Nuance Communications Acquires Jott for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ab2ff247-2644-4dcb-84d6-7e2fb2590cf3&Preview=1 Date 7/14/2009 Company Name Jott Mailing Address 300 East Pike Street Seattle, WA 98122 Company Description The company has developed technology that converts voice into text for delivery via email. Website http://www.jott.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the transaction were not … Continue reading “Nuance Communications Acquires Jott for Undisclosed Sum”

Outspark Receives $8,300,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=398b5652-2b46-4d22-a43a-da6a70823c5f&Preview=1 Date 7/14/2009 Company Name Outspark Mailing Address 660 3rd Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description The company develops casual, multiplayer games for the US and Asian online markets. Website http://www.outspark.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,300,000 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms … Continue reading “Outspark Receives $8,300,000 Series C Round”

Aptana Obtains $7,800,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f9557a7b-57c7-45c8-93a1-e83d1c7f40f5&Preview=1 Date 7/14/2009 Company Name Aptana Mailing Address 1450 Fashion Island Blvd. San Mateo, CA 94404 Company Description Aptana is the leading provider of infrastructure for Web developers who produce rich, interactive Web sites and applications using scripting languages like JavaScript, PHP, and Ruby. Aptana’s “End-to-End Ajax” vision means that developers can … Continue reading “Aptana Obtains $7,800,000 Series B Funding Round”

AuthenTec Acquires Atrua Technologies for $4,900,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4df6244d-bd1c-4ec4-a8d9-2c2ae9cebebe&Preview=1 Date 7/14/2009 Company Name Atrua Technologies Mailing Address 1696 Dell Avenue Campbell, CA 95008 Company Description Atrua Technologies defined and leads a new category of control solutions known as intelligent touch controls, which bring a more responsive, intuitive, rich, and personal user experience to the advanced applications and services found on … Continue reading “AuthenTec Acquires Atrua Technologies for $4,900,000”

Cymer Shrinks Chip Circuitry

In a major step toward making microcircuits just 10-nanometers apart, San Diego’s Cymer (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CYMI]]) says it has shipped its first laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet laser machine to ASML in The Netherlands. Cymer says ASML will use the machine in development and testing of its next generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography scanners. Cymer says … Continue reading “Cymer Shrinks Chip Circuitry”

Craig Mundie of Microsoft on the Future of Software: Digital Assistants, Natural User Interfaces, and Room Computing

When you’ve been at Microsoft for 17 years, you’ve seen a few things. This morning, Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, shared some of his hard-earned wisdom in a keynote talk at company headquarters in Redmond, WA—helping to kick off Microsoft Research’s 10th annual faculty summit. Mundie outlined his broad thoughts on the … Continue reading “Craig Mundie of Microsoft on the Future of Software: Digital Assistants, Natural User Interfaces, and Room Computing”

Arzeda Teaming with DuPont

Arzeda, an artificial enzyme developer based in Seattle announced today that it is working with Des Moines, IA-based DuPont to create new crop seeds incorporating Arzeda’s enzymes.  The enzymes will ideally increase the productivity of the plants, providing more food from fewer resources.  The agreement gives DuPont, through its subsidiary Pioneer Hi-Bred, exclusive rights to … Continue reading “Arzeda Teaming with DuPont”

NASA to Use Kryptiq Software

Kryptiq, a Portland, OR-based developer of healthcare software announced today that NASA’s space medicine division will begin using Kryptiq’s Connect IQ software for sharing health data.  Financial details of the deal were not revealed.  NASA will use Connect IQ to share health information with its patients, colleagues and partners, including other government space organizations like … Continue reading “NASA to Use Kryptiq Software”

Tributes.com Raises $1.2M More

Boston-based obituary listings site Tributes.com, a spinoff of boomer social networking site Eons, has raised a $1.2 million second round of funding, the company said today. That brings the total venture pot for the startup, which earns revenues on partnership with media groups and funeral services companies, to $5.4 million. The company didn’t name the … Continue reading “Tributes.com Raises $1.2M More”

Microsoft Rolls Out Tools to Help Scientists (and Eventually Companies) Manage Data Deluge

