Category: Texas

TrustRadius Lands $5,000,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9641ffeb-257b-4664-b89a-64263bf08db1 Date 7/16/2013 Company Name TrustRadius Mailing Address 9111 Jollyville Rd Austin, TX 78759 Company Description TrustRadius is a site for professionals to share candid opinions on business technology products to guide selection, implementation and usage decisions. Our members share real world insights through in-depth reviews, discussions and networking. Website http://www.trustradius.com Transaction … Continue reading “TrustRadius Lands $5,000,000 Series A Funding Round”

Veros Systems Secures $5,000,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6032d934-f895-4ac0-9524-69637a41499c Date 7/16/2013 Company Name Veros Systems Mailing Address 12845 FM 2154 College Station, TX 77845 Company Description Veros Systems enables industrial customers to maximize production by providing actionable intelligence on their electrically-driven machines. Website http://www.verossystems.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The company will … Continue reading “Veros Systems Secures $5,000,000 Series A Financing”

Abbott Laboratories Acquires Idev Technologies for $310,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ab661880-4e98-4167-ab36-84370c8748d6 Date 7/16/2013 Company Name Idev Technologies Mailing Address 253 Medical Center Blvd. Webster, TX 77598 Company Description IDev Technologies, Inc. is an organization focused on innovation, inspiration, and next generation medical device products designed for endovascular interventional use. Website http://www.idevmd.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $310,000,000 Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A … Continue reading “Abbott Laboratories Acquires Idev Technologies for $310,000,000”

Trendspotting: Platform Ecosystems

For big enterprise services companies, the hot new trend is having a cloud-hosted platform for third-party applications. These platforms give app developers the resources they need to build, launch, promote, and integrate their apps with other businesses. This not only creates a bundle of exceptional business tools but it also creates a hotbed of savvy … Continue reading “Trendspotting: Platform Ecosystems”

Why I Won’t Cheer If Onyx Pharma Is Sold for Megabucks

Sometime in the coming weeks, South San Francisco-based Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONXX]]) will probably be acquired by some big drugmaker for more than $10 billion. Shareholders will count their profits. Analysts will applaud. Financial media will speculate about whether this deal will spark more acquisitions in the biotech industry. But I won’t be cheering. I’ll … Continue reading “Why I Won’t Cheer If Onyx Pharma Is Sold for Megabucks”

Together Mobile Obtains $3,365,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e4bf738a-aa93-4cda-9bbd-652194a60e84 Date 7/15/2013 Company Name Together Mobile Mailing Address 8300 N. Lamar Blvd Austin, TX 78753 Company Description At Together, we believe that brands compete in the attention economy — that consumer attention is in short supply but powerful when harnessed Website http://www.togethermobile.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,365,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Together Mobile Obtains $3,365,000 New Funding”

Texas Roundup: Appconomy, Bellicum, and Datafiniti

This week brings us news of three Texas startups raising money, progressing on cancer research, and settling into a new home. Money, money, money: Austin’s Appconomy closed this week on a bridge loan of just under $3 million. Appconomy provides mobile marketing and e-commerce platforms for Chinese retailers. The new money will help fund its … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Appconomy, Bellicum, and Datafiniti”

10 New Productivity Tricks for Your Old iPhone

As you can probably tell from my calendar (pictured in the first photo above), I’m jetting off to Michigan today for a week’s vacation with my family. For me, vacation is a time to put aside my gadgets—or at least, turn off my e-mail—and focus on sun, sailing, and cervezas. But for everyone who has … Continue reading “10 New Productivity Tricks for Your Old iPhone”

MedSynergies Secures $65,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7a286c62-7335-4e8e-866e-6701d3a7864a Date 7/12/2013 Company Name MedSynergies Mailing Address 909 Hidden Ridge Irving, TX 75038 Company Description MedSynergies provides revenue and performance management solutions to healthcare providers. Website http://www.medsynergies.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $65,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor … Continue reading “MedSynergies Secures $65,000,000 New Funding Round”

