In another wave of account shutdowns, Facebook announced Thursday that it disabled more than 800 pages and accounts to prevent groups that disguised their identities from flooding its network with inauthentic content—some of it hyper-partisan political messages. Facebook (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FB]]) has been under pressure to cleanse its pages of fake news since the discovery that … Continue reading “Facebook Bars 800 Fake Accounts and Pages For Using Tactics Like Russia’s”
Category: Wisconsin
BIO Has Big Diversity Goals. Does It Have the Means to Reach Them?
Whether from embarrassing parties or sobering surveys, the biotech gender gap problem has made plenty of headlines the past couple years. The industry’s largest trade group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), is trying to encourage its more than 1,000 member companies to do better. Last winter, BIO posted diversity goals for the industry to hit … Continue reading “BIO Has Big Diversity Goals. Does It Have the Means to Reach Them?”
Tim Berners-Lee Building Inrupt to Fix the Web—Will Users Come?
The World Wide Web is at a crossroads. For all the benefits it has brought society over the past three decades—faster and easier communication, instant knowledge access, a seemingly inexhaustible marketplace of goods and services—the Web has also morphed into an “engine of inequity and division,” according to its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee (pictured above). In … Continue reading “Tim Berners-Lee Building Inrupt to Fix the Web—Will Users Come?”
Swabbing DNA on Phones Reveals Mysteries of Microbial World Around Us
Ask someone “What’s on your phone?” and he or she might respond with some combination of photos, music, contacts, and mobile apps. But a series of interactive experiments co-led by a prominent geneticist are answering the question in a different way, by swabbing the surface of smartphones and telling their owners what bacteria, viruses, fungi, … Continue reading “Swabbing DNA on Phones Reveals Mysteries of Microbial World Around Us”
Anaplan Ups Estimate For Its IPO Haul; Allogene IPO Raises $288M
San Francisco-based Anaplan, one of five companies planning to close initial public offerings this week, raised the expected price range for its shares in an SEC filing Wednesday, signaling an IPO that could be richer than it had anticipated. Enterprise planning software company Anaplan, which is privately valued at more than $1.4 billion, had originally … Continue reading “Anaplan Ups Estimate For Its IPO Haul; Allogene IPO Raises $288M”
Understory Nabs $6.5M to Expand Network of Weather Tracking Stations
Understory, a Madison, WI-based weather technology startup, has raised more than $6.5 million in new equity funding from eight investors, according to a securities filing. Understory operates networks of weather stations in the U.S. and other countries that can measure wind, temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and various forms of precipitation. The company says the hardware … Continue reading “Understory Nabs $6.5M to Expand Network of Weather Tracking Stations”
U.S. Venture Capital Deals on Pace to Exceed $100B in 2018
Once considered a passing phase, the concentration of capital into fewer, larger venture capital deals appears to be the new normal. Fueled by so-called mega-funds, investment in U.S.-based venture-backed companies as of the end of the third quarter hit a decade high, and is on pace to pass the $100 billion mark by year’s end. … Continue reading “U.S. Venture Capital Deals on Pace to Exceed $100B in 2018”
With a $10.2M Boost, YourMechanic Aims at Mobility Fleet Market
Every month, there’s news of another partnership among carmakers like GM and tech companies such as Uber, as they vie for dominant roles in a transportation future where individual car ownership may largely give way to rides-on-demand from fleets of autonomous and tech-enabled vehicles. But whether Uber, Toyota, GM, Honda, or Google end up at … Continue reading “With a $10.2M Boost, YourMechanic Aims at Mobility Fleet Market”
Bio Roundup: Nobel Prizes, Duchenne Steps, Guardant’s IPO & More
Cancer immunotherapy is all the rage these days. The idea of harnessing the immune system to treat cancer has sparked billions of dollars in research, led to a vast matrix of clinical trials, and started to change the way how several cancers are treated. The reason: When it works, cancer immunotherapy can lead to longer-lasting … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Nobel Prizes, Duchenne Steps, Guardant’s IPO & More”
Janssen Reaches $250M Deal for Rights to Arrowhead’s Hep B RNAi Drug
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is licensing one of its drug candidates, a hepatitis B treatment, to a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson in a cash and stock deal valued at $250 million up front. The agreement announced Thursday comes one month after Pasadena, CA-based Arrowhead, which operates its laboratories in Madison, WI, reported encouraging early … Continue reading “Janssen Reaches $250M Deal for Rights to Arrowhead’s Hep B RNAi Drug”
