A major issue continues to be how to attract and train the necessary talent to drive forward both individual businesses and the economy as a whole. This issue is being addressed in pockets (such as some nascent, innovative programs in Michigan), but not nearly at the scope that is needed. Among other things, it involves … Continue reading “Attracting, Retaining Talent Key to Driving Economy Forward”
Category: Wisconsin
5 Tips for Students to Get Ahead in Technology and Business
What advice would you give students interested in your field? That’s a question we posed to our network of Xconomists around the country. They range from academic leaders to startup founders to venture capitalists. What we found was that their answers were generally bigger than their particular field of expertise. Taken together, the tips provide … Continue reading “5 Tips for Students to Get Ahead in Technology and Business”
14 for ’14: Xconomy’s Top Innovation Stories of the Year
It has been quite a year for one-word headlines: Ebola, Sony, Uber, WhatsApp, to name a few. Behind those headlines are complex issues in business and technology that came to the fore in 2014. Things like impediments to vaccine development; mounting threats in cybersecurity and privacy; the regulatory and cultural struggles of high-flying startups; and … Continue reading “14 for ’14: Xconomy’s Top Innovation Stories of the Year”
To Diversify the Innovation Community, Jump-Start Female Entrepreneurship
Just about a year ago at this time, I read a report that made me ask myself whether I was doing enough—and the right kind of “enough”—to encourage diversity in our technology startup community and innovation ecosystem here in Boston/Cambridge. Fortunately, when I looked at the startups in my portfolio of seed investments, I found … Continue reading “To Diversify the Innovation Community, Jump-Start Female Entrepreneurship”
Expand Our Notion of Success from Wealth Creation to Value Creation
We have too narrow a view of success in the tech community, fueled by investors wanting big returns, business schools reinforcing these values, and universities trying to maximize financial returns on their research. Young people see this. Many children of immigrants want to help their parents’ homelands. Many young people want to build a more … Continue reading “Expand Our Notion of Success from Wealth Creation to Value Creation”
10 Bits of Advice for Students Interested in Drug Development
Here are my 10 crucial pieces of advice for students who aspire to a career in pharmaceutical labs: 1. You need a solid foundation in science. Master the basics, and learn how to apply that knowledge. 2. But, try to also take classes and build skills in complementary areas like business, legal topics (especially intellectual … Continue reading “10 Bits of Advice for Students Interested in Drug Development”
Kicking the Cyber Attack Can Down the Road
By far the most important issue where the can got “kicked down the road” is any kind of concerted effort to deter or dissuade cross-border cyber-crime, cyber-attacks, cyber-vandalism and other various forms of hacking mischief. As more and more people become reliant of digital devices and networks for their livelihoods and leisure, their vulnerability to … Continue reading “Kicking the Cyber Attack Can Down the Road”
From STEM to C-Suite, Steps to Improve Technology’s Gender Balance
Gender and diversity problems certainly aren’t new for either the technology community or for business in general. Over the past several decades, women and minorities have worked to gain access to higher levels within organizations, and many white males already in senior roles have also worked to address these issues. However, progress has been slow, … Continue reading “From STEM to C-Suite, Steps to Improve Technology’s Gender Balance”
Biggest Surprises in 2014: Apple After Steve Jobs
What was the biggest surprise of the year? The continued success of Apple. It’s been a quiet period after Jobs’s disappearance and it is very difficult to step into those shoes, I had not counted on the success. The iPhone 6 is a marvel even if it’s not a groundbreaking innovation. But the Apple Watch … Continue reading “Biggest Surprises in 2014: Apple After Steve Jobs”
Simple Steps Toward More Inclusive Entrepreneurship
At conferences, meetups, and events, my colleagues and I often lament the lack of diversity in the audience, particularly the lack of women. Organizations like the Doyenne Group here in Madison, WI, are doing great things to cultivate entrepreneurship among women. Some recent changes in my life, however, have given me a new perspective on … Continue reading “Simple Steps Toward More Inclusive Entrepreneurship”
Wisconsin Roundup: Zeon, Exact Sciences, Swoop Search, Isomark, & More
As everyone gets ready to enjoy time with family and friends, let’s take a moment to recap some of the big Wisconsin tech announcements in the days leading up to the holidays: —Milwaukee-based software services company Zeon Solutions was acquired by St. Louis-based Perficient for $35.7 million, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported. Most of Zeon’s … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Zeon, Exact Sciences, Swoop Search, Isomark, & More”
What’s Missing From Education? Critical Thinking
There is too little emphasis on teaching critical thinking skills in schools. Many adults have little understanding of important science and technology issues, which leaves them open to poor decision making on matters that will affect both their families as well as society in general. A good example would be a failure to understand and … Continue reading “What’s Missing From Education? Critical Thinking”
What’s the Most Important Issue That Didn’t Get Addressed in 2014?
