A free networking event for people who work in life sciences industries to meet others in their profession in a casual atmosphere, and have an opportunity to exchange ideas. Attendees are asked to please bring a couple non-perishable food items to donate to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. All event sponsorships and donations directly support this charity.
Category: Wisconsin
Announcing Xconomy Cybersecurity Channel
It doesn’t seem to matter where you live, what you do, or what industry your company is in—the likelihood of a cyber attack is growing, and protecting yourself is ever more front of mind. Xconomy’s editors around the United States have certainly encountered that reality, as they are increasingly covering more and more cybersecurity issues. … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Cybersecurity Channel”
Credential Stealing as Attack Vector
Traditional computer security concerns itself with vulnerabilities. We employ antivirus software to detect malware that exploits vulnerabilities. We have automatic patching systems to fix vulnerabilities. We debate whether the FBI should be permitted to introduce vulnerabilities in our software so it can get access to systems with a warrant. This is all important, but what’s … Continue reading “Credential Stealing as Attack Vector”
Ready Or Not: Next Alzheimer’s Drugs Might Strain Health Systems
By 2029, more than 20 percent of people in the United States will be over the age of 65. That’s why the race to find effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease feels urgent. A few drugs, approved well over a decade ago, can slow patients’ mental decline for some time. But everything else that has reached … Continue reading “Ready Or Not: Next Alzheimer’s Drugs Might Strain Health Systems”
Agenda Posted For Napa Summit: Request Invite to Star-Studded Event
It’s four weeks until Napa Summit 2016: The Xconomy Retreat on the Economy, Jobs, and Growth. We have now posted the agenda, and we’d love to see you there. So request your invitation today to Xconomy’s most prestigious event. The dates are May 16 and 17, starting with a wine reception and dinner at Silver … Continue reading “Agenda Posted For Napa Summit: Request Invite to Star-Studded Event”
First-Quarter VC Activity Buoyant at $12.1 Billion, & Top 10 Deals
Venture capital firms invested $12.1 billion in 969 startup deals nationwide during the first three months of 2016, marking the ninth consecutive quarter when VCs invested at least $10 billion in new companies, according to the MoneyTree Report. The top 10 deals accounted for 25 percent of all capital deployed during the quarter, and was … Continue reading “First-Quarter VC Activity Buoyant at $12.1 Billion, & Top 10 Deals”
EnsoData Receives $550,000 Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b0bbd3fc-6f89-4f3e-9997-d36aa2ac6490 Date 4/14/2016 Company Name EnsoData Mailing Address Undisclosed Madison, WI 94086 USA Company Description EnsoData’s software analyzes polysomnograph (sleep) data to identify sleep apnea events. Currently, technicians at sleep clinics evaluate eight to nine hours worth of data and manually score each 60-second time period. Website http://www.ensodata.io Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “EnsoData Receives $550,000 Seed Financing”
EnsoData Raises $550K to Develop Software That Analyzes Sleep Data
At an event last August featuring pitches from startups, EnsoData co-founder Chris Fernandez told audience members that his company was hoping to raise $300,000 in a seed funding round. EnsoData, whose software uses machine learning algorithms to help clinicians score sleep data and diagnose patients with sleep apnea and other disorders, has now realized that … Continue reading “EnsoData Raises $550K to Develop Software That Analyzes Sleep Data”
Frictionless or Frictionmore? Sales Tips for Vendors
Many articles are written on sales and marketing: how to generate leads, how to qualify prospects, how to improve sales, how to engage customers, how to turn leads into a gazillion dollars, how to do this, how to do that, and so on. I am fresh off two recent experiences as a potential customer that … Continue reading “Frictionless or Frictionmore? Sales Tips for Vendors”
Elanco Gets FDA Nod on Biological Drug for Dairy Cows
A mastitis diagnosis in a cow spells trouble for a dairy farmer, who faces certain loss in milk production and possible loss of the cow. Antibiotics can treat this infection of the udder, but these drugs have fallen out of favor due to growing drug resistance. Soon, though, U.S. farmers will have a biological alternative … Continue reading “Elanco Gets FDA Nod on Biological Drug for Dairy Cows”
A Pivotal Factor In M&A Deals: Cyber Risk
Big merger and acquisition proposals trigger intense examinations of the benefits and risks of the deal from both sides—valuations, assets, legal liabilities, operational risk exposures, and compatibility, among others. However, it is also critical that companies elevate another factor to the top of the priority list: their cyber risk exposure. The pending acquisition of Starwood … Continue reading “A Pivotal Factor In M&A Deals: Cyber Risk”
