Category: Texas

Bio Roundup: Brii Does China, Hemophilia Updates, Right to Try & More

Sometimes disruption comes in waves. Since the 1990s, hemophilia patients have had to inject themselves with drugs a few times a week to prevent dangerous internal bleeding. That could soon change. One drug already approved, from Roche, may only need to be taken once a month by hemophilia A patients. Another experimental therapy from Alnylam … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Brii Does China, Hemophilia Updates, Right to Try & More”

Immunotherapy Biotech Kiromic Considers San Antonio Move for Cash

San Antonio — [Updated 5/31/18, 4:20 p.m. See below.] Kiromic, a Houston-based biotech company with artificial intelligence software that it’s using to develop two experimental cancer immunotherapies, may move to San Antonio—if it gets $200,000 from a city-operated economic development group. The money isn’t free. In exchange, Kiromic will give the San Antonio Economic Development Corporation—an … Continue reading “Immunotherapy Biotech Kiromic Considers San Antonio Move for Cash”

Request Your Invite for Our Napa Summit, June 14-15

In two and a half weeks, Xconomy will host our seventh annual Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. In the heart of California’s wine country, it is our most exclusive, intimate, and unique conference. There are only a few tickets left—so request your invitation today to join fellow exemplary executives, innovators, … Continue reading “Request Your Invite for Our Napa Summit, June 14-15”

Renaissance VC Adds $81M to Draw More Outside Capital to Michigan

Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, an Ann Arbor, MI-based fund-of-funds, has racked up another $81 million after closing its third capital round last week. The firm has raised a total of $205 million since it was established in 2008, says CEO and fund manager Chris Rizik. Renaissance invests in VC funds across the country in order to … Continue reading “Renaissance VC Adds $81M to Draw More Outside Capital to Michigan”

San Antonio Program for “Pre-Incubator” Startups Reveals First Class

San Antonio — Two Texas startup programs are teaming up to run a “pre-incubator” for startups that are still developing their business ideas. Called the Velocity360 program, the incubator is run over eight weeks by VelocityTX and its partner, EPIcenter. Entrepreneurs will work with VelocityTX and EPIcenter once a week on the viability of their ideas … Continue reading “San Antonio Program for “Pre-Incubator” Startups Reveals First Class”

New Silverton Fund, Brunner to Phunware, HEB Adds CDO & More TX Tech

Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Austin, TX-based venture firm Silverton Partners announced it has closed on a $108 million fund, which it will use to invest in startups in the enterprise and consumer technology sectors. Silverton says that since its founding in 2006, the firm has made more … Continue reading “New Silverton Fund, Brunner to Phunware, HEB Adds CDO & More TX Tech”

Aiming to Digitize Term Life Insurance Industry, Bestow Raises $15M

Dallas—Melbourne O’Banion, co-founder and CEO of Bestow, sees opportunity in using analytics to bring the insurance industry into the 21st century. To that end, the Dallas-based startup announced today it’s raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Valar Ventures, with participation from existing investors New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Core Innovation Capital, … Continue reading “Aiming to Digitize Term Life Insurance Industry, Bestow Raises $15M”

Fixing the Clinical Trial Bottleneck by Making Patients a Priority

The world of medicine and drug development has transformed dramatically over the past 50 years. Today, we have biologic medicines, genomic sequencing technologies, and digital health tools that help patients become more engaged in their care. But one part of the equation hasn’t seen very much change at all: clinical trials. Clinical trials are a … Continue reading “Fixing the Clinical Trial Bottleneck by Making Patients a Priority”

Ojo Labs, AI-Enabled Chatbot Maker for Real Estate, Raises $20.5M

Austin—Ojo Labs, which is developing artificial intelligence-enabled chatbots designed for the real estate industry, has raised $20.5 million. The new Series B funding round comes from investors such as Realogy Holdings, Royal Bank of Canada, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and ServiceMaster, along with Texas venture capital firms LiveOak Venture Partners and Silverton Partners. Ojo Labs … Continue reading “Ojo Labs, AI-Enabled Chatbot Maker for Real Estate, Raises $20.5M”

