Wisconsin – Page 42

Forward Festival 2015

From the event organizer: “The Forward Festival is Madison’s flagship technology and entrepreneurship festival. Since starting in 2010, it now attracts over 2,000 attendees and includes 8 full days packed with 20+ events organized by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. Join fellow entrepreneurs, nerds, designers, geeks, hackers, foodies, and creative professionals from the Midwest in a celebration … Continue reading “Forward Festival 2015”

WITS(MD) Raises $1.6M to Securely Share Medical Images on Smartphones

The smartphone is starting to play a bigger role in healthcare. Doctors are using mobile devices for everything from accessing electronic health records to communicating with patients to taking photos of patients’ ailments. The trouble with that last one, says WITS(MD) CEO K. Thomas Pickard, is that taking medical images with a smartphone creates two … Continue reading “WITS(MD) Raises $1.6M to Securely Share Medical Images on Smartphones”

No Tumor Left Behind: FDA Clears NeuWave Software for Procedures

NeuWave Medical, a Madison, WI-based maker of medical devices that use microwave energy to zap tumors, has received FDA clearance to sell new software that it says can help doctors more easily monitor each step of the procedure, and more confidently determine that the cancerous tissue was eradicated. NeuWave’s products deliver focused heat to “ablate,” … Continue reading “No Tumor Left Behind: FDA Clears NeuWave Software for Procedures”

2015 Bioscience Summit

The annual day-long summit, organized by Bioforward, features opportunities for networking; a presentation of the latest study of the bioscience industry’s impact on Wisconsin’s economy; the first annual Bioscience and Business of Bioscience Awards; and a lineup of speakers, who include author Joe Sweeney and GE Healthcare’s Carrie Eglinton Manner.

Wisconsin Roundup: Capital Midwest, Healthfinch, TAI, & More

Here’s a collection of recent headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —ProNAi Therapeutics’ recent $138 million initial public offering is a win for Capital Midwest Fund, a Milwaukee-area venture capital firm that invested $3.5 million in ProNAi through its Series C and D rounds, according to SEC filings. Capital Midwest holds more than 798,000 … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Capital Midwest, Healthfinch, TAI, & More”

Healthtech Startup ConsortiEX Closes $1M Round Led By Open Prairie

ConsortiEX, a healthcare IT startup with roots in both Wisconsin and Massachusetts, has closed a $1 million funding round led by Open Prairie Ventures, the company announced today. ConsortiEX developed an ordering and tracking software system for the production and distribution of sterile injectable compounds, such as antibiotics, analgesics, and neuromuscular blockers. Its target customers … Continue reading “Healthtech Startup ConsortiEX Closes $1M Round Led By Open Prairie”

Modustri Software Helps Caterpillar Monitor Equipment’s Wear and Tear

The Grand Rapids, MI-based heavy-equipment technology startup Modustri announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Caterpillar to develop new products that will help Caterpillar’s customers measure the amount of wear on their machines and better optimize their fleets. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We had an opportunity to understand … Continue reading “Modustri Software Helps Caterpillar Monitor Equipment’s Wear and Tear”

Are Qualcomm Layoffs a Disaster for San Diego—or an Opportunity?

After years of strong corporate and financial growth, the pace of change in the wireless industry has forced a massive global layoff at San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]. If the wireless giant had only 1,000 employees, a layoff of 150 folks would not be big news. But with a worldwide payroll of 31,000, and a … Continue reading “Are Qualcomm Layoffs a Disaster for San Diego—or an Opportunity?”

Gener8tor Launches Free Accelerator for WI College Startups

Wisconsin startup accelerator Gener8tor has launched a free business training program to nurture young companies with ties to Badger State universities—and perhaps build a more direct pipeline of local companies for its main for-profit program. The new initiative, dubbed gBETA, is essentially a “truncated version” of Gener8tor’s three-month accelerator held twice a year in Madison … Continue reading “Gener8tor Launches Free Accelerator for WI College Startups”

Exact Sciences Raises $174M, Nearly Doubles War Chest For Diagnostics

Exact Sciences is significantly boosting its coffers as it continues pushing sales of its first molecular diagnostic test and goes to work developing more products. Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) said it expects to earn about $174 million this week in a stock offering, after deducting expenses and underwriting discounts. Exact sold 7 million shares … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Raises $174M, Nearly Doubles War Chest For Diagnostics”

Companies May Stay Private as VCs Invest $32.5B, Report Says

As record levels of venture funding piles into startups, more companies may stay private rather than file for initial public offerings, according to venture capital database CB Insights and accounting firm KPMG. Private companies raised more than $32.5 billion in the second quarter of 2015, with about half of the total coming from 61 deals … Continue reading “Companies May Stay Private as VCs Invest $32.5B, Report Says”

Are Humans the Key to Discovery in a World of Digital Abundance?

