Category: Wisconsin

MassChallenge Announces Finalists for Boston, London Accelerators

MassChallenge, a nonprofit accelerator program, is getting bigger and covering more of the world. The Boston-based program on Wednesday announced 218 companies are global finalists for the 2015 accelerators in its home city and London, a branch of the operation that opened in February. Most of those startups—128, to be exact—are heading to Boston to … Continue reading “MassChallenge Announces Finalists for Boston, London Accelerators”

Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale

Mark Organ thinks very differently about how to evolve as a founder-CEO now that he’s on his second company. A decade ago, Mark co-founded customer relations management software company Eloqua. “I held on too long to all the details of the business,” he says. Even though the company had reached several million dollars in revenue, … Continue reading “Four Tough Questions Startup CEOs Need to Ask to Scale”

Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols

[Updated 5/19/15, 10:40 a.m. See below.] The push to regulate increasingly popular ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft has shifted from city halls to state capitol buildings—with implications for the companies’ reputations and expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide. Last year saw passage of the first rules for ridesharing companies—or … Continue reading “Battle to Regulate Uber, Lyft Moves From City Halls to State Capitols”

Cree Sheds Light on IPO Plans for Power & RF Business

Cree, the LED lighting and semiconductor technologies company, is laying the groundwork to spin off one of its business units as a separate company, supported by an initial public stock offering. Durham, NC-based Cree (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CREE]]) disclosed Monday that it has confidentially filed documents with securities regulators for an IPO for the company’s Power & … Continue reading “Cree Sheds Light on IPO Plans for Power & RF Business”

Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite

“It’s like a mini-Davos.” That’s the way one leading venture capitalist describes Xconomy’s Napa Summit. And while he is perhaps a bit effusive, we do believe our annual retreat in wine country is something special. Maybe you can judge for yourself. We are just two weeks away from Napa Summit 2015, which will take place … Continue reading “Still Room For Great Guests at Napa Summit 2015—Request An Invite”

That First Move Can Be a Doozy: Why Peach Expanded to San Diego

Seattle-based Peach makes its debut in San Diego today, and therein lies a tale. The question, “Where do we expand first?” can be one of the hardest decisions confronting an early stage tech company looking to rapidly scale its business beyond the hometown market. Peach, founded in early 2014 by three ex-Amazon software engineers, began … Continue reading “That First Move Can Be a Doozy: Why Peach Expanded to San Diego”

Gener8tor Strikes Up the UW Band to Send Off Latest Startup Class

A year ago, Wisconsin startup accelerator Gener8tor kicked off the closing pitch event for its winter session in Madison with a laser light show and smoke machines. This year, attendees were treated to a mini-pep rally by members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison band. A small group of trumpet players, trombone players, percussionists, and a … Continue reading “Gener8tor Strikes Up the UW Band to Send Off Latest Startup Class”

Fujifilm Buys TeraMedica to Push Better Patient Data Archiving, Sharing

TeraMedica, a Wauwatosa, WI-based healthcare informatics company, has been acquired by Fujifilm Medical Systems U.S.A., a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based conglomerate best known for selling camera film. The deal is the second one this week involving a Wisconsin healthtech company, following Green Bay-based IOD’s merger with HealthPort. It also marks the second acquisition by Fujifilm … Continue reading “Fujifilm Buys TeraMedica to Push Better Patient Data Archiving, Sharing”

Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding

After reading that angels would be the No. 1 losers due to the explosive growth of crowdfunding, angels like me have been keeping a wary eye on equity crowdfunding. Some reports in the press have suggested that crowdfunding could actually replace angels as a capital source. So far, the warnings have turned into a big … Continue reading “Angel Investors Still Awaiting the Impact from Equity Crowdfunding”

