Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=55cfa971-f607-40bc-846d-9396f6695dc2 Date 10/26/2016 Company Name Onit Mailing Address 802 Lovett Blvd. Houston, TX 77006 USA Company Description We understand that each business user’s needs are unique and have created a variety of apps that can be customized to your specific needs. Whether you are in HR, Legal, Governance/Risk & Compliance or Sales, … Continue reading “Onit Lands $8,248,215 New Financing Round”
Category: Texas
Latest Data Show Venture Capital Industry on Pins and Needles
Given the obvious anxiety and frustration that surrounds us all, the U.S. venture industry is also exhibiting some fatigue as we finish the 88th month since the last recession. This is the fourth-longest period of economic growth in U.S. history (admittedly, at 2.1 percent, the growth over this period of time is the slowest since … Continue reading “Latest Data Show Venture Capital Industry on Pins and Needles”
80/20 Foundation Donates $600K for New San Antonio Tech High School
San Antonio—The San Antonio nonprofit 80/20 Foundation is giving Tech Bloc a $600,000 grant for an effort to construct a new high school focused on technology and entrepreneurship, called CAST Tech. Tech Bloc, a San Antonio tech-focused advocacy group, plans to seek a dollar-for-dollar match for the grant. It’s starting a foundation that will work … Continue reading “80/20 Foundation Donates $600K for New San Antonio Tech High School”
Houston SheHacks Event Encourages Women to Form, Lead Tech Startups
Houston—Rebellion Photonics co-founder and CEO Allison Lami Sawyer said she’s tired of being alone when attending technology conferences full of men. “Where is the pipeline of women behind me?” she said. “I want to see more women CEOs.” Sawyer’s remarks on Sunday were given to an assembled crowd attending SheHacks, a hackathon geared towards women … Continue reading “Houston SheHacks Event Encourages Women to Form, Lead Tech Startups”
FDA: Keytruda Now OK For Some Patients With Untreated Lung Cancer
The FDA has approved the use of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for some previously untreated patients with a certain type of lung cancer, the drug’s owner Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) announced late Monday. Pembrolizumab can now be used for patients who have never received treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of … Continue reading “FDA: Keytruda Now OK For Some Patients With Untreated Lung Cancer”
Epoch Health Obtains $5,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b1c3be2c-2d32-4281-ab12-b3335a6f4620 Date 10/25/2016 Company Name Epoch Health Mailing Address 1425 Hughes Rd. Grapevine, TX 76051 USA Company Description Epoch Health represents the next evolution in comprehensive healthcare specifically designed for men. Our practice utilizes a masculine, state-of-the-art clinical approach designed to accurately and efficiently analyze symptoms common to men. Website http://www.epochmenshealth.com Transaction … Continue reading “Epoch Health Obtains $5,000,000 New Funding Round”
Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio
San Antonio—Techstars Cloud is closing its San Antonio accelerator program focused on cloud computing startups after four years in the Alamo City, according to managing director Blake Yeager. Yeager is staying with Techstars but moving to the company’s headquarters in Boulder, CO, where he’ll work as vice president of engineering for the national chain of … Continue reading “Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio”
Why Friday’s Massive DDoS Attack Should Be Terrifying
Friday’s massive DDoS attack made a number of hugely popular websites unavailable for much of the country for large parts of the day. Our service wasn’t directly affected by this incident, but the nature and scope of this attack is tremendously worrisome. In a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, the perpetrator overwhelms a target company … Continue reading “Why Friday’s Massive DDoS Attack Should Be Terrifying”
Xconomy’s Disruptors Houston Conference Showcases Texas Innovators
Houston—In just a few days, Xconomy’s Disruptors conference will bring some of the brightest innovators in Texas together. The daylong forum, being held Thursday at the Texas Medical Center’s TMCx accelerator in Houston, features innovation in healthcare, space, transportation, energy, artificial intelligence, and other sectors. Here are some of the highlights: —Edward Jung, co-founder and … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Disruptors Houston Conference Showcases Texas Innovators”
Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark
