Category: Wisconsin

Moxe Introduces Tools to Help Health Insurers, Providers Share Data

Moxe Health has introduced a new product suite aimed at combining different types of healthcare data, which the startup says could ultimately help clinicians identify gaps in care and improve outcomes for patients. Madison, WI-based Moxe launched the suite, known as Convergence, earlier this week. It allows clinicians to pull in data from insurers while … Continue reading “Moxe Introduces Tools to Help Health Insurers, Providers Share Data”

Dramatic Capital Inflows Continue in 2Q17… Trouble Ahead?

In an environment of microscopic interest rates, it is particularly interesting to read the Preqin 2Q17 Quarterly Update, which exhaustively tracks all things private equity and venture capital. At the end of June 2017 there were 1,998 funds in market raising a total of $676 billion – a staggering sum – indicative of global investors … Continue reading “Dramatic Capital Inflows Continue in 2Q17… Trouble Ahead?”

John Biondi to Step Down as Director of UW’s Discovery to Product

[Updated 8/2/17 2:29 p.m. See below.] John Biondi, who since 2014 has directed Discovery to Product—a program that helps students, faculty, and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison turn ideas into companies—says he’s leaving the organization later this month. Biondi’s last day will be Aug. 31, he says in an interview with Xconomy. “We have … Continue reading “John Biondi to Step Down as Director of UW’s Discovery to Product”

CDI, Novascan, WID, 4490, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist

Coverage and analysis of Taiwan-based Foxconn’s announcement that it will invest $10 billion to build an electronic display-making plant in Wisconsin has dominated business news around the state lately. However, there have also been numerous notable happenings apart from the Foxconn saga. Let’s catch up on some of them: —Cellular Dynamics International scrapped plans to … Continue reading “CDI, Novascan, WID, 4490, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”

Foxconn Deal Draws Praise, Skepticism, and Interest from Other Firms

Over the past week, business news in Wisconsin has been dominated by Taiwan-based Foxconn’s announcement that it plans to invest $10 billion to build a facility in the state’s southeastern corner—exact location still to be determined—and manufacture LCD displays for televisions and other electronics there. State officials have said the plant could employ as many … Continue reading “Foxconn Deal Draws Praise, Skepticism, and Interest from Other Firms”

Disrupt Indy: Can Data Forge the Path to Inclusive Tech Ecosystems?

U.S. tech startups and investment firms have long been thought of as the domain of white men—because historically, they have been. Although that may be changing as more big tech corporations are pressured to release their diversity statistics and change hiring policies, one only needs to look at the statistics to confirm that women, members … Continue reading “Disrupt Indy: Can Data Forge the Path to Inclusive Tech Ecosystems?”

A.I. Chip Race Redraws Competitive Map Among Tech Firms, Chipmakers

It’s been a long time since tech’s biggest companies could be sorted into discrete buckets according to the products they pioneered—-Google, the search software giant; Apple, the computer and mobile device innovator; e-commerce leader Amazon; business software stalwart Microsoft; and social media engine Facebook. Since then, these major innovators have built on a common resource—increasingly … Continue reading “A.I. Chip Race Redraws Competitive Map Among Tech Firms, Chipmakers”

Invenra Signs On With Merck in Antibody Discovery Partnership

Invenra has had success developing therapeutic antibodies for its own drug research, and for the research of others. Now the Madison, WI-based company has signed on with pharma giant Merck, which hopes Invenra’s antibody expertise can help it develop new drugs. Under the terms of the recent agreement, Invenra will discover antibodies against a target … Continue reading “Invenra Signs On With Merck in Antibody Discovery Partnership”

Bio Roundup: GOP Drama, Immunotherapy Setbacks, Pharma Revamps

Two failed cancer studies this week provided a fresh reminder how little researchers and clinicians understand about immunotherapy’s vagaries: why it works for some people and not for others. The results, in lung cancer and head-and neck cancer, add to recent failures in multiple myeloma and bladder cancer and splash cold water on a sector … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: GOP Drama, Immunotherapy Setbacks, Pharma Revamps”

