Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7d250b9f-5d37-4c5a-99dd-998a04a2ef42&Preview=1 Date 5/4/2009 Company Name Viximo Mailing Address 1 Camp Street Cambridge, MA 02140 Company Description Viximo is the mullet of startups: 15 engineers working hard in the front and a 5 person art party in the back. We love Ruby and/on Rails. We make jokes about object-oriented girlfriends and grill out … Continue reading “Viximo Secures $5,000,000 New Financing”
23andMe Lands $11,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b6e48b04-0dd5-45f7-91ef-abb79c0b1548&Preview=1 Date 5/4/2009 Company Name 23andMe Mailing Address 1390 Shorebird Way Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description 23andMe is focused on empowering individuals to access, explore, and better understand their genetic information, making use of recent advances in DNA analysis technologies and proprietary web-based software tools. Website http://www.23andme.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “23andMe Lands $11,000,000 New Round”
Acquires Spock Networks for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d9a1a42c-0cab-4a16-aae3-7463c3cf6405&Preview=1 Date 5/4/2009 Company Name Spock Networks Mailing Address 2500 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description Spock is developing a search engine that helps users find and discover people. With over one hundred million people already indexed and millions added everyday, Spock is building the broadest and deepest people … Continue reading “Acquires Spock Networks for Undisclosed Sum”
After the Layoff: Keeping Surviving Employees Focused and Engaged
Leap Wireless CEO Doug Hutcheson and Solekai Systems President Martin Caniff talk about techniques they have used to retain employees and keep their confidence high through difficult times. They will be joined by Vicki Krantz, director of business, science, & technology programs at UCSD Extension, who has been an active member of San Diego’s human … Continue reading “After the Layoff: Keeping Surviving Employees Focused and Engaged”
A Wireless Town Hall Meeting With Verizon CTO Anthony Melone
Anthony Melone, Verizon Wireless Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, is responsible for the technology, architecture, planning, design, and operation of the company’s coast-to-coast wireless voice and data network. He plans to talk about what’s over the horizon at Verizon, and answers questions from the audience. Registration begins at 5 p.m., or register online … Continue reading “A Wireless Town Hall Meeting With Verizon CTO Anthony Melone”
Cleantech Financing: Tapping into Government Funding
A panel of financing experts from K&L Gates and Barney & Barney explain how cleantech startups can take advantage of funding opportunities though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Cleantech CEOs, CFOs, executives, in-house counsel, venture capitalists, and senior management are urged to attend. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., or register online here.
Connect With Connect
Join Connect for its premier networking event, which attracts more than 350 leaders from San Diego’s most-innovative industries and take advantage of the opportunity to view presentations by local life sciences, high tech, and cleantech companies. Register online here.
Heart Surgery: Recent Trends and Coming Technologies
Smaller incisions and new approaches in cardiothoracic procedures have brought heart surgery to the threshold of new techniques and biomedical innovations. Dr. Stuart Jamieson, who heads the division of cardiothoracic surgery at the U.C. San Diego Medical Center, discusses the potential for improved patient recovery. Register online here.
Massachusetts Life Sciences Innovation Day
This annual event, organized by our friends at the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center, is one of the best biotech/life sciences gatherings of the year—and Xconomy is pleased to once again help support it. It’s a touch challenge and you couldn’t ask for a more to-the-point theme: “The Survival of the Fittest Life Sciences Companies: How … Continue reading “Massachusetts Life Sciences Innovation Day”
Boston Biotech CEO Conference
For the third year running, Sirtris CEO Christoph Westphal is organizing this event for biotech CEOs. This year’s conference, featuring top area executives and internationally recognized economic and healthcare policy experts, zeroes in on the “future of healthcare in the context of the current economic and political environment.” More details and registration information can be … Continue reading “Boston Biotech CEO Conference”
Ultra Light Startups Boston: Crowdsourcing
Ultra Light Startups is a meetup, new to Boston, that is dedicated to helping technology entrepreneurs “launch startups quicker, cheaper, and more successfully.” The first meeting is a panel discussion focused on crowdsourcing business models and how crowdsourcing will drive the future of business. Our friend Alex Lindahl from College Mogul, in partnership with BU … Continue reading “Ultra Light Startups Boston: Crowdsourcing”
Talyst Founder Raises Venture Fund
