Seattle – Page 34

Sound Pharmaceuticals Obtains $3,800,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=41fc3494-12d0-4e35-82c2-955d96e1c8e9 Date 9/19/2016 Company Name Sound Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 4010 Stone Way N Seattle, WA 98103 USA Company Description Sound Pharmaceuticals (SPI) is a privately held biopharmaceutical company in Seattle, WA. Our goal is to develop prescription drugs that will enable doctors and patients to prevent and treat hearing loss, a disease … Continue reading “Sound Pharmaceuticals Obtains $3,800,000 New Financing Round”

Seattle Week in Review: Startup Diversity, Apptio, LumaTax, & More

It’s late into what has felt like a really long week. We’re catching up on a handful of news items from Seattle tech including: a new survey of startup founders on diversity; Apptio’s IPO pricing plans; LumaTax, a spinout from Pioneer Square Labs; 10 startups selected for Microsoft’s next startup accelerator; Chinese digital advertising company … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Startup Diversity, Apptio, LumaTax, & More”

Survey: Tech Startup Leaders Want Diversity, Not Sure How to Reach It

Tech startup leaders “want to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, but many simply don’t know what to do to build inclusive teams.” That’s how Techstars co-founder and co-CEO David Cohen put it in a blog post earlier this week summarizing the results of a survey of 680 startup founders and top executives, mainly of … Continue reading “Survey: Tech Startup Leaders Want Diversity, Not Sure How to Reach It”

Biotech Roundup: CRISPR’s 3rd IPO, Gender Diversity, Buyouts & More

Across the nation, and even looking back into the past, health was in the headlines this week. Our presidential candidates were either recovering from pneumonia or talking up their health records. New documents came to light that showed the sugar industry paid for studies downplaying the ties between sugar and heart disease. And the drug-price … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: CRISPR’s 3rd IPO, Gender Diversity, Buyouts & More”

What Startups Can Do About Cyber Attacks

A cybersecurity report by Ponemon Institute, in association with Keeper Security, found that in the 12 months leading up to June 2016, 55 percent of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) experienced a cyber attack, while 50 percent encountered data breaches involving customer and employee information. These statistics belie the common notion that cybercriminals attack only … Continue reading “What Startups Can Do About Cyber Attacks”

Cocrystal Discovery Receives $4,008,201 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8ebac347-bf97-46be-b6ce-f89843184e82 Date 9/16/2016 Company Name Cocrystal Discovery Mailing Address 19805 North Creek Parkway Bothell, WA 98011 USA Company Description Cocrystal Discovery, Inc. is a privately funded biotechnology company developing antiviral therapeutics for human diseases. Cocrystal has breakthrough technologies that enable the creation of first- and best-in-class antivirals. Website http://www.cocrystaldiscovery.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Cocrystal Discovery Receives $4,008,201 New Financing”

John Wiley & Sons Acquires Ranku for $25,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5a030f65-a2b5-4af0-815a-24c7ec8c87b2 Date 9/16/2016 Company Name Ranku Mailing Address 500 Yale Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Ranku aims to bring transparency and accountability to higher education institutions that offer full online degree programs. We do this by giving students a platform to discover degrees available at non-profit colleges. Website http://www.goranku.com … Continue reading “John Wiley & Sons Acquires Ranku for $25,000,000”

John Wiley & Sons Acquires Ranku for $25,000,000

How to Teach Computational Thinking

Computational thinking is going to be a defining feature of the future—and it’s an incredibly important thing to be teaching to kids today. There’s always lots of discussion (and concern) about how to teach traditional mathematical thinking to kids. But looking to the future, this pales in comparison to the importance of teaching computational thinking. … Continue reading “How to Teach Computational Thinking”

BrightVolt Garners $5,000,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=797b4dd5-d125-41ad-80fd-63425060f79d Date 9/15/2016 Company Name BrightVolt Mailing Address 8201 164th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 USA Company Description BrightVolt is the world’s leader in the design, development and scale manufacturing of ultra-thin film batteries. Our patented Lithium Polymer design allows our batteries to be the thinnest, most flexible and yet maintain the … Continue reading “BrightVolt Garners $5,000,000 Series B Round”