Immigration. Very sad and shows how deeply dysfunctional our system is. This is really hurting innovation—and other countries, like Canada, U.K., Chile and Spain, have moved way ahead of us. Very frustrating. [Editor’s note: To tap the wisdom of our distinguished group of Xconomists, we asked a few of them to answer this question heading … Continue reading “What’s the Most Important Issue That Didn’t Get Addressed in 2014?”
Grading Gener8tor’s Startup Accelerator: Exits, Failures, & Progress
[Corrected 12/27/14, 2 p.m. See below.] For all the hype that Gener8tor has garnered in Wisconsin since it formed in summer 2012, the startup accelerator’s leaders acknowledge that they’ll ultimately be judged by the performance of their portfolio companies and the returns that the accelerator’s investors get. This month, Chicago-based Optyn became the first announced … Continue reading “Grading Gener8tor’s Startup Accelerator: Exits, Failures, & Progress”
The Sony Wake-Up Call
[Corrected, see below] The Sony saga continues. Last week, the FBI said there is enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for the Sony cyberattack. Now some are beginning to wonder how the U.S. should retaliate. Surely, new developments will continue to unfold, but our focus remains on what this breach … Continue reading “The Sony Wake-Up Call”
Bakken Rounding Up Investors for Madison HealthX Ventures
[Corrected 12/22/14, 1:30 p.m. See below.] Early in his career, Mark Bakken never imagined himself as an investor in startups. But the serial entrepreneur has lately become one of the more active angel investors in Madison, WI. “The perception growing up was that venture capital is ‘vulture capital,’” Bakken says. “You don’t know anything about … Continue reading “Bakken Rounding Up Investors for Madison HealthX Ventures”
Rethinking Venture Philanthropy After the Kalydeco Windfall
The Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation’s big win in venture philanthropy can fuel constructive competition among companies developing innovative CF drugs, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system by increasing future treatment options and reducing their cost. CF is a fatal genetic disease affecting around 30,000 people in the U.S. that is caused by mutations in … Continue reading “Rethinking Venture Philanthropy After the Kalydeco Windfall”
Arrowhead, Despite Ailing Stock, Reloads in RNAi Hepatitis B Fight
Arrowhead Research has had a rough couple of months, but that hasn’t put CEO Christopher Anzalone in panic mode—far from it. The Pasadena, CA-based biotech company’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) stock price has fallen off a cliff, largely a result of investors getting spooked by some early data in the company’s ongoing Phase 2a study of its … Continue reading “Arrowhead, Despite Ailing Stock, Reloads in RNAi Hepatitis B Fight”
YouTube Buys Vidmaker, a Collaborative Video Editing Tool
YouTube has acquired Vidmaker, a Madison, WI-based startup that makes online video-editing software. Vidmaker announced the deal on its website. No financial terms were disclosed, and Vidmaker CEO Dale Emmons said he can’t share any details. “We’re really excited to be joining YouTube,” Emmons said in an e-mail message. Vidmaker was co-founded in 2011 by Emmons, … Continue reading “YouTube Buys Vidmaker, a Collaborative Video Editing Tool”
Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis
There’s a shortage of radioactive material that few people outside the medical community know about. And the best hope for solving the problem—and reduce nuclear proliferation risks linked to it—rests in the hands of a handful of startups operating on a mix of government and private money. The medical isotope technetium-99 is injected into tens … Continue reading “Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis”
SmartUQ Garners $1,789,560 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5dbc22e8-4f7f-46ec-b48a-8d5482974e77 Date 12/18/2014 Company Name SmartUQ Mailing Address 1245 E. Washington Ave. Madison, WI 53703 USA Company Description SmartUQ uses cutting-edge analytics to accelerate simulation-based decisions. The highly efficient analytics greatly reduce meta-modeling time, significantly reducing costs. Whatever the complex simulation, SmartUQ has the solutions you need at the speed you want. … Continue reading “SmartUQ Garners $1,789,560 New Funding Round”
From American Well to Venture Capitalists, Health IT on the Rise
Companies in healthcare IT have been percolating for the past five-plus years. Now, with the regulatory climate evolving and big companies like Apple getting more serious about health and wellness, it looks like 2015 could be when it’s all going to pop. Let’s connect a few dots: —American Well has raised $80 million in Series … Continue reading “From American Well to Venture Capitalists, Health IT on the Rise”
SmartUQ Raises $1.8M For Simulation Analytics Software
SmartUQ, a Madison, WI-based startup that has developed software to speed up the design of a variety of products, has raised nearly $1.8 million in seed funding, according to a new filing with the SEC. The money comes from 21 Wisconsin investors, most of them individuals, according to the document and the company. SmartUQ, previously … Continue reading “SmartUQ Raises $1.8M For Simulation Analytics Software”
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Magnovision?