6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018

We can all agree that 2017 was a brutal year for cybersecurity. Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report identified passwords as the root cause of more than 81 percent of breaches in 2016 – an 18 percent increase from the previous year. And, it’s a safe guess that this year, the percentage will grow. At last … Continue reading “6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018”

Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout

There’s nothing abstract about a 20 percent jump in a company’s stock price. But yeah, that happened to Loxo Oncology when it released data previews for its American Society for Clinical Oncology presentations; the meeting starts in two weeks in Chicago. Wednesday was ASCO abstract day, and we’ll round up the headliners below, all with … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout”

Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines

[Updated 5/18/18, 8:38 a.m. See below.] An Amgen migraine drug developed to head off pain before it starts has won FDA approval, the first for a new class of preventive drug candidates for the condition. The Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) drug, erenumab (Aimovig), is a subcutaneous injection given once a month. The drug blocks the receptor … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines”

Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management

San Antonio—Cloud computing giant Rackspace has acquired a company that helps other businesses implement and use the Salesforce software. The deal expands Rackspace’s focus on helping companies use software and computing services, including those of cloud computing businesses it historically considered competitors. Rackspace paid an undisclosed amount for RelationEdge, a San Diego-based software-as-a-service provider focused … Continue reading “Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management”

OncoNano, Maker of Tumor Imaging Technology, Raises $11.7 Million

Dallas—OncoNano Medicine, which is developing an imaging agent to help surgeons better remove tumors, has raised $11.7 million in Series A funding. OncoNano’s lead product, ONM-100, is an injectable imaging agent that targets the acidic pH within tumors to better distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones during surgery. OncoNano said the new funding was arranged … Continue reading “OncoNano, Maker of Tumor Imaging Technology, Raises $11.7 Million”

Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing

[Updated 5/17/18, 9:45 am. See below.] Silicon Valley company Arevo, which competes with a growing number of rivals to transform 3D printing into a tool for mass manufacturing, announced today it raised $12.5 million in a Series B financing round. Arevo’s technology mix—which combines automated printing equipment with Web-based software and customized raw materials—exemplifies the … Continue reading “Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing”

Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too

For some migraine sufferers, bright lights or loud sounds are enough to touch off an attack. For others, stress sparks the onset of pain. Bright lights, loud sounds, stress: Migraine triggers vary from one patient to another. But a common element is the abundance of a pain-inducing protein in the blood. During a migraine attack, … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too”

New Startup Group Aims to Encourage Women Founders to Be Brazen

Dallas—Jasmin Brand says organizations geared to support women founders tend to focus on personal rather than professional development. “It always seemed they were focused on soft skills,” she says. “It’s OK to do social events, but that’s not how you learn to scale and grow revenue.” Brand, who is CEO of Launch DFW, a media … Continue reading “New Startup Group Aims to Encourage Women Founders to Be Brazen”

Stem Cell Maker StemBioSys Closes $4.3M Financing for New Products

San Antonio—StemBioSys has closed a $4.3 million Series B round of funding about two years after the company started raising it, according to regulatory filings. StemBioSys began raising the Series B round in 2016, when it initially filed securities documents that showed it had pulled in $2.7 million. The company took its focus off of … Continue reading “Stem Cell Maker StemBioSys Closes $4.3M Financing for New Products”

The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development

Chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are painful and often lifelong conditions. I know this both as a scientist and a father, as my son, Jeremy, was diagnosed 12 years ago with Crohn’s disease, one type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 80 autoimmune diseases affecting … Continue reading “The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development”

Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid

Arch Venture Partners co-founder and managing director Bob Nelsen is widely regarded as one of the most astute and successful life science investors and company builders in the game. The list of his portfolio company wins (if you think of raising money, going public, or being acquired as a win, which he doesn’t necessarily, read … Continue reading “Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid”

Care2Rock, Moneta, Yoshi, CipherLoc, Charles Schwab, & More TX Tech

Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Many businesses have used the Internet to pair buyers and sellers. Austin’s Care2Rock is doing that for music lessons. The social entrepreneurship startup uses WebRTC technology, which is open-source software that enables video chatting without having to download software like Skype, according to a … Continue reading “Care2Rock, Moneta, Yoshi, CipherLoc, Charles Schwab, & More TX Tech”

