About 400 people packed Underbelly restaurant in Houston’s trendy Montrose district Wednesday to meet the latest startups from the Surge Accelerator’s fourth class. This year’s cohort is the program’s most mature group of startups, in terms of customers and funding already in-hand, since Surge’s founding in 2011. Many of the companies already earn at least … Continue reading “Houston’s Surge Accelerator Debuts New Set of Cleantech Startups”
Category: Texas
Fears Percolate as Billion-Dollar Private Company Valuations Climb
There are 73 private companies in the world with valuations of more than $1 billion, up from 40 just one year ago, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Some of those 40 companies are no longer on the list. Beats, valued in February 2014 at $1.1 billion, was sold to … Continue reading “Fears Percolate as Billion-Dollar Private Company Valuations Climb”
For Life Science Industry, Social Media Takes on New Significance
It seemed like a question out of left field at the time: “How many of you maintain and monitor Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr accounts?” The question was posed by Jeremy Levin, former president and CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: [[ticker:TEVA]]), and just a few hands went up at the 2014 CED Life Science conference … Continue reading “For Life Science Industry, Social Media Takes on New Significance”
Roundup: UT’s Food Lab, Houston Angel Network, SecureNok, & More
Here is the latest innovation news from around Texas in the last couple of weeks. —The Houston Angel Network announced that it had invested a total of $15.3 million in 66 deals during 2014, the highest number of both investment dollars and transactions since its founding in 2001. In 2013, the angel group invested $9.3 … Continue reading “Roundup: UT’s Food Lab, Houston Angel Network, SecureNok, & More”
Biotech M&A by Slow Simmer: An Inside Look at the Build to Buy Deal
Here’s a question for consideration: What does it mean to acquire a virtual, single asset biotech that was ‘built’ for the sole purpose of being bought? The answer is much more complex than you might think. In this post I’ll explain by peeking under the hood at The Medicines Co.’s recent acquisition of Annovation Biopharma, … Continue reading “Biotech M&A by Slow Simmer: An Inside Look at the Build to Buy Deal”
Austin Chamber, UT Target Space Startups as the Next Frontier
Houston, you have a competitor. Or, at least, another Texas metro area that wants to get in on the space game. Houston, home to NASA’s fabled space program, remains the center-of-the-universe when it comes to space innovation in most people’s minds. But with the advent of a growing private-sector space industry, economic clusters like Austin … Continue reading “Austin Chamber, UT Target Space Startups as the Next Frontier”
Ready, Aim, CRISPR: Will Gene-Editing Tools Hit Their Targets?
Gene therapy is finally upon us. After more than two decades of work, one product is approved in Europe. Others are steadily advancing through clinical trials, and gene therapy companies are doing big deals and raising big sums of cash. Now here comes a more precise version of gene therapy—gene editing. Instead of trying to … Continue reading “Ready, Aim, CRISPR: Will Gene-Editing Tools Hit Their Targets?”
Bet the Jockey…and the Horse…and the Track
Earlier this month we announced a new investment in Iora Health, a fascinating company run by an extraordinary entrepreneur transforming an enormous sector of the healthcare economy: primary care. Rushika Fernandopulle (CEO and co-founder) is fundamentally re-architecting how many of us will buy and consume primary care—and in so doing, he has created a passionate, … Continue reading “Bet the Jockey…and the Horse…and the Track”
ePatientFinder Garners $2,600,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=53faaa7f-111d-465c-9b08-fbbd860985c5 Date 2/16/2015 Company Name ePatientFinder Mailing Address 9433 Bee Cave Rd. Austin, TX 78733 USA Company Description Our mission is to make patients aware of all their treatment options. We believe that a patient’s best source for medical information is their trusted physician. Therefore we empower physicians to learn about cutting-edge … Continue reading “ePatientFinder Garners $2,600,000 New Round”
Innovation Hub: The Data Behind Online Dating
Online dating is big business. As of last year, it’s worth over 2 billion dollars, having grown at a steady 3.5 percent rate since 2008. And that big business has transformed the way we find love. If you’re getting married this year, there’s a one in three chance that you’ve met your spouse online. That’s … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: The Data Behind Online Dating”
Fannin Spinout Acelerox Aims to Halt Immune Attacks With Nanotech
Houston’s Fannin Innovation Studio has spun out its latest company, a biotech called Acelerox that aims to use nanoparticle technology to treat a variety of autoimmune and other disorders. Acelerox has been formed out of a licensing deal with Rice University. It’s based on novel nanoparticles developed by James Tour, a synthetic chemist and a … Continue reading “Fannin Spinout Acelerox Aims to Halt Immune Attacks With Nanotech”
NIH Opens Discussion: How to Build a U.S. Health Research Database?