ClimaCell Grabs $45M for Weather Data for Airlines, Driverless Cars
Aviation, public utilities, and insurance are among the old-line industries that rely on accurate weather forecasts and monitoring to make crucial decisions for their operations. Now, advances in artificial intelligence and other technologies are creating uses for weather data in new sectors—think ride-hailing services, drones, and self-driving cars. That’s according to ClimaCell, a Boston-based startup … Continue reading “ClimaCell Grabs $45M for Weather Data for Airlines, Driverless Cars”
Cloudera, Hortonworks Plan to Merge as $5.2B Cloud Data Platform
Cloudera and Hortonworks, two large, publicly traded companies that compete to offer Web-based data storage and analytics, announced plans today to merge into a combined entity they value at $5.2 billion. Share prices for the two Silicon Valley companies spiked in after-hours trading following the announcement Wednesday that both their boards approved the all-stock deal. Palo … Continue reading “Cloudera, Hortonworks Plan to Merge as $5.2B Cloud Data Platform”
Girls In Tech Showcases Women Founders In SF Pitch Competition
Kristina Tsvetanova says she found the motivation for her startup Blitab in 2014, when a blind colleague’s struggle to communicate via the Internet made her conscious of the barriers facing visually impaired people in a digital world. Her search for solutions spurred her to move from her native Bulgaria to find greater resources in Vienna, … Continue reading “Girls In Tech Showcases Women Founders In SF Pitch Competition”
Madison Startup Asto CT Raises $1.1M for Large Animal Imaging Device
Asto CT, a startup developing a computed tomography (CT) device for performing diagnostic scans of animals, has raised nearly $1.1 million in new funding, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators. Madison, WI-based Asto CT has now raised more than $1.7 million from investors, all of which has been debt financing, SEC filings … Continue reading “Madison Startup Asto CT Raises $1.1M for Large Animal Imaging Device”
Report: Apple Wins Appeal of $234M Ruling in Patent Dispute with WARF
Apple has persuaded a federal appeals court to toss out a 2015 ruling that ordered the company to pay the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s technology transfer office $234 million for infringing a computer processing technology patent held by the organization, Reuters reported. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. ruled in … Continue reading “Report: Apple Wins Appeal of $234M Ruling in Patent Dispute with WARF”
ImageMoverMD Nabs Another $1.6M For Secure Patient Photo-Sharing App
ImageMoverMD, a Madison, WI-based startup developing software applications that allow clinicians and patients to securely transmit pictures and videos taken with mobile devices, has raised $1.6 million from two investors, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators. The company has now raised more than $4.3 million since launching in 2013, according to SEC … Continue reading “ImageMoverMD Nabs Another $1.6M For Secure Patient Photo-Sharing App”
XRC Labs Showcases Retail Tech Innovations in VR, AI, Big Data
XRC Labs, an accelerator program focused on e-commerce and retail startups, held a demo day for its latest class Thursday, featuring innovations in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other technologies. The group of 10 startups is the sixth class for New York-based XRC, which was founded three years ago to promote innovation in the disruptive … Continue reading “XRC Labs Showcases Retail Tech Innovations in VR, AI, Big Data”
Bio Roundup: Amarin’s Stunner, Lung Cancer News, Data Dumps & More
Six years ago, a biotech called Amarin won FDA approval of a prescription fish-oil pill, Vascepa, because it could lower triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood. But Amarin didn’t have the evidence that lowering triglycerides with fish oil would really help people. Sales lagged. Amarin’s shares sank. While other groups tested other fish … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Amarin’s Stunner, Lung Cancer News, Data Dumps & More”
Six Life Science Firms Close Q3 with an IPO, More Are on the Way
The window for life science IPOs is still open, and five biotechs and one medical device company chose the last week of the third quarter to make their stock market debuts. Gritstone Oncology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GRTS]]) closed out the week by raising $100 million in an upsized IPO. On Thursday night, Emeryville, CA-based Gritstone priced its … Continue reading “Six Life Science Firms Close Q3 with an IPO, More Are on the Way”
Where Can Influential Companies Go to Meet Exceptional Black VCs?
Culture Shifting Weekend—a November 1-3 invitation-only summit, presented by Culture Shift Labs (CSL)—will offer a rare opportunity for leading companies and investors to meet, vet, and fund the fast-growing ecosystem of Black venture capitalists and VC firms. Hosted at Infor in New York City, Culture Shift Lab’s annual three-day event will enable institutional investors, social … Continue reading “Where Can Influential Companies Go to Meet Exceptional Black VCs?”