Fund Worth Up To $100M Seeks to Increase Diversity in Tech Workforce

A first-of-its-kind fund has launched with the mission to increase diversity in the tech industry by removing financial barriers and increasing access to tech education for anyone interested in pursuing it. The Tech Opportunity Fund is a partnership between the Iron Yard and Code Fellows, which offer tech training, and the financial literacy organization Operation … Continue reading “Fund Worth Up To $100M Seeks to Increase Diversity in Tech Workforce”

Slope Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=17095144-9658-4baf-b888-5de3187f77c0 Date 9/14/2016 Company Name Slope Mailing Address PO Box 61187 Seattle, WA 98141 USA Company Description In 2013, we started out as a creative agency in Detroit. We worked with marketing teams to produce visual content for hundreds of projects and campaigns. We loved telling stories, but we hated the manual … Continue reading “Slope Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round”

How We Won $50,000 in SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Contest

Recently, the student accelerator program mystartupXX, a joint program of UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management and the Jacobs School of Engineering, won a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration as a Growth Accelerator Fund Competition winner. We were one of 68 winners announced Aug. 31 in the nationwide contest. This was … Continue reading “How We Won $50,000 in SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Contest”

Seattle Week in Review: A Unicorn Spotted in the Wild

Not that it matters, but we have the first privately held Seattle-area company in a long time to claim a valuation north of $1 billion. OfferUp is that rare, mythical beast, the unicorn. All without publicly disclosing a business model for its mobile marketplace connecting local buyers and sellers. Other Seattle tech news we’re reviewing … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: A Unicorn Spotted in the Wild”

Bio Roundup: Cancer Wishes and Shopping Lists, Allergan Pricing & More

[Corrected, 9/12/16, 4:28 p.m. See below.] What do cancer experts want? The moon, perhaps. As part of the Obama administration’s “cancer moonshot” program, a panel of scientists this week presented a set of broad, ambitious recommendations to speed up the pace of cancer research, treatment, and prevention. The scientific goals, writ large, included nationwide data … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Cancer Wishes and Shopping Lists, Allergan Pricing & More”

Tyler Jacks, Cancer Moonshot Panel Co-Chair, Discusses Roadmap

The Obama administration wants to speed up cancer research with its “Cancer Moonshot” program—packing 10 years’ worth of work on prevention and treatment programs into five is one of its rallying cries. Agreeing on what to do, and how to do it, is the first step. The FDA agreed this summer to reorganize the way … Continue reading “Tyler Jacks, Cancer Moonshot Panel Co-Chair, Discusses Roadmap”

OfferUp Garners $119,000,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1269771b-b4ed-4233-a613-9b142ec92fae Date 9/9/2016 Company Name OfferUp Mailing Address 1715 114th Ave SE Bellevue, WA 98004 USA Company Description OfferUp is changing how people buy and sell locally by making it as easy as taking and sharing a photo from your phone. We are not just about connecting buyers and sellers; we are … Continue reading “OfferUp Garners $119,000,000 Series C Financing Round”

OfferUp Raises $119M to Pursue Faster Growth in Local Marketplaces

Bellevue, WA-based OfferUp announced today a $119 million investment from Warburg Pincus, the private equity firm, with participation from new investors GGV Capital and Altimeter Capital. The company—which runs a mobile-first marketplace for local goods, in competition with Craigslist and neighborhood garage sales, among others—is growing fast and hoovering up cash. This latest investment, which … Continue reading “OfferUp Raises $119M to Pursue Faster Growth in Local Marketplaces”

The Power of Polymers

Throughout history, innovative humans have developed technology to overcome or adapt to challenges in the natural world. As it turns out, some of our most important advances were actually inspired by a naturally occurring group of materials: polymers. Derived from Greek words meaning “many parts,” the word polymer refers to a large molecule composed of … Continue reading “The Power of Polymers”

Julep CEO Disputes Attorney General’s Account of Settlement

Julep Beauty settled a lawsuit brought by the Washington state attorney general stemming from its recurring monthly makeup subscriptions—which it enticed customers to sign up for with a free or discounted initial shipment, but which some customers had trouble cancelling. The settlement was announced by the attorney general’s office Tuesday. The attorney general’s complaint alleged … Continue reading “Julep CEO Disputes Attorney General’s Account of Settlement”

