Category: Seattle

Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA

Some of the more exciting ideas in biotech are coming up in molecular diagnostics. There’s cool science at work. A number of tests have potential to cut down on overtreatment, reduce waste in healthcare, and give physicians clever new ideas on how to help patients. But this industry, which accounts for less than 2 percent … Continue reading “Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA”

15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters

Nobody on their deathbed says they wish they’d spent more time reading tech blogs. Don’t get me wrong: It’s great that consumers and entrepreneurs have so many places today to get news about the world of Internet startups, mobile devices, software, and venture investing. Back in 1998-2001, the last time things were this crazy in … Continue reading “15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters”

Sellvana Secures $5,000,000 Seed Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ef9736e3-5436-4bd2-b819-7737fa187c99 Date 2/14/2014 Company Name Sellvana Mailing Address Undisclosed Portland, OR 97290 Company Description Sellvana is developing as yet unspecified ecommerce software technologies. Website http://www.sellvana.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed

Little Bird Receives $1,723,668 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e8d183dc-bead-4900-9b75-a9302ec06a9b Date 2/14/2014 Company Name Little Bird Mailing Address 5916 NE Alberta Street Portland, OR 97218 Company Description A company called Plexus Engine Inc., doing business as Little Bird, automates the process of finding and verifying social media sources. Website http://www.getlittlebird.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,723,668 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Little Bird Receives $1,723,668 New Financing Round”

Avalara Adds $30M to Fuel Sales-Tax Software Growth

Sales-tax software might sound like a boring business. But don’t tell that to the folks at Avalara. The nearly 10-year-old company, based a short ferry ride away from Seattle on Bainbridge Island, embraces the normally staid world of e-commerce backend services and enterprise software with a fun-loving culture that includes a company “tiki bar” and … Continue reading “Avalara Adds $30M to Fuel Sales-Tax Software Growth”

Front Desk Obtains $4,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=88a865c2-eb64-4a42-8d4a-2b23604a858f Date 2/13/2014 Company Name Front Desk Mailing Address 1212 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122 Company Description Two years ago, we looked at the existing software used to manage the gyms we own and work out in. We wanted to improve and extend some of these popular solutions. Website http://www.frontdeskhq.com Transaction … Continue reading “Front Desk Obtains $4,000,000 Series A Funding”

Avalara Lands $30,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e1483d5d-3d45-4aa9-bd8c-495357279676 Date 2/13/2014 Company Name Avalara Mailing Address 100 Ravine Lane NE Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 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 past … Continue reading “Avalara Lands $30,000,000 New Funding”

Flipping the Flipped Classroom

Two of the hot topics in education in the last few years have been Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) and the flipped classroom. I’ve been experimenting with both of them. What I’ve learned (besides being able to use the word “pedagogy” in a sentence) is 1) assigning students lectures as homework doesn’t guarantee the students … Continue reading “Flipping the Flipped Classroom”

WTIA Buys Troubled NWEN in Nonprofit Consolidation

The Washington Technology Industry Association, the state’s top trade group for tech companies, is taking over another nonprofit that serves tech entrepreneurs. The WTIA announced today that it’s acquiring the Northwest Entrepreneur Network, which laid off its director last month as it sought to restructure. The deal involved some payment, but the exact figures were not … Continue reading “WTIA Buys Troubled NWEN in Nonprofit Consolidation”

Nativis Garners $9,161,414 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bfb54c0e-42fe-4de1-8935-0693f2259a21 Date 2/12/2014 Company Name Nativis Mailing Address 219 Terry Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 Company Description Natvis Voyager is a medical device that replaces standard chemotherapy with specific low level radio frequency energy (REF). Website http://www.nativis.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $9,161,414 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Nativis Garners $9,161,414 New Funding Round”

Cardiac Dimensions Obtains $455,959 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0e257725-a74d-4fd7-93b8-7f1636e3cb63 Date 2/12/2014 Company Name Cardiac Dimensions Mailing Address 5540 Lake Washington Blvd. NE Kirkland, WA 98033 Company Description Cardiac Dimensions, Inc. is a medical device company developing novel interventional tools for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) and related conditions. Website http://www.cardiacdimensions.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $455,959 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Cardiac Dimensions Obtains $455,959 New Financing”

Algae Biomass Advocates Push Past Exuberance, Aim for Sustainability

Ice shut down Houston for the second time in five days recently, a weather event that, in its sheer strangeness, seemed a fitting backdrop for a gathering of alternative fuel advocates in Big Oil’s backyard. I drove on an unusually empty Interstate 45 to Montgomery, TX, about 60 miles north of Houston, where the leaders … Continue reading “Algae Biomass Advocates Push Past Exuberance, Aim for Sustainability”

The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?

