6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018

We can all agree that 2017 was a brutal year for cybersecurity. Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report identified passwords as the root cause of more than 81 percent of breaches in 2016 – an 18 percent increase from the previous year. And, it’s a safe guess that this year, the percentage will grow. At last … Continue reading “6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018”

Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout

There’s nothing abstract about a 20 percent jump in a company’s stock price. But yeah, that happened to Loxo Oncology when it released data previews for its American Society for Clinical Oncology presentations; the meeting starts in two weeks in Chicago. Wednesday was ASCO abstract day, and we’ll round up the headliners below, all with … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout”

EntryPoint Aims to Increase Inclusion, Diversity in Startup Ecosystem

The tech industry and the investment community that funds it are notorious for being, shall we say, safe spaces for white men. The myth of meritocracy persists in the tech world even in the face of data indicating a longstanding lack of diversity and inclusion. Innovation benefits from different perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas, but it’s … Continue reading “EntryPoint Aims to Increase Inclusion, Diversity in Startup Ecosystem”

Accent Therapeutics Debuts With $40M To Target RNA Modification

The story of how genes are regulated has gotten a whole lot more complicated in recent years. Scientists, using ever-improving sequencing technologies, are discovering the many ways the cell can turn gene activity up or down. With this growing insight comes an expanding list of potential drug targets and biotech startups that are going after … Continue reading “Accent Therapeutics Debuts With $40M To Target RNA Modification”

Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines

[Updated 5/18/18, 8:38 a.m. See below.] An Amgen migraine drug developed to head off pain before it starts has won FDA approval, the first for a new class of preventive drug candidates for the condition. The Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) drug, erenumab (Aimovig), is a subcutaneous injection given once a month. The drug blocks the receptor … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines”

Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management

San Antonio—Cloud computing giant Rackspace has acquired a company that helps other businesses implement and use the Salesforce software. The deal expands Rackspace’s focus on helping companies use software and computing services, including those of cloud computing businesses it historically considered competitors. Rackspace paid an undisclosed amount for RelationEdge, a San Diego-based software-as-a-service provider focused … Continue reading “Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management”

OncoNano, Maker of Tumor Imaging Technology, Raises $11.7 Million

Dallas—OncoNano Medicine, which is developing an imaging agent to help surgeons better remove tumors, has raised $11.7 million in Series A funding. OncoNano’s lead product, ONM-100, is an injectable imaging agent that targets the acidic pH within tumors to better distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones during surgery. OncoNano said the new funding was arranged … Continue reading “OncoNano, Maker of Tumor Imaging Technology, Raises $11.7 Million”

Underscore VC Quickly Raises $117M for Second Early-Stage Fund

Underscore VC’s partners planned to begin seeking capital for the firm’s second early-stage venture fund in the fall. Instead, their backers approached them, eager to re-invest. “We were pre-empted,” says co-founder and partner Michael Skok. “That’s pretty unusual.” The result of those talks is being announced Thursday: Underscore’s investors are pouring $116.9 million into the … Continue reading “Underscore VC Quickly Raises $117M for Second Early-Stage Fund”

Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing

[Updated 5/17/18, 9:45 am. See below.] Silicon Valley company Arevo, which competes with a growing number of rivals to transform 3D printing into a tool for mass manufacturing, announced today it raised $12.5 million in a Series B financing round. Arevo’s technology mix—which combines automated printing equipment with Web-based software and customized raw materials—exemplifies the … Continue reading “Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing”

MIT’s Inclusive Innovation Challenge Is Coming to Detroit in the Fall

MIT’s Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC), a competition awarding more than $1 million to tech entrepreneurs driving economic opportunities for workers, is coming to Detroit. The brainchild of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, the IIC seeks to find and promote startups and entrepreneurial organizations using technology to increase financial prospects for low- and moderate-income … Continue reading “MIT’s Inclusive Innovation Challenge Is Coming to Detroit in the Fall”

Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too

For some migraine sufferers, bright lights or loud sounds are enough to touch off an attack. For others, stress sparks the onset of pain. Bright lights, loud sounds, stress: Migraine triggers vary from one patient to another. But a common element is the abundance of a pain-inducing protein in the blood. During a migraine attack, … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too”

As a Google Partner with Fresh Capital, Zesty.io Aims to Disrupt CMS

After establishing a partnership with the Google Cloud Platform, Zesty.io CEO Gerry Widmer said Wednesday the San Diego-based company is expanding its workforce and extending its Web content management system (WCMS) to international customers. The three-year-old company already provides its content management system on a software-as-a-service basis (SaaS) for such customers as Sony, Acorns.com, and … Continue reading “As a Google Partner with Fresh Capital, Zesty.io Aims to Disrupt CMS”

