Boston Tech Watch: Dill the Pickle Robot, Via Separations & More

There’s robotics news, clinical research companies raising cash, and plenty of early-stage venture capital money moving in the Boston technology world this week. Read on for more: —Via Separations, a startup developing energy-efficient filtration technology, has raised $4.8 million in a Series A funding round. Safar led the round, which saw participation from PRIME Impact … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Dill the Pickle Robot, Via Separations & More”

Topouzian Brings Economic Development Perspective to New MVCA Role

Ara Topouzian is a longtime Oakland County economic development official and a 2012 Kresge Artist Fellow recognized for his work playing a 76-string kanun harp in Armenian and world music bands. As of March 25, he’ll also be the new director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association, which works to advance the state’s VC ecosystem. … Continue reading “Topouzian Brings Economic Development Perspective to New MVCA Role”

WI Watchlist: Foxconn Fund, UW Accelerator, MSOE A.I. Hall & More

It’s time to catch up on Wisconsin innovation news: —Jason Franklin will manage the Wisconn Valley Venture Fund, a $100 million fund formed last August by Foxconn Technology Group and three leading Wisconsin businesses and organizations: Advocate Aurora Health, Northwestern Mutual, and Johnson Controls (NYSE: [[ticker:JCI]]). Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturing giant, has said it’s building … Continue reading “WI Watchlist: Foxconn Fund, UW Accelerator, MSOE A.I. Hall & More”

Vikram Jandhyala, Champion of Innovation at UW and Beyond, Dies at 47

[Updated 3/15/19 11:05 a.m. See below.] Vikram Jandhyala, who built bridges between academia and industry across the globe and at the University of Washington, where he taught and worked, has died, the school said Wednesday. He was 47. In a statement on UW’s website, President Ana Mari Cauce said Jandhyala’s death was a suicide. He is … Continue reading “Vikram Jandhyala, Champion of Innovation at UW and Beyond, Dies at 47”

Keen, a San Antonio SaaS Startup Owned by Scaleworks, Hires New CEO

San Antonio—Ben Kuhn has been promoted to become the CEO of Keen, a San Antonio startup that helps software developers with custom application programming interfaces for data collection and analytics. Kuhn was hired as the general manager of Keen in 2018, having previously worked at healthcare companies DaVita and Genentech. Most recently, he co-founded another … Continue reading “Keen, a San Antonio SaaS Startup Owned by Scaleworks, Hires New CEO”

Harley-Davidson Goes Electric: Behind the Scenes of LiveWire’s R&D

For more than a century, the throaty “potato, potato, potato” rumble of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle has been synonymous with the open road, freedom—rebellion, even—and, some might say, American masculinity. For non-gearheads, that iconic sound, introduced in 1909, is the result of Harley-Davidson’s (NYSE: [[ticker:HOG]]) traditional engine configuration, a V-twin with a 45-degree angle between the … Continue reading “Harley-Davidson Goes Electric: Behind the Scenes of LiveWire’s R&D”

C4 Therapeutics Taps NIBR’s Crystal for Chief Medical Officer Post

Adam Crystal has been appointed chief medical officer of C4 Therapeutics. Crystal comes to the Watertown, MA-based biotech from the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), where he led several oncology programs. Before working at NIBR, Crystal was a medical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. C4 is developing drugs that treat disease through protein degradation, … Continue reading “C4 Therapeutics Taps NIBR’s Crystal for Chief Medical Officer Post”

Dallas’ ModeSens Aims to Build Online Shops Tailored to Each User

Dallas—Part of the challenge for e-commerce is finding ways to prevent shoppers from having buyer’s remorse. “You never want to have a customer who has a disgruntled post-purchase feeling,” says Krystle Craycraft, chief marketing officer at ModeSens, an e-commerce startup in Dallas. “We’re giving the consumer confidence to eliminate the need for a return.” Returns … Continue reading “Dallas’ ModeSens Aims to Build Online Shops Tailored to Each User”

Gene Therapy Boom, Cracking Alzheimer’s: What’s Hot on May 21

Our annual half-day life sciences variety show, “What’s Hot in Biotech,” is back. Join Xconomy on May 21 at Bristol-Myers Squibb’s brand new offices in Kendall Square for a series of candid discussions, in a variety of formats, on some of the topics that will shape the healthcare landscape of tomorrow—from the volatile macro-environment to … Continue reading “Gene Therapy Boom, Cracking Alzheimer’s: What’s Hot on May 21”