One of the old saws in journalism is to “follow the money” when you’re looking for a story. But sometimes you learn even more by following the people. The people, in this case, are biotech venture capitalists. Regular readers of this column know that biotech VC has been going through a historic shakeout the last … Continue reading “The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?”

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her”

Warning: Extensive plot spoilers. Like any effective science fiction movie, Spike Jonze’s Her has sparked a lot of important conversation and criticism, about everything from user-interface design to misogyny in filmmaking. But the reviews I’ve read all seem to miss one key point. Considered as a product, not a person (and we’ll get back to … Continue reading “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her””

Could Future Car2go Trips Take You to Bellevue in a Black Mercedes?

After a successful first year of service in Seattle, car2go—the pay-as-you-go, free-floating car rental service from German automaker Daimler AG—is researching the potential for expansion to the Eastside and a new business model that would appear to put it more directly in competition with the likes of Zipcar. The company, which rents the diminutive blue … Continue reading “Could Future Car2go Trips Take You to Bellevue in a Black Mercedes?”

UW Presidential Entrepreneurial Faculty Fellows Lecture: Marsha Linehan

Marsha Linehan, a University of Washington professor of psychology, adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, speaks on the topic “Avoiding pitfalls and correcting missteps: How to manage a 2nd full-time job by starting a company at UW.” More information and registration is available here.

WCTA: Controversy Over Coal Terminals: Should the Northwest Export Coal?

The Washington Clean Technology Alliance will host a debate over the issue of coal exports from Northwest ports at its March breakfast meeting. Representing the anti-coal position will be Jan Hasselman, an attorney in the Northwest office of Earthjustice. The pro-coal side will be argued by a representative from the Alliance for Northwest Jobs and … Continue reading “WCTA: Controversy Over Coal Terminals: Should the Northwest Export Coal?”

Meet the Fledglings

Fledge, the “conscious company” incubator, introduces its Spring 2014 companies, which will begin a 10-week program culminating with a Demo Day on May 7. For more information on the introductory event and to register, click here.

Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk

The concepts in my Lean LaunchPad curriculum can be taught in a variety of classes–as an introduction to entrepreneurship all the way to a graduate level “capstone class.” I recently learned being tough when you select teams for a capstone class pays off for all involved. Here’s why. Our Lean LaunchPad class requires student teams … Continue reading “Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk”

To Attract Tech Workers, Developer Envisions the City in the Suburbs

Can a real estate developer create the feeling of an urban neighborhood, complete with its grit and culture, in the suburbs? Assuming it’s possible would such a place attract the kind of employees that technology companies today are competing to hire? That’s the challenge venerable Seattle real estate developer Wright Runstad & Company has set … Continue reading “To Attract Tech Workers, Developer Envisions the City in the Suburbs”

5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation

Every company wants to build a strong brand. However, for startups in today’s crowded marketplace, it can be quite challenging to get a brand noticed and recognized. I believe it’s always a good idea to study the best brands in the world, and see how they do things. So here are a few key tips … Continue reading “5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation”

BOXX Secures New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bf6abc8f-f361-48e8-a2fb-8a5ae3900c1c Date 2/6/2014 Company Name BOXX Mailing Address 939 SE Alder St. Portland, OR 97214 Company Description BOXX Corp. Created, Founded, Engineered, Designed and Headquarted in the United States. Branded Products, Technologies Development and Manufacturing. BOXX Corp. founded by President and CEO of BOXX Corp. creator and designer of BOXX ® vehicle. … Continue reading “BOXX Secures New Round”

BOXX Garners New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bf6abc8f-f361-48e8-a2fb-8a5ae3900c1c Date 2/6/2014 Company Name BOXX Mailing Address 939 SE Alder St. Portland, OR 97214 Company Description BOXX Corp. Created, Founded, Engineered, Designed and Headquarted in the United States. Branded Products, Technologies Development and Manufacturing. BOXX Corp. founded by President and CEO of BOXX Corp. creator and designer of BOXX ® vehicle. … Continue reading “BOXX Garners New Funding Round”