Austin—NuPark, a startup with video technology and software that helps customers like schools and governments manage parking, has added $1 million in new funding to the $1.4 million seed round the company raised last year, CEO Kevin Uhlenhaker tells Xconomy. That brings NuPark’s total seed money to about $2.6 million, including an early friends and … Continue reading “Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark”
Bio Roundup: Jenkins Gets Mad, Bernie Gets His Pen, CRISPR IPO & J-Lo
If you’re among those frustrated by the lack of talk about health and science in the three presidential debates, this week perhaps brought you a wee consolation prize. The steady drip of hacked Hillary Clinton-related emails showed her campaign team questioning then-candidate FDA commissioner Robert Califf’s ties to the pharma industry. The staff also crowed … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Jenkins Gets Mad, Bernie Gets His Pen, CRISPR IPO & J-Lo”
Endomag, European Device Makers Eye U.S. Amid Regulatory Changes
San Antonio — Eric Mayes is in Texas to look for deals. As the CEO of Endomag, a medical device company from the U.K. with a magnetic-based technology used for cancer diagnosis, he’s no stranger to making them. In 2014, Endomag acquired Boulder, CO-based Actium Biosystems, a company with a device that aims to use … Continue reading “Endomag, European Device Makers Eye U.S. Amid Regulatory Changes”
Houston Storefront Chain Q Fifty One Buys Dallas E-Retailer Edition
Dallas—Edition Collective, a men’s e-commerce startup, has been acquired by a brick-and-mortar retail company, Q Fifty One. Terms of the cash and equity deal were not disclosed. The 13-year-old Q Fifty One is based in Houston and owns and operates Q Clothier and Rye 51 stores in four cities nationwide. Q Clothier sells men’s custom clothing, … Continue reading “Houston Storefront Chain Q Fifty One Buys Dallas E-Retailer Edition”
Austin Drone Software Startup Hangar Collects $6.5M in Seed Funding
Austin—Hangar, a startup that makes software to help businesses better collect and analyze data from drone flights, has raised $6.5 million in an early stage funding round. New York-based Lux Capital led the financing; the company reported that Fontinalis Partners, Haystack Partners, and several prominent angel investors also participated. Founder and CEO Colin Guinn says Hangar produces autonomous … Continue reading “Austin Drone Software Startup Hangar Collects $6.5M in Seed Funding”
Roundup: J&J and AT&T Grow in Houston, Inspyr and Meshify Move On
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Johnson & Johnson Innovation is expanding its presence at the Texas Medical Center in Houston with the launch of its Center for Device Innovation. William “Billy” Cohn, a Houston heart surgeon and serial medical device entrepreneur, is the director. Cohn will oversee the … Continue reading “Roundup: J&J and AT&T Grow in Houston, Inspyr and Meshify Move On”
All In One Place: A New Immuno-Oncology Trial Resource
More than 100 years ago, New York bone surgeon William Coley began to suspect that bacterial infections might be improving the outlook for patients also suffering from cancer. The infections were turbo-charging the immune system. Coley (pictured) would be gratified to see that in 2016 a growing array of immune-boosting cancer treatments are helping some … Continue reading “All In One Place: A New Immuno-Oncology Trial Resource”
The Power of the Cloud for Life Science R&D
“In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, it’s the fast fish which eats the slow fish…” — Klaus Schwab, Founder/Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum Over the past decade, the nature of innovation has changed—even as the pace has substantially increased. One of the reasons has been the ability … Continue reading “The Power of the Cloud for Life Science R&D”
J&J Opens Medical Device Center, Forms Partnerships With Hospitals
Houston—Johnson & Johnson Innovation is expanding at the Texas Medical Center with a newly open Center for Device Innovation being led by one of Houston’s most prominent surgeon-inventors. William “Billy” Cohn, a cardiac surgeon and serial medical device entrepreneur, is the center’s first director. He had been at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas … Continue reading “J&J Opens Medical Device Center, Forms Partnerships With Hospitals”
After “Hubris” and Its HCV Collapse, Can Vertex Avoid Same Mistakes?
Five years ago, in November 2011, a company from Princeton, NJ, called Pharmasset shared news that would have an impact on millions of people around the world with hepatitis C. Its experimental drug PSI-7977 had quickly cleared the virus from 40 patients, with minimal side effects, and they had stayed infection-free. If the data held … Continue reading “After “Hubris” and Its HCV Collapse, Can Vertex Avoid Same Mistakes?”
