Venture investors, as well as tech companies hesitant to try going public, were hanging on the outcome of communications software company Twilio’s IPO this week in hopes that it would signal a thaw in the mood on Wall Street for such offerings. So far, Twilio is delivering a strong positive signal. The San Francisco-based company … Continue reading “Twilio’s $150M IPO May Bolster Faith In Unicorns—-Or Some Of Them”
Category: Seattle
The Evolution of the App Stores
In many ways, Apple and Google are following similar paths. At their annual developer conferences, Google I/O, held last month, and Apple’s WWDC, last week they both announced updates to their development platforms. Google is making major improvements to Android Studio, while Apple is continuing to invest in Swift and announced Playgrounds, an exciting new … Continue reading “The Evolution of the App Stores”
Web Communications Company Twilio Raises $150M in IPO
Twilio, a Web communications company reportedly valued at more than $1 billion after a financing last year, raised $150 million in its initial public offering today, according to a press release. The San Francisco-based company sold 10 million shares for $15 each, higher than its expected range of $12 to $14 a share. The company … Continue reading “Web Communications Company Twilio Raises $150M in IPO”
IBM Watson Health Launches Imaging Effort for Cancer, Other Diseases
So far, the story of IBM Watson Health has been mostly about growth and potential. Today, it’s more about action. The healthcare computing giant, now headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is unveiling a collaborative effort in medical imaging that includes partnerships with health systems, radiology providers, tech companies, and academic medical centers. Watson Health is pushing … Continue reading “IBM Watson Health Launches Imaging Effort for Cancer, Other Diseases”
Appuri Secures $1,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9dfad490-d314-4581-84a6-2829f1ffe441 Date 6/22/2016 Company Name Appuri Mailing Address 119 Pine St. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description Reinforce retention with the power of predictive analytics. More than just a platform, Appuri uses machine learning to predict churn before it occurs. Website http://www.appuri.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “Appuri Secures $1,000,000 New Funding”
Outreach Garners $17,500,000 Series B Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=255b15c2-be73-412a-9ef0-43cab4aca3b8 Date 6/22/2016 Company Name Outreach Mailing Address 3417 Fremont Ave N. Seattle, WA 98103 USA Company Description Outreach is the only system intelligent enough to know exactly who needs a follow-up and when they need it, helping you outperform your sales goals. Website http://www.outreach.io Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $17,500,000 … Continue reading “Outreach Garners $17,500,000 Series B Round”
Spaceflight Industries Raises $18M, Acquires OpenWhere
To tap into the multi-billion dollar market for Earth observation, companies are deploying new satellites with modern sensors and communication equipment. But innovation is needed back on the ground, too, in the technology to process and analyze high-resolution images of Earth for customers. With that in mind, Seattle-based Spaceflight Industries is acquiring a company called … Continue reading “Spaceflight Industries Raises $18M, Acquires OpenWhere”
Spaceflight Industries Obtains $18,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5a4fe424-6702-49e0-8322-483773424970 Date 6/21/2016 Company Name Spaceflight Industries Mailing Address 1505 Westlake Avenue Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Spaceflight Industries was founded in 2010 by Jason Andrews to address the emerging need for a launch service provider dedicated to the small satellite payload market. Website http://www.spaceflightservices.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Spaceflight Industries Obtains $18,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
Kineta Secures $1,752,688 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e8441836-c12b-4966-a621-4aff13f12f19 Date 6/21/2016 Company Name Kineta Mailing Address 219 Terry Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Through Kineta, our pioneering team is dedicated to further study of innate immunity with an aggressive strategy to develop early stage programs for powerful new antiviral and immune modulating drugs. Website http://www.kinetabio.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Kineta Secures $1,752,688 New Financing”
BASF Acquiring Seattle Energy Storage Materials Maker EnerG2
[Updated 6/21/16, 10:15 a.m. See below.] EnerG2, which spun out of the University of Washington in 2003 to commercialize novel carbon materials for use in energy storage, is being acquired by an arm of German materials giant BASF. EnerG2 has had a strategic partnership with BASF since 2014. The terms of the acquisition, announced Monday, … Continue reading “BASF Acquiring Seattle Energy Storage Materials Maker EnerG2”
Seattle Space Sector Ready for Its Close-up
The Seattle area’s commercial space businesses will showcase themselves and the region to the broader industry as the NewSpace conference kicks off here for the first time Tuesday. More than 500 people are expected for the three-day event, put on by the Space Frontier Foundation, which will also be highlighting its new initiatives meant to … Continue reading “Seattle Space Sector Ready for Its Close-up”