CIVVA Obtains New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e3a745b1-d9c1-4e52-9772-f5ad982390a7 Date 2/6/2014 Company Name CIVVA Mailing Address 900 SW 5th Ave. Portland, OR 97204 Company Description Utility. CIVVA.com features a simple drag-and-drop functionality that makes comparing and combining easier than ever. Reward. We encourage shopping new designs by giving discount based on personal styling that applies site-wide. Website http://www.civva.co Transaction Type … Continue reading “CIVVA Obtains New Funding Round”

Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out

Today’s generation of students has a high exposure to the Internet, smartphones, social and many other technologies from a very young age. It is not uncommon to see college students tinkering with technology, starting digital startups, and making millions (and occasionally even billions). Some drop out of school to build their business, but not all. … Continue reading “Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out”

Clear Catheter Systems Lands $450,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=34846a8d-8235-4266-b4de-b94da1fa08c1 Date 2/5/2014 Company Name Clear Catheter Systems Mailing Address 20380 Halfway Road Bend, OR 97701 Company Description Clear Catheter Systems is a Bend, Oregon based medical device company pioneering new technologies that will revolutionize medical tube drainage. Website http://www.pleuraflow.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $450,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Clear Catheter Systems Lands $450,000 New Round”

Skytap Garners $6,450,000 Series C Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=67b5a310-8c04-4c23-b37a-c7b5749d3497 Date 2/5/2014 Company Name Skytap Mailing Address 710 2nd Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description Skytap is the leading provider of cloud-based virtualization solutions available as on-demand services over the Web. Virtualization is poised to become the defining technology of the 21st century and Skytap’s goal is to make serving up … Continue reading “Skytap Garners $6,450,000 Series C Financing”

With Nadella, Microsoft Avoids Drastic Change at CEO

The announcement of longtime Microsoftie Satya Nadella as the company’s new CEO was no surprise when it finally, officially came Tuesday. Last week’s early reports of the choice ensured that the Microsoft board’s plans were fully floated before the cameras and conference calls were set into motion. So there was no big reaction from Wall … Continue reading “With Nadella, Microsoft Avoids Drastic Change at CEO”

Acucela Pins Down $162M IPO in Japan to Develop Eye Drugs

Acucela founder and CEO Ryo Kubota is a native of Japan, and now he’s got a lot more investors supporting his work there. Seattle-based Acucela is selling 9.2 million shares of stock at $17.65 apiece in an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, according to a regulatory filing. The deal is bringing in … Continue reading “Acucela Pins Down $162M IPO in Japan to Develop Eye Drugs”

The $1K Genome? So What? Illumina Is On a Quest for World Domination

People can argue all day about whether Illumina has, at last, given us the $1,000 genome. The answer does matter, because the cheaper it gets to sequence a whole human genome, the easier it will be to gather lots of them. That will help us understand what makes people different, and shed light on what … Continue reading “The $1K Genome? So What? Illumina Is On a Quest for World Domination”

Data Science at the University of Washington – A Campus Conversation

University of Washington leaders including President Michael Young and Provost Ana Mari Cauce headline an afternoon of talks on a range of data science initiatives taking shape across the campus. These include a major grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to unite scientists and computer scientists to … Continue reading “Data Science at the University of Washington – A Campus Conversation”

More Nuance From Moz CTO on AWS, Private Cloud Decision

Moz’s chief technology officer says the Seattle marketing technology company is still using Amazon Web Services (AWS), and other public cloud computing services, for some specific tasks. The comments from CTO Anthony Skinner add nuance to Thursday’s post from CEO Sarah Bird, in which she described Moz’ decision to move off of AWS in a … Continue reading “More Nuance From Moz CTO on AWS, Private Cloud Decision”

Moz Dumps Amazon Web Services, Citing Expense and ‘Lacking’ Service

[Updated, 1/31/14, 12:01 pm] Seattle marketing technology company Moz had a worse-than-expected 2013 in terms of profitability and products. But what really jumped out at me in the privately held company’s startlingly frank review of the year was new CEO Sarah Bird’s blunt criticism of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which she says the company is … Continue reading “Moz Dumps Amazon Web Services, Citing Expense and ‘Lacking’ Service”

Viggle, Wetpaint’s Acquirer, Buys Dijit to Build TV Loyalty Program

Life is tough these days for the TV networks. They still make money by supplying advertisers with eyeballs, just like they always did. They still bring in eyeballs by paying producers for shows, which are more expensive than ever. But as eyeball bait, TV shows just aren’t as effective as they used to be. Gone … Continue reading “Viggle, Wetpaint’s Acquirer, Buys Dijit to Build TV Loyalty Program”