Immunotherapy Shakeup: AstraZeneca Inks Merck Deal as Drug Combo Fails

Despite all the great progress made harnessing the immune system to fight cancer, there is still much work to be done to maximize its potential. The latest evidence: disappointing results today from a roughly 1,100-patient study called “Mystic,” a highly anticipated trial from AstraZeneca testing a combination of immunotherapies in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. … Continue reading “Immunotherapy Shakeup: AstraZeneca Inks Merck Deal as Drug Combo Fails”

Foxconn to Build Plant in WI, Giving Support to Trump’s Jobs Pledges

After weeks of hints, rumors, and speculation, it’s now official: Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer, said it will invest $10 billion over the next three years to build an enormous plant in Southeastern Wisconsin and make electronics displays there. President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and several Wisconsin politicians, including Gov. Scott Walker … Continue reading “Foxconn to Build Plant in WI, Giving Support to Trump’s Jobs Pledges”

Judge Increases Award to WARF in Apple Patent Case to $506M

A federal judge ruled earlier this week that Apple must pay an additional $272 million to the organization that manages patents and licensing of intellectual property for the University of Wisconsin-Madison for infringing one of its patents, according to court documents. The additional award follows a court ruling in October 2015 ordering Cupertino, CA-based Apple … Continue reading “Judge Increases Award to WARF in Apple Patent Case to $506M”

Wisconsin Company Offers to Put RFID Chips in Employees’ Bodies

[Updated 7/26/17 10:51 a.m. See below.] Why store information on a thumb drive when you can store it directly in your thumb? Three Square Market, a River Falls, WI-based company that helps clients equip their offices with miniature stores that offer more variety and convenience than vending machines, says it recently offered employees the opportunity … Continue reading “Wisconsin Company Offers to Put RFID Chips in Employees’ Bodies”

Exact Sciences Again Boosts Sales Projections for Flagship Product

Exact Sciences continues to raise the bar. Strong sales for Exact’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) flagship product, the colorectal cancer test Cologuard, led the Madison, WI-based company to boost its 2017 revenue forecast to between $230 million and $240 million. That marks the second consecutive quarter that the company has increased sales projections for its stool-based DNA … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Again Boosts Sales Projections for Flagship Product”

Water Council, UW-Madison, Epic, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist

Stay current on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —The Water Council, based in Milwaukee, unveiled the five startups in the latest class of its water tech accelerator, dubbed “Business. Research. Entrepreneurship. In Wisconsin.”—the BREW for short. Three of the companies are based in Wisconsin, one is from Canada, and one is … Continue reading “Water Council, UW-Madison, Epic, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”

Judge Blocks Law That Imposed Restrictions on AR Game Makers

While the Pokémon Go craze has faded from many peoples’ memories, a ruling on a lawsuit brought by a company that makes similar games against a Wisconsin county could have significant implications for augmented reality application developers. On Thursday, U.S. District judge J.P Stadtmueller issued a preliminary injunction that prevents Milwaukee County from enforcing an … Continue reading “Judge Blocks Law That Imposed Restrictions on AR Game Makers”

Bio Roundup: Obamacare Persists, FDA Approves, Vertex Wows & More

The attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act took a major hit this week from Senate GOP holdouts who said the Better Care Reconciliation Act either tore down Medicaid too much or left too much of the ACA in place. A straight-up repeal, floated by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, was also shot … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Obamacare Persists, FDA Approves, Vertex Wows & More”

Kiio, Defense Department Team Up to Advance Tendon Disease Tech

[Updated 7/21/17 5:40 p.m. See below.] Kiio, a developer of software and hardware to help patients understand and adhere to rehabilitative exercise programs, says it has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Defense to study and attempt to improve tendon disease treatments. Madison, WI-based Kiio says it’s working with the DoD and multiple healthcare providers … Continue reading “Kiio, Defense Department Team Up to Advance Tendon Disease Tech”

New Frontier: Space Center Crowdfunds for Mission Control Facelift

[Updated 7/25/17 5:18 pm. See below.] Houston—Houston, Mission Control has a problem. The storied control room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston—recognizable to many of us from 1960s news clips of the dawn of the Space Age––is in need of a face-lift. And so, Space Center Houston, the visitor’s center for the JSC, has turned … Continue reading “New Frontier: Space Center Crowdfunds for Mission Control Facelift”

