Category: Seattle

PvP Biologics Raises $35M in a Lab-to-Pharma Deal with Takeda

[Corrected 1/5/17, 8:07 am to show company was spun out of UW two months ago.] A San Diego-based startup spun out from the University of Washington just two months ago is today announcing a $35 million deal with Takeda, Japan’s biggest pharmaceutical. PvP Biologics was founded to advance KumaMax, a synthetic enzyme (depicted in the … Continue reading “PvP Biologics Raises $35M in a Lab-to-Pharma Deal with Takeda”

Diversity in Experiences, Backgrounds Leads to Successful Businesses

As a Microsoft employee, I had the opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant minds in technology. The profile of my team members were similar to the United Nations. They were of every racial and religious mix. They contributed their unique genius shaped by their individual diverse experiences. I know the value of … Continue reading “Diversity in Experiences, Backgrounds Leads to Successful Businesses”

Amazon’s Alexa Echoes Across Tech and Beyond

For the second CES in a row, Amazon’s Alexa is grabbing headlines as the tech world’s annual Las Vegas bacchanalia gets rolling. Alexa is fast becoming the cloud-based, voice-activated personal assistant and remote control for everything from your television to your home security to your washing machine. But some analysts see it as something more: an operating … Continue reading “Amazon’s Alexa Echoes Across Tech and Beyond”

Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates

Cybersecurity is the penultimate existential risk to the United States—economically, militarily, socially, and as we have seen recently, politically. The nature of cyber is asymmetric, and given the size of the U.S. economy, our reliance on intellectual property, and the leadership role the U.S. plays in the Community of Nations, we have a lot more … Continue reading “Trump Administration Needs To Set U.S. Cybersecurity Mandates”

For 2017, Concerns on Immigration, Net Neutrality, & Cyber Warfare

I have many concerns about how the upcoming Trump administration will impact the overall tech economy. Some of my biggest worries are as follows: 1) More restrictive immigration laws will make it even harder for startups (as well as more established companies) to attract and retain the highly skilled workers that they need to be … Continue reading “For 2017, Concerns on Immigration, Net Neutrality, & Cyber Warfare”

Versant Closes on $400M Fund, Eyes More Biotech Deals in Europe

Versant Ventures now has $400 million in its coffers to fuel its pursuit of early-stage healthcare technologies and startups, and it has a particular goal of expanding its investment approach in Europe. With the closing of its sixth fund announced Tuesday, San Francisco-based Versant now aims to invest in as many as 25 companies in … Continue reading “Versant Closes on $400M Fund, Eyes More Biotech Deals in Europe”

Subscription-Based Startups Size Up Amazon, Brick-And-Mortar Stores

Amazon said it shipped more than one billion items worldwide this holiday season, marking another record-setting year for the Seattle-based online retailer. Sales figures tell part of the story, while Amazon’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) steadily expanding geographic footprint tells another. The upshot is that for a new company looking to break into e-commerce, Amazon is likely … Continue reading “Subscription-Based Startups Size Up Amazon, Brick-And-Mortar Stores”

Top Cybersecurity Lesson from 2016: Unchecked Insiders

An unmistakable lesson from 2016 is that there is an escalating arms race between hackers and the organizations they target—from the highest levels of national governments to corporations and private institutions. And while hackers have many advantages, there are two that are contributing to a rampant spike in cyber breaches right now: 1. Employees, contractors, … Continue reading “Top Cybersecurity Lesson from 2016: Unchecked Insiders”

Diverse Workforces Support the Growth of North Texas Innovation

We have made it a priority since the inception of the DEC to incorporate diversity into all that we do. We have hired a diverse workforce. We have created programs focused on diverse audiences including gender, age, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, and more. We have made all of this a priority not only because it … Continue reading “Diverse Workforces Support the Growth of North Texas Innovation”

Trump Administration Should Examine How Dodd-Frank Stifles Capital

A review by the new Trump administration and Congress of the 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation could address many of the stifling, unintended consequences of that law. Although designed to address abuses in the financial system that led to the 2008 recession, the far-reaching legislation had problems from the start. And while experts of all political stripes … Continue reading “Trump Administration Should Examine How Dodd-Frank Stifles Capital”

