Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f70f43b9-d85a-4dc9-a748-705b1d114943 Date 6/2/2014 Company Name Cozi Group Mailing Address 506 Second Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 USA Company Description Cozi delivers a new type of service called family-ready software services. These are created specifically with family dynamics in mind, with an emphasis on making life easier, less stressful and more fun for busy … Continue reading “Time Acquires Cozi Group for Undisclosed Sum”
Category: Seattle
Zino Life & Wellness Investment Forum
The Zino Society, an angel investing group, hosts about a dozen early-stage company presentations, expert panelists, and exhibitors, at its 6th Life & Wellness Investment Forum. More information and tickets, which cost $85—less for Zino members, are available here.
Seattle Roundup: Farmstr, Koru, Indow Windows, & More
ExtraHop’s big $41 million Series C round from Technology Crossover Ventures was the big news of the week. But a handful of other developments caught our attention: —Today, we reported on SignalSense, the new startup company that former Microsoft Technical Fellow and Splunk engineering leader Brad Lovering is working on. —Jobaline raised a $7 million … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: Farmstr, Koru, Indow Windows, & More”
Brad Lovering Leaves Splunk for Seattle-Area Startup SignalSense
Brad Lovering, the former Microsoft Technical Fellow who opened Splunk’s Seattle office and most recently served as its chief development architect, is at a new startup, SignalSense, which just raised $1.3 million, according to a securities filing and Lovering’s LinkedIn profile. Lovering was so sought after by Splunk, the high-flying San Francisco company focused on … Continue reading “Brad Lovering Leaves Splunk for Seattle-Area Startup SignalSense”
Startups and “The Future of Informing”: Q&A with Matter’s Corey Ford
Don’t let it be said that the media industry is anti-innovation. Journalism schools sponsor hard-hitting studies saying news organizations must reinvent themselves to survive. A leaked innovation report from the New York Times shows that the venerable paper is serious about doing exactly that, even if it’s still struggling to figure out how. And KQED, … Continue reading “Startups and “The Future of Informing”: Q&A with Matter’s Corey Ford”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Volcano, Twist, Calibr, ARMO, and More
For scheduling purposes, we’re moving the West Coast biotech roundup to Thursday. That move, plus the long Memorial Day weekend, means a short week and a fairly short roundup. It’s like hanging six or seven instead of the full ten. Next week’s roundup will catch a full wave of activity, we promise. —San Diego medical … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Volcano, Twist, Calibr, ARMO, and More”
ExtraHop Raises $41M from TCV to Untangle Corporate Networks
ExtraHop, a Seattle company that taps the low-level data coursing through IT systems to better manage them and the businesses they support, has raised a $41 million Series C round led by Technology Crossover Ventures. Earlier investors Madrona Venture Group, Meritech Capital, Isilon Systems founder Sujal Patel, and other angel investors joined the round. It … Continue reading “ExtraHop Raises $41M from TCV to Untangle Corporate Networks”
ExtraHop Networks Secures $41,000,000 Series C Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7092c171-d5d1-408d-97f8-0c3a982847f3 Date 5/29/2014 Company Name ExtraHop Networks Mailing Address 520 Pike St. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description ExtraHop Networks is a venture-backed technology startup based in Seattle.We have a world-class team focused on solving problems in computer networks everywhere. We are building cutting-edge technology to deliver a disruptive level of performance … Continue reading “ExtraHop Networks Secures $41,000,000 Series C Funding”
UP Global Hires Enrique Godreau III For Its New York Expansion
The folks at UP Global are busy this week at a summit in Las Vegas, but that has not kept them from announcing a notable hiring. Enrique Godreau III was named a senior vice president with the organization, which runs programs to mentor and encourage entrepreneurs to build their ideas into businesses. Godreau will officially … Continue reading “UP Global Hires Enrique Godreau III For Its New York Expansion”
Jobaline Raises $7M to Take Hourly Labor Recruiting Market National
In a testament to its success in a large corner of the employment market that has been underserved by technology providers, Jobaline is raising a substantial round of fresh capital. The Kirkland, WA, company has raised $7 million in Series B funding for a nationwide expansion of its mobile, bi-lingual marketplace for recruiting hourly workers. … Continue reading “Jobaline Raises $7M to Take Hourly Labor Recruiting Market National”
Prostate Cancer Screening: Seduction Of The Innocent
Many rare book collectors keep an eye out for an original copy of Seduction of the Innocent, a cause célèbre when it was published back in the 1950s by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham. The tome purported to show that the root cause of juvenile delinquency in the U.S. was comic books! Sensationalistic congressional hearings followed in … Continue reading “Prostate Cancer Screening: Seduction Of The Innocent”
