Seattle Has the Greenest Drivers; What About Its Cleantech Companies?

Tired of city rankings yet? OK, I’ll be brief. So the July/August issue of Men’s Health, out this week, ranks Seattle #1 in “most environmentally conscious” drivers. Not that surprisingly, the Northwest did well in the survey overall: Portland, OR, and Spokane, WA, also made the top 10. The analysis of 100 American cities took … Continue reading “Seattle Has the Greenest Drivers; What About Its Cleantech Companies?”

Miyowa Lands $8,000,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2231792d-599b-42c7-a9cd-00f8eade2c75&Preview=1 Date 6/26/2008 Company Name Miyowa Mailing Address 19925 Stevens Creek Boulevard Cupertino, CA 95014 Company Description Miyowa is the technology solution for these new mobile phone functions, which will make mobile recommendations a reality across IM, presence, advertising, e-commerce and content in the rapidly converging and evolving mobile market. Website http://www.miyowa.com … Continue reading “Miyowa Lands $8,000,000 Series B Financing”

Moxsie Secures $1,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e05a00d8-4ed5-483c-9c16-14f9a0cd3e62&Preview=1 Date 6/26/2008 Company Name Moxsie Mailing Address 555 Bryant Street #570 Palo Alto, CA 94301 Company Description Moxsie is a social marketplace that helps you discover fresh brands and boutiques with your friends and through your friends. You can find unique products from independent designers and local boutiques, get invitations to … Continue reading “Moxsie Secures $1,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

Myoscience Lands $8,360,000 Series B Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6ed057ae-ba5e-4900-86c9-1d9895a09ac3&Preview=1 Date 6/26/2008 Company Name Myoscience Mailing Address 149 Campo Bello Lane Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description The company is developing aesthetic medicine technologies. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,360,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Accuitive Medical Ventures … Continue reading “Myoscience Lands $8,360,000 Series B Financing Round”

BlueRoads Corporation Secures $6,000,000 Series E Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=96311ae8-8050-4568-a278-d6702454fe11&Preview=1 Date 6/26/2008 Company Name BlueRoads Corporation Mailing Address 1825 South Grant Street San Mateo, CA 94402 Company Description BlueRoads provides channel management software and expertise that allow companies to market and sell more effectively through indirect channels. Website http://www.blueroads.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Series E Proceeds … Continue reading “BlueRoads Corporation Secures $6,000,000 Series E Round”

MediQuest Therapeutics Persuades FDA to Do 6-Month Review of Lead Product

The FDA gave MediQuest Therapeutics a boost today. MediQuest, the developer of a treatment for Raynaud’s disease, a painful condition of the hands and feet, said the FDA has agreed to give its drug application an expedited 6-month review since it can treat an unmet medical need. The agency usually takes 10 months to consider … Continue reading “MediQuest Therapeutics Persuades FDA to Do 6-Month Review of Lead Product”

Aspen Aerogels Scores $37 Million Venture Round For Nanotech Insulation

Aspen Aerogels, the maker of nanotechnology-based insulation products, has snagged $37 million in venture capital, according to a statement on the company’s website. The privately-held company, based in Northborough, MA, received the investment from Arcapita Ventures, Lehman Brothers Venture Partners, Reservoir Capital Group, and RockPort Capital Partners. The company says its aerogel-based insulation products are … Continue reading “Aspen Aerogels Scores $37 Million Venture Round For Nanotech Insulation”

Daily TIPS: Tech Policy Poll, Open-Source Healthcare, Tropical Disease, & More

Science Debate Needed, Tech Advisor Says Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama ought to have a debate focusing on science and technology policy, a former White House technology advisor says. Mike Nelson, who worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Bill Clinton, tells Wired‘s Threat Level blog that the … Continue reading “Daily TIPS: Tech Policy Poll, Open-Source Healthcare, Tropical Disease, & More”

Clear Water Compliance Acquires KI Environmental

Seattle-based Clear Water Compliance Services, a water-treatment company, announced it has acquired KI Environmental Services, a consulting firm based in Richmond, BC. Though the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the acquisition should help Clear Water gain customers in British Columbia.

