Enigma Diagnostics, the UK genetic diagnosis instrument maker that is setting up its U.S. shop in San Diego, today named Jorge Garces as president and CEO of the U.S. team. Garces was previously a vice president at Hologic, and managed the R&D, clinical, and manufacturing business unit in Madison, WI. Enigma also named another Hologic … Continue reading “Enigma Names Top U.S. Execs”
EVO Media Raises $1.5M
Seattle-based EVO Media, creator of the DevHub Web publishing platform for managing and monetizing niche websites, has closed a $1.5 million round of equity financing. The investors include Jeff Schrock, Geoff Entress, John Cunningham, Alex Algard, Richard Wolpert, and an undisclosed private equity group. EVO Media CEO and co-founder Geoff Nuval says the money will … Continue reading “EVO Media Raises $1.5M”
Only a Few Tickets Left for Monday’s Future of Search Event
Going… going… I can count on one hand the number of tickets left for our Monday, Nov. 30 event on The Future of Search and Information Discovery at the UW. Other than the fact that it conflicts with the titanic Monday Night Football game between the Patriots and Saints, it should be a great night. … Continue reading “Only a Few Tickets Left for Monday’s Future of Search Event”
Where Failure is an Option: San Diego’s Startup Culture as a Bay Area Annex
Not long ago, one of my Xconomy colleagues in Seattle posted a provocative piece about startup failures and suggested the startup culture in some cities—especially the San Francisco Bay Area—is far more tolerant of technology entrepreneurs who fail. Greg found that many Seattle entrepreneurs say they feel stigmatized by startup failures in the Pacific Northwest … Continue reading “Where Failure is an Option: San Diego’s Startup Culture as a Bay Area Annex”
Illumina OKs $100M Share Buyback
San Diego-based Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) said today that its board has authorized a program to buy back $100 million of stock. The new program is on top of a $75 million share repurchase program the company announced in August.
Renewable Energy Trust Moves to Clean Energy Center
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation this week that gives the Renewable Energy Trust, formerly a unit of the quasi-public Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a new home: the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. The Renewable Energy Trust—an investment fund that comes from surcharge on Massachusetts electrical consumers of about $6 per ratepayer per year—supports a range of … Continue reading “Renewable Energy Trust Moves to Clean Energy Center”
Xconomy Innovators’ Lunch Is at Noon Today—Free Pizza at our Cambridge Office
Calling all startup entrepreneurs, tech & life sciences veterans, and Xconomy fans: If you haven’t left town for Thanksgiving yet and you fancy a free slice or two, come on over to our Cambridge office today at noon for an impromptu pizza party. We’re at 101 Rogers Street, Suite 402, in the Old Foundry Works … Continue reading “Xconomy Innovators’ Lunch Is at Noon Today—Free Pizza at our Cambridge Office”
Novartis Parts Ways with Idera Pharma
Idera Pharmaceuticals said this morning that it’s losing one of its three key Big Pharma partners. Swiss drug giant Novartis has told Cambridge, MA-based Idera (NASDAQ:[[ticker:IDRA]]) that it will terminate their four-year-old collaboration to develop drugs for respiratory diseases in February. Novartis has been funding research at Idera under this partnership since 2005 to develop … Continue reading “Novartis Parts Ways with Idera Pharma”
AutoVirt Adds Another $5M
AutoVirt just keeps adding to its Series A round. In January 2008, the Nashua, NH-based data migration startup announced it had raised $4 million from Kepha Partners and Sigma Partners. In November 2008, the same funders pitched in $4 million more. And according to regulatory documents filed this month, it has now raised another $5 … Continue reading “AutoVirt Adds Another $5M”
Ocera Therapeutics, Pursuing New Drug for Liver, Hopes to Help People Stay Mentally Sharp
The liver is hot in the biotech world. Cambridge, MA-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) has made headlines this year with an antiviral drug that it hopes will do for hepatitis C—a chronic liver-damaging condition affecting millions of people—what a previous generation of treatments did for HIV. But away from the spotlight, a small San Diego … Continue reading “Ocera Therapeutics, Pursuing New Drug for Liver, Hopes to Help People Stay Mentally Sharp”
Bezos Family Gives $10M to Hutch, Bruce Carter Back in the Saddle, Dendreon Deadline Set, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
A flurry of Seattle biotech news kept us very busy around here right before the holiday. —The parents of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos made one of the largest private donations ever to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center this week, when they pledged $10 million to support immunotherapy research. —Seattle-based Bio Architecture Lab, the developer … Continue reading “Bezos Family Gives $10M to Hutch, Bruce Carter Back in the Saddle, Dendreon Deadline Set, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Ironwood Pharma Eyes $172.5M IPO, Biogen CEO Pay Under Fire, & More Boston Life Sciences News