Softeq, LiveOak Launch New Programs, As Houston Ups Startup Support

Houston—In the past year, political and technology leaders in Houston have sought to catalyze innovation in the city by ramping up its anemic startup ecosystem. Most notably, that action has come in the form of Houston Exponential, a new civic organization that sprang from analysis of Houston’s early stage business climate and why its startup … Continue reading “Softeq, LiveOak Launch New Programs, As Houston Ups Startup Support”

Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details

[Editor’s note: Corie Lok co-authored this report.] In a much anticipated speech at the White House this afternoon, President Trump unveiled a long-awaited plan meant to cut the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. The administration’s “American Patients First” plan, released via a speech and an accompanying 38-page “blueprint” document, laid out some relatively … Continue reading “Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details”

“Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy

Humans are great about saying a lot of things. We’re not that good about actually following through. See: New Year’s diet resolutions or election polls. That tendency affects retailers as well. Big stores and brands spend millions in market research to figure out what shoppers want and then model production and creative teams to create those … Continue reading ““Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy”

Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More

Cytokine therapies for cancer aren’t new but they are attracting renewed interest. Some pharmaceutical companies see drug combinations using cytokines as a way to broaden the reach of immunotherapy, which still doesn’t work for the majority of cancer patients. This week, Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) showed how much it believes in cytokines. The Indianapolis drug maker … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More”

Austin’s NarrativeDx Adds $1.1M for Hospital-Improvement A.I. Tool

Austin—NarrativeDx, a startup whose software helps hospitals analyze patient feedback to improve or prevent problems related to their experiences, has added about $1.1 million in an equity financing, according to a federal securities filing. The Austin, TX-based company says it uses natural language processing and machine learning software to collect and analyze patient feedback about … Continue reading “Austin’s NarrativeDx Adds $1.1M for Hospital-Improvement A.I. Tool”

Rapamycin Holdings Plans Tests of Old Immune Drug in Prostate Cancer

San Antonio — Executives at Rapamycin Holdings believe a decades-old drug used to prevent organ transplant rejection could find a new use as a treatment for prostate cancer, and hope to  begin a clinical trial as soon as this summer. San Antonio-based Rapamycin Holdings has developed a new formulation of the drug, also called rapamycin, which … Continue reading “Rapamycin Holdings Plans Tests of Old Immune Drug in Prostate Cancer”

ThoughtSpot Nabs $145M To Democratize A.I.-Driven Data Analysis

ThoughtSpot, which enables its clients’ ordinary staffers to conduct advanced data analysis to inform their business decisions, announced today that it has raised $145 million in a Series D funding round. The big funding infusion will help ThoughtSpot expand its global customer base, and it’s also good news for the company’s R&D and commercialization centers … Continue reading “ThoughtSpot Nabs $145M To Democratize A.I.-Driven Data Analysis”

Steve Case: Focus on Dallas Startups that “Might Be the Next Amazon”

Dallas—Steve Case brought his Rise of the Rest tour to Dallas Monday, mingling with business and political leaders and offering advice to entrepreneurs who hope to join their ranks. “Dallas is clearly on the rise,” Case told an assembled group of entrepreneurs at Dallas brewery and taproom Community Beer Co. Still, that progress is endangered … Continue reading “Steve Case: Focus on Dallas Startups that “Might Be the Next Amazon””

San Antonio University Takes Aim at Gap in Cybersecurity Workforce

San Antonio—The University of Texas at San Antonio plans to open a new cybersecurity center that its leaders hope will draw interest from organizations looking for prospective employees, including both private companies and the federal government. Called the National Security Collaboration Center, it will be a physical space that aims to be a central gathering … Continue reading “San Antonio University Takes Aim at Gap in Cybersecurity Workforce”

Drive.AI Launches Pilot Program of Self-Driving Vehicles in Texas

Frisco, TX—Self-driving vehicles are coming to car-crazy Texas. San Francisco-based drive.AI announced on Monday a partnership with the city of Frisco, TX, and private developer Hall Group, which plans to start a driverless car service in July. Four bright-orange vans—the same vehicles that serve as New York taxis—will be part of a six-month pilot project … Continue reading “Drive.AI Launches Pilot Program of Self-Driving Vehicles in Texas”

Will New Study Cut Guesswork for Depression Medicine Prescriptions?