Boston, Seattle Investors Pony Up for Twitter

Twitter, whose hybrid text messaging/social networking/microblogging service has made missives of 140 characters or less into the hottest new form of Internet communication, announced yesterday that it’s finally accepted a major venture funding round. The news couldn’t have come early enough for Twitter addicts, who have been increasingly frantic lately about the service’s frequent outages. … Continue reading “Boston, Seattle Investors Pony Up for Twitter”

Charter Chops Off Plan To Track and Sell Surfing Data

Charter Communications, the St. Louis, MO-based cable and Internet service provider (of which Paul Allen is the chairman and largest stockholder), announced that it is indefinitely halting its plan to monitor users’ surfing habits. The idea was to partner with advertising companies to deliver targeted ads, but it has drawn privacy concerns from customers and … Continue reading “Charter Chops Off Plan To Track and Sell Surfing Data”

Vlingo’s Latest App Gives Blackberrying Thumbs a Rest

Cambridge, MA, startup Vlingo announced back in February that it had built its speech recognition software into Yahoo’s oneSearch mobile search portal. Thanks to that collaboration, users of Blackberry smartphones could speak search terms into their devices rather than having to type them using the keypad. It worked great in our tests. And now Vlingo’s … Continue reading “Vlingo’s Latest App Gives Blackberrying Thumbs a Rest”

Security Innovation Raises $7.1 Million

Wilmington, MA-based Security Innovation, which consults with Fortune 500 companies on the security of their software applications, said today it has raised $7.1 million in Series A funding in a round led by Brook Venture Partners of Wakefield, MA. Founded in 2002 by software quality expert James Whittaker, the company hasn’t taken any venture investment … Continue reading “Security Innovation Raises $7.1 Million”

How EMC Turned Around Its Asia Business

Steve Leonard’s schedule for the next two weeks or so goes like this: Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore, London, Paris, London, Singapore, Australia. And for him, that’s not even that unusual—Leonard logs about 30,000 miles a month on airplanes, sleeping on a plane once or twice a week. “That’s part of being … Continue reading “How EMC Turned Around Its Asia Business”

Health 2.0 Firms in the Spotlight, Biogen Board in the Clear, Alnylam in Asia, & More Life Sciences News

New England’s public life sciences firms were feeling particularly newsworthy this last week, it seems. But plenty of private firms are represented in this first item: —Wade uncovered yet another thriving New England tech cluster: The thirty-odd “Health 2.0” firms using the Web to deliver various kinds of healthcare services. The next day he profiled … Continue reading “Health 2.0 Firms in the Spotlight, Biogen Board in the Clear, Alnylam in Asia, & More Life Sciences News”

Calypso Medical’s “GPS For the Body” Gaining Ground With Radiation Doctors

There might be a mutiny among radiation technicians at Swedish Medical Center if someone took away their Calypso machine. “Put it this way, you’d have some very unhappy people here,” says Timothy Mate, a radiation oncologist at the Seattle hospital who uses the system. It’s been almost two years since Seattle-based Calypso Medical Technologies won … Continue reading “Calypso Medical’s “GPS For the Body” Gaining Ground With Radiation Doctors”

Security Innovation Obtains $7,100,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e955204a-5643-458e-8267-6c6d883ce4e1&Preview=1 Date 6/25/2008 Company Name Security Innovation Mailing Address 187 Ballardvale Street Wilmington, ME 01887 Company Description Security Innovation is an authority on application security and leading independent provider of risk assessment, risk mitigation and education services to mid-size and Fortune 500 companies. Global technology vendors and enterprise IT organizations such as … Continue reading “Security Innovation Obtains $7,100,000 Series A Financing Round”

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Lands $37,000,000 Series D Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f7a383f3-d0d5-4a24-b2c5-a85e80115a53&Preview=1 Date 6/25/2008 Company Name Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Mailing Address 30 Forbes Road Northborough, MA 01532 Company Description Aspen Aerogels is nanotechnology at work in oil pipelines, natural gas and military ships, building and construction, boots and jackets and much, much more. Website http://www.aerogel.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $37,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Lands $37,000,000 Series D Funding”

BridgeWave Communications Lands $10,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=786aa660-bf6c-4402-8028-80ba95b077e7&Preview=1 Date 6/25/2008 Company Name BridgeWave Communications Mailing Address 3350 Thomas Road Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description BridgeWave Communications, Inc. is a leading supplier of gigabit wireless solutions. Setting the standard for product quality, BridgeWave employs Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) during design and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS) during production … Continue reading “BridgeWave Communications Lands $10,000,000 New Round”