Xconomy’s life sciences coverage this past week featured a mix of exclusive feature stories—such as Luke’s analysis of the PML side effect from Biogen Idec’s natalizumab (Tysabri)—and breaking news stories like Ironwood Pharmaceuticals’ ambition to become a publicly traded biotech company. —Cambridge, MA-based Ironwood revealed late Friday that the company is seeking to raise as … Continue reading “Ironwood Pharma Eyes $172.5M IPO, Biogen CEO Pay Under Fire, & More Boston Life Sciences News”
BioSystems Obtains $1,400,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b8da65ff-30fd-444e-b058-91d08d82f021&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name BioSystems Mailing Address 651 South Main St Middletown, CT 06457 Company Description Biosystems, LLC, a Sperian Protection Company, is a leading supplier of gas detectors, respiratory maintenance equipment and monitoring systems, worldwide. Founded in 1981, Biosystems is headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut. Website http://www.biosystems.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “BioSystems Obtains $1,400,000 New Round”
AutoVirt Receives $5,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9abd6518-274a-467c-b5f4-f7e5c1947bb8&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name AutoVirt Mailing Address 12 Murphy Drive Nashua, NH 03062 Company Description AutoVirt’s mission is to increase IT productivity by replacing manual labor with automation and virtualization. Virtualization separates the purpose and benefit of a service from its physical implementation and is often the key to greater automation. … Continue reading “AutoVirt Receives $5,000,000 Series A Financing”
EndoGastric Solutions Receives $21,500,000 Series E Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=de56288e-8fe1-4be5-afba-360ec9a7cf6a&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name EndoGastric Solutions Mailing Address 8210 154th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 Company Description EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. (FKA Esophyx) is the pioneer in endoluminal procedures for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obesity. EGS’ mission is to utilize the most current wisdom … Continue reading “EndoGastric Solutions Receives $21,500,000 Series E Round”
EVO Media Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9054143d-9dd2-4d06-9251-500dd0ae1251&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name EVO Media Mailing Address 2101 4th Ave Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description EVO operates a vast network of niche websites and web-based platforms based on the emerging Internet Mediaconomy. Website http://www.evomediagroup.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes EVO Media CEO and … Continue reading “EVO Media Obtains $1,500,000 New Financing”
Life360 Obtains $750,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a93735f2-7691-465b-bfff-0190d7402db3&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name Life360 Mailing Address 78 First St 3rd Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description Life360 uses advanced technology to bring the best safety and security services under one roof so you can keep your family safe with just a single website. Sign up for an account and … Continue reading “Life360 Obtains $750,000 New Financing Round”
Flightcaster Garners $1,300,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6dea8c9e-7819-486c-b815-f9c9a7710276&Preview=1 Date 11/25/2009 Company Name Flightcaster Mailing Address Undisclosed San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description FlightCaster predicts flight delays. We use an advanced algorithm that scours data on every domestic flight for the past 10-years and matches it to real-time conditions. Website http://www.flightcaster.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,300,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Flightcaster Garners $1,300,000 Series A Financing Round”
Microsoft CFO Liddell Leaving
Redmond, WA-based Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) said today that chief financial officer Chris Liddell is leaving the company at the end of this year to pursue other opportunities. He will be succeeded by Peter Klein, who is currently the CFO of Microsoft’s Business Division. Liddell joined Microsoft in 2005 and helped lead the company’s $6 billion … Continue reading “Microsoft CFO Liddell Leaving”
Local Bid for Smart Grid Funding Goes Unanswered
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said today the Department of Energy is awarding $620 million for smart grid projects around the country, but a San Diego coalition that sought $100 million was not on the list. The coalition, which included San Diego Gas & Electric, Cleantech San Diego, and UC San Diego, sought the DoE … Continue reading “Local Bid for Smart Grid Funding Goes Unanswered”
Datacastle Raises $3M More to Provide Data Backup and Security