National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins kicked off a two-day meeting in Bethesda, MD, this morning to discuss how to turn President Obama’s call for a national health research database into reality. The database, which NIH officials are calling the National Research Cohort, is one of two main thrusts of the administration’s precision medicine … Continue reading “NIH Opens Discussion: How to Build a U.S. Health Research Database?”
Hatch Pitch Unveils Tech Startup Lineup for Upcoming SXSW Demo Day
The buzz over this year’s South By Southwest’s Interactive festival is gathering momentum. A few weeks ago, we wrote that Mark Cuban would be making his debut at the annual tech mega-conference, emcee-ing a pitch day for startups specializing in pediatric health innovations. On Tuesday evening, the organizers of the Hatch pitch competition, which focuses … Continue reading “Hatch Pitch Unveils Tech Startup Lineup for Upcoming SXSW Demo Day”
Need a Lawyer? Legal Marketplace UpCounsel Launches in Texas
Texas startups looking for a deal on a corporate lawyer can now access UpCounsel, an online marketplace of attorneys that officially launched in the state today. UpCounsel lets small- and medium-sized businesses request bids for legal services, ranging from contract-specific projects to hourly retainer services. Attorneys on UpCounsel will be most readily available in Austin, … Continue reading “Need a Lawyer? Legal Marketplace UpCounsel Launches in Texas”
Two Healthcare Startups Land Venture Funding For Growth
Healthcare startups have for years built businesses on the principle of ridding the system of inefficiencies and extra costs for years. Two more gained venture backing today. DigiSight Technologies is using a $7.8 million Series B round to further develop a mobile technology that lets physicians monitor patients between appointments. The Portola Valley, CA, company … Continue reading “Two Healthcare Startups Land Venture Funding For Growth”
Wearables, Gaming, IoT Device Among Top Texas Crowdfunding Projects
Oil prices might be sliding down, but the party’s still strong in Texas. How else can we explain that Kickstarter’s most-funded project from the Lone Star State last year was the “Bunch O Balloons,” a water-hose attachment that fills and ties 100 balloons in one go. The Plano, TX, project took in nearly $930,000—blowing away … Continue reading “Wearables, Gaming, IoT Device Among Top Texas Crowdfunding Projects”
Houston 2035
What will it take to create the innovation city of the future? Join us at Houston 2035, a unique conference designed to look out 20 years and beyond to explore the future of the city’s high-tech economy—and how today’s stakeholders can innovate to not only preserve, but enhance, Houston’s role as a hub for global … Continue reading “Houston 2035”
“21st Century Cures” By Year’s End? Its Backers Want More Ideas
If you have an idea to include in the bipartisan initiative known as 21st Century Cures, Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) say they are all ears. But speak up quickly: They want to present a bill to the House of Representatives by Memorial Day. That was the message the two members of Congress … Continue reading ““21st Century Cures” By Year’s End? Its Backers Want More Ideas”
Metasurvey Says: Fewer Biopharmas Capturing More Venture Dollars
In biotech, young companies have been raising money from public and private investors alike at an astounding rate. But all the rain isn’t letting a thousand flowers bloom. In other words, there’s more money going into new biopharma companies, but the cash is not being spread widely. That’s according to a new survey released today … Continue reading “Metasurvey Says: Fewer Biopharmas Capturing More Venture Dollars”
Resistance Is Futile: Why That’s A Good Thing In Biomedicine
Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation are very familiar with the Borg, a society of cybernetic individuals linked together in a collective mindset. The Borg navigate the universe in cube-shaped spacecraft actively seeking members of other races to absorb into their collective. Whenever others oppose their efforts, the Borg let them know, in no … Continue reading “Resistance Is Futile: Why That’s A Good Thing In Biomedicine”
Innovation on Kickstarter: The 10 Top-Funded Tech Ideas of 2014
A lot of ink has been spilled about the Coolest Cooler, a re-imagined picnic cooler equipped with a built-in blender, waterproof Bluetooth speaker, and UBS charger (among other things). To fund the project, inventor Ryan Grepper of Portland, OR, raised a record $13.3 million from 62,642 backers last summer on Kickstarter. The $13.3 million Grepper … Continue reading “Innovation on Kickstarter: The 10 Top-Funded Tech Ideas of 2014”