Christopher Ahlberg: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview

The second episode of Xconomy’s new podcast, Xconomy Voices, features Recorded Future co-founder and CEO Christopher Ahlberg. His Somerville, MA-based cybersecurity company monitors both the public, visible Web and the Internet’s darker corners for “threat intelligence” that can help its clients prepare for, and fend off, cyber attacks. Ahlberg’s background in data analytics and his … Continue reading “Christopher Ahlberg: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview”

Will Federal Regulations Nullify State Autonomous Driving Laws?

Although the development of self-driving vehicles is well under way, there are still a lot of questions about potential safety regulations and which segment of government will oversee them. Because the federal government has so far not drafted any rules governing the testing and operation of autonomous cars, it has been left up to state … Continue reading “Will Federal Regulations Nullify State Autonomous Driving Laws?”

A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests

This story is part of an Xconomy series on artificial intelligence in healthcare. Some of the other stories cover a genomics hackathon, A.I. and radiology, and the impact on doctors and patients. In the classic 1967 film “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s just-out-of-college character gets one word of career advice from a family friend: plastics. In … Continue reading “A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests”

Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future

On our new Xconomy Voices podcast, we find the smartest, most successful entrepreneurs and innovators in Xconomy’s network of cities and regions, and we ask them to open up about what they’re working on, what they’re excited about, and why they think their company, product, or idea is going to take the world by storm. … Continue reading “Xconomy Voices, Episode 2: Christopher Ahlberg of Recorded Future”

StrataGraft Skin Treatment Gets New FDA Regenerative Med Status

A regenerative medicine treatment for skin burns developed by Stratatech could make it to the market more quickly following a regulatory decision announced Tuesday. The FDA has designated StrataGraft, a Stratatech-developed sheet of living tissue made from human cells that form into skin, as a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT), the company said. Drugs that … Continue reading “StrataGraft Skin Treatment Gets New FDA Regenerative Med Status”

What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)

The Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf came to San Diego recently on an unusual quest—to meet with dozens of local technology leaders and assess what the region has to offer in terms of innovation. It was Veni, Vidi, Vinti. He came. He saw. He Cerfed. The visit was unusual in part because of Cerf himself. As … Continue reading “What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego (and Other Hubs)”

Wisconsin Sizes Up Recent, Potential Future Changes in Manufacturing

When Greg Piefer founded Phoenix Nuclear Labs, in 2005, he was not expecting that it would one day lead to the construction of a large medical isotope manufacturing facility. In the dozen years it’s been operating, Monona, WI-based Phoenix has developed particle accelerator technology with applications in areas such as weapons inspection, solar cell production, … Continue reading “Wisconsin Sizes Up Recent, Potential Future Changes in Manufacturing”

Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More

Government and industry are rife with awkward acronyms. Take PDUFA, for example. First passed in 1992, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act allows the FDA to collect fees from biopharmaceutical companies when they apply for drug approval; those funds are designated for the regulator’s drug evaluation work. Congress must reauthorize the law every five years … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: PDUFA Progress, BCRA Redux, CAR-T Thumbs Up, & More”

Unanimous Advice To FDA: Approve Landmark CAR-T Cancer Therapy

The first ever approval of a new kind of cancer immunotherapy called CAR-T is one step closer. A 10-member panel of doctors and researchers who advise the Food and Drug Administration recommended with a rare unanimous vote that the agency approve a treatment for kids and young adults with a severe form of leukemia who … Continue reading “Unanimous Advice To FDA: Approve Landmark CAR-T Cancer Therapy”

Exact, Microscopy, FairSquare, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist

Keep up with the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Exact Sciences is evaluating two potential sites where it would house a second lab for processing results of its flagship product Cologuard, a stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Madison-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) said it completed … Continue reading “Exact, Microscopy, FairSquare, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”