Seattle-based Datacastle, the data backup and recovery software firm, has closed a $3 million funding round, according to CEO and president Ron Faith. The round was led by existing investor CM Capital Investments, a leading venture firm in Australia. The funding was disclosed in a regulatory filing. “We plan to use the funds for sales … Continue reading “Datacastle Raises $3M More to Provide Data Backup and Security”
European Union Drops Qualcomm Case
Word from Brussels today has removed a big unknown that was weighing on San Diego wireless giant Qualcomm and its global technology licensing strategy. European Union antitrust regulators say they are dropping their investigation into Qualcomm’s business practices. The six companies that instigated the probe also have withdrawn their complaints that Qualcomm royalty fees were … Continue reading “European Union Drops Qualcomm Case”
The Pizza is On Us at Xconomy’s Innovators’ Lunch, Noon Wednesday
How do you tell the hardcore innovators and entrepreneurs from the sissies? They’re the ones who are still working on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. To celebrate all that hard work—and to nourish our loyal readers with some authentic startup food before we all have to endure a weekend of turkey—we’re inviting all Xconomy fans who … Continue reading “The Pizza is On Us at Xconomy’s Innovators’ Lunch, Noon Wednesday”
Seattle Game Developers and Startups Go Social and Mobile, As Industry Shifts
Heading into the holidays, it seems like a good time to look at what’s going on in the gaming space around Seattle. While the core gaming giants like Xbox, Nintendo, Valve, and Bungie are gearing up for a busy shopping season, the mid-size casual game makers and publishers are actively trying to broaden their audience. … Continue reading “Seattle Game Developers and Startups Go Social and Mobile, As Industry Shifts”
Under the Radar: Five San Diego Deals That Are Signs of Things to Come
With help from New York-based ChubbyBrain, we’re introducing a new feature for Xconomy San Diego today that we call our “under-the-radar” deals. Here at Xconomy, our news coverage about technology innovation and startups includes the big venture financing deals that are the lifeblood of the early stage companies working to commercialize advances in the life … Continue reading “Under the Radar: Five San Diego Deals That Are Signs of Things to Come”
Cyberposium Speakers Tout the Importance of Scarcity Management, User Experience
This past Saturday, almost 700 people showed up for Cyberposium 15 at Harvard Business School, arguably the premier student-organized business school technology conference in the world, with past guests including Yahoo’s Jerry Yang, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google’s Marissa Mayer. The crowd consisted mostly of MBA students and other local students but had significant representation … Continue reading “Cyberposium Speakers Tout the Importance of Scarcity Management, User Experience”
Harvard Unveils New Alumni Entrepreneurship Contest
Harvard Business School (HBS) says that it will hold a new business plan competition open to HBS alumni from all over the world. Qualified ventures will compete for a cash prize of $25,000. The contest—which was formally announced online by the business school’s Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Relations—will be open to teams … Continue reading “Harvard Unveils New Alumni Entrepreneurship Contest”
Progressive Business Leaders Meet for “Davos on The Charles” Policy Summit
The annual World Economic Forum confab in Davos, Switzerland is famous for gathering business and policy leaders to discuss the big issues of the day. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and private equity professionals, big company CEOs and world leaders gather in a unique environment for mingling, collaboration, and idea sharing. In a similar but more local … Continue reading “Progressive Business Leaders Meet for “Davos on The Charles” Policy Summit”
Genzyme Rival Seeks European Approval
Shire (LSE:[[ticker:SHP]])—an Ireland-based drug company that has its Human Genetic Therapies unit based in Cambridge, MA—reports that it has asked European regulators to approve its treatment for Gaucher disease, velaglucerase alfa. If approved by the European Medicines Agency, Shire’s enzyme-replacement treatment will compete with Cambridge-based biotech Genzyme’s (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]) market-leading imiglucerase (Cerezyme), which has faced supply … Continue reading “Genzyme Rival Seeks European Approval”
Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles
In a state that prides itself on leadership in tomorrow’s energy technologies, Ian Bowles is the point man. He’s Secretary of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, a new position created under Gov. Deval Patrick to oversee a hodgepodge of state agencies controlling everything from utility regulation to agriculture to the state’s parks … Continue reading “Undoing the Wasteful Incentives of the Energy World, Giving Innovators a Shot: A Talk With State Energy Secretary Ian Bowles”
AirHop, Adapting to “Dense” Wireless of the Future, Develops Self-Organizing Networking Software