We are drowning in content. Blogs made everyone a journalist. Self-publishing made everyone an author. YouTube made everyone a filmmaker. iTunes made everyone a musician. Publishing houses, record labels, and newsrooms have lost their long-held position as gatekeepers of taste. This is largely a good thing, particularly for aspiring artists. I’m a novelist. FG Press … Continue reading “Are Humans the Key to Discovery in a World of Digital Abundance?”

Wisconsin Human Proteomics Symposium

From the event organizer: “The theme of this year’s exciting program is Post-Translational Modifications in Human Disease. Speakers will present a range of topics in cutting-edge proteomics technology developments for qualitative and quantitative analysis of post-translational modifications. Applications to human diseases, for example, cancer and cardiovascular, infectious and neurodegenerative diseases, will be discussed. Meeting attendees … Continue reading “Wisconsin Human Proteomics Symposium”

In Biotech, Everyone’s Going Public. What’s Your Excuse?

Biotechs everywhere are going public these days. You might have heard. Approaching the traditional market lull in August, we’re up to nearly 40 life science IPOs in 2015, by my own count, with plenty more lined up. That’s more than half way to last year’s mark and already past the 2013 total. I weighed in … Continue reading “In Biotech, Everyone’s Going Public. What’s Your Excuse?”

FDA Clears 2 New Propeller Health Devices That Track Respiratory Meds

Propeller Health has received FDA clearance to sell two new devices to help chronic respiratory disease patients track their medication usage and better follow their recommended treatment regimens. Founded in 2010, the Madison, WI-based company makes data-collecting devices that snap on to medication inhalers used by asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The devices … Continue reading “FDA Clears 2 New Propeller Health Devices That Track Respiratory Meds”

Wisconsin Roundup: Tax Credits, VC Funds, Medical Devices, & More

Here’s a collection of some recent headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —A report from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. reinforces the fact that 2014 was a strong year for investments in Badger State companies. The annual report on the Qualified New Business Venture program—a state initiative that offers a 25 percent tax credit … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Tax Credits, VC Funds, Medical Devices, & More”

Rock the House—from Silicon Valley to China

It’s that time of the quarter, when venture capital fundraising data are released by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), possibly leaving all the sophisticated investors across the industry wringing their collective hands about frothiness. The latest data shows that VCs in 2Q15 raised over $10.4 billion (slightly revised upward from the amount first announced … Continue reading “Rock the House—from Silicon Valley to China”

Sharing Economy Companies Sharing the Heat In Contractor Controversy

[Corrected 7/31/15, 2:34 pm. See below.] For some time, Uber and other Silicon Valley tech companies have been fighting off lawsuits and other claims that their labor practices are unfair to on-demand workers they classify as independent contractors rather than as employees. The heat mounted this week on a number of fronts. The issue took … Continue reading “Sharing Economy Companies Sharing the Heat In Contractor Controversy”

StartingBlock Madison Project Moves Ahead, Releases New Renderings

The proposed $69 million revitalization project east of downtown Madison, WI, which will include the StartingBlock Madison entrepreneurial center, passed another hurdle this week. A city committee voted to allow city staff to negotiate the sale of the property where StartingBlock will be located to Gebhardt Development, the real estate project’s developer, the Wisconsin State … Continue reading “StartingBlock Madison Project Moves Ahead, Releases New Renderings”

Okanjo Embeds “Buy” Button in Ads, Follows Lead of Facebook, Others

Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest have all begun rolling out “buy” buttons over the past year that give users a clickable gateway to make purchases related to whatever they’re viewing at the moment on their devices. Now comes Milwaukee-based advertising and e-commerce technology startup Okanjo, which announced yesterday it has launched a similar product … Continue reading “Okanjo Embeds “Buy” Button in Ads, Follows Lead of Facebook, Others”

Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter

[Updated 7/17/15, 7:40 a.m. See below.] There’s plenty of talk about a potential bubble in the market, whether in tech, biotech, or elsewhere. True or not, one fact that’s real is that there is plenty of money flowing into startups. The second quarter of 2015 produced the highest level of venture funding since at least 2010, and possibly … Continue reading “Venture Investing Hits Record $19B in Second Quarter”

Madison’s “Sand Hill Building”: Four Venture Funds Together Under One Roof

Going purely by the numbers, Wisconsin is hardly an ideal place for startups seeking investment. According to the 2015 National Venture Capital Association Yearbook, companies in the Badger State raised $86.8 million in venture capital investments in 2014. That was good for 26th in the U.S. and accounted for less than 0.2 percent of the … Continue reading “Madison’s “Sand Hill Building”: Four Venture Funds Together Under One Roof”

