SnapLogic Obtains $2,300,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=badf1878-38e5-4377-bfba-2810628bb5ec&Preview=1 Date 10/29/2009 Company Name SnapLogic Mailing Address 28 East Third Avenue San Mateo, CA 94401 Company Description SnapLogic is an Open Source Internet data services solution that uses the universal standards and technologies of the Web and applies them to the problem of data integration. SnapLogic transforms data into data services … Continue reading “SnapLogic Obtains $2,300,000 Series A Funding Round”

Renewable Funding Obtains $12,200,000 Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4079d858-cecf-400f-8e49-5f991b3c1ce4&Preview=1 Date 10/29/2009 Company Name Renewable Funding Mailing Address 1746 Broadway 3rd Flr Oakland, CA 94612 Company Description Renewable Funding, LLC develops and delivers innovative solutions for renewable energy and energy efficiency financing. We are the pioneer of the turnkey administration and financing of the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) Program. Website … Continue reading “Renewable Funding Obtains $12,200,000 Series A Financing”

Data Robotics Receives $10,000,000 Series E Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c9d21670-f796-4ff5-8d6c-c02928977894&Preview=1 Date 10/29/2009 Company Name Data Robotics Mailing Address 1705 Wyatt Drive Santa Clara, CA 95054-1524 Company Description Data Robotics – the makers of Drobo, the World’s First Storage Robot – develops automated data storage products designed to ensure data is always protected and easy-to-manage. Drobo is infinitely expandable and provides RAID-like … Continue reading “Data Robotics Receives $10,000,000 Series E Financing Round”

Big Fish Hires Senior Execs

Seattle-based Big Fish Games announced today it has hired Michael Vernon as chief financial officer and Ian Hurlock-Jones as chief technology officer. Vernon is a veteran of Seattle-area firms aQuantive and Zumobi, while Hurlock-Jones comes from Fox Interactive Media and Buy.com. Big Fish, a leading developer and distributor of casual games, announced it was opening … Continue reading “Big Fish Hires Senior Execs”

Stryker Biotech Division Indicted for FDA Fraud by Massachusetts Grand Jury

Stryker, the Kalamazoo, MI-based maker of orthopedic hip implants and other medical devices, said today that its biotech division in Hopkinton, MA, along with certain current and former employees, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to defraud the FDA. The company (NYSE: [[ticker:SYK]]) disclosed on March 10 that its Stryker Biotech … Continue reading “Stryker Biotech Division Indicted for FDA Fraud by Massachusetts Grand Jury”

Google Kirkland Is Hiring, and Other Highlights from the Company’s Northwest Birthplace

This morning I checked my e-mail, powered by Google, and then used Google Maps to find my way to the Google Kirkland open house. It reminded me a little bit of the scene in “Being John Malkovich” when Malkovich, the actor, finds a portal into his own brain and sees that everyone looks like him … Continue reading “Google Kirkland Is Hiring, and Other Highlights from the Company’s Northwest Birthplace”

$2.5M for CorNova

CorNova, a Burlington, MA-based developer of coronary stents with platinum surfaces, has raised $2.5 million of a proposed $6 million in equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The filing does not list the investors in the round, but peHUB writes that the firm’s previous investors include AdvanSource Biomaterials (formerly named CardioTech International) and Implant … Continue reading “$2.5M for CorNova”

Babson Rocket Pitch 2009

No, not Roger Clemens. This Rocket Pitch is Babson College entrepreneurs (students and alumni) with 3 minutes and 3 PowerPoint slides to pitch their business ideas to a large audience of students, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and service providers. Pitches happen in rapid succession in multiple rooms with no time for questions allotted. Networking reception—with entrepreneurs … Continue reading “Babson Rocket Pitch 2009”

2009 Mass Technology Leadership Awards

The 12th Annual Mass Technology Leadership Awards program spotlights the companies, people, and technologies that exemplify the best and the brightest in the Massachusetts technology community. Two special awards will be presented: the 2009 Commonwealth Award to Leo Beranek, Founder, Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), and the 2009 Innovation Catalyst Award to Bill Warner, Founder, … Continue reading “2009 Mass Technology Leadership Awards”

