Category: Texas

Are Apple, Google, and Facebook Done Innovating? Readers Speak

In the world of tech journalism, the fastest way to start an argument is to say something critical about Apple. When you throw in Google and Facebook, you really know there are going to be fireworks. That’s exactly what happened over the weekend after we published my column “Don’t Panic, But We’ve Passed Peak Apple. … Continue reading “Are Apple, Google, and Facebook Done Innovating? Readers Speak”

New Fund from Austin’s S3 Boosts Venture Investment in Texas

Austin, TX-based venture capital firm S3 Ventures has raised a $75 million fund to invest in information technology and medical device companies. The fund is the firm’s fifth and largest to date, and is the first tech fund in Texas to announce a close in two years. “There are fewer and fewer local investors here, … Continue reading “New Fund from Austin’s S3 Boosts Venture Investment in Texas”

Surge Performance Training Lands $750,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=358d41ed-0e21-4b2e-8114-763f25f6fb93&Preview=1 Date 6/19/2013 Company Name Surge Performance Training Mailing Address 4408 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78756 Company Description Surge machines are radically different than virtually anything in the exercise equipment market today. Our products enable an unlimited range of resisted movements to develop explosive power, lean muscle endurance, and core stability, simultaneously. … Continue reading “Surge Performance Training Lands $750,000 New Round”

MapMyFitness Garners $5,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=792a9ac8-5e6b-4384-abb7-c6dc15ee6352&Preview=1 Date 6/19/2013 Company Name MapMyFitness Mailing Address 610 West 5th Street Austin, TX 78701 Company Description We target players across the health and fitness spectrum, including healthy and active individuals, race and event directors, and fitness and wellness oriented community groups and clubs. Website http://www.mapmyfitness.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “MapMyFitness Garners $5,000,000 New Financing”

Trendspotting: Commerce on Facebook

Social media’s impact on global e-commerce is being felt everywhere. By promoting products via social media outlets, e-commerce companies have invited customers to spread interest and awareness of their brands through liking, reviewing, and sharing products with their network of friends. Commerce on social media has become a hot trend for many e-commerce firms to … Continue reading “Trendspotting: Commerce on Facebook”

UT Gaming Academy Aims to Train Next Generation in Business

It’s time for the video game industry to grow up. No longer the purview of introverts on the sidelines of the creative arts, gaming is a global business worth tens of billions of dollars, and its practitioners need to become as savvy business-wise as they are in the creative and technical realms. That’s the perspective … Continue reading “UT Gaming Academy Aims to Train Next Generation in Business”

Quarri Technologies Obtains $499,943 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9175be6c-de74-4780-b015-bad2e5d6da14&Preview=1 Date 6/18/2013 Company Name Quarri Technologies Mailing Address 7500 Rialto Blvd Austin, TX 78735 Company Description Quarri is a leading provider of on demand web browser information security solutions that secure information and content at the endpoint. Our products give enterprises the ability to extend security controls temporarily to web browsers … Continue reading “Quarri Technologies Obtains $499,943 New Round”

Austin’s Myriad RBM at Work on Molecular Tests for Mental Ailments

Words like “schizophrenia” and “bipolar disorder” have guided psychiatric treatment for decades, but they may be meaningless labels that mask a lack of real knowledge about the molecular events behind these related constellations of symptoms. That’s the critical view that greeted the latest edition of the psychiatrists’ “bible,” the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental … Continue reading “Austin’s Myriad RBM at Work on Molecular Tests for Mental Ailments”

Texas Roundup: Appconomy and NanoRacks Expand, Upgrade

In Texas, school is already out and the lazy days of summer have begun in earnest. But things are not slowing down in the Texas startup scene, with companies this week making announcements of fundraising and product upgrades for customers as far-flung as in China and low Earth orbit. —NanoRacks, the Houston space-science startup located … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Appconomy and NanoRacks Expand, Upgrade”

UK-based Cell Medica Lands in Texas To Seek Cancer Therapy

The next frontier in fighting cancer is using the body’s own immune system to fight the disease, an approach that will supplement traditional radiation and chemotherapy treatments. So says the chief executive of Cell Medica, a London-based life sciences startup that’s put down roots in the Texas Medical Center. As the keynote speaker at a … Continue reading “UK-based Cell Medica Lands in Texas To Seek Cancer Therapy”

Don’t Panic, But We’ve Passed Peak Apple. And Google. And Facebook.