Mobilewalla Secures $1,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6c4eb6b0-2b35-4e89-8864-0261a76309cc Date 5/28/2014 Company Name Mobilewalla Mailing Address 219 1st Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98104 USA Company Description Mobilewalla is the neutral data destination for consumers and the mobile industry insiders seeking insights into the app market.For consumers, Mobilewalla independently rates and ranks applications for the Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry and Windows … Continue reading “Mobilewalla Secures $1,000,000 New Round”
Jobaline Receives $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8220faf1-0d2e-4bfe-92db-e380bd2f7e06 Date 5/28/2014 Company Name Jobaline Mailing Address 620 Kirkland Way Kirkland, WA 98033 USA Company Description Jobaline is a bilingual, mobile-first jobs marketplace enabling the more than 74 million hourly workers in the United States to find and apply for jobs from any computer, tablet or phone. Website http://www.jobaline.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Jobaline Receives $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
NeuroFutures 2014
University of Toronto neurosurgeon Dr. Andres Lozano will give a public lecture in Seattle to kick off a conference on innovations in neuromodulation, brain mapping, neuroimaging, brain computer interfaces, and other topics. More details and registration information is available here.
Music Business Association Startup Academy
Aspiring entrepreneurs in the music business can learn about industry economics, development strategies, and technical issues at the Music Business Association’s afternoon seminar in Seattle. Keynote speaker is Lively chief music officer Brian Hirsh. The event costs $79, $59 for Music Business Association members, and $39 for students. More information and registration details are here.
Steve Case’s “Rise of the Rest” Startup Tour to Kick Off in Detroit
Investor and AOL co-founder Steve Case announced on Thursday he will embark on a bus tour in June to highlight emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems. Called “Rise of the Rest” and co-sponsored by UP Global, Revolution, and Google for Entrepreneurs, the tour kicks off in Detroit on June 24 and continues on to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Nashville. … Continue reading “Steve Case’s “Rise of the Rest” Startup Tour to Kick Off in Detroit”
Navigating JOBS, Wrangling Investors: A Biotech CFO Roundtable
In biotech, the visionary scientists and serial entrepreneurs often—arguably too often—get described as “rock stars.” The financial guys… well, not so much. But in a business where cash is constantly burned at the altar of R&D, and financial engineering can be as prized a skill as drug hunting, the CFOs perhaps deserve more time in … Continue reading “Navigating JOBS, Wrangling Investors: A Biotech CFO Roundtable”
Roundup: Tech Economy, Startup Competitions, Code Fellows, Solar Storage
Usually, long before a company gets that eight-figure Series B investment—as Seattle’s Context Relevant did this week—it has to scrape together experience, validation, and more modest sums through investment competitions, such as Seattle Angel Conference and the University of Washington Business Plan Competition, both of which took place this week. They play a key role … Continue reading “Roundup: Tech Economy, Startup Competitions, Code Fellows, Solar Storage”
Stuck on Website ‘Help Island’? First UW iSchool Spinout Has the Answer
[Corrected 5/23/14, 10:53 am. See below.] The University of Washington Information School has more than a century of history, and now, it’s first startup company, AnswerDash, which aims to improve self-service online help for e-commerce, government, and other Websites. While startup companies and technologies with commercial potential regularly emerge from the larger UW Computer Science … Continue reading “Stuck on Website ‘Help Island’? First UW iSchool Spinout Has the Answer”
Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Service Without Cable
[Updated article for 2017 is here, 10/25/17.] Last fall I wrote a column called Please, Keep Paying $80 a Month for Cable So I Can Enjoy Cheap TV. The article was addressed to folks who complain about the exorbitant fees they’re paying to Comcast or AT&T for premium cable bundles. Adopting a cheeky, sarcastic tone—which … Continue reading “Cord Cutting: How to Get High-Speed Internet Service Without Cable”
OncoGenex Retrenches, and Searches for Answers, After Failed Trial
There are several harsh lessons to be learned in drug development, and OncoGenex learned perhaps the most brutal one of all: a knockout Phase 2 trial doesn’t guarantee a thing in Phase 3. Earlier this year, Bothell, WA- and Vancouver, BC-based OncoGenex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OGXI]]) thought it had everything figured out. Its RNA-based cancer drug, custirsen, … Continue reading “OncoGenex Retrenches, and Searches for Answers, After Failed Trial”
1Q VC Data: What Just Happened?