TEDMED Sessions Seek the Patterns in Health Care and Life Sciences That Hold Ideas Together

It may be that TEDMED founder Richard Saul Wurman is the Brett Favre of emcees, or perhaps he’s like Al Pacino in Godfather III, who proclaims in exasperation, “Just when I thought I was out—they pull me back in!” But after a five-year hiatus, TEDMED has returned this week (opening last night at San Diego’s … Continue reading “TEDMED Sessions Seek the Patterns in Health Care and Life Sciences That Hold Ideas Together”

Pennsylvania Firm Buys Rue La La, Smart Bargains for As Much As $350 Million; Throws Open Doors to Invitation-Only Retail Site

GSI Commerce (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GSIC]]), an e-commerce company that powers the online stores for dozens of prominent consumer brands, announced yesterday that it will purchase Boston-based Retail Convergence Incorporated (RCI) for $180 million in cash and stock and up to $170 million in follow-on payments, depending on RCI’s performance. RCI owns both Rue La La, a … Continue reading “Pennsylvania Firm Buys Rue La La, Smart Bargains for As Much As $350 Million; Throws Open Doors to Invitation-Only Retail Site”

Vertex Hepatitis C Drug Wipes Out Virus For Toughest-to-Treat Patients

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) is vying to set a new standard of care for hepatitis C in some of the toughest patients to treat, and today it is reporting some surprisingly strong evidence that suggests the drug is working like researchers hoped it would over the long haul. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company offered an … Continue reading “Vertex Hepatitis C Drug Wipes Out Virus For Toughest-to-Treat Patients”

My Worst Boss Ever: Hard-Earned Lessons on Entrepreneurship and Leadership From Members of Boston’s Innovation Community

Bosses come and bosses go. Great bosses can inspire and mentor and lead through the toughest times. Really bad bosses can poison and divide an organization, and lead it to ruin even if things aren’t that bad. In the course of my career I’ve come across many a successful person with a bad-boss tale to … Continue reading “My Worst Boss Ever: Hard-Earned Lessons on Entrepreneurship and Leadership From Members of Boston’s Innovation Community”

Sequel Pharmaceuticals’ CEO on How to Start a Biotech and Sell it For a Bundle, and Repeat

I’ve heard about serial entrepreneurs who start a company, build it up to a certain point, sell it to someone bigger, and then repeat the whole cycle again. But I had never heard of a true biotech sequel until I met Randall Woods a couple weeks ago. Woods is the CEO of San Diego-based Sequel … Continue reading “Sequel Pharmaceuticals’ CEO on How to Start a Biotech and Sell it For a Bundle, and Repeat”

Under the Radar Deals: 16 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About

They are the deals that slip through the cracks unnoticed. They are worth less than $1 million, but at least $100,000. Though small in size, these investments need to be included along with the bigger deals that get more press, if you want a more complete picture of the funding landscape in the innovation community. … Continue reading “Under the Radar Deals: 16 Northwest Financings You Haven’t Heard About”

European Regulators Question Antigenics and Biogen Idec Drugs, BioAssets Bags $30M in Option Deal, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

Europe’s drug regulators were not kind to a couple of Massachusetts biotech firms this week, but other New England life sciences companies had happier news to report. —European drug regulators turned down Lexington, MA-based Antigenics’ bid for approval to market vitespen (Oncophage), a “cancer vaccine” for patients with kidney cancer. Shares of Antigenics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AGEN]]) … Continue reading “European Regulators Question Antigenics and Biogen Idec Drugs, BioAssets Bags $30M in Option Deal, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