Somna Rebrands Acid Reflux Band in Bid to Reach More Patients
There’s a long list of products named after their inventors: everything from the diesel engine to Jacuzzi tubs to the leotard. For years, the list had also included Reza Band, a medical device co-developed by gastroenterologist Reza Shaker and sold by Germantown, WI-based Somna Therapeutics. Somna’s medical device is no longer on that list. This … Continue reading “Somna Rebrands Acid Reflux Band in Bid to Reach More Patients”
How Groups Are Closing the Security Skills Gap, Boosting Diversity
Today, there is a massive shortage of cybersecurity talent across the globe. According to a 2015 study from Frost & Sullivan and the (ISC)² Foundation, there could be more than 1.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally by 2020. As cybersecurity attacks and data breaches, unfortunately, become a matter of not if but when, security talent … Continue reading “How Groups Are Closing the Security Skills Gap, Boosting Diversity”
Packers, Microsoft Drop Accelerator Plans; TitleTownTech Still a Go
TitleTownTech, a soon-to-be-launched joint venture between the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and tech giant Microsoft, has hit the brakes on a startup accelerator the two organizations had previously said they planned to run together. Craig Dickman, whom the Packers named managing director of TitleTownTech earlier this week, says the goal of the joint venture—spurring digital-age … Continue reading “Packers, Microsoft Drop Accelerator Plans; TitleTownTech Still a Go”
Bio Roundup: Little Rhody, More for Migraine, Opioid Bills & More
The U.S. Senate had a rare moment of agreement, overwhelmingly passing a package of opioid-related bills. Up the East Coast, life-science players in Rhode Island are working to bring different local factions together and boost the state’s economy. Across the country, a similar effort is underway in Los Angeles. There were also plenty of headlines … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Little Rhody, More for Migraine, Opioid Bills & More”
Convoy Reloads With $185M For Its Freight Shipment Marketplace
Convoy, an online marketplace that connects shippers with freight truck fleets and independent drivers, announced today it raised $185 million in a Series C fundraising round led by CapitalG, the growth equity investment fund of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. With its new funding, Seattle-based Convoy plans to continue expanding its network of customers and truckers … Continue reading “Convoy Reloads With $185M For Its Freight Shipment Marketplace”
Packers, Cool Products, Cellectar & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Catch up on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —The NFL’s Green Bay Packers said Craig Dickman has been named managing director of TitleTownTech, a joint venture between the team and Microsoft that’s aimed at spurring digital-age economic activity in northeastern Wisconsin. Dickman is the founder and former CEO of Breakthrough Fuel, … Continue reading “Packers, Cool Products, Cellectar & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Jamf Buys Austin, TX-Based Enterprise Software Firm Orchard & Grove
Jamf, an enterprise IT company based in Minneapolis but with roots and employees in Eau Claire, WI, said Wednesday that it has acquired Orchard & Grove, an Austin, TX-based software developer. Jamf helps businesses set up and manage Apple (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AAPL]]) computers and mobile devices that employees use to do their jobs. Orchard & Grove … Continue reading “Jamf Buys Austin, TX-Based Enterprise Software Firm Orchard & Grove”
In Boston’s Shadow, Rhode Island Fights for Life Science Jobs, Respect
[Updated 9/19/18, 3:40 p.m. See below.] Tiny Rhode Island and its capital city Providence have always punched above their weight, for better or for worse. Better: Little Rhody’s founder Roger Williams, fleeing religious persecution in 17th-century puritanical Massachusetts, was one of America’s first abolitionists and created the concept of the separation of church and state. … Continue reading “In Boston’s Shadow, Rhode Island Fights for Life Science Jobs, Respect”
NIH Using Vaccines from Madison Startup FluGen in New Clinical Trial
Researchers are testing a flu vaccine developed by FluGen, a Madison, WI-based startup, to determine whether it can protect recipients against strains of the virus that vary from the predominant flu strain predicted by health experts each year. Many people get a flu shot this time of year in hopes that it will help them … Continue reading “NIH Using Vaccines from Madison Startup FluGen in New Clinical Trial”
UiPath Snags $225M To Expand Robotic Workforce for Businesses
Top venture capital firms continue to pour money into software robotics companies that promise to automate monotonous business operations, like processing mortgage applications, that are often performed by humans. New York-based UiPath is the latest such company to score a haul, announcing Tuesday it raised $225 million in a Series C funding round co-led by … Continue reading “UiPath Snags $225M To Expand Robotic Workforce for Businesses”