Academia, Industry Scramble to Fill Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline
There’s a number that has been quoted a lot by the cybersecurity industry in the past year: 209,000. That’s the number of unfilled U.S. jobs in the field as of March 2015, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers. And the demand for cybersecurity workers is expected to increase 53 percent by … Continue reading “Academia, Industry Scramble to Fill Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline”
Seattle Week in Review: Mourning Orlando, While the News Goes On
This is a difficult, tragic week to review, one we will not soon forget. The flow of horrible words and images pouring relentlessly through our screens makes it hard to see the good in the world. I’m going to spend the weekend holding close to family and friends, being grateful for them. Technology and innovation … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Mourning Orlando, While the News Goes On”
Biotech Roundup: Kadmon Debt, Hemo Data, Loose Lips & More
Familiar biotech names—not necessarily familiar for the right reasons—made news this week in biotech. Data from a hematology conference stoked dreams of approval, though still on a far horizon, for a couple drug makers. Long anticipated, Walgreens officially cut ties with Theranos, and the FDA both gave and denied approvals. You think a Game 7 … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Kadmon Debt, Hemo Data, Loose Lips & More”
Neighborly Data: Dato to Integrate Machine Learning Services with Tableau
Dato, a Seattle machine learning startup, will put its services in front of a large audience of potential customers through an integration with the next product release from its neighbor, Tableau Software. Tableau (NYSE: [[ticker:DATA]]), the data visualization and analytics company headquartered in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, is currently beta-testing Tableau 10, which is due out … Continue reading “Neighborly Data: Dato to Integrate Machine Learning Services with Tableau”
Balancing Risks and Opportunities: The Board’s Perspective
People start a business for many reasons. Some do it out of sheer passion, while others do it to create wealth and economic growth. Yet, underlying it all is a willingness to take risks. Entrepreneurs and established companies make risky decisions every day in the hope that those risks will translate into better opportunities, better … Continue reading “Balancing Risks and Opportunities: The Board’s Perspective”
Struggling Aegerion, QLT to Merge, Change Name to Novelion
It wasn’t too long ago that Aegerion Pharmaceuticals seemed to be a successful biotech turnaround story with its first drug on the market and optimism ahead. But just a few short years, a plummeting stock price and a new executive team later, Aegerion is about to merge with a Canadian biotech to survive. Cambridge, MA-based … Continue reading “Struggling Aegerion, QLT to Merge, Change Name to Novelion”
Blueprint Registry Obtains $118,000 Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=71b296e3-7dba-4586-aec9-a41a4ee5617c Date 6/15/2016 Company Name Blueprint Registry Mailing Address 500 Yale Ave N 1st Floor Seattle, WA 98109 USA Company Description Blueprint is revolutionizing the wedding industry industry. We are a free service with no monthly fees where you can register for your home and honeymoon in a more visual, convenient and … Continue reading “Blueprint Registry Obtains $118,000 Seed Funding”
Alpine Immune Sciences Secures $48,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6053acb4-85d8-4e9d-a38f-099eed851f71 Date 6/14/2016 Company Name Alpine Immune Sciences Mailing Address 600 Stewart St. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description Alpine Immune Sciences (AIS) was founded in 2015 and seed funded by Alpine BioVentures. AIS is focused on developing novel protein – based immunotherapies using its proprietary variant immunoglobulin domain (vIgD™) platform technology. … Continue reading “Alpine Immune Sciences Secures $48,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
OceanGate Leads Underwater Expedition to “Mount Everest” of Shipwrecks
The first manned submersible mission in two decades to the Andrea Doria shipwreck located off the New England coast—a treacherous dive considered the underwater equivalent of climbing Mount Everest—has produced the first close-up sonar images of the vessel. The early findings? The ship’s deterioration appears worse than previously thought, as a chunk of the bow … Continue reading “OceanGate Leads Underwater Expedition to “Mount Everest” of Shipwrecks”
Microsoft Buys LinkedIn for $26.2B in Mega Social-Business Deal
Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn in a $26.2 billion cash deal that bolsters the tech giant’s offerings for professionals and shrinks the ranks of the major independent social networks. Over the past 14 years, LinkedIn (NYSE: [[ticker:LNKD]]) built the go-to online networking tool for professionals—it has more than 433 million members worldwide—and became one of the … Continue reading “Microsoft Buys LinkedIn for $26.2B in Mega Social-Business Deal”
Alpine Immune Sciences, Former Dendreon CEO’s Latest Startup, Gets $48M
