Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8750d4e3-889f-4508-a462-34135a0038c7&Preview=1 Date 2/20/2009 Company Name Soladigm Mailing Address 195 South Milpitas Boulevard Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description The company provides switchable electronic glass technology. Website http://www.soladigm.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,600,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed
IndoorDirect Lands $22,500,000 Series B Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6cf20268-100d-472a-ba1b-c0956dc61885&Preview=1 Date 2/20/2009 Company Name IndoorDirect Mailing Address 12404 Park Central Dr. Dallas, TX 75251 Company Description IndoorDIRECT is a dynamic digital out-of-home media network that reaches fast food and casual dining customers. We effectively place two to four 42 inch plasma screens in restaurant dining rooms, which show original content and … Continue reading “IndoorDirect Lands $22,500,000 Series B Funding Round”
Visualant Buys TransTech
Seattle-based Visualant (OTCBB: [[ticker:VSUL]]), a developer of light-based security and authentication technologies, announced today it is acquiring TransTech Systems, a Wilsonville, OR-based maker of identification and security products. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition is through a combination of cash and stock and is expected to close before the end of … Continue reading “Visualant Buys TransTech”
Wetpaint Reaches 8 Million Monthly Visitors
Seattle-based Wetpaint, a social publishing startup, announced it has surpassed 8 million monthly visitors to its websites. The company also released a new set of features, including a premium ad-free upgrade, enhanced discussion forums, video galleries, and embedded widgets that make your social site portable on the Web. Wetpaint is backed by Accel Partners, DAG … Continue reading “Wetpaint Reaches 8 Million Monthly Visitors”
MIT Enterprise Forum Innovation Series: The Future of Biotech
Featuring a a keynote address by world-renowned biotech visionary G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Company, followed by presentations and discussion on the controversial area of stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine. Includes networking reception. See the event web site for registration and program details.
Playing in the Market—The State of the New England Game Industry in Today’s Economic Climate
Even fun and games aren’t all fun and games in today’s economy. The MIT Enterprise Forum’s NE Games SIG is hosting a panel discussion and Q&A to address the volatile economy and its potential effects on the game and interactive entertainment industries, locally and throughout the world. List of speakers and registration information on the … Continue reading “Playing in the Market—The State of the New England Game Industry in Today’s Economic Climate”
Solar in Boston / Solar in America
This half-day workshop will bring together representatives from local, state, and federal agencies, utilities, and others to discuss the current and future state of solar power in and around Boston. Topics include energy related legislation, utility company initiatives, and the prospects for solar power under President Obama. For more information or to register, please send … Continue reading “Solar in Boston / Solar in America”
ImaRx’s Ultrasound Stroke Treatment, After Devastating Setback, Beats Clot-Busting Drug in Study
ImaRx Therapeutics, the Redmond, WA-based developer of an ultrasound-based treatment for stroke, was crushed when news broke last year that three patients suffered brain hemorrhages in a clinical trial. But on further analysis of the data, the company says the therapy showed signs of being more effective than a standard clot-busting drug alone, at least … Continue reading “ImaRx’s Ultrasound Stroke Treatment, After Devastating Setback, Beats Clot-Busting Drug in Study”
Billionaire Lifestyles: Checking In With Paul Allen and Charles Simonyi
Here are a couple of compelling tidbits from around the horn about the exploits of some of our favorite Seattle-area billionaires. A strange window into an alternate reality, if you ask me. —Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and head of Seattle-based Vulcan, has his investment portfolio examined by CNET. The article kicks off by mentioning … Continue reading “Billionaire Lifestyles: Checking In With Paul Allen and Charles Simonyi”
San Diego Specialist in Biomagnetic Technologies Shuts Down
San Diego-based 4-D Neuroimaging, a small company that specializes in magnetoencephelography, or MEG, to detect bio-electric fields in the brain and other organs, has abruptly ceased operations. A letter posted on the company’s web site explains 4-D Neuroimaging could not secure additional financing it needed to continue operations. Our updated San Diego layoff tracker is here. … Continue reading “San Diego Specialist in Biomagnetic Technologies Shuts Down”
General Atomics’ Unmanned Predator Aircraft Goes Domestic with New Missions
