Category: Texas

FireEye Acquires iSIGHT Partners for $275,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=609cc5f9-b405-4454-92e0-201bb60cb312 Date 1/21/2016 Company Name iSIGHT Partners Mailing Address 5950 Berkshire Lane Dallas, TX 75225 USA Company Description iSIGHT Partners is the leading global cyber threat intelligence firm, delivering intelligence services to over 150 public sector and commercial entities. We provide Fortune 100 companies with detailed, actionable intelligence essential to a comprehensive … Continue reading “FireEye Acquires iSIGHT Partners for $275,000,000”

Making Time to Think: Coffee Hours, Runs With Labs, & Disconnecting

Even as technology helps our lives—connecting us more closely to people across the globe, automating tasks to make life easier—we, as a society, still feel more harried than ever. We at Xconomy reached out to a select group of sources and advisors across our network (the Xconomists) to ask them a series of questions around … Continue reading “Making Time to Think: Coffee Hours, Runs With Labs, & Disconnecting”

Wider Venture Funding Gap Raises Troubling Questions

This week, Oxfam released its annual study of inequality around the world, which showed that there are actually 62 people who possess as much wealth as the 3.5 billion people in the bottom half of the world’s income scale. Five years ago, that number was 388 people. And all of this is against a backdrop … Continue reading “Wider Venture Funding Gap Raises Troubling Questions”

Solovis Obtains $3,250,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=14139179-d250-4d7b-a3fe-79fc0987ad28 Date 1/20/2016 Company Name Solovis Mailing Address 701 Commerce St. Dallas, TX 75202 USA Company Description You’re not just getting great software. We’ve sat in your seat and wished there was a better way, so we built it. We provide a multi-asset class portfolio management and reporting system. Website http://www.solovis.com Transaction … Continue reading “Solovis Obtains $3,250,000 New Financing Round”

What Startups Need to Attract Talent: A Purposeful Mission

Success for startups is often elusive, but there are underlying characteristics that can give growing companies a leg up on the competition, especially when it comes to the most important factor—recruiting and retaining top-tier talent. At Norwest, I have found that companies that have a purposeful mission—one that hinges on giving back and making an impact … Continue reading “What Startups Need to Attract Talent: A Purposeful Mission”

Love ‘Em? Hate ‘Em? No Matter. The Drug Industry Gets What It Wants.

Anyone reading this column should be familiar with the fight over drug prices. Many of you would argue that drug makers are too easy a target in political debates and the media, getting little credit for developing lifesaving drugs. Others of you believe that prices have gotten out of hand, and that price gouger Martin … Continue reading “Love ‘Em? Hate ‘Em? No Matter. The Drug Industry Gets What It Wants.”

MVPindex Lands $7,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ccb29ed0-df97-400a-89e5-f180bacf2d66 Date 1/19/2016 Company Name MVPindex Mailing Address 2211 N Lamar St. Dallas, TX 75202 USA Company Description MVPindex, Inc. is a social media audience measurement and analytics company that ranks, measures, and values the top influencers and brand ambassadors in sports and entertainment on social media. Website http://www.mvpindex.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “MVPindex Lands $7,000,000 Series A Funding”

Grail’s Discount, Pfizergan & Pricing Plans: Notes from the JPM Vortex

[Editor’s note: Deputy Biotechnology Editor Ben Fidler co-wrote this story] The week of the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco kicked off with a rousing, sleeves-rolled-up defense of the drug industry’s pricing policies by Ron Cohen, CEO of the multiple sclerosis drug maker Acorda Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) and new chair of the industry’s … Continue reading “Grail’s Discount, Pfizergan & Pricing Plans: Notes from the JPM Vortex”

Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?

While companies are in the process of refining prototypes, hiring key employees, and nailing down investment, one overlooked area is where the business will be housed and, more specifically, where everyone will park. In Austin, it’s not just the new companies that are struggling with finding enough parking for their employees downtown. Established firms are … Continue reading “Tech Startups Succeed With Top Talent, But Where Will They Park?”