Epic Trial, WARF Funding, & City Rankings: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Start your weekend with these recent headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —The trial between Verona-based health records giant Epic Systems and Tata Consultancy Services, based in India, is now underway, the website WisBusiness.com reported. In October 2014, Epic sued Tata, alleging that its consultants working with Epic’s software stole thousands of documents containing proprietary information that … Continue reading “Epic Trial, WARF Funding, & City Rankings: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
A Charge of Bots
I had a sharp moment of clarity in the summer of 2007. After standing in line for four hours at an Apple Store outside of Boston on the day the first iPhone came out, I finally had one in my hand. It felt like a stereotypical Hollywood dream sequence; a long road stretching to the … Continue reading “A Charge of Bots”
Steve Case’s Rules for Building Startups in Internet’s “Third Wave”
Software could be poised to truly transform entrenched sectors like healthcare, education, financial services, and more. But the next wave of software companies will take longer to build than some entrepreneurs have grown accustomed to in the smartphone era, and success will require more patience and willingness to work closely with policymakers and industry stakeholders. … Continue reading “Steve Case’s Rules for Building Startups in Internet’s “Third Wave””
The Case For An Internet Franchise Model
Internet service in America is not what it should be. Most consumers have two choices for access: the phone company or the cable company. By a quirk of fate, networks built with cables designed for television service can deliver more Internet bandwidth than networks built with cables designed for telephone service. So, the cable company … Continue reading “The Case For An Internet Franchise Model”
How Startups Can Run Better Landing Page Tests
In today’s fast-changing world, new product teams are constantly pushed to do more faster. They need to run fast to keep up with rapidly changing market conditions. Oftentimes it means making decisions about what to invest in with very little information. How can teams validate hypotheses without over-investing on speculative engineering projects, and potentially losing … Continue reading “How Startups Can Run Better Landing Page Tests”
RiverVest Opens San Diego Office That’s Been 10 Years in the Making
RiverVest Venture Partners has stayed mostly under the radar as a small-but-active investor in San Diego life sciences startups for the past 10 years or so. After making investments in San Diego’s Cabrellis Pharmaceuticals and Conforma Therapeutics, the St. Louis, MO-based firm recruited Niall O’Donnell in 2006 to oversee the firm’s deals in San Diego. … Continue reading “RiverVest Opens San Diego Office That’s Been 10 Years in the Making”
Pegasus Sustainability Solutions Garners $2,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c27d995-ef9f-48ee-9d6d-c37ab4cc782a Date 4/7/2016 Company Name Pegasus Sustainability Solutions Mailing Address 2693 Research Park Dr. Fitchburg, WI 53711 USA Company Description Pegasus Sustainability Solutions, Inc. provides environmental sustainability and industrial ecology solutions to commercial, healthcare and industrial clients. Website http://www.pegasus-sustainability.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Pegasus Sustainability Solutions Garners $2,000,000 New Financing Round”
Latest gBETA Class Unveiled, Suggests Ties With WARF Are Solidifying
In November, the startup accelerator Gener8tor announced a partnership with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which manages patents and licensing of intellectual property for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Under the agreement, WARF became a sponsor of gBETA, a no-strings-attached accelerator run by Gener8tor for early-stage companies affiliated with colleges and universities in Wisconsin. Additional ties … Continue reading “Latest gBETA Class Unveiled, Suggests Ties With WARF Are Solidifying”
There’s Never Been a Better Time for Female Tech Entrepreneurs
When I was a young girl, I knew that I wanted to run my own business someday. In fact, I would end up leading almost every club or team that I got involved in at school. However, by the time I actually began my career, I was well aware that the odds were not entirely … Continue reading “There’s Never Been a Better Time for Female Tech Entrepreneurs”
Announcing Xconomy Indiana—11th Region in Our Network
Just over two years ago, when we launched Xconomy Wisconsin as the ninth region in our network, I wrote: “There are no flyover zones in the United States. That’s the way Xconomy views the map, anyway, because we see innovation happening all over America.” Since that time, we expanded again, to Raleigh-Durham. And I am … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Indiana—11th Region in Our Network”
Pegasus Sustainability Nabs $2M to Develop Cleanup-facilitating Tools
Mark Hope understands the power of auctions. Hope is the founder and CEO of Pegasus Sustainability Solutions, whose software helps connect organizations or individuals that generate waste with groups that can come take it away. One mechanism behind this matchmaking is the reverse auction, where a waste-removal contract goes to the bidder willing to accept … Continue reading “Pegasus Sustainability Nabs $2M to Develop Cleanup-facilitating Tools”