Watching for NIH Innovation in 2017—and Drug Pricing, Trade Deals

With the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on January 20th, the editors asked some of our Xconomists to offer their thoughts on “How could the incoming administration significantly affect your industry?” When I worked in the Reagan Administration, the “Gipper” used to handle questions like this by saying he couldn’t respond to hypothetical questions. … Continue reading “Watching for NIH Innovation in 2017—and Drug Pricing, Trade Deals”

Opal Labs Secures $12,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3511700d-ff6d-474c-b37b-3d5a7c964d5a Date 12/31/2016 Company Name Opal Labs Mailing Address 107 Southeast Washington Street Portland, OR 97214 USA Company Description Opal Brainstorms radically amplifies the innovation potential of your organization. Unlock insight sharing across geographies, business units and specialties. Surface new ideas, solve problems, tackle ignored opportunities. Watch your team discover just how … Continue reading “Opal Labs Secures $12,000,000 New Financing”

Valant Medical Solutions Obtains $7,500,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44e783b2-66a6-419d-b38c-8734b98bce54 Date 12/31/2016 Company Name Valant Medical Solutions Mailing Address 2033 6th Ave. Seattle, WA 98121 USA Company Description Valant takes care of your practice, so you can take care of your patients. Website http://www.valant.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Valant Medical Solutions Obtains $7,500,000 New Round”

Despite Political Rhetoric, Staff Diversity Remains a Top Priority

I don’t think the election of Donald Trump as president does much to bolster those in tech working on creating a more inclusive and diverse industry, but I will continue to be a champion for it nonetheless. Specifically, I’ve ended 2016 by doubling our team at Localeur and introducing an Advisory Board, both of which … Continue reading “Despite Political Rhetoric, Staff Diversity Remains a Top Priority”

In Search of a State-of-the-Art Transcription App

Since reporting on the world’s most capable machine transcription system earlier this year, I’ve been pining for one that would help me with the tedious work of transcribing recorded journalistic interviews. Not long after I wrote about Microsoft’s speech transcription milestone—researchers at the company built a system that matches the human error rate in transcribing spontaneous … Continue reading “In Search of a State-of-the-Art Transcription App”

Political Focus on Rust Belt Could Help Boost VC Investment

Much has been written in the tech industry as a result of the Presidential election. Many coastal VCs and entrepreneurs believe that Trump’s America-first, anti-immigration platform could put the brakes on the venture industry’s core globalization strategies. While this may be true, regardless of which candidate you supported, most would agree that with chaos and … Continue reading “Political Focus on Rust Belt Could Help Boost VC Investment”

6 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2017: Ransomware, Skills Gap & More

In 2016, we saw cyber attacks increasingly shift from external breaches of confidential data to internal disruption of data and services, as attackers used distributed denial of service (DDoS) or encryption to hold businesses hostage. Attackers continue to focus more on exploiting users than technology. Users are often unaware and uneducated about the potential risks, … Continue reading “6 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2017: Ransomware, Skills Gap & More”

Liver Damage, Patient Deaths Lead FDA to Halt SeaGen Leukemia Trials

Seattle Genetics’ work to develop a drug to treat a form of leukemia has hit a roadblock following the deaths of four patients in clinical trials. The FDA placed a clinical hold or partial holds on three early-stage trials evaluating the Bothell, WA-based company’s experimental drug vadastuximab talirine. Shares of SeaGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) tumbled more … Continue reading “Liver Damage, Patient Deaths Lead FDA to Halt SeaGen Leukemia Trials”

Immigration Restrictions, Lack of Healthcare Could Imperil Innovation

It’s hard to predict what effect the new administration will have, since we have very little information on any concrete policies they plan to enact. We do know a few things—namely, they are anti-Obamacare and anti-immigration. Decreasing the number of visas granted to highly skilled workers (a likely possibility given Steve Bannon’s comments on Silicon … Continue reading “Immigration Restrictions, Lack of Healthcare Could Imperil Innovation”

Bio Roundup: Crazy ’16, Trials of ’17, Senate on Drugs & More

You’ve probably seen the Internet memes. “When 2016 started, I looked like this. [Insert picture of young Leo DiCaprio.] Now I look like this. [Leo, with mountain beard, after mud-wrestling with a grizzly in The Revenant.]” In life science terms, let’s just say all our telomeres feel a lot shorter than 12 months ago. The … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Crazy ’16, Trials of ’17, Senate on Drugs & More”

VC Sizes Up Google As Consumer Electronics Challenger To Apple Et Al.

