The first sign that Steve Ballmer was in the house came when I saw a cop car parked outside the University of Washington’s Computer Science & Engineering building. Then there were the paper signs telling you where to line up for his 10 am talk today. The Microsoft CEO doesn’t make many local public appearances, … Continue reading “Steve Ballmer at UW: Is This Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Strategy, or Just Internet Software?”
Offbeat Creations Bought by Playdom
Bellevue, WA-based Offbeat Creations, a developer and publisher of Facebook gaming apps, has been acquired by Playdom, the social gaming company based in Mountain View, CA. Financial terms of the deal weren’t released. Offbeat Creations is best known for its dice game, Super Farkle. Its founders, Chia Chin Lee, Robert Reichner, and Tom Fakes, are … Continue reading “Offbeat Creations Bought by Playdom”
Adventrx Pharmaceuticals Set Back by FDA, La Jolla Pharmaceutical Can’t Cure Shareholder Apathy, Regulus Signs Another Deal With Glaxo, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
There was a flurry of San Diego life sciences news over the past week, but we’ve got it all sorted for you here. —Politicians sometimes complain about voter apathy, but consider the plight of San Diego’s La Jolla Pharmaceutical. The biotech, which failed to develop a drug for lupus, has been unable to muster enough … Continue reading “Adventrx Pharmaceuticals Set Back by FDA, La Jolla Pharmaceutical Can’t Cure Shareholder Apathy, Regulus Signs Another Deal With Glaxo, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Merck to Move U.S. Chem. Unit to Bay State
The chairman of Germany-based Merck KGaA told the Boston Globe this week that the company plans to move the headquarters of its U.S. chemical business from New Jersey to Billerica, MA, following his firm’s deal to purchase Billerica-based life sciences firm Millipore for $7.2 billion. The Massachusetts-based division will be called EMD Millipore, Merck chairman … Continue reading “Merck to Move U.S. Chem. Unit to Bay State”
Soane Energy’s Oil-Grabbing Polymers Could Make a Necessary Industry Less Noxious
When you hear the phrase “cleantech,” you generally think of green hills studded with wind turbines, or buildings sheathed in shiny solar panels. The oil sands of Alberta—where mining companies foul vast amounts of freshwater while extracting crude oil from surface deposits, leaving behind huge, toxic tailings ponds—don’t usually come to mind. But the way … Continue reading “Soane Energy’s Oil-Grabbing Polymers Could Make a Necessary Industry Less Noxious”
Dendreon’s False Rumor, Cell Therapeutics’ New FDA Day, Microsoft’s Health-IT Plan, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
Speculation about the future of a few cancer drugs attracted a ton of interest in Seattle biotech this week. —Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) lived up to its nickname on Wall Street this week: Dendrama. The company was forced to fight back against a rumor from analyst Elliott Favus, which turned out to be wrong, but … Continue reading “Dendreon’s False Rumor, Cell Therapeutics’ New FDA Day, Microsoft’s Health-IT Plan, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
ActivX Biosciences, Showing Life After Takeover, Keeps Innovative Ties in San Diego
Cover business long enough, and some storylines becomes routine. Startup creates something valuable, gets acquired. Valuable thing gets plucked away by big company, cost cuts ensue, jobs are lost, founders bolt, remaining employees are never to be heard from again. But ActivX Biosciences isn’t following that script. This San Diego-based company was a highflier during … Continue reading “ActivX Biosciences, Showing Life After Takeover, Keeps Innovative Ties in San Diego”
Donuts for Developers: CEO Scott Kveton on Getting Urban Airship Aloft
Every startup has a defining moment from its early days. Its first big customer. Its first outside funding round. Its first big change in strategy or revenue model. For Urban Airship, I would say it was its first big developers conference. And the company didn’t even make it in the door. You might think the … Continue reading “Donuts for Developers: CEO Scott Kveton on Getting Urban Airship Aloft”
Tolerx, After a Decade and $150M, Eagerly Awaits Data from Big Diabetes Trial
By the end of this year, the people at Tolerx will have a good sense of what they’ve created with $150 million of investment over the past decade. If the Cambridge, MA-based company has played its cards right, it should have positive results from a pivotal clinical trial of a drug with an unorthodox approach … Continue reading “Tolerx, After a Decade and $150M, Eagerly Awaits Data from Big Diabetes Trial”
Local Dirt Garners New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=73635006-e9de-4306-a419-109b190e2e3f&Preview=1 Date 3/4/2010 Company Name Local Dirt Mailing Address 1245 E Washington Ave Madison, WI 53565 Company Description Local Dirt, a Madison, Wis.-based developer of agricultural logistics software for local food markets Website http://www.localdirt.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A … Continue reading “Local Dirt Garners New Financing Round”