New Startup Group Aims to Encourage Women Founders to Be Brazen

Dallas—Jasmin Brand says organizations geared to support women founders tend to focus on personal rather than professional development. “It always seemed they were focused on soft skills,” she says. “It’s OK to do social events, but that’s not how you learn to scale and grow revenue.” Brand, who is CEO of Launch DFW, a media … Continue reading “New Startup Group Aims to Encourage Women Founders to Be Brazen”

InsightSquared Scores $23M to Advance Sales and Marketing Software

Here’s an update on a quintessential Boston tech startup. InsightSquared, which got started in 2011, said Wednesday it has pulled in $23 million in Series D funding. The round was led by Tola Capital, with previous investors Accomplice, DFJ, Two Sigma Ventures, and NextView Ventures also participating. The new money brings InsightSquared’s total funding to … Continue reading “InsightSquared Scores $23M to Advance Sales and Marketing Software”

Boston Tech Watch: SmartBear, Wellist, LogoMix, Biobot, NEVYs & More

[Updated 5/16/18, 10:09 am. See below.] It’s time to catch up on recent news from the Boston-area tech sector, including a pair of acquisitions; investments in digital health, artificial intelligence, and wastewater analytics; and scenes from this year’s “Star Wars”-themed NEVY Awards. Read on for details. —Boston-based LogoMix, a provider of logo design tools and … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: SmartBear, Wellist, LogoMix, Biobot, NEVYs & More”

Verdine Picks Backers For FogPharma’s $66M Round, Keeping Firm Control

At first blush, the $66 million Series B round that startup FogPharma is announcing this morning seems standard fare, particularly this year, when private biotechs have raised gobs of cash hand over fist. But a closer look shows careful steps by an academic-turned-executive, Greg Verdine, to develop the type of company he wants. He’s amassed … Continue reading “Verdine Picks Backers For FogPharma’s $66M Round, Keeping Firm Control”

Seattle Tech IPO Watch: Avalara, nLight, Smartsheet & More

In recent weeks, a business developing industrial laser technology and another that sells software to help corporate teams collaborate are among the Pacific Northwest companies that have held an initial public offering, or filed paperwork to do so. Let’s get caught up: —Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet (NYSE: [[ticker:SMAR]]), which develops collaborative software allowing users to track … Continue reading “Seattle Tech IPO Watch: Avalara, nLight, Smartsheet & More”

Silicon Valley, Detroit Need Each Other to Get Driverless Cars Humming

Last month, the University of Michigan hosted a daylong conference about the economic and social impacts of future mobility, when autonomous and connected vehicles will likely upend transportation as we know it. Because the research associated with autonomous vehicles and other mobility applications is ambiguous—with many experts having differing opinions on when and how self-driving … Continue reading “Silicon Valley, Detroit Need Each Other to Get Driverless Cars Humming”

Circle Grabs $110M, Will Launch U.S. Dollar-Backed Cryptocurrency

The founders of Circle Internet Financial have a lofty vision for the nascent world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain systems—and their startup’s role in it. Now, they have more resources to try and execute that vision. Boston-based Circle announced Tuesday it raised $110 million in a Series E equity funding round, and it plans to launch … Continue reading “Circle Grabs $110M, Will Launch U.S. Dollar-Backed Cryptocurrency”

Aileron Therapeutics CEO Joseph Yanchik Resigns

Joseph Yanchik has resigned as president and CEO of Aileron Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALRN]]) after 12 years at the Cambridge, MA, biotech company. He has also stepped down from the company’s board of directors. Aileron gave no reason for the changes. John Longenecker, founder and president of biopharmaceutical consulting firm JPL Biotech, has been named interim … Continue reading “Aileron Therapeutics CEO Joseph Yanchik Resigns”

Adicet Bio Names Elizabeth Read Chief Technology Officer

Elizabeth Read has been appointed chief technology officer of Adicet Bio. Read comes to Menlo Park, CA-based Adicet from Medeor Therapeutics, where she was senior vice president, product development. Her experience also includes management roles at StemCyte, Fate Therapeutics, and the American Red Cross. Pre-clinical stage Adicet is developing cancer immunotherapies.

Stem Cell Maker StemBioSys Closes $4.3M Financing for New Products

San Antonio—StemBioSys has closed a $4.3 million Series B round of funding about two years after the company started raising it, according to regulatory filings. StemBioSys began raising the Series B round in 2016, when it initially filed securities documents that showed it had pulled in $2.7 million. The company took its focus off of … Continue reading “Stem Cell Maker StemBioSys Closes $4.3M Financing for New Products”

A Need for Speed: Illumina Acquires San Diego’s Edico Genome

With the Bio-IT World Conference opening today in Boston, San Diego-based Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) said it has acquired Edico Genome, a five-year-old startup with  technology to accelerate the readout of next-generation sequencing data. Illumina withheld terms of the deal in a statement released this morning. But an Illumina spokeswoman later confirmed that Illumina got Edico … Continue reading “A Need for Speed: Illumina Acquires San Diego’s Edico Genome”