Software Study Ranks San Diego #7, Cites Prowess in Scientific R&D
A study to assess the strength of San Diego’s software sector has determined that it ranks seventh among the top 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, according to a “software power index” that weighs a variety of economic factors. The study, released last week by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., is the first comprehensive analysis … Continue reading “Software Study Ranks San Diego #7, Cites Prowess in Scientific R&D”
Making the Price Right: Ideas To Change Drug Costs Gain Momentum
If the U.S. presidential primaries continue their current trajectories, the two contenders come autumn will have at least one thing in common: a stated desire to do something about high drug prices. Maybe you believe them, and maybe you think they’re blowing smoke up our nether regions. But momentum is momentum. With consumers, doctors, and … Continue reading “Making the Price Right: Ideas To Change Drug Costs Gain Momentum”
Napa Summit 2016: Request Your Invite to Our Most Special Event
There are all sorts of reasons for requesting an invitation to Xconomy’s Napa Summit, which will take place in just six weeks—on May 16-17. One is the fantastic array of speakers: John Maeda, design partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield, and Byers; virtual reality virtuoso Mary Lou Jepsen of Facebook/Oculus; tech investor Esther Dyson; computing visionary … Continue reading “Napa Summit 2016: Request Your Invite to Our Most Special Event”
Trading Quality for Ease: Confessions of an Earbud Junkie
This is the story of a reawakening. I’ve come home to the world of real home stereo sound, after too many years hooked on music trickling through smartphone earbuds and devices with small, crappy speakers. Don’t worry, I haven’t turned into an audiophile. I’m not going to preach to you about some $40,000 turntable with … Continue reading “Trading Quality for Ease: Confessions of an Earbud Junkie”
What’s Ahead for Biotech in 2016: Q&A With BIO Chair Ron Cohen
Biotechnology is a tricky business. We all know the trials and tribulations—and costs—of bringing novel drugs to market. In the past six months or so, a new round of drug pricing upheaval (think Martin Shkreli) and corporate tax “inversions” (think Pfizer-Allergan merger with new headquarters in Ireland) have ignited public debate. Ron Cohen has been … Continue reading “What’s Ahead for Biotech in 2016: Q&A With BIO Chair Ron Cohen”
FluGen Obtains $3,388,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=78d03346-c05e-460f-bd68-23d8236a48b3 Date 3/31/2016 Company Name FluGen Mailing Address 597 Science Drive Madison, WI 53711 USA Company Description FluGen is driving the development of a universal flu vaccine to advance human health Website http://www.flugen.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,388,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms … Continue reading “FluGen Obtains $3,388,000 New Financing Round”
Elucent Medical Lands $7,250,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a5257e95-e29d-43bd-936e-fc5ea0893938 Date 3/31/2016 Company Name Elucent Medical Mailing Address Undisclosed Brookfield, WI 53005 USA Company Description At Elucent Medical, we exist to bring better healthcare ideas to light through the collective efforts of proven entrepreneurs in medicine, technology and business. Website http://www.elucentmedical.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,250,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “Elucent Medical Lands $7,250,000 New Financing”
The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part II
There’s no such thing as failure, as long as you view it in the proper light. That’s the philosophy of scientist-entrepreneurs Darrick Carter, vice president of adjuvant technology at Seattle-based IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute) and biotech company founder, and Aaron Feaver, co-founder and chief technology officer of energy-storage materials company EnerG2, who shared their … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part II”
The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part I
What do vaccines have to do with batteries? Let your mind’s eye travel to the cellular membrane, where a ligand is enveloped by a receptor, spurring a subtle change in the cell. (Bear with me.) In some respects, it’s similar to what’s happening inside a battery when electrolytes interact with engineered materials to cause a … Continue reading “The Xconversation: Vaccine Developer Meets Energy Innovator, Part I”
Is Money Everything? Behind the Scenes of Tech Hiring
Have you tried to hire a software developer recently? The current job market is bananas! It’s crazy in Boston. New York City is booming with tech startups. In Silicon Valley and the Bay Area, the cost of living is exploding as salaries in the tech sector grow. It’s getting more expensive every year to hire … Continue reading “Is Money Everything? Behind the Scenes of Tech Hiring”
