The Wisconsin beer barons of the 1800s probably didn’t imagine brewers soliciting recipes from their customers. But that’s what Madison, WI-based MobCraft Beer is doing. The young company—which crowdsources craft beer recipes, lets people vote online for their favorite, and brews the most popular one each month—is one of several Wisconsin startups that are marrying … Continue reading “Making Pabst Proud: Wisconsin Startups Mix Beer With New Tech”
Category: Wisconsin
PacBio, the Post-Hype Sleeper of Genomics
Hype and biotech go hand in hand, but genomics takes exaggeration up a few extra notches. When genomics companies fail, they tend to crash especially hard. Yet every now and then, a company that’s monumentally hyped falls flat and then figures out a way to become a solid, if not spectacular, player. That’s the storyline … Continue reading “PacBio, the Post-Hype Sleeper of Genomics”
Bob Doyle and the Magic of Merlin, the First Mobile Game
If you sat down to make a list of the key turning points in the history of mobile computing, you’d definitely have to include 2007, the year Apple released the iPhone. Its glowing touchscreen became a personalized portal to our friends, to the Web, and to hundreds of thousands of games and other specialized apps. … Continue reading “Bob Doyle and the Magic of Merlin, the First Mobile Game”
How to Tell When a Startup Is Ready for Investment
Since 2005 startup accelerators have provided cohorts of startups with mentoring, pitch practice, and product focus. However, accelerator Demo Days are a combination of graduation ceremony and pitch contest, with the uncomfortable feel of a swimsuit competition. Other than “I’ll know it when I see it”, there’s no formal way for an investor attending Demo … Continue reading “How to Tell When a Startup Is Ready for Investment”
A New Era for Microsoft: Overcoming the Innovator’s Dilemma
I don’t know if Microsoft will be a $300 billion company 50 years from now, but I do know one thing: selecting Satya Nadella as CEO gives it a better chance than some of the names that were discussed in the news since Steve Ballmer announced he would be stepping down. The reason is simple: … Continue reading “A New Era for Microsoft: Overcoming the Innovator’s Dilemma”
Cellular Dynamics, Seizing the Present, Turns Stem Cells into Cash
Stories like Cellular Dynamics don’t grab venture capitalists in Boston or the San Francisco Bay Area. Stem cell biology as the basis for a low-margin laboratory “services” business? Borrrring. Most of the big thinkers and the big moneymen are more excited about stem cells as “regenerative medicines” that would cost a fortune and could potentially … Continue reading “Cellular Dynamics, Seizing the Present, Turns Stem Cells into Cash”
Wisconsin Startup’s Neutron Generator Generates Big U.K. Customer
Phoenix Nuclear Labs has closed on a $1.15 million private funding round and inked its first major commercial contract, the Monona, WI, startup said this week. Phoenix has developed a particle accelerator-based neutron generator that has applications in medical isotope production and neutron radiography imaging, among other uses. The company was founded in 2005 by … Continue reading “Wisconsin Startup’s Neutron Generator Generates Big U.K. Customer”
Encore Entrepreneurs: They’re Older and They Have More Insurance
OK, I want you to take a quick test and answer the question with the first thing that comes to mind: What does a “start-up entrepreneur” look like? OK, do you have a picture in your mind? If you are like most people, I bet your first thought was someone who looks suspiciously like a … Continue reading “Encore Entrepreneurs: They’re Older and They Have More Insurance”
100health Aims to Incubate Health IT Startups, Put Madison on Map
The ambitious talk of turning Madison, WI, into the nation’s premier hub for healthcare and healthtech startups has grown louder in recent weeks. Now add 100health to the conversation. The new company, housed in downtown Madison co-working space 100state, is part think tank and part startup incubator. 100health will work with healthcare providers, insurers, and … Continue reading “100health Aims to Incubate Health IT Startups, Put Madison on Map”
An Executive’s Guide to Not Screwing Up Partnerships
Everyone loves partnerships. These fancy sounding deals are also often called “strategic alliances,” “co-marketing agreements,” “channel sales,” or in Continental Europe, “a coöperation” (sounds quite nice and German, doesn’t it?). Partnerships are prestigious, and they whisper to you the sweet possibilities of easy revenue. In Silicon Valley, they are generally run with lots of fanfare … Continue reading “An Executive’s Guide to Not Screwing Up Partnerships”