New WERCBench Labs Accelerator Gets $350K WEDC Grant

[Updated 5/14/15, 8:54 a.m. See below.] The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) has awarded a $350,000 grant to help launch the Mid-West Energy Research Consortium’s new startup accelerator in Milwaukee this summer. On Friday, Xconomy reported new details about the accelerator, dubbed WERCBench Labs, including how each startup that completes the program will receive a … Continue reading “New WERCBench Labs Accelerator Gets $350K WEDC Grant”

Wisconsin Roundup: Marquette, NorthStar, Forte Research, & More

Here’s a smattering of the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation and technology community: —Madison-based NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes said it completed its first large-scale test run of producing molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), the parent isotope used to make technetium-99m (Tc-99m), the most widely used radioisotope in medical diagnostic imaging. The work was done at the University of Missouri … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Marquette, NorthStar, Forte Research, & More”

An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health

[Updated, 12:05 pm ET] There’s a parable about the elephant and the rider that’s been used by Chip and Dan Heath, and that originated with Jonathan Haidt, to describe how humans make decisions. A person’s mind can be thought of as consisting of a rider, representing the rational part of human thinking, and the elephant … Continue reading “An Open Standard for APIs Could Lead us to Better Health”

Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?

The hourly job market is the bedrock of the American workforce, 76 million members strong. While the growth in retail and hospitality positions, representing one third of these jobs, is pacing our economic recovery, the sector still spends an astonishing $1 billion annually on hiring. A thought provoking question: Can the industry create more than … Continue reading “Why Do Corporations Pay Billions Annually for Inefficient Hiring?”

Wisconsin Healthtech Company IOD Merges With Georgia Rival

IOD, a Green Bay, WI-based healthcare information software company, will merge with Georgia-based competitor HealthPort, according to a press release. The terms of the proposed deal weren’t disclosed, but it creates a combined company with annual revenue of more than $450 million and 6,000 employees serving more than 18,000 hospitals and clinics nationwide. The move … Continue reading “Wisconsin Healthtech Company IOD Merges With Georgia Rival”

Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross

Cancer is a humbling thing: Our own cells gone bad, killing us from the inside, and so often able to rebound from attack or avoid it entirely. There has been progress fighting some types of cancers, but in no way equal to the resources (or rhetoric) the human race has aimed at the problem. On … Continue reading “Talking Cure? For Cancer Immunotherapy, Still Many Rivers to Cross”

The Future of Marketing Technology

The digital age has revolutionized marketing, increasing its complexity as well as creating the opportunity to dramatically improve customer experiences. As consumers, we live in an always-on and always-available world and we have come to expect our favorite brands to be one click or swipe away. As a consequence, the rapid advancements in technology that … Continue reading “The Future of Marketing Technology”

Organovo Working with L’Oreal to Test Cosmetics on Bioprinted Skin

[Corrected 5/11/15, 3:30 pm. See below.] Testing cosmetic ingredients on animals has been a contentious topic for decades. Public opposition to such practices led the European Union and a few other countries to impose complete bans on such testing in 2013. In the United States, legislation was introduced in 2014 that would ban animal testing … Continue reading “Organovo Working with L’Oreal to Test Cosmetics on Bioprinted Skin”

Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite

We are just three weeks away from the Napa Summit 2015: The Xconomy Retreat on the Economy, Jobs, and Growth. Quite simply, it is my favorite event of the year. Beyond the incredible setting, this exclusive, invitation-only conference features some of the world’s leading innovators and investors in a uniquely intimate format—offering an unprecedented view … Continue reading “Agenda Posted For Xconomy Napa Summit on June 2—Request Your Invite”

M-WERC Seeks Startups For Pilot Milwaukee Hardware Accelerator

The details are starting to emerge about the Midwest Energy Research Consortium’s planned startup accelerator program to be housed in the organization’s space on Milwaukee’s north side. The consortium, aka M-WERC, is currently accepting applications for its pilot three-month program that starts in June. The program, dubbed WERCBench Labs, is seeking startups with products related … Continue reading “M-WERC Seeks Startups For Pilot Milwaukee Hardware Accelerator”

