Boston-based Currensee announced today that it’s opening its online community for foreign currency traders to all comers, after nearly six months of private beta testing. The company also said that it has closed its Series A funding round, raising $6 million from North Bridge Venture Partners in Waltham, MA. “It’s a major milestone for us,” … Continue reading “Currensee Opens Currency-Trader Community, Closes $6M Venture Round”
San Diego’s Top 10 Third-Quarter Deals Reveal Slow Comeback in Venture Investing
[Corrected 10/20/09, 7:30 am. See below.]Venture Capital investing in the San Diego area has been slowly increasing since the fourth quarter of 2008, when venture investing in the area fell to an adjusted low point of $172.8 million and just 14 deals, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. [Corrects amount invested and number of startups.]The latest … Continue reading “San Diego’s Top 10 Third-Quarter Deals Reveal Slow Comeback in Venture Investing”
WA Tech Industry Exported $3.5B in 2008
Tech manufacturing exports from Washington state grew for the sixth straight year in 2008, up to $3.5 billion (15th out of 50 states), according to a TechAmerica Foundation report highlighted today by the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA). Washington ranked fifth nationwide in consumer electronics exports, which totaled $320 million. The top three tech export … Continue reading “WA Tech Industry Exported $3.5B in 2008”
Notes from Dogpatch Labs’ Housewarming Party—and a List of Initial Inhabitants
It was a cold and drizzly night (how’s that for original writing?) last Thursday, and I was running late. But Dogpatch Labs Cambridge was holding its housewarming party across the street from Xconomy World Headquarters, so I braved the elements to stop in. I walked into a crowded house of 70 folks or so, boxes … Continue reading “Notes from Dogpatch Labs’ Housewarming Party—and a List of Initial Inhabitants”
Azaleos, Working with Microsoft, Moves Into Unified Communications for Business
[Updated 12:25pm, 10/20/09. See correction below] Seattle-based Azaleos is announcing today it is releasing new software and services to help companies manage Microsoft Office Communications Server, which is a software platform for instant messaging, Internet telephony, and video conferencing over the Web. It’s a strong move for Azaleos that expands its product line beyond management … Continue reading “Azaleos, Working with Microsoft, Moves Into Unified Communications for Business”
Pathway Medical Learns Lessons During Tougher Than Expected First Year on Market
Kirkland, WA-based Pathway Medical Technologies has to be considered one of the bright spots in the recent history of Seattle life sciences. The medical device maker won FDA approval for its first product about 15 months ago, raised $42 million in venture capital, and recruited a CEO with loads of experience in commercializing medical devices. … Continue reading “Pathway Medical Learns Lessons During Tougher Than Expected First Year on Market”
MoneyTree Survey of VC Activity Sees Pace of Investments Strengthening
Let optimism reign. A third survey of recent VC activity shows that venture investments increased 17 percent during the third quarter, compared with the previous quarter. While the actual numbers vary, the findings of the MoneyTree Report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, based on data from Thomson Reuters, reinforces the more optimistic … Continue reading “MoneyTree Survey of VC Activity Sees Pace of Investments Strengthening”
REvolution Computing Secures $9,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d3c1aaa7-e7d0-44b5-a47f-0c7fe38cc531&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name REvolution Computing Mailing Address One Century Tower 265 Church Street New Haven, CT 06510 Company Description With over 1 million users and growing, the open source language known as “R” has emerged as the de facto standard for developing computational statistics and predictive analytical software. REvolution Computing … Continue reading “REvolution Computing Secures $9,000,000 New Financing”
Synageva BioPharma Corp Lands $12,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bb2b42fc-02b6-4cde-b85c-c382c5bfd01b&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Synageva BioPharma Corp Mailing Address 60 Hickory Drive Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description Synageva BioPharma’s ultimate goal is to improve patient lives by providing access to breakthrough novel, next generation (i.e. significantly improved), and certain follow on protein therapeutics. Synageva’s proprietary platform technologies, including SEPTM, provide a … Continue reading “Synageva BioPharma Corp Lands $12,000,000 New Financing Round”
Mintera Corporation Obtains $4,100,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f21906ed-42a1-48d4-a0a2-ffa3821056cf&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Mintera Corporation Mailing Address 35 Nagog Park Acton, MA 01720 Company Description Mintera was founded in 2000 to be the technology leader enabling next generation 40 Gbps optical transport in metro-core, regional, long- haul and ultra long-haul optical networks. Website http://www.mintera.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Mintera Corporation Obtains $4,100,000 New Funding Round”