[Updated 5/7/18, 5pm ET. See below.] Genetic testing that helps guide more precise cancer treatment is making its way into standard practice in major U.S. medical centers. Could the same eventually be true for depression? One test maker thinks it has finally gathered enough evidence to convince psychiatrists to order its product and make more … Continue reading “Will New Study Cut Guesswork for Depression Medicine Prescriptions?”

Carbon Black CTO: “Right Time” For IPO; So Far, Wall Street Agrees

[Updated 5/4/18, 4:34 pm. See below.] Timing is everything in business. For private companies aiming to go public, it’s impossible to know the ideal moment to make a stock market debut. But Carbon Black chief technology officer Mike Viscuso is feeling good today, after his cybersecurity company’s stock performed well on its first day of … Continue reading “Carbon Black CTO: “Right Time” For IPO; So Far, Wall Street Agrees”

Venture Firms to New York Wedding Startup Zola: ‘I Do’ to $100M

Most wedding registries are focused on the lead-up to the day of the ceremony. New York startup Zola also sees opportunity in connecting with—and making a sales pitch to—married couples years after they’ve tied the knot. Zola is an “e-commerce business disguised as a wedding company,” said Shan-lyn Ma, the startup’s founder and CEO, in … Continue reading “Venture Firms to New York Wedding Startup Zola: ‘I Do’ to $100M”

Bio Roundup: IDO Fallout, Express Scripts Dumps Amgen, Isaly Out & More

Here’s a case study of how fast things can change in biopharma. For a few years, a type of cancer drug called an IDO inhibitor was all the rage, a promising path to expanding the reach of immunotherapy. Major drug makers were dealing, too. Through acquisitions and alliances, they rolled out a spate of large-scale … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: IDO Fallout, Express Scripts Dumps Amgen, Isaly Out & More”

Carbon Black Raising $152M as Tech IPOs Stage Comeback

Into the breach goes Carbon Black. The Waltham, MA-based cybersecurity company said Thursday night that it is raising $152 million in an initial public stock offering by selling 8 million shares of its common stock at $19 per share. That gives Carbon Black an implied valuation of more than $1.2 billion. Carbon Black said its … Continue reading “Carbon Black Raising $152M as Tech IPOs Stage Comeback”

For Disaster Recovery, San Antonio’s EPIcenter Seeks Tech Solutions

San Antonio—Matthew Marchetti did what any good leader will during a time of difficulty. As dozens of requests for help poured in from victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston last year, Marchetti and a few fellow vigilante rescuers decided to organize that scattered information into one single place: a website where people in need could … Continue reading “For Disaster Recovery, San Antonio’s EPIcenter Seeks Tech Solutions”

San Antonio Startup Adds Funding to Treat PTSD with Magnetic Field

San Antonio—An imaging researcher who hopes to improve a method of treating depression and post-traumatic stress disorder has raised a round of funding to support a clinical study for his San Antonio company’s medical device. The business, Cerebral Magnetics, told federal securities regulators on April 9 it was seeking $1 million in an equity round … Continue reading “San Antonio Startup Adds Funding to Treat PTSD with Magnetic Field”

With $59M, Casma and Ex-Constellation CEO Take Aim at Cellular Trash

Scientists have known for decades that cells can recycle their own trash, but they’ve only recently started to figure out how. Casma Therapeutics is trying to prove that those insights could be useful in treating a wide range of diseases. Formed by Third Rock Ventures, Casma has secured a $58.5 million Series A round and … Continue reading “With $59M, Casma and Ex-Constellation CEO Take Aim at Cellular Trash”

Cord-Cutting for Kids: Video App Kanopy Adds Free Children’s Shows

If you’ve already liberated yourself from a cable subscription in favor of streaming video services over the Internet, you’re parcelling out your dollars to get the content you want most from services such as Netflix, Hulu, and N.B.A. League Pass. A lesser-known option, Kanopy, offers an unusual streaming subscription deal: Pay nothing, because your university … Continue reading “Cord-Cutting for Kids: Video App Kanopy Adds Free Children’s Shows”