Milestones of Innovation 2: Gregor Mendel on Heredity, 1865
Today, as 150 years ago, for an innovation to happen, the idea it rests on must be understood by the people who hear it. On the 8th of February and the 8th of March 1865, the Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel told his local natural science society about a decade of results from thousands of cross-breeding … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 2: Gregor Mendel on Heredity, 1865”
Innovation Hub: Meet Amy, Your AI Assistant
Amy Ingram is the most well-liked personal assistant in New York City. She was created by Dennis Mortensen to do a real job: schedule business meetings. And, given the fact that she’s artificially intelligent, she’s very good at it. But Mortensen, CEO and founder of x.ai, envisions more. His AI trainers are researching ways to … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Meet Amy, Your AI Assistant”
Software Maker Graylog Raises $2.5M, Moves to Houston from Germany
Graylog, a maker of open-source data analytics software, announced it has raised $2.5 million and will move to Houston. The company, which began as an open-source project in Hamburg, Germany, will use the funds for marketing and to further develop its software. The financing round was led by the Houston-based Mercury Fund, with participation from … Continue reading “Software Maker Graylog Raises $2.5M, Moves to Houston from Germany”
The Clean Energy Promise of Student Entrepreneurs
[This article was co-authored by MBA candidates Molly Bales and Eric Kirchblum at the MIT Sloan School of Management.] Cleantech investing has taken quite a hit in recent years. Last year, CBS News highlighted the “cleantech crash” on U.S. primetime television, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a Bloomberg-owned energy data firm, has tracked the multi-year … Continue reading “The Clean Energy Promise of Student Entrepreneurs”
FDA’s Hamburg Stepping Down With Biopharma Turnaround as Her Legacy
[Corrected 2/6/15, 2:40 pm. See below.] FDA Commissioner Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg will step down in March after nearly six eventful years, transforming the agency from one of the life science industry’s biggest bete noirs into, arguably, a fairly reliable arbiter for innovators. She announced her decision this morning in an open letter to FDA employees. … Continue reading “FDA’s Hamburg Stepping Down With Biopharma Turnaround as Her Legacy”
Graylog Obtains $2,500,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=85f826f9-e19e-4e05-85f2-ba318911447c Date 2/5/2015 Company Name Graylog Mailing Address 4141 Southwest Fwy Houston, TX 77027 USA Company Description We’re the team who brought you the leading open source log analysis software Graylog2. Our mission is to harness the power of open source to build the world’s most capable platform for storing and analyzing … Continue reading “Graylog Obtains $2,500,000 New Funding Round”
With a Knife as a Microscope, 3Scan Maps in 3D
There was a beauty salon on Mission Street in the South Market neighborhood of San Francisco that went out of business. Occasionally, people still wander in looking for a trim. The new tenant, 3Scan, has to explain that hair styling is not a service they offer, even though they do have knives. “You don’t want … Continue reading “With a Knife as a Microscope, 3Scan Maps in 3D”
tripBAM Lands $525,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b1b6fb65-c3f5-4cec-8b31-a1d0219d9f6a Date 2/4/2015 Company Name tripBAM Mailing Address 7318 Marquette St. Dallas, TX 75225 USA Company Description tripBAM provides travelers a cloud based, fully automated, free service where travelers can select multiple hotels to include in a cluster for monitoring. As prices drop across this cluster, reservations are automatically cancelled and rebooked … Continue reading “tripBAM Lands $525,000 New Round”
Now Playing: California’s $1 Billion Stem-Cell Renovation Show
Home remodeling shows are a reality TV staple. But no Park Avenue mansion or country estate can top the nearly $1 billion price tag of the house C. Randal Mills is trying to renovate on the fly in California. Mills, who goes by Randy, is the president of the State of California’s stem cell agency, … Continue reading “Now Playing: California’s $1 Billion Stem-Cell Renovation Show”
eRelevance Lands $1,400,000 Seed Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7e5fdc51-c867-4c71-b04a-e801acc14f83 Date 2/3/2015 Company Name eRelevance Mailing Address 7500 Rialto Blvd. Bldg 1 Austin, TX 78735 USA Company Description eRelevance Corporation is a Progressive Patient Engagement Service for healthcare providers and health systems. The company, located in Austin, Texas was founded in July 2013 by Robert Fabbio, Lance Obermeyer, and Timothy Smith, … Continue reading “eRelevance Lands $1,400,000 Seed Funding”
