Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9f3cabdc-cf30-4934-9d48-6e4aa9c15cdd Date 5/20/2015 Company Name AlphaDraft Mailing Address 3824 Cedar Springs Rd. Dallas, TX 75219 USA Company Description AlphaDraft operates an online fantasy sports service. Website http://www.alphadraft.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Venture Investor Venture Investor … Continue reading “AlphaDraft Secures $5,000,000 New Funding”
Category: Texas
WayBlazer Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fd73f48f-74ae-494b-939c-92b0ad1f9776 Date 5/20/2015 Company Name WayBlazer Mailing Address 9500 Arboretum Blvd. Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Introducing WayBlazer, the intelligent search discovery system that delivers contextual, personalized advice and insights for travelers across all phases of their trip, from inspiration to transaction. Website http://www.wayblazer.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 … Continue reading “WayBlazer Obtains $5,000,000 Series A Funding”
Video Predictions for Houston 2035: Register Now for Thurs. Event
The line between robot and human will be getting even more blurred. So says John Holcomb, director of the Center for Translational Injury Research and vice chair of the department of surgery at UT’s Health Science Center in Houston. Sensors embedded within us, he says, will sync in real time with the cloud, offering caregivers … Continue reading “Video Predictions for Houston 2035: Register Now for Thurs. Event”
Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale
Mark Organ thinks very differently about how to evolve as a founder-CEO now that he’s on his second company. A decade ago, Mark co-founded customer relations management software company Eloqua. “I held on too long to all the details of the business,” he says. Even though the company had reached several million dollars in revenue, … Continue reading “Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale”
Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols
[Updated 5/19/15, 10:40 a.m. See below.] The push to regulate increasingly popular ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft has shifted from city halls to state capitol buildings—with implications for the companies’ reputations and expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide. Last year saw passage of the first rules for ridesharing companies—or … Continue reading “Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols”
Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite
“It’s like a mini-Davos.” That’s the way one leading venture capitalist describes Xconomy’s Napa Summit. And while he is perhaps a bit effusive, we do believe our annual retreat in wine country is something special. Maybe you can judge for yourself. We are just two weeks away from Napa Summit 2015, which will take place … Continue reading “Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite”
That First Move Can Be a Doozy: Why Peach Expanded to San Diego
Seattle-based Peach makes its debut in San Diego today, and therein lies a tale. The question, “Where do we expand first?” can be one of the hardest decisions confronting an early stage tech company looking to rapidly scale its business beyond the hometown market. Peach, founded in early 2014 by three ex-Amazon software engineers, began … Continue reading “That First Move Can Be a Doozy: Why Peach Expanded to San Diego”
Austin Chamber Awards A-List Startups: Slideshow
It can be tough to keep track of the hundreds of new startups popping up in Austin, TX, more of which seemingly appear every day. That’s why the Austin Chamber of Commerce began creating an A-List of 12 startups annually. South by Southwest Interactive co-hosted an event last night in downtown Austin with the chamber to announce the … Continue reading “Austin Chamber Awards A-List Startups: Slideshow”
Do or Die: Rockets Playoff Special Extended
To celebrate the Rocket’s come-from-behind victory in last night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, we’ve decided to extend our Rockets Playoff Special for Houston 2035 until midnight on Monday. With a star line-up of speakers from Houston and beyond, this event is not to be missed. Our speakers include experts in healthcare, life sciences, … Continue reading “Do or Die: Rockets Playoff Special Extended “