When the ads for Mars vacations came on the TV, Doug Quaid couldn’t turn away. He thought about Mars at work, dreamed about it at night, badgered his wife about going there. She reminded him that they couldn’t afford it—and anyway, Saturn is much nicer. But he could not get Mars out of his head. … Continue reading “Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Magnovision?”
Intrigue and Outdated Rules Complicate Big Biotech Patent Fight
How’s this for strange? What’s likely the most important biotech patent battle of the decade is now being fought under outmoded rules that the U.S. Congress, in a rare spasm of common purpose three years ago, agreed roundly were due for a once-in-a-lifetime overhaul. The fight is over CRISPR/Cas9, a potential Nobel-winning biotech discovery, and … Continue reading “Intrigue and Outdated Rules Complicate Big Biotech Patent Fight”
From Healthtech to Beer Tech, Xconomy Wisconsin’s 1st Year in Review
With 2014 coming to a close, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on the past year. That’s especially true for me today, as Xconomy celebrates the one-year anniversary of our launch in Wisconsin. It’s been an eventful 12 months, with plenty of big news—both exciting and discouraging developments for advocates of Wisconsin’s innovation and startup … Continue reading “From Healthtech to Beer Tech, Xconomy Wisconsin’s 1st Year in Review”
CDS Snaps Up Gener8tor Grad Optyn to Expand its Software Services
Central Data Storage (CDS) has purchased Chicago online marketing startup Optyn, a 2013 graduate of Gener8tor’s accelerator program, for an undisclosed price, the companies announced today. The deal provides some early validation for Gener8tor, a Wisconsin accelerator that has invested in 28 companies since its 2012 founding and recently raised $2.1 million for its second … Continue reading “CDS Snaps Up Gener8tor Grad Optyn to Expand its Software Services”
StartingBlock Madison Gets Key Investment From American Family
The proposed StartingBlock Madison development project got an important boost today, with the announcement of “significant” financial support from American Family Insurance. The size of American Family’s investment wasn’t disclosed, as the details are still being finalized, according to a press release. StartingBlock is part of a high-profile development in downtown Madison, WI, that would … Continue reading “StartingBlock Madison Gets Key Investment From American Family”
Connecture Prices Well Below Projection in Nasdaq Debut
When healthcare software company Connecture filed plans with the SEC in October to go public, it was a significant announcement in Wisconsin. Relatively few tech companies here go that route, opting instead for mergers and acquisitions. The Brookfield, WI-based company followed through with those plans today, pricing 6.6 million shares at $8 apiece, which would … Continue reading “Connecture Prices Well Below Projection in Nasdaq Debut”
Microsoft Plans More Startup Accelerators in Seattle, Elsewhere
Microsoft feted the first batch of startups to go through its Seattle accelerator Wednesday with a demo day in the heart of Amazon’s neighborhood. And despite their competition for workers and customers, Amazon employees were invited inside, a gesture that the accelerator’s leader called a sign of Microsoft’s new openness, particularly in support of entrepreneurship. … Continue reading “Microsoft Plans More Startup Accelerators in Seattle, Elsewhere”
How Big Data Improves Sales Management and Predicts Performance
Enterprises worth their salt typically use a set of standard key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate progress, but there are limits to the effectiveness of these measures in improving or predicting future performance. According to Harvard Business Review, the top KPIs in sales include average annual quota and quota attainment average. The former describes the … Continue reading “How Big Data Improves Sales Management and Predicts Performance”
100health Scraps Incubator, Pursues Redox, a Tool to Build Health Apps
Less than a year after launching healthtech startup incubator 100health in Madison, WI, the three co-founders have abandoned that business in favor of trying to turn one of the incubator’s ideas into a successful company. Xconomy chronicled 100health’s inception in February. By August, co-founders Niko Skievaski, Luke Bonney, and James Lloyd had decided to stop … Continue reading “100health Scraps Incubator, Pursues Redox, a Tool to Build Health Apps”