From the seas to the stars, Microsoft Research is trying to increase its impact. The Redmond, WA-based computer science research organization is releasing new software tools aimed at helping scientists manage and visualize huge amounts of information, and make discoveries in fields as diverse as astronomy and oceanography. The announcement of the free tools, called … Continue reading “Microsoft Rolls Out Tools to Help Scientists (and Eventually Companies) Manage Data Deluge”

A Green Confab: The 3rd Annual Algae Biomass Summit

The Algal Biomass Organization, which promotes the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable biofuels and other algae-based commodities, is hosting its 3rd Annual Algae Biomass Summit in downtown San Diego. The keynote speaker is J. Craig Venter, the human genome pioneer and co-founder of San Diego’s Synthetic Genomics and the Maryland-based J. … Continue reading “A Green Confab: The 3rd Annual Algae Biomass Summit”

TeachStreet Launches Payment System

Seattle-based TeachStreet, an Internet startup that connects students and teachers in seven metro areas around the U.S., announced last night it has rolled out a new payment system powered by PayPal. Teachers get paid by their students, and TeachStreet collects a percentage of the enrollment fee, and a registration fee for new students. The startup … Continue reading “TeachStreet Launches Payment System”

VC Fundraising Engine Stalled, Q2 Venture Fund Closings Hit 13-year Low

Could it be the nadir of this recession for the venture capital industry? U.S. venture firms closed the fewest number of funds since the mid-1990s in the second quarter of 2009, according to a study released today. The 63.1-percent decline in quarterly VC fundraising indicated in the study is further evidence that the venture industry … Continue reading “VC Fundraising Engine Stalled, Q2 Venture Fund Closings Hit 13-year Low”

EcoDog’s Home Energy Monitoring Product Sniffs Out Energy Savings

Fido just might be a homeowner’s new best friend. The watchdog in question isn’t a vigilant Doberman or German Shepard, but rather the flagship product of EcoDog, a home energy-monitoring start-up based in Vista, CA. The device connects to a home circuit breaker and delivers real-time information on the home’s energy usage. One nifty aspect … Continue reading “EcoDog’s Home Energy Monitoring Product Sniffs Out Energy Savings”

Integra5 Wants to be MediaFriends With You

Woburn, MA-based Integra5 announced today that it has changed its name to MediaFriends, a move intended to underscore the startup’s focus on technology that lets people communicate across multiple devices, including phones, PCs, and televisions. Under the Integra5 brand, the 10-year-old company was known mainly as a supplier of “converged services” software to cable, phone, … Continue reading “Integra5 Wants to be MediaFriends With You”

ConforMIS Shapes Corporate Expansion with $50M D Round

Burlington, MA-based ConforMIS has tapped government and private funds around the globe to raise $50 million, providing a huge financial boost to expand its business of providing patients with customized knee implants based on CT or MRI scans of their damaged knees. ConforMIS chairman and CEO Philipp Lang tells me the company drew investments for … Continue reading “ConforMIS Shapes Corporate Expansion with $50M D Round”

Japan’s DoCoMo Acquires Stake in PacketVideo, Helix Wind Advances Business, General Atomics to Build Hybrid-Electric Prototype, & More San Diego BizTech News

Amid fresh signs of concern for venture capital in San Diego, we saw some local technology startups take big risks to push their business forward. Our wrap-up of the week’s innovation news begins now. —The largest wireless communications provider in Japan, NTT DoCoMo, invested $45.5 million to acquire a 35 percent stake in PacketVideo, the … Continue reading “Japan’s DoCoMo Acquires Stake in PacketVideo, Helix Wind Advances Business, General Atomics to Build Hybrid-Electric Prototype, & More San Diego BizTech News”

Off the Beaten Trail, WBBA Corrals Investors to Sniff Around Seattle Biotech

Venture capitalists from high-profile shops like SR One, the venture arm of drug giant GlaxoSmithKline, aren’t known for scouting companies in the Pacific Northwest. If the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association gets its way, a few more of those well-connected firms will start looking, and then maybe investing, in Northwest startups. SR One recently sent … Continue reading “Off the Beaten Trail, WBBA Corrals Investors to Sniff Around Seattle Biotech”