RealMassive Obtains $10,000,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=97bfb7fd-06a3-4cda-8bb7-38f22aaf4932 Date 5/15/2015 Company Name RealMassive Mailing Address 1717 West 6th Street Austin, TX 78703 USA Company Description RealMassive was founded by Joshua McClure, a former Air Force intelligence officer turned technopreneur, and his Air Force Academy classmate Craig Hancock, a Wall Street veteran with experience in high tech data. Website http://www.realmassive.com … Continue reading “RealMassive Obtains $10,000,000 Series A Round”
Data Provider RealMassive Grabs About $3M for Series A
RealMassive, a commercial real estate data provider, has landed a Series A funding round of about $3 million that gives it a $20 million valuation as the company seeks to launch a subscription service on top of its existing free commercial real estate listings. Since its founding in 2013, the Austin, TX-based company has received … Continue reading “Data Provider RealMassive Grabs About $3M for Series A”
Rockets Playoff Special Ends Today for Houston 2035
The Rockets will be hustling to tie up the playoff series tonight, and it’s your time to hustle, too—today is the last day to save $100 on regular registration for Houston 2035 with our Rockets Playoff Special. While the Rockets hope that a championship is in their future, we’ll be looking even further out at … Continue reading “Rockets Playoff Special Ends Today for Houston 2035”
Houston 2035: Startups Predict the Innovative Houston in Two Decades
We’re seven days out from Houston 2035, a look at the innovative city of the future. This week we have been featuring predictions from some of the entrepreneurs who are attending our daylong conference on May 21. On tap: discussions on how Houston can leverage its strengths in healthcare, energy, education, and other sectors to … Continue reading “Houston 2035: Startups Predict the Innovative Houston in Two Decades”
Sick of E-mail? Asana’s Looking for a Few Good Customers in Austin
Sorting through the daily flood of e-mails can feel like a Sisyphean journey. A San Francisco company called Asana, which was created by one of Facebook’s co-founders, is trying to end the dominance that e-mail holds over our lives, especially in the workplace. The company is one of a few that Xconomy featured last year … Continue reading “Sick of E-mail? Asana’s Looking for a Few Good Customers in Austin”
Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding
After reading that angels would be the No. 1 losers due to the explosive growth of crowdfunding, angels like me have been keeping a wary eye on equity crowdfunding. Some reports in the press have suggested that crowdfunding could actually replace angels as a capital source. So far, the warnings have turned into a big … Continue reading “Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding”
SnapStream Launches Express Service, Integrating Social Media & TV
Television programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” or “The Daily Show” generate multitudes of social media clips with viewers sharing favorite bits on Twitter, Facebook, and other sites. Houston-based SnapStream helps those programs collect, search through, and leverage those TV clips and mentions to build audiences and advertising. It also helps those shows find … Continue reading “SnapStream Launches Express Service, Integrating Social Media & TV”
An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health
[Updated, 12:05 pm ET] There’s a parable about the elephant and the rider that’s been used by Chip and Dan Heath, and that originated with Jonathan Haidt, to describe how humans make decisions. A person’s mind can be thought of as consisting of a rider, representing the rational part of human thinking, and the elephant … Continue reading “An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health”
Illumitex Receives $15,228,979 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=85828926-ed7a-465a-9fe5-64122f530e5f Date 5/13/2015 Company Name Illumitex Mailing Address 6301 E. Stassney Lane Austin, TX 78735 USA Company Description The company operates as an solid state lighting development company. Website http://www.illumitex.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,228,979 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology … Continue reading “Illumitex Receives $15,228,979 New Funding”
Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?
The hourly job market is the bedrock of the American workforce, 76 million members strong. While the growth in retail and hospitality positions, representing one third of these jobs, is pacing our economic recovery, the sector still spends an astonishing $1 billion annually on hiring. A thought provoking question: Can the industry create more than … Continue reading “Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?”