Wisconsin Roundup: StudyBlue, Cellectar, 1 Million Cups, & More
Here are a few of the latest headlines in Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community: —Madison-based edtech startup StudyBlue tacked on about $438,000 to a funding round reported in June, bringing the total amount raised to more than $2.1 million, SEC filings show. The money came from previous investors, including Great Oaks Venture Capital, the Wisconsin … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: StudyBlue, Cellectar, 1 Million Cups, & More”
The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 5 Years and Up
In my last two articles, I explored the top risks and opportunities that startups face during their first five years of existence. In this conclusion to the series, I’d like to discuss the final phase of startup growth—Year 5 and up. If your business has made it to the crucial 5-year mark, that’s a good … Continue reading “The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 5 Years and Up”
StartingBlock, Madison’s Answer to Chicago’s 1871, Hits Crucial Stage
A vacant 1.75-acre piece of land in downtown Madison, WI—once the site of a car dealership—could become one of the most important hubs for tech entrepreneurship in the state’s capital, if the backers of a proposed project called StartingBlock Madison make their vision a reality. StartingBlock would put startup accelerator Gener8tor and maker space Sector67 … Continue reading “StartingBlock, Madison’s Answer to Chicago’s 1871, Hits Crucial Stage”
Innovating with Bitcoin at MIT
In November, we began distributing $100 in Bitcoin to every undergraduate student at MIT. A large share of the 4,500 eligible students participated in the project. Bitcoin is an innovative payment network that allows for instant peer-to-peer transactions with zero or very low processing fees on a worldwide scale. The objective of the study is … Continue reading “Innovating with Bitcoin at MIT”
Innovation Hub: Are Entrepreneurs a Dying Breed?
It feels like every day, we hear another story of a 22-year-old who sold his app for millions. But the truth about entrepreneurs may be very different. In fact, if you look at the official data, entrepreneurship in the U.S. has been in decline for over thirty years. We talked to Ben Casselman, the chief … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Are Entrepreneurs a Dying Breed?”
UW Startup Spectrom Tries to Bring Color to Desktop 3D Printing
If you believe industry insiders—and a considerable amount of media hype—desktop 3D printers are about to become the proverbial next big thing, as companies like MakerBot, 3D Systems, and Solidoodle find ways to create more reliable, user-friendly printers that consumers and most professional designers can afford. But while those companies duke it out for market … Continue reading “UW Startup Spectrom Tries to Bring Color to Desktop 3D Printing”
Foley Ventures Raises $2.1M For Third Venture Fund
Foley Ventures, the investment arm of national law firm Foley & Lardner, has raised $2.1 million for its third fund, according to a new SEC filing. It’s a small amount of money, but it adds to the mix of funding options for startups in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Foley has 17 law offices in the U.S., … Continue reading “Foley Ventures Raises $2.1M For Third Venture Fund”
Startup Milwaukee: Adding WiFi to Your Next Embedded Project
From the event organizer: “In this discussion, we will focus on the features of the Electric Imp—a low-cost way to easily add WiFi to your embedded project. We will focus on the hardware, device software, agent software, and enablement options. Finally, I will bring a couple of Electric Imps for those interested in playing with … Continue reading “Startup Milwaukee: Adding WiFi to Your Next Embedded Project”
Milwaukee Energy Incubator Channels Manufacturing Past to Power Future
Milwaukee has made efforts over the past several years to establish itself as a global hub for water technology, a push that gained momentum last year with the opening of The Water Council’s Global Water Center and the launch of a water tech startup accelerator there. Now, a coalition of big companies, academic researchers, and … Continue reading “Milwaukee Energy Incubator Channels Manufacturing Past to Power Future”