After the dot-com crash in 2001, the tech world needed a few years to regroup. But starting around 2004, the year Facebook was founded and Google went public, the winds of innovation in consumer- and business-facing technology began to pick up again. In 2007 or so, they reached hurricane speed, and minus a short lull … Continue reading “Don’t Panic, But We’ve Passed Peak Apple. And Google. And Facebook.”

Circular Energy Receives $2,700,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5d36db86-ebc3-4a51-9e9e-39ee6a69264c&Preview=1 Date 6/14/2013 Company Name Circular Energy Mailing Address P.O. Box 1528 Austin, TX 78767 Company Description Circular Energy is the leading, full-service solar design-installation company in Texas. Homeowners and commercial property owners trust the Circular Energy team to help reduce their energy bills and their dependence on the volatile electricity grid. … Continue reading “Circular Energy Receives $2,700,000 Series A Financing Round”

The Right Now Economy: The Next Wave of Startup Success

[Editor’s Note: Mark Siegel, managing director at Menlo Ventures, was the keynote speaker at IBF’s Venture Capital Investing Conference today in San Francisco. The post below summarizes his talk, in which he argued that the convergence of mobility, cloud infrastructure, social and big data—what he calls the Right Now Economy—sets the stage for $500 billion in … Continue reading “The Right Now Economy: The Next Wave of Startup Success”

Texas Cancer Agency Resuscitated, But Fate of Pending Grants Unknown

Texas state leaders have approved legislation that would revive and reform the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, but have left one question unanswered: What about the companies with pending grant applications? CPRIT (pronounced “sip-rit”), was created by a 2007 amendment to the Texas state constitution with the mission of funding cancer research … Continue reading “Texas Cancer Agency Resuscitated, But Fate of Pending Grants Unknown”

Scouting for a Summer Camp for the Kids? Camperoo, Sigby Offer Aid

School is almost out. Do you know what your kids will be doing this summer? If you haven’t already locked in a place at Camp Longhorn or Camp Waldemar, and are at loose ends where to send the kiddoes, Houston entrepreneur Emmie Chang says she has a solution: Camperoo, her startup that offers one-stop shopping … Continue reading “Scouting for a Summer Camp for the Kids? Camperoo, Sigby Offer Aid”

WhiteGlove Health Obtains $1,339,272 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2ff71e65-a423-43fd-be99-33bdafd1a610&Preview=1 Date 6/12/2013 Company Name WhiteGlove Health Mailing Address 1601 S. Mopac Expwy Austin, TX 78746 Company Description WhiteGlove Health, a leader in service-driven healthcare, is focused on changing healthcare on a national level by lowering the cost while improving the consumers’ healthcare experience. As a medical care provider, we offer self-insured … Continue reading “WhiteGlove Health Obtains $1,339,272 New Financing”

FireHost Garners $12,000,000 Series D Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fbf794fd-e5d6-466e-add1-a24da5da05a3&Preview=1 Date 6/12/2013 Company Name FireHost Mailing Address 2360 Campbell Creek Richardson, TX 75082 Company Description FireHost is the leader in Secure Cloud Hosting and delivers web hosting solutions to eCommerce, SaaS, healthcare IT and security companies around the world. Website http://www.firehost.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $12,000,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “FireHost Garners $12,000,000 Series D Funding Round”

FireHost Receives $12,000,000 Series D Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fbf794fd-e5d6-466e-add1-a24da5da05a3&Preview=1 Date 6/12/2013 Company Name FireHost Mailing Address 2360 Campbell Creek Richardson, TX 75082 Company Description FireHost is the leader in Secure Cloud Hosting and delivers web hosting solutions to eCommerce, SaaS, healthcare IT and security companies around the world. Website http://www.firehost.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $12,000,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “FireHost Receives $12,000,000 Series D Financing Round”