New Head of Techstars in Austin Prepares for First Class

Amos Schwartzfarb is only a few weeks away from the start of another Techstars program in Austin, TX, but this one is a bit different for him. A co-founder and executive of multiple companies, including Austin’s BlackLocus and Joust Inc., Schwartzfarb has been a mentor at Techstars since it started in Austin in 2013. When … Continue reading “New Head of Techstars in Austin Prepares for First Class”

OurCrowd-Xconomy Study Documents Growth in Equity Crowdfunding

In a short few months, the number of people who can invest in equity crowdfunding will dramatically increase. In October, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced a framework for allowing individual investors to participate in the new form of financing, which had previously been restricted to wealthy accredited investors. Those new rules go into … Continue reading “OurCrowd-Xconomy Study Documents Growth in Equity Crowdfunding”

Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?

U.S. venture capitalists poured more money into private companies last year than they had since the height of the dot-com boom, but an investing drop off late in 2015 could signal that the VC gravy train is slowing down. New data out today show that VCs invested $58.8 billion across 4,380 deals in 2015. The … Continue reading “Mega Deals Push 2015 VC to 15-Year High, But Slowdown Looming?”

Rhythm Superfoods Receives $3,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ae0e319f-a28f-4a23-9974-b3bf6661082b Date 1/15/2016 Company Name Rhythm Superfoods Mailing Address PO Box 41345 Austin, TX 78704 USA Company Description Our snacks get their goodness from nutritious kale, seeds, and whole grains paired with tasty vegetables and natural spices. Each bite is packed with benefits like protein, fiber, and antioxidants that work in harmony … Continue reading “Rhythm Superfoods Receives $3,000,000 New Funding Round”

VizSense Obtains New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=065280fc-d309-4f79-8f80-d9d24cdb1808 Date 1/15/2016 Company Name VizSense Mailing Address Undisclosed Plano, TX 75024 USA Company Description Because VizSense is about Intellectual Pyrotechnics. We demonstrate the combustion of online content networking and shares as they become more than a fleeting sparkle across the internet. We help content creators and curators track and monitor the … Continue reading “VizSense Obtains New Funding”

Medical Test Validity Will Be Debated In 2016: 5 Storylines To Watch

Despite lots of headlines, an underappreciated storyline this year was the undercurrent surrounding the validity of medical tests: —The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published a long Watchdog Report focused primarily on quality issues with waived lab tests, which don’t require FDA approval. —The headline of a shorter version in the Wall Street Journal asked whether lab … Continue reading “Medical Test Validity Will Be Debated In 2016: 5 Storylines To Watch”

Dallas’s Mend, Children’s Health Align to Expand Healthcare Access

Jonathan Clarke was a U.S. Navy surgeon and received much of his training in the unforgiving classroom of a battlefield. But it’s his memories watching his grandfather calling on patients in small-town East Texas that inspired his journey as an entrepreneur. “He would make house calls in the ’60s and ’70s,” Clarke recalls. “There are … Continue reading “Dallas’s Mend, Children’s Health Align to Expand Healthcare Access”

Top 5 Strategies to Increase Student Engagement Online

Good teachers often say that “95 percent of good teaching is just getting students motivated.” Online learning presents a new opportunity to both measure engagement and create learning methods that increase it. Facebook sets the high bar for online engagement—65 percent of its billion-plus users are on the platform for an average of 40 minutes … Continue reading “Top 5 Strategies to Increase Student Engagement Online”

Unwired Nation Receives $4,804,981 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=25404ee9-d7fa-4a74-89a0-c9cfe198c6fd Date 1/13/2016 Company Name Unwired Nation Mailing Address 11940 Jollyville Rd. Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Unwired Nation enables you to create, deliver, and manage a limitless number of individually branded native mobile application instances as a super affordable, simple, service. We provide an integrated cross-platform competitive advantage: secure, direct … Continue reading “Unwired Nation Receives $4,804,981 New Financing Round”

Ingrain Secures $2,530,284 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b62f252a-1e55-4dce-a8d6-d7031da7328a Date 1/13/2016 Company Name Ingrain Mailing Address 3733 Westheimer Road 2nd Floor Houston, TX 77027 USA Company Description Ingrain’s mission is to provide a fast and efficient flow of detailed and accurate information about the porosity, permeability, resistivity, and elastic properties of rock samples. Website http://www.ingrainrocks.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Ingrain Secures $2,530,284 New Funding”

