The Association for Computing Machinery on Wednesday said it has awarded Shwetak Patel, a computer science and electrical engineering professor at the University of Washington, the 2018 ACM Prize in Computing. Patel, who is also a successful serial entrepreneur, will receive a cash prize of $250,000 as part of the award, ACM said. The award … Continue reading “UW Prof, Entrepreneur Shwetak Patel Awarded ACM Prize in Computing”
Charles River Labs Says It Will Close San Diego Research Facility
Contract research organization Charles River Labs is shutting down its San Diego-area operations, moving the work done there to one of its two Northern California sites. In a filing with California’s Employment Development Department, Wilmington, MA-based Charles River (NYSE: [[ticker:CRL]]) said it would lay off 24 workers by May 20 in connection with the closure. … Continue reading “Charles River Labs Says It Will Close San Diego Research Facility”
Xconomy Awards San Diego CEO Finalists Show How To Build Value
To succeed as a CEO means having the fortitude to make the tough decisions that all companies face. Often, that means persevering in pursuit of a mission, whether that’s proving a new class of drugs can work, turning around a company that’s facing financial difficulties, battling much larger competitors, convincing investors to back cutting-edge technology, … Continue reading “Xconomy Awards San Diego CEO Finalists Show How To Build Value”
Procrastinators Special: Save on Tickets for Cyber Madness on Monday
As March Madness draws to a close, so does your chance to grab a ticket to Xconomy’s premier spring event in Boston, “Cyber Madness: Case Studies in Security.” On April 8, we’re gathering security-tech founders, executives, and investors, as well as IT leaders from sectors such as finance, legal, and healthcare for an afternoon of … Continue reading “Procrastinators Special: Save on Tickets for Cyber Madness on Monday”
AACR 2019 Roundup: Notes from a Weekend of Early Stage Cancer Results
[Editor’s note: Alex Lash co-authored this report] The American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting is wrapping up in Atlanta today. The conference typically focuses on early research and clinical work, not the big trials that can change the way doctors practice medicine and that compete for headline space at conferences like the American Society … Continue reading “AACR 2019 Roundup: Notes from a Weekend of Early Stage Cancer Results”
Dyne Therapeutics Emerges With $50M to Take On Rare Muscle Disease
One problem with drugs for muscular disorders is that not enough medicine reaches the muscle, says Romesh Subramanian, CEO of Dyne Therapeutics. Subramanian’s startup has developed a way to deliver drugs to all muscle types, and it is emerging from stealth with $50 million in funding to advance its compounds toward human testing. Dyne was … Continue reading “Dyne Therapeutics Emerges With $50M to Take On Rare Muscle Disease”
Lear to Acquire Seattle Connected Vehicle Tech Firm Xevo For $320M
Lear Corp., a Southfield, MI-based manufacturer of car seats, automotive electrical systems, and other products, announced Tuesday it has agreed to acquire Xevo, a Seattle-based developer of connected vehicle software, for $320 million. Lear (NYSE: [[ticker:LEA]]) has been in business for over a century, and says its products are used by nearly every major automaker. … Continue reading “Lear to Acquire Seattle Connected Vehicle Tech Firm Xevo For $320M”
Seattle Venture Capital Watch: Crelate, Cyemptive, Blue Canoe & More
Businesses developing software to assist recruiters, corporate IT departments, and people learning to speak English are among the Seattle-area companies that have in recent weeks raised new funding from investors. Let’s catch up on some of the Emerald City Deals action. —Crelate Talent, which is developing recruiting software used by staffing agencies, executive search firms, … Continue reading “Seattle Venture Capital Watch: Crelate, Cyemptive, Blue Canoe & More”
Executive Director of Alamo Angels Resigns to Focus on Seed Fund Job
San Antonio—Cat Dizon is stepping down from her role as executive director of Alamo Angels, the angel investing network in San Antonio founded in 2016. Alamo Angels, formerly known as the San Antonio Angel Network, is the city’s first angel network, and Dizon has been its second executive director. Chris Burney, a former Rackspace employee, … Continue reading “Executive Director of Alamo Angels Resigns to Focus on Seed Fund Job”
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Taps Ortho Clinical’s Wagner for CFO Post
Two months after Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) terminated its top financial executive for “personal behavior,” the Boston company has named a permanent replacement. Vertex, a developer of drugs for cystic fibrosis and other diseases, announced Charles Wagner will join the company as executive vice president and CFO. Wagner is currently CFO and executive vice president … Continue reading “Vertex Pharmaceuticals Taps Ortho Clinical’s Wagner for CFO Post”
Petra Pharma Names Albert Yu Chief Medical Officer
Albert Yu has been appointed chief medical officer of New York-based Petra Pharma. Yu’s experience includes executive roles at Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, Omeros (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OMER]]), and Icos. Petra, which is developing drugs to treat cancer and other diseases by targeting the phosphoinositide signaling pathway, emerged in 2016 with a $48 million Series A round of funding.