MC10 Tapping Founding VC North Bridge Venture Partners to Advance Stretchable Silicon Business

North Bridge Venture Partners has committed to participating in a planned $5 million Series A round of financing for stealthy startup MC10, which the Waltham, MA-based VC firm formed last year to commercialize stretchable silicon material, according to MC10 CEO Dave Icke. The stretchable silicon is both flexible in a literal sense and in terms … Continue reading “MC10 Tapping Founding VC North Bridge Venture Partners to Advance Stretchable Silicon Business”

OurStage Lands $3,000,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6460c5d6-e8c4-422d-a4ac-4b9188e67cd8&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name OurStage Mailing Address 321 Billerica Rd Chelmsford, MA 01824 Company Description OurStage is where the world’s music fans come to discover, enjoy and reward the best emerging artists – and where the world’s artists come to find their fans, get amazing gigs and launch their careers. Website … Continue reading “OurStage Lands $3,000,000 Series B Funding Round”

Tributes Obtains $1,200,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a88a9128-e062-453b-8d23-87650adf8938&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name Tributes Mailing Address 280 Summer Street, Fourth Floor Boston, MA 02210 Company Description Tributes.com is the online resource for current local and national obituary news, lasting tributes celebrating the lives of loved ones, and an online community to provide support during times of loss and grieving. Website … Continue reading “Tributes Obtains $1,200,000 Series B Funding”

ConforMIS Garners $50,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c18c4c0f-b908-4c6e-932f-89b631b9f91a&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name ConforMIS Mailing Address 2 Fourth Ave. Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description Our mission is to provide best-in-class, patient-specific, minimally invasive medical implants for orthopedics and sports medicine. This is achieved through use of our unique and highly differentiating imaging analysis tools that render precision 3-D implant sizing … Continue reading “ConforMIS Garners $50,000,000 New Financing”

ConnectEDU Lands $8,200,000 Series C Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6d427b21-c2d4-41c8-8db4-eca5f7f75e00&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name ConnectEDU Mailing Address 20 Park Plaza Boston, MA 02116 Company Description ConnectEDU is the nation’s leading technology firm dedicated to providing students, educators and employers with comprehensive solutions to successfully navigate education and employment transitions. Website http://www.connectedu.net/ Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,200,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “ConnectEDU Lands $8,200,000 Series C Round”

Vindicia Secures $7,500,000 Series D Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=29ea97f7-1fc7-4421-85ab-ac309b5fd409&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name Vindicia Mailing Address 3200 Bridge Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065 Company Description Vindicia was founded in 2003 as a result of the lack of commercially available back office solutions for digital merchants. The majority of Vindicia’s executive team are ecommerce pioneers, having been the executive team at … Continue reading “Vindicia Secures $7,500,000 Series D Financing Round”

Kovio Obtains $20,000,000 Series E Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8718f05b-70e8-4d6e-a0b2-afda3f13b267&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name Kovio Mailing Address 233 S. Hillview Dr. Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description Kovio Inc., a privately held Silicon Valley company, is developing a new category of semiconductor products using printed silicon electronics and thin film technology. Kovio’s approach delivers a unique and compelling value proposition in multiple … Continue reading “Kovio Obtains $20,000,000 Series E Round”

StrongMail Systems Receives $7,600,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b6fb3b0e-e397-4e45-bbb8-e0fd06675780&Preview=1 Date 7/13/2009 Company Name StrongMail Systems Mailing Address 1300 Island Drive Redwood City, CA 94065 Company Description StrongMail Systems is the only company that is 100% focused on providing a complete infrastructure for email senders. StrongMail has pioneered the email application server to simplify the development and management of email applications … Continue reading “StrongMail Systems Receives $7,600,000 New Round”

The Future of Successful Investment in Biotech

San Diego Venture Group has organized a panel discussion on the future of investing in biotech startups. Pockets of resources are emerging around the world in an effort to fundamentally change drug development and healthcare strategy. The panel, moderated by Venrock partner William Rastetter, includes Frazier Healthcare partner Bob Moore, Lilly Ventures Managing Director Edward … Continue reading “The Future of Successful Investment in Biotech”