Mitch Gold, the former CEO of Dendreon, has just gotten some big backing for his latest cancer drug startup. Alpine Immune Sciences, a Seattle company touting a next-gen method of harnessing our body’s defenses against cancer, has raised a whopping $48 million Series A round. The cash comes from a group of OrbiMed Advisors, Frazier … Continue reading “Alpine Immune Sciences, Former Dendreon CEO’s Latest Startup, Gets $48M”
Limitless Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=462c2c42-ef77-4b93-aa2e-a40cd9ade142 Date 6/13/2016 Company Name Limitless Mailing Address Undisclosed Seattle, WA 98104 USA Company Description Virtual reality content is hard to build — especially when it involves characters. The Limitless VR Creative Environment speeds up development of high quality character-driven VR content, allowing storytellers to focus on building emotional connections with their … Continue reading “Limitless Secures $1,000,000 New Financing Round”
Seattle Week in Review: AI Chickens of Silicon Valley
It was an historic week as Hillary Clinton secured enough delegates to be the first woman to become the presumptive nominee of a major political party for the highest office of the most powerful country on Earth. Meanwhile, we’re reviewing another debate about where Seattle’s startup ecosystem ranks nationally; new data on urban startup clusters; … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: AI Chickens of Silicon Valley”
Biotech Roundup: ASCO, BIO, Drug Setbacks, Incubators & More
If you blinked, you probably missed something this week in biotech. The nation’s biggest annual cancer meeting took place in Chicago, while biotech’s trade group held its annual confab in San Francisco. In Boston, there were more twists for a closely watched Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug and a setback for a high-profile drug for multiple … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: ASCO, BIO, Drug Setbacks, Incubators & More”
BitTitan Obtains $15,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ce5d189f-8cd9-461c-867e-117956c0c06c Date 6/10/2016 Company Name BitTitan Mailing Address 3933 Lake Washington Blvd NE Kirkland, WA 98033 USA Company Description BitTitan MSPComplete empowers you to sell more Office 365 and Azure, onboard more workloads faster and build recurring revenue with managed services. Website http://www.bittitan.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,000,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “BitTitan Obtains $15,000,000 New Round”
Appuri Lands $1,250,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7a048822-fc65-4353-b2ec-8bc42ab2bdf1 Date 6/10/2016 Company Name Appuri Mailing Address 119 Pine St. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description Reinforce retention with the power of predictive analytics. More than just a platform, Appuri uses machine learning to predict churn before it occurs. Website http://www.appuri.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “Appuri Lands $1,250,000 New Funding”
In Race to Relief, Amgen Touts New But Incomplete Migraine Data
A quartet of drugs that could prevent migraine headaches, not just treat the symptoms, are competing to get to market. Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) of Thousand Oaks, CA, announced Wednesday that its candidate, dubbed erenumab, met the main goal of a 667-patient mid-stage study. If a larger Phase 3 test that should wrap up soon also … Continue reading “In Race to Relief, Amgen Touts New But Incomplete Migraine Data”
The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part II
Startups, technology giants, and mainstream companies of all shapes and sizes are clamoring for software expertise, but top-tier computer science programs are struggling to expand capacity to meet that demand. Barry Crist, CEO of Seattle software company Chef, wants to see a dramatic increase in the number of well-trained programmers coming from places like the … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part II”
How to Make Healthcare Better? Make It Easy
There’s an “easy button” in the hospital that I press a hundred times every day. With each press, I make myself a better doctor. It’s not a button on a computer. It’s not electronic at all. It’s a hand sanitizer. A decade or two ago, hospital handwashing compliance rates were in the single digits because … Continue reading “How to Make Healthcare Better? Make It Easy”
The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part I
Innovation is perhaps the most over-used and abused buzzword of our modern moment. But that doesn’t mean we should shy away from it. To the contrary. Vikram Jandhyala, who has innovation in his job title as a vice provost at the University of Washington, and Barry Crist, CEO of Chef, maker of tools and practices … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Software CEO Meets University Innovation Leader, Part I”
RIPL Obtains $1,850,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6020e928-4a77-45e8-8b51-77426b4cb76a Date 6/6/2016 Company Name RIPL Mailing Address 5227 111th Lane NE Kirkland, WA 98033 USA Company Description RIPL has developed a mobile application that enables users to animate their social media posts. Website http://www.ripl.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,850,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “RIPL Obtains $1,850,000 New Funding”