The Inside Story: What CISOs Know About Cybersecurity
In the wake of aggressive press coverage of recent major breaches at companies from Target to Neiman Marcus, cybersecurity has finally moved out of the shadows to become a top-of-mind issue at major enterprises. The new focus is dramatically changing the landscape for security leaders and business executives, who no longer struggle to convince their … Continue reading “The Inside Story: What CISOs Know About Cybersecurity”
Wisconsin Roundup: Startup Weekend, Epic Systems, Johnson Controls
A few notable news items from Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community over the last week: —The first Startup Weekend was held in the Green Bay area. About 45 people participated, forming nine startup teams in the span of 54 hours on St. Norbert College’s campus, said Chris Campbell, one of the volunteers who helped run … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Startup Weekend, Epic Systems, Johnson Controls”
Hiring in Biotech is Tricky. But Algorithms Won’t Save the Day
People who appreciate baseball stats agree: Jonny Gomes of the Boston Red Sox is a below-average player. Yet, if you pay attention to his intangibles, he looks better. Even with lousy performance data, he was credited with playing a key role last fall in helping his team win the World Series. The Gomes example reminds … Continue reading “Hiring in Biotech is Tricky. But Algorithms Won’t Save the Day”
“All Hat, Ton of Cattle…”
Had a remarkable day Friday in Houston crawling around the Texas Medical Center. I was in town to speak at the Xconomy Healthcare Summit—an incredible roster of speakers and attendees, I must say. As Ron DePinho, president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, characterized, this part of Houston is as if someone put the Kendall Square … Continue reading ““All Hat, Ton of Cattle…””
WhatsApp, $19 Billion, and the Unreal Economy of Silicon Valley
Facebook announced Wednesday that it will acquire mobile messaging provider WhatsApp, a five-year-old startup in Santa Clara, CA, for $4 billion in cash, $12 billion in stock, and another $3 billion in restricted stock units. So, $19 billion when all’s said and done. The deal is eyebrow-raising on any number of levels. What made WhatsApp … Continue reading “WhatsApp, $19 Billion, and the Unreal Economy of Silicon Valley”
BlueTree Network Co-founder Launches Healthcare App Venture
[Updated 2/25/14, 3:16 pm. See below.] Epic Systems veteran Reggie Luedtke is launching his second healthcare information technology startup, a venture that he hopes will coax healthcare providers to share more data and break down bureaucratic divisions across the industry. The new company, called Branch2, wants to build software that can connect the various parts … Continue reading “BlueTree Network Co-founder Launches Healthcare App Venture”
What Does $19B Buy? Market Validation for Text Messaging
When Facebook acquired WhatsApp last night, most of the initial headlines focused on the value of the deal and overall shock at how big the number actually was. Examples ranged from “Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion in deal shocker” (Reuters) to “Stunner: Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash, stock” (Forbes). … Continue reading “What Does $19B Buy? Market Validation for Text Messaging”
WIN-Madison: Sonic Foundry Alums Discuss Latest Ventures
From the event organizer: “Just like sound waves resonate far beyond the source, learn how Madison-based Sonic Foundry “alumni” have created sizable ripples of their own as they have engaged in other ventures at the Tuesday, Feb. 25, meeting of the Wisconsin Innovation Network in Madison. Sonic Foundry alums include Monty Schmidt, founder of Sonic … Continue reading “WIN-Madison: Sonic Foundry Alums Discuss Latest Ventures”
Are Universities Creating Too Many Biotech Startups?
Bruce Booth, the biotech venture capitalist known for his social media savvy, sent a Tweet last month that caught my eye. He tweeted in reference to the number of academic spinoffs reported in the 2012 AUTM Licensing Survey Report, “What % biotech? My bet, ~ half.” Extrapolating from Top U.S. universities, institutes for life sciences in … Continue reading “Are Universities Creating Too Many Biotech Startups?”