Microsoft’s Reboot: Rashid, DelBene, Mundie Reassigned or Retiring

[Updated 3:20 pm with detail] The world of Microsoft watchers knew it was coming: a major reorganization of the company around CEO Steve Ballmer’s vision of a more unified “devices and services” business. Today, we got the details from Ballmer himself, through his all-staff memo and a New York Times interview. It’s a dramatic makeover. … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Reboot: Rashid, DelBene, Mundie Reassigned or Retiring”

UT “WaterChip,” Plus a Startup, Could Make Desalination More Efficient

Millions of people die each year worldwide from a lack of fresh water. Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have an innovation that could help prevent that—and they’re working with a startup to bring the technology to market. The “WaterChip” creates a small electrical field that removes salts from seawater using a technique … Continue reading “UT “WaterChip,” Plus a Startup, Could Make Desalination More Efficient”

A Top Tech City, But Austin Needs More STEM Workers

When President Barack Obama decided to use Austin, TX, as a platform to discuss the United States’ future in technology this May, it came as no surprise to those who call Austin’s technology sector home. Over the past decade, Austin has branched out beyond its Silicon Hills moniker to become the world’s preferred innovation destination. … Continue reading “A Top Tech City, But Austin Needs More STEM Workers”

Seven Questions for the CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association

You may never have heard of the Consumer Electronics Association, but you’ve definitely heard of its most famous annual event: the huge Consumer Electronics Show, or International CES. The four-day extravaganza draws more than 150,000 attendees to Las Vegas each January to see keynote talks by top industry CEOs and exhibits from 3,000 companies. Interestingly, … Continue reading “Seven Questions for the CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association”

Is Crowdfunding The Future For Biomedical Research?

Microryza.com (not the catchiest of names) is a crowdfunding platform for research that raises money over the Internet from individuals who are willing to donate small amounts to fund a specific project. The average donation according to Microryza is $92. In return for a 5 percent cut of funds raised and a 3 percent credit … Continue reading “Is Crowdfunding The Future For Biomedical Research?”

Xeris Pharmaceuticals Lands $565,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=230f5583-8c9a-4f7c-a837-352c532d656d Date 7/11/2013 Company Name Xeris Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 3925 West Braker Lane 3rd Floor Austin, TX 78759 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 Debt Transaction Amount $565,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Xeris Pharmaceuticals Lands $565,000 New Funding Round”

Silvercar Secures $4,999,999 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1d8ad64f-dd34-4b31-8086-834d43c3f96b Date 7/10/2013 Company Name Silvercar Mailing Address 712 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701 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 a … Continue reading “Silvercar Secures $4,999,999 New Financing”

Mirna Therapeutics Taking on Cancer With Help of Tiny RNAs

Mirna Therapeutics, an Austin-based life sciences startup, is bringing out the big guns in the fight against cancer, in the form of tiny RNA molecules. In just over three years, Mirna has raised nearly $50 million to develop drugs based on microRNAs, very short strands of RNA that can act like genomic master switches, each … Continue reading “Mirna Therapeutics Taking on Cancer With Help of Tiny RNAs”

Appconomy Receives $2,987,628 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=72bb9e6f-1c65-41ec-93a8-2a9bdd08c551 Date 7/9/2013 Company Name Appconomy Mailing Address 1300 Guadalupe St Austin, TX 78701 Company Description Appconomy designs, develops and sells mobile apps and app components, and AppCommerce capabilities that power the economies of people, businesses and enterprises. Website http://www.appconomy.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $2,987,628 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Appconomy Receives $2,987,628 New Funding”

PLx Pharma Secures $9,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=df053848-28c1-44da-bd08-3e0a8ae75a58 Date 7/9/2013 Company Name PLx Pharma Mailing Address 8285 El Rio Houston, TX 77054 Company Description PLx Pharma is a pharmaceutical company developing the next generation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) that are safer on the gut. Website http://www.plxpharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $9,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “PLx Pharma Secures $9,000,000 New Funding”

Nine Observations on Leadership From North America’s Highest Peak

People are always striving to develop their leadership skills, or to find a leader worth following. But sometimes the trick is recognizing when you’re in the presence of strong leadership, and learning from it. Your normal BioBeat will return to this space next week, but lately I’ve been fixated on absorbing leadership lessons for business … Continue reading “Nine Observations on Leadership From North America’s Highest Peak”