Countdown to Houston 2035: Startups Predict City’s Innovation Trends
To get the best view of the innovation taking place in a city, it helps to get down to the bottom, the foundation of each community’s ecosystem: the entrepreneurs themselves. Thanks to our generous sponsors, Xconomy has been able to provide complimentary tickets for a number of startups for the Houston 2035 conference on May … Continue reading “Countdown to Houston 2035: Startups Predict City’s Innovation Trends”
Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross
Cancer is a humbling thing: Our own cells gone bad, killing us from the inside, and so often able to rebound from attack or avoid it entirely. There has been progress fighting some types of cancers, but in no way equal to the resources (or rhetoric) the human race has aimed at the problem. On … Continue reading “Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross”
The Future of Marketing Technology
The digital age has revolutionized marketing, increasing its complexity as well as creating the opportunity to dramatically improve customer experiences. As consumers, we live in an always-on and always-available world and we have come to expect our favorite brands to be one click or swipe away. As a consequence, the rapid advancements in technology that … Continue reading “The Future of Marketing Technology”
Vested Finance Secures $5,000,000 Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c40d6ab0-51c9-4d47-bdb0-eb198dbbb1b4 Date 5/12/2015 Company Name Vested Finance Mailing Address 555 East 5th Street Austin, TX 78701 USA Company Description Through VESTED-funded Income Share Agreements (ISA’s), students will have access to a financial vehicle that allows them the opportunity to pay for their college education without incurring student loan debt. Website http://www.vestedfinance.com Transaction … Continue reading “Vested Finance Secures $5,000,000 Seed Round”
Register Now to Score a Discounted Ticket for Houston 2035
The Houston Rockets head into game 5 of their battle with the Los Angeles Clippers tomorrow. To send the hometown team some good vibes, we at Xconomy are announcing a Rockets Playoff Special for the Houston 2035 conference May 21. Register before midnight on Thursday to save $120 on regular registration. This full-day conference will … Continue reading “Register Now to Score a Discounted Ticket for Houston 2035”
Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite
We are just three weeks away from the Napa Summit 2015: The Xconomy Retreat on the Economy, Jobs, and Growth. Quite simply, it is my favorite event of the year. Beyond the incredible setting, this exclusive, invitation-only conference features some of the world’s leading innovators and investors in a uniquely intimate format—offering an unprecedented view … Continue reading “Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite”
Invictus Gets FDA OK to Sell Device Protecting Newborns’ Skulls
A San Antonio, TX, biotech company has received FDA clearance allowing it to sell a device designed to relieve extracranial pressure on newborns. Invictus Medical makes a headband-style device that wraps around a baby’s head. While allowing movement in a hospital bassinet, it prevents pressure from building on the skull, which can cause “flat spots” … Continue reading “Invictus Gets FDA OK to Sell Device Protecting Newborns’ Skulls”
Saver Rate Ends Today: Houston 2035, the Innovative City of the Future
Don’t wait: Today marks the end of our Saver rate for Houston 2035, a look at the innovative Houston in decades to come. Register today and receive $120 off the regular registration rate of $295 for one of Xconomy’s premier events, which will take place at TMCx at the Texas Medical Center on May 21. The … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ends Today: Houston 2035, the Innovative City of the Future”
Communal Culture Spawns Rental Startups in Construction, Healthcare
How does today’s “sharing economy” look to a guy who grew up in a commune in Missouri, without any technology like phones or computers? It looks familiar—and also like good business. Willy Schlacks was raised in a community that he calls a “mix of theocracy and communism.” He was 27 when he and his brother, … Continue reading “Communal Culture Spawns Rental Startups in Construction, Healthcare”
Once Part of Sony, Daybreak Games Looks to Conquer New Worlds
After operating for close to 20 years as part of Sony in San Diego, the creators of EverQuest, DC Universe Online, PlanetSide, and other massively multiplayer online games are starting over with a new identity as the Daybreak Game Company. “We’ve finally become an independent studio,” Laura Naviaux, Daybreak’s senior vice president of global sales … Continue reading “Once Part of Sony, Daybreak Games Looks to Conquer New Worlds”
Funds Raised By ATI Startups Point to Growing Austin Biotech Scene
The Austin Technology Incubator said Wednesday that its current and alumni companies have raised a total of $100 million during the first three months of this year, a record quarterly tally since the organization’s founding in 1989. In particular, one ATI alum is responsible for the bulk of the cash haul: Aeglea Biotherapeutics closed a … Continue reading “Funds Raised By ATI Startups Point to Growing Austin Biotech Scene”