In 1994, the Pentagon awarded a contract to develop a new type of unmanned aircraft to a three-year-old company in San Diego. The idea behind the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration was to build a more robust version of a drone that a former Israeli aircraft designer had developed in the 1980s. The result was the … Continue reading “General Atomics’ Unmanned Predator Aircraft Goes Domestic with New Missions”
Seattle Genetics Starts Pivotal Trial
Seattle Genetics, the Bothell, WA-based maker of cancer drugs, said today it has started a final-stage clinical trial of SGN-35 in patients with relapsed forms of Hodgkin’s disease. The drug is an “empowered antibody” that combines the tumor-targeting ability of an antibody with a toxin to give it more kick. It will be studied in … Continue reading “Seattle Genetics Starts Pivotal Trial”
Genocea Biosciences Closes $23M Series A, Adds New CEO Bakali
Genocea Biosciences, a Cambridge, MA-based startup built around rapid vaccine discovery technology licensed from Harvard Medical School, says it has raised $23 million in a Series A round of financing and named biotech industry veteran Staph Leavenworth Bakali as its CEO. The firm’s first round was led by SR One, the venture arm of London-based … Continue reading “Genocea Biosciences Closes $23M Series A, Adds New CEO Bakali”
Sky Is Limit for Bankrupt Skyward
Skyward Mobile, a Wakefield, MA, startup developing a platform that lets users play games and read e-books on their cell phones, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection yesterday, according to a report in the Boston Business Journal. Not to be confused with Stratham, NH-based Skyward Innovations, a company working on mobile travel-related applications, Skyward Mobile … Continue reading “Sky Is Limit for Bankrupt Skyward”
RedShift Secures $6M Second Round
RedShift Systems, a Burlington, MA-based maker of advanced thermal imaging cameras used in manufacturing and other industries, says it has closed a $6 million second round of financing led by St. Louis-based technology company Emerson (NYSE:[[ticker:EMR]]), a new investor in the firm. The company says that previous backers also contributed to the financing.
Symform, Founded by Ex-Microsoft Pair, Offers Cheap, Efficient Data Storage in the Cloud
It could be the most exciting cloud-computing startup you’ve never heard of. It’s two guys in a room overlooking Lake Union, in a hard-to-spot building next to the Fremont Bridge. And it uses Amazon Web Services and other people’s computers to do data storage, backup, and retrieval in the Internet cloud. It’s called Symform—a stealthy … Continue reading “Symform, Founded by Ex-Microsoft Pair, Offers Cheap, Efficient Data Storage in the Cloud”
CEO Gerngross Says Deals Around Adimab’s Yeast-Based Antibody Discovery Technology Are Progressing
Adimab is taking an uncommon approach to exploiting the value of its antibody-discovery technology. The Lebanon, NH-based biotech startup has no plans to ever develop its own drugs—CEO Tillman Gerngross says he thinks Adimab can become successful with income from drug-discovery and licensing deals alone. That is the level of confidence that Gerngross apparently has … Continue reading “CEO Gerngross Says Deals Around Adimab’s Yeast-Based Antibody Discovery Technology Are Progressing”
Biotech in a Garage: It Can Work
(Editor’s Note: Carl Weissman submitted this in response to a feature story about entrepreneur Johnny Stine, who clearly relishes building a biotech startup without venture capital.) Stickin’ it to the VC Man? I am not so sure. Different businesses require different business plans. Some of those business plans support venture capital backing, others are more … Continue reading “Biotech in a Garage: It Can Work”
Vertex Raises $320M in Secondary Stock Offering
Vertex Pharmaceuticals has struck a deal to raise a jaw-dropping $320 million in a secondary offering of stock. The biotech company, which has 1,300 employees at its Cambridge, MA headquarters and 200 in San Diego, is rallying investors around drug candidates that it hopes will set new standards of effectively treating hepatitis C and cystic … Continue reading “Vertex Raises $320M in Secondary Stock Offering”
Cell Therapeutics Nears Brink, ‘Hutch’ Dog Breed Test Hits Market, Lee Hood’s Institute Grows & More Seattle Area Life Sciences News
We had another mixed bag of Seattle biotech news this week, as one of the region’s oldest biotech companies (Cell Therapeutics) ran dangerously low on cash, and one of the newer scientific institutions (Institute for Systems Biology) said its budget for the coming year is growing by $20 million. —Cell Therapeutics is skating closer than … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Nears Brink, ‘Hutch’ Dog Breed Test Hits Market, Lee Hood’s Institute Grows & More Seattle Area Life Sciences News”
Verenium, BP Form Joint Venture to Build Biofuel Plant in Florida