Renaissance Learning Lands $40,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a872010c-479c-4911-8bef-944609d4c61b Date 2/20/2014 Company Name Renaissance Learning Mailing Address 2911 Peach Street Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494 Company Description Today Renaissance Learning is a world leader in cloud-based assessment, teaching, and learning solutions with over 900 employees and customers in over one-third of U.S. schools and more than 60 countries worldwide. Website http://www.renaissance.com … Continue reading “Renaissance Learning Lands $40,000,000 New Funding Round”
This Ain’t Like Dusting Crops, Boy. Oh, Wait…Actually, It Is.
Awhile back I blogged about Ashwin, one of my ex-students wanted to raise a seed round to build Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) with a hyper-spectral camera and fly it over farm fields collecting hyper-spectral images. These images, when processed with his company’s proprietary algorithms, would be able to tell farmers how healthy their plants were, … Continue reading “This Ain’t Like Dusting Crops, Boy. Oh, Wait…Actually, It Is.”
Intel Survey: Americans Skeptical, Yet Hopeful, About Smart Cities
Intel thinks it’s only a matter of time before cars, streets, highways, buildings—in short, most parts of the urban infrastructure—get a brain upgrade. And naturally, it expects that Intel chips will be powering much of the new smarts. But the Santa Clara, CA-based semiconductor giant knows that public fears about sensor networks and large-scale data … Continue reading “Intel Survey: Americans Skeptical, Yet Hopeful, About Smart Cities”
Water Summit 2014
From the event organizer: “Water Summit 2014 will explore the opportunities businesses, universities, communities, start-ups and non-governmental organizations (NGO) have as the global water technology market thrives. As we continue to build on the momentum from past Summits, we’ll examine how to advance in an ever-competitive global water market. Featured topics this year include: water … Continue reading “Water Summit 2014”
neXXpo: Business in Fast Forward
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce will host a business expo that features presentations on manufacturing, startups, sustainability, talent, and technology. The event will also feature a pitch contest, Pressure Chamber, with the winner earning a spot on a trip to Silicon Valley to meet with venture capitalists. For more information and to register for … Continue reading “neXXpo: Business in Fast Forward”
Entrepreneurons: Valuation and Financial Analysis
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation’s “Entrepreneurons” series will host a discussion about company valuations and financial analysis. Sean Jacobsohn, a venture partner with Emergence Capital Partners, will give the keynote speech. A panel discussion will feature Terry Sivesind, director of MERLIN Mentors; Chad Raube, president and CEO of Guaranty Services Group; and Carrie Thome, WARF … Continue reading “Entrepreneurons: Valuation and Financial Analysis”
Google Capital Takes Minority Stake in Renaissance Learning
Renaissance Learning, the education software firm based in central Wisconsin, has received a $40 million investment from Google Capital that makes the fund a minority stakeholder, the companies announced today. The deal values Renaissance at $1 billion. The New York Times first reported the $40 million figure. The deal marks Google Capital’s first investment in … Continue reading “Google Capital Takes Minority Stake in Renaissance Learning”
Madison Biotech Supplier Goes Lean to Stave Off Foreign Competitors
When you say the words “lean” or “Six Sigma” on the shop floors of industrial plants across the globe, people immediately know what you’re talking about. Pioneered decades ago by automakers determined to cut waste out of their manufacturing processes, those same ideas are now starting to permeate the chemical vats and microscopes of biological … Continue reading “Madison Biotech Supplier Goes Lean to Stave Off Foreign Competitors”
Balancing Power Between Biotech and Big Pharma Benefits Both
Xconomy’s Luke Timmerman recently suggested that biotechs’ IPO option has shifted the balance of power between Big Pharma and biotech closer to parity, and the big guys have lost (or at least loosened) their iron grip on venture-backed biotech. As he put it, The power dynamic between the two parties is the closest it’s been … Continue reading “Balancing Power Between Biotech and Big Pharma Benefits Both”
Six Wisconsin Firms Gain Access to Milwaukee Institute Supercomputer
The R&D efforts within six Wisconsin startups and more established companies will get a boost from a supercomputer, thanks to a new grant program. The recipients of the one-year grant program were announced today. They will each receive between $10,000 and $50,000, as well as access to the nonprofit Milwaukee Institute’s high-performance computing and data … Continue reading “Six Wisconsin Firms Gain Access to Milwaukee Institute Supercomputer”