Epic, IBM Unleash Watson Supercomputer on Electronic Health Records

In yet another high-profile partnership for Epic Systems, the healthcare software giant is teaming up with IBM to bring the supercomputing prowess of Watson to the medical records at the Mayo Clinic and beyond. Epic, based in the Madison, WI, suburb of Verona, has grown into a powerhouse in the electronic health records software industry … Continue reading “Epic, IBM Unleash Watson Supercomputer on Electronic Health Records”

Cellular Dynamics Sale a Windfall For Founders, Execs, & Board Members

Fujifilm’s $307 million acquisition of Cellular Dynamics International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICEL]]) is officially a done deal, and that means a big payday for the company’s top executives and board members. The biggest winner in the deal was CDI co-founder and stem cell pioneer James Thomson (pictured right), who earned $16.9 million, according to SEC documents. The … Continue reading “Cellular Dynamics Sale a Windfall For Founders, Execs, & Board Members”

Milestones Of Innovation 6: The Driving Force Of Moore’s ‘Law’

Few phrases have rung louder in the history of innovation than “Moore’s Law,” the amazingly potent guess, published 50 years ago on April 19, that the capacity of electronic circuits would double every couple of years. Since the 1968 founding of Intel, the world’s leading semiconductor-maker, that prediction has formed the basic doctrine of the … Continue reading “Milestones Of Innovation 6: The Driving Force Of Moore’s ‘Law’”

Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More

Here are some of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill late Friday night that enacts statewide regulation of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. The bill had bipartisan support in the Legislature, but has drawn opposition by some Democratic legislators and city officials in Milwaukee and … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Uber Bill, Angel Deals, Exact Sciences, & More”

Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company

As healthcare technology grows increasingly important in our everyday lives—from the software that manages our medical records to the explosion of health and fitness-monitoring devices and apps—different cities around the country are trying to claim the mantle of “America’s healthtech capital.” Madison, WI, is among the places vying for that title. And while it can … Continue reading “Epic Systems: Madison Healthtech’s “Unwitting” Anchor Company”

Readying the Distributed Grid for the Big Energy Challenges of 2035

Predicting the future in the energy business is difficult for five years, let alone 20 years. That said, we feel the “better bet” is a future energy system that will be a lot more distributed as compared to the largely centralized grid of today. There will be much more generation and storage at the individual … Continue reading “Readying the Distributed Grid for the Big Energy Challenges of 2035”

Forte Research Systems Lands New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=42eea67b-14db-4ebb-b7b3-261f7e7033d7 Date 5/5/2015 Company Name Forte Research Systems Mailing Address 1200 John Q Hammons Dr. Madison, WI 53717 USA Company Description Forte Research Systems, Inc. has been developing specialized software for clinical research since 2000. The product family includes OnCore® Enterprise Research, Allegro® CTMS, and Overture® EDC. Forte provides complimentary blog articles, … Continue reading “Forte Research Systems Lands New Funding”

The Innovation Challenge: Assessing BioPharma Startups

Developing new medicines is really difficult and very expensive. A recent report, “Decline In Economic Returns From New Drugs Raises Questions About Sustaining Innovations,” suggests that the newest medicines are generating a negative rate of return across the industry. A viewpoint commonly found on the Web opines that Big Pharma has lost the ability to … Continue reading “The Innovation Challenge: Assessing BioPharma Startups”

Aver Informatics Growing Fast After Moving HQ From Wisconsin To Ohio

Aver Informatics, which disappointed Wisconsin startup advocates when it moved its headquarters to Ohio last year, appears to be thriving in its new digs. Aver raised $8.5 million in Series A money from Drive Capital and GE Ventures last May. Three months later, word got out that the healthtech startup was moving its headquarters from … Continue reading “Aver Informatics Growing Fast After Moving HQ From Wisconsin To Ohio”