Milestones Of Innovation 6: The Driving Force Of Moore’s ‘Law’
Few phrases have rung louder in the history of innovation than “Moore’s Law,” the amazingly potent guess, published 50 years ago on April 19, that the capacity of electronic circuits would double every couple of years. Since the 1968 founding of Intel, the world’s leading semiconductor-maker, that prediction has formed the basic doctrine of the … Continue reading “Milestones Of Innovation 6: The Driving Force Of Moore’s ‘Law’”
Attention Startups: We Have 25 Tickets to Give Away for Houston 2035
Exciting news, folks! Due to the generosity of our sponsors, we have a block of 25 complimentary startup tickets for Houston 2035, our full-day conference taking place on May 21 at TMCx, the Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute. Don’t miss your chance to hear from startup experts like Sue Siegel of GE Ventures, Bill Aulet … Continue reading “Attention Startups: We Have 25 Tickets to Give Away for Houston 2035”
Quantico Energy Solutions Lands Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=27d28f72-d978-47c5-a712-ba42568e3e10 Date 5/6/2015 Company Name Quantico Energy Solutions Mailing Address 5800 Ranchester Drive Houston, TX 77036 USA Company Description Formed in 2012, Quantico Energy Solutions is a data analytics company based in Houston, Texas. The company’s focus is on providing the oil and gas industry with data-driven solutions that address major challenges … Continue reading “Quantico Energy Solutions Lands Series A Round”
Dasheroo Garners $3,250,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3900c8e2-16db-4c2c-a286-c15f9a1c30c7 Date 5/6/2015 Company Name Dasheroo Mailing Address 8920 Business Park Dr. Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Here’s the huge challenge we’ve seen develop over the years: most businesses use 15-20 3rd party apps to run their biz. Facebook, Twitter, Mail Chimp, Emma, AdWords, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Quickbooks, you name it. … Continue reading “Dasheroo Garners $3,250,000 Series A Round”
Bunker’s Veteran-Led Startups: Retail Tech, Crowdfunding, & More
The Bunker, an accelerator targeting military veteran entrepreneurs, will be moving into a new home at Austin, TX-based Capital Factory. The dozen startups in the Bunker’s first class had been working since the program’s beginning in January out of the offices of RideScout, a transport app company founded by Joseph Kopser. (Last year, the West … Continue reading “Bunker’s Veteran-Led Startups: Retail Tech, Crowdfunding, & More”
Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company
As healthcare technology grows increasingly important in our everyday lives—from the software that manages our medical records to the explosion of health and fitness-monitoring devices and apps—different cities around the country are trying to claim the mantle of “America’s healthtech capital.” Madison, WI, is among the places vying for that title. And while it can … Continue reading “Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company”
Houston 2035 Preview: 3-D Printing Could Lower New Housing Costs
Urban revitalization is a priority for many American cities, and Houston is home to significant efforts to develop urban living as never before. Residents have returned to downtown, and some in-town neighborhoods are creating an urban lifestyle that for the first time is not necessarily built around the car. But other areas—former industrial quarters or … Continue reading “Houston 2035 Preview: 3-D Printing Could Lower New Housing Costs”
Readying the Distributed Grid for the Big Energy Challenges of 2035
Predicting the future in the energy business is difficult for five years, let alone 20 years. That said, we feel the “better bet” is a future energy system that will be a lot more distributed as compared to the largely centralized grid of today. There will be much more generation and storage at the individual … Continue reading “Readying the Distributed Grid for the Big Energy Challenges of 2035”
Factom Q&A: Secure Record-Keeping a Chip Off the Old Blockchain
In 1994, Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel wondered “What is the Internet?”—something immortalized in a comical clip that was recently revived in a set of commercials. Yet there are other technologies today that might be just as perplexing to laypeople: take blockchains and cryptocurrencies, for example. Factom, based in Austin, TX, deals in both. But … Continue reading “Factom Q&A: Secure Record-Keeping a Chip Off the Old Blockchain”
French Chefs & Pirates: Houston’s Biotech Community Bonds Over Chili
[Updated 5/4/15 5:08 pm. See below.] The sky threatened thunderstorms but the only jolt came from the spices at BioHouston’s latest annual chili cookoff. Houston’s biotech and life sciences community gathered for the 12th time not only to make chili and share drinks but show off their creative sides, with booths and costumes that included Parisian chefs, pirates, flaming (devil) … Continue reading “French Chefs & Pirates: Houston’s Biotech Community Bonds Over Chili”