Party Like It’s 2006: Seattle Ranks #1 in Tech Job Growth (and #9 in Tech Employment); Boston Ranks #6 (and #4)

The tech scene here is on the move. In comparison to other U.S. cities, Seattle has had the largest growth in tech jobs, and has moved up to #9 (from #10) in total number of tech workers. By comparison, Boston ranks #6 in number of jobs gained and #4 in total tech employment. That’s all … Continue reading “Party Like It’s 2006: Seattle Ranks #1 in Tech Job Growth (and #9 in Tech Employment); Boston Ranks #6 (and #4)”

University of Washington Hires Entrepreneur to Run Tech Transfer

The University of Washington has hired someone with business chops to run the office that transfers university inventions into the business world. Linden Rhoads, a serial entrepreneur at Seattle-based technology companies, will take over as Vice Provost for Technology Transfer on August 14, the university said in a statement. Rhoads has been involved in a … Continue reading “University of Washington Hires Entrepreneur to Run Tech Transfer”

Industrial Defender Acquires Teltone

Industrial Defender, a cyber security company based in Foxborough, MA, announced today that it has acquired Bothell, WA-based Teltone. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Teltone’s technology will help Industrial Defender create secure communications systems for power utilities.

Genzyme, Isis Finalize Partnership For Cholesterol-Lowering Drug

Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme and Isis Pharmaceuticals said today they have modified some of the terms of their partnership to develop Isis’s mipomersen for patients with high cholesterol. The deal, originally announced with a bang in January, still provides $325 million in upfront payments to Carlsbad, CA-based Isis for the antisense RNA-based drug, although it now … Continue reading “Genzyme, Isis Finalize Partnership For Cholesterol-Lowering Drug”

North Bridge, General Catalyst Help rPath Raise $10 Million Series C Round

Boston-based North Bridge Venture Partners and Cambridge, MA-based General Catalyst Partners have contributed to a $10 million series C funding round for rPath, a Raleigh, NC, company marketing itself as a cloud computing vendor. The company’s software helps application developers turn their own software into “virtual appliances” that can run in virtualized environments such as … Continue reading “North Bridge, General Catalyst Help rPath Raise $10 Million Series C Round”

Daily TIPs: Policing The Web, Geo-Engineering, Politics Online, & More

Conference Looks at Web’s Effect on Politics A two-day conference in New York this week is looking at the interaction of the Web and the political process, reports Ars Technica. At the Personal Democracy Forum’s confab, researchers presented tools for mapping and modeling the blogosphere. One speaker suggested that online fundraising is not as important … Continue reading “Daily TIPs: Policing The Web, Geo-Engineering, Politics Online, & More”

Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload

Geospiza, a Seattle-based maker of software to support biological research, said today it is hitching its wagon to San Diego-based Illumina, a rising star in next-generation gene sequencing. Geospiza is joining Illumina Connect, a sort of referral service in which researchers who buy Illumina’s gene analysis machines are advised that Geospiza software can help them … Continue reading “Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload”

InnovationRx: Getting Patients to Take Their Own Medicine, Literally

It’s one of the paradoxes of modern medicine in the United States. At the doctor’s office and the drugstore, we say we want prescription drugs. In fact, we spend more than $200 billion on them every year. Between 1994 and 2005, a period in which the U.S. population increased by only 9 percent, the number … Continue reading “InnovationRx: Getting Patients to Take Their Own Medicine, Literally”

Seeding Labs Kickstarts Science in Developing Countries

Late last year a fire destroyed the biochemistry department at the Southern University of Chile and dealt a severe blow to its researchers. But thanks to Seeding Labs, a non-profit based in Cambridge, MA, the labs might soon be up and running again. The organization collects discarded lab equipment, sorts and packs it, and ships … Continue reading “Seeding Labs Kickstarts Science in Developing Countries”

Consortium to Bring Massachusetts-Style Clinical Research to Italy

The newly-formed Clinical Research Consortium of Massachusetts has signed an agreement with the government of the Lombardy region in northern Italy to help make the area more attractive to drug companies seeking to do clinical research. Today, Italy only has a small sliver, about two per cent, of the multibillion-dollar European market for clinical trials. … Continue reading “Consortium to Bring Massachusetts-Style Clinical Research to Italy”