SkyWard Lands $2,378,049 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=25b66ea0-b6ff-4fd6-a122-a8281363ede0 Date 6/6/2016 Company Name SkyWard Mailing Address 233 SW Naito Pkwy Portland, OR 97204 USA Company Description The SkyWard platform is a system for managing aerial robotics (AR) flight operations around the world. Unique, portable identities for drones and people give managers real-time visibility on assets in the field; customer requests … Continue reading “SkyWard Lands $2,378,049 New Funding Round”
Cloudability Receives $24,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=14943901-3a89-4018-aeda-f984d1ff3458 Date 6/6/2016 Company Name Cloudability Mailing Address 718 SW Alder St. Portland, OR 97205 USA Company Description Cloudability lets you monitor, optimize and govern your cloud costs with one easy tool. Website http://www.cloudability.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $24,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The company will use the … Continue reading “Cloudability Receives $24,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
Seattle Week in Review: Give Me the Blue Pill
Last night, Twitter was exploding with the violence outside of a Donald Trump rally in San Jose, CA, at the same time as the Mariners staged an historic comeback win—14 runs across two innings—to defeat the San Diego Padres. Guess which one I turned off. It’s been that kind of week. Thankfully, the news from Seattle’s … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Give Me the Blue Pill”
Impinj to Test IPO Waters Again, Seeking to Raise Up to $60M
Impinj, a long-tenured Seattle tech company making radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, readers, and software, aims to raise up to $60 million in an initial public stock offering. If the 16-year-old company goes forward with plans disclosed this week, it would be the first Seattle-area tech IPO since 2014, when pet insurance provider Trupanion went … Continue reading “Impinj to Test IPO Waters Again, Seeking to Raise Up to $60M”
Biotech Roundup: Deals Gone Wrong, Ethical Red Flags & Bay Goodbyes
It was fitting this week that, in the lead-up to two of biomedicine’s biggest self-celebrations, we were served ample reminder of the industry’s expensive decisions gone wrong. This weekend, much of academia and industry involved in cancer will gather in Chicago for the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. Thousands of others will head … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Deals Gone Wrong, Ethical Red Flags & Bay Goodbyes”
7 Steps Online Companies Can Take to Manage Sales Tax Exposure
States have been fighting to collect sales taxes from online retailers since the dawn of the e-commerce age. But today, online companies that sell services rather than merchandise also need to be concerned about state sales taxes. Even though most services are usually not subject to sales tax, some states are now asserting that certain … Continue reading “7 Steps Online Companies Can Take to Manage Sales Tax Exposure”
Mirabilis Medica Receives $2,232,833 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3a0ae63d-0654-487f-8d45-05b90185b8db Date 6/3/2016 Company Name Mirabilis Medica Mailing Address 18706 North Creek Parkway Bothell, WA 98011 USA Company Description Mirabilis’ patented technology employs therapeutic ultrasound under real-time guidance of imaging ultrasound. This leading-edge technology is designed to allow a physician to treat pathological tissue deep inside the body without incisions, punctures or … Continue reading “Mirabilis Medica Receives $2,232,833 New Financing”
A Startup CEO Visits Cuba in Transition
I just returned from several days visiting Cuba with several of my BFFs. No amount of pre-reading prepared me for the wonderful experience. Americans cannot go as “tourists,” but must go on an approved people-to-people exchange. As such, we visited schools, farms, a university, children’s programs, museums, churches, a factory and the like. I’m sharing … Continue reading “A Startup CEO Visits Cuba in Transition”
Qumulo Raises $32.5M More in Bid to Storm Data Storage Market
With a new $32.5 million funding round, Qumulo has now raised $100 million in four years to tackle the enterprise data storage market. The Seattle company on Friday released details of the Series C investment, disclosed in an SEC filing Wednesday. New investors Allen & Company, Top Tier Capital Partners, and Tyche Partners join prior Qumulo … Continue reading “Qumulo Raises $32.5M More in Bid to Storm Data Storage Market”
Qumulo Receives $30,565,178 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1bf5202b-a1f5-4579-bc18-afe42347cfe8 Date 6/1/2016 Company Name Qumulo Mailing Address 1501 4th Ave. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description Qumulo is a Seattle-based enterprise data storage startup. We believe that storage should be simple, scalable, and efficient. Formed in 2012 by leaders from Isilon Systems, Adobe, and Wily Technology, Qumulo is reimagining enterprise storage. … Continue reading “Qumulo Receives $30,565,178 New Funding Round”
Microsoft Venture Fund Aims to Harness Early Stage Innovation
Microsoft plans to invest more in early stage startup companies through a new corporate venture fund, headed by former Qualcomm executives. The name of the fund—which will back startups focused on cloud computing, machine learning, and security, with an emphasis on technology that complements Microsoft’s own products and services—is Microsoft Ventures. If that sounds familiar, … Continue reading “Microsoft Venture Fund Aims to Harness Early Stage Innovation”
Is Technology Crucial for Innovation?