Immunotherapy Clinical Tests Spur Hope, and Plenty of Headaches

Thanks to remarkable results in a small group of patients, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, cancer immunotherapy has spurred talk of once impossible-to-imagine cures and has gained its share, perhaps more than its share, of hype. But immunotherapy is also creating new challenges and exacerbating old ones for doctors, patients, and researchers. These new … Continue reading “Immunotherapy Clinical Tests Spur Hope, and Plenty of Headaches”

Cepheid, Propelled By Seattle Chemists, Sells to Danaher for $4B

Molecular diagnostic test maker Cepheid has been acquired by Washington, DC-based Danaher (NYSE: [[ticker:DHR]]) in a deal valued at about $4 billion, the companies announced this morning. Sunnyvale, CA-based Cepheid (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CPHD]]) has been scaling up its testing service for more than a decade, now offering a variety of molecular-based diagnostic tests for maladies such … Continue reading “Cepheid, Propelled By Seattle Chemists, Sells to Danaher for $4B”

Overcoming the Cybersecurity Skills Gap

For several years now, the “cybersecurity skills gap” has been a top challenge for organizations. The statistics are well-vetted, and they tell a clear story: —There are many unfilled security jobs: The industry is facing 1.5 million unfilled IT security jobs globally by 2020. —The hiring problem is getting harder to figure out: Ninety-two percent of businesses say it’s … Continue reading “Overcoming the Cybersecurity Skills Gap”

Seattle Week in Review: Early End of Summer Edition

Happy Labor Day Weekend. Friday morning’s drumming rain and Bumbershoot, the arts and music festival named for a portable rain shelter, herald the end of summer. OK, not quite yet. But soon. In this edition of Xconomy Seattle’s Week in Review, we’re talking migration. The Obama Administration wants to make it easier for entrepreneurs to … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Early End of Summer Edition”

Bio Roundup: RIP Roger Tsien, Novartis CAR-T Wheel, Zika News & More

A man who helped shed light—fluorescent light—on biology died far too early, at the age of 64. Nobel Prize winner Roger Tsien, a UC San Diego chemist, passed away in Oregon this week. No cause of death has been announced. He helped turn a jellyfish protein into an invaluable lab tool that every researcher knows … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: RIP Roger Tsien, Novartis CAR-T Wheel, Zika News & More”

SkyKick Obtains $3,067,582 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=db07815b-7821-4710-b2ba-456106b4323f Date 9/2/2016 Company Name SkyKick Mailing Address 200 West Thomas Seattle, WA 98119 USA Company Description SkyKick is the Easiest Way to Office 365. We offer an integrated application suite consisting of three products that work together to make it fast, safe, and easy for partners to move their customers to … Continue reading “SkyKick Obtains $3,067,582 New Funding”

Droplr Obtains $300,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c375947-0671-4623-ac91-e6e7a7273403 Date 9/2/2016 Company Name Droplr Mailing Address 2612 NW Brickyard Street Bend, OR 97701 USA Company Description Quickly share files, screenshots, and more. Collaborate with colleagues and clients. Do it all for free. Website http://www.droplr.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $300,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Droplr Obtains $300,000 New Funding”

Knock Secures $1,600,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dc80d711-3280-4ba5-aeb0-1da664463b6b Date 9/1/2016 Company Name Knock Mailing Address 999 N Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103 USA Company Description Knock is online scheduling for property tours. We help property managers market their listings, message with prospects, and get face-to-face leasing opportunities booked at all hours of the day. We also are improving the … Continue reading “Knock Secures $1,600,000 New Round”

Novartis Disbands T Cell Group But Promises To Press Ahead In CAR-T Race

Novartis has decided to dissolve its group that has been working on a cutting-edge therapy to treat cancer. In an internal email obtained by Endpoints, the head of the healthcare giant’s cell and gene therapies unit, Usman “Oz” Azam told the group that “things don’t always work out as envisioned.” Novartis spokeswoman Julie Masow confirmed … Continue reading “Novartis Disbands T Cell Group But Promises To Press Ahead In CAR-T Race”