It’s the end of the year, and everyone’s getting out their crystal balls. At the Silicon Valley venture capital firm NEA, partner Greg Papadopoulos has a prediction about Google. But it’s so positive that he makes a joking disclaimer at the beginning of our conversation. “I’m not a Google fan boy,” Papadopoulos insists. A veteran … Continue reading “VC Sizes Up Google As Consumer Electronics Challenger To Apple Et Al.”

The Price of Growth: Founders’ Dilution

Founders of a company considering the various available fundraising options often ask the challenging question: Why take venture capital money, which may significantly dilute the founders and might result in a loss of control of the company? Although the venture capital path is always a possibility, founders are often concerned about the consequences of such … Continue reading “The Price of Growth: Founders’ Dilution”

14 for ’17: Key Clinical Data To Watch For Next Year (Part 2)

We continue our look ahead to some of the clinical data due in 2017 that could shape healthcare practice and sway investor sentiment for years to come. Part one of our preview is here, with looks at key studies in lung cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and more. In part two, we examine studies in leukemia, … Continue reading “14 for ’17: Key Clinical Data To Watch For Next Year (Part 2)”

Front Desk Garners $1,523,877 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7cdb28d1-b911-4219-8615-943545c77272 Date 12/22/2016 Company Name Front Desk Mailing Address 1221 East Pike Street Seattle, WA 98122 USA Company Description Manage your business anywhere, anytime with Front Desk software’s mobile-friendly scheduling, client management, and payment processing. Website http://www.frontdeskhq.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,523,877 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Front Desk Garners $1,523,877 New Financing”

Amazon, Stryker to Expand and Add Over 1,000 Jobs Combined in Michigan

There was a time not so long ago in Michigan when economic development agencies began to move away from the grand corporate expansion press conferences that were a hallmark of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s administration. Instead, smaller and more low-key announcements that didn’t appear to always favor big manufacturers or pet industries—a common criticism lobbed at … Continue reading “Amazon, Stryker to Expand and Add Over 1,000 Jobs Combined in Michigan”

14 For ’17: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)

[Updated, 4:28 pm ET, see below] After years of research, frustration, hype, and millions (sometimes hundreds of millions) of dollars invested, a drug program boils down to the clinical data—usually from big, late-stage studies—that can sometimes make or break a company. There were high profile successes in 2016. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “14 For ’17: Key Clinical Data to Watch For Next Year (Part 1)”

Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks

A silver lining has emerged in the wake of the massive and well-publicized denial-of-service attack launched less than two months ago by hackers using millions of IoT devices to cripple the websites of major companies like Amazon, Netflix and Twitter. This ambush has triggered a redoubling of efforts to focus on the need for industry-led … Continue reading “Industry Needs Common Security Standards to Thwart IoT Attacks”

ChoiceMap Secures New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ea8d0ce4-de7f-462b-bc68-d67a134bc69c Date 12/21/2016 Company Name ChoiceMap Mailing Address Undisclosed Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description ChoiceMap helps you make good decisions. It’s simple. Tell us what you care about. Then we rank options by how well they meet your needs. Website http://www.choicemap.co Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “ChoiceMap Secures New Round”

Open Doors to Opportunity for Washington’s Future STEM Leaders

It’s no secret our region is a hotbed for innovation, leading corporations, and a growing startup community. As a state, we’ve undergone massive changes in recent years, becoming a thriving tech hub that is now the nation’s per-capita leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) employment (PDF) . But as demand for STEM workers … Continue reading “Open Doors to Opportunity for Washington’s Future STEM Leaders”

What Is Causing Startups to Go Bankrupt?