Shark Tank, Blockchain, & Water Tech: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Kick off the week by checking out these recent headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —MobCraft Beer co-founder Henry Schwartz appeared on “Shark Tank”—a show on the ABC network in which entrepreneurs pitch ideas to investors—but there was no deal reached, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Kevin O’Leary, one of the “sharks” to whom Schwartz pitched, … Continue reading “Shark Tank, Blockchain, & Water Tech: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
How VR, AR Innovation Can Finally Fulfill Its Potential
This post was co-authored by Matt McIlwain, managing director, Madrona Venture Group, and Steve Seitz, professor of computer science and engineering at University of Washington and “teleportation lead” at Google. Virtual reality (VR), which immerses the user in the virtual world, and augmented reality (AR), which overlays digital information onto the physical world, are being … Continue reading “How VR, AR Innovation Can Finally Fulfill Its Potential”
As Equity Crowdfunding Debuts in U.S., Will More Regulations Follow?
Ready or not, equity crowdfunding is coming to the U.S. this spring. The funding mechanism allows companies to sell shares of their firms to the general public (not just accredited investors) through online portals. The practice has already gained traction in places like the U.K. in recent years, but it has taken a while to … Continue reading “As Equity Crowdfunding Debuts in U.S., Will More Regulations Follow?”
What Can Madison Learn From Seattle? Q&A With the New Head of WARF
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation announced on Wednesday that it had selected Erik Iverson as its new managing director. WARF, which manages patents and licensing for the University of Wisconsin-Madison—the state’s largest academic research institution—has since 2000 been led by Carl Gulbrandsen, who will be retiring on June 30 (Iverson’s official start date is July … Continue reading “What Can Madison Learn From Seattle? Q&A With the New Head of WARF”
Former Gates Foundation Lawyer Tapped As WARF’s New Managing Director
Erik Iverson, an attorney whose career stops include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has been named the next managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which manages patents and licensing of intellectual property for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Iverson, 47, currently serves as president of business and operations for the Infectious Disease Research … Continue reading “Former Gates Foundation Lawyer Tapped As WARF’s New Managing Director”
As Pharma Deals Progress, Propeller Health Sharpens Its Strategy
By teaming up with larger, more established companies, startups can avoid having to reinvent the wheel—or, in the case of Propeller Health, the inhaler. Madison, WI-based Propeller Health says that it and Boehringer Ingelheim, a German pharmaceutical giant whose products include the Respimat inhaler, have taken a key step forward in their joint effort to … Continue reading “As Pharma Deals Progress, Propeller Health Sharpens Its Strategy”
Dear Biopharma: Give Us Better Therapies for Pain
The CDC released on March 15th new guidelines that advise strict limits on the prescription of opioids for pain. These guidelines respond to a stunning increase in deaths and addiction related to the prescription of opioids like OxyContin and Percocet. The CDC recommended against providing patients more than a seven-day supply of opioids for acute … Continue reading “Dear Biopharma: Give Us Better Therapies for Pain”
OneEvent Technologies Receives $710,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=80307282-f7f4-4435-b064-ef2a8728ec1b Date 3/22/2016 Company Name OneEvent Technologies Mailing Address 505 Springdale St. Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA Company Description oneEvent Technologies was born out of technical know-how and inspiration to bring life safety systems into the modern age. oneEvent Technologies works with its partners to develop and deploy a proprietary life safety … Continue reading “OneEvent Technologies Receives $710,000 New Funding”
Beware the Potential Downside of Venture Capital Relationships
Conventional wisdom has it that entrepreneurs benefit from wide networks and strong ties with other organizations. Venture capital (VC) firms, in particular, are seen as a valuable source of funding, social status, technical knowledge, and expert advice for fledgling new businesses. But what if these same relationships can also create new liabilities for entrepreneurs? As … Continue reading “Beware the Potential Downside of Venture Capital Relationships”
OneEvent Raises $700K To Make Building-Monitoring Devices Smarter
[Updated 3/22/16 9:47 am. See below.] Kurt Wedig spotted a business opportunity in a 2008 episode of NBC’s “Today Show.” He says that inspiration struck during a segment about evacuation procedures at hotels. Anchor Natalie Morales, wearing a blindfold, tried to crawl out of her smoke-filled room and down the hall to a stairwell. “It … Continue reading “OneEvent Raises $700K To Make Building-Monitoring Devices Smarter”
Can You Land an IT Job If You’re Self-Taught?