Jim Torina, the co-founder and former CEO of Bellevue, WA-based Talyst, is raising a venture fund and launching a startup incubator called The University Funds, also in Bellevue. The news was first reported by PE Hub. The seed-stage fund is looking to work with Washington State University and other institutions to build companies around universities’ … Continue reading “Talyst Founder Raises Venture Fund”
ProQuo’s Founding CEO Takes a Sabbatical to Teach at Cornell
Steven Gal, who founded San Diego-based ProQuo to help consumers control their personal information and reduce their junk mail, bid a fond farewell in an e-mail blast this afternoon. “I can’t say I saw this economic nuclear winter coming last year when I decided to take a sabbatical from tech startups and return to teaching … Continue reading “ProQuo’s Founding CEO Takes a Sabbatical to Teach at Cornell”
Ray Ozzie on Cloud Strategy and Washington Vs. Massachusetts: Takeaways from Tech Alliance
In football, the expression is “three yards and a cloud of dust.” But at Microsoft, it’s apparently “three screens and a cloud.” That’s according to chief software architect Ray Ozzie, who took part in a keynote conversation with University of Washington computer scientist Ed Lazowska at today’s State of Technology Luncheon, hosted by the Technology … Continue reading “Ray Ozzie on Cloud Strategy and Washington Vs. Massachusetts: Takeaways from Tech Alliance”
Acceleron Pharma Grows Staff, Facilities
Acceleron Pharma, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of biotech drugs designed to effect the growth of cells and tissues to treat diseases, plans to expand its workforce from 114 people now employed at the company to 160 or more workers by the end of 2009, company spokesman Steven Ertel says. The venture-backed biotech firm held an … Continue reading “Acceleron Pharma Grows Staff, Facilities”
Polaris’s McGuire Takes Helm at U.S. Venture Group, Plans to Fight Obama Effort to Hike Taxes on VC Firms
It’s probably fitting that I caught up with Boston venture veteran Terry McGuire this week while he was chatting in a corner of a busy conference room with his West Coast counterpart, Dixon Doll. McGuire, a co-founder and managing general partner of Waltham, MA-based Polaris Venture Partners, introduced Doll to me as the chairman of … Continue reading “Polaris’s McGuire Takes Helm at U.S. Venture Group, Plans to Fight Obama Effort to Hike Taxes on VC Firms”
A Big Thank You to Our Tomorrow’s Biotech Sponsors and Underwriters
We had a jammed-packed, illuminating afternoon yesterday, with more than 200 people streaming into Biogen Idec’s headquarters in Kendall Square for our latest Xconomy Forum: Tomorrow’s Biotech–Innovators and Innovations. Luke posted a writeup earlier today, and will have more next week. But meanwhile, we’d also like to give a big shout out to our sponsors, … Continue reading “A Big Thank You to Our Tomorrow’s Biotech Sponsors and Underwriters”
Intelius Scoops Up Spock
Bellevue, WA-based Intelius, a company that provides background checks and identity theft protection, has acquired Redwood City, CA-based people search engine Spock, as reported by VentureBeat, TechCrunch, and others. Terms were not disclosed. Intelius was founded in 2003 and is led by CEO Naveen Jain, the founder of InfoSpace.
How to Raise $50M in a Recession: Highlights from the Xconomy Life Sciences Forum
Some of biotech’s most innovative drugs emerged under the worst financial conditions. Two big breakthroughs in the 1990s, Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis and Rituxan for lymphoma, came from small biotech companies that toiled for years, and survived brushes with extinction, before they made it. This history lesson came up in conversations I had with entrepreneurs … Continue reading “How to Raise $50M in a Recession: Highlights from the Xconomy Life Sciences Forum”
What the Urbanspoon Acquisition Means for Consumer Internet Startups
One of the year’s most talked-about deals so far was this week’s announcement that Seattle-based Urbanspoon, the online restaurant guide and iPhone application, has been bought by Internet giant IAC. Financial terms were not disclosed, but reactions I’ve heard from local entrepreneurs and investors have ranged anywhere from “this is great for Urbanspoon and the … Continue reading “What the Urbanspoon Acquisition Means for Consumer Internet Startups”
PhotoThera Raises $50M for Laser-Based Stroke Treatment
PhotoThera, a Carlsbad, CA, startup developing transcranial laser therapy for treating acute ischemic stroke, said it has closed a $50 million Series D round of financing led by Warburg Pincus, the private equity firm. The funding is intended to support a planned Phase 3 clinical study of the treatment, which is designed to be given … Continue reading “PhotoThera Raises $50M for Laser-Based Stroke Treatment”
Vermedx Draws $500K in Series A
Vermedx, a Burlington, VT-based provider of information technology tools initially for the diabetes care market, has raised $500,000 in a Series A financing, the company reported this week. FreshTracks Capital, a venture firm based in Shelburne, VT, led the financing, which is intended to provide Vermedx with funds to enhance marketing efforts and continue to … Continue reading “Vermedx Draws $500K in Series A”
Avalon Ventures’ Kevin Kinsella Sees a Way Through the Recession