The National Venture Capital Association recently released data on first-quarter investment activity, which always makes for an interesting read, at least on long plane rides. Point of fact, this past quarter was exceptional in many ways—and arguably somewhat unexpected. The headlines read that $9.5 billion was invested in 951 companies, an amount we have not … Continue reading “1Q VC Data: What Just Happened?”
Just a Few Slots Left for Napa Summit June 3—Request An Invite
We are just under two weeks away from the Napa Summit 2014: The Xconomy Retreat on the Economy, Jobs, and Growth. It is one of our most special events of the year. Not only does it have an incredible speaker lineup, it is multidisciplinary, offering a rare chance to step out of your zone of … Continue reading “Just a Few Slots Left for Napa Summit June 3—Request An Invite”
Engaged Learning, Backed by Gates Foundation, Adapts to Each Student
When University of Washington computer science professor Zoran Popović describes his effort to dramatically change the way kids learn math, you can pick up echoes of personalized medicine, targeted online advertisements, and even choose-your-own adventure books. As in virtually every other sphere of business and life, the technology-driven transformation of education from a data-poor to a … Continue reading “Engaged Learning, Backed by Gates Foundation, Adapts to Each Student”
With Banks, Insurers Knocking, Context Relevant Lands $21M to Answer
Context Relevant has focused its big data analysis software on deep-pocketed financial services firms that are looking for an edge, demand tight security, and are willing to pay for it. The strategy appears to be winning as the Seattle-based startup has raised $21 million in new capital to hire 100 people over the next 18 … Continue reading “With Banks, Insurers Knocking, Context Relevant Lands $21M to Answer”
Context Relevant Secures $15,000,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ee3680e-f85d-4908-9f5f-946df822a03c Date 5/20/2014 Company Name Context Relevant Mailing Address 1301 5th Ave. Seattle, WA 98101 USA Company Description At Context Relevant, we’ve developed revolutionary software that enables you to analyze Big Data faster and more thoroughly than ever before. Website http://www.contextrelevant.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,000,000 Transaction Round Series B … Continue reading “Context Relevant Secures $15,000,000 Series B Funding Round”
Kineta Receives $1,627,498 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=13beeeb2-5cfe-49d3-9657-c55049c55c9f Date 5/19/2014 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 Receives $1,627,498 New Round”
Check Out Our Napa Summit Agenda—Get Your Invite for June 2-3 Event
It’s one of the most special events Xconomy holds—an invitation-only confab in the Napa Valley for roughly 80-90 special guests and speakers. And the Napa Summit 2014, set for June 2-3, is shaping up to be our best ever. We have a power-packed array of speakers, from pioneers in their fields to some of the … Continue reading “Check Out Our Napa Summit Agenda—Get Your Invite for June 2-3 Event”
Welcome to the Seven-Year Technology Pause
What’s even harder to endure than the collapse of an economic or technology bubble? The long lull that follows. The current bubble hasn’t popped quite yet—and it might not, at least not in the sudden and messy way that the dot-com bubble did, in March 2000. What’s just as possible is that that we’ll see … Continue reading “Welcome to the Seven-Year Technology Pause”
Innovation Hub: David Pogue Does Some Trendspotting
David Pogue is a tastemaker. His reviews in The New York Times—and now on Yahoo—are widely followed. He has 1.5 million Twitter followers. And he’s always on the lookout for new trends. So, what is he intrigued by right now? And what does he think is overhyped? I put it to Pogue. [The following interview … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: David Pogue Does Some Trendspotting”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Lumena/Shire, Isis, Janssen Labs & More
A new wave of buyout fervor included the acquisition of San Diego’s Lumena Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Labs unveiled plans for a new incubator in South San Francisco, and Statos Genomics raised capital in Seattle. Here is the past week’s roundup of news up and down the left coast. —San Diego’s Lumena Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2011 to … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Lumena/Shire, Isis, Janssen Labs & More”
Roundup: StratoScientific, Pro.com, Seattle Steam, Bitcoin Miners, & More
It was a very good week for a new father-and-son medical devices company, StratoScientific. Another home improvement startup, Pro.com, is revving up in Seattle. Seattle Steam is being acquired by Brookfield Asset Management. Bitcoin miners are opening up shop in Eastern Washington because of the low cost of electricity. And Code Fellows has a new … Continue reading “Roundup: StratoScientific, Pro.com, Seattle Steam, Bitcoin Miners, & More”
The Davis Dilemma: New Energy for Innovation, But Where to Grow?