TX Tech: Tyler’s Buying Spree, Trust Ventures, TheWaveVR, & More

Let’s catch up with innovation news from around the state. —Plano, TX-based Tyler Technologies (NYSE: [[ticker:TYL]]) has purchased Sage Data Security, a Portland, ME-based cybersecurity firm, according to a press release. Tyler makes public sector-related information management software, and the company says it has more than 15,000 local governments as customers. A few weeks ago, … Continue reading “TX Tech: Tyler’s Buying Spree, Trust Ventures, TheWaveVR, & More”

Flexera Buys MetaSaaS for Austin Startup’s SaaS Management Tool

Austin—A two-year-old tech startup that helps businesses manage their subscriptions to software-as-a-service applications has sold to software and security manager Flexera. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Austin, TX-based MetaSaaS helps companies track the use of software-as-a-service, or SaaS, programs, and offers them help determining whether to stay subscribed based on how customers interact or … Continue reading “Flexera Buys MetaSaaS for Austin Startup’s SaaS Management Tool”

California’s Top Court Sets Tougher New Rules on Hiring “Gig Workers”

California employers who classify their workers as independent contractors will be consulting their lawyers today, says A. Mark Pope, an attorney who helped persuade the state’s highest court to establish sweeping new restrictions on hiring so-called “gig workers.” The California Supreme Court on Monday set new standards that will make it harder for companies in … Continue reading “California’s Top Court Sets Tougher New Rules on Hiring “Gig Workers””

What’s For Lunch? ZeroCater Nabs $12M to Meet Corporate Catering Needs

Many employees at young startups end up with multiple roles. Arram Sabeti says “ordering lunches was by far the most painful hat I was wearing.” Finding a restaurant that everyone agreed on took more time than placing a lunch order should, he says. That experience led him to found ZeroCater, which uses software and analytics … Continue reading “What’s For Lunch? ZeroCater Nabs $12M to Meet Corporate Catering Needs”

Three Lessons Punk Rock Teaches Us About Being a Business Leader

Inspiration comes in many forms, and as an entrepreneur, I found mine early on in an unusual place: punk rock. There are strong parallels between the business of punk rock and startups. When you’re starting a new business venture, you wear many hats—leader, innovator, developer, marketer, HR rep—with very little budget or certainty. You might … Continue reading “Three Lessons Punk Rock Teaches Us About Being a Business Leader”

Why “Micro-Learning” is the New Diploma For Today’s Jobseekers

You’d be hard-pressed to find a workplace today where using technology isn’t an integral part of the job, whether it’s an AI-powered recruiting tool, special coding software for app development, or even just Google Sheets that help workers keep track of budgets. Whether you’re applying for a position in marketing or in the field of … Continue reading “Why “Micro-Learning” is the New Diploma For Today’s Jobseekers”

City Staffers Share Innovation Insights at Smart Cities Accelerator

In cities across the United States, the benefits of bike-sharing and electric scooters that can be easily rented with a smartphone app have often been overshadowed by controversy. In Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, for example, complaints flooded into city offices earlier this year about the proliferation of “dockless” bikes cluttering sidewalks, handicap parking, … Continue reading “City Staffers Share Innovation Insights at Smart Cities Accelerator”

Texas Cancer Agency Launches Programs to Bridge Biotech Funding Gap

[Updated, 4/30/18, 10:26 am. See below.] Austin—The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has created two new funding programs aimed at supporting the earliest-stage biotech companies. The first program, called the “Seed Award,” is designed to help companies that would not qualify for existing CPRIT programs targeting technology commercialization. The second program is called … Continue reading “Texas Cancer Agency Launches Programs to Bridge Biotech Funding Gap”

VCs Back Jeremy Hitchcock’s New Security Startup, Minim, With $2.5M

Here’s what Jeremy Hitchcock is doing for an encore: trying to secure all your home and office devices and networks. Sounds like a nightmare. But if there’s anyone who should try, it’s Hitchcock (pictured). He is the co-founder and former CEO of Dyn, the longstanding New Hampshire-based Web infrastructure firm that was sold to Oracle … Continue reading “VCs Back Jeremy Hitchcock’s New Security Startup, Minim, With $2.5M”