The Innovation Challenge: Assessing BioPharma Startups
Developing new medicines is really difficult and very expensive. A recent report, “Decline In Economic Returns From New Drugs Raises Questions About Sustaining Innovations,” suggests that the newest medicines are generating a negative rate of return across the industry. A viewpoint commonly found on the Web opines that Big Pharma has lost the ability to … Continue reading “The Innovation Challenge: Assessing BioPharma Startups”
Edgemont Garners $5,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7c2bfe72-5f3c-4635-99e1-f78b74d5eedf Date 5/4/2015 Company Name Edgemont Mailing Address 1250 Capital of Texas Hwy South Austin, TX 78746 USA Company Description Edgemont Pharmaceuticals, LLC is a privately held pharmaceutical company with a primary focus and expertise in the field of neuroscience. Edgemont is committed to the development of novel drug formulations and new … Continue reading “Edgemont Garners $5,000,000 New Financing”
Believe It or Not, the Government Is Driving Healthcare Innovation
Editor’s note: Jay Sultan, principal strategy advisor at Edifecs, a global health information technology solutions company, has another take on what’s driving innovation in healthcare, following our earlier Xconomist Forum post by former Providence Health and Services CEO John Koster arguing that healthcare is transforming regardless of the Affordable Care Act. Largely missing from the … Continue reading “Believe It or Not, the Government Is Driving Healthcare Innovation”
The Daily Dot Receives $10,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=92e2809c-24d1-4350-9bfe-4c2ae3f508be Date 5/1/2015 Company Name The Daily Dot Mailing Address 3112 Windsor Road Austin, TX 78703 USA Company Description One of the top 50 news outlets in the United States, the Daily Dot is the most comprehensive source of real journalism for the Internet Age. Website http://www.dailydot.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “The Daily Dot Receives $10,000,000 New Financing”
Austin Biotech Mirna Therapeutics Nabs Nearly $42M in Series D Funding
[Updated 4/20/15 5:01 pm. See below.] Mirna Therapeutics, an Austin,TX, biotech company has raised $41.8 million in a Series D financing to further develop its immuno-oncology drugs. The financing round was led by Baxter Ventures, which was joined by new investors including Eastern Capital, Sante Ventures, Morningside Ventures, Rock Springs Capital, and Celgene. Existing investors … Continue reading “Austin Biotech Mirna Therapeutics Nabs Nearly $42M in Series D Funding”
Seed Sumo Announces Eight Tech Startups for new Accelerator Class
Perhaps it’s no surprise that at ground zero of Texas A&M University football madness, a tech accelerator would select its startups based on a methodology used for the gridiron. Bryan, TX-based Seed Sumo has announced its second class of eight startups for its three-month program. (Bryan is a neighbor to College Station, TX, Texas A&M’s … Continue reading “Seed Sumo Announces Eight Tech Startups for new Accelerator Class”
Reflections on the “Build to Buy,” Part 2: The Applicability Problem
In a prior Xconomy post, I explored the unwritten and often hidden challenges of successfully navigating and completing a ‘build to buy’ acquisition. The fundamental issue that underlies those challenges is that the acquirers in these deals are not in the business of developing a single asset in a disciplined, focused manner. These buyers are … Continue reading “Reflections on the “Build to Buy,” Part 2: The Applicability Problem”
Mirna Therapeutics Lands $41,800,000 Series D Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ccc68b74-61e3-4ff8-804d-8632b7762a02 Date 4/30/2015 Company Name Mirna Therapeutics Mailing Address 2150 Woodward St. Austin, TX 78744 USA Company Description Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., traces its lineage back to Ambion, Inc., a privately held company that offered research reagents for RNA analysis. It was at Ambion where Mirna’s miRNA therapeutic research and development program began … Continue reading “Mirna Therapeutics Lands $41,800,000 Series D Financing Round”
Microsoft Acquires N-Trig for $30,000,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c62ce34f-8c16-4fb4-9fd3-1530d301890b Date 4/30/2015 Company Name N-Trig Mailing Address 8200 North MoPac Expressway Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description N-Trig is the provider of DuoSense digitizer technology combining pen and zero-pressure touch for mobile computers into a single device. N-Trig enables OEMs and ODMs to provide innovative new technology for the next generation … Continue reading “Microsoft Acquires N-Trig for $30,000,000”
Houston2035: A Tech-Savvy Leadership Would Boost City’s Prospects
In 20 years, Houston’s technology sector will be a critical part of our region’s ability to survive and thrive. Xconomy’s Houston 2035 event brings together some of the best voices to speak about this future. When these people talk, I listen. Houston 2035 is a daylong conference on May 21 that convenes all sorts of interesting entrepreneurs, investors, … Continue reading “Houston2035: A Tech-Savvy Leadership Would Boost City’s Prospects”