Alien Technology Corporation Lands $10,900,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=91e8fb3c-cc71-4ad9-a689-2fa2f3f1a542&Preview=1 Date 3/4/2010 Company Name Alien Technology Corporation Mailing Address 18220 Butterfield Blvd Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Company Description Alien Technology provides UHF Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products and services to customers in retail, consumer goods, manufacturing, defense, transportation and logistics, pharmaceuticals and other industries. Website http://www.alientechnology.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “Alien Technology Corporation Lands $10,900,000 New Financing Round”
TripIt Garners $7,000,000 Series C Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9e320c9d-f2e5-4d51-a184-a400a806913a&Preview=1 Date 3/4/2010 Company Name TripIt Mailing Address 444 De Haro Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description TripIt is an online service that helps travelers organize all their travel plans—no matter where they booked. To get started, travelers just forward their travel confirmation emails to [email protected]. TripIt processes these emails and … Continue reading “TripIt Garners $7,000,000 Series C Round”
Vaxart Obtains $12,500,000 Series B Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=20a8cc1b-778d-4116-bea9-d7eb9dd2bfd9&Preview=1 Date 3/4/2010 Company Name Vaxart Mailing Address 600 Townsend St San Francisco, CA 94103 Company Description The combination of adenovirus vector, adjuvant and oral administration will unlock the potential of vector-based vaccination, with applications in Avian Influenza response, biodefense vaccines, and second-generation versions of existing vaccines. The company is currently testing … Continue reading “Vaxart Obtains $12,500,000 Series B Financing”
S4 to Build Waste-to-Fuel Plant
S4 Energy Solutions, a joint venture by Houston, TX-based Waste Management (NYSE: [[ticker:WM]]) and Bend, OR-based InEnTec, said today it plans to build a waste-to-fuel facility at a landfill in Arlington, OR. The plan is for the plasma gasification plant to convert municipal solid waste into clean fuels and renewable energy. Construction is slated to … Continue reading “S4 to Build Waste-to-Fuel Plant”
Dendreon Follow-Up Confirms Survival Edge, Helping Fend off Sanofi Rival
Dendreon’s pivotal clinical trial is standing up to the test of time—and it may need that sort of analysis to fend off a tough new competing chemo drug. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said today that its first-of-a-kind immune booster for prostate cancer helped men live longer than a placebo, after another couple extra … Continue reading “Dendreon Follow-Up Confirms Survival Edge, Helping Fend off Sanofi Rival”
The Resurrection of Project Finance Panel
Examine the ways clean energy entrepreneurs can get around the lack of capital they so often encounter, at this event sponsored by the New England Clean Energy Council. A panel of CEOs, investors, consultants, and lawyers in the clean energy space will discuss financial incentives, and debt and equity structures that project developers should consider … Continue reading “The Resurrection of Project Finance Panel”
TechFlash Live: The Future of Advertising
Registration and info here. As the economy recovers, advertising is at a crossroads, with digital innovations creating better ways for companies to reach their customers and build their brands using everything from traditional websites to video games. In the meantime, many technology startups are faced with a dilemma — bet the future of their businesses … Continue reading “TechFlash Live: The Future of Advertising”
Start Here Open House: HubSpot
Start your morning with breakfast at Cambridge’s HubSpot, makers of software to help small businesses get discovered by shoppers on the Web. CEO and founder Brian Halligan will talk about why his company got its start in the Bay State, at this startup open house organized by the New England Venture Capital Association. Register for … Continue reading “Start Here Open House: HubSpot”
Seaweed Biofuel Company, Seattle’s Bio Architecture Lab, Struck by Chile Quake
One of Seattle’s most interesting clean energy startups is feeling the impact from the earthquake last weekend in Chile. Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab, a University of Washington spinoff that’s developing microbes to turn seaweed into renewable fuel, has built a big part of its business on relationships in Chile. The company has an office in … Continue reading “Seaweed Biofuel Company, Seattle’s Bio Architecture Lab, Struck by Chile Quake”
Microsoft’s Full-Court Innovation Press: TechFest User Interfaces, IT for Hospitals, Ballmer at UW
Please excuse the March Madness sports metaphor, but Microsoft is picking up the intensity around its innovative new products (and earlier-stage projects) this week. Between its TechFest research showcase, healthcare software product announcements, and a special local appearance by CEO Steve Ballmer, the Redmond, WA-based company is on a serious PR roll, getting the word … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Full-Court Innovation Press: TechFest User Interfaces, IT for Hospitals, Ballmer at UW”