Wisconsin Roundup: Uber, New Seed Fund, ‘Aladdin’ Closing
Last week was a busy one for Wisconsin’s tech and innovation community. Here are some notable news items, in case you missed them: —Uber, the popular and (in some circles) notorious ride-sharing app, launched in Milwaukee. It’s the first Badger State location in which Uber has planted itself. It attempted to make a splash with … Continue reading “Wisconsin Roundup: Uber, New Seed Fund, ‘Aladdin’ Closing”
Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA
Some of the more exciting ideas in biotech are coming up in molecular diagnostics. There’s cool science at work. A number of tests have potential to cut down on overtreatment, reduce waste in healthcare, and give physicians clever new ideas on how to help patients. But this industry, which accounts for less than 2 percent … Continue reading “Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA”
Wisconsin Restaurant Ordering Platform EatStreet Raises $3.7M
EatStreet, the online restaurant ordering platform based in Madison, WI, has raised $3.7 million in a financing round, according to a document filed this month with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Seventeen investors have taken part so far in the equity offering that could reach $5 million at close, according to the SEC filing. … Continue reading “Wisconsin Restaurant Ordering Platform EatStreet Raises $3.7M”
15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters
Nobody on their deathbed says they wish they’d spent more time reading tech blogs. Don’t get me wrong: It’s great that consumers and entrepreneurs have so many places today to get news about the world of Internet startups, mobile devices, software, and venture investing. Back in 1998-2001, the last time things were this crazy in … Continue reading “15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters”
Wisconsin, Michigan Researchers Partner on Non-Food Biofuels
According to a December report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Patricia Dehmer, chief science officer for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), was recently asked to name a program funded by her office that was producing tangible results. Her response? Madison’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) and five other similar research centers across the … Continue reading “Wisconsin, Michigan Researchers Partner on Non-Food Biofuels”
Former Wisconsin Gov. Thompson Wants to Form Angel Fund
Former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson has aspirations for starting an early-stage investment fund—that’s if he can achieve a few exits this year with his current personal investments. Thompson made the comments Thursday afternoon at a luncheon in Wauwatosa, WI, hosted by the Wisconsin Innovation Network, an arm of the Madison-based Wisconsin Technology Council. Thompson held … Continue reading “Former Wisconsin Gov. Thompson Wants to Form Angel Fund”
Techstars’ Troy Henikoff: Wisconsin Startups’ Problems No Different
When I talked with Techstars Chicago’s managing director Troy Henikoff in January about his upcoming visit to Milwaukee, he readily admitted that he didn’t know as much about Wisconsin’s tech startup scene as he would like. I caught up with Henikoff again Wednesday night at the event hosted by Startup Milwaukee to ask him what … Continue reading “Techstars’ Troy Henikoff: Wisconsin Startups’ Problems No Different”
Flipping the Flipped Classroom
Two of the hot topics in education in the last few years have been Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) and the flipped classroom. I’ve been experimenting with both of them. What I’ve learned (besides being able to use the word “pedagogy” in a sentence) is 1) assigning students lectures as homework doesn’t guarantee the students … Continue reading “Flipping the Flipped Classroom”
With New App, H2Oscore Brings Smart Meter Reading to the People
Milwaukee technology startup H2Oscore is launching a beta version of a new app this week that will allow homeowners and businesses to take monitoring their water and electricity use into their own hands. The software performs data analytics similar to H2Oscore’s current Web dashboard for tracking water use, but the new “MeterHero” app cuts municipal … Continue reading “With New App, H2Oscore Brings Smart Meter Reading to the People”
Baird Venture Capital Group Raising $150M For Fourth Fund
The venture capital arm of Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. intends to raise $150 million for a fourth fund, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the news. Baird has yet to collect any of the money, according to the document filed Friday with … Continue reading “Baird Venture Capital Group Raising $150M For Fourth Fund”
Novelos Becomes Cellectar, Returns to Madison Roots