Alchemie Snags NSF Grant to Develop AR Tools for Teaching Chemistry

Alchemie, a Troy, MI-based educational technology startup, has won another round of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop 3D and augmented reality (AR) learning tools for teaching general chemistry. The funding, announced this week, is a $140,000 Technology Enhancement through Commercialization Partnerships extension to a Phase II SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) … Continue reading “Alchemie Snags NSF Grant to Develop AR Tools for Teaching Chemistry”

F5’s $670M Deal for Nginx Expands Firms’ Control of Web Servers, Apps

Internet users are celebrating the World Wide Web’s 30th birthday this week by reminiscing about early Web technologies like America Online and dial-up modems. But users’ Web experiences—from the 1990s to today’s mobile and social media-dotted digital landscape—are only possible with behind-the-scenes Internet infrastructure in place. The value of that infrastructure was highlighted in F5 … Continue reading “F5’s $670M Deal for Nginx Expands Firms’ Control of Web Servers, Apps”

Tenaya Taps Whittemore Tingley for Chief Medical Officer

Whittemore Tingley has been appointed chief medical officer of Tenaya Therapeutics. Tingley comes to the South San Francisco, CA, biotech from Cytokinetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CYTK]]), where he was vice president of clinical research, cardiology. Tenaya spun out of the nonprofit Gladstone Institutes in 2016 to develop regenerative medicine treatments for heart failure.

Blood Test Study Meets Goal, Validates Epic’s Prostate Cancer Target

Epic Sciences has developed a blood test that can predict how likely a patient with late-stage prostate cancer treated with hormones is likely to respond to an additional course of such therapy. Now, the San Diego-based company has additional data that it says supports use of its tests to determine when not to use hormone … Continue reading “Blood Test Study Meets Goal, Validates Epic’s Prostate Cancer Target”

Nerissa Kreher Leaves Avrobio for Tiburio Chief Medical Officer Post

Tiburio Therapeutics has appointed Nerissa Kreher to the newly created position of chief medical officer. Kreher held that post at her previous company, Avrobio (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVRO]]). Her experience also includes positions at Shire, Zafgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZFGN]]), and Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALXN]]). In January, Tibiurio launched from biotech accelerator Cydan, backed by $31 million in funding. … Continue reading “Nerissa Kreher Leaves Avrobio for Tiburio Chief Medical Officer Post”

X4 Completes Reverse Merger with Arsanis, Looks Ahead to Phase 3 Test

X4 Pharmaceuticals is the latest biotech to join the public markets, but it didn’t follow the IPO path to get there. Cambridge, MA-based X4 said Wednesday that it completed its “reverse merger” with Arsanis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ASNS]]). Such business combinations enable a privately held company to go public by merging with a publicly traded business. Shares … Continue reading “X4 Completes Reverse Merger with Arsanis, Looks Ahead to Phase 3 Test”

FDA Clears Aerie’s Combo Glaucoma Drug, But Will it Sell?

The FDA late Tuesday approved a new type of glaucoma drug from Aerie Pharmaceuticals that, in clinical testing, beat the generic eye drops known as prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) that are typically prescribed to slow the progression of the disease. Now Aerie (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AERI]]) will try to prove that the drug can overcome some of its … Continue reading “FDA Clears Aerie’s Combo Glaucoma Drug, But Will it Sell?”

Nominations Are Open for the 2019 Xconomy Awards in Boston

John Maraganore, CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Penny Heaton, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute; digital health leader Pear Therapeutics; and renowned women-in-science advocate and MIT professor emerita Nancy Hopkins. These outstanding leaders were among the winners of the 2018 Xconomy Awards, which celebrate the top people, companies, and organizations in Boston … Continue reading “Nominations Are Open for the 2019 Xconomy Awards in Boston”

Clinical Analytics Platform TriNetX Raises $40M to Speed Drug Trials

TriNetX, a Cambridge, MA, developer of data analytics software for clinical research, has raised $40 million in a Series D funding round led by Merck’s corporate venture capital fund, the company said. The company’s analytics platform helps pharma companies detail the many aspects of a clinical trial—from choosing hospital locations with adequate populations of patients … Continue reading “Clinical Analytics Platform TriNetX Raises $40M to Speed Drug Trials”

The Investments Cisco, Samsung, Toyota, and Chevron Are Making in AI

Austin—If you’re a startup talking up your artificial intelligence chops in your venture capital pitch, you’re not alone. For Cisco Investments, the venture arm of tech giant Cisco, artificial intelligence is no longer one of the key trends to watch for during pitches in 2019. That’s according to Noah Yago, a director at Cisco Investments, … Continue reading “The Investments Cisco, Samsung, Toyota, and Chevron Are Making in AI”