CorNova Receives $3,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=dc367eb2-43fc-457c-b4bd-24c592715b83&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2009 Company Name CorNova Mailing Address 21 A Street Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description CorNova® is a developer of next-generation endovascular products designed to integrate new technologies into existing products and procedures, resulting in better patient outcomes without added procedure time and patient risk. The FiberHalo™ stent deployment catheter will … Continue reading “CorNova Receives $3,000,000 New Funding Round”

Internet Brands Acquires Vasectomy.com for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cea6ab44-5741-4e9e-bc69-5651c158821a&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2009 Company Name Vasectomy.com Mailing Address 27601 Forbes Road Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 Company Description Vasectomy.com is the leading site devoted to providing accurate vasectomy and vasectomy reversal information. Our panel of vasectomy doctors and research experts provide answers to couples questions about vasectomy and reversals techniques and results, possible … Continue reading “Internet Brands Acquires Vasectomy.com for Undisclosed Sum”

Internet Brands Acquires Healthnews.org for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ee4f4e37-0f9b-42ca-b446-5e8c0aaafeeb&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2009 Company Name Healthnews.org Mailing Address 96 Discovery Irvine, CA 92618 Company Description HealthNews.org is a free educational network providing the public with the latest healthcare related news, medically reviewed information, and resources to help better and enrich lives. Our online network helps patients research medical procedures and find local … Continue reading “Internet Brands Acquires Healthnews.org for Undisclosed Sum”

Godengo Garners $2,160,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3c341aaf-4377-450c-b3e4-115918e1344e&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2009 Company Name Godengo Mailing Address 5766 Hollis St Emeryville, CA 94608 Company Description “After trying ‘taped together’ software, platforms and suppliers that were never compatible, we realized the only way we could have a dynamic site with income potential was with a platform designed specifically for city regional magazines.” … Continue reading “Godengo Garners $2,160,000 New Financing Round”

Vdopia Receives $4,000,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c94921cf-a4f0-43a8-aa6d-cc95c32ceee8&Preview=1 Date 10/28/2009 Company Name Vdopia Mailing Address 2051 Junction Avenue San Jose, CA 95131 Company Description Vdopia is the largest Video Ad Network and Video Ad Platform that targets Indians across the world. It provides advertisers opportunity to advertise on the most premium online video content available on the internet. The … Continue reading “Vdopia Receives $4,000,000 Series A Funding Round”

Polaris Venture Adds Google Vet

Polaris Venture Partners, which has its main office in Waltham, MA, has tapped former Google employee Jon Steinberg to be an executive in residence at the venture firm, VentureWire reports. VentureWire writes that Steinberg, a former strategic partner development manager at Google (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GOOG]]), will be based in the New York office of Polaris. Polaris also … Continue reading “Polaris Venture Adds Google Vet”

Helixis, Caltech Spinoff With Desktop Genetic Analysis Tool, Nabs $7.3M Venture Financing

Carlsbad, CA-based Helixis, the startup maker of genetic analysis tools founded from the Caltech lab of Nobel Laureate David Baltimore, has raised $7.3 million out of a venture capital round potentially worth $10 million, according to a regulatory filing today. Helixis reported back in July that it had raised $5.5 million, so today’s filing is … Continue reading “Helixis, Caltech Spinoff With Desktop Genetic Analysis Tool, Nabs $7.3M Venture Financing”

UW CSE 2009-10 Annual Industrial Affiliates Meeting

Information and agenda here. The first day will begin with a short state-of-the-department overview that will include initiatives and research begun over the past year. The bulk of the day will consist research talks (in parallel tracks), as well as poster presentations and demonstrations, industry feedback sessions, and a reception and dinner. The day will … Continue reading “UW CSE 2009-10 Annual Industrial Affiliates Meeting”

Clean Tech Open: Pacific NW Regional Awards Gala

Info and registration here. You are cordially invited to attend the Pacific Northwest Regional Awards Gala for the Cleantech Open. Three companies sporting the boldest cleantech ideas, devised by some of the Northwest’s brightest entrepreneurs, will be announced as regional finalists to compete against six companies from California and three companies from the Rocky Mountain … Continue reading “Clean Tech Open: Pacific NW Regional Awards Gala”