NorthStar Names Merrick CEO, Appoints Hendricks as Board Chair
NorthStar Medical Technologies, which is seeking to become the first U.S. company in decades to domestically produce a widely used medical radioisotope, said it has appointed Stephen Merrick as CEO. Merrick joined Beloit, WI-based NorthStar in 2016 as the company’s chief operating officer and was later given the title of president, which he’ll continue to … Continue reading “NorthStar Names Merrick CEO, Appoints Hendricks as Board Chair”
German Conglomerate Buys OnCourse Learning in Reported $500M Deal
Bertelsmann, a large media and publishing conglomerate headquartered in Germany, said Monday that it has acquired OnCourse Learning, a Brookfield, WI-based provider of online professional training programs. Bertelsmann said Monday in a news release that the amount it’s acquiring OnCouse for is in the “mid-nine-digit euro range,” meaning roughly halfway between €100 million and €1 … Continue reading “German Conglomerate Buys OnCourse Learning in Reported $500M Deal”
Autism Study Supports Stemina Diagnostic, Test to Ship by Year-End
Most children aren’t diagnosed with autism until they’re at least 4 years old, and that’s something many experts hope can change. As with many conditions, treating autism earlier in life is believed to boost a child’s cognitive and social skills in most cases. Yet there’s currently no medical test to diagnose autism spectrum disorder, often called ASD, … Continue reading “Autism Study Supports Stemina Diagnostic, Test to Ship by Year-End”
The Rise of Robocalls and Cell Scams—and How to Stop Them
[Updated 9:15 a.m., see below.] Jen King was in a hurry to get out the door of her Bay Area home on a recent morning, and she missed a call to her cell phone because of it. The phone number that called her, she later discovered, was startling. “It was my home phone calling me, … Continue reading “The Rise of Robocalls and Cell Scams—and How to Stop Them”
Bio Roundup: CRISPR Ruling, “America’s Nobels,” IPOs & More
The long-running patent feud over CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing appears to be over, just as U.S. biotech companies gear up for the first human tests of the landmark technology. This week, a federal appeals court upheld a previous ruling handing a CRISPR-Cas9 patent to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The decision by the three-judge … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CRISPR Ruling, “America’s Nobels,” IPOs & More”
With Cornershop, Walmart Expands On-Demand Delivery to Latin America
Walmart is taking the e-commerce delivery business south of the border. The Bentonville, AR, retailer announced Thursday it has acquired Cornershop, an on-demand online service that delivers products from supermarkets, pharmacies, and specialty shops in Mexico and Chile, for $225 million. “We are focused on making life easier for customers and associates by building strong … Continue reading “With Cornershop, Walmart Expands On-Demand Delivery to Latin America”
Epic, Kiio, HealthMyne & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Stay current on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Epic Systems, a Verona-based developer of record-keeping tools for the healthcare industry, said virtual assistant software it created in tandem with Nuance Communications is now commercially available. The tools allow doctors and other care providers at hospitals and clinics that use Epic’s software … Continue reading “Epic, Kiio, HealthMyne & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
Living on the Edge: Amazon, AT&T, Packet Pursue “Cloudlet” Computing
The word “cloud”—as in cloud computing, and cloud storage—has served as a handy shorthand term, but it has always been inherently vague and a little misleading. When businesses and consumers use a cloud service provider like Amazon Web Services or Apple’s iCloud, their data, photos, and music don’t get processed in the misty skies above … Continue reading “Living on the Edge: Amazon, AT&T, Packet Pursue “Cloudlet” Computing”
Gilead Partners with Precision Bio in Search of Gene-Editing HBV Cure
Gilead Sciences is turning to gene editing in its effort to develop a cure for hepatitis B virus infections—DNA-cutting enzymes that would eliminate the virus in the body, something current hep B drugs can’t do. Foster City, CA-based Gilead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) is partnering with Precision Biosciences, a company that has used its proprietary gene-editing platform … Continue reading “Gilead Partners with Precision Bio in Search of Gene-Editing HBV Cure”
Gener8tor Picks Four Artists for First Class of Music Accelerator
In the five-plus weeks since a new music “accelerator” program for Milwaukee-area artists kicked off, the four participating artists have been traveling to places like London and Los Angeles to visit recording studios and meet with industry leaders, according to the program’s organizers. The program, called Backline, is a joint venture between 88Nine Radio Milwaukee … Continue reading “Gener8tor Picks Four Artists for First Class of Music Accelerator”
Madison Human Resources Firm TASC Creates Venture Investing Arm