Drug-Price Watchdog ICER Dives into Trump-Fueled Pharma Rebate Debate

[Updated 3/13/19, 12:20pm. See below.] With public and political winds blowing in the same direction, significant reform of the complicated U.S. drug-pricing system seems ever more likely. One part of the system that the Trump administration wants to overhaul are the secret rebates that drug makers, insurers, and middlemen negotiate behind closed doors. Replacements for … Continue reading “Drug-Price Watchdog ICER Dives into Trump-Fueled Pharma Rebate Debate”

EPIcenter Event to Showcase Innovations in Electricity Products

San Antonio—EPIcenter, a think tank that promotes the “new energy” sector and operates a startup incubator and other programs for businesses, is planning a half-day event highlighting electricity-focused tech companies. The summit will take place on June 19 and will include keynote speeches, panel discussions, and short product presentations by companies that use electricity in … Continue reading “EPIcenter Event to Showcase Innovations in Electricity Products”

Toyota Among Investors Backing Airbiquity With $15M for Vehicle Tech

Airbiquity, a Seattle-based developer of connected vehicle systems powering navigation, entertainment, and other software in cars, has raised $15 million in new financing from three Japanese automotive corporations, the company announced Monday. The investors that participated in the equity funding round are Denso Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: [[ticker:TM]]), and Toyota Tsusho Corp, which supports … Continue reading “Toyota Among Investors Backing Airbiquity With $15M for Vehicle Tech”

Meet the Companies in Backstage Capital’s Detroit Accelerator

Backstage Capital, a Los Angeles-based venture firm seeding early-stage companies led by women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community, has announced the details of its Detroit startup accelerator. Earlier this year, Backstage founder Arlan Hamilton announced the firm would host its first accelerators in four cities, including Detroit. The Motor City’s inclusion, … Continue reading “Meet the Companies in Backstage Capital’s Detroit Accelerator”

Jibo’s Last Dance, and the Social Robot’s Hope for the Afterlife

Last summer, dozens of former Jibo employees returned to the defunct company’s Boston offices for a long weekend of pizza, beer, and brainstorming. The task: How do you teach the company’s “social robot” to say goodbye? Rich Sadowsky, Jibo’s former head of security and privacy, had helped organize the volunteer group over a Jibo alumni … Continue reading “Jibo’s Last Dance, and the Social Robot’s Hope for the Afterlife”

Karat’s Interviewers, Software Help Tech Firms Assess Engineers

When it comes to interviewing candidates for software engineering positions at big technology companies, “takes one to know one” tends to be an appropriate axiom, says Mohit Bhende. He’s one of the co-founders of Karat, a Seattle-based startup that uses proprietary software and its own stable of freelance interviewers to help some of the marquee … Continue reading “Karat’s Interviewers, Software Help Tech Firms Assess Engineers”

Connect, Longtime Local Accelerator, Names Silvia Mah as President

Connect, a 34-year-old nonprofit which runs the well-known Springboard Accelerator Program for startups, announced Monday that it had tapped Silvia Mah, a San Diego investor and entrepreneur, as its new president. She succeeds Greg McKee, who served as president and CEO of the San Diego-based organization for five years before stepping down last month to … Continue reading “Connect, Longtime Local Accelerator, Names Silvia Mah as President”

Celgene Submits MS Drug for Approval in Europe, FDA Filing on Track

An experimental multiple sclerosis treatment identified as a key asset in Bristol-Myers Squibb’s proposed acquisition of Celgene has been filed for regulatory approval in Europe. Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) submitted its application to the European Medicines Agency for ozanimod, a drug developed to treat a form of MS characterized by relapses, or periodic flare-ups, of neurological … Continue reading “Celgene Submits MS Drug for Approval in Europe, FDA Filing on Track”

The Life, Troubles, and Celgene Legacy of Deal Guru George Golumbeski

George Golumbeski is one of the most prolific dealmakers in the biopharmaceutical world. But the deal that changed his life is a pact he made with himself when he was ten years old. Playing with friends in front of his house in Hampton, VA, he watched his mother drag his dead-drunk father, a U.S. Air … Continue reading “The Life, Troubles, and Celgene Legacy of Deal Guru George Golumbeski”

San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: ResMed, Alexandria GradLabs & More

Spring has sprung, and it’s shaping up to be another busy season for San Diego’s life sciences community. As we head into the weekend, crossing our fingers that the seemingly endless rain showers will be replaced by our usual sunshine, here’s a quick rundown of some recent news developments. —ResMed (NYSE: [[ticker:RMD]]) acquired a South … Continue reading “San Diego Life Sciences Roundup: ResMed, Alexandria GradLabs & More”