Many startups have a great product that’s viable, marketable, and ripe with potential. But if that was the only indicator of success, then nine out of 10 startups wouldn’t fail. The annals of startup history wouldn’t be littered with instances of companies like Friendster or Color that had fantastic products, but eventually sank. The truth … Continue reading “What Is Causing Startups to Go Bankrupt?”

7 Ways to Secure Your Connected Devices Against Hackers

’Tis the season for giving gifts. And increasingly, those shiny new toys and gadgets can be connected to the Internet—from TVs to watches, speakers to Barbie dolls. That Internet connection opens up a ton of possibilities for how we can use and enjoy our new devices. (“Alexa, play my Christmas playlist on Spotify, and also … Continue reading “7 Ways to Secure Your Connected Devices Against Hackers”

Glympse Garners $11,148,427 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=29ad97f8-1a93-4694-a863-239cc7bccbad Date 12/19/2016 Company Name Glympse Mailing Address 1124 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Watching live location updates from Glympse invite Website http://www.glympse.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $11,148,427 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. 9 investors participated in the offering. The amount may … Continue reading “Glympse Garners $11,148,427 New Round”

Seattle Week in Review: Light Reading for the Darkest Day

As the darkest day of the year approaches—Winter Solstice is Dec. 21—we’re taking in some low-angle winter sun and catching up on a few news items from the past week. Check out new data on venture capital’s lack of diversity, a survey of diversity at Seattle startup companies, applied research funding for teams at Washington’s … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Light Reading for the Darkest Day”

Bio Roundup: NY Rises, Prez Inks Cures, Ophthotech Crashes & More

The 21st Century Cures Act is now law. New York wants to play in the biotech big leagues. The FDA under Trump will have license to approve drugs faster and could have a former top official back on board as commissioner. An eye drug failed, an Alzheimer’s drug got scrutinized, and a new antibiotic passed … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: NY Rises, Prez Inks Cures, Ophthotech Crashes & More”

Xconomy Intersect: The Photos

Xconomy’s wide-angle look at Northwest innovation last week brought attendees the latest in real-time machine transcription, analysis of the policy implications for innovation in a Trump administration, in-depth talks with top investors and entrepreneurs, and much more. The hearty folks who made it to 415 Westlake—located in the heart of South Lake Union, Seattle’s innovation … Continue reading “Xconomy Intersect: The Photos”

50 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To—and 5 New Ways to Find Them

If you’re not much of a podcast listener and you have a sense that you’re missing out on a lot of great content, you’re absolutely right. But now is a good time to fix that, thanks to a new profusion of listening options. And to get you started, I have a few shows to suggest. … Continue reading “50 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To—and 5 New Ways to Find Them”

ApoGen Biotechnologies Garners $7,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=13515bec-6b32-4800-b238-9098e216930a Date 12/13/2016 Company Name ApoGen Biotechnologies Mailing Address 1616 Eastlake Ave E. Seattle, WA 98102 USA Company Description ApoGen Biotechnologies, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the development of a new class of therapeutics targeting drivers of cancer genomic mutation. ApoGen is building upon technologies developed at the University of … Continue reading “ApoGen Biotechnologies Garners $7,000,000 Series A Financing”

ApoGen Biotech Lands $7M to Take On Drug Resistance in Cancer

[Updated, 12/14/16, 5:39 pm. See below.] Seattle startup creator Accelerator Corp. has revealed its latest investment, ApoGen Biotechnologies, a startup that plans to develop cancer drugs that can overcome the resistance tumors develop to other treatments. ApoGen has raised a $7 million Series A to get going. Investors participating in the financing include AbbVie Ventures, … Continue reading “ApoGen Biotech Lands $7M to Take On Drug Resistance in Cancer”

Integrated Diagnostics Receives $6,099,999 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=72276a97-efa1-417d-b548-9176aef54424 Date 12/12/2016 Company Name Integrated Diagnostics Mailing Address 219 Terry Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Indi is creating powerful new tools to help physicians diagnose complex diseases with a non-invasive blood test. By measuring multiple biomarkers that serve as sentinels of disease we are creating tests that help … Continue reading “Integrated Diagnostics Receives $6,099,999 New Funding Round”