Civitas Learning Receives $16,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3dfa032e-3420-4f24-b0b3-ae3d4b0097a9 Date 2/3/2015 Company Name Civitas Learning Mailing Address 1145 W 5th Street Austin, TX 78703 USA Company Description Using a cloud-based predictive analytics platform and engaging applications, the company delivers personalized, real-time recommendations directly to students, faculty, advisors and administrators to inform decisions, big and small, across the student lifecycle. Website … Continue reading “Civitas Learning Receives $16,000,000 New Funding”
DisperSol Technologies Garners $10,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cb99c4be-feb7-4003-b725-f3889ed048c1 Date 2/3/2015 Company Name DisperSol Technologies Mailing Address 111 W. Cooperative Way Georgetown, TX 78626 USA Company Description Many potentially effective drugs that have been discovered have either failed completely to be turned into patient viable medicines or become only partially effective medicines because of drug solubility or manufacturing processing limitations. … Continue reading “DisperSol Technologies Garners $10,000,000 New Round”
Texas Roundup: Volusion, SeatSmart, Xenex, Decisio, BioHouston, AveXis
After an unseasonably cold start to the new year, sunny skies and warmer days have returned. The pace of startup launches and new financing deals is as brisk as ever. Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Austin, TX-based Volusion raised $55 million to further develop its e-commerce software. The Series A round … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Volusion, SeatSmart, Xenex, Decisio, BioHouston, AveXis”
Innovation Hub: 10 Years After the Larry Summers Controversy
Ten years ago, Harvard’s then-president, Larry Summers, wondered why women are so scarce in elite math and science departments. Is it because they’re less ambitious than men? Or, perhaps, they’re less inclined to be extremely smart? His comments caused a national furor, and Summers stepped down as president the following year. Now, Professor Eileen Pollack, … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: 10 Years After the Larry Summers Controversy”
Obama Wants You (And 1 Million Others) For ‘Precision’ Health Data
[Updated 1/30/15 1:15 pm. See below.] President Obama’s precision medicine plan just got a bit more precise, and it has a $215 million price tag. Starting with that cash, his administration wants to build a massive national database to study long-term public health trends, gathering head-to-toe health data from a million or more volunteers over … Continue reading “Obama Wants You (And 1 Million Others) For ‘Precision’ Health Data”
Volusion Receives $55,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=84e4576e-8f6b-4332-9547-1806494c6cde Date 1/30/2015 Company Name Volusion Mailing Address 8911 Capital of Texas Hwy. Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Success is about more than sales and revenues. The true measure of company’s success isn’t how much they make or how many awards they win. It’s about the impact they make on the … Continue reading “Volusion Receives $55,000,000 New Funding”
Austin’s Volusion Raises $55M to Further Develop E-Retail Software
Volusion, an e-commerce software maker, has acquired $55 million in venture funding to boost development of its Mozu software aimed at mid-market to large companies. The Series A round of venture funds were raised from Main Street Capital Corporation, a Houston-based investment firm. Previously, Volusion had raised about $35 million in debt financings. “This funding … Continue reading “Austin’s Volusion Raises $55M to Further Develop E-Retail Software”
Querium Lands $800,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=675d080e-1a88-47d7-bb1d-7399bed9b210 Date 1/29/2015 Company Name Querium Mailing Address 5918 West Courtyard Drive Austin, TX 78730 USA Company Description Querium was founded to help 24 million students master critical math and science skills, enabling them to achieve their career goals. Website http://www.querium.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $800,000 Transaction Round Series A … Continue reading “Querium Lands $800,000 Series A Funding Round”
Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Summit
The Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute (THBI) is composed of biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies; universities and private research institutions; and other companies. Statewide political and industry leaders will gather to discuss the regulatory and economic landscape for life sciences and biotech companies. For more information on its annual conference, click here.