Impel NeuroPharma Lands $1,090,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6ea614c1-2f47-4a28-b85f-4bab73be7caa Date 8/31/2016 Company Name Impel NeuroPharma Mailing Address 915 East Pine Street Seattle, WA 98122 USA Company Description Seattle-based Impel NeuroPharma was founded with a mission to enable drugs to bypass the blood brain barrier. Website http://www.impelneuropharma.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,090,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Impel NeuroPharma Lands $1,090,000 New Financing”

Still in the Red, Apptio Eyes $75M IPO for IT Management Business

Apptio, a top IPO prospect from the Seattle tech industry, is taking the plunge. The company filed paperwork late last week to raise up to $75 million. Apptio, co-founded in 2007 by CEO Sunny Gupta and CFO Kurt Shintaffer, makes cloud-based software, sold as a subscription, to help businesses understand and plan their IT spending. … Continue reading “Still in the Red, Apptio Eyes $75M IPO for IT Management Business”

Four Ways to Stay Safe While Using Public Wi-Fi

No matter how hard we try to unplug on vacation, most of us simply don’t—or can’t—disconnect. The availability of free Wi-Fi is sometimes too hard to resist. While we’re in a carefree state of mind, it’s especially easy to bend the rules. Even when using Wi-Fi at a familiar business, you could be putting your … Continue reading “Four Ways to Stay Safe While Using Public Wi-Fi”

The XX Factor: Fixing Biotech’s Gender Imbalance in the C-Suite

Women continue to be vastly under-represented in management and executive-level positions throughout the life science industry—an inequity that came into the spotlight earlier this year when a biotech consulting firm hired female models to improve the male-female ratio at its convention after-party. The catalyzing event sparked a much-needed debate into a serious challenge that has … Continue reading “The XX Factor: Fixing Biotech’s Gender Imbalance in the C-Suite”

As Rackspace Sells to Apollo for $4.3B, Locals and Cloud Feel Impact

San Antonio—Even though it now has more than $2 billion in annual revenue, Rackspace is a company whose roots are in the nimble startup world. That’s epitomized by a decision in the late 1990s, when the company’s co-founders—Richard Yoo, Dirk Elmendorf, and Pat Condon—transitioned the business from being an Internet service provider and app developer … Continue reading “As Rackspace Sells to Apollo for $4.3B, Locals and Cloud Feel Impact”

Bio Roundup: Mylan’s Shock, Hillary’s 3%, Duchenne Lessons & More

It was the tweet heard around the biotech world, again. Mylan bumped up the price of the EpiPen 400 percent, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton responded with a tirade against drug price hikes, and—much like when Clinton railed against drug pricing last year—biotech indexes promptly plummeted more than 3 percent. Last year, Clinton’s target was Martin … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Mylan’s Shock, Hillary’s 3%, Duchenne Lessons & More”

Duchenne Lessons: Advocates For Rare Spinal Disease Have Eyes on FDA

[Updated, 1:09 pm ET, see below] Heather and Jessica Tomko will tell you that they’re nothing alike. They’ve got different interests, different tastes in movies, television, and music. If Jessica hates a gift, Heather probably loves it. Heather just scored tickets to see the Broadway show Hamilton and can’t wait. Jessica sighs. “You can’t get … Continue reading “Duchenne Lessons: Advocates For Rare Spinal Disease Have Eyes on FDA”

Nexgenia Secures $2,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f858342a-ccf7-419d-b160-3126cb7103a5 Date 8/26/2016 Company Name Nexgenia Mailing Address 4000 Mason Rd. Fluke Hall Seattle, WA 98195 USA Company Description Nexgenia develops proprietary molecule-specific selection reagents that utilize stimuli-responsive polymers. These novel “smart” polymers transition from soluble, single molecules to multi-molecular aggregates in response to modest changes in temperature, pH, or salt. Website … Continue reading “Nexgenia Secures $2,000,000 New Round”

Lighter Capital Aims Revenue-Based Loans at Salesforce App Makers

[Updated 9:27 p.m. See below.] Lighter Capital expects to lend money to 11 small businesses this month. That’s exactly how many deals the Seattle-based company made in all of 2013, said CEO BJ Lackland. The growth is emblematic of the company’s overall expansion since Lackland took over as chief executive in 2012. At the time, … Continue reading “Lighter Capital Aims Revenue-Based Loans at Salesforce App Makers”