San Diego’s Avalon Ventures is among a handful of homegrown VC firms that remains an active investor in early stage companies in the region, even though overall venture funding is anemic right now. But Avalon founder Kevin Kinsella sees a healthy resurgence of venture activities—and even some IPOs on the horizon. “The situation is what … Continue reading “Avalon Ventures’ Kevin Kinsella Sees a Way Through the Recession”
Acme Packet Packs Up Covergence, Thermo Buys Biolab, Q1 Was Kind to Mobile, & More Boston-Area Deals News
I’ve got several acquisitions to report this week, and some other interesting New England tech and life sciences deals as well. —Mobile Monday Boston released figures indicating that the first quarter of 2009 was the best in the last five quarters in terms of investment in Boston-area mobile technology companies. Eleven companies raised a total … Continue reading “Acme Packet Packs Up Covergence, Thermo Buys Biolab, Q1 Was Kind to Mobile, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Vermedx Receives $500,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=69a60bed-9e80-4f64-9c9d-551e26ce6a10&Preview=1 Date 5/1/2009 Company Name Vermedx Mailing Address 371 Pearl St Burlington, VT 05401 Company Description The American health care system is poorly equipped to effectively and cost-efficiently manage chronic disease in general, and diabetes in particular. With 40 million Americans affected by diabetes and related costs exceeding $100 billion annually, established … Continue reading “Vermedx Receives $500,000 Series A Financing”
Booyah Receives $4,500,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=15a5efa2-feb7-4ef5-a15d-5ab7264fa817&Preview=1 Date 5/1/2009 Company Name Booyah Mailing Address 170 A University Avenue Second Floor Palo Alto, CA 94301 Company Description Booyah has developed an online GPS game that allows users to check in at real world locations to unlock rewards. Website http://www.booyah.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,500,000 Transaction Round Series … Continue reading “Booyah Receives $4,500,000 Series A Financing Round”
QLogic Corporation Acquires NetXen for $21,000,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=55065056-3ab2-403a-a3d7-a030d09aa7d8&Preview=1 Date 5/1/2009 Company Name NetXen Mailing Address 18922 Forge Drive Cupertino, CA 95014 Company Description NetXen, founded in 2002, is a leading provider of high-performance networking and protocol processing solutions. The company stands at the forefront of a major shift in technology in the enterprise datacenter. Blade servers, server consolidation, and … Continue reading “QLogic Corporation Acquires NetXen for $21,000,000”
TweetPhoto Shows Where That Pic Came From
San Diego-based TweetPhoto is taking social media a little bit further towards “Web 3.0” time. TweetPhoto today launched a social-networking photo-sharing service, which uses Twitter and Facebook and automatically geo-tags photos sent from GPS-enabled cell phones. You can check my TweetPhoto of Bird Rock in La Jolla here. The service also provides information on who … Continue reading “TweetPhoto Shows Where That Pic Came From”
Minecode CEO Sentenced for Sabotage
A federal judge today ordered the CEO of a Bellevue, WA, computer programming and Web design company to pay at least $264,000 in fines and restitution and to serve 90 days’ home confinement for an alleged act of cyberspace sabotage. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Seattle, Minecode CEO Pradyumna Samal ordered a Minecode … Continue reading “Minecode CEO Sentenced for Sabotage”
Cascadia Capital Internet Report Touts Future of Social Media, Mobile, and Online Marketing
Seattle-based investment bank Cascadia Capital released a comprehensive report today on the state of the Internet and new media market and its future prospects. The analysis points to social media and mobile applications as areas in which companies are most likely to make money in the next couple of years. It also fleshes out the … Continue reading “Cascadia Capital Internet Report Touts Future of Social Media, Mobile, and Online Marketing”
Wetpaint Teams Up With MSN
Seattle social-publishing startup Wetpaint announced it has formed a partnership with MSN Entertainment, a leading online network, to create more than two dozen fan sites that will start rolling out this quarter. Financial terms of the deal were not given. MSN Entertainment will use Wetpaint’s software to power social sites where fans can write content, … Continue reading “Wetpaint Teams Up With MSN”
Novocell Gets $5.4M State Grant
The governing board for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the state stem cell agency, yesterday approved $67.7 million in funding for 15 research grants, including a $5.4 million grant to San Diego’s Novocell. The multi-year grant to Novocell will fund research that’s intended to find ways of identifying and separating stem cells that form … Continue reading “Novocell Gets $5.4M State Grant”
Big Fish Gobbles Grubby Games
Seattle-based Big Fish Games has acquired Grubby Games, a studio based in Vancouver, BC, for an undisclosed price. The news was first reported by Gama Sutra. Grubby Games is the maker of titles like Incredibots, Professor Fizzwizzle, and My Tribe. Big Fish plans to release a new brand based on Grubby’s software next quarter.