StudyBlue Adds $438,099 to Earlier Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9bb385f2-5fb4-40d0-baf6-c0de3753b45a Date 12/3/2014 Company Name StudyBlue Mailing Address 602 State Street Madison, WI 53703 USA Company Description StudyBlue is your online home to store lecture notes and make flashcards, with efficient tools that help focus your studying where you need it most, making your review sessions more efficient. Website http://www.studyblue.com Transaction Type … Continue reading “StudyBlue Adds $438,099 to Earlier Round”
More Biotechs Belly-Up These Days but Dendreon Still “One of a Kind”
Biotech companies rarely go bankrupt. Sitting where I sit, that bit of conventional wisdom comes around every so often, although it doesn’t generate quite the same buzz as Halley’s Comet or a wardrobe malfunction. Bankruptcy just doesn’t get America jawing over the water cooler on Monday morning. (I can’t imagine why.) If your cooler is … Continue reading “More Biotechs Belly-Up These Days but Dendreon Still “One of a Kind””
Prescription Drug Pricing: The Fine Line Between Value and Greed
Value. It’s one of the most frequently used buzzwords on both Wall Street and in healthcare. Virtually every press release from a publicly traded company assures us that its latest acquisition/layoff/tax inversion/sale of assets was designed “to increase shareholder value.” But what exactly is “value” and how is it measured? Here are some definitions from … Continue reading “Prescription Drug Pricing: The Fine Line Between Value and Greed”
Wisconsin Roundup: Gener8tor, Phoenix Nuclear Labs, Solaris, & More
The holiday season is upon us, but there’s been no shortage of news from Wisconsin’s technology and innovation sector. It’s time to catch up on the latest announcements: —Gener8tor, the startup accelerator that holds programs in Madison and Milwaukee, has raised more than $2.1 million for its second seed capital fund. Investors include Milwaukee-based CSA … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Gener8tor, Phoenix Nuclear Labs, Solaris, & More”
Exact Sciences Gets Medicare Reimbursement, Pursues Private Insurers
In another important step for Exact Sciences, the Madison, WI-based company said today that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will reimburse the use of its colon cancer diagnostic at $502 per test. Exact’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) stock closed at $24.90 per share today, up more than 2 percent from yesterday’s close. CMS had … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Gets Medicare Reimbursement, Pursues Private Insurers”
Startups and 13 States Jumpstart Equity Crowdfunding Without SEC
Ever wanted to own your own little piece of a startup, but found you don’t quite have the money to do it? Well, now you can buy a stake in a local brewery, restaurant, or software company—at least if you live in Wisconsin, Michigan, Washington, Colorado, or other states with new laws that let companies … Continue reading “Startups and 13 States Jumpstart Equity Crowdfunding Without SEC”
Edison DC Systems, Backed by Energy Foundry, Moves Closer to Market
Edison DC Systems, an energy storage startup that graduated Gener8tor’s accelerator program in April, has raised nearly $1.4 million from investors. The round was led by Chicago-based Energy Foundry, with participation by angel investors in Wisconsin, Illinois, and New York, Edison co-founder and CEO John Meinecke said. “This is a great opportunity for them and … Continue reading “Edison DC Systems, Backed by Energy Foundry, Moves Closer to Market”
The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 2-5 Years
In my previous article, I discussed the key risks and opportunities that startups face when they’re just starting out. This time, I’d like to go one step further to the second phase of a startup’s growth: age 2-5 years. This is a critical period. The initial excitement of starting a business is over, and now … Continue reading “The Risks and Opportunities in a Startup: Age 2-5 Years”
The Water Council’s Pilot Accelerator Startups See Mixed Success
Building momentum for a new startup accelerator can take time, and it’s probably too early to pass judgment on The Water Council’s water tech accelerator in Milwaukee, which launched last year. But now that the program is well into its second class, I decided to check its temperature. The verdict? A mixed bag. The accelerator—dubbed … Continue reading “The Water Council’s Pilot Accelerator Startups See Mixed Success”