Isis Biopolymer Finds $3M
Isis Biopolymer, a Providence, RI-based developer of drug-delivery devices, has raised $3 million in equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The document does not list the investors in the round, and company CEO Emma Durand was not immediately available for comment this afternoon. The company says on its website that it was founded in … Continue reading “Isis Biopolymer Finds $3M”
Vulcan Re-ups with Audience
Seattle-based Vulcan Capital, the venture firm of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, has participated in a $15 million Series E round for Audience, a Mountain View, CA-based voice processing semiconductor company. New Enterprise Associates, Tallwood Venture Capital, and VentureTech Alliance also participated in the funding, which was all raised from existing investors. Audience designs chips, for … Continue reading “Vulcan Re-ups with Audience”
$2B Bid for Novell
Novell has received an unsolicited offer from one of its largest stockholders to acquire all of the Waltham, MA-based network software maker’s outstanding shares for $5.75 a share, the company confirmed in a press release. The bid from Elliott Associates, which owns 8.5 percent of Novell common stock, represents a 49 percent premium over Novell’s … Continue reading “$2B Bid for Novell”
Start Here Open House: Kiva Systems
Check out the makers of the robots that are working the distribution centers of retailers from Staples to Walgreens to Gap. Kiva Systems will open its Woburn facility for a tour and demonstration to reveal what goes into its robotic order fulfillment system.
Qualcomm CEO Sees Company Driving Wave of Mobile Internet Innovation
Some people in the audience began to gasp audibly as Qualcomm chairman and CEO Paul Jacobs neared the end of his presentation at the San Diego wireless company’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday. The exclamations came about 40 minutes into Jacobs’ address, as he began explaining how various aspects of Qualcomm’s technology are expected to come … Continue reading “Qualcomm CEO Sees Company Driving Wave of Mobile Internet Innovation”
Seattle Genetics Gets Roche Cash
Seattle Genetics said today it has received an undisclosed milestone payment from Genentech, a wholly owned unit of Switzerland-based Roche. Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) is getting the payment because Genentech has filed an application with the FDA to begin clinical trials of an antibody for cancer that uses Seattle Genetics’ technology that links those targeting … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Gets Roche Cash”
Stemgent Betting $4.5M on Scottish Biotech
Stemgent, a provider of biological materials for life sciences research with offices in Cambridge, MA, and San Diego, reports this morning it will invest $4.5 million over the next three years in the Dundee, Scotland-based biotech firm Ubiquigent. Ubiquigent is producing biological products developed by the Scottish Institute for Cell Signalling at the University of … Continue reading “Stemgent Betting $4.5M on Scottish Biotech”
Geospiza Runs in the Black, as Scientists Turn to Software to Help Crunch Genomes
The faster and cheaper that gene sequencing gets, the better things start to look for Seattle-based Geospiza. This small angel-backed company has stuck to its guns for 13 years, many of them lean, arguing that biologists need better software to make sense of the digital mountains of DNA being created every day. Geospiza—knock wood—has now … Continue reading “Geospiza Runs in the Black, as Scientists Turn to Software to Help Crunch Genomes”
Prominent Flatley Family Launches Boston Nonprofit for Cystic Fibrosis Drug Research
When a rare disease strikes one of their own, some families take it upon themselves to find a cure. Unsatisfied with treatment options for the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis, the Flatleys have become one of those families. John Flatley, a Braintree, MA, real estate developer, is spearheading his family’s effort to find a cure for … Continue reading “Prominent Flatley Family Launches Boston Nonprofit for Cystic Fibrosis Drug Research”
ShopIgniter Adds $3M for Social Commerce, Led by Madrona Venture Group; Amazon Watches
Portland, OR-based ShopIgniter, a startup working to unify the worlds of e-commerce and social media, has raised $3 million in Series A funding led by Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group. As part of the deal, former Madrona venture partner Matt Compton has joined ShopIgniter as CEO. ShopIgniter was founded in 2008 by Alan Wizemann, Dan Warner, … Continue reading “ShopIgniter Adds $3M for Social Commerce, Led by Madrona Venture Group; Amazon Watches”
Novalar Strikes Deal With Sanofi to Market Dental Drug in Germany, Maybe Rest of EU