Vesper’s Waterproof Microphones Draw Interest from Amazon, Others

As we move toward a world where many (if not most) devices can be controlled by our voices, the ability to reliably capture those sounds becomes paramount. That spells opportunity for Vesper, a Boston-based startup that makes advanced microphone technology that could be used in smartphones, voice-controlled speakers, connected cars, and more. Investors like what … Continue reading “Vesper’s Waterproof Microphones Draw Interest from Amazon, Others”

Bio Roundup: Fast “Cures,” Trump In Time, CRISPR In Court & More

What a week. The 21st Century Cures Act is now waiting President Obama’s promised signature after easy passage through Congress. President-elect Donald Trump re-stirred the drug-pricing pot with comments in Time Magazine and a reported FDA commissioner candidate who doesn’t seem to think much of the regulatory process. And a trio of judges met to … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Fast “Cures,” Trump In Time, CRISPR In Court & More”

Craig Venter Used Own Posh Health Clinic To Diagnose His Cancer

Speaking at a conference in San Francisco Wednesday, geneticist Craig Venter revealed that he had just had surgery for prostate cancer three weeks ago. A health workup at his own high-end clinic, Health Nucleus, pinpointed the cancer. Famous for leading one of two teams in the 1990s that raced to unlock the human genome, Venter … Continue reading “Craig Venter Used Own Posh Health Clinic To Diagnose His Cancer”

Wake Up, Pharma—Trump Is Not Your Savior

Since the election, leaders in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals are acting like they got away with robbery. The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index went up 9 percent overnight on November 8th. With Donald Trump coming into office, the whole industry seems to have breathed a sigh of relief that the status quo—a continuous race toward higher prices—will last … Continue reading “Wake Up, Pharma—Trump Is Not Your Savior”

autoGraph Lands $4,700,000 Series B Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=40662dee-3461-4b64-a7f4-ee9c8d65f329 Date 12/8/2016 Company Name autoGraph Mailing Address 999 North Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103 USA Company Description AutoGraph helps people realise their interests while protecting their data privacy, which has been shown to increase response rates by 10x. Website http://www.nfluence.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,700,000 Transaction Round Series B … Continue reading “autoGraph Lands $4,700,000 Series B Financing Round”

AxonVR Secures $5,800,000 Seed Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=781b3c95-42b9-4ff6-b587-669bb396ae21 Date 12/8/2016 Company Name AxonVR Mailing Address 110 Union Street Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description AxonVR aims to bring virtual worlds to life through realistic touch. Its HaptX Platform is a haptic textile that simulates lifelike touch, allowing users to feel the physical properties of virtual objects bringing the sense … Continue reading “AxonVR Secures $5,800,000 Seed Funding Round”

Senate Approves 21st Century Cures Act, Sending Bill to Obama

The U.S. Senate has voted overwhelmingly to approve the 21st Century Cures Act, a wide-ranging healthcare spending and reform bill that aims to infuse medical research with new funding and also speed up the regulatory approval process for new drugs and medical devices. With the Senate’s 94-5 vote on Wednesday, the bill now advances to … Continue reading “Senate Approves 21st Century Cures Act, Sending Bill to Obama”

Visbit Raises $3.2M Seed Round To Smooth Choppy VR Streaming

We’re closing out a critical year for the fledgling virtual reality industry, which rolled out a batch of the first consumer VR headsets in 2016 in a wave of media attention. But first impressions can dampen the excitement when technical hitches frustrate eager new users as they try to enter virtual worlds. Visbit, one of … Continue reading “Visbit Raises $3.2M Seed Round To Smooth Choppy VR Streaming”

A Reading List to Get Ready for Xconomy Intersect

To help you get the most out of Xconomy Intersect on Thursday, we’ve put together a reading list of recent stories on the speakers and topics featured in our program. We invite everyone attending to think of questions you’d like to ask our great lineup of CEOs, technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors. These stories should help … Continue reading “A Reading List to Get Ready for Xconomy Intersect”