ID90T Secures $3,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c46bb1d-7111-46c0-a567-ccde9fbe0bed&Preview=1 Date 6/12/2013 Company Name ID90T Mailing Address 1090 Texan Trail Grapevine, TX 76051 Company Description ID90T is revolutionizing airline employee travel by providing online shopping, reservation and ticketing tools, employee-only deals and discounts, and easy-to-implement technology that results in significant cost savings for our airline clients and increased employee satisfaction. Website … Continue reading “ID90T Secures $3,000,000 Series B Funding”

Fundraising Is a Means, Not an End

For many entrepreneurs “raising money” has replaced “building a sustainable business” as their goal. That’s a big mistake. When you take money from investors their business model becomes yours. One of my ex students came out to the ranch to give me an update on his startup. When I asked, “What are you working on?” … Continue reading “Fundraising Is a Means, Not an End”

TVA Medical Obtains $9,500,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c4951ee7-9fbf-4f78-8ea7-eb17a97ec24c&Preview=1 Date 6/11/2013 Company Name TVA Medical Mailing Address 7000 Bee Cave Rd Austin, TX 78746 Company Description TVA Medical, Inc. (TVA) is a medical device company developing minimally invasive therapies for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Website http://www.tvamedical.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $9,500,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “TVA Medical Obtains $9,500,000 Series B Financing”

San Antonio Startup Leto, Winner of $100K, Builds Cooler Prosthetics

For Gary Walters, the entrepreneurial brainstorm came while mowing his lawn on a hot San Antonio day. An Iraq war veteran, Walters lost his right leg below the knee in a bomb blast eight years ago, and he has suffered from excessive heat and sweating where his prosthesis is joined to his leg, a common … Continue reading “San Antonio Startup Leto, Winner of $100K, Builds Cooler Prosthetics”

Profiles in Long-Termism: Sarepta Therapeutics CEO Chris Garabedian

Biotech is a long-term business, in a world that places more value on short-term thinking. Pharma companies often cut long-term R&D budgets, or do disastrous mega-mergers, mainly to juice their profits for a quarter or two. But sometimes people come along who are willing and able to buck the trends. They have a strategy for … Continue reading “Profiles in Long-Termism: Sarepta Therapeutics CEO Chris Garabedian”

Coffee Goes from Folger’s, to Starbucks, to Tech-Driven ‘Third Wave’

There’s change brewing in the world of coffee. Over the last 10 years or so, an assortment of independent “third wave” coffee roasters has appeared in cities like Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Austin, and Boulder—in other words, the same high-tech hubs we cover here at Xconomy. Each Xconomy editor has his or her … Continue reading “Coffee Goes from Folger’s, to Starbucks, to Tech-Driven ‘Third Wave’”

NanoRacks Seeks Better Quality Protein Crystals Born in Microgravity

Canadian Commander Chris Hadfield wasn’t just spending his time in space communing with an Earth-bound Captain Kirk and learning to play guitar in microgravity. The astronaut, who last month returned to terra firma after five months in orbit at the International Space Station, gained international fame with his extracurricular projects, which also included a music-video … Continue reading “NanoRacks Seeks Better Quality Protein Crystals Born in Microgravity”

Houston Group eHRI Forms to Promote HealthTech Collaboration

Houston is home to one of the world’s most innovative medical clusters, but the institutions within still have work to do in using technology to reach more patients more efficiently. That’s the view, at least, of the eHealth Research Institute, a newly formed consortium aimed at finding and commercializing overlaps in information systems and medical … Continue reading “Houston Group eHRI Forms to Promote HealthTech Collaboration”

ASCO Wrap-Up: Cancer News from the East, South, & Rockies

The herds who attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology have now gone home after a frenzied few days of absorbing what’s new in cancer R&D. Yesterday, I wrapped up some of the big news from cancer drugmakers on the West Coast, and now I’m attempting to hit the highlights of companies from the other … Continue reading “ASCO Wrap-Up: Cancer News from the East, South, & Rockies”

Amazon’s Grocery Expansion: A Match Made in Sales-Tax Heaven

In Amazon’s hometown of Seattle, people are pretty used to the sight of bright green Amazon Fresh trucks zipping around the city, loaded down with containers and bags full of groceries delivered to their door. Now it’s looking like folks in other cities might start getting a taste of Amazon’s grocery deliveries. And they’ve got … Continue reading “Amazon’s Grocery Expansion: A Match Made in Sales-Tax Heaven”