Believe It or Not, the Government Is Driving Healthcare Innovation

Editor’s note: Jay Sultan, principal strategy advisor at Edifecs, a global health information technology solutions company, has another take on what’s driving innovation in healthcare, following our earlier Xconomist Forum post by former Providence Health and Services CEO John Koster arguing that healthcare is transforming regardless of the Affordable Care Act.  Largely missing from the … Continue reading “Believe It or Not, the Government Is Driving Healthcare Innovation”

“Hardware Meets Software” In New Launch Milwaukee Hackathon

Milwaukee entrepreneurs, engineers, and designers with software or hardware backgrounds will soon have a new outlet for their ideas: Launch Milwaukee. The weekend hackathon was announced this week and will be held June 5-7 at Ward4, the new co-working space being opened in the Historic Pritzlaff Building by Milwaukee venture fund CSA Partners. Brandon Alberti … Continue reading ““Hardware Meets Software” In New Launch Milwaukee Hackathon”

Reflections on the “Build to Buy,” Part 2: The Applicability Problem

In a prior Xconomy post, I explored the unwritten and often hidden challenges of successfully navigating and completing a ‘build to buy’ acquisition. The fundamental issue that underlies those challenges is that the acquirers in these deals are not in the business of developing a single asset in a disciplined, focused manner. These buyers are … Continue reading “Reflections on the “Build to Buy,” Part 2: The Applicability Problem”

In Venture Reinvention, Versant Sees Gains Amid Biotech Boom Times

There’s not much ice in San Francisco, where I grew up, so hockey metaphors often go right over my head. But I can’t resist noting that Versant Ventures, led by a former hockey player, has made big line changes this decade to be able to skate another day, while many of its biotech venture peers … Continue reading “In Venture Reinvention, Versant Sees Gains Amid Biotech Boom Times”

UW-Madison Accelerator D2P Poised to Hatch First Few Companies

Discovery to Product, an experimental accelerator launched on University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus last year, is starting to churn out its first few companies, organizers say. The program, dubbed D2P, is charged with shepherding promising ideas born on campus to the point of licensing the technology or forming a company that has a good shot at … Continue reading “UW-Madison Accelerator D2P Poised to Hatch First Few Companies”

2015 Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference

From the event organizer: “The two-day conference is one of the Midwest’s premiere ‘how-to,’ hands-on events for entrepreneurs of all ages and experience levels. Attendees range from ‘treps who are still developing their ideas to emerging company leaders who have already attracted angel and/or venture funding. These businesses cover a broad span of categories, from … Continue reading “2015 Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference”

Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More

Here’s a collection of recent announcements from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Cellular Dynamics International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICEL]]) has reached a proposed settlement in three similar class-action lawsuits challenging the Madison-based company’s proposed $307 million sale to Tokyo-based Fujifilm, according to an SEC filing. The lawsuits alleged that Cellular Dynamics’s sale process was flawed and that … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Cellular Dynamics, Baird, Health Apps, & More”

SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public

SnowShoe, a startup founded in Wisconsin, continues trying to make its mark. This week, it announced the release of new software it says will let anyone “build digital experiences” out of real-world toys. It also announced investors have pumped $1 million into the business. SnowShoe makes what it calls “clever pieces of plastic” that interact … Continue reading “SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public”

Maker Faire Milwaukee 2015

From the event organizer: “The second-annual Maker Faire Milwaukee will return to Wisconsin State Fair Park on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, 2015, the same weekend as Wisconsin State Fair Park’s Harvest Fair. This free regional event is produced by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum and Milwaukee Makerspace, and is presented in collaboration … Continue reading “Maker Faire Milwaukee 2015”

IP Business Basics 101

From the event organizer: “This new, one-day, deal-centric course has been designed by experienced LES executives for business and licensing (newer to the field) professionals in USA & Canada. Whether it is a trademark, international brand, copyright, patent, knowhow, trade secrets or a combination of some/all of these, recent transactions and auctions have confirmed the … Continue reading “IP Business Basics 101”

