain Value””
U.S. IPOs Surge Amid Nettlesome Risks; Top 10 Deals So Far in 2017
[Updated 6/27/17 5:00 pm. See below.] Improving economic fundamentals are stoking the IPO pipeline in the United States and elsewhere, according to a report issued Tuesday by the global consultant and accounting firm EY. Eighty companies raised a total of $22 billion on U.S. exchanges during the first half of 2017, according to the report … Continue reading “U.S. IPOs Surge Amid Nettlesome Risks; Top 10 Deals So Far in 2017”
Alder Drug Cuts Down Migraines in Study, But Still Trails Rivals
Alder BioPharmaceutical’s migraine drug successfully reduced the frequency of headaches in a key clinical trial, early results that the biotech says lay the groundwork for its plans to file for FDA approval next year. Bothell, WA-based Alder (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALDR]]) has been studying its drug eptinezumab in patients who have episodic migraine, defined as experiencing between … Continue reading “Alder Drug Cuts Down Migraines in Study, But Still Trails Rivals”
Fixing Uber: An Open Letter to the Next CEO
For starters, trust that my motives come from a good place. To date I have given such advice to only three CEOs—Ivan Seidenberg when he was CEO of Verizon, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and most recently, your predecessor. Not sure they ever read any of it but I do this when I get deeply inspired, … Continue reading “Fixing Uber: An Open Letter to the Next CEO”
What’s Hot in Cancer Immunotherapy 2017: The Photos
Xconomy’s cancer immunotherapy event on June 14th in Seattle brought a packed house to The Pelton Auditorium on the campus of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Attendees heard top executives, physicians, researchers, investors and entrepreneurs discuss the different types of immunotherapy in development, their successes, and the challenges in each part of the field. … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Cancer Immunotherapy 2017: The Photos”
Boston Is Arguably the Heart of Biotech. But Who Makes It So? Have Your Say.
By the end of this year, for the first time, patients with certain deadly types of blood cancer might have a new option, CAR-T cell therapy, to prolong their life. Immunotherapy could further entrench itself as a mainstay of cancer treatment. Newer drugmaking methods—RNA interference and gene therapy—could get their first ever FDA reviews. Multiple … Continue reading “Boston Is Arguably the Heart of Biotech. But Who Makes It So? Have Your Say.”
GE, IBM Race to Deliver on A.I. Hype in Healthcare
This story is part of an ongoing series on A.I. in healthcare. A companion piece today looks at the question of when A.I. might replace doctors. Artificial intelligence has a long road ahead to reach the front lines of healthcare—but it’s coming. Big companies and startup investors are pouring billions of dollars into A.I. technologies for … Continue reading “GE, IBM Race to Deliver on A.I. Hype in Healthcare”
Seattle Week in Review: Disneyland, the Appiest Place on Earth
Xconomy Seattle was in Disneyland most of this week, where the operative question, voiced by one of the thousands of other kindred spirits hiking through the hot, crowded streets of Adventureland Thursday afternoon was, “What are all these people waiting for?” More on that below—including a gripe about the princess industrial complex. But first a … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Disneyland, the Appiest Place on Earth”
Bio Roundup: Senate Trumpcare, FDA On Cancer, Alzheimer Review & More
All eyes are on the nation’s capital this week, where the Senate released its version of the American Health Care Act (now called the Better Care Reconciliation Act) and the White House worked on an executive order to address drug prices. No one knows how to pay for high-priced medicines that could bring long-term relief … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Senate Trumpcare, FDA On Cancer, Alzheimer Review & More”
Mary Lou Jepsen: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview
For the inaugural episode of our new podcast, Xconomy Voices, we chose to speak with Bay Area entrepreneur and executive Mary Lou Jepsen. She leads a startup called Openwater, which is developing a new kind of wearable imaging device that might one day enable communication by thoughts alone. Of course, there are nearer-term goals as … Continue reading “Mary Lou Jepsen: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview”
Introducing Xconomy Voices (Podcast), Episode 1: Mary Lou Jepsen
It’s always been Xconomy’s mission to reach audiences—both here on our website, and at our many live events around the country—with deep insights into the innovation process, divined from experts embedded in the world’s most important hubs of high-tech entrepreneurship. And now we’re doing that in one more medium: podcasting. I’m thrilled to be collaborating … Continue reading “Introducing Xconomy Voices (Podcast), Episode 1: Mary Lou Jepsen”
Madonna to Jeff Bezos: Invest Some of Your Billions in Detroit
You may have noticed that for the past couple of years, the Motor City has been busy mounting a comeback. Plenty of people are rooting for Detroit to get its groove back, including, it turns out, Madonna. Madonna is a native of metro Detroit, but her affection for the city has not been a lifelong phenomenon. … Continue reading “Madonna to Jeff Bezos: Invest Some of Your Billions in Detroit”
With $20M from Scale, Textio Envisions ‘Augmented Writing’ Everywhere
In a prime example of the promise of artificial intelligence to improve human capabilities, rather than just replace them, Textio is bringing its “augmented writing” technology to e-mails, sales and marketing communications, and other forms of business writing, and just raised $20 million to do it. The Seattle startup, which until now focused on improving … Continue reading “With $20M from Scale, Textio Envisions ‘Augmented Writing’ Everywhere”
Alzheimer’s Drug Pipeline Analysis: Have We Hit Peak Amyloid?
A 2014 report provided a stark frame of reference for the challenge of fighting Alzheimer’s disease, showing that 99.6 percent of all drugs in the field had failed in one way or another. Led by Jeffrey Cummings, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, the same authors recently published a new … Continue reading “Alzheimer’s Drug Pipeline Analysis: Have We Hit Peak Amyloid?”
Mighty AI Opens Detroit Office to Pursue Auto Industry Customers
Mighty AI, a Seattle-based startup offering “training data as a service” for artificial intelligence applications, has opened a new office in Detroit. According to founder and CEO Matt Bencke, the company chose the location inside the Techstars Mobility headquarters to explore autonomous vehicle development prospects in Southeast Michigan. “We’ve been getting more automotive customers, and … Continue reading “Mighty AI Opens Detroit Office to Pursue Auto Industry Customers”
SeaGen Ends One Leukemia Drug Trial, Stops Enrolling Three Others
Seattle Genetics is ending a Phase 3 clinical trial of its leukemia drug after a review showed more deaths in patients treated with the drug compared to the control group, the company announced this morning. Bothell, WA-based Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) says the decision to end the trial follows a discussion with the independent data … Continue reading “SeaGen Ends One Leukemia Drug Trial, Stops Enrolling Three Others”