Rallyhood Receives $1,700,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8c5b8767-0005-40dc-ac52-4e1810cf9820 Date 7/8/2013 Company Name Rallyhood Mailing Address 804 Congress Avenue 2nd Floor Austin, TX 78701 Company Description Rallyhood is an Austin-based startup making a mobile app to help groups create personalized social sites. Website http://www.rallyhood.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,700,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The additional financing … Continue reading “Rallyhood Receives $1,700,000 Series A Round”

Texas Roundup: TechStars Austin, Houston Hackathon, and More

An Independence Day hangover notwithstanding, we at Xconomy Texas want to be sure you are updated with startup happenings. Techstars Austin—The Boulder-based accelerator received more than 850 applications for its inaugural startup class in Austin, says Jason Seats, who is heading up TechStars Austin. In May, TechStars announced its expansion to Austin, its seventh city. … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: TechStars Austin, Houston Hackathon, and More”

The Denali Expedition: A Photo Essay

I’ve been dreaming about Denali since I started climbing mountains a decade ago with two best friends. This is the year we made it happen. As many Xconomy readers know, I just returned from a successful three-week expedition to climb Alaska’s Denali, the highest peak in North America. Many saw me grow a beard to … Continue reading “The Denali Expedition: A Photo Essay”

HelioVolt Lands $9,500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8e4a1330-ac0e-4174-b970-414b223e36cc&Preview=1 Date 7/5/2013 Company Name HelioVolt Mailing Address 6301-8 E. Stassney Lane Austin, TX 78744 Company Description HelioVolt has pioneered a method of manufacturing high-performing solar technology and applying it as a coating directly onto conventional building materials. Website http://www.heliovolt.net Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $9,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “HelioVolt Lands $9,500,000 New Funding”

Houston Startup Vapogenix Aims to Build a Better Pain Drug

Treating pain usually means taking medication that has to course through our bloodstream—our entire body—before it can take effect. The thing is, we typically feel pain in one place. So why can’t we just treat that specific area, and in a faster fashion? Houston-based Vapogenix is working on a drug that could do exactly that. … Continue reading “Houston Startup Vapogenix Aims to Build a Better Pain Drug”

Baseball and Biopharma: More Alike Than You Might Realize

This may seem like a surprising observation, but it’s true. Biopharma companies and baseball teams employ similar strategies that they hope will result in either a blockbuster drug or winning the World Series. The challenges each faces are significant. Did you realize that the percentage of drugs that are put into clinical trials and successfully … Continue reading “Baseball and Biopharma: More Alike Than You Might Realize”

ArthroCare Acquires Entrigue Surgical for $45,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5a68f4b4-0ab6-4d25-a2ec-bb21193ec58f&Preview=1 Date 7/3/2013 Company Name Entrigue Surgical Mailing Address 12672 Silicon Drive San Antonio, TX 78249 Company Description Entrigue Surgical is revolutionizing otolaryngology through Access, Biologics and Biomaterials. Our mission is to improve patient outcome through procedure-specific solutions utilizing the latest in ground-breaking technologies. Website http://www.entriguesurgical.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $45,000,000 … Continue reading “ArthroCare Acquires Entrigue Surgical for $45,000,000”

When You Are Facing a Tsunami of Barriers, Surf Like a Woman

All entrepreneurs face roadblocks when they are starting up. It’s part of the job. For Surbhi Sarna, who founded of nVision Medical in 2012, things are more intense. NVision Medical is an early stage women’s health business focused building medical devices that help detect ovarian cancer and infertility. It recently raised over $4 million in … Continue reading “When You Are Facing a Tsunami of Barriers, Surf Like a Woman”

Texas Cancer Agency Withdraws Pending Startup Funding Applications

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has dismissed five pending grant applications by companies seeking funding in light of CPRIT’s ongoing reorganization. The move came days after Texas Gov. Rick Perry approved on June 15 a new law designed to reform  the embattled agency. CPRIT had come under legislative and legal scrutiny late last … Continue reading “Texas Cancer Agency Withdraws Pending Startup Funding Applications”