Catching Up with Captureproof, Hitlist, Glowforge, & Others at Eureka Park

A few years ago, it might have been outrageous to think of CES as an essential event to meet startups from across country. Given the explosive growth of this part of the annual technology conference, it makes one wonder if Eureka Park is now big enough to be its own show. Last week some 500 … Continue reading “Catching Up with Captureproof, Hitlist, Glowforge, & Others at Eureka Park”

Xeris Pharmaceuticals Secures $41,000,000 Series C Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=afab46cf-64ab-4efd-be5d-ccefe2fc9844 Date 1/12/2016 Company Name Xeris Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 3208 Red River Street Austin, TX 78705 USA Company Description Xeris is an Austin, Texas-based specialty pharmaceutical company developing patient-friendly injectables for indications in diabetes, epilepsy, and immunology. Website http://www.xerispharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $41,000,000 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Xeris Pharmaceuticals Secures $41,000,000 Series C Funding Round”

ResMed Acquires Inova Labs for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0fa32449-6a1b-4e6b-882b-fc8427f4c3c5 Date 1/12/2016 Company Name Inova Labs Mailing Address 3500 Comsouth Rd. Austin, TX 78744 USA Company Description The company has developed a portable oxygen concentrator product line. Website http://www.lifechoiceoxygen.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed by the … Continue reading “ResMed Acquires Inova Labs for Undisclosed Sum”

Dallas Entrepreneur Center Set to Franchise Startup ‘Blueprint’

Dallas Entrepreneur Center founder Trey Bowles has a quick metric he says shows how large the region’s technology and innovation community has grown. In 2013, he says, “We started the ‘State of Entrepreneurship’ event and we had 75 people. “We had 400 people in 2014 and 850 people attend this year.” The swell of interest … Continue reading “Dallas Entrepreneur Center Set to Franchise Startup ‘Blueprint’”

Preparing For A Downturn—A Fintech CEO’s Take

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle How should entrepreneurs and investors prepare for a future downturn? The economy always operates with opposing forces. It’s expected that there will be downturns and upturns. Entrepreneurs and investors can find opportunities to prepare, possibly flourish, and possibly fall apart, if not ready to deal … Continue reading “Preparing For A Downturn—A Fintech CEO’s Take”

Demand for Broadband Gets Ahead of Expected Norms in Tech Development

The most notable and surprising trend I noticed in 2015 was that broadband bandwidth consumption appears to be outpacing Moore’s Law, by a long shot. The increase of our own customers’ usage was immense: Their bandwidth consumption more or less doubled for New York City in 2015, and that follows a doubling in 2014. I have not seen this … Continue reading “Demand for Broadband Gets Ahead of Expected Norms in Tech Development”

Predictions for 2016: Self-Driving Cars, AI, and Brain Monitoring

Whether we have been in a tech bubble or not is frankly not that interesting. What is interesting is that the foundation for innovation is as strong as we’ve ever seen and entrepreneurs are bringing the future to reality at an amazing pace. Here are a few of my predictions for what we’ll see in … Continue reading “Predictions for 2016: Self-Driving Cars, AI, and Brain Monitoring”

Ringing in the Years (and Ears): What I’d Like to Hear in 2016

For the last 30 years, the tech revolution in PCs, Macs, and Smartphones has been largely connected with our eyes, not our ears. 2016 will mark the beginning of the commercialization of virtual and augmented reality, and although our visual experience will continue to be the main focus for these radical changes, it’s time our … Continue reading “Ringing in the Years (and Ears): What I’d Like to Hear in 2016”

InSightec Secures $22,000,000 Series D Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b4e5349c-382a-4932-8c44-0c65cbfee1ef Date 1/8/2016 Company Name InSightec Mailing Address 4851 LBJ Freeway Dallas, TX 75244 USA Company Description InSightec developed ExAblate 2000– a product that integrates Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with focused ultrasound energy — as a new treatment modality that can replace invasive procedures and provide therapeutic alternatives to millions of patients … Continue reading “InSightec Secures $22,000,000 Series D Round”