FDA Clears Way for AquaBounty to Raise Salmon in America’s Heartland

It’s been more than three years since the FDA approved salmon from AquaBounty Technologies, but debates about labels and other requirements have kept the genetically engineered fish from reaching dining plates. On Friday, the FDA removed the last regulatory hurdle standing in the company’s way. The FDA lifted an “import alert,” a rule that kept … Continue reading “FDA Clears Way for AquaBounty to Raise Salmon in America’s Heartland”

Vtrus Gets $2.9M For Drones That Inspect Indoor Industrial Equipment

Vtrus, a Seattle-based startup developing drones designed to autonomously inspect equipment in factories and other indoor settings, has raised more than $2.9 million to support its commercialization efforts, according to a regulatory filing. Nine investors participated in the equity funding round, the filing shows. Reached by phone on Thursday, a spokesperson for Vtrus declined to … Continue reading “Vtrus Gets $2.9M For Drones That Inspect Indoor Industrial Equipment”

TX Tech: ForeFlight to Boeing, Osano Debut, Saranas’ FDA Nod & More

Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —Boeing (NYSE: [[ticker:BE]]) has acquired Houston-based ForeFlight, a mobile and web-based maker of aviation software, according to a press release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. ForeFlight had already been partnering with the Chicago-based aeronautical company for the past two years through Boeing’s subsidiary … Continue reading “TX Tech: ForeFlight to Boeing, Osano Debut, Saranas’ FDA Nod & More”

Acorda Parkinson’s Drug Launched, Exec Hindman Is Now Set to Leave

Acorda Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]), which has just launched a new Parkinson’s disease treatment, is saying farewell to chief business officer Andrew Hindman. In a prepared statement, CEO Ron Cohen said Hindman, who joined Acorda in 2014, is interested in “pursuing opportunities in the wider biopharma industry.” Hindman will remain with the Ardsley, NY, biotech for … Continue reading “Acorda Parkinson’s Drug Launched, Exec Hindman Is Now Set to Leave”

Humacyte Appoints Chris Fang Chief Medical Officer

Regenerative medicine company Humacyte has appointed Chris Fang to serve as chief medical officer. Fang comes to the Research Triangle Park, NC, company from Amaris Health, where he was managing partner. His experience also includes posts at Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]), Medtronic (NYSE: [[ticker:MDT]]), and Mitsubishi Pharma. Humacyte has developed a way to produce … Continue reading “Humacyte Appoints Chris Fang Chief Medical Officer”

Bio Roundup: Gottlieb Exits, Bristol Defends, Biogen Buys & More

In early 2017, Scott Gottlieb was considered the most moderate of the potential candidates to head the Food and Drug Administration, which is the most powerful regulator of medical products in the world. It wasn’t a high bar to clear. Libertarians who had questioned some of the basic premises of the FDA were in the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Gottlieb Exits, Bristol Defends, Biogen Buys & More”

Boston Tech Watch: .406, Circle, Haven, Shift, LinkSquares & More

The Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan-led healthcare moonshot has a name. The venture capital dollars continued to roll in for A.I. startups. The Akamai-Janrain deal was pegged at $125 million. And a local VC firm is reloading for a new fund. Read on for more of this week’s Boston technology and innovation news. —Shift Technology, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: .406, Circle, Haven, Shift, LinkSquares & More”

BeiGene Puts Up $10M to Use Ambrx’s Drug Development Technology

Chinese pharma company BeiGene has agreed to pay Ambrx $10 million upfront to experiment with technology the biotech has developed in a bid accelerate BeiGene’s search for new protein drugs for cancer treatment. Ambrx says its technology is able to incorporate “non-natural” amino acids into cells like E. coli and CHO, two cell lines commonly … Continue reading “BeiGene Puts Up $10M to Use Ambrx’s Drug Development Technology”

Bright Cellars Uncorks $8.5M Round for Wine Subscription Service

A few years ago, the frothiest market in tech was arguably startups selling subscriptions to boxes of curated goods, such as clothing, beauty products, and food, which would arrive on customers’ doorsteps each month. The buzz around this area of e-commerce may have subsided a bit, but there are still a ton of box subscription … Continue reading “Bright Cellars Uncorks $8.5M Round for Wine Subscription Service”

