[Update 12:15 p.m. I’ll be live-tweeting from the event. You can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/wroush. Please use the hash tag #xconmobile if you’re tweeting or blogging about the event.] We’re packing up our laptops, posters, and banners in a couple of hours and heading over to Microsoft’s New England Research and Development Center for Xconomy’s … Continue reading “See You This Afternoon at the [Sold Out!] Xconomy Forum on Mobile Innovation in New England”
Moving Fast, Trius Therapeutics Assesses Capital Needs for Late-Stage Clinical Trials
When Luke checked in at Trius Therapeutics almost six months ago, he reported that the San Diego life sciences startup was on a roll, but not quite ready to talk about results of its early stage clinical trials. These days, CEO Jeff Stein says Trius is assessing how best to move ahead in its development … Continue reading “Moving Fast, Trius Therapeutics Assesses Capital Needs for Late-Stage Clinical Trials”
Swype Scores $1.3M, Onehub Raises $600K, Genzyme Comes to Town, & More Seattle-Area Deals News
It was a fairly quiet week for Northwest deals, with activity in biotech, software, and mobile. Let’s see if the sunny weather brings more action. —Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]), a Bothell, WA-based developer of cancer drugs, provided a worldwide license to use its technology to Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company in exchange for $4 million … Continue reading “Swype Scores $1.3M, Onehub Raises $600K, Genzyme Comes to Town, & More Seattle-Area Deals News”
Alkermes, Swinging For the Fence, Touts New Anti-Addiction Drug
Alkermes is in the midst of a makeover. The Cambridge, MA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]) is morphing from a steady-as-she-goes developer of technology that improves drugs for partners into a more classic biotech that swings for the fence. This means Alkermes is now getting in the high-risk and high-reward game that goes with developing new drugs … Continue reading “Alkermes, Swinging For the Fence, Touts New Anti-Addiction Drug”
Qualcomm’s Irwin Jacobs is Retired, But Not Retiring
When Qualcomm co-founder and longtime chairman and CEO Irwin Jacobs stepped down as chairman of the wireless giant last month, he said he was taking another shot at retiring. Jacobs, who turned 75 in October, told The San Diego Union-Tribune after Qualcomm’s annual shareholders meeting that his first attempt at retiring didn’t take, presumably because … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Irwin Jacobs is Retired, But Not Retiring”
Antibodies for HIV, Long Dismissed, Show Signs of Comeback at Seattle’s Theraclone
One of the great riddles of modern medicine is why a few rare individuals who get infected with HIV retain a strong enough immune defense to naturally fight off the virus in all its nefarious strains. Some of these people are prostitutes in Africa, they never take an expensive cocktail of antiviral drugs, and they … Continue reading “Antibodies for HIV, Long Dismissed, Show Signs of Comeback at Seattle’s Theraclone”
Polaris’ Simeonov Strikes Out on Own—Forms Advisory Firm While Looking for the Next Big Thing
Simeon “Sim” Simeonov, a longtime technology partner at Polaris Venture Partners, has left the venture company to launch his own endeavor—an advisory firm to help startups. Simeonov put together the website for his firm, FastIgnite, over the weekend. The homepage shows a turtle with a rocket strapped to its back, with a lit match primed … Continue reading “Polaris’ Simeonov Strikes Out on Own—Forms Advisory Firm While Looking for the Next Big Thing”
Sweeney Appointed CEO of IntelliDOT
San Diego-based IntelliDOT has named James M. Sweeney as chairman and CEO. IntelliDOT provides wireless handheld barcode solutions to hospitals. In a statement, the company noted that Sweeney has founded eight healthcare service companies, including Caremark, a pioneer of in-home infusion therapy, and Cardionet (Nasdaq: [[ticker:BEAT]]), which provides wireless cardiac monitoring services.