Convey Computer Obtains $15,491,288 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3bc5dd69-88c0-4fc0-b164-6a9b50ae26fb&Preview=1 Date 6/5/2013 Company Name Convey Computer Mailing Address 1302 E. Collins Boulevard Richardson, TX 75081 Company Description The company is designing applications to improve the performance of microprocessor servers. Website http://www.conveycomputer.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,491,288 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. … Continue reading “Convey Computer Obtains $15,491,288 New Funding Round”

Infochimps Secures $595,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c9984f33-a5ae-4381-9db4-e656f195ae37&Preview=1 Date 6/5/2013 Company Name Infochimps Mailing Address 1214 W. 6th St Austin , TX 78703 Company Description The company provides an online structured data API service. Website http://www.infochimps.org Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $595,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor … Continue reading “Infochimps Secures $595,000 New Round”

IBM Buying SoftLayer in Cloud-Computing Wars

IBM announced Tuesday it is acquiring Dallas-based SoftLayer, which will serve as the keystone for its new cloud service division, along with IBM’s SmartCloud franchise. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but published estimates speculate it was a $2 billion purchase price. The acquisition comes as the Armonk, NY-based computing giant seeks to buttress … Continue reading “IBM Buying SoftLayer in Cloud-Computing Wars”

Zynga to Shutter Offices in New York, Dallas, LA—Game Over for OMGPOP

The crops seem to be withering in the land of “FarmVille.” When social game company Zynga (Nasdaq: [[ticker:ZNGA]]) announced on Monday plans to cut 520 employees, about 18 percent of its overall staff, its New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas offices reportedly landed on the chopping block. Zynga did not immediately respond to requests for … Continue reading “Zynga to Shutter Offices in New York, Dallas, LA—Game Over for OMGPOP”

BMC Software, Going Private, Puts Consumer Spin on IT, Cloud Services

As companies large and small try to figure out where they fit in with cloud computing and IT services, a competitive landscape has evolved where everyone is vying to create the next big innovation. BMC Software, a 33-year-old firm, is making its way through the cloud-computing maze in Houston, and it is defending its territory … Continue reading “BMC Software, Going Private, Puts Consumer Spin on IT, Cloud Services”

We Owe it to Patients to Provide a Reliable Supply of Medicines

Too often in recent years, medicines for life-threatening conditions have been in short supply. It is unnecessary and avoidable for patients, their families, and health care professionals to experience and worry about medicine availability on top of the anxiety caused by their medical conditions. A reliable supply of high-quality medications is something all drug makers … Continue reading “We Owe it to Patients to Provide a Reliable Supply of Medicines”

TechStars Austin Will Complement City’s Vibrant Startup Scene

When TechStars last month announced that Austin would be home to its next outpost, many of us had the same thought: We thought you would have been there long ago. After all, the Texas capital is not a Johnny-come-lately on the technology scene. “It’s not for a lack of awareness about Austin, but more about … Continue reading “TechStars Austin Will Complement City’s Vibrant Startup Scene”

The Biotech IPO Scorecard: Who’s Up, Who’s Down in 2013

Remember Plexxikon? The Berkeley, CA-based company had a lot of talent for structural biology-based drug design, an impressive new treatment for melanoma, and a strong management team. Two years ago, nobody on Wall Street cared one whit. Plexxikon flirted with the idea of going public, found little interest, and sold itself off to Japan-based Daiichi … Continue reading “The Biotech IPO Scorecard: Who’s Up, Who’s Down in 2013”

With Big Bucks Chasing Big Data, Will Consumers Get a Cut?

As consumers, we’re often told a stampede of “big data” will soon make our lives better. Safer and cheaper healthcare, more effective government, lower prices at the corner store—it’s all possible when big companies start digging into the digital information produced by a constantly connected society. Today, the central bargain underwriting most of those lofty … Continue reading “With Big Bucks Chasing Big Data, Will Consumers Get a Cut?”