AT&T’s Houston Foundry Chief Morris Talks Connecting Healthcare to Technology
Houston—Nadia Morris, the head of innovation for AT&T’s Connected Health Foundry at the Texas Medical Center, calls herself a “constant tinkerer.” That penchant came in handy recently when her father-in-law had a few falls and was subsequently diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. “I cobbled together some very basic devices that they can use, built up … Continue reading “AT&T’s Houston Foundry Chief Morris Talks Connecting Healthcare to Technology”
San Antonio Software Event Combines Pizza, Learning, and Networking
San Antonio—For anyone considering learning how to write code for software, it can feel as intimidating as diving into a foreign language. That’s partly why David Daeschler, a San Antonio entrepreneur, started an event series called Dinner and Code. He wanted to offer free lessons to people who were interested in learning computer programming, but … Continue reading “San Antonio Software Event Combines Pizza, Learning, and Networking”
Xenex CEO Miller Starts Tectonic Ventures With Boston Investor
San Antonio—Texas entrepreneur Morris Miller has created a new venture capital firm, Tectonic Ventures, with a Boston-based financier who has invested in at least two of Miller’s companies. Newton, MA-based Tectonic was incorporated in 2016 of this year by Matthew Rhodes-Kropf, an associate professor of finance at MIT and venture capital investor, according to an SEC … Continue reading “Xenex CEO Miller Starts Tectonic Ventures With Boston Investor”
Bio Roundup: Bristol & Illumina Blues, Sickle Cell News & More
On Aug. 4, shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb closed at $75.32. Today, shares are worth just over $50. That means in three months, Bristol has lost a third of its value, equivalent to about $40 billion in market capitalization. The reason? One failed clinical trial has left rival Merck in the lead position to have what … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Bristol & Illumina Blues, Sickle Cell News & More”
Disruptors: Boosting Houston’s Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem
Houston—When we first opened Xconomy’s Texas bureau in May 2013, the consistent message I received from those in the biotech community was: Houston has so much potential. The city, home to the Texas Medical Center, had a solid healthcare innovation ecosystem, groundbreaking research being produced by award-winning scientists, business executives already attuned to taking risks … Continue reading “Disruptors: Boosting Houston’s Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem”
Startups Predict the Future for Free Tickets to Disruptors 2016
Houston—Thanks to our generous sponsors, Xconomy is able to provide complimentary tickets to a number of startups for Disruptors 2016 on October 27 at Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute. In exchange for these tickets, we’re asking entrepreneurs to share their predictions for Texas’ future. To reserve your complimentary ticket, simply email [email protected] with the following … Continue reading “Startups Predict the Future for Free Tickets to Disruptors 2016”
Ranzure Networks Secures $13,000,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=957ef3d2-c73c-4ff7-8a56-f288e4d84ef2 Date 10/13/2016 Company Name Ranzure Networks Mailing Address 1651 N. Glenville Dr. Richardson, TX 75081 USA Company Description Founded by industry veterans with extensive experience in virtualized LTE core networks and Radio Access technologies – Ranzure is focused on paving the way for seamless superfast 5G networks. Website http://www.ranzure.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “Ranzure Networks Secures $13,000,000 Series A Funding Round”
Hartford Steam Boiler Acquires Meshify for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2b6c564c-fba5-4ee3-be74-773c14490ddc Date 10/13/2016 Company Name Meshify Mailing Address 1113 Vine St. Houston, TX 77002 USA Company Description Meshify brings devices online. Tank monitoring, energy management, electronic pest control, and more. Website http://www.meshify.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms The Houston-based startup will become part of HSB’s … Continue reading “Hartford Steam Boiler Acquires Meshify for Undisclosed Sum”
Inspyr Leaves San Antonio for California to Be Near Clinical Trials
San Antonio — Inspyr Therapeutics has moved out of San Antonio. The news comes a couple of months after the tumor-fighting biotech hired Chris Lowe to serve as president and CEO. Lowe replaced co-founder Craig Dionne, who left the company in March. The company, which changed its name to Inspyr from GenSpera in August, relocated … Continue reading “Inspyr Leaves San Antonio for California to Be Near Clinical Trials”
Houston IoT Software Startup Meshify Bought by Specialty Insurer HSB
Houston—Meshify, a startup that makes software for the Internet of Things, has been acquired by Hartford Steam Boiler, a subsidiary of global insurer Munich Re, the companies announced in a press release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Meshify says its software, hardware, and services simplify the collection of data, manage device and data … Continue reading “Houston IoT Software Startup Meshify Bought by Specialty Insurer HSB”
Life Science Leaders Who Feel the Right Kind of Fear