Olympic Flame Update: Google Exec One-Ups Microsoft (Again)

Last Friday we reported that three distinguished Microsoft employees, all formerly of the firm’s Beijing research lab (Microsoft Research Asia), were slated to run with the Olympic torch in the lead-up to the Summer Games. On Saturday, we learned that Microsoft search VP Harry Shum’s run in Lhasa, Tibet, went off without a hitch, and … Continue reading “Olympic Flame Update: Google Exec One-Ups Microsoft (Again)”

Washington: All Geared Up To Fight the Last War

By now you’ve seen the 2008 Milken Institute “State Technology and Science Index.” Washington ranks fifth, behind Massachusetts, Maryland, Colorado, and California. Not too shabby? Let’s take a look under the covers. At the outset, it’s important to acknowledge that all such rankings have a huge bogosity quotient—they’re highly sensitive to the precise criteria that … Continue reading “Washington: All Geared Up To Fight the Last War”

ProThera Biologics Inc. Secures $500,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=23707538-fc2a-451f-b536-2b21f69ed9b1&Preview=1 Date 6/24/2008 Company Name ProThera Biologics Inc. Mailing Address 551 Warren Avenue East Providence, RI 02914 Company Description The mission of the company is to develop novel products that exploit the promise of personalized medicine by leveraging on its proprietary technology of natural serine protease inhibitor proteins. The company focuses on … Continue reading “ProThera Biologics Inc. Secures $500,000 New Funding”

SpringSource Secures $15,000,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=11daaa6e-d0b4-4c69-92fd-2da3c065fccb&Preview=1 Date 6/24/2008 Company Name SpringSource Mailing Address 411 Borel Avenue San Mateo, CA 94402 Company Description SpringSource is a leading provider of trusted open source software for mission-critical enterprise applications. SpringSource created and sustains the development of the Spring Framework, the leading Java™ and Java EE™ application framework. Through the Spring … Continue reading “SpringSource Secures $15,000,000 Series B Financing”

SunRun Lands $12,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4020e629-a3ca-41cc-8fc9-6a4892162ffd&Preview=1 Date 6/24/2008 Company Name SunRun Mailing Address 717 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Company Description SunRun is the nation’s first residential solar electricity provider. Pioneering “solar as a service,” SunRun offers the only low-cost, zero-hassle way for homeowners to go solar and is also the only company that lets homeowners … Continue reading “SunRun Lands $12,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

Yoono Garners $4,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=91fa0239-750a-463a-8961-d45688de8e77&Preview=1 Date 6/24/2008 Company Name Yoono Mailing Address 580 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description Yoono is a Social Hub that brings Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, LastFM, IM Services and Social Bookmarking into one single location. Save time: get live news from all your friends and manage your updates directly … Continue reading “Yoono Garners $4,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

WhiteHat Security Obtains $7,000,000 Series D Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=185c2bae-478c-47ac-9c98-ef59c7fa6f4a&Preview=1 Date 6/24/2008 Company Name WhiteHat Security Mailing Address 3003 Bunker Hill Lane Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description WhiteHat Security is a leading provider of web application security services. WhiteHat delivers turnkey solutions that enable companies to secure valuable customer data, comply with industry standards and maintain brand integrity. Website http://www.whitehatsec.com … Continue reading “WhiteHat Security Obtains $7,000,000 Series D Round”

Technology Transfer Center Backs Teams from BU, MIT, MGH, Harvard

The Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center announced its latest round of Technology Investigation Awards for Massachusetts researchers today. The awards of $40,000 each went to seven teams of researchers working on projects they hope to develop into commercial products. According to MTTC, the center’s awards have helped to launch more than 20 companies since 2004 based … Continue reading “Technology Transfer Center Backs Teams from BU, MIT, MGH, Harvard”

Daily TIPs: Cleantech Boom, Ambulance Efficiency, Plant Fuel for Jets, Oil-Free Nations, & More