Formlabs Makes Inroads in “Hype-Driven” Sector With New 3D Printers
Formlabs founder and CEO Max Lobovsky still sees a fair amount of hype swirling around the 3D printing world. He claims to have never been onboard with the Jetsons-like vision of a 3D printer as a household appliance that spits out toys, kitchen utensils, furniture—anything that can be imagined, really. “We started with the thinking … Continue reading “Formlabs Makes Inroads in “Hype-Driven” Sector With New 3D Printers”
“FacePalm” Bug Is a Jarring Wake-Up Call. And Not Just for Apple
Apple is a global icon. It was the first company in the world to reach a $1 trillion market capitalization, and it is the most valuable company in the world today. For the second year in a row, Apple ranked as the world’s most-admired company, in a Fortune survey of 3,750 business executives. PC magazine … Continue reading ““FacePalm” Bug Is a Jarring Wake-Up Call. And Not Just for Apple”
Xconomy Is Hiring a Digital Product Manager—Apply Here
If you (or someone you know) is an expert web developer/designer and product manager with a passion for journalism, then we want you! We’re looking for someone to join our Boston office and take charge of the Xconomy.com website: help us maintain the site, figure out what needs improving, and then work with a global … Continue reading “Xconomy Is Hiring a Digital Product Manager—Apply Here”
EzCater Celebrates “Unicorn” Status After $150M Funding Round
Stefania Mallett was sitting at her kitchen table when she wrapped up the details behind her catering technology startup ezCater’s latest funding round, a $150 million investment. Mallett shared the details to her husband before the size of the occasion sank in. “I’m busy, already onto the next thing. He said, ‘Wait, that is a … Continue reading “EzCater Celebrates “Unicorn” Status After $150M Funding Round”
Surface Oncology Appoints Wendy Dwyer Chief Business Officer
Wendy Dwyer has joined Surface Oncology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SURF]]) as chief business officer, the same role she had most recently at privately held Portal Instruments. Her experience also includes positions at AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) and Ipsen Biosciences. Cambridge, MA-based Surface, which went public last year, is developing cancer immunotherapies.
Genentech’s Aaron Osborne Joins Adverum as Chief Medical Officer
Adverum Biotechnologies (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADVM]]) has named Aaron Osborne its chief medical officer. Osborne is joining the Menlo Park, CA, biotech from Roche subsidiary Genentech, where he was principal medical director in product development. His experience also includes senior roles at Alcon and Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]). Adverum’s lead gene therapy candidate, ADVM-022, is in early-stage testing as … Continue reading “Genentech’s Aaron Osborne Joins Adverum as Chief Medical Officer”
Chevron Tech, Medical Informatics, ActivTrak, Linear & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Chevron Technology Ventures Thursday launched a $90 million fund for energy investments. The fund is CTV’s seventh and investments will be made in high-growth startups with technologies that have the potential to improve Chevron’s core oil and gas business performance, says CTV President Barbara Burger. … Continue reading “Chevron Tech, Medical Informatics, ActivTrak, Linear & More TX Tech”
After Scoring New Capital, Fifth Eye Prepares to Seek FDA Approval
Fifth Eye, an Ann Arbor-based medical software startup spun out of technology developed at the University of Michigan, today announced that it has raised $9 million in new investment capital, bringing its total venture backing to date to $11.5 million. The round was led by Arboretum Ventures and Cultivation Capital, with participation from Invest Michigan, … Continue reading “After Scoring New Capital, Fifth Eye Prepares to Seek FDA Approval”
Thoma Bravo Acquires San Antonio’s Mailgun as Scaleworks Takes Exit
San Antonio—Thoma Bravo has acquired a majority stake in Mailgun Technologies, a spinout of Rackspace that offers software to help developers manage automated e-mail systems for their employers. Mailgun separated from cloud computing service provider Rackspace in 2017, securing a $50 million financing round led by Turn/River Capital, Rackspace, and San Antonio investment fund Scaleworks … Continue reading “Thoma Bravo Acquires San Antonio’s Mailgun as Scaleworks Takes Exit”