Diabetes drug from San Diego’s Amylin caught up in Aussie Brouhaha

From Australia comes word that San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ biggest drug, exenatide (Byetta), has been caught up in a controversy over a diabetes report co-sponsored by Amylin’s marketing partner, Eli Lilly & Co. The study, compiled by researchers at the University of Canberra’s National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), warned that 1.6 million … Continue reading “Diabetes drug from San Diego’s Amylin caught up in Aussie Brouhaha”

LaunchCapital Aims to Fill Lending Gap

LaunchCapital, a Cambridge, MA-based firm focused on early-stage financing, revealed today on its website that it has launched a lending option for small businesses. The firm plans to lend up to $150,000 to young businesses that are within six months of gaining revenue, and the deals would provide LaunchCapital with a small equity stake in … Continue reading “LaunchCapital Aims to Fill Lending Gap”

RF Arrays Raises $6.5M

Portland, OR-based RF Arrays, a wireless communications technology firm, has raised $6.5 million in equity, options, warrants, and/or other rights to acquire securities, according to a regulatory filing. The investors were not disclosed, but New York-based New Science Ventures has previously backed RF Arrays. The SEC form lists as directors Chandra Deshpandey, the company’s CEO; … Continue reading “RF Arrays Raises $6.5M”

UK’s Enigma Diagnostics to Establish U.S. Headquarters in San Diego

Enigma Diagnostics, a UK-based medical diagnostics startup, plans to close its current U.S. office in San Francisco and open a new office in San Diego as its U.S. headquarters, according to chairman and CEO John McKinley. McKinley outlined Enigma’s development of rapid molecular diagnostic technology in a presentation yesterday at the annual investor conference organized … Continue reading “UK’s Enigma Diagnostics to Establish U.S. Headquarters in San Diego”

Founder Institute, Early-Stage Startup Program, Comes to Seattle Thanks to a Gaming Connection

There’s a new tech startup incubator in town. The Founder Institute is accepting applications for its four-month training program, which begins in Seattle on December 7. The program is designed to mentor very early-stage entrepreneurs, with the goal of creating new companies across a wide variety of tech sectors including software, social media, consumer electronics, … Continue reading “Founder Institute, Early-Stage Startup Program, Comes to Seattle Thanks to a Gaming Connection”

SDG&E Gets $28.1M Federal Grant for Smart Grid Innovations

[Updated 10/27/09 12:55 pm. See below.] The Department of Energy has released a list of utilities that are getting federal grants to spur energy innovations under the $787 billion economic stimulus package, and San Diego Gas & Electric is getting $28.1 million to help build out its “smart grid” system. Additional details are expected to … Continue reading “SDG&E Gets $28.1M Federal Grant for Smart Grid Innovations”

A Physics Rebel Shakes Up the Video Game World, Literally

What’s the connection between hardcore, chest-pounding video game action and Niels Bohr’s interpretation of wave-particle duality? It’s an Iranian-American physicist-turned-entrepreneur named Shahriar Afshar. Five years after Afshar announced the results of one of the most controversial experiments in the recent history of physics—one suggesting that it is possible, contrary to Bohr’s long-accepted theory, to observe … Continue reading “A Physics Rebel Shakes Up the Video Game World, Literally”

Ligand Buys Metabasis For $3.2M

San Diego-based Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LGND]]) said today it has agreed to pay $3.2 million to acquire Metabasis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MBRX]]), the developer of treatments for diabetes and high cholesterol. Ligand has also committed $8 million to finance Metabasis’ drug development programs within the next 42 months. The sale comes after a rough year for Metabasis, … Continue reading “Ligand Buys Metabasis For $3.2M”

Zymo Gets $70M for Starting Trial

Seattle-based ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]) will receive a $70 million milestone payment from its partner, Bristol-Myers Squibb, for starting a mid-stage clinical trial of pegylated interferon lambda for hepatitis C, according to a statement. The trial, called Emerge, will initially enroll 50 patients on a variety of doses, then expand to 500 patients who are randomly … Continue reading “Zymo Gets $70M for Starting Trial”