Novalar has convinced one of the world’s biggest drugmakers, Paris-based Sanofi-Aventis, that it might be onto something. The San Diego-based biotech is announcing today that it has struck a partnership in which Sanofi’s unit in Germany will have exclusive marketing rights to the vasodilator drug phentolamine mesylate (OraVerse) in that country, plus an option to … Continue reading “Novalar Strikes Deal With Sanofi to Market Dental Drug in Germany, Maybe Rest of EU”
Announcing the Official Mass Mobile Month iPhone App, from Swift Mobile
On the third official day of Mass Mobile Month, we’re extremely pleased to unveil the official Mass Mobile Month iPhone app. Created by Swift Mobile of Cambridge, MA, and available at no cost through Apple’s iTunes App Store, the app includes the full list of Mass Mobile Month events, as well as a map guiding … Continue reading “Announcing the Official Mass Mobile Month iPhone App, from Swift Mobile”
British Invasion: Finsphere Expands to U.K., With A Little Help From Its Friends
A couple of weeks ago, I had an interesting chat with Finsphere, a technology company in Bellevue, WA, that makes mobile software to help banks and other institutions fight financial fraud and identity theft. Finsphere has been working on expanding globally, and it took a big first step last August when it opened an office … Continue reading “British Invasion: Finsphere Expands to U.K., With A Little Help From Its Friends”
Marathon and Zafgen Add to Series B Rounds, Athenahealth and Sermo Announce Partnership, Sensata Sets IPO Terms, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Early round venture funding dominated the deals news this week, but there were still announcements of partnerships, acquisitions, and IPOs to mix it up. —Newton, MA-based energy storage company General Compression announced it had closed more than $17 million in commitments to its Series A round, but did not reveal how much of that money … Continue reading “Marathon and Zafgen Add to Series B Rounds, Athenahealth and Sermo Announce Partnership, Sensata Sets IPO Terms, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Isis Biopolymer Obtains $3,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c36dfdaa-1d0b-49bc-8fff-2e1a2d35df95&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name Isis Biopolymer Mailing Address 233 Richmond Street Providence, RI 02903 Company Description Isis Biopolymer, Inc. is an early stage, Rhode Island-based medical device company. Isis has developed a major advance in intelligent non-invasive drug delivery, the Isis Patch™. The Isis Patch is a personalized, single-use, flexible, ultra-thin, … Continue reading “Isis Biopolymer Obtains $3,000,000 New Financing Round”
ShopIgniter Garners $3,000,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=05d2738f-c7d8-4981-9690-cc6509b5c84b&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name ShopIgniter Mailing Address Undisclosed Portland, OR 97201 Company Description The goal of ShopIgniter is to bring human interaction to eCommerce with social media tools, bridging the offline and online shopping experience. Website http://www.shopigniter.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The … Continue reading “ShopIgniter Garners $3,000,000 Series A Funding”
Perfect Market Technologies Obtains $6,000,000 Series C Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=97555d08-d982-4917-9848-cfdc43aec254&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name Perfect Market Technologies Mailing Address 2400 N. Lincoln Avenue Altadena, CA 91001 Company Description Perfect Market, Inc. is a marketing services company that helps online publishers monetize their large libraries of archived content with little or no risk to the publisher. The company applies proprietary processes to … Continue reading “Perfect Market Technologies Obtains $6,000,000 Series C Funding Round”
Cloudmark Obtains $23,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f29178d2-2a72-492b-aaea-04ebe5646d5b&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name Cloudmark Mailing Address 128 King Street Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description Cloudmark is the company that delivers the immune system for email. Website http://www.cloudmark.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $23,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The new funding was used to assist in … Continue reading “Cloudmark Obtains $23,000,000 New Financing”
GEO Semiconductor Obtains New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5a04ab39-0382-4f6b-9381-77e2876dd838&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name GEO Semiconductor Mailing Address 2350 Mission College Blvd Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Geo Semiconductor Inc. has acquired the assets related to two unique pixel processing platform technologies and the associated IC businesses from Silicon Optix. Both the Realta and GEO IC’s are in production. The … Continue reading “GEO Semiconductor Obtains New Funding”