Verenium (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRNM]]), a Cambridge, MA, startup whose proprietary microbes break down high-cellulose material like sugar cane into ethanol, said yesterday that it has established a joint venture with British Petroleum (NYSE: [[ticker:BP]]) to build commercial-scale biofuel plants in the United States. BP, which owns 50 percent of the new company, is contributing $22.5 million … Continue reading “Verenium, BP Form Joint Venture to Build Biofuel Plant in Florida”
Genocea Biosciences Receives $23,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7cd981f9-d792-4cf5-8d52-3bf768ec2bc3&Preview=1 Date 2/19/2009 Company Name Genocea Biosciences Mailing Address 161 First Street Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description Genocea was founded in 2006 based on technology from University of California at Berkeley and Harvard Medical School. Infectious diseases are the third leading cause of death each year in the United States and the … Continue reading “Genocea Biosciences Receives $23,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
RedShift Systems Corp Secures $6,000,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=09258acc-c046-4e81-937e-7092b40b75bf&Preview=1 Date 2/19/2009 Company Name RedShift Systems Corp Mailing Address 41 Second Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description RedShift Systems Corp. is a pioneer in enabling low-cost, high-performance thermal imaging solutions for mass-market applications. The RedShift Thermal Light ValveTM technology translates thermal energy into visible images – allowing CMOS sensors to see … Continue reading “RedShift Systems Corp Secures $6,000,000 Series B Financing Round”
How Obama Put Digital Technology and Social Media to Work—and How You Can Too
It’s well accepted that Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign broke new ground in the utilization of social media and digital technologies. David Talbot, Chief Correspondent for Technology Review, will moderate a panel of experts (including Jascha Franklin-Hodge and Nick Nyhan from the Obama campaign) to discuss how interactive technology connects people online and in the real … Continue reading “How Obama Put Digital Technology and Social Media to Work—and How You Can Too”
Personalized Medicine: How to Survive the Attack on Its Intellectual Property
Personalized medicine—developing individualized drug therapies for patients—will be an increasingly important part of health care. But the foundation of personalized medicine, diagnostics methods, are under increasing attack from the courts and the Patent and Trademark Office. These court decisions and U.S. Patent Office actions are likely to have a significant impact on the personalized medicine … Continue reading “Personalized Medicine: How to Survive the Attack on Its Intellectual Property”
Democamp Boston
DemoCamp—a participant-generated networking and idea-sharing event for designers, developers, and entrepreneurs—is coming to Boston. Participants each have 5 minutes to demonstrate software or products, share ideas, or to give a presentation with the goal to inspire, educate or challenge the audience. Visit the event web site for a list of presentors and ticket information.
Using U.K. Clinical Research to Increase Valuation and Preserve Capital
A panel of seasoned experts sponsored by the British Consulate and the North of England Inward Investment Agency explain how U.S. life science companies can use clinical researchers in the United Kingdom for drug development, medical devices and regenerative medicine. Lunch is provided but space is limited. Please RSVP by Feb. 23 to Dara Khan … Continue reading “Using U.K. Clinical Research to Increase Valuation and Preserve Capital”
Special Screening of ‘The Accidental Advocate’
The Accidental Advodate is a documentary about the controversy over the funding and regulation of stem cell research, and the implications for the U.S. life sciences industry. Filmmaker Jessica Gerstle says her family became aware of the debate only after her father, a surgeon and sports enthusiast, suffered a bicycle accident that left him quadriplegic … Continue reading “Special Screening of ‘The Accidental Advocate’”
In the Game: Washington State’s Video Game Industry
As part of the Technology in Focus Series, WTIA and the Washington Interactive Network have brought together leading experts in the gaming industry to share thoughts about how Washington has established itself as a leader in this segment, and what it is going to take for our state to continually dominate the pack. Meet the … Continue reading “In the Game: Washington State’s Video Game Industry”
Digini Merges With Vyk Games
Issaquah, WA-based Digini announced it has merged with Shanghai, China-based Vyk Games to form a new company called Blade Games. The new firm will provide game development software and outsourcing services to game makers. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. Blade Games will be headquartered in Bellevue, WA, and headed by Digini CEO Tony Garcia.