Seattle Venture Capital Watch: Nohla, Auth0, Glowforge & More

A maker of a 3D laser printer and an A.I. algorithm startup are among the Seattle-area companies that have in recent weeks raised a notable funding round. Let’s catch up on some of the Emerald City deals action. —Glowforge, a Seattle-based startup that sells 3D laser printers for designers, artists, and other tinkerers, received a … Continue reading “Seattle Venture Capital Watch: Nohla, Auth0, Glowforge & More”

The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development

Chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are painful and often lifelong conditions. I know this both as a scientist and a father, as my son, Jeremy, was diagnosed 12 years ago with Crohn’s disease, one type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 80 autoimmune diseases affecting … Continue reading “The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development”

Vesper Mics Up With $23M From Amazon, American Family, Baidu, Bose

Vesper Technologies, a high-tech microphone startup trying to ride the wave of voice-controlled devices, has summoned a $23 million investment from a group of well-known tech companies, venture capitalists, and an insurance firm. The Series B funding round was led by American Family Ventures, the venture arm of Madison, WI-based American Family Insurance. Other investors … Continue reading “Vesper Mics Up With $23M From Amazon, American Family, Baidu, Bose”

Celsius Snags $65M to Harness Single-Cell Genomics for Drug Discovery

With biotech flush with venture capital funding, it seems that every hot new area of biology research now comes with its own startup. The latest is Celsius Therapeutics, and the new technology is single-cell genomics—the study of genetic activity of individual cells. Celsius was founded by scientists from the Broad Institute and elsewhere, and the … Continue reading “Celsius Snags $65M to Harness Single-Cell Genomics for Drug Discovery”

Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid

Arch Venture Partners co-founder and managing director Bob Nelsen is widely regarded as one of the most astute and successful life science investors and company builders in the game. The list of his portfolio company wins (if you think of raising money, going public, or being acquired as a win, which he doesn’t necessarily, read … Continue reading “Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid”

Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego: Some Takeaways

At the end of the 19th century, the German scientist Paul Ehrlich began to realize that certain chemicals could have highly specific effects on certain diseases. He began to write about the possibility that a drug could act like a magische kugel—magic bullet—that killed only the organism causing disease, and nothing else. Today, scientists are … Continue reading “Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego: Some Takeaways”

Venture Investors To Raise As Much As $100M To Fund Health Startups

Venture Investors plans to raise up to $100 million for a new, healthcare-focused venture capital fund, the Madison, WI-based firm said in a document recently filed with federal securities regulators. VI is the oldest and largest venture capital fund in Wisconsin. It created a new business entity, “Venture Investors Health Fund 6 Limited Partnership,” under … Continue reading “Venture Investors To Raise As Much As $100M To Fund Health Startups”

“Wrong to Toast”: Broad’s Lander Sorry for Tribute to DNA Pioneer Watson

Amid backlash, renowned geneticist Eric Lander, the Broad Institute president and founding director, apologized today for his toast over the weekend to DNA structure co-discoverer James Watson (pictured) on the occasion of Watson’s 90th birthday. Watson has not been shy about expressing racist, anti-Semitic, and sexist views over the years. For example, in a 2007 … Continue reading ““Wrong to Toast”: Broad’s Lander Sorry for Tribute to DNA Pioneer Watson”

Care2Rock, Moneta, Yoshi, CipherLoc, Charles Schwab, & More TX Tech

Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Many businesses have used the Internet to pair buyers and sellers. Austin’s Care2Rock is doing that for music lessons. The social entrepreneurship startup uses WebRTC technology, which is open-source software that enables video chatting without having to download software like Skype, according to a … Continue reading “Care2Rock, Moneta, Yoshi, CipherLoc, Charles Schwab, & More TX Tech”

DraftKings, FanDuel Eye Sports Betting After Supreme Court Ruling

The game could be changing for daily fantasy sports companies DraftKings and FanDuel. In a landmark ruling Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law that prohibited most states from authorizing betting on college and professional sports. The court’s decision paves the way for states to legalize sports gambling, and daily fantasy … Continue reading “DraftKings, FanDuel Eye Sports Betting After Supreme Court Ruling”

Powderkeg on a Mission to Unite, Grow Mid-American Tech Ecosystems

The East and West coasts have historically been the center of tech startup activity in the United States. . However, there is growing interest in innovation hubs in the middle of the country, especially as the high cost of coastal living is ever more prohibitive to many young entrepreneurs. One such effort to cultivate Midwestern … Continue reading “Powderkeg on a Mission to Unite, Grow Mid-American Tech Ecosystems”