Roundup: Personnel Moves, MedHealth Summit, Genomenon, TechTown, More

Let’s catch up on news from around Michigan’s innovation clusters: —The Midwest Growth Capital Symposium, held just outside of Ann Arbor on May 14-15, is in search of companies in the life sciences and tech sectors to pitch investors. The 36 selected companies will each have 10 minutes to present to an audience of potential … Continue reading “Roundup: Personnel Moves, MedHealth Summit, Genomenon, TechTown, More”

San Antonio Startup Cityflag Joins City-Focused Techstars Program

San Antonio—[Updated 3/8/19, 2:27 p.m. See below.] A San Antonio startup, Cityflag, is joining a new Techstars program in Amsterdam for businesses that focus on changing how “we live, work, and travel in cities.” Cityflag is one of ten startups that is taking part in the Arcadis City of 2030 Accelerator, which Techstars is running … Continue reading “San Antonio Startup Cityflag Joins City-Focused Techstars Program”

Knock Nabs $10M in Bid to Become the OpenTable of Apartment Leasing

People in the market to rent an apartment have plenty of options for contacting property managers, from phone calls to e-mail messages and live chats hosted on their websites. A Seattle-based startup, Knock, says it can help managers track the range of these communications with prospective tenants by storing them on a single digital platform. … Continue reading “Knock Nabs $10M in Bid to Become the OpenTable of Apartment Leasing”

Steering Lyft’s IPO: What Investors Will Weigh During the Roadshow

Much has been said about Lyft’s early lead over Uber in the “horserace” to become the first ride-hailing app company to go public. But now that San Francisco-based Lyft has filed its 276-page IPO prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, potential investors can focus on much more detailed considerations as they decide whether … Continue reading “Steering Lyft’s IPO: What Investors Will Weigh During the Roadshow”

Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet

The first message was sent over Arpanet, the precursor to the Internet, in October 1969. Now, a half-century later, the Net has changed the world—enabling unprecedented communication, widespread access to education and ideas, and a range of services that have improved business and quality of life for billions. That same technology platform, though, is increasingly … Continue reading “Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet”

Houston’s Alice Among Women-Led Startups Receiving Bumble Funding

Alice, a Houston-based digital community that connects women founders to resources tailored to their startup’s needs, has received funding from the Bumble Fund. The fund, which was launched last July by Bumble, a women-oriented dating app, did not specify the amount it invested in the startups. In a press release Thursday, the Austin company said … Continue reading “Houston’s Alice Among Women-Led Startups Receiving Bumble Funding”

Gilead’s Cancer Division Loses Alessandro Riva, Victoria Smith

The oncology division of Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) is losing two of its leaders. Alessandro Riva, executive vice president of oncology therapeutics for the Foster City, CA, company, is leaving to become CEO of a Glenmark Pharmaceuticals spinout in Paramus, NJ. The yet-to-be-named Glenmark spinoff will take with it eight programs spanning cancer, immunology, and … Continue reading “Gilead’s Cancer Division Loses Alessandro Riva, Victoria Smith”

Sunovion Pharma Promotes Antony Loebel to President & CEO

Antony Loebel, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, has been promoted to CEO of the Marlborough, MA, company. Sunovion is a subsidiary of Japan-based Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Group. Loebel is also head of global clinical development for Sumitomo. He will start his new role at Sunovion on April 1, succeeding Nobuhiko … Continue reading “Sunovion Pharma Promotes Antony Loebel to President & CEO”

Apple Updates Plans, Now Expects to Create 1,200 Jobs in San Diego

About three months ago, Apple announced it planned to add 1,000 jobs in the San Diego region over the next three years. On Wednesday, the Cupertino, CA-based tech giant said it would increase that total by 200 jobs as part of a plan to make the city one of its principle engineering hubs. Apple (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Apple Updates Plans, Now Expects to Create 1,200 Jobs in San Diego”

Al Gore: Coming Tech Revolution Could Take More Jobs Than It Makes

Al Gore may just be on the side of the Luddites. Yes, that’s the radical faction of British textile workers at the onset of the Industrial Revolution who broke into factories to smash the new machines that they feared would someday put them out of work. But no, Gore is not yet raging against the … Continue reading “Al Gore: Coming Tech Revolution Could Take More Jobs Than It Makes”

Intel Reveals Ideas on Promoting AI in U.S. as Chinese Growth Looms

Even as the executive order President Trump issued last month on artificial intelligence furthered the conversation about a developing national strategy for the sector, it was met with certain criticism. A common complaint was that the plan won’t implement itself. “The administration’s American AI Initiative includes all of the right elements; the critical test will … Continue reading “Intel Reveals Ideas on Promoting AI in U.S. as Chinese Growth Looms”