Idea Fund of La Crosse Raises $4.9M More, Eyes First Investments

While the Badger Fund of Funds is still working toward the program’s stated goal of investing in Wisconsin-based startups, the pool of money its leaders will draw from when they do so continues to expand. The Idea Fund of La Crosse, one of the “recipient” funds created under the public-private Badger Fund of Funds program, … Continue reading “Idea Fund of La Crosse Raises $4.9M More, Eyes First Investments”

VC “Self-Correction” Continues in Second Quarter, and Top 10 Deals

[Updated 7/12/17, 8:38 am, to add MoneyTree data. See below.] U.S. venture capital investments are showing more signs of returning to steady levels. Investors pumped $21.78 billion into 1,958 companies in the second quarter, according to data from the quarterly Venture Monitor report from Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The number … Continue reading “VC “Self-Correction” Continues in Second Quarter, and Top 10 Deals”

Eyeing Recent FDA Decision, Promega to Seek Approvals for MSI Assay

Laboratory supplies company Promega wants its tests to join the decision-making tools that clinicians use when treating patients and the Fitchburg, WI company now plans to seek the necessary approvals for use of one its tests in colorectal cancer. Promega aims to secure FDA approval for its microsatellite instability (MSI) assay. The company will also … Continue reading “Eyeing Recent FDA Decision, Promega to Seek Approvals for MSI Assay”

Bio Roundup: BCRA Fireworks, Shkreli Muzzled, Endo Pulls Drug & More

The Fourth of July was this week, but members of Congress didn’t need to crane their necks skyward to see fireworks. Senators returned to their districts, where local news offered blistering headlines about the potential impact of the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Independence Day typically lets lawmakers mingle with constituents at … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: BCRA Fireworks, Shkreli Muzzled, Endo Pulls Drug & More”

Forward Health Group Inks Deal with Dialysis Clinic Chain

[Corrected 7/10/17 5:02 p.m. See below.] Fresenius Medical Care North America, an organization that provides healthcare for patients with kidney failure and other chronic conditions, recently signed a multiyear agreement to license software developed by Madison, WI-based Forward Health Group. Michael Barbouche, founder and CEO of Forward Health Group, says his company will begin installing … Continue reading “Forward Health Group Inks Deal with Dialysis Clinic Chain”

With Triage System, Companies See Toehold for A.I. in Radiology

This story is part of an ongoing Xconomy series on A.I. in healthcare. Other stories cover big-company efforts, a genomics hackathon, the impact on doctors and patients, and business models of A.I. in healthcare. Years ago, radiology underwent a radical transformation with the shift from film to widespread use of digital image displays. That set … Continue reading “With Triage System, Companies See Toehold for A.I. in Radiology”

5 Privacy Worries on 4 Wheels: Staying Safe in the Connected Car Era

As modern vehicles are upgraded to include Internet-enabled technologies designed to access, store, and transmit data for entertainment and safety purposes, consumers are presented with a double-edged sword. On one hand, these connected systems provide important convenience benefits for consumers, but on the flip side, motor vehicles are being exposed to a growing number of … Continue reading “5 Privacy Worries on 4 Wheels: Staying Safe in the Connected Car Era”

California Firm Invests in Beloit Aviation Software Maker Comply365

The cockpit of an airplane is usually the target for most innovations in aviation technology. Over the past decade, at least some of that attention has focused on the pilot’s “flight bag,” a mainstay of the flight deck. The term refers to the box-like briefcase that holds everything a pilot might need: the aircraft operating … Continue reading “California Firm Invests in Beloit Aviation Software Maker Comply365”

Case, M-WERC, Gener8tor, Synesis, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist

A tech celebrity’s upcoming visit, a new partnership for an energy consortium, and a liquid nutrition spinout company are among these recent headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —Steve Case, co-founder of the Internet pioneer America Online, will appear at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field for two days in mid-October as part of his “Rise of the … Continue reading “Case, M-WERC, Gener8tor, Synesis, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”

Breathe For Change Provides Teaching Tools to Help Fight Burnout

Amy Kazda knows the value of exercises with a calming effect. Kazda, who teaches music at two elementary schools in Madison, WI, said that many of her students come to her classroom directly from gym class. Often, they still have adrenaline pumping through their veins. “Their minds are racing, and their bodies are maybe racing, … Continue reading “Breathe For Change Provides Teaching Tools to Help Fight Burnout”