Fisker Automotive, Inc. Lands $85,000,000 Series D Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b8f267ca-634a-49f3-ab5e-94dd5dbccb7f&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Fisker Automotive, Inc. Mailing Address 2811 McGaw Ave Irvine, CA 92614 Company Description The concept was created between two independent companies who clearly wanted to make a difference in not only the automotive industry, but to the environment as well. Fisker Coachbuild, LLC and Quantum Technologies announced … Continue reading “Fisker Automotive, Inc. Lands $85,000,000 Series D Funding Round”
Ember Corporation Lands $8,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=03fded87-b8b5-41e5-9212-bbbe63aaa4e1&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Ember Corporation Mailing Address 47 Farnsworth Street Boston, MA 02210 Company Description Ember enables communication among embedded microcontrollers with standards-based wireless mesh networking semiconductors and software. Website http://www.ember.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms … Continue reading “Ember Corporation Lands $8,000,000 New Funding Round”
TouchCommerce Inc Receives $10,000,000 Series E Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=64245af2-294d-46fe-97e6-a947d7b71c59&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name TouchCommerce Inc Mailing Address 30501 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Company Description TouchCommerce is a leading provider of Online Interaction Optimization Solutions. Combining best-in-class real time customer analytics and live interaction technology with our program optimization services, we enable sales and care chat agents to significantly … Continue reading “TouchCommerce Inc Receives $10,000,000 Series E Funding Round”
Socialcast Obtains $1,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca3fc57a-fd63-4e27-b2f9-ec7329d1ec53&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Socialcast Mailing Address 9891 Irvine Center Drive Irvine, CA 92618 Company Description Since 2005, Socialcast has been a leading provider of social networking platforms and solutions for both consumer-facing clients and enterprise customers. Based in Irvine, California, Socialcast is the only SaaS provider of private self-service corporate … Continue reading “Socialcast Obtains $1,000,000 New Funding”
Cianna Medical, Inc. Obtains $10,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=28ce4133-1044-4e4d-9de9-28281f573603&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Cianna Medical, Inc. Mailing Address 6 Journey Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 Company Description Cianna Medical, Inc. is a women’s health company dedicated to the innovative treatment of early-stage breast cancer. When diagnosed early, most women have the option to save their breast by choosing breast conserving therapy … Continue reading “Cianna Medical, Inc. Obtains $10,000,000 New Financing Round”
Double Twist Obtains $5,000,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4bbbe122-d0a0-4649-afb8-006b14a7b478&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Double Twist Mailing Address Undisclosed San Francisco, CA 94000 Company Description DoubleTwist Corporation was founded in Oslo, Norway by Monique Farantzos and Jon Lech Johansen (aka DVD Jon) and is headquartered in San Francisco. We are backed by several prominent venture capital firms and individual investors.The doubleTwist … Continue reading “Double Twist Obtains $5,000,000 Series B Financing Round”
Socialcast Secures $1,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ca3fc57a-fd63-4e27-b2f9-ec7329d1ec53&Preview=1 Date 4/7/2009 Company Name Socialcast Mailing Address 19 South Park Street San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description Since 2005, Socialcast has been a leading provider of social networking platforms and solutions for both consumer-facing clients and enterprise customers. Based in Irvine, California, Socialcast is the only SaaS provider of private self-service … Continue reading “Socialcast Secures $1,000,000 New Round”
Raising Money When There Isn’t Any: WBBA Breakfast
This event will bring together experts to discuss sources of financing for biotechnology companies beyond the traditional venture capital investment model. Speakers will include Sonya Erickson of Cooley Godward, Kirk Schumacher of Seattle Genetics, and Chad Waite of OVP Venture Partners. Tickets are $35 for WBBA members, and $60 for non-members. For more information on … Continue reading “Raising Money When There Isn’t Any: WBBA Breakfast”
A New Window on Influenza and AIDS: Alan Aderem at Town Hall
Alan Aderem, a world leader in immunology and co-founder of the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, will discuss his research into understanding how the immune system fights infections, and how these insights will lead to better strategies to combat pandemic infectious diseases. Tickets are $5 and are available online or by calling 800-838-3006 and … Continue reading “A New Window on Influenza and AIDS: Alan Aderem at Town Hall”
Qualcomm May Slow Verizon’s LTE Rollout
Verizon’s schedule for deploying speedy fourth generation mobile phones may be subject to delay. Citing a Deutsche Bank research report issued this morning, GigaOM suggests Verizon won’t make its plan to have LTE (Long-Term Evolution) handsets available by the end of 2010. The holdup is due to the LTE chip production schedule at San Diego’s … Continue reading “Qualcomm May Slow Verizon’s LTE Rollout”
Isilon Cuts 10% of Workforce