One of the recurring themes during the international wireless industry’s conference in San Diego last month was the phenomenal surge in mobile data traffic, and how it is leading to constraints and bottlenecks in existing network infrastructure. As engineers approach the limit in terms of wringing any more efficiencies out of existing radio bands, Qualcomm … Continue reading “AirHop, Adapting to “Dense” Wireless of the Future, Develops Self-Organizing Networking Software”
Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation
The Boston area is a breeding ground for life sciences and technology innovation. Startups and more established companies are everywhere—and so are the engineers, scientists, CTOs, and operating, finance, and sales whizzes that make these enterprises hum. But what are all these folks paid—in salary, bonus, and stock? Are CEOs really the best compensated? How … Continue reading “Quiz: The State of Technology and Life Sciences Executive Compensation”
Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a fairly busy week for deals heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. The Northwest saw some action across aviation, alternative fuels, wireless, software, and biotech. —Kent, WA-based Naverus was acquired by GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric (NYSE: [[ticker:GE]]). Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Naverus, founded in 2003, makes aviation navigation … Continue reading “Cozi Teams Up with MWV, Naverus Acquired by GE, Bio Architecture Lab Raises $8M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs
When Deborah Dunsire, CEO of Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, talked about what makes the Boston area an attractive place to do business at a recent Xconomy Forum, she singled out the work of J. Wade Harper at Harvard Medical School. And after a little more follow up, I’ve found that Harper is helping Millennium … Continue reading “How Millennium Is Tapping A Harvard Lab to Help Discover New Cancer Drugs”
Datacastle Lands $3,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=147dfcb4-f21a-4db8-9ef1-057dc2735c9b&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Datacastle Mailing Address 701 North 36th Street Seattle, WA 98103 Company Description Datacastle Corporation has a singular mission – to help organizations simply and cost effectively protect data against loss and laptop theft. We set out in 2005 to address the data protection challenges that expose organizations … Continue reading “Datacastle Lands $3,000,000 New Round”
Asana Secures $9,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=380659dd-76f5-4600-81c5-687a6d488130&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Asana Mailing Address Undisclosed Undisclosed, CA 94025 Company Description The challenge of groups of people working together effectively is fundamental to human endeavor, but the state of the art falls far short of real efficiency. Despite advances like email and wikis, the friction and overhead of communication … Continue reading “Asana Secures $9,000,000 New Round”
Mimosa Systems Receives $4,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=964cff53-30d4-4780-b6a1-79c0556fcb5e&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Mimosa Systems Mailing Address 3200 Coronado Drive Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Mimosa Systems provides information immediacy, discovery and continuity for the new generation of critical enterprise information. Website http://www.mimosasystems.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not … Continue reading “Mimosa Systems Receives $4,000,000 New Funding Round”
Milo.com Lands $4,000,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ec1f4325-0b08-4623-a9aa-dda60e69f10e&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Milo.com Mailing Address 165 University Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Company Description Milo searches the shelves of your local stores in real-time to find the best price and availability for the products you want to have. Website http://www.milo.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,000,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Milo.com Lands $4,000,000 Series A Round”
Calibra Medical Secures $1,400,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3668fa9b-b594-4044-b7a4-ea2d321c8e79&Preview=1 Date 11/24/2009 Company Name Calibra Medical Mailing Address 220 Saginaw Drive Redwood City, CA 94063 Company Description Calibra Medical, Inc. develops medical devices and technologies in the diabetes sector. It offers insulin delivery devices. The company was formerly known as Seattle Medical Technologies, Inc. Calibra Medical, Inc. was founded in 2004 … Continue reading “Calibra Medical Secures $1,400,000 New Funding”
Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE
Kent, WA-based Naverus, which develops navigation technologies for airplanes, has been acquired by GE Aviation, a Cincinnati-based division of General Electric. Financial terms weren’t disclosed today in GE’s official announcement of the deal. Naverus was founded in 2003 and focuses on “required navigation performance,” a technique that uses advanced avionics and GPS technology to guide … Continue reading “Naverus, a Company That Makes Flight Paths Greener, Gets Acquired by GE”
Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?