With $100M, Guardant Health to Expand Reach of Blood Test for Cancer

We’ve all heard that dust is at least partly made up of dead skin cells. However true or untrue that may be, living tissue that is growing rapidly, such as a cancerous solid tumor, does indeed shed dead cells. When a person has a tumor that is growing, it sheds dead cells and their contents—including … Continue reading “With $100M, Guardant Health to Expand Reach of Blood Test for Cancer”

The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption

It seems like an appealing move–give the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, as well as our spy organizations, a back door—a “golden key”—to unlock encrypted communications to help catch criminals and terrorists and to protect Americans from harm. This notion of heightened protection is particularly compelling in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks … Continue reading “The Myth Of A Secure Back Door For Encryption”

A Tipping Point in Robotics, and My Five Predictions for 2016

While scientists are making progress in understanding how the mind works, robotics has failed to live up to the expectations set in the 1950s and ‘60s for human-like robots, exemplified by the Jetson’s cartoon character, Rosie the robot maid. Since the rejuvenation of robotics began in the 1980s, we have discovered that engineering and building … Continue reading “A Tipping Point in Robotics, and My Five Predictions for 2016”

BiO2 Medical Receives $14,000,000 Series D Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1ba0d39f-1623-410a-b611-74648e2f7922 Date 1/7/2016 Company Name BiO2 Medical Mailing Address 18618 Tuscany Stone San Antonio, TX 78258 USA Company Description BiO2 Medical has created the Angel Catheter to protect critically ill patients from acute Pulmonary Embolism (PE). The innovative design incorporates a retrievable Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter, permanently attached to a triple … Continue reading “BiO2 Medical Receives $14,000,000 Series D Funding”

Texas Roundup: AT&T’s Foundry, Virtuix Omni, Silvercar, Innowatts, & CultureMap

Welcome to 2016 and our first roundup of Texas innovation news for the new year: —The Texas Medical Center has added another name to its list of innovation partners: AT&T. The telecommunications giant will open a research hub, called the Foundry, at the Houston campus to focus on “connected health.” AT&T also has a facility … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: AT&T’s Foundry, Virtuix Omni, Silvercar, Innowatts, & CultureMap”

From Ambitions To Markets: Richard Kitney And More Synthetic Bio Views

Last week, Xconomy ran the first part of my conversation with Richard Kitney, a bioengineering professor at Imperial College London and a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology. We met in his campus office in November. Kitney has coauthored hundreds of papers and helped galvanize U.K. government support for synthetic biology. He is also … Continue reading “From Ambitions To Markets: Richard Kitney And More Synthetic Bio Views”

Our Relationship With the Internet: Trust Is the Big Concern in 2016

There is no denying we all have a relationship with the Internet. It used to be just a data source, now it is a companion as we go to sleep at night. It informs, entertains, and excites us. And it engages, disappoints, and saddens us. Internet experts and visionaries say 2016 will get even more … Continue reading “Our Relationship With the Internet: Trust Is the Big Concern in 2016”

Artificial Intelligence Growing Slowly in Healthcare, And That’s OK

One of the most significant advances in 2015 was the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of fields, including healthcare. While work on AI has been going on for years and still has a long way to go, 2015 saw progress made on self-driving cars, a growing ecosystem of AI startups, and open-sourcing … Continue reading “Artificial Intelligence Growing Slowly in Healthcare, And That’s OK”

AT&T’s Foundry to Open Skunkworks at Houston’s Texas Medical Center

The Texas Medical Center’s Innovation Institute has a new partner in building up its digital health ecosystem: AT&T. The global telecommunications giant will in February open its latest “Foundry” at the TMC campus, a skunkworks designed to boost health IT innovation. The facility will be the sixth one AT&T (NYSE: [[ticker:T]]) has in the country; … Continue reading “AT&T’s Foundry to Open Skunkworks at Houston’s Texas Medical Center”