Technology is crucial for innovation—and innovation in technology is critical to innovation in just about every other arena. Why? Because it’s the forward march of technology that allows us to do more with less, improving our lives in the process. Just look at how we’re living right now. We communicate worldwide via email or Skype. … Continue reading “Is Technology Crucial for Innovation?”
Celator Parlays Leukemia Drug Data into $1.5B Buyout From Jazz Pharma
All it takes to become an acquisition target in biotech is some promising data. Take Ewing, NJ, and Vancouver-based Celator Pharmaceuticals, which Jazz Pharmaceuticals just agreed to buy this morning for $1.5 billion. Celator (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CPXX]]) was formed in 1999 by a team led by Lawrence Mayer and Marcel Bally, both veterans of the British … Continue reading “Celator Parlays Leukemia Drug Data into $1.5B Buyout From Jazz Pharma”
WISErg Obtains $16,440,300 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=472f245c-5349-499e-a6ab-fd2a90a89fba Date 5/31/2016 Company Name WISErg Mailing Address 15443 NE 95th St. Redmond, WA 98052 USA Company Description WISErg Corporation is a Pacific Northwest bio resource company. Founded in 2010, WISErg’s primary focus is on deriving valuable renewable resources from compostable feedstock. Website http://www.wiserg.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $16,440,300 Transaction … Continue reading “WISErg Obtains $16,440,300 New Financing Round”
Seattle Week in Review: Asteroids, Clouds, Secrets, Donuts
Xconomy Seattle did its civic duty, showing up for jury duty at Seattle Municipal Court this week (the picture above is the view from the rooftop terrace of the courthouse). I was dismissed just in time for the big power outage that struck downtown Seattle on Wednesday. We’re reviewing funding for Planetary Resources, IT layoffs … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Asteroids, Clouds, Secrets, Donuts”
Planetary Resources Raises $21M for Near-Term Market: Earth Observation
The same satellite-based sensors Planetary Resources is developing to prospect for asteroids in deep space can be pointed back at Earth to help global agribusinesses and commodities traders monitor crops, and enable oil and gas drillers to find new targets. The Bellevue, WA-based space company announced a $21.1 million funding round to support work toward … Continue reading “Planetary Resources Raises $21M for Near-Term Market: Earth Observation”
With Recruits Coming, Precision Med Effort Pledges $142M For Biobank
The Obama administration’s ambitious long-term health study, dubbed the Precision Medicine Initiative, has tapped the Mayo Clinic to build a repository for biological samples collected from the study’s participants. Through the National Institutes of Health, the administration has awarded $142 million over five years to the Rochester, MN-based Mayo Clinic for the so-called “biobank,” which … Continue reading “With Recruits Coming, Precision Med Effort Pledges $142M For Biobank”
117M LinkedIn Passwords for Sale: What You Should Do Now
Last week, a hack many of us had forgotten about shot right back into the headlines. First, the background: in 2012, LinkedIn acknowledged it had suffered a data breach that exposed the passwords of 6.5 million of its customers. What we discovered last week, however, was that the breach was actually much bigger than anyone … Continue reading “117M LinkedIn Passwords for Sale: What You Should Do Now”