Three Things Every Startup Should Do, As Inspired by UW Business Competition
I overheard some crucial advice for young startups while helping judge the UW Business Plan competition on Tuesday. As I worked the room, I compared notes on the various teams with some well-established entrepreneurs like Steve McCracken of CultureMob, Brent Lamphier of Athleon, Nathan Kaiser of nPost, and Marcelo Calbucci of Sampa and Seattle 2.0. … Continue reading “Three Things Every Startup Should Do, As Inspired by UW Business Competition”
Likewise Laps Up $10M Series C
Likewise Software, a Bellevue, WA-based provider of software designed to track and secure access to computer networks, including those that involve multiple operating systems, says it has closed a $10 million Series C round of financing. Previous investors Ignition Partners, based in Bellevue, as well as California-based Trinity Ventures and Intel Capital led the round. … Continue reading “Likewise Laps Up $10M Series C”
Amylin Allows Talks Between Carl Icahn and Eastbourne
In a filing with the SEC today, San Diego’s diabetes drug developer Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLN) says it has agreed to let affiliates of billionaire investor Carl Icahn and Eastbourne Capital Management “engage in discussions with the other for the sole purpose of facilitating a settlement of the proxy contest.” The two dissident shareholder groups, which … Continue reading “Amylin Allows Talks Between Carl Icahn and Eastbourne”
Ethertronics Developing Active Antennas For Cornucopia of Next-Generation Wireless Services
Earlier this month, Xconomy reported that San Diego’s Ethertronics raised an additional $4 million in a secondary round of venture funding. Yesterday, I sat down with Sahil Bansal, Ethertronics’ director of strategic marketing, who explained how the company has emerged as a specialist in embedded antennas for cell phones and how it’s planning to use … Continue reading “Ethertronics Developing Active Antennas For Cornucopia of Next-Generation Wireless Services”
Acme Buys Covergence for $22.8M
Burlington, MA-based Acme Packet (NASDAQ:[[ticker:APKT]]), which sells hardware and software for managing and securing communications over the Internet, reports today that it has acquired privately owned communications software firm Covergence, of Maynard, MA, for about $22.2 million in Acme common stock and $600,000 in cash to Covergence shareholders and tax withholding payments. Covergence executives Ken … Continue reading “Acme Buys Covergence for $22.8M”
Sycamore to Cut 30 Percent of Staff
Sycamore Networks (NASDAQ:[[ticker:SCMR]]), a Chelmsford, MA-based provider of telecommunications software, plans to reduce its total workforce by 30 percent over the next several fiscal quarters because of a slowdown in the global telecom market, the company reported yesterday. The job cuts, which will impact employees in all fuctional areas and at multiple offices, are expected … Continue reading “Sycamore to Cut 30 Percent of Staff”
Dendreon Drug Prolongs Life, ZymoGenetics Cuts Staff, Microsoft Tackles Biotech & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
This week, Seattle biotech got some of the best news it has seen in years. One local biotech company, Dendreon, scored a major coup by generating results that show its immune-boosting drug for prostate cancer can prolong life with minimal side effects. But there was a lot more happening in the local lab scene than … Continue reading “Dendreon Drug Prolongs Life, ZymoGenetics Cuts Staff, Microsoft Tackles Biotech & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Oral RNAi Drug Stops Inflammation in Mice, RXi Says
The big challenge in the field of RNA interference drugs is with how to deliver them effectively through the body. Now scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School are reporting today in Nature they have come up with an oral pill form of this gene-silencing approach, which passed an early test in mice. If … Continue reading “Oral RNAi Drug Stops Inflammation in Mice, RXi Says”
Currensee: A Support Network for Traders Risking their Personal Fortunes on the Foreign Exchange Market
If following the stock market’s swoon hasn’t been enough to sink your confidence in capitalism and the financial industry, you may want to try your hand at currency trading on the foreign exchange market. Enormous amounts of money slosh from border to border on the “forex” market, as it’s called—the equivalent of several trillion dollars … Continue reading “Currensee: A Support Network for Traders Risking their Personal Fortunes on the Foreign Exchange Market”
Era of Over-the-Counter DNA Diagnostic Test Arrives in San Diego