Isilon Systems, the Seattle-based maker of data storage products, said it is cutting 10 percent of its global workforce to save about $4 million a year. The company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ISLN]]) announced the cuts in a preliminary first-quarter financial report, which put revenue at $26.5 million to $27 million in the quarter, down 15 to 17 … Continue reading “Isilon Cuts 10% of Workforce”
SonoSite Revenue Dips
SonoSite, the Bothell, WA-based maker of portable ultrasound machines, said today that worldwide sales fell 1 to 2 percent in the first quarter, in a preliminary earnings report. Sales to U.S. hospitals fell by a “mid-teen percentage,” and overseas sales were weakened by foreign currency exchange rates, the company said. The company saw grown in … Continue reading “SonoSite Revenue Dips”
A123Systems Will Supply Batteries for Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles
If struggling automaker Chrysler survives its current financial crisis, it will likely come out the other end with a different owner (the Obama Administration wants it to link up with Italy’s Fiat) and a different lineup of vehicles. In fact, it’s already working on a line of electric-only automobiles, including five Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler … Continue reading “A123Systems Will Supply Batteries for Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles”
Seattle Genetics, Millennium Do Deal
Seattle Genetics, the Bothell, WA-based developer of cancer drugs, said today it licensed its technology to Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company. Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) will get $4 million upfront for a worldwide license to use technology that combines antibodies that seek out tumors, with toxins that can make them more potent. Millennium will pay … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics, Millennium Do Deal”
Everypoint Launches News Reader for Java Phones
Back in December 2008 we wrote about the launch of Everypoint, a Boston startup working on a platform that makes it easy for developers to write cool iPhone-like applications for Java-capable phones, which includes most feature phones (i.e. non-smartphones) these days. To seed developer efforts, Everypoint started out by releasing a few of its own … Continue reading “Everypoint Launches News Reader for Java Phones”
Biotech Neighbors, VLST and Novo Nordisk, Forge Alliance in Seattle’s South Lake Union
One of the things we believe at Xconomy is that innovation happens in geographic clusters, especially when people can easily interact across multiple disciplines. I got a sense of how one of those important interactions is starting to blossom in pockets of a massive construction zone otherwise known as Seattle’s South Lake Union. Smack in … Continue reading “Biotech Neighbors, VLST and Novo Nordisk, Forge Alliance in Seattle’s South Lake Union”
Lilliputian Discovers $25M, Biovex Bags $40M, Clinical Data Cedes Cogenics to Beckman Coulter for $17M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
This past week saw a decent amount of venture dealmaking for Massachusetts tech and life sciences firms, with Woburn’s BioVex and Wilmington’s Lilliputian Systems scoring the biggest rounds. —Boston-area biotech startup TargAnox closed a $5.1 million Series A funding round led by Ascent Biomedical Ventures. Partners Innovation Fund contributed $250,000 to the round and helped … Continue reading “Lilliputian Discovers $25M, Biovex Bags $40M, Clinical Data Cedes Cogenics to Beckman Coulter for $17M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Wireless Medicine Gets $45M Booster Shot, Arena’s Weight-Loss Trial Underwhelms Wall Street, Venter’s Synthetic Genomics About to Ramp Up, & Other San Diego BizTech News
We saw first-hand the increasing convergence of advanced information technologies and the life sciences here in San Diego last week. The trend was evident in the formation of a new institute for wireless healthcare, and in a roundtable discussion about personal medicine at UC San Diego that highlighted the need for easy access to electronic … Continue reading “Wireless Medicine Gets $45M Booster Shot, Arena’s Weight-Loss Trial Underwhelms Wall Street, Venter’s Synthetic Genomics About to Ramp Up, & Other San Diego BizTech News”
Washington’s State Budget and Washington State’s Competitiveness
I’d like to throw out a few factoids for your consideration: 1. Washington is a high-tech state. For example, we rank 4th among the 50 states in the number of individuals in science and engineering occupations, as a proportion of our workforce. 2. However, most of these high-tech workers are imported from other states. We … Continue reading “Washington’s State Budget and Washington State’s Competitiveness”
Optimum Energy Wants Buildings to Use More Software, Waste Less Power
If you work in a commercial building, you’re probably familiar with the vagaries of large-scale heating and cooling systems. Hear that whir click on and cold air suddenly gusting through the vents? That’s the sound of your building hemorrhaging money and energy. Seattle cleantech software company Optimum Energy wants to stanch the energy drain of … Continue reading “Optimum Energy Wants Buildings to Use More Software, Waste Less Power”
Ember Raises $8 Million on Strength of Obama Administration’s Smart Grid Plans