Jive Software Garners $12,000,000 Series B Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=844d3ce8-ea7d-4829-9658-15963ab3fbf3&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Jive Software Mailing Address 915 SW Stark St. Portland, OR 97205 Company Description We develop award-winning collaboration software that improves a company’s productivity through open collaboration among employees, partners and customers. Website http://www.jivesoftware.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $12,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes Jive … Continue reading “Jive Software Garners $12,000,000 Series B Round”
Pathology Secures New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7f93e5b7-d92f-4ee4-9b38-56e04d521b68&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Pathology Mailing Address 19951 Mariner Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 Company Description Pathology Inc. is a 30 man pathology group headquartered in suburban Los Angeles, California offering multi-specialty pathology services for primary care and specialty physicians. The group also practices at 12 area hospitals. This arrangement allows for … Continue reading “Pathology Secures New Funding Round”
InSync Software Lands $4,700,000 Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4cdfcf33-d4ad-4125-be35-70b6375a31eb&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name InSync Software Mailing Address 224 Airport Parkway San Jose, CA 95110 Company Description InSync Software is pioneering a new class of Sense and Respond applications at the edge of the enterprise that leverage the internet, RFID, and sensor based technology to enable the transparent supply chain. Website … Continue reading “InSync Software Lands $4,700,000 Series B Funding”
Aviir Lands $1,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=efde6df9-fb77-4632-b1cf-b7cd747bb1cb&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Aviir Mailing Address 2463 Faber Place Palo Alto, CA 94303 Company Description Aviir is a venture-funded biotechnology company developing cutting-edge, convenient diagnostic tests enabling accurate diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. The company’s proprietary technology draws on years of research at Stanford University, and combines the scientific … Continue reading “Aviir Lands $1,000,000 New Financing Round”
Vertos Medical Garners $15,500,000 Series D Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=95a18465-f3da-4083-8069-bc33353686f5&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Vertos Medical Mailing Address 2362 Qume Drive San Jose, CA 95131 Company Description Vertos Medical is a privately held, medical device company that has pioneered percutaneous interventional devices used in the treatment of common spinal diseases, such as lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Website http://www.vertosmed.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Vertos Medical Garners $15,500,000 Series D Financing Round”
Scout Labs LLC Secures $4,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c43e7819-4eed-4b71-8b38-be966d0bcbbb&Preview=1 Date 10/20/2009 Company Name Scout Labs LLC Mailing Address 199 Fremont 12th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description For any team craving visibility into public opinion and seeking to make more customer-centric business decisions, Scout Labs offers intelligence from the front lines in the new world of brand building. Website … Continue reading “Scout Labs LLC Secures $4,000,000 New Funding”
San Diego’s Ardea Biosciences Sees Potential for Gout Drug in Combination Treatment
San Diego’s Ardea Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RDEA]]) appears to have stubbed a toe in its development of RDEA 594 as a first-line treatment for gout. Data presented at a medical meeting in Philadelphia today showed the Ardea drug was no better at controlling gout than existing medications, including allopurinol, a cheap generic. During a conference call … Continue reading “San Diego’s Ardea Biosciences Sees Potential for Gout Drug in Combination Treatment”
Visible Technologies Inks In-Q-Tel Deal
Bellevue, WA-based Visible Technologies has formed a strategic partnership with In-Q-Tel, the investment firm run by the CIA. The deal includes a technology development agreement, but financial terms were not given. Visible makes software that helps companies and organizations monitor the social media landscape (and Web sentiment towards specific topics and brands), as well as … Continue reading “Visible Technologies Inks In-Q-Tel Deal”
See You Tonight at Seattle Life Sciences 2029
I still have one more feature story I hope to bang out this afternoon, but the Xconomy team will soon be heading over to Seattle Biomedical Research Institute tonight for our big event on the 20-year outlook for the Northwest’s life sciences cluster. This sold-out event will bring together some of the world’s leading life … Continue reading “See You Tonight at Seattle Life Sciences 2029”