Study Finds Scientific Fraud The National Institutes of Health may have to start policing their grants better, after a study found that as many as 1000 incidents of scientific misconduct may go unreported each year. The study, by the NIH’s Office of Research Integrity, surveyed 2,212 scientists who receive NIH grants and found that researchers … Continue reading “Daily TIPs: Cleantech Boom, Ambulance Efficiency, Plant Fuel for Jets, Oil-Free Nations, & More”

GTC Biotherapeutics Signs up Ovation as U.S. Partner in “Pharming”

GTC Biotherapeutics is gearing up to take its first “pharming” product, a drug harvested from genetically modified goats, to the U.S. market. The Framingham, MA-based company said today it signed an exclusive partnership with Ovation Pharmaceuticals to develop and market ATryn in the United States. Currently, ATryn is only sold in Europe. GTC stands to … Continue reading “GTC Biotherapeutics Signs up Ovation as U.S. Partner in “Pharming””

Web Inno West: How Seattle Does Start-Up Pitches

We’ve written several times about the Web Innovators Group meetings put on by Venrock vice president David Beisel, including this interview with Beisel himself. The monthly Web Inno get-togethers include three or four “main dish” talks by local entrepreneurs launching new Web services, coupled with three to five “side dish” presentations by firms manning tables … Continue reading “Web Inno West: How Seattle Does Start-Up Pitches”

Checkpoint Gobbles Up OATSystems

“Shrink management” may sound like an HMO for psychologists, but it’s actually the retail industry’s euphemism for measures that reduce product loss due to shoplifting, employee theft, and expired perishables. One of the leading shrink management companies makes its home in the Boston area—RFID software maker OATSystems of Waltham, MA—and lately it’s been expanding fast … Continue reading “Checkpoint Gobbles Up OATSystems”

Immune Design, Led By Star Scientists, Raises $18 Million To Build Vaccine Company

Vaccines are coming back in a big way. Immune Design, a Seattle-based startup vaccine company, made that clear today when it said it raised $18 million in an initial round of venture capital. The names involved are some of the biggest in immunology. The founders include Nobel Laureate David Baltimore of Caltech, Steve Reed of … Continue reading “Immune Design, Led By Star Scientists, Raises $18 Million To Build Vaccine Company”

Immunogen Sells Stock, Raises $25M

Biopharma company ImmunoGen, (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]), of Waltham, MA, announced today that it has sold 7.8 million shares at $3.20 per share to Ziff Asset Management. ImmunoGen, which is expected to net approximately $24.7 million after expenses, has six anti-cancer drugs in clinical testing, four of them through collaborations with other pharma companies.

IRobot Hired to Make Shape-Shifting Robots, Alnylam Forges Asian Connection, Navic Scooped Up By Microsoft, More Orders for Evergreen Solar, & More Deals News

Last week was a good one for New England tech and life sciences startups trying to raise cash. But first, the shape-shifting robots. —IRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) of Burlington, MA, won a $3.3 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Army Research Office to develop “soft, flexible” robots that can shimmy … Continue reading “IRobot Hired to Make Shape-Shifting Robots, Alnylam Forges Asian Connection, Navic Scooped Up By Microsoft, More Orders for Evergreen Solar, & More Deals News”

Wireless Sensor Networks: Promises and Challenges

The New England Chinese Information Networking Association (NECINA) sponsors presentations by professor Yannis Paschalidis, Co-Director, Center for Information and System Engineering, Boston University, and Meng Cao, Solutions Architect and Practice Manager, Lionbridge Technologies. Registration free; information here.

Two-Minute Pitch Competition Yields Two Startups To Watch, in Internet and Energy

“Anyone know any investor jokes?” asks Carolynn Duncan of FundingUniverse. A pause, then someone on the side of the stage shouts “Yahoo!” We’re at Seattle LivePitch, in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle, on a sunny Friday afternoon. (On the way over, I got my first look at the snow-capped Olympic Mountains—awesome.) Hosted … Continue reading “Two-Minute Pitch Competition Yields Two Startups To Watch, in Internet and Energy”

The Boston Health 2.0 Cluster

For the better part of a decade, advocates of computing in healthcare have fixated on the dream of paperless medicine—a new era in which every patient’s medical records would be stored digitally and every hospital, physician’s practice, pharmacy, and insurer would have access to these records, reducing paperwork costs and medical errors. But for all … Continue reading “The Boston Health 2.0 Cluster”