In the world of betting on the future, life sciences find themselves in a storm, with huge opportunities, like CRISPR gene editing, and immense obstacles, such as soaring drug prices, that call for leaders of extra intensity who are imbued with a sense of crisis. Most people agree that the life sciences today, more than … Continue reading “Life Science Leaders Who Feel the Right Kind of Fear”
How Doctors Think About Drug Prices
There are a lot of factors involved in drug pricing that don’t enter my head when I’m seeing a patient. The three letters “PBM,” for example (pharmacy benefit manager), have never crossed my mind when I’m writing a prescription. Nor has the word “rebate.” Or the phrase “pay for delay.” Or “marketing exclusivity.” Basically, I … Continue reading “How Doctors Think About Drug Prices”
Checkpoints In Lung Cancer, and Other Oncology News From Europe
The European Society for Medical Oncology’s annual conference wraps up in Copenhagen today. We’ve seen updates on heavyweight immunotherapy programs, potential options for patients with advanced breast cancer, and more. Here’s a quick roundup of the major news. LUNG CHECKS ESMO provided more evidence that the treatment of lung cancer is changing fast. Going into … Continue reading “Checkpoints In Lung Cancer, and Other Oncology News From Europe”
Tour of Texas: Twyla, Firefly, Factom, DocSynk, Disruptors, & More
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. Austin: —Factom, a startup that uses blockchain technology to secure and verify data such as public records and business documents, has raised $4.2 million in a Series A round. Tim Draper, the venture capitalist who runs the investment firm Draper Associates, led the … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Twyla, Firefly, Factom, DocSynk, Disruptors, & More”
How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Manufacturing Industry
For many Americans, the manufacturing industry brings to mind images of Industrial Revolution-era factories, World War II assembly lines, or perhaps even outsourced workshops overseas. But that picture is outdated. The truth is that the advanced technologies that are changing modern life are also revolutionizing the manufacturing industry in ways that are not yet widely … Continue reading “How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Manufacturing Industry”
Bio Roundup: Theranos Cuts, Alnylam Stops, Nobel Eats Its Own & More
[Updated, 11:50 a.m. ET, see below] With the Caribbean and now the southeast U.S. coast bearing the brunt of Hurricane Matthew, we send our thoughts and more to those who have more pressing matters to worry about this week. But the show must go on. The biotech industry saw its own storms pass through, with … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Theranos Cuts, Alnylam Stops, Nobel Eats Its Own & More”
Twyla Secures $14,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dee5eaf6-96ae-499b-9db5-aab35441882d Date 10/7/2016 Company Name Twyla Mailing Address 600 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Twyla brings together the best of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing technologies to drive your customer support into a new era. Twyla (re)builds your support knowledgebase for you in a conversational format. Website http://www.twyla.com … Continue reading “Twyla Secures $14,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
Bowles, Zielke Discuss Disrupting the Accelerator at Upcoming Event
Houston—In the last decade, accelerator programs to boost startups have spread across the country. In Texas, some of these organizations are now examining how accelerators might evolve in the near future. Some of those efforts will be the focus of the “Startups Disrupted” panel later this month at Xconomy’s upcoming Disruptors conference. The daylong forum, … Continue reading “Bowles, Zielke Discuss Disrupting the Accelerator at Upcoming Event”
Third-Quarter Report Shows Slowdown in VC Activity, & Top 10 Deals
Venture capital activity is gradually easing from last year’s peak, according to a new quarterly report put together by Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. VC firms invested $14.99 billion in 1,810 U.S. deals (1,796 companies) during the third quarter that ended September 30, according to the inaugural “Venture Monitor” report released today. … Continue reading “Third-Quarter Report Shows Slowdown in VC Activity, & Top 10 Deals”
DiCentral Secures $15,000,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1aa178bb-8d2b-470d-bb6b-91bcc223d4b0 Date 10/6/2016 Company Name DiCentral Mailing Address 1199 NASA Parkway Houston, TX 77058 USA Company Description Founded in 2000, DiCentral is a leading global provider of B2Bi Managed Services headquartered in Houston, Texas with 10 offices worldwide supporting customers in over 27 countries. Website http://www.dicentral.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “DiCentral Secures $15,000,000 Series A Funding”
With New Program, DARPA To Encourage Safety “Brakes” For Gene Editing
[Updated 10/6/16, 12:17 p.m. See below.] Drugs that use molecular scissors to snip out or replace defective genes. Altered mosquitoes meant to sabotage entire disease-carrying populations. Both are potential uses of genome editing, which thanks to the CRISPR-Cas9 system has spread throughout the world’s biology labs and is now on the doorstep of the outside … Continue reading “With New Program, DARPA To Encourage Safety “Brakes” For Gene Editing”
Is Your Organization Ready to Become an Ecosystem Driver?