Biocom Lunch with State Senator Denise Ducheny

Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, has served in the California State Senate since 2002. Sen. Duchney represents the 40th District, which includes portions of San Diego and Riverside Counties and all of Imperial County. She chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the Select Committees on California-Mexico Cooperation and the … Continue reading “Biocom Lunch with State Senator Denise Ducheny”

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and You

The San Diego Biotechnology Network has organized a presentation by Dan Shoemaker, the chief technology officer at Fate Therapeutics, and Stephen Chang, the chief scientific officer of Stemgent. They will give a short talk on the industrialization of advanced technology for drug discovery and development based on induced pluripotent stem cells. More information and online … Continue reading “Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and You”

iPeak Networks Receives Series A Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ec1593b0-5704-42ca-ad29-a7b271ba8b6d&Preview=1 Date 7/12/2009 Company Name iPeak Networks Mailing Address 111 N. Market St. 6th Floor San Jose, CA 95113 Company Description IPeak Networks Incorporated was founded by Matthew Williams to bring a revolutionary packet protection technology to market. That technology is called IPQ™ (Internet Performance and Quality). What does IPQ™ mean for … Continue reading “iPeak Networks Receives Series A Financing”

Some Pixily User E-mails Released

The private e-mail addresses of several hundred customers of Waltham, MA-based Pixily were accidentally shared with other customers Saturday in the aftermath of an Internet routing snafu that left many users unable to reach the document-scanning service for several hours. The breach, in which names intended for the “bcc” line of a customer service e-mail … Continue reading “Some Pixily User E-mails Released”

Midway Games Closing SD Studio

The Chicago-based maker of “Mortal Kombat” has given its San Diego video design studio 60 days to live, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Midway Games, which filed for bankruptcy reorganization in February, sold the bulk of its assets for $33 million earlier this month to Warner Brothers Entertainment. Warner Brother’s acquisition included development studios in … Continue reading “Midway Games Closing SD Studio”

The Browser Geolocation Wars: Skyhook’s CEO on Why Google Maps is Misreading Your Location

[Updated 9:20 p.m. EDT 7/10/09 with responses from Google; see the sections marked “Update” below] Yesterday Google announced that the “My Location” feature familiar to anyone who’s used Google Maps on a mobile device—the little blue button that shows you your position on a map—is now available to people accessing Google Maps from their laptop … Continue reading “The Browser Geolocation Wars: Skyhook’s CEO on Why Google Maps is Misreading Your Location”

Thoughts on the Naked Truth, from Picnik’s Jonathan Sposato

Yes, I’m taking the day off and letting other people (the actual participants) tell you what they took away from the inspiring tech events in Seattle last night. I asked panelist Jonathan Sposato, the CEO of Seattle-based Picnik, for his thoughts on the Naked Truth spectacle at Olympic Sculpture Park, which was organized by Glenn … Continue reading “Thoughts on the Naked Truth, from Picnik’s Jonathan Sposato”

A Yotta Insights on Making Money in Mobile, from Dan Shapiro of Ontela

While a lot of people were out enjoying the sunset and discussion at Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park last night—see TechFlash and TechCrunch for a nice recap of the Naked Truth startup gathering (and thanks to Seattle 2.0 TV for broadcasting it)—there was another compelling event happening on the Eastside. This one, hosted in Bellevue by … Continue reading “A Yotta Insights on Making Money in Mobile, from Dan Shapiro of Ontela”

Helixis Raises $5.5M

Helixis, a Carlsbad, CA, biomedical diagnostics startup founded in 2007, has raised $5.5 million in a secondary round that aims to total $6.5 million in venture funding, according to a report in PE Hub. The company says it was created to make advanced molecular diagnostic products more accessible for critical medical and scientific use. Domain Associates, Advanced Technology … Continue reading “Helixis Raises $5.5M”

Vertex Selling Telaprevir Payment Rights

Cambridge, MA-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:VRTX]]) revealed today its plans to raise cash through the sale of rights to $250 million in milestone payments it could receive for successfully developing and launching its experimental hepatitis C treatment, telaprevir, in Europe, according to a press release. No buyer of the rights was announced. Vertex gained rights to … Continue reading “Vertex Selling Telaprevir Payment Rights”