The path to a successful career used to be so straightforward. You’d graduate high school, go to college, earn your undergraduate and maybe even your graduate degree, then hit the job market for a full-time job. Employers knew exactly what they were looking for: candidates with degrees from reputable colleges who could demonstrate a significant … Continue reading “Can You Land an IT Job If You’re Self-Taught?”
Its Stock Price Still Flagging, Connecture Raises $52M From Investors
Connecture, a company that develops Web-based software designed to aid consumers shopping for health insurance, said that it has raised $52 million from investors in an effort to bolster its financial position. In a news release, Brookfield, WI-based Connecture (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CNXR]]) said it will use the money “to strengthen its financial profile through reduced leverage and … Continue reading “Its Stock Price Still Flagging, Connecture Raises $52M From Investors”
Racing Zika: For Every Short Cut, There’s An Open Question
[Updated 3/15/16, 7:16pm; corrected 3/16/16, 7:00pm. See below.] In the Luganda language, zika means “overgrown.” It’s also the name of the Ugandan forest where, in the mid-20th century, researchers discovered the now-notorious virus. Dense forest is an appropriate and vivid image for the latest global health threat. So much about the virus and its effects … Continue reading “Racing Zika: For Every Short Cut, There’s An Open Question”
Wantable Secures $2,028,380 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=81d51d87-5651-4c31-924b-5c443458c2b1 Date 3/15/2016 Company Name Wantable Mailing Address 240 N Milwaukee St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 USA Company Description We create unique customer profiles by asking customers a series of product and personality questions. We then use this data to introduce customers to assortments of products perfectly suited to their personal taste. Website … Continue reading “Wantable Secures $2,028,380 New Funding”
Wantable, Gener8tor, and Arrowhead: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
A new biotech laboratory, another lofty national ranking for an accelerator, and changes to a coding school’s expansion plans are among these recent headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —Milwaukee-based Wantable raised more than $2 million from investors, according to a regulatory filing. The startup ships curated boxes containing clothing, makeup, accessories, and other items to a … Continue reading “Wantable, Gener8tor, and Arrowhead: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
NeuWave Bought by J&J Subsidiary Ethicon, Eyes International Markets
It’s a new era for NeuWave Medical. The Madison, WI-based device and software maker says that earlier this week, it was acquired for an undisclosed sum by Ethicon, a surgery-focused subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]). NeuWave had raised about $54 million from investors, a large chunk of which came from the company’s $25 million … Continue reading “NeuWave Bought by J&J Subsidiary Ethicon, Eyes International Markets”
EatStreet-Telkonet Tie-Up Aims to Help Hotel Guests Order Local Food
Room service is getting some new competition, thanks in part to an agreement between two Wisconsin companies. EatStreet, an online food-ordering service based in Madison, WI, announced on Tuesday that it’s teamed up with Waukesha-based Telkonet. One of the latter company’s business divisions, known as EthoStream, specializes in outfitting hotels with wireless Internet. The idea … Continue reading “EatStreet-Telkonet Tie-Up Aims to Help Hotel Guests Order Local Food”
Eyeing Growth, Project Foundry Targets Cleveland Students, Teachers
In 2012, the City of Cleveland decided to transform its public schools. Some of the reasons were laid bare in a 15-page plan describing why and how the city sought to make changes. At the time, 31,000 children were attending failing schools, according to the document, which was prepared by the office of Mayor Frank … Continue reading “Eyeing Growth, Project Foundry Targets Cleveland Students, Teachers”