Denali Adds $130M To Fuel Neurosci Deals, First Clinical Trial

Neuroscience startup Denali Therapeutics said Thursday it has added $130 million in privately-raised cash, in part to push a drug program into clinical trials in Europe. The South San Francisco, CA-based firm, unveiled last year with former Genentech neuroscientists at the helm and $217 million from investors, has already used some of its funding in … Continue reading “Denali Adds $130M To Fuel Neurosci Deals, First Clinical Trial”

Discuss.io Secures $882,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c8e30439-7574-4fef-93f6-2c10c6834b26 Date 8/25/2016 Company Name Discuss.io Mailing Address 1914 North 34th St. Seattle, WA 98103 USA Company Description Discuss.io makes conducting consumer interviews incredibly easy. Online focus groups and IDIs delivers real-time qualitative insights for brands and agencies of all sizes and budgets. Website http://www.discuss.io Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $882,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Discuss.io Secures $882,000 New Funding”

Polly.ai Obtains $1,200,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c75080d-0cff-4a27-b6bb-40553241e53a Date 8/25/2016 Company Name Polly.ai Mailing Address 1816 11th Ave NE Issaquah, WA 98029 USA Company Description We’re a group of engineers on a mission to make Polly an intelligent, productive teammate of every team in the world. Website http://www.polly.ai Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,200,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds … Continue reading “Polly.ai Obtains $1,200,000 Seed Funding”

Panopto Receives $42,800,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dc5c7f3e-e6ff-4fdd-b447-695e3f4f207d Date 8/25/2016 Company Name Panopto Mailing Address 506 2nd Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 USA Company Description Panopto provides businesses and universities with an industry-leading video content management system (VCMS), along with integrated tools for creating online presentations, recording screencasts, lecture capture, webcasting live events, delivering online training, and more. Website http://www.panopto.com … Continue reading “Panopto Receives $42,800,000 New Funding Round”

Auth0 Garners $15,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=056b0313-7833-4a08-96bf-cfbc93126f20 Date 8/25/2016 Company Name Auth0 Mailing Address 10777 Main Street Bellevue, WA 98004 USA Company Description A universal identity platform for customers, employees and partners. Website http://www.auth0.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The additional funding will further accelerate the growth of Auth0’s identity … Continue reading “Auth0 Garners $15,000,000 Series B Funding”

TripAdvisor Buys Citymaps, Ramps Up Competition With Google, Others

One of the giants in online travel is making a move to solidify its standing. TripAdvisor, based in Needham, MA, said today it has acquired New York City-based Citymaps. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the companies say Citymaps will continue to operate as a standalone business. Citymaps developed a mapping app that … Continue reading “TripAdvisor Buys Citymaps, Ramps Up Competition With Google, Others”

Who’s to Blame for Inflated Health Insurance Costs?

How often would you go to the doctor if you had to pay for a big chunk out of pocket—or how about if it was completely free? The amount of health care we consume depends on how good our health insurance is. Now, two economists, David Powell and Dana Goldman, have looked at what factors … Continue reading “Who’s to Blame for Inflated Health Insurance Costs?”

Blue Gas Marine Charts Course to Disrupt Boating Fuels Market

Drivers complain about the ups and downs of gasoline prices, but they’ve got nothing on boaters. Marine fuel costs more, and boats burn through a lot more of it. While motorists measure their fuel efficiency in miles per gallon, boaters tally gas consumption in gallons per hour. “It takes $200 worth of fuel just for … Continue reading “Blue Gas Marine Charts Course to Disrupt Boating Fuels Market”

Tempered Networks Garners $9,490,898 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ff0dad85-48da-43fe-a5af-45eb969b486a Date 8/24/2016 Company Name Tempered Networks Mailing Address 100 West Harrison Street South Tower Seattle, WA 98119 USA Company Description Today’s ever-evolving threats require a new way of thinking to safeguard the integrity of your operations. We take a revolutionary new approach with a “baked in” versus “bolted on” security solution … Continue reading “Tempered Networks Garners $9,490,898 New Round”