ZBB Energy Names New CEO Amid China Sales Push

Less than a week after ZBB Energy shareholders approved a proposed ownership change, the company is shaking up its leadership team. ZBB (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBB]]), a small Milwaukee-area manufacturer of renewable energy storage and power control products, promoted president and chief operating officer Bradley Hansen to the role of CEO and president. He takes over for … Continue reading “ZBB Energy Names New CEO Amid China Sales Push”

Milestones Of Innovation 10: First Close-Up Of A Planet

Today, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, after more than nine years, 3 billion miles, and a brief view of Jupiter’s moon Io, is scheduled to capture the first close-up pictures from the distant minor planet Pluto and its flock of moons. It’s a fine way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this kind of high-tech virtual … Continue reading “Milestones Of Innovation 10: First Close-Up Of A Planet”

Five Lessons Every App Startup Should Learn

Mobile devices create plenty of pitfalls for entrepreneurs. The nuances of nailing not only the on-screen user experience, but the broader experience of integrating a piece of software into one’s everyday life dramatically increases the risk of failure. As a mobile entrepreneur, you have more variables that you need to test and control in your … Continue reading “Five Lessons Every App Startup Should Learn”

Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China

The question is no longer whether we are in a tech bubble—we are—but rather what it all means for the future. And maybe the near future. Everyone seems to agree the market conditions are very different from 2000, but so what? Uber’s valuation is north of $40 billion, and the company is losing money as … Continue reading “Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China”

21st Century Cures Act Passes House, Now Must Navigate Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives took a big step this morning toward major changes in the federal government’s relationship to biomedical research, funding, and regulation. The chamber passed the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill championed early on by a Democrat and a Republican, by a vote of 344-77, an astonishing percentage in this age … Continue reading “21st Century Cures Act Passes House, Now Must Navigate Senate”

ZBB Energy Shareholders Approve Ownership Deal With Chinese Solar Firm

Shareholders of ZBB Energy, a small Milwaukee-area manufacturer of renewable energy storage and power control products, voted to approve a deal with China-based Solar Power Inc. that brings an injection of up to $70 million in capital, new orders for up to $120 million worth of ZBB products, and potential new ownership. ZBB (NYSE: [[ticker:ZBB]]) … Continue reading “ZBB Energy Shareholders Approve Ownership Deal With Chinese Solar Firm”

“Global Health” Must Mean Global Health

The research community and pharmaceutical industry have made many life-saving and life-improving advances in global health over the past 20 years, and that’s certainly life-affirming news. But the time has come to ask ourselves a very pointed, and perhaps uncomfortable, question: “Are we defining ‘global health’ the right way?” And, more specifically, “How do we … Continue reading ““Global Health” Must Mean Global Health”

Wisconsin Startups Cashed in on Venture Capital Bonanza in 2014

Last year was a great one for startups nationwide trying to raise money from investors, and the venture capital boom was felt even in the normally cash-starved state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin companies grabbed more than $346 million in investment capital last year—nearly triple the $128 million raised here in 2013. The number of deals climbed … Continue reading “Wisconsin Startups Cashed in on Venture Capital Bonanza in 2014”

For Biotech Cowboys, It’s No Ride Into The Sunset

[Corrected 7/8/15, 3:48pm. See below.] Some people who’ve made it big in biotech drive fast cars. Some take outlandish vacations. Some don’t take any vacations at all. (I’m sure you know the type.) But for a few San Francisco Bay Area biotech veterans, the reward for a long, successful career is the chance to swap … Continue reading “For Biotech Cowboys, It’s No Ride Into The Sunset”

Wisconsin Science & Technology Symposium

From the event organizer: The symposium is “a signature networking event for UW researchers, students and industry that will showcase exciting R&D—from new antibiotics and solar cells to award-winning undergraduate research focused on the recovery of waterlogged lumber.” Speakers include Quentin Schultz, president of River Falls-based Eurofins BioDiagnostics; Christal Sheppard, director of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s Detroit … Continue reading “Wisconsin Science & Technology Symposium”

BioNetWork Power Hour

From the event organizer: “Come join us at the BioNetWork Power Hour for a free networking event for biotechnology professionals of all levels to come relax, meet others in their profession in a casual atmosphere, and have an opportunity to exchange ideas. BioNetWork Power Hour sponsorships and donations directly support Easter Seals of Wisconsin along … Continue reading “BioNetWork Power Hour”

Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, State Budget, Lucigen, & More

Here are a few of the latest updates from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Middleton-based Lucigen was awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue developing a DNA cloning product used in protein expression, according to a press release. The company makes a variety of tools for life sciences research, … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Exact Sciences, State Budget, Lucigen, & More”

Vote (Mostly) Online Shuts Down (For Now)