Freedom To Compete? A Symposium on Bills Affecting Employee Non-Compete Agreements

The Boston Bar Associaton’s Intellectual Property Section, Labor & Employment Law Section, and Litigation Section sponsors a free symposium, open to the public, on the pros and cons of non-compete agreements in employment contracts in Massachusetts. From the event website: “It is argued that employee non-compete agreements have chilled the spawning of new enterprises in … Continue reading “Freedom To Compete? A Symposium on Bills Affecting Employee Non-Compete Agreements”

Personal Podcasting with AudioBoo, UK’s “Twitter for Voice”

The human voice is making a comeback. For a while, it looked like e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, RSS, and all of the Internet’s other texty goodness might permanently eclipse the old-fashioned phone call and other voice-driven forms of communication. Even the spread of cell phones hasn’t halted the tide of text—more than a third of … Continue reading “Personal Podcasting with AudioBoo, UK’s “Twitter for Voice””

Awesome Foundation Looking For Offbeat Ideas That Need a $1,000 Boost

Flame-thrower enthusiasts and giant dinosaur puppet-makers of the world, rejoice. The Awesome Foundation for Arts and Sciences wants to support your efforts. Starting in July, the new Cambridge, MA-based “microtrust” will be giving out one grant each month in the spirit of supporting creations that evoke “surprise and delight.” The application process is simple: explain … Continue reading “Awesome Foundation Looking For Offbeat Ideas That Need a $1,000 Boost”

General Atomics to Build a Prototype for Hybrid-Electric Prius of the Seas

Saving money on fuel by developing new types of hybrid engines is not just the pursuit of automakers any more. Under a government contract awarded earlier this week, San Diego’s General Atomics is developing a new hybrid electric drive system for a U.S. Navy warship. “I think it has huge potential,” says Carl Fisher, who … Continue reading “General Atomics to Build a Prototype for Hybrid-Electric Prius of the Seas”

EMC Prevails in Data Domain Bidding War, New Funds for Excel and 5AM, Sonian Sees $4.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News

There’s not one but two venture-fund closings to report this week. More below on those, and the rest of the week’s deals news from New England’s life science and tech firms. —Hopkinton, MA-based EMC (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]) won a protracted bidding war with rival NetApp over software maker Data Domain. After EMC increased its offer for … Continue reading “EMC Prevails in Data Domain Bidding War, New Funds for Excel and 5AM, Sonian Sees $4.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

Helixis Secures $5,500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=32bea0ac-73ef-46cf-b141-5b5a5c15220e&Preview=1 Date 7/10/2009 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 Secures $5,500,000 New Funding”

Scoperta Lands $1,400,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c2594c6b-bcfb-4cea-b67f-88adda6ab7dd&Preview=1 Date 7/10/2009 Company Name Scoperta Mailing Address Undisclosed San Diego, CA 92131 Company Description The company develops fabless specialty steel technologies. Website http://www.scopertaexpo.com/ Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,400,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Enterprise Partners Venture Capital

GumGum Receives $2,600,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4c59d5cb-526f-4300-bb4b-8c01f92a07f5&Preview=1 Date 7/10/2009 Company Name GumGum Mailing Address 225 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Company Description GumGum is a licensing and distribution platform for online content. We believe paying a flat rate to license content for online use is illogical. Offline, the flat rate model works because distribution is finite. … Continue reading “GumGum Receives $2,600,000 Series A Funding”

Emergent Game Technologies Receives $14,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44499f1f-3d9e-40eb-ad26-9d4c7e8e797c&Preview=1 Date 7/10/2009 Company Name Emergent Game Technologies Mailing Address 5016 North Parkway Calabasas Calabasas, CA 91302 Company Description Emergent Game Technologies is the single source for all the tools required to build, test, manage and expand interactive games. Emergent was founded in 2000 and merged with NDL, the company that created … Continue reading “Emergent Game Technologies Receives $14,000,000 New Financing Round”