FarmWise and Roush Partner to Develop Robots That Weed Farm Fields
We’ve heard a lot about autonomous cars over the past few years, but there are other applications for self-driving technology, including agriculture. Silicon Valley startup FarmWise this week announced a new partnership with Livonia, MI-based Roush, a legacy manufacturer and engineering services firm, to develop and test an autonomous machine that weeds row crops. FarmWise … Continue reading “FarmWise and Roush Partner to Develop Robots That Weed Farm Fields”
Toast Rings Up $250M, Pledges $1B for Software and Hardware R&D
Restaurant technology startup Toast is stocking up its bank accounts with a new $250 million funding round the Boston company says is needed to keep pace with tech-hungry eateries’ interest in its point-of-sale software and devices. The funds come less than a year after Toast raised a $115 million Series D round and joined the … Continue reading “Toast Rings Up $250M, Pledges $1B for Software and Hardware R&D”
SpringWorks, Armed with Ex-Pfizer Cancer Drugs, Reloads with $125M
SpringWorks Therapeutics, a startup spun out of Pfizer to develop drugs gathering dust on the New York pharma giant’s shelves, has closed its second nine-figure financing round in less than two years. The $125 million Series B funding gives the New York City startup the backing to bring two cancer drugs into what could be … Continue reading “SpringWorks, Armed with Ex-Pfizer Cancer Drugs, Reloads with $125M”
Novartis Adds Inflammation Drugs to Pipeline with Deal for IFM Tre
Less than a year after launching and only days after advancing its lead program into clinical trials, drug developer IFM Tre is in line to be acquired by Novartis. According to an agreement announced Monday, Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]) will acquire all of the outstanding stock of privately held IFM. The Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical giant will … Continue reading “Novartis Adds Inflammation Drugs to Pipeline with Deal for IFM Tre”
33 Tech Startups Make San Diego Venture Group “Cool Companies” List
What does it take for a tech startup to be considered “cool?” In the eyes of the San Diego Venture Group, the key element is readiness for venture capital backing. It’s through that lens that the nonprofit organization, whose mission is to connect local startups with venture capitalists who are looking to invest, annually vets … Continue reading “33 Tech Startups Make San Diego Venture Group “Cool Companies” List”
Impinj Unveils New Circuits Aimed at Expanding Firm’s IoT Platform
Even if you’ve never heard of Impinj, it’s likely you’ve come across examples of the Seattle-based company’s bread and butter—radio frequency identification technology—in real life. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are used, for example, by department stores to track inventory; by transportation agencies to power automated tolling systems; by mountain resorts to scan skiers’ lift … Continue reading “Impinj Unveils New Circuits Aimed at Expanding Firm’s IoT Platform”
Panel Nod Moves Bluebird’s Gene Therapy Closer to Europe’s Market
A one-time, long-lasting treatment for the genetic blood disease beta thalassemia looks to be the next gene therapy on its way to market—at least, for now, in Europe. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which guides drug approval decisions in Europe, has recommended a “conditional” approval—on a thinner body of evidence than normal—of … Continue reading “Panel Nod Moves Bluebird’s Gene Therapy Closer to Europe’s Market”
Go Behind the Hacker Frontlines at Cyber Madness in Boston April 8
Criminal hackers might get most of the headlines, but there are plenty of “ethical” hackers helping companies and organizations spot and fix vulnerabilities in their cyber defenses. On April 8, you can go behind the scenes of the hacker frontlines at Xconomy’s “Cyber Madness: Case Studies in Security,” an afternoon conference in Boston focused on … Continue reading “Go Behind the Hacker Frontlines at Cyber Madness in Boston April 8”
Boston Tech Watch: Tinkergarten, ezCater, Glasswing Ventures & More
[Updated 10:45 am 3/29/19.] Tech to get your kids out into nature raises some big bucks from some Hollywood tech giants, while restaurant software and automated payments also make big moves. Read on for more Boston tech news: —Outdoor child-education network Tinkergarten raised $21 million from the consumer technology fund WndrCo run by former Disney (NYSE: … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Tinkergarten, ezCater, Glasswing Ventures & More”