Every economic development official in the country knows the story. In 1951, Frederick Terman, then the dean of engineering at Stanford University, decided to set aside 200 acres of Stanford-owned fruit orchards in Palo Alto for the new Stanford Industrial Park. The park was soon home to Varian Associates, Shockley Transistor, and Hewlett-Packard, as well … Continue reading “The Davis Dilemma: New Energy for Innovation, But Where to Grow?”
Powerit Holdings Secures $1,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f4d4c3a2-ebc9-42a6-91c6-93f85211f10d Date 5/15/2014 Company Name Powerit Holdings Mailing Address 307 3rd Ave South Seattle, WA 98104 USA Company Description Powerit Solutions provides comprehensive energy demand response and demand control solutions for industrial and commercial applications. Website http://www.poweritsolutions.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Powerit Holdings Secures $1,000,000 New Financing”
Foundation Gives $31.2M to Support UW Entrepreneurial Researchers
The University of Washington today announced a $31.2 million gift from the Washington Research Foundation to support interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial researchers working on protein design, data science, clean energy, and neuroengineering. Xconomy first reported on the funding, which represents a new giving strategy for the foundation, in March. A few details were announced today that were … Continue reading “Foundation Gives $31.2M to Support UW Entrepreneurial Researchers”
Amazon Expands Boston-Area Office, Room for About 800
One of the technology industry’s biggest names is increasing its footprint in Boston. Real estate records show that Amazon recently added about 11,000 square feet to its existing offices in Cambridge’s Kendall Square neighborhood, right next to the prime recruiting grounds at MIT. It’s a popular spot for West Coast technology giants to set up … Continue reading “Amazon Expands Boston-Area Office, Room for About 800”
Xconomy Surveys Innovation in the Sacramento-Davis Corridor
As Xconomist Bob Metcalfe has said, “Invention is a flower. Innovation is a weed.” What better place for the weed of innovation to grow than in the fertile region around the California capital of Sacramento, and, especially, nearby University of California at Davis, one of the premier agricultural research institutions in the world? In fact, … Continue reading “Xconomy Surveys Innovation in the Sacramento-Davis Corridor”
Can Sacramento End Its Innovation Drought?
It’s raining, at last, in the Sacramento region. It’s just past noon on the last day of March. As I’d glided east on Interstate 80 that morning, the sky had been darkly pregnant, a wash of Payne’s Gray. Yet not a drop of rain had streaked my windshield. Now, as I’m leaving City Hall in … Continue reading “Can Sacramento End Its Innovation Drought?”