Concur Leads $4.6M Investment in RideCharge
Redmond, WA-based Concur, a corporate expense management firm, has led a $4.6 million Series B investment in RideCharge, a mobile taxi-booking service based in Alexandria, VA. RideCharge lets business travelers arrange ground transportation from their iPhone, BlackBerry, or other mobile device.
To Survive and Thrive, Go Global Young Startup
While traveling the world over the past dozen years on behalf of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, I have spoken with hundreds of entrepreneurs in virtually all major business centers of the world, both developed and developing. I would like to see more of our regional entrepreneurs take a big leap by establishing early international relationships and recruiting operations with … Continue reading “To Survive and Thrive, Go Global Young Startup”
Konarka Nabs $5M State Loan
Konarka Technologies, a Lowell, MA-based maker of flexible plastics that convert light into energy, says that it has landed a $5 million loan from the Emerging Technology Fund of Massachusetts Development Finance Agency and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust’s Business Expansion Initiative. The loan is related to the October 2008 opening of Konarka’s manufacturing facility … Continue reading “Konarka Nabs $5M State Loan”
Defending the U.S. Cyber Castle: Core Security’s Tom Kellermann on Internet Attacks and Obama’s Strategy
Last week President Obama tapped Melissa Hathaway, a former Booz Allen Hamilton consultant and top aide to President Bush, to undertake a sweeping 60-day review of the country’s computer security posture. Once that review is complete, the 40-year-old Hathaway could be in line to be named the nation’s first assistant to the president for cyberspace—or, … Continue reading “Defending the U.S. Cyber Castle: Core Security’s Tom Kellermann on Internet Attacks and Obama’s Strategy”
San Diego Biotechs With Good News Step Forward at Roth Conference
Many investors are nursing their wounds in the recession, so some of the big technology investment conferences have been canceled—or the investment banks that sponsored them no longer exist. That’s why the turnout at Roth Capital Partners’ 21st annual growth stock conference has been a pleasant surprise for Aaron Gurewitz, a managing director at Roth’s … Continue reading “San Diego Biotechs With Good News Step Forward at Roth Conference”
What Breed is Your Dog? Geneticists From the “Hutch” Pioneered New Test to Provide Answer
Two scientists walked into Leroy Hood‘s office in Seattle a little more than five years ago with a burning question about the genomes of dogs. They had sequenced the entire string of DNA in the canine genome for biomedical researchers, and sought out the high-speed gene sequencing pioneer for business advice. They wondered what it … Continue reading “What Breed is Your Dog? Geneticists From the “Hutch” Pioneered New Test to Provide Answer”
Alnylam Looks to Spinoffs To Unleash RNAi Technologies for Stem Cells, Vaccines
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is one of the fortunate few in biotech with more than $500 million in the bank, so money is the least of its worries. But prioritizing a dizzying array of opportunities, and finding the best way to rally teams of bright people around them, is another thing altogether. I got some insight into … Continue reading “Alnylam Looks to Spinoffs To Unleash RNAi Technologies for Stem Cells, Vaccines”
UW Computer Scientist Oren Etzioni on Startups, Venture Capital, and the Future of Web Search
Oren Etzioni, a computer science and engineering professor at the University of Washington, has certainly ventured out of the ivory tower since he first came to Seattle 18 years ago. The Israel-born computer scientist founded three startup companies out of UW: Netbot, a comparison shopping agent acquired by Excite in 1997, Clearforest, a text-miner acquired … Continue reading “UW Computer Scientist Oren Etzioni on Startups, Venture Capital, and the Future of Web Search”
Alkermes Aims for Big Time, Partners Launches Blood Pressure Tracker, Synta Gets GSK Payday, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
It seems like some of New England’s life sciences firms might have headed off for February vacation a little early this year, but a few of them still had news to report. —Ryan took the pulse of SmartBeat, a new Web-based blood-pressure-management system developed by Partners HealthCare’s Center for Connected Health. Partners plans to use … Continue reading “Alkermes Aims for Big Time, Partners Launches Blood Pressure Tracker, Synta Gets GSK Payday, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Garners $10,000,000 Series C Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=097ff609-be4b-42a5-88e2-9a3d6599637b&Preview=1 Date 2/18/2009 Company Name Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Mailing Address 27200 West Agoura Road Calabasas, CA 91301 Company Description Kythera is focused on science and innovation in aesthetic and restorative dermatology. These markets are expanding rapidly driven by an aging population, increasing discretionary income, and an evolution of patient preference toward restorative … Continue reading “Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Garners $10,000,000 Series C Funding Round”