Ember, the Boston-based maker of wireless mesh-networking chipsets for communications between devices such as utility meters and thermostats, will announce today that it has topped off its coffers with an $8 million funding round from a group of venture firms and strategic partners. CEO Robert LeFort says that if government stimulus spending on energy efficiency … Continue reading “Ember Raises $8 Million on Strength of Obama Administration’s Smart Grid Plans”
MedAptus, Inc. Obtains $6,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=57f688f9-ecfc-43dd-9605-5c1859768423&Preview=1 Date 4/6/2009 Company Name MedAptus, Inc. Mailing Address 176 Federal Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 Company Description Physician-founded MedAptus was incorporated in 1999 with the belief that in order for point-of-care technologies to make sense, they must be easy to use, deliver demonstrable financial benefits and also leverage an organization’s … Continue reading “MedAptus, Inc. Obtains $6,000,000 New Round”
Ember Corporation Obtains $8,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=03fded87-b8b5-41e5-9212-bbbe63aaa4e1&Preview=1 Date 4/6/2009 Company Name Ember Corporation Mailing Address 47 Farnsworth Street Boston, MA 02210 Company Description Ember enables communication among embedded microcontrollers with standards-based wireless mesh networking semiconductors and software. Website http://www.ember.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The money will be used “to support … Continue reading “Ember Corporation Obtains $8,000,000 New Financing”
NuView Systems Inc Garners $5,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=740cbefe-bb7a-4f98-9296-e62a9609c997&Preview=1 Date 4/6/2009 Company Name NuView Systems Inc Mailing Address 200 Brickstone Square, Suite 303, Andover, MA 01810 Company Description NuView Systems Inc. specializes in comprehensive HR and Payroll solutions to global companies.NuView also provides implementation assistance, project management, on-site training, customizatio n, data conversion, on-going support and interfaces to benefit carriers, … Continue reading “NuView Systems Inc Garners $5,000,000 New Funding Round”
Glam Media Garners $124,000,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=22c874b5-294b-4403-89b5-36ecfd0ec6ae&Preview=1 Date 4/6/2009 Company Name Glam Media Mailing Address 8000 Marina Blvd. Brisbane, CA 94005 Company Description Glam.com is a unique entertainment website covering the worlds of fashion, beauty, and celebrity style, while providing women a shopping experience available nowhere else. The team that designed and built Glam.com was handpicked from the … Continue reading “Glam Media Garners $124,000,000 New Financing”
HyTrust Garners $5,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b7a81be0-2214-45f2-842f-b67e7d8b556b&Preview=1 Date 4/6/2009 Company Name HyTrust Mailing Address 1975 W. El Camino Real Mountain View, CA 94040 Company Description HyTrust™, located in Mountain View, California, is an early-stage start-up that is focused on virtualization platform security and compliance. The HyTrust solution allows IT administrators to gain control over their production virtualization environment … Continue reading “HyTrust Garners $5,000,000 New Financing Round”
Centice Obtains $4,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=51d6e8eb-957a-483c-afcf-ebd5f0703b8b Date 4/6/2009 Company Name Centice Mailing Address 215 Southport Drive Morrisville, NC 27560 USA Company Description Centice designs and manufactures molecular spectroscopy optical sensors that are used by our partners in general purpose and application-specific products. Website http://www.centice.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes We … Continue reading “Centice Obtains $4,000,000 New Financing Round”
San Diego Biotech Network Hosts Regulus
The senior director of medicinal chemistry at San Diego’s Regulus Therapeutics will give a 15 minute presentation on targeting microRNAs in this networking event for biotech professionals.
Boston Cyberarts Festival
The biennial Boston Cyberarts Festival is the first and largest collaboration of artists working in new technologies in all media in North America, encompassing visual arts, dance, music, electronic literature, web art, and public art. Events take place at locations in and around Boston, including theatres, museums, galleries, artists’ studios, educational institutions, and other public … Continue reading “Boston Cyberarts Festival”
Cambridge Science Festival
The Cambridge Science Festival, presented by the MIT Museum, showcases Cambridge as an internationally recognized leader in science, technology, engineering, and math. A multifaceted, multicultural event held every spring, the festival makes science accessible, interactive and fun. Events range from a seminar on building augmented-reality GPS games to a “Listening Party” hosted by Jad Abumrad … Continue reading “Cambridge Science Festival”
Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open Kickoff
The Clean Tech Open, a nonprofit organization formed in 2006 to spur innovation in clean energy, is organizing its first business plan competition in the Pacific Northwest region, which includes Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The competition aims to provide entrepreneurs with business training, services and insights they need to go to market successfully. Three winners … Continue reading “Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open Kickoff”
An Inside Track on Cleantech Fuel and Vehicles
John Addison, author of the book “Save Gas, Save the Planet” will discuss the innovation opportunities for more environmentally friendly cars and fuels. Connect and Cleantech San Diego also are sponsoring a Ride Clean Car Expo.