Seattle Roundup: PNNL, ADA, Donuts, Syntonic Wireless, Scout, Sparq

Catching up on the latest non-Super Bowl related tech news: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is adding to its already substantial advanced energy research program; Ada Developers Academy is off to a solid start with great local support; Donuts is rolling out generic top-level domains including .HOLDINGS and .PLUMBING, with more to come; Syntonic Wireless has … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: PNNL, ADA, Donuts, Syntonic Wireless, Scout, Sparq”

Thong Le Takes Over at Accelerator, With Eyes on Seattle and NYC

Seattle hasn’t cranked out many big-idea biotech startups in the last few years, and now it’s up to Thong Le to see whether he can provide a spark. Le, 38, has taken over as the CEO of Accelerator, the venture-backed outfit that builds early-stage biotech startups with big aspirations. He joins the operation after more … Continue reading “Thong Le Takes Over at Accelerator, With Eyes on Seattle and NYC”

Shockwave Medical Garners $12,500,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5f76b046-456a-4529-8c96-1edf6df1915d Date 1/29/2014 Company Name Shockwave Medical Mailing Address 1750 112th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98004 Company Description The Lithoplasty family of balloon dilatation catheters incorporate tiny lithotripsy electrodes designed to increase the compliance of rigid vascular and valvular lesions prior to low-pressure dilation, thereby limiting injury to healthy tissue and overcoming … Continue reading “Shockwave Medical Garners $12,500,000 Series A Financing”

In California, Walgreens & Walmart Are Rethinking Retail Health

On January 1, 2014, a bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown fundamentally transformed how pharmacists operate in California. The new law allows pharmacists in the most populous state in the nation to independently prescribe vaccinations, hormonal contraception, smoking cessation medications, and travel medicine without physician oversight or supervision. Importantly, the bill declares that “pharmacists are … Continue reading “In California, Walgreens & Walmart Are Rethinking Retail Health”

What the World Needs Now Is (Probably Not) a Pill for Perfect Pitch

I remember seeing an episode of Desperate Housewives during the show’s first season called Running to Stand Still. In the episode, Lynette, working mom of many, takes her kid’s ADD medicine in order to be supermom and create costumes for the school play while balancing all of her other tasks. It was a classic self-prescribed … Continue reading “What the World Needs Now Is (Probably Not) a Pill for Perfect Pitch”

Gene Therapy Lurches Ahead, Sees Thorny Future Questions on Price

Imagine for a minute you’re a teenager with a rare genetic muscle disease nobody has ever heard of. No treatment exists. Your doctor says you might die if you ever eat pepperoni pizza. The medical literature says you’ll never get to be an athlete, get a real job, start a family. You’ll probably die in … Continue reading “Gene Therapy Lurches Ahead, Sees Thorny Future Questions on Price”

Telekenex Lands New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2f3b2117-4abc-449a-865c-0c2e6d53e911 Date 1/27/2014 Company Name Telekenex Mailing Address 800 S. Michigan Street Seattle, WA 98108 Company Description Telekenex is a business-grade IP service provider with a robust private international network and innovative managed solutions, including Hosted VoIP, MPLS + Internet, Managed Ethernet and Data Center. Website http://www.telekenex.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Telekenex Lands New Round”

Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease

When I started working on the research and science of leprosy more than a decade ago, people thought this chronic infectious disease would eliminate itself and burn out over time. We didn’t have time for that. Why? Nearly 250,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year, and many more go undetected. Approximately 10 percent … Continue reading “Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease”

The New Internet Economy: A Chat With Alibaba CTO Wang Jian

Don’t compare Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group to Amazon, eBay, Google, or other U.S. Internet giants. Think bigger. Think Walmart. Yet even Walmart doesn’t quite capture the scale or nature of Alibaba’s operations. To CTO Wang Jian, who visited Seattle this week, Alibaba provides such a fundamental, all-encompassing service to the modern economy that it’s … Continue reading “The New Internet Economy: A Chat With Alibaba CTO Wang Jian”

Hockney’s iPad: How Technology Illuminates the Way We See

The best painters don’t just make pretty, eye-catching pictures. They make us think about what it means to see. On the canvas, they must reduce the three dimensions of the living world to two—but if they’re good at it, they add a different kind of depth in the process. David Hockney is very, very good … Continue reading “Hockney’s iPad: How Technology Illuminates the Way We See”