Ambiq Micro Garners $3,225,405 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9f299777-600c-4edc-a347-8647e5b227ae&Preview=1 Date 7/2/2013 Company Name Ambiq Micro Mailing Address 303 Camp Craft Road Westlake Hills, TX 78746 Company Description The company is developing next-generation energy-efficient microcontrollers. Website http://www.ambiqmicro.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,225,405 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed

Outbox Garners $5,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=71661d24-68e1-4a8c-8a7c-e9ea22a0e30f&Preview=1 Date 7/2/2013 Company Name Outbox Mailing Address PO Box 1907 Austin, TX 78767 Company Description Outbox picks up and digitizes your mail 3X a week so you can view, sort, and organize your mail from the convenience of your iPhone or iPad anytime, anywhere. Website http://www.outboxmail.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Outbox Garners $5,000,000 Series A Funding”

Wall St. Loves Biotech, Leading Venture-Backed IPOs in Q2

[Updated 6:15 pm. NVCA now says historical IPO data in its report was misstated and will be revised later. This version removes earlier references to historical deal trends.] We knew that biotech companies were lighting up the stock market this year. Today, the National Venture Capital Association has fresh numbers illustrating Wall Street’s love affair … Continue reading “Wall St. Loves Biotech, Leading Venture-Backed IPOs in Q2”

Altair Semiconductor Lands $25,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=800860a5-88a5-4aee-a958-51c2f59352e2&Preview=1 Date 7/1/2013 Company Name Altair Semiconductor Mailing Address 1400 Preston Rd. Plano, TX 75093 Company Description Altair is a fabless semiconductor company based in Israel that is developing state of the art, ultra low power mobile WiMAX silicon solutions optimized for handsets and handheld devices. Website http://www.altair-semi.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Altair Semiconductor Lands $25,000,000 New Funding”

PasswordBox: Strong Passwords That You Don’t Have to Remember

Leave it to tech entrepreneurs to turn bad news into good news. For most of us, our passwords are the keys to our entire digital lives. The bad news is that we’re losing the race to keep these passwords safe from hacker attacks. Making up a secure yet memorable password used to be a matter … Continue reading “PasswordBox: Strong Passwords That You Don’t Have to Remember”

Houston Research Institute Funds Health Startups for Earth and Space

Space may be the final frontier, but it also could represent new horizons for better, more effective healthcare back on Earth. That’s essentially the philosophy of the National Space and Biomedical Research Institute in Houston, a sort of venture capital arm for NASA which provides seed funding to healthtech and biotech startups nationally. Whether the … Continue reading “Houston Research Institute Funds Health Startups for Earth and Space”

Civic Hackers Must Work With Governments, Not Just Disrupt Them

I recently helped organize the National Civic Day of Hacking activities in Detroit and I was very impressed with my city’s outpouring of problems, and the hackers that came out to show support. Right now is a great time to be a technologist because our tools have advanced by leaps and bounds over the years. … Continue reading “Civic Hackers Must Work With Governments, Not Just Disrupt Them”

6 Reasons Why the MIT Blackjack Team Became Entrepreneurs

Wow. Imagine being invited to moderate a free-form discussion with the people who lived out the book “Bringing Down the House” and the movie “21.” It doesn’t get any better than this. At Xconomy’s XSITE conference last week, I had the honor of moderating a reunion panel of the MIT Blackjack Team with two of … Continue reading “6 Reasons Why the MIT Blackjack Team Became Entrepreneurs”

New Entrepreneur Center Aims to Connect, Brand Startups in Dallas

Blame it on J.R. The traits displayed by the fictional oilman—enterprising, hyper-competitive, a win-at-all-costs mentality—have helped to make real-life Dallas into one of America’s top business cities and home to an impressive list of Fortune 500 corporations. But that hasn’t necessarily been the best boost to the city’s startup scene. “Historically we are a very … Continue reading “New Entrepreneur Center Aims to Connect, Brand Startups in Dallas”