Bio Roundup: Amyloid Angst, NASH News, Brammer Bagged & More
A week after the failure of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab, the ripple effects are still being felt—and not just by Biogen, which lost billions of dollars in market value in a flash. We’ll kick off this week’s roundup with the aducanumab reaction, which includes plenty of thoughts about the future of the so-called “amyloid hypothesis” … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Amyloid Angst, NASH News, Brammer Bagged & More”
Kyriba to Get $160M in Majority Stake Sale to Private Equity Firm
Kyriba has been making cloud-based software since well before software-as-a-service (SaaS) became a tech buzzword. Nearly 20 years ago, the company, a spin-off of a French firm, began developing software to provide chief financial officers and other finance leaders with a comprehensive view of company cash and liquidity. Now Kyriba, which sells access to its … Continue reading “Kyriba to Get $160M in Majority Stake Sale to Private Equity Firm”
Lyft Raises $2.2B in IPO, Pegging Valuation at Over $24B
Investors eager to bet on the mobility industry’s future handed ride-hailing company Lyft $2.2 billion in new capital Thursday as the company completed an IPO that set its market capitalization at $24.3 billion, The New York Times reported. Lyft sold 30.8 million shares at $72 apiece, according to Renaissance Capital—the top of a new range … Continue reading “Lyft Raises $2.2B in IPO, Pegging Valuation at Over $24B”
Pfizer’s Willem Scheele Joins Imara as Chief Medical Officer
Imara has hired Willem Scheele to serve as its as chief medical officer. Before joining the Cambridge, MA, biotech, Scheele was executive director and clinician group lead in rare diseases for Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]). Scheele’s new role at Imara follows the company’s recent $63 million Series B round of funding. Imara emerged from biotech accelerator … Continue reading “Pfizer’s Willem Scheele Joins Imara as Chief Medical Officer”
Eyal Attar Leaves Agios for Chief Medical Officer Role at Aprea
Aprea Therapeutics has appointed Eyal Attar senior vice president and chief medical officer. Attar joins Aprea from Agios Pharmaceuticals, where he was senior medical director and IDH hematology medical lead. Aprea, which splits its operations between Boston and Stockholm, Sweden, is developing therapies that target the tumor suppressor protein p53. The company’s most advanced drug … Continue reading “Eyal Attar Leaves Agios for Chief Medical Officer Role at Aprea”
Houston Tech Leaders Start Site to Connect Startups With Talent
Houston—One of the challenges in creating a robust tech hub in Houston is the perceived lack of talent available to join startups. “People say they don’t know where to start when it comes to seeing jobs in Houston, and businesses say, ‘I don’t know where to find talent,’” says Erik Ibarra, founder and CEO of … Continue reading “Houston Tech Leaders Start Site to Connect Startups With Talent”
Ex-Novartis Exec Aradhye Joins Axcella as Chief Development Officer
Shreeram Aradhye has been appointed executive vice president and chief development officer of Axcella Health. Aradhye was most recently chief medical officer and global head of medical affairs for Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]). Cambridge, MA-based Axcella is developing drugs intended to regulate human metabolism. The company has early-stage programs addressing liver and muscular disorders.
Biolinq Adds $4.75M to Advance Glucose Monitoring Biosensor Patch
[Corrected 9:30 am PT. See below.] Biosensor startup Biolinq said Thursday it has raised $4.75 million from new investors, including the New York-based Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, following the results of a clinical study of its experimental biomarker monitoring device. Founders Jared Tagney and Joshua Windmiller, who met while in grad school at UC San … Continue reading “Biolinq Adds $4.75M to Advance Glucose Monitoring Biosensor Patch”
So You Want to Start a Cybersecurity Company?
Cybercrime has become a global epidemic. Attacks will cost the world $6 trillion by 2021, research firm Cybersecurity Ventures says-–the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history and more profitable than the trade in all major illegal drugs. As the threat keeps rising, the cybersecurity industry keeps growing. According to data released in January by … Continue reading “So You Want to Start a Cybersecurity Company?”