Clear Vascular Receives $309,408 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2e053f00-cb6d-4f02-b22c-e0cc94e37605&Preview=1 Date 6/3/2013 Company Name Clear Vascular Mailing Address 21 Waterway Ave. The Woodlands, TX 77380 Company Description Clear Vascular, Inc. (CVI) is a clinical stage company that was formed in 2005 by Drs. Gilbert Gonzales (CEO) and has been supported by equity and equity-sparing funding . The Company’s aims are to … Continue reading “Clear Vascular Receives $309,408 New Financing”

11 Reasons Why Flickr, Not Facebook, Is the Place to Put Your Photos

What’s the best way to put your pictures on the Internet these days? There are at least two answers to that question. If you’re just asking which photo sharing service is the most popular, then Facebook is the hands-down winner. People upload roughly 350 million photos to the social network every day. Snapchat isn’t far … Continue reading “11 Reasons Why Flickr, Not Facebook, Is the Place to Put Your Photos”

Why Not Test a Supply Chain Model? What We’ve Got Isn’t Working

I find myself siding more with Flagship’s Noubar Afeyan than with Katrine Bosley in the intriguing conversation emerging in Xconomy in recent weeks over the supply chain model for early stage biotech. Today neither biotech nor pharma are producing a sufficient supply of new products. If we can’t figure out a way to profitably finance … Continue reading “Why Not Test a Supply Chain Model? What We’ve Got Isn’t Working”

Wisegate Receives $3,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=566ab60f-d520-4f4f-b677-0fc4167b16d3&Preview=1 Date 5/31/2013 Company Name Wisegate Mailing Address 2303 Ranch Road 620 S Lakeway, TX 78734 Company Description Wisegate’s ambitious mission is to make our members’ jobs less stressful and more productive. We seek to achieve this goal by driving a radical degree of transparency in the industry while giving our members … Continue reading “Wisegate Receives $3,000,000 New Financing Round”

DeckPresenter Garners $20,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b4e320fd-7979-4ca3-be46-2432b52be4d5&Preview=1 Date 5/31/2013 Company Name DeckPresenter Mailing Address P.O. Box 200489 Austin, TX 78613 Company Description DeckPresenter’s HTML5 slide deck playlists is the best way to include multiple decks in a single embed. When you update the content in your playlist, the code updates automatically! Playlists are customizable and even have their … Continue reading “DeckPresenter Garners $20,000 Seed Round”

Top 20 Under-the-Radar Trends in Innovation

What’s the most important trend in innovation that nobody is talking about? We at Xconomy reached out across our national network of innovation leaders (the Xconomists) to get some answers to this question, and to spur some intercity discussion. What we got back was astounding for its diversity and depth. And while it’s no longer … Continue reading “Top 20 Under-the-Radar Trends in Innovation”

At a Startup, Does Being the Only Woman in the Room Matter?

It’s hardly a secret that the male-dominated world of high-growth entrepreneurship doesn’t boast a treasure trove of women. Despite the fact that female-led start-ups have a track record of driving success, businesses founded by women account for less than 9 percent of venture funding. Considering that 50 percent of the people walking the earth are … Continue reading “At a Startup, Does Being the Only Woman in the Room Matter?”

Bloomfire Garners $2,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=669fcedb-c8cb-49f3-89e8-f88fd01eb95e&Preview=1 Date 5/30/2013 Company Name Bloomfire Mailing Address 1717 W. 6th St. Austin, TX 78703 Company Description We’re a group of revolutionaries entirely devoted to solving the world’s most prevalent relationship problem – the relationship between people who have knowledge and people who need it. We know more about this problem than … Continue reading “Bloomfire Garners $2,000,000 New Financing”

BioTX Receives Seed Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b7872b07-9bb3-40d6-9cd5-4c9d13c65cb4&Preview=1 Date 5/30/2013 Company Name BioTX Mailing Address 10175 FM 1276 Livingston, TX 77351 Company Description BioTX Automation was founded in 2003, by James Frost who began his career in 1985, working as a lab technician for Baylor College of Medicine. His boss at the time, tasked him with a tricky problem: … Continue reading “BioTX Receives Seed Financing Round”