Novelos Therapeutics today announced a corporate name change that returns to the roots of the Madison, WI, company. Novelos (OTCQX: [[ticker:NVLT]]) is now Cellectar Biosciences and will trade under the stock ticker symbol (OTCQX: [[ticker:CLRB]]) effective Wednesday. The new name should be familiar to those who follow Wisconsin’s life sciences industry. Novelos was formerly based … Continue reading “Novelos Becomes Cellectar, Returns to Madison Roots”
From Oakland to Milwaukee, Molding Black Youths Into Entrepreneurs
Even with a flurry of national news coverage, there are some questions about the shooting death of Trayvon Martin that might never be answered. This much is clear: the confrontation that took the Florida teenager’s life was a drawn-out encounter that could have been cut off several times. If Martin had an easy way to … Continue reading “From Oakland to Milwaukee, Molding Black Youths Into Entrepreneurs”
Wisconsin Venture Debt Programs Need More Deals, Not More Capital
Venture debt represents a growing source of funds for early-stage technology companies, one that is encouraging banks and public entities to become more involved in startup funding. Wisconsin is no exception to this trend. The state’s venture debt programs committed $8.2 million in loans in 2013, representing a substantial upside to what was a down … Continue reading “Wisconsin Venture Debt Programs Need More Deals, Not More Capital”
The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?
One of the old saws in journalism is to “follow the money” when you’re looking for a story. But sometimes you learn even more by following the people. The people, in this case, are biotech venture capitalists. Regular readers of this column know that biotech VC has been going through a historic shakeout the last … Continue reading “The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?”
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her”
Warning: Extensive plot spoilers. Like any effective science fiction movie, Spike Jonze’s Her has sparked a lot of important conversation and criticism, about everything from user-interface design to misogyny in filmmaking. But the reviews I’ve read all seem to miss one key point. Considered as a product, not a person (and we’ll get back to … Continue reading “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her””
EatStreet Secures $3,721,990 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b3a8570a-4a0f-4fb3-a02b-af095c8130b9 Date 2/7/2014 Company Name EatStreet Mailing Address 107 N. Hamilton St. Madison, WI 53703 Company Description EatStreet was designed to make local food delivery as easy as possible. EatStreet is a free online ordering service that connects you with food from your favorite local restaurants. With EatStreet you can easily find … Continue reading “EatStreet Secures $3,721,990 New Funding”
Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk
The concepts in my Lean LaunchPad curriculum can be taught in a variety of classes–as an introduction to entrepreneurship all the way to a graduate level “capstone class.” I recently learned being tough when you select teams for a capstone class pays off for all involved. Here’s why. Our Lean LaunchPad class requires student teams … Continue reading “Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk”
Novelos Cancer Drug to Enter Phase II With $4M Investment
Novelos Therapeutics said today it will raise $4 million from investors that will allow the company to initiate a Phase II clinical trial of one of its cancer drugs. Madison, WI-based Novelos (OTCQX: [[ticker:NVLT]]) is developing compounds that either target and kill cancer cells or act as imaging agents for detecting cancer. Its drugs are … Continue reading “Novelos Cancer Drug to Enter Phase II With $4M Investment”
3 Takeaways From Madison Startup Fair: More, Faster, Better
Usually it’s the job candidates who have to fight to stand out in discussions with potential employers at a job fair, not the other way around. But for tech startups operating with a lean staff and budget, trying to entice young talent when your booth is next to big names like Google and General Electric … Continue reading “3 Takeaways From Madison Startup Fair: More, Faster, Better”
5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation
Every company wants to build a strong brand. However, for startups in today’s crowded marketplace, it can be quite challenging to get a brand noticed and recognized. I believe it’s always a good idea to study the best brands in the world, and see how they do things. So here are a few key tips … Continue reading “5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation”
Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out
Today’s generation of students has a high exposure to the Internet, smartphones, social and many other technologies from a very young age. It is not uncommon to see college students tinkering with technology, starting digital startups, and making millions (and occasionally even billions). Some drop out of school to build their business, but not all. … Continue reading “Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out”