VR, Bio Sensors, & Gesture-Controlled Droids Roll Out at CES Preview

Before this week’s big reveals of new technology at CES, a few teaser events are offering glimpses of things to come. CES Unveiled Las Vegas, one such event held Monday evening, had a smattering of gadgets eager for their share of the spotlight (see slideshow). A number of the devices I spied, such as Somabar, … Continue reading “VR, Bio Sensors, & Gesture-Controlled Droids Roll Out at CES Preview”

Making Time to Think in an Always-On World

I schedule thinking time as needed, like it’s a customer meeting or other commitment. Although I produce my work digitally, I think in analog. I’m most effective at brainstorming on paper or whiteboards where I can think in free-form. These mediums are inherently free of digital distractions like e-mail alerts and text messages, and they … Continue reading “Making Time to Think in an Always-On World”

Oncology’s Future: Liquid Biopsies and the Heterogeneity of Cancer

We have known for some time that cancer is not a static, monolithic disease. Instead, we now think of cancer as heterogeneous. Each patient’s cancer may arise from widely dissimilar origins, even in patients with the same type of tumor. Several studies in the last year have spelled out the extent of this diversity, which … Continue reading “Oncology’s Future: Liquid Biopsies and the Heterogeneity of Cancer”

Lab Space on a Navy Ship, And Other Creative Solutions for NY Biotech

I was a management consultant in a former life, and was trained in that role to always have three arguments to support any conclusion. But having spent the last six months living and breathing biotech in New York City, I am convinced there are only two strategic challenges holding this city back from becoming a … Continue reading “Lab Space on a Navy Ship, And Other Creative Solutions for NY Biotech”

Virtuix Omni Ships First Units, Plans Possible Crowdfunding Round

Virtuix Omni, the Houston-born virtual gaming company, has a special affinity for crowdfunding. On its way to its second appearance at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, founder and CEO Jan Goetgeluk says the company—now based in Austin, TX—is considering using newly passed Jobs Act investing rules to solicit money from … Continue reading “Virtuix Omni Ships First Units, Plans Possible Crowdfunding Round”

Silvercar Receives $28,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fa176a89-0c98-474b-9eb5-391b73b99727 Date 1/5/2016 Company Name Silvercar Mailing Address 712 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Silvercar is the airport car rental experience reimagined for you, the connected business traveler. We put the power back in your hands, enabling you to bypass lines, avoid complexity and frustration, and drive away in … Continue reading “Silvercar Receives $28,000,000 New Funding”

A Potential Downturn Is On My Mind

Downturns are an exciting time for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Quality entrepreneurs who focus on the fundamentals of real growth will have less competition from startups fueled by venture capital dollars, me-too products and ego. Likewise, many of the “tourist” investors retreat, providing increased opportunities for longstanding investors, many of whom have been priced out … Continue reading “A Potential Downturn Is On My Mind”

If There Is One Major Issue the Innovation Scene Must Address…

It’s diversity. The world is being written and consumed in code now. But the teams writing the code aren’t reflective of their global customers. We often hear that major companies can’t find enough talent from different backgrounds because of a pipeline problem that starts in schools. At PowerToFly we disagree. We don’t want people to … Continue reading “If There Is One Major Issue the Innovation Scene Must Address…”

Xconomy’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of 2015

It was the year of drug pricing, fantasy-sports and Uber regulations, and countless cyber and terror attacks. It was a year when initial public offerings were few and far between for technology companies, and the biotech window may have closed as well. Yet there were plenty of commercial advances in fields like gene editing, immunotherapy, … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Top 10 Innovation Stories of 2015”

Texas 2015: Bio IPOs, Mark Cuban, Dell, & Startups in Wine, Aviation

[Corrected 1/07/16, 5:56 am. See below.] As 2015 draws to a close, let’s take a look back at the innovation stories our readers found most interesting. The list spans across the major metros of the state—Dallas, Houston, and Austin—and highlights themes that mark the signature of Texas’ rapidly growing technology communities. Money, money, money: It was … Continue reading “Texas 2015: Bio IPOs, Mark Cuban, Dell, & Startups in Wine, Aviation”