[This article is co-authored by Stephanie Woerner.] Dominating business-to-consumer sales, Amazon seems ready to take over the world of business-to-business too. In its first year, Amazon Business generated $1 billion in sales. However, there is still room for competition. It’s not yet an ecosystem driver in B2B, although the longer it takes for other business … Continue reading “Is Your Organization Ready to Become an Ecosystem Driver?”
Factom Snags $4.2M Series A for Record-Encrypting Blockchain Tech
Austin—Factom, an Austin, TX-based company that uses blockchain technology to secure and verify data such as public records and business documents, has raised a $4.2 million Series A funding round led by Tim Draper, the noted venture capitalist who runs investment firm Draper Associates. The funding will be used to further develop Factom’s product line … Continue reading “Factom Snags $4.2M Series A for Record-Encrypting Blockchain Tech”
AI Software Startup DocSynk Nabs $1M in Seed Money From Naya Ventures
Dallas—Amazon offers us products we might like based on our previous purchases. Pandora creates music channels tailored to our preferences. Why can’t similar technology help us find a doctor, or help doctors’ offices know before a patient comes in if their insurance will pay for treatment? Those are some of the aims of Dallas-based DocSynk, … Continue reading “AI Software Startup DocSynk Nabs $1M in Seed Money From Naya Ventures”
Factom Obtains $4,190,871 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1964e28d-bb28-4957-86a2-2bc5cd1bf51d Date 10/5/2016 Company Name Factom Mailing Address 9111 Jollyville Road Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Factom lets developers use the blockchain to build applications. We’re changing how businesses manage data and keep records. Website http://www.factom.org Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,190,871 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Factom Obtains $4,190,871 New Funding”
CognitiveScale Lands $3,200,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a68fb468-9433-4c6b-8af5-b612d468d9f4 Date 10/5/2016 Company Name CognitiveScale Mailing Address 9500 Arboretum Blvd. Level L-1 Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Our company is led by serial entrepreneurs and executives who have started, developed and scaled highly successful innovative companies. We have assembled the brightest technical minds from cloud, AI, cognitive computing, mobile and … Continue reading “CognitiveScale Lands $3,200,000 New Financing”
Chiron Health Garners $4,789,413 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=19e3e7b8-9d11-4478-b74f-f899f86477b9 Date 10/5/2016 Company Name Chiron Health Mailing Address 707 West 10th Street Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Our video-based telemedicine solution is tailor made for your practice. With full reimbursement and regulatory support, we are the future of follow-up care Website http://www.chironhealth.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,789,413 Transaction … Continue reading “Chiron Health Garners $4,789,413 New Financing Round”
Interplay Learning Receives $1,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5ce8b350-9e74-433a-a4ae-fe759613003f Date 10/5/2016 Company Name Interplay Learning Mailing Address 1821 Westlake Drive Austin, TX 78746 USA Company Description Interplay Learning develops online digital learning and testing products for students and professionals to build career skills and technical aptitude. Interplay’s specialty is 3-D interactive life-like simulation which allows a learner to accelerate practical … Continue reading “Interplay Learning Receives $1,000,000 New Funding Round”
San Antonio Firm Quirk Hires New CTO to Reboot Insurance Software
San Antonio—A company called Quirk & Co., which works in a sector known as wholesale insurance, has hired a new chief technology officer to retool software programs for the insurance groups it works with. Drue Placette started as the chief technology officer of San Antonio-based Quirk in August. A veteran of multiple startups in Austin … Continue reading “San Antonio Firm Quirk Hires New CTO to Reboot Insurance Software”
Microsoft Ventures Invests In Austin AI Startup Cognitive Scale
Austin—Microsoft Ventures has invested in Austin artificial intelligence startup CognitiveScale, filling out its Series B investment round to more than $25 million, the company reported Tuesday. Cognitive Scale would not reveal the amount Microsoft has invested. In August, the startup announced it had raised a total of $21.8 million in the Series B round from investors such … Continue reading “Microsoft Ventures Invests In Austin AI Startup Cognitive Scale”
CarForce Obtains New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=57bebb2d-f80f-4a17-9b23-63c2cd80d5c9 Date 10/4/2016 Company Name CarForce Mailing Address Undisclosed Houston, TX 77001 USA Company Description CarForce has developed a cloud-based SaaS solution that leverages connected car telematics to provide dealerships with real time updates on the health of their customer’s vehicles; enabling dealers to provide their customers with a white glove customer … Continue reading “CarForce Obtains New Financing”