Verdezyne Gets $1.7M Grant
[Corrrected 10/22/09, 11:30 a.m. to show Coda Genomics instead of Coda Genetics] Carlsbad CA-based Verdezyne, a synthetic biology company previously known as CODA Genomics, says it has received a $1.7 million Small Business Technology Transfer grant to develop mutant gene libraries for its computational and bioinformatics programs. The venture-backed startup says identifying such genes will … Continue reading “Verdezyne Gets $1.7M Grant”
Microsoft Forecast Is Called “Partly Cloudy” on Eve of Windows 7 Release
In case you missed it yesterday, the New York Times ran a sweeping review of Microsoft’s position in the tech world on the eve of its Windows 7 rollout this week. That’s the latest version of Microsoft’s iconic operating system for personal computers. But the article smartly goes beyond the company’s strategy for PCs, and … Continue reading “Microsoft Forecast Is Called “Partly Cloudy” on Eve of Windows 7 Release”
Augmenix Snags $6.1M
Waltham, MA-based Augmenix, the maker of implantable material to minimize the side effects of radiation therapy, said today it has closed a Series B round of financing worth $6.1 million. Ascension Health Ventures led the round, and was joined by Versant Ventures, Pinnacle Ventures, Catalyst Health Ventures, and several private investors, the company said. The … Continue reading “Augmenix Snags $6.1M”
Kauffman Acquires StudentBusinesses
StudentBusinesses.com, a startup founded by a group of Harvard College graduates nearly two years ago to help entrepreneurial university students network with potential investors, advisors, and collaborators, has been acquired by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, MO, according to CEO and co-founder Travis May. The purchase price was undisclosed. The company’s online … Continue reading “Kauffman Acquires StudentBusinesses”
HubSpot Gets $16 Million to “Put Mass Behind SaaS”; Marketing Automation Company Has Plans to Go Public, CEO Says
It’s a big day at HubSpot, the Cambridge, MA-based marketing technology startup founded three years ago by local investor-entrepreneurs Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah. The company announced that it has raised a $16 million Series C financing round, led by new investor Scale Ventures, with existing investors General Catalyst Partners and Matrix Partners also joining … Continue reading “HubSpot Gets $16 Million to “Put Mass Behind SaaS”; Marketing Automation Company Has Plans to Go Public, CEO Says”
Hydra, Cubist Seek New Pain Drugs
Cambridge, MA-based Hydra Biosciences said today it has formed a partnership with Lexington, MA-based Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CBST]]) to develop new pain medications. Hydra will receive $5 million upfront, plus another $5 million annually for two years to support Hydra’s R&D, with an option to renew the partnership. The deal focuses on Hydra’s work on … Continue reading “Hydra, Cubist Seek New Pain Drugs”
Amgen’s Dmab Faces FDA Delay
Amgen, the world’s largest biotech company, said today that the FDA has delayed its application to market denosumab (Prolia) for treatment of osteoporosis. The FDA requested that Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) include a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, and more information on the company’s safety surveillance plan for when the drug is on the market. The … Continue reading “Amgen’s Dmab Faces FDA Delay”
Sonosite Gets $21M From GE
Sonosite, the Bothell, WA-based maker of portable ultrasound machines, said today it will receive a $21 million upfront payment from General Electric as part of a settlement of all patent litigation between the companies. Sonosite will also receive an undisclosed royalty on U.S. sales of GE’s ultrasound systems that weigh less than 10 pounds, until … Continue reading “Sonosite Gets $21M From GE”
Calistoga Cancer Drug Shows “Encouraging” Preliminary Results in Small Study
Seattle-based Calistoga Pharmaceuticals has taken another peek at preliminary results from an ongoing clinical trial of its drug that’s made to block one of the hottest targets in cancer biology, and it continues to like what it’s seeing. Researchers saw that five of 17 evaluable patients (29 percent) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia had at least … Continue reading “Calistoga Cancer Drug Shows “Encouraging” Preliminary Results in Small Study”
TechStars Boston is Homeless, But Will Return in 2010—Director Finds Shelter in Dogpatch Labs
One of the worst things that happened in the Boston entrepreneurial community this year was that Y Combinator decamped to do all its incubating of new tech companies in Silicon Valley. One of the best things that happened was that a few months later, TechStars moved right in to fill the void. The incubator camp … Continue reading “TechStars Boston is Homeless, But Will Return in 2010—Director Finds Shelter in Dogpatch Labs”
VC is Up or Down Depending on Who You Read, Congress Looks to Revive SBIC Program, & More San Diego BizTech News