Oh no you didn’t. Come on, Andrew Chen, you know better than to call out Seattle tech startups for not producing a world-changing consumer Internet company in the past few years. You’re an outsider now, having left Seattle for the San Francisco Bay Area after 2006. And now you’re telling us why you left? Them’s … Continue reading “Do Seattle Startups Care Too Much About Retail, Too Little About Building a Huge Audience?”
Fallbrook Raises $4M
Fallbrook Technologies, the San Diego startup developing a transmission without gears, has raised $4 million from investors in a secondary round of funding, according to a regulatory filing the company made last week. Fallbrook raised $25.4 million in January from NGEN Partners, a Santa Barbara cleantech venture firm; Robeco, the investment arm of Rabobank of … Continue reading “Fallbrook Raises $4M”
Ingenico Invests in Roam Data
Boston-based Roam Data, which makes software that allows merchants to process payments via cell phones, said last week that it has raised $6.5 million in new funding. Ingenico Ventures—a unit of payment solutions provider Ingenico SAS—and George Wallner, founder and former CEO of Hypercom, were the lead investors in the round, the company said.
Root Wireless Raises $3.25M Series B
Bellevue, WA-based Root Wireless, a maker of technologies that analyze and map the performance of cellular networks and devices, announced today it has closed $3.25 million in Series B funding co-led by Fred Warren and Oliver Grace, Jr. Also participating in the round were existing investors Scott Anderson, Jack Roberts and John Stanton. Root Wireless … Continue reading “Root Wireless Raises $3.25M Series B”
OnTech Ends Business
OnTech, a San Diego venture that makes self-heating beverage containers sold under the Hillside Beverages brand, went out of business Nov. 8, according to a brief notice on its online store. Venture Wire, which was the first to report the company had gone cold, says OnTech raised about $31.6 million in equity and $11 million … Continue reading “OnTech Ends Business”
Infinia Grabs $2.6M
Infinia, the Kennewick, WA-based company developing new solar power generation technology, has raised $2.6 million in new financing from equity and options, according to a regulatory filing. That comes a month after the company pulled in $3.25 in debt and options, according to a previous filing. Infinia, as I described in a profile back in … Continue reading “Infinia Grabs $2.6M”
Aptera Postpones Production, HR Biopetroleum and Shell in Biofuel Collaboration, Power Grid Needs Tech Innovation, & More San Diego BizTech News
It was a busy week for cleantech news. Local biofuels executives talked about their collaborative partnerships with big energy companies, and Vista, CA-based Aptera disclosed why it has pared back on some operations. Read all about it here. —Aptera, the Vista, CA-carmaker, said it has delayed production of its all-electric Aptera 2e that once was … Continue reading “Aptera Postpones Production, HR Biopetroleum and Shell in Biofuel Collaboration, Power Grid Needs Tech Innovation, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Orexigen Beefs Up Management
Orexigen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OREX]]), the San Diego-based developer of obesity drugs, said today it has added four new executives to its management team. Dawn Viveash is the new head of global regulatory affairs; Suzanne McDonald will be responsible for managed markets and government affairs; Preston Klassen will be the head of the global Contrave program; … Continue reading “Orexigen Beefs Up Management”
Seattle Genetics Gets $12M From Agensys
Seattle Genetics, the Bothell, WA-based developer of cancer drugs, said today it will get a $12 million upfront fee from Agensys, an affiliate of Japan-based Astellas Pharma, under a renegotiated partnership to develop targeted antibody treatments loaded with toxins to make them more potent. Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) struck its first partnership with Agensys in … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Gets $12M From Agensys”
Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3
Ever since Google released more details about its Chrome OS project last week, tech blogs and the Twittersphere have been burning up with arguments about the merits of Google’s idea for a Web-based operating system for a new generation of netbook computers. InfoWorld has already declared that “Chrome OS will fail—big time,” given that a … Continue reading “Will Cloud Computing Kill the Operating System? We’ll Debate That, and Much More, at Cloud3“