Sonivate Medical Garners $125,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=787eda9f-6f37-497f-a477-3d7680193031 Date 5/14/2014 Company Name Sonivate Medical Mailing Address 8305 SW. Creekside Pl. Beaverton, OR 97008 USA Company Description Sonivate Medical designs, develops, and manufactures high-performance, miniaturized ultrasound probe solutions which combine ultrasound technology with an innovative physical probe design. Website http://www.sonivate.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $125,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Sonivate Medical Garners $125,000 New Funding Round”
Pro.com Garners $3,500,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c1c6da0d-7e79-4e9a-8ff8-7713bb726cfe Date 5/14/2014 Company Name Pro.com Mailing Address 2118 Westlake Ave. Seattle, WA 98121 USA Company Description At Pro.com we’ve made it our mission to simplify home services—especially the up-front research before a project even starts. Website http://www.pro.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes … Continue reading “Pro.com Garners $3,500,000 New Funding Round”
Entrepreneurship Inside Corporations
There is a real trend developing right now of large corporations becoming crucibles of innovation and entrepreneurship in a systematic way. In this post, I will discuss four specific sub-categories of this trend that we’re seeing, and for all practical purposes, participating in. Intrapreneurship Incubation Corporations have come to realize that there are numerous great … Continue reading “Entrepreneurship Inside Corporations”
Stratos Genomics Lands $9,999,999 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4a3525d1-2204-42f7-b321-b452d909d394 Date 5/13/2014 Company Name Stratos Genomics Mailing Address 2401 Elliott Ave. 5th Floor Seattle, WA 98121 USA Company Description Stratos Genomics mission is to establish the next gold standard of DNA sequencing with its flagship Sequencing by Expansion (SBX) method. SBX is a simple, elegant, single-molecule detection process that circumvents the … Continue reading “Stratos Genomics Lands $9,999,999 New Funding Round”
Avalara Obtains $26,299,999 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d3506477-25cf-4a82-9e49-b727ce638652 Date 5/12/2014 Company Name Avalara Mailing Address 100 Ravine Lane NE Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 USA Company Description Avalara was founded by a team of tax and software industry veterans to fulfill a vision of delivering an affordable, scalable sales tax solution. Thus making what was not economically feasible in the … Continue reading “Avalara Obtains $26,299,999 New Round”
WTIA Spring First Look Forum
Fifteen Washington startups will introduce themselves to investors and the broader technology community at the Washington Technology Industry Association’s Spring First Look Forum. Here’s more information and how to register.
Seattle Roundup: CPA Fund, Minetta Brook, Appetas, Ada, & More
Lots to catch up on this week: Columbia Pacific Advisors shared more about its tech investment strategy; Minetta Brook released an interesting big data offering; Google ate Appetas; Smore raised cash; the Ada Developers Academy partnered with Bellevue College; and WallyHome partnered with HomeAdvisor. That’s all in addition to our coverage this week of funding … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: CPA Fund, Minetta Brook, Appetas, Ada, & More”
Innovation Hub: Joi Ito on Failing to the Top
Joi Ito may be a tech luminary, but he says that he has mostly learned by failing. Ito—an early investor in Twitter, Kickstarter, and Flickr—is now the head of the MIT Media Lab. And he believes that young people, entrepreneurs, and even those in established positions should be encouraged to try more and fail more. … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Joi Ito on Failing to the Top”
Radio is the New Netflix. Here’s Your Binge Listening Guide.
“Binge watching” TV shows wasn’t possible until the advent of full-season DVD sets in the late 1990s. And while bingeing was common enough in the 2000s—I definitely remember a few weekends spent inhaling 24, BSG, and The Wire—it didn’t really leap into the mainstream until 2013, when Netflix began streaming whole seasons of shows like … Continue reading “Radio is the New Netflix. Here’s Your Binge Listening Guide.”
West Coast Biotech Roundup: Alder IPO, Exelixis, Corcept, and More
It was a big week for synthetic biology in San Diego, a bit rocky for Bothell, WA-based Alder’s IPO, and South San Francisco’s Exelixis had some encouraging results from an early-stage trial of melanoma patients. Here’s our wrap-up. —A new San Diego startup called Synthorx is working to capitalize on a breakthrough in synthetic biology … Continue reading “West Coast Biotech Roundup: Alder IPO, Exelixis, Corcept, and More”
LiquidPlanner Secures $8,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=415a75a2-4413-4eb1-ad70-e124ad591f88 Date 5/9/2014 Company Name LiquidPlanner Mailing Address 2324 Eastlake Ave. E. Seattle, WA 98102 USA Company Description LiquidPlanner is a company founded on the belief that even in the face of complexity, uncertainty and constant change, project management should be simple and effective. Website http://www.liquidplanner.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “LiquidPlanner Secures $8,000,000 New Funding”
Biotech IPO Slump Deepens as Alder Prices Below Range
As Alder Biopharmaceuticals can attest to today, the biotech IPO train has hit the skids. The Bothell, WA-based company has priced its IPO at $10 per share, well below its projected $13 to $15 per share range, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital. Alder upsized its offering to 8 million shares from 7.2 million … Continue reading “Biotech IPO Slump Deepens as Alder Prices Below Range”