A suburban healthcare group began selling personal DNA testing kits in San Diego this week, enabling ordinary people to buy an over-the-counter test to determine their predispositon to genetic disease. The Personal Genome Service packages, which retail for $399, were previously only available online. The first DNA kits ordered by San Diego’s Palomar Pomerado Health … Continue reading “Era of Over-the-Counter DNA Diagnostic Test Arrives in San Diego”
Merck Makes GlycoFi Center of its Biogenerics Strategy, Biogen Says Tysabri Might Promote Remyelination, Stemgent Teams with Fate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Stem cells and RNAi were the subject of a couple of interesting alliances announced this week. More on those, and the rest of the week’s New England life sciences news, below. —Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]), a maker of drugs for central nervous system disorders, addiction, and diabetes, signed a lease to move its headquarters from Cambridge, … Continue reading “Merck Makes GlycoFi Center of its Biogenerics Strategy, Biogen Says Tysabri Might Promote Remyelination, Stemgent Teams with Fate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Acme Packet Acquires Covergence Inc. for $22,800,000
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=983fceca-dd4c-4ef4-851c-b748105d6106&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name Covergence Inc. Mailing Address One Clock Tower Place, Second Floor Maynard, MA 01754 Company Description Covergence is the leader in scaling, securing and controlling VoIP and other real-time services based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The Covergence Eclipse SIP session manager is purpose-built to address the … Continue reading “Acme Packet Acquires Covergence Inc. for $22,800,000”
View2Gether LLC Secures Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a8222161-5b48-4f90-87bf-ce779d23f275&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name View2Gether LLC Mailing Address Undisclosed Burbank, CA 91500 Company Description View2gether offers a white-label solution to any online video provider; whether it be a Web site, network or studio, blog, portal or online advertising campaign that is focused on the engagement of theircommunity through Social Viewing. We … Continue reading “View2Gether LLC Secures Series A Funding Round”
Vigilos Corporation Garners $1,400,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f9a74cfd-375b-497d-a80c-752d5066b750&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name Vigilos Corporation Mailing Address 2030 First Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description The Vigilos Brightsite Service, based on Vigilos Enterprise Security Management (ESM) software designed for large enterprises, is a turnkey hosted solution that offers improved security, higher guard performance, reduced false alarms and comprehensive metrics. Website … Continue reading “Vigilos Corporation Garners $1,400,000 New Funding Round”
Likewise Software Secures $10,000,000 Series C Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9e8919d9-9893-4d10-bb1a-797902076d11&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name Likewise Software Mailing Address 15395 SE 30th Pl Bellevue, WA 98007 Company Description Centeris solutions give customers the freedom to choose the server platform best suited to their business needs. Centeris has experienced management and engineering teams in place and is led by senior executives from leading … Continue reading “Likewise Software Secures $10,000,000 Series C Financing”
Everbridge Garners $2,000,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5f1c6a9e-e194-4c03-bc87-a1aebf293261&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name Everbridge Mailing Address 505 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA 91203 Company Description Everbridge is the leading global provider of mass notification solutions to Global 2000 corporations, government agencies and municipalities, healthcare systems, and educational institutions in more than 70 countries with the ability to communicate in more … Continue reading “Everbridge Garners $2,000,000 Series A Funding”
PhotoThera Inc. Lands $50,000,000 Series D Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=51727899-a28c-4cba-b981-0ddec4d91608&Preview=1 Date 4/30/2009 Company Name PhotoThera Inc. Mailing Address 2260 Rutherford Rd. Carlsbad, CA 92008 Company Description PhotoThera (Carlsbad, CA) is a privately owned biomedical company pioneering the emerging field of infrared energy therapeutics. Website http://www.photothera.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $50,000,000 Transaction Round Series D Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “PhotoThera Inc. Lands $50,000,000 Series D Funding Round”