Precision Bio’s IPO Raises $126M for Pipeline of Gene-Edited Drugs
Precision BioSciences has joined the club of publicly traded gene editing biotech companies, raising $126 million in its stock market debut. On Wednesday evening, Durham, NC-based Precision Bio sold 7.9 million shares for $16 apiece, which was right in the middle of its targeted price range. Those shares are expected to begin trading on the … Continue reading “Precision Bio’s IPO Raises $126M for Pipeline of Gene-Edited Drugs”
Acadia to Move Experimental Pediatric Rett Syndrome Drug to Phase 3
Acadia Pharmaceuticals said it plans to advance a drug it licensed last year from Australia’s Neuren Pharmaceuticals into a late-stage trial following promising Phase 2 results of the potential Rett syndrome treatment. San Diego-based Acadia (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACAD]]) announced in August that it had licensed the drug, trofinetide, for development and commercialization in North America as … Continue reading “Acadia to Move Experimental Pediatric Rett Syndrome Drug to Phase 3”
Arcus Bio Names Rekha Hemrajani Chief Operating & Financial Officer
Rekha Hemrajani has been appointed chief operating and financial officer of Arcus Biosciences (NYSE: [[ticker:RCUS]]). She joins the Hayward, CA, company from FLX Bio, where she was chief operating officer. Hemrajani’s experience also includes executive roles at 3-V Biosciences, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, and Exelixis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXEL]]). Arcus has a number of experimental cancer immunotherapies in early-stage … Continue reading “Arcus Bio Names Rekha Hemrajani Chief Operating & Financial Officer”
Xealth Gets $11M, Aims to Be Surescripts of Digital Health Services
Doctors prescribe all sorts of things for their patients, like drugs, medical procedures, and changes to diet and exercise regimen. Prescribing a software application—one that helps a patient manage diabetes, for example—may sound futuristic to some people. But to Mike McSherry, CEO of Xealth, a Seattle-based startup that announced $11 million in new funding Wednesday to … Continue reading “Xealth Gets $11M, Aims to Be Surescripts of Digital Health Services”
Garcia Steps Down After 18 Months as CEO of San Antonio’s Geekdom
San Antonio—David Garcia is stepping down as CEO of the Geekdom coworking space, according to the San Antonio Business Journal. “The collaboration and coworking environment at Geekdom creates opportunity to share professional experience in the roles that we hold as Geekdom team members,” Garcia said in a statement to the newspaper. “Geekdom also acts as … Continue reading “Garcia Steps Down After 18 Months as CEO of San Antonio’s Geekdom”
FTC Queries Internet Providers on Consumer Data Collection and Use
The Federal Trade Commission, which has been digging into the privacy practices of tech giants Facebook and Google, is now training its sights on the internet service providers that bring us all our online content. In its role as a consumer protection agency, the FTC ordered Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Comcast, Google Fiber, and other ISPs … Continue reading “FTC Queries Internet Providers on Consumer Data Collection and Use”
The 2019 Xconomy Awards San Diego Finalists Are…
It was no easy task. After an extensive review of the many nominees for the first-ever Xconomy Awards San Diego, Xconomy editors across the country and a panel of local experts together narrowed the list to 42 finalists (listed below) across eight categories. In the coming weeks leading up to the awards gala in May, … Continue reading “The 2019 Xconomy Awards San Diego Finalists Are…”
Cloudsnap Adds $1.75M to Make Enterprise App Data Integration a Snap
Austin—Cloudsnap, a startup that makes software to connect and integrate data from its customers’ enterprise applications, has raised $1.75 million in seed financing led by Active Capital. Cloudsnap was founded in 2018 by Rick Barkley, a native Austinite (he moved here when he was 2 years old, so close enough) who ran e-learning startup Nuvola … Continue reading “Cloudsnap Adds $1.75M to Make Enterprise App Data Integration a Snap”
FunnelAI’s $1.5M Seed Funding May Lead to Global Growth, New Sectors
San Antonio—FunnelAI, a startup that aims to measure a consumer’s intent to purchase something, announced it has raised a $1.5 million seed funding round led by San Antonio investor Active Capital. FunnelAI plans to use the funds to make new hires and to add to the industry verticals in which its software is used. Currently, … Continue reading “FunnelAI’s $1.5M Seed Funding May Lead to Global Growth, New Sectors”
Roundup: QL Demo Day, Millendo Therapeutics, Strata Oncology, More
—Millendo Therapeutics, an Ann Arbor-based biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for rare diseases, has initiated a Phase 2b/3 clinical study investigating livoletide (AZP-531) in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome. The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the drug on food-related behaviors—primarily hyperphagia, the excessive hunger which is a hallmark of the disease—in Prader-Willi patients. The … Continue reading “Roundup: QL Demo Day, Millendo Therapeutics, Strata Oncology, More”
WI Watchlist: Dark Knight Fund, Morgridge “Flamingo” Grant & More
In the latest installment of the Wisconsin Watchlist, we’re tracking the fundraising plans of two new Milwaukee-area venture funds, and a pair of grants awarded to research and education projects in Madison. Read on for details. —State Representative Jason Fields, a Democrat from Milwaukee, aims to raise $10 million for a new venture capital fund … Continue reading “WI Watchlist: Dark Knight Fund, Morgridge “Flamingo” Grant & More”
MagniX & Harbour Air Want to Convert Seaplanes Into “ePlanes”
MagniX, a startup developing electric propulsion systems for small planes, has announced a partnership with a British Columbia airline to convert some of the seaplanes it operates into “ePlanes.” MagniX’s partnership with Richmond, BC-based Harbour Air is the first the propulsion technology startup has announced publicly, says CEO Roei Ganzarski. The deal’s financial terms were … Continue reading “MagniX & Harbour Air Want to Convert Seaplanes Into “ePlanes””