Xconomy Is Seeking Great Sales People in Boston and San Francisco
When it comes to writing in-depth, daily stories about the business of high technology—in tech, life sciences, and beyond—we at Xconomy believe there are few news organizations that can match our editorial team. We feature many of these stories—and the people behind them—at our events as well. Now, right here in Boston and also in … Continue reading “Xconomy Is Seeking Great Sales People in Boston and San Francisco”
Favor Seeks More Financing While Finding Role in Delivery Service Boom
Four years ago, when many New Yorkers felt left in the cold by a slow snowstorm response from Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Saturday Night Live roasted the bureaucrat by having his caricature casually suggest those trapped at home should pick up a phone to call a local restaurant for delivery. Pick up a phone? Call a … Continue reading “Favor Seeks More Financing While Finding Role in Delivery Service Boom”
Techstars Closes $150M Seed and Early Stage Fund
Techstars has closed a $150 million third fund to make seed and early stage investments, the Boulder, CO-based startup accelerator announced Wednesday. Techstars co-founder and CEO David Cohen said the fund will be focused on investing on startups that have graduated from the accelerator or have other ties to the program. According to its website, … Continue reading “Techstars Closes $150M Seed and Early Stage Fund”
Austin’s Localeur Gets Funds, Imprimatur from Ex-Facebook Execs
Localeur, an Austin, TX, travel website that relies on local residents, or “localeurs,” for tips has brought some heavy social media hitters into its stable of investors: former executives from Facebook. The investor group—which includes Mike Murphy, the social media giant’s former chief revenue officer, and Tom Arrix and Blake Chandlee, who led North American … Continue reading “Austin’s Localeur Gets Funds, Imprimatur from Ex-Facebook Execs “
Exosome Dx, Aiming to Commercialize “Liquid Biopsies,” Seeks $25M
It’s the moment of truth for any emerging diagnostics firm: the transition from startup to commercial-stage company. Time to convince insurers that you have something worth paying for, and doctors in major hospitals and community practices to change how they practice and incorporate your test. That critical point is where Cambridge, MA-based Exosome Diagnostics finds … Continue reading “Exosome Dx, Aiming to Commercialize “Liquid Biopsies,” Seeks $25M”
The Venture Funding Gap is Widening; What Does it Mean?
The National Venture Capital Association has just released the latest MoneyTree data on venture industry fund-raising, which always makes me sit up straight and take notice—it’s kind of an industry scorecard. In addition to being baffled by the fact that the amount the U.S. venture industry invests outstrips how much we raise (see below), I … Continue reading “The Venture Funding Gap is Widening; What Does it Mean?”
San Antonio’s SeatSmart Builds Marketplace for Sports & Arts Tickets
Snowmageddon got you hankering for sunny Phoenix and last-minute Super Bowl tickets? San Antonio startup SeatSmart, an online marketplace for secondary tickets, is launching today. The site provides what co-founder and CEO Brett Cohen says are better values to consumers while also helping ticket brokers build personal relationships with those buyers. “The current system is … Continue reading “San Antonio’s SeatSmart Builds Marketplace for Sports & Arts Tickets”
Xenex Raises $25 Million to Develop More Bug-Fighting Robots
Xenex Disinfection Services, a San Antonio, TX, robotics company that specializes in cleaning hospitals by zapping microscopic pathogens, is using a new $25 million financing round to expand its U.S. sales force and fund product development. The company’s ultraviolet disinfection technology, which Xconomy’s Angela Shah detailed in 2013, destroys viruses, bacteria, mold, fungus, and bacterial … Continue reading “Xenex Raises $25 Million to Develop More Bug-Fighting Robots”
FDA Nod in Hand, Health IT Software Maker Decisio Hits the Market
Houston’s Decisio Healthcare, a health IT company that makes software to create a critical care dashboard for ER and ICU staff, is now FDA approved. That distinction is notable, since seeking and obtaining regulatory approval is rare for medtech software companies. Most companies in the electronic health records industry are classified as medical device data … Continue reading “FDA Nod in Hand, Health IT Software Maker Decisio Hits the Market”
Xenex Healthcare Services Receives $25,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e3b04e29-6adb-497a-baba-5cd5eb3aa4e0 Date 1/27/2015 Company Name Xenex Healthcare Services Mailing Address 121 Interpark San Antonio, TX 78216 USA Company Description Xenex Disinfection Services LLC was founded to significantly reduce the number of healthcare associated infections that destroy the lives of millions of patients and their families. We believe in our technology and the … Continue reading “Xenex Healthcare Services Receives $25,000,000 New Financing Round”