Total Administrative Services Corp. (TASC), a Madison, WI-based business that administers employee benefit plans for businesses across the country, has formed a venture capital arm that will invest in startups developing technologies for use in industries such as human resources, insurance, and financial services. TASC Ventures plans to make about eight to 12 investments by … Continue reading “Madison Human Resources Firm TASC Creates Venture Investing Arm”
Bio Roundup: A Gene Editing 1st, China Rises, Schenkein Steps Away
If you’re still recovering from a Labor Day hangover or busy searching for the identity of the anonymous writer of the anti-Trump op-ed for the New York Times, you may have missed a few biomedical firsts. This week brought the first sliver of human data from an in-body gene editing procedure, and the results were … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: A Gene Editing 1st, China Rises, Schenkein Steps Away”
Arrowhead Shares Pop on Early Clinical Data for Hepatitis B Drug
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals on Thursday made public select initial data from an early-stage clinical study of a hepatitis B drug it’s developing, sending the company’s stock price (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) to a four-year high. Arrowhead shared data from a study aimed at evaluating the safety and tolerability of a drug candidate it’s developing to treat chronic hepatitis … Continue reading “Arrowhead Shares Pop on Early Clinical Data for Hepatitis B Drug”
Forward Bio Initiative Launches with $750K Grant from WI Jobs Agency
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) said Thursday that it has awarded $750,000 in grant funding to help launch a new biomanufacturing collaboration that aims to promote technological innovation and job creation in the Badger State. As Xconomy reported in August, the groups behind the collaboration—which they’re calling the Forward Bio Initiative—are seeking to assist … Continue reading “Forward Bio Initiative Launches with $750K Grant from WI Jobs Agency”
Harley, Gener8tor, Allergy Amulet & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Keep up with news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Harley-Davidson, the iconic Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer, said Wednesday that it plans to open a new research and development center in Silicon Valley. Harley (NYSE: [[ticker:HOG]]) said the facility will house about two dozen of its workers—most of whom the company intends to hire … Continue reading “Harley, Gener8tor, Allergy Amulet & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Real Estate Software Developer Avid Ratings Snags $6M to Fuel Growth
Avid Ratings, a Madison WI-based real estate software company that has been operating since 1992 but is now seeking to fuel its growth with cash from venture capital investors, says it has raised $6 million as part of a Series A funding round. Residential construction businesses are the primary users of Avid’s technology, which the company … Continue reading “Real Estate Software Developer Avid Ratings Snags $6M to Fuel Growth”
Redox Gets $3M for Tools That Help Hospitals, App Makers Share Data
Redox, a Madison, WI-based startup that develops digital tools enabling healthcare applications to exchange data with patient health records systems, has raised $3 million in debt funding, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators. Twelve investors participated in the financing round, according to the document. Redox has raised more than $15.8 million in … Continue reading “Redox Gets $3M for Tools That Help Hospitals, App Makers Share Data”
Phoenix Plans to Build New HQ After Inking $15M in New Contracts
Phoenix, which develops and sells particle accelerator-based neutron generators and other machines, says it plans to begin constructing new manufacturing and office buildings in Fitchburg, WI, a few miles south of the startup’s current Madison, WI, headquarters. The announcement does not come as a surprise. Phoenix president Evan Sengbusch said last fall that his company … Continue reading “Phoenix Plans to Build New HQ After Inking $15M in New Contracts”
Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Rare Results, U.K.’s CAR-T No, IPO Go-Go & More
Before you head out for the final summer getaway, catch up on the week’s headlines. Pfizer upped the ante in the field of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) treatment, where competition to treat the rare disease has grown increasingly complex. We’ll start with what was—and wasn’t—in Pfizer’s data release Monday, top up with more ATTR news, then … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Rare Results, U.K.’s CAR-T No, IPO Go-Go & More”
Wireless Internet Firms Take On Big Telecoms in Cities and Suburbs
If you’re a city dweller, and unhappy with the big company that provides your Internet connection, chances are good there’s a scrappy little outfit that thinks it can do better for you. Metropolitan areas have become target territories for the wireless Internet service providers, or WISPs, that for a long time have been the only … Continue reading “Wireless Internet Firms Take On Big Telecoms in Cities and Suburbs”