SnowShoe Obtains $1,000,000 Seed Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=680a8916-b89d-4c30-a2c6-29daf2318e41 Date 4/23/2015 Company Name SnowShoe Mailing Address 640 West Washington Ave. Madison, WI 53703 USA Company Description Based in Madison, WI, SnowShoe develops innovative technology solutions for mobile platforms. Website http://www.beta.snowshoestamp.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the proceeds to increase … Continue reading “SnowShoe Obtains $1,000,000 Seed Round”

Napa Summit 2015: Request Your Invite to Xconomy’s Most Elite Event

What are the forces shaping our innovation future—and who are the leaders who will build it? We can’t promise all the answers, but we can promise an unusually intimate and inspiring discussion of such questions at Xconomy’s most unique and exclusive event. It’s called the Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth—and … Continue reading “Napa Summit 2015: Request Your Invite to Xconomy’s Most Elite Event”

Milestones of Innovation 5: Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar

Let’s hear it for Stephanie Kwolek, a determined, observant, and playful chemist who died last year at the age of 90. She is the inventor-heroine of an artificial fiber stronger than steel called kevlar, which has saved thousands of soldiers and policemen from fatal bullet wounds and is used in everything from cellphones to skis. … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 5: Stephanie Kwolek and Kevlar”

Innovation Hub: Which Companies Care About the Environment?

Transforming big businesses into green businesses might seem like a thorny process. But older, established companies like Ford have the potential to ignite a new generation of environmentally friendly products, according to Andrew Winston, author of The Big Pivot. By shifting their manufacturing process—like substituting aluminum for steel, as Ford has done—such companies are able … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Which Companies Care About the Environment?”

Dip, But No Slowdown in First-Quarter VC Funding, & Top 10 Deals

A new MoneyTree Report being released today shows that U.S. venture capital activity eased off during the first three months of 2015. Yet it still marked the fifth consecutive quarter in which U.S. venture funding remained above $10 billion. VCs invested $13.4 billion in 1,020 deals throughout the U.S. during the first quarter of 2015, … Continue reading “Dip, But No Slowdown in First-Quarter VC Funding, & Top 10 Deals”

3 Things Startups Need to Know to Move to the Cloud

Despite concerns around data security, businesses are optimistic about the cloud. In fact, software-as-a-service adoption has more than quintupled from 13 percent in 2011 to 72 percent in 2014, according to a cloud computing survey conducted by North Bridge Venture Partners and Gigaom Research. For startups, the cloud has always been a great equalizer, enabling … Continue reading “3 Things Startups Need to Know to Move to the Cloud”

Panel Encourages Entrepreneurship Among Young Milwaukee Professionals

Surpassing goals and learning to fail are some of the keys to successful entrepreneurship in Milwaukee, according to a Young Professionals Week panel hosted by networking group Newaukee. County Executive Chris Abele, founder of the CSA Partners venture fund and Ward4 co-working space, was joined on the Entrepreneurship 101 panel by Digital Measures Founder and CEO … Continue reading “Panel Encourages Entrepreneurship Among Young Milwaukee Professionals”

Healthcare Is Transforming Regardless of What Happens to the ACA

Powerful arguments and emotions continue to challenge the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Supreme Court, partisan ideology, presidential elections, and deeply held convictions about the role of government will all make their mark. Most healthcare leaders, however, share a fundamental belief that healthcare transformation is happening now—driven by some of the same … Continue reading “Healthcare Is Transforming Regardless of What Happens to the ACA”

Wisconsin Roundup: Arrowhead, Cellular Dynamics, Madworks, & More

Here are a few of the latest headlines from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation community: —Arrowhead Research (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) said it received FDA approval to begin a Phase 2b study of its experimental RNA interference (RNAi) drug for treating hepatitis B. In January, the FDA put a partial hold on the trial, partly because it wanted … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Arrowhead, Cellular Dynamics, Madworks, & More”