Bio Roundup: Senate Drama, A.I. Stories, Data Dives, Shkreli & More

There is no Obamacare replacement, at least not as of this writing. The Senate Republicans are fractured, with a handful of conservatives and moderates each giving a cold shoulder to their chamber’s version of healthcare reform, the Better Care Reconciliation Act. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office report Monday put the bill’s potential effects in stark … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Senate Drama, A.I. Stories, Data Dives, Shkreli & More”

Scanalytics to Collaborate with Cisco After Winning IoT Competition

Scanalytics, a Milwaukee-based developer of Internet-connected floor mats and complementary software that helps customers track foot traffic and other activity in physical spaces, says it has begun working with the Silicon Valley tech giant Cisco Systems to integrate some of the two companies’ products. San Jose, CA-based Cisco (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CSCO]]) recently sponsored a competition in … Continue reading “Scanalytics to Collaborate with Cisco After Winning IoT Competition”

New Study: DNA Tests For Healthy People Have “Uncertain Value”

Genome sequencing is becoming more common for people diagnosed with cancer. Should it become part of a healthy person’s checkup, too? A new study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine questions the practicality of making DNA tests standard for people who don’t have a cancer diagnosis or aren’t trying to identify a mysterious … Continue reading “New Study: DNA Tests For Healthy People Have “Uncertain Value””

U.S. IPOs Surge Amid Nettlesome Risks; Top 10 Deals So Far in 2017

[Updated 6/27/17 5:00 pm. See below.] Improving economic fundamentals are stoking the IPO pipeline in the United States and elsewhere, according to a report issued Tuesday by the global consultant and accounting firm EY. Eighty companies raised a total of $22 billion on U.S. exchanges during the first half of 2017, according to the report … Continue reading “U.S. IPOs Surge Amid Nettlesome Risks; Top 10 Deals So Far in 2017”

AkitaBox, PrecisionHawk to Bring Drones to Building Management

AkitaBox, a developer of software allowing users to access and edit documents containing data on buildings and the machines inside of them, announced a collaboration Monday that could enable the startup’s customers to inspect building exteriors by flying unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. Madison, WI-based AkitaBox says it has partnered with Raleigh, NC-based PrecisionHawk, which … Continue reading “AkitaBox, PrecisionHawk to Bring Drones to Building Management”

Boston Is Arguably the Heart of Biotech. But Who Makes It So? Have Your Say.

By the end of this year, for the first time, patients with certain deadly types of blood cancer might have a new option, CAR-T cell therapy, to prolong their life. Immunotherapy could further entrench itself as a mainstay of cancer treatment. Newer drugmaking methods—RNA interference and gene therapy—could get their first ever FDA reviews. Multiple … Continue reading “Boston Is Arguably the Heart of Biotech. But Who Makes It So? Have Your Say.”

ARI, Hyperloop, SmartUQ, GrocerKey, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist

Catch up on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —ARI Network Services (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARIS]]), a Milwaukee-based company that develops e-commerce software for equipment manufacturers and other customers, was acquired for about $140 million by True Wind Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm. Prior to the deal, shares in ARI Network Services … Continue reading “ARI, Hyperloop, SmartUQ, GrocerKey, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”

Bio Roundup: Senate Trumpcare, FDA On Cancer, Alzheimer Review & More

All eyes are on the nation’s capital this week, where the Senate released its version of the American Health Care Act (now called the Better Care Reconciliation Act) and the White House worked on an executive order to address drug prices. No one knows how to pay for high-priced medicines that could bring long-term relief … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Senate Trumpcare, FDA On Cancer, Alzheimer Review & More”

Shares in EnSync Plunge After Company Announces Stock Offering

EnSync Energy Systems, a manufacturer of renewable energy storage and power control products based in the Milwaukee area, saw its stock price fall more than 37 percent on Thursday after the company announced a public stock offering. Shares in EnSync (NYSE: [[ticker:ESNC]]) ended the trading day at just under 32 cents apiece, down more than … Continue reading “Shares in EnSync Plunge After Company Announces Stock Offering”