Securing the Cyber Security Perimeter
Leading experts in computer security discuss the industry’s best practices and the importance of integrating cyber security as part of enterprise risk management planning. Panelists include Bill Maheu, senior director of Qualcomm Government Technologies, FBI Cyber Crimes Supervisor Mark Culp, and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. The seminar, which is hosted by the San … Continue reading “Securing the Cyber Security Perimeter”
Magen BioSciences Sold for $14.5M, Codon Devices Closing Doors
These probably aren’t the rosy endings that VC backers had in mind when the promising Boston-area life sciences startups Magen BioSciences and Codon Devices were launched in recent years. But the news today is that Waltham-based Magen has been sold for less than it raised in its first round of financing, and the Boston Globe … Continue reading “Magen BioSciences Sold for $14.5M, Codon Devices Closing Doors”
600 Jobs Cut at MKS
Andover, MA-based MKS Instruments (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MKSI]]), which makes measurement and control equipment for advanced manufacturing processes, said today that it reduced its global workforce by 600 positions, or about 23 percent, at the end of the first quarter. The cuts are expected to save $40 million per year, helping the company to weather a falloff … Continue reading “600 Jobs Cut at MKS”
PE Fund Acquires M/A-COM
Lowell, MA-based wireless chipmaker M/A-COM Technology Solutions, formerly a unit of UK-based Cobham, has been acquired by John Ocampo, owner of GaAs Labs, a California private equity fund specializing in semiconductor companies, M/A-COM announced today. Ocampo paid $30 million in cash and $30 million in senior loan notes, and could pay up to $30 million … Continue reading “PE Fund Acquires M/A-COM”
Venter Outlines Progress in Engineering Microbes to Make Fuels
Connect CEO Duane Roth says that when he was organizing an “innovation summit” to showcase San Diego’s prowess in advanced research and innovation, he wanted to start each session of the two-day event with a scientific headliner as keynote speaker. And J. Craig Venter, who gained fame for his sequencing and analysis of the human … Continue reading “Venter Outlines Progress in Engineering Microbes to Make Fuels”
A Visit to the Capitol Markets (Part 4—Final Installment)
April 2—(I am back aboard Delta Airlines, this time in Seat 7B, slowly moving up in life…much smoother, too). As expected, the two-day junket went quickly. Today was mainly a series of briefs from the Department of Energy’s Program Managers (the professional/career DOE staffers that manage the various technology verticals). In many ways, it was … Continue reading “A Visit to the Capitol Markets (Part 4—Final Installment)”
Alnylam Starts Liver Cancer Trial
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]), the Cambridge, MA-based developer of RNA interference drug technology, said today it has started an early-phase clinical trial of a treatment for liver cancer. The trial is important because it is Alnylam’s first attempt to make an RNAi drug that can circulate throughout the body, as CEO John Maraganore explained in … Continue reading “Alnylam Starts Liver Cancer Trial”
Xconomy’s Mobile Innovation Forum Coming on Tuesday—Don’t Miss It
If you followed the the CTIA convention in Las Vegas this week, then you’ve been steeped in news about things like the Palm Pre, Skype for the iPhone, Firefox’s Fennec mobile browser, 4G services from Verizon and Clearwire, Kindle competitors from Verizon, AT&T, and News Corp., and new application stores for Blackberry, Nokia, and Windows … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Mobile Innovation Forum Coming on Tuesday—Don’t Miss It”
Infoscitex Foundation 2009 Fundraising Golf Tournament
Attention golfers: here’s your chance to hit the links and raise money for science education at the same time. The Infoscitex Foundation awards college scholarships to financially disadvantaged high school students possessing a high degree of interest and excellence in mathematics, science or technology. More information here, registration here.
Mass Medical Angels Forms to Invest in Life Sciences Startups-And Get the Ball Rolling for VCs
Richard Anders, a veteran Boston-area entrepreneur and investor, has long shown an interest in life sciences through his affiliations with the Museum of Science in Boston, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program, and other organizations. Along the way, he’s seen a major problem: many promising life sciences inventions never reach … Continue reading “Mass Medical Angels Forms to Invest in Life Sciences Startups-And Get the Ball Rolling for VCs”