Vote (Mostly) Online, a civic-minded startup that aimed to help streamline the voting process for Wisconsin residents, has shut down operations. But co-founder Mike Fenchel says this might not be the end for the Madison, WI, startup’s idea. He’s trying to find people with the time and resources to restart the project. Vote (Mostly) Online—we’ll … Continue reading “Vote (Mostly) Online Shuts Down (For Now)”

Intern Season is Here—But Companies Need A Better Hiring Strategy

It’s summer and that means intern season is in full swing. According to a recent Washington Post piece by Jeffrey Selingo, “More than 70 to 80 percent of new hires at big companies like Facebook, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and eBay come through their internship programs now, compared to about half or less just a decade ago.” … Continue reading “Intern Season is Here—But Companies Need A Better Hiring Strategy”

Biopharmaceutical Haiku, Round Two

Ebola doctors Heroic efforts admired Angels of mercy! Genome sequencing Compare normal with patient Secrets revealed Next-gen sequencing One big issue still out there Interpretation Republicans rule Eye Affordable Care Act Newly covered screwed? 2.3 percent Medical devices tax Soon to disappear? Advertised widely Personalized medicine More substance, less hype … Continue reading “Biopharmaceutical Haiku, Round Two”

Why I Killed Noncompetes at My Startup—And You Should, Too

There’s a battle brewing in Boston that every local startup founder and employee is closely watching, but the outcome will have implications far beyond Massachusetts. As our state legislature weighs several bills that would ban noncompete agreements, the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA) and many entrepreneurs, including myself, are arguing that the time is … Continue reading “Why I Killed Noncompetes at My Startup—And You Should, Too”

What’s On Tap? Hardin Design & Development

With everyone getting ready to enjoy a long holiday weekend—and perhaps raise a cold brew or two in salute to Old Glory—it’s a good time to bring you another installment in our ongoing series exploring the beers on tap at the headquarters of Wisconsin tech companies. Up next: Hardin Design & Development. The 21-person company, … Continue reading “What’s On Tap? Hardin Design & Development”

Wisconsin Roundup: VC Funding, StartUp Health, Stem Cells, & More

Here’s a collection of recent headlines from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —Waukesha-based Elli Health has changed its name to Intellivisit and tacked nearly $400,000 on to a funding round that previously raised about $780,000, according to SEC filings. The company’s software enables virtual doctor visits. —Madison-based Health eFilings raised $934,500 in a seed funding round that … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: VC Funding, StartUp Health, Stem Cells, & More”

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: How to Get Into an Accelerator

From the event organizer: “Interested in learning more about startups? Looking for team members, a team to join or a chance to network with other entrepreneurs? Love free food? Join us for gener8tor’s Madison summer lunch series: OpenBETA. Each week we’ll feature leaders from Madison’s startup community and cover a range of topics including startup metrics, fundraising, pitching and hiring. And … Continue reading “OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: How to Get Into an Accelerator”

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: Fundraising

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: Pitching

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: People

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: The Lean Startup

Lean startups will be the topic at this week’s event in the OpenBETA series. Here’s more on the series from the organizer: “Interested in learning more about startups? Looking for team members, a team to join or a chance to network with other entrepreneurs? Love free food? Join us for gener8tor’s Madison summer lunch series: OpenBETA. Each week we’ll … Continue reading “OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: The Lean Startup”

OpenBETA Summer Lunch Series: Legal Mistakes New Startups Should Avoid

Exact Sciences Outlines Pipeline of Diagnostics for Deadliest Cancers

Exact Sciences’ ambitious plan to commercialize molecular diagnostic tests for several of the deadliest cancers is starting to come into focus. Fresh off announcing a partnership with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to co-develop multiple blood-based diagnostic tests for lung cancer, Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) shared new details last … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Outlines Pipeline of Diagnostics for Deadliest Cancers”

Five Obstacles That Impede Startup Innovation

If you’re building a startup, chances are that you’re aspiring to innovate – to create something new or do something differently. In fact, innovation and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. However, many startups unwittingly create obstacles that hamper innovation in their organization. What are some of those obstacles and how can you avoid them? Fear … Continue reading “Five Obstacles That Impede Startup Innovation”

Milestones of Innovation 9: Early Bird On Station

Fifty years ago, on June 28, 1965, an exotic device named Early Bird made it possible to transmit an uninterrupted live television show across the Atlantic from Europe to America or vice versa. This event, a landmark on the way to today’s interconnected world, happened less than 40 years after the first radio-telephone conversations between … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 9: Early Bird On Station”

Out of the Digital Health Fog, More Investments Are Coming in 2015

Venture capitalists have been talking up the rewards of digital health for some time now, and we are certainly putting our money where our mouth is. Record-breaking dollars continue to flow into health care IT startups. According to Rock Health, digital health saw over $4B in funding in 2014, more than doubling funding from 2013 … Continue reading “Out of the Digital Health Fog, More Investments Are Coming in 2015”