TerraSpark Geosciences Lands $6,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9543bc87-cbb5-4255-8a47-719a010430d2&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name TerraSpark Geosciences Mailing Address 1300 W Sam Houston Pkwy S Houston, TX 77042 Company Description Through its unique blend of industry experience, geoscience expertise and computer science skills, TerraSpark creates breakthrough software solutions and consulting services that lead to better exploration and production decisions – enabling the … Continue reading “TerraSpark Geosciences Lands $6,000,000 New Round”
HomeAway Acquires BedandBreakfast.com for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ebcf5993-3d0c-4f80-bdbf-33f2a6238a35&Preview=1 Date 3/3/2010 Company Name BedandBreakfast.com Mailing Address 700 Brazos Street Austin, TX 78701 Company Description BedandBreakfast.com has the most comprehensive database: Worldwide listings include bed and breakfasts, B&B homestays, country and urban inns, guest houses, lodges, cabins, historic hotels, small resorts, guest ranches, and farmhouse accommodations. B&B database searches allow you … Continue reading “HomeAway Acquires BedandBreakfast.com for Undisclosed Sum”
San Diego Biotechs Raise Cash for Novel Drugs to Treat Cancers, Broad Disease Spectrum
A number of biotechs and medical device companies in the San Diego area have disclosed funding deals in recent weeks. As I noted last month, San Diego-based ProActa raised about $1.1 million to continue its anti-cancer drug development work. I found some more deals while reviewing filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission: —Auspex … Continue reading “San Diego Biotechs Raise Cash for Novel Drugs to Treat Cancers, Broad Disease Spectrum”
$5.4M for Desktone
Desktone, a maker of virtual desktop software, has raised $5.4 million out of a nearly $12.2 million equity offering, an SEC filing revealed today. The Chelmsford, MA-based company didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation on what round the financing represents, but the filing notes that 15 investors have participated. In 2007, Desktone closed $17 million … Continue reading “$5.4M for Desktone”
Amicas Warms Up to Merge Healthcare’s Buyout Bid
Amicas has changed its tune about its competitor Merge Healthcare’s efforts to buy the Boston-based software firm. After criticizing those efforts last month, Amicas’s board says that Merge’s updated buyout offer is superior to the one it had agreed to accept from the private equity group Thoma Bravo in December. Milwaukee-based Merge is offering to … Continue reading “Amicas Warms Up to Merge Healthcare’s Buyout Bid”
Tech Coast Angels’ Dollars Invested and Number of Deals Declined in 2009
Investments by Southern California’s Tech Coast Angels dropped in 2009, as the network of individual investors helped raise a total of $61.7 million in direct investments by TCA members and affiliated investors. The angel investor group says it participated in seven new deals and 17 follow-on deals last year, according to a statement. The organization, … Continue reading “Tech Coast Angels’ Dollars Invested and Number of Deals Declined in 2009”
Konarka Gets A $20M Power Boost From Konica Minolta For Photovoltaics
Konarka Technologies, a Lowell, MA, developer of flexible, nanotechnology-based “Power Plastic” that converts light to energy, will receive $20 million from Konica Minolta in an R&D and investment agreement announced today. The companies will jointly develop and distribute organic thin-film photovoltaics. Konarka brings to the table its simplified, roll-to-roll manufacturing process, which the firm says … Continue reading “Konarka Gets A $20M Power Boost From Konica Minolta For Photovoltaics”
Portland’s Platial to Close
Portland, OR-based Platial, a social mapping startup, is shutting its doors, according to a blog post on the site. The news was reported yesterday by paidContent, TechCrunch, GigaOm, and others. Platial was backed by Kleiner Perkins, Keynote Ventures, Ron Conway, and other investors.
Dendreon Stock Rides Roller Coaster on FDA Panel Rumor
Dendreon stock is in for some wild times today. The Seattle-based biotech company woke up this morning to a new rumor that suggests it will have to appear before an FDA advisory panel one more time before it can get clearance to sell its prostate cancer drug in the U.S. Shares of the company (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Dendreon Stock Rides Roller Coaster on FDA Panel Rumor”
TransMedics Wraps Up $35.4M
TransMedics, an Andover, MA, developer of systems for transporting organs for transplant, has pulled in $35.4 million in an equity offering that includes about $9 million from convertible debt, according to an SEC filing. Partners of Flagship Ventures, Foundation Capital, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers are listed as directors on the filing, which the … Continue reading “TransMedics Wraps Up $35.4M”
CombinatoRx Grabs $40M with FDA Approval
CombinatoRx has garnered its first drug approval. It’s a milestone for the Cambridge, MA-based drug developer, even if the path the company took to reach this point isn’t the one its founders had mapped out when they launched the company in 2000. The FDA has approved the pain drug hydromorphone HCL (Exalgo), which is an … Continue reading “CombinatoRx Grabs $40M with FDA Approval”