Dueling reports on venture capital activity came to contradictory conclusions last week when the numbers came in for the three-month period that ended Sept. 30. Catch up on that and the rest of San Diego’s technology innovation news: —New York-based ChubbyBrain says $6 billion in venture capital was invested nationwide in 680 deals during the … Continue reading “VC is Up or Down Depending on Who You Read, Congress Looks to Revive SBIC Program, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Lots of Energy on Tap at MIT Energy Night
You know how Hollywood always goes overboard with gizmos and hijinks when it’s trying to represent young people doing science? (I’m thinking especially of 1980s movies like WarGames, Real Genius, and Weird Science.) Well, the MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA, looked exactly like that last Friday as the annual “MIT Energy Night” event showcased dozens … Continue reading “Lots of Energy on Tap at MIT Energy Night”
BIL and TED’s Excellent (But Little Known) Healthcare Adventure in San Diego
Did you know that Goldie Hawn, David Blaine, and Martha Stewart are coming to San Diego at the end of October to discuss…healthcare? Probably not, maybe because the exclusive TEDMED2009 conference is $4,000 to attend, and already sold out. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and its conferences aim to bring together people from … Continue reading “BIL and TED’s Excellent (But Little Known) Healthcare Adventure in San Diego”
TechFlash LIVE: Women in Tech
Info and registration here. At a time when technology leaders are seeking ways to increase the number of women in the industry, the TechFlash Women in Seattle Tech initiative will serve as a resource in identifying the women already making a mark in a wide variety of technological fields. The effort will evolve over time, … Continue reading “TechFlash LIVE: Women in Tech”
Predictions for 2010 (WTIA Technology In Focus Series)
Info and registration here. John Cook, Co-Founder and Executive Director of TechFlash returns as moderator of the Predictions panel. Come and join this panel of futurists as they will attempt to predict what technology innovations are expected in 2010 and beyond…John will also pull out last year’s predictions and we’ll find out who was correct … Continue reading “Predictions for 2010 (WTIA Technology In Focus Series)”
CIO Forum from WTIA
Info and registration here. Designed as a highly-interactive meeting, this year’s Forum will feature two speakers and a panel discussion, with ample time for networking, audience discussion and Q&A. Attendance for the event is limited to CIO’s, CTO’s and Senior IT practitioners. Advanced approval is required prior to registration. The New CIO Reality – Leadership … Continue reading “CIO Forum from WTIA”
HubSpot Receives $16,000,000 Series C Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6d0e1526-b856-40bc-95ae-0854db07b6b6&Preview=1 Date 10/19/2009 Company Name HubSpot Mailing Address One Broadway 5th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description HubSpot is an Internet marketing software platform that enables your company to get more leads from your website by driving more prospects to your website and converting more of them into leads. HubSpot software tracks … Continue reading “HubSpot Receives $16,000,000 Series C Financing”
Bootstrapping Biotech
The San Diego Biotechnology Network has organized a panel discussion on starting and growing a life sciences company. The consultant-friendly environment today means startup biotech company’s now have more tools at their disposal to help their company grow. Understanding how traditional marketing and social media tools can work together also is a key for successful … Continue reading “Bootstrapping Biotech”
Faster, Cheaper Stem Cells: Fate Therapeutics Co-Founder, With Scripps Team, Finds Key
One of the scientific co-founders of San Diego-based Fate Therapeutics, along with his team at The Scripps Research Institute, is reporting a major advance that will make it faster, cheaper, and potentially practical on an industrial scale to turn adult cells into stem cells that can morph into any type of cell in the human … Continue reading “Faster, Cheaper Stem Cells: Fate Therapeutics Co-Founder, With Scripps Team, Finds Key”
Sometrics Receives Series B Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6549b90d-5146-46ed-a5a8-ecf51d02a63b&Preview=1 Date 10/18/2009 Company Name Sometrics Mailing Address 448 S. Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90013 Company Description Sometrics is the first analytics company to focus on social networking platforms. The company’s analytics platform provides detailed insights to help developers better understand and monetize their social media. The Sometrics solution works on … Continue reading “Sometrics Receives Series B Funding”
Charles River Lays Off 115 in Quebec