OVGuide Receives $5,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cbdfc7d2-8faa-426d-a799-986c13a4a039&Preview=1 Date 2/18/2009 Company Name OVGuide Mailing Address 254 South Beverly Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Company Description OVGuide.com is the Internet’s most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to online video, including TV shows, movies, user-generated content and video games. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the privately-held company delivers an innovative, user-friendly way to … Continue reading “OVGuide Receives $5,000,000 New Financing Round”
Pixazza Receives $3,100,000 Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=14f30faa-e696-4baf-9758-123332c957fd&Preview=1 Date 2/18/2009 Company Name Pixazza Mailing Address 100 View Street Mountain View, CA 94041 Company Description Pixazza is a new platform that allows shoppers to buy products from photos seen on websites of our web publishing partners. Our unique capability allows these web publishers to generate incremental revenues by “visual commerce … Continue reading “Pixazza Receives $3,100,000 Series A Funding”
Evo Media Rolls Out DevHub Publishing Site
Seattle-based Evo Media Group unveiled DevHub.com, a free Web publishing platform and content editor, to the public today. DevHub helps people create, manage, and monetize niche websites. Evo Media is backed by some of the same angel investors behind Seattle startups BuddyTV and Pet Holdings.
Cell Therapeutics to Resume Trading
Cell Therapeutics, the Seattle-based biotech company, said today that Italian securities regulators will allow trading in its shares to resume in Italy on Feb. 18 after it issued a statement detailing its finances. This means the company expects (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) to re-start trading in the U.S. on Feb. 18 as well. The company has run … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics to Resume Trading”
Announcing Xconomy’s Forum on March 26: The Rise of Cleantech in the Northwest
[Updated Feb. 18 with newly confirmed panelist Linden Rhoads of UW TechTransfer:] Cleantech and renewable energy are rare examples of fast-growing areas of investment and entrepreneurial activity—but the Northwest is behind the curve in these emerging arenas compared to Silicon Valley, New England, and some other parts of the country. The Northwest, however, is developing … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy’s Forum on March 26: The Rise of Cleantech in the Northwest”
Cadence Raises $86.6M in Private Stock Offering
Cadence Pharmaceuticals just proved that you can raise a lot of money in biotech if you’ve already passed the test in a pivotal clinical trial. The San Diego-based biotech company has entered an agreement to raise $86.6 million mostly from a group of venture capitalists who are better known for investing in companies at earlier, … Continue reading “Cadence Raises $86.6M in Private Stock Offering”
North Bridge in $15M OfferPal Round
Waltham, MA-based North Bridge Venture Partners is part of a $15 million Series B funding round for OfferPal Media, according to a company announcement today. OfferPal, based in Fremont, CA, targets consumers who use social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, and MySpace with commercial offers customized based on their profiles and friend lists. The lead … Continue reading “North Bridge in $15M OfferPal Round”
TechStars “Entrepreneurship Boot Camp” Comes to Boston: An Interview with Co-founder David Cohen
You lose some, you win some. Less than four weeks after Paul Graham’s unceremonious announcement that his formerly bicoastal startup school Y Combinator would be taking up permanent residence in Mountain View, CA, ending a tradition of summer sessions in Cambridge, MA, a new startup program is coming to town: Boulder, CO-based TechStars. Founded in … Continue reading “TechStars “Entrepreneurship Boot Camp” Comes to Boston: An Interview with Co-founder David Cohen”
Madrona, Amazon Back Yieldex
Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group and Amazon.com have invested in an $8.5 million Series B financing round for Yieldex, an inventory management firm based in New York City (previously in Boulder, CO). Sequel Venture Partners and First Round Capital also participated in the round. Yieldex won the Amazon Web Services startup challenge in November for its … Continue reading “Madrona, Amazon Back Yieldex”
San Diego’s Stem Cell Startup Reports Hair-Regrowth Results
San Diego-based Histogen CEO Gail Naughton is presenting encouraging preliminary results today at a stem cell conference from the startup’s first human trial of its hair regrowth treatment, ReGenica. The company says it is in the midst of conducting a five-month clinical trial somewhere outside the United States to assess the safety of ReGenica. After … Continue reading “San Diego’s Stem Cell Startup Reports Hair-Regrowth Results”