Two Things I Learned During My Tour of Sapphire Energy

Sapphire Energy has tried to maintain a relatively low profile since it established its headquarters in San Diego—especially since last fall when the media seized on reports that Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment had joined a $100 million secondary round of venture funding for the algae biofuels startup. So when Sapphire opened its San Diego headquarters … Continue reading “Two Things I Learned During My Tour of Sapphire Energy”

Amazon Teams Up With Microsoft for E-Books, Bing Goes Real-Time, Revolution Computing Reels In $9M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News

It was a big week for big companies. Amazon’s stock soared, and the e-commerce giant made a deal with Microsoft that should make Kindle e-books even more popular. There was also interesting deals news from Bing and a few Northwest venture firms and startups. —Kennewick, WA-based Infinia has raised $3.25 million in debt and options … Continue reading “Amazon Teams Up With Microsoft for E-Books, Bing Goes Real-Time, Revolution Computing Reels In $9M, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Why is Pharma Betting So Big on Innovation in Boston?

What type of drugs have the greatest potential to fill the void in Big Pharma company pipelines, as the industry barrels toward the well-documented patent expiration crisis of coming years? What are the best techniques pharma companies can use to stimulate innovation at smaller biotech companies? How can drugmakers raise the odds of success in … Continue reading “Why is Pharma Betting So Big on Innovation in Boston?”

Your 2 cents for Life Science Innovation Northwest 2010

[Editor’s note: This editorial was co-authored by Neile Grayson, who, along with Valerie, is a co-chair of the program committee for Life Sciences Innovation Northwest 2010.] On March 16-17, 2010, the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA) will present Life Science Innovation Northwest 2010 (formerly “Invest Northwest”). This tenth annual conference has a new name, … Continue reading “Your 2 cents for Life Science Innovation Northwest 2010”

Omeros, Worst Performing IPO of 2009, Casts Shadow Over Other Aspiring Biotechs

Seattle-based Omeros is the worst performing initial public offering so far in 2009, and its 36 percent decline in the first two weeks as a public company has cast a shadow over other life sciences companies that may be itching to take the leap. Omeros (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OMER]]) closed at $6.45 a share yesterday, a steep … Continue reading “Omeros, Worst Performing IPO of 2009, Casts Shadow Over Other Aspiring Biotechs”

Arena Positions Weight Loss Drug as the One That Won’t Raise Your Blood Pressure

Life would be wonderful at Arena Pharmaceuticals if it truly were the biggest loser, to borrow a phrase from the NBC reality TV show on people who are trying to lose weight. But no matter how hard you look at it, the clinical trial data just doesn’t say Arena’s weight loss pill that helps people … Continue reading “Arena Positions Weight Loss Drug as the One That Won’t Raise Your Blood Pressure”

Varicent Software Receives $35,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5af58eff-4535-4698-97dd-fb21c4d9e71f&Preview=1 Date 10/27/2009 Company Name Varicent Software Mailing Address 4900 SW Griffith Drive Beaverton, OR 97005 Company Description Varicent Software Incorporated delivers the only complete sales performance management (SPM) solution addressing the needs of the entire corporation. Sales performance management, a subset of corporate performance management (CPM) – or business performance management … Continue reading “Varicent Software Receives $35,000,000 New Round”

Helixis Receives $7,333,335 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e9789120-c79c-456a-b4fb-a6ce99b61b6b&Preview=1 Date 10/27/2009 Company Name Helixis Mailing Address 5421 Avenida Encinas Carlsbad, CA 92008 Company Description Diagnostics tools for molecular analysis are critical to modern life science and medicine, but are still primitive in form and function. Helixis is developing an entirely new class of advanced molecular diagnostic products that will bring … Continue reading “Helixis Receives $7,333,335 New Round”