Wilmington, MA-based Charles River Laboratories (NYSE: [[ticker:CRL]]) has eliminated 115 positions at subsidiary CTBR Bio-Research in Senneville, Quebec, according to an article yesterday in the Montreal Gazette. A spokesperson quoted in the article attributed the cuts to the postponement of contract clinical research and development projects by the company’s pharmaceutical-industry clients. It’s not Charles River’s … Continue reading “Charles River Lays Off 115 in Quebec”
Is Venture Up or Down? Dow Jones Survey Shows Retreat in Q3 VC Activity, Flatly Contradicting Rival Report
After reporting earlier this week that third-quarter venture capital investments were up 14 percent nationwide over the second quarter—based on data from New York-based ChubbyBrain—we now have data from Dow Jones VentureSource for the same period that shows almost the opposite: a 5.5 percent decline in venture capital deployed during the quarter. Instead of the … Continue reading “Is Venture Up or Down? Dow Jones Survey Shows Retreat in Q3 VC Activity, Flatly Contradicting Rival Report”
Findood Wins Top Prize in NWEN Forum
Seattle-area startup Findood, an online marketplace for specialty foods, took first prize at the Northwest Entrepreneur Network’s First Look Forum on Wednesday. The other four finalists were Dibspace, DigitalScirocco, Geedra, and HeatFlow Technologies. Also presenting to investors were Aurumis, CoCollage, Glue, Greenbridge International, PodCurry, Re:Source Fitness, and Serra Media. Findood won a package from Swift … Continue reading “Findood Wins Top Prize in NWEN Forum”
Jackpot Rewards Raises $12M
Jackpot Rewards, a Newton, MA-based startup that runs cash-back rewards programs and sweepstakes for online shoppers, has raised just over $12 million in new financing in the form of convertible debt, according to regulatory documents filed today. We profiled the company in February 2008, when it first announced its plans to give away a $1 … Continue reading “Jackpot Rewards Raises $12M”
Ballmer in Boston: Microsoft CEO on New England Startups, Competing with Apple, and the “New Normal” of IT
Microsoft is adjusting to a “new normal” with levels of demand for information technology that may be permanently lower than in the past—but it will still vie aggressively with competitors such as Apple for the dollars of consumers and enterprises, CEO Steve Ballmer told an audience in Boston today. In a rare visit to New … Continue reading “Ballmer in Boston: Microsoft CEO on New England Startups, Competing with Apple, and the “New Normal” of IT”
Flexion Therapeutics Gets $33M For Faster, Cheaper Drug Development
[Update: 10/16/09, 3:18 pm Eastern] Flexion Therapeutics, the Woburn, MA-based company that seeks to reduce the time and expense of drug development’s risky early steps, has raised $33 million in a Series A venture round, according to a statement. Earlier in the day, we reported the deal was for $20 million, out of a potential … Continue reading “Flexion Therapeutics Gets $33M For Faster, Cheaper Drug Development”
Overtone Raises Almost $2.5M to Expand Online Monitoring Business
Overtone, a company that provides Web-based analytics that enables companies to monitor online sentiment about their brand and products, has raised nearly $2.5 million in a venture round that could be worth as much as $5.3 million, according to a recent regulatory filing. The company, though, defies any simple definition—at least based on a conversation … Continue reading “Overtone Raises Almost $2.5M to Expand Online Monitoring Business”
Thank You, Microsoft
This article was written with Michael Greeley, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners and chairman of the New England Venture Capital Association. Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer is here in Cambridge this morning meeting with community leaders, and presumably also with his own staff to learn how things are going at Microsoft’s New England Research and Development … Continue reading “Thank You, Microsoft”
Demo Meet-up (with Xconomy)
Join Matt Marshall, VentureBeat founder and executive producer of tech conference Demo, for Demo’s Boston meet-up. Matt and his crew will be in town looking for startups interested in presenting their products or companies at the spring edition of the semi-annual tech event next year. Xconomy Founder Bob Buderi will be there as well—so we … Continue reading “Demo Meet-up (with Xconomy)”
Join Xconomy at Demo Meet-Up Next Thursday
Demo conference executive producer (and VentureBeat founder) Matt Marshall and his posse will be in town next Thursday scouting out startups interested in unveiling their companies or products at the spring edition of the semi-annual tech event. We’re planning on knocking back a beer or two (or maybe something stronger) with Matt and the Demo … Continue reading “Join Xconomy at Demo Meet-Up Next Thursday”
Fill’er up: San Diego’s Algae-Based Energy Sector Grows
In wake of last week’s Algae Biomass Summit, we thought now might be a good time to take stock of San Diego’s biofuels/biomass energy sector. After identifying a mini-cluster of eight algae technology companies last December, Bruce was surprised to discover that the nonprofit group Cleantech San Diego now counts 31 biomass and biofuel companies … Continue reading “Fill’er up: San Diego’s Algae-Based Energy Sector Grows”