Planetary Resources Inks 3D Systems Deal, Plans Test Launch From ISS

Planetary Resources is adding a new investor and collaborator to help manufacture its planned asteroid-mining spacecraft, a test version of which could be launched into low-Earth orbit from the International Space Station in less than a year. The Bellevue, WA, company is taking an undisclosed investment from 3D Systems (NYSE: [[ticker:DDD]]) and will make use … Continue reading “Planetary Resources Inks 3D Systems Deal, Plans Test Launch From ISS”

Strangling Innovation: Tesla vs. “Rent Seekers”

The greatest number of jobs is created when startups create a new market—one where the product or service never existed before or is radically more convenient. Yet this is where startups will run into anti-innovation opponents they may not expect. These opponents have their own name—“rent seekers”—the landlords of the status-quo. Smart startups prepare to … Continue reading “Strangling Innovation: Tesla vs. “Rent Seekers””

NASA’s ‘Coolest Person’ Says It Takes All Kinds to Push Boundaries

Nearly a year later, it still sends tingles up your spine: The sounds and images of the spacecraft slamming into the Martian atmosphere, precisely depositing its payload—the car-sized Curiosity rover—on the surface using an untested “sky crane” maneuver, and then the cheers of rapt space fans from around the world. “I actually still get nervous … Continue reading “NASA’s ‘Coolest Person’ Says It Takes All Kinds to Push Boundaries”

Constructing Innovation Supply Chains for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Competition via innovation has been recognized as essential for mid- to long-term success and even survival of science-based corporations such as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. As such, understanding how best to innovate, and how to do it more often and efficiently, is top of mind for executives at many large corporations. Traditionally, the approach for … Continue reading “Constructing Innovation Supply Chains for the Pharmaceutical Industry”

Skyonic Secures $128,000,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=687303e2-7fe3-47a3-984d-5d39048909cb&Preview=1 Date 6/26/2013 Company Name Skyonic Mailing Address 900 S. Capital of Texas Hwy Austin, TX 78746 Company Description At Skyonic, we believe that clean air and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. We believe that mineralizing CO2 emissions is the best-available method for reversing global warming. Website http://www.skyonic.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Skyonic Secures $128,000,000 Series C Round”

Can’t Get No Respect? Bio-venture Issues Are Deeper Than Paper Gains

In one of his recent blogs at Life Sci VC, Atlas Venture’s Bruce Booth makes the optimists’ case for venture capital investments in the life sciences. Booth’s message is that life sciences venture capital is healthy but misunderstood, but he misses the forest for the trees in important ways. Based on my 27 years in … Continue reading “Can’t Get No Respect? Bio-venture Issues Are Deeper Than Paper Gains”

Civitas Learning Garners $8,750,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7a6e4bd4-fb15-4ce7-b20f-b43ae6083ccd&Preview=1 Date 6/25/2013 Company Name Civitas Learning Mailing Address 1145 W 5th Street Austin, TX 78703 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 http://www.civitaslearning.com … Continue reading “Civitas Learning Garners $8,750,000 New Financing Round”

Red Labs Boosts New Startup Culture at University of Houston

Hesam Panahi has spent nearly all his academic life at the University of Houston. As both an undergrad and graduate management and information systems student, he attended classes in the same building that housed the school’s entrepreneurship program—and still never knew it existed. “We’ve had this program since ’94 and I just found out about … Continue reading “Red Labs Boosts New Startup Culture at University of Houston”

Texas Roundup: CPRIT Renewed, Cancer Biomarker Test, Austin MedTech

Here are the updates this week from Xconomy Texas. —The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas is one step closer to resuming grant funding. Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Monday signed into law a number of reforms to CPRIT, a major funder of cancer research whose grant-giving activities were placed on hold by Perry … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: CPRIT Renewed, Cancer Biomarker Test, Austin MedTech”

Battle of the Bluetooth Speakers: Big Sound in Small Packages

Back in 2009, Lief Storer realized he was putting his own safety in jeopardy every time he donned his big DJ headphones before biking to work. “I had a tough time picking up traffic coming at me from the rear,” he says. But he didn’t want to give up his music. So he jammed an … Continue reading “Battle of the Bluetooth Speakers: Big Sound in Small Packages”