Softeq, LiveOak Launch New Programs, As Houston Ups Startup Support

Houston—In the past year, political and technology leaders in Houston have sought to catalyze innovation in the city by ramping up its anemic startup ecosystem. Most notably, that action has come in the form of Houston Exponential, a new civic organization that sprang from analysis of Houston’s early stage business climate and why its startup … Continue reading “Softeq, LiveOak Launch New Programs, As Houston Ups Startup Support”

Boston VC Fundraising News: OpenView, CRV, Material Impact

[Updated 5/14/18, 2:25 pm. See below.] Boston-area venture capitalists are stocking up on cash to invest in more startups. Here is the latest fundraising news: —OpenView Venture Partners appears to have raised nearly $297 million for its fifth fund, according to a new SEC filing. That exceeded the $250 million target OpenView disclosed in a … Continue reading “Boston VC Fundraising News: OpenView, CRV, Material Impact”

Eli Lilly Bolsters Cancer Drug Pipeline with $110M Deal for AurKa

Eli Lilly is pulling out its checkbook again to acquire another cancer drug developer, this time inking a deal for early-stage company AurKa Pharma. Under the agreement announced Monday, Indianapolis-based Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) will pay $110 million up front for AurKa. If the AurKa drug hits regulatory and commercialization milestones, AurKa shareholders could gain up … Continue reading “Eli Lilly Bolsters Cancer Drug Pipeline with $110M Deal for AurKa”

With Training, Startups Like Paige.AI Could Soon Diagnose Cancer

It turns out interpreting biopsies isn’t entirely unlike mapping the rocky terrain of Mars. Thomas Fuchs, a former research technologist at NASA, is taking some of what he learned in training algorithms to navigate the Red Planet for the Mars Rover project and applying it to create cancer-detecting algorithms. Fuchs (pictured) thinks his startup, Paige.AI, … Continue reading “With Training, Startups Like Paige.AI Could Soon Diagnose Cancer”

Xconomy Awards Nominations Deadline Extended Until Friday, May 18

Many of the judges of the 2017 Xconomy Awards came out to the Awards gala last September to find out who would take home our cool 3D-printed trophies, and they commented on how impressed they were with the finalists they got to judge and the winners they helped to pick. “They were a great combination … Continue reading “Xconomy Awards Nominations Deadline Extended Until Friday, May 18”

Beam Therapeutics Spotlights CRISPR 2.0 with Precise Gene Editor, $87M

The founders of CRISPR-Cas9 startup Editas Medicine have gotten a jump on the next version of CRISPR gene editing. Scientists from Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Broad Institute are behind Beam Therapeutics, which today announced a $87 million Series A round to turn a more precise version of CRISPR into human medicine. The … Continue reading “Beam Therapeutics Spotlights CRISPR 2.0 with Precise Gene Editor, $87M”

David Thompson Joins Inozyme Pharma as Chief Scientific Officer

Inozyme Pharma has appointed David Thompson to serve as senior vice president and chief scientific officer. Before joining Cambridge, MA-based Inozyme, Thompson was most recently president of Azure Biotech. His experience also includes positions at Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALXN]]), Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]), and Merck Research Labs. Inozyme is preparing to start clinical trials for lead … Continue reading “David Thompson Joins Inozyme Pharma as Chief Scientific Officer”

Menlo Therapeutics Moves Paul Kwon to Chief Scientific Officer

Paul Kwon, the chief medical officer of Menlo Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MNLO]]) for the past two years, will now become the Redwood City, CA, company’s chief scientific officer. In a related move, Mary Spellman, senior vice president of clinical development, will be promoted to chief medical officer. Menlo, which completed its initial public offering earlier this … Continue reading “Menlo Therapeutics Moves Paul Kwon to Chief Scientific Officer”

Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details

[Editor’s note: Corie Lok co-authored this report.] In a much anticipated speech at the White House this afternoon, President Trump unveiled a long-awaited plan meant to cut the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. The administration’s “American Patients First” plan, released via a speech and an accompanying 38-page “blueprint” document, laid out some relatively … Continue reading “Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details”

LearnVest, SmartUQ, gBETA & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist

Keep up with news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Northwestern Mutual said it has temporarily shut down LearnVest, a financial advisory service the Milwaukee-based life insurance giant acquired in 2015 for a reported $250 million-plus. Northwestern Mutual said LearnVest will cease providing financial planning services to consumers, and will also discontinue its … Continue reading “LearnVest, SmartUQ, gBETA & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”

“Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy

Humans are great about saying a lot of things. We’re not that good about actually following through. See: New Year’s diet resolutions or election polls. That tendency affects retailers as well. Big stores and brands spend millions in market research to figure out what shoppers want and then model production and creative teams to create those … Continue reading ““Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy”

Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More

Cytokine therapies for cancer aren’t new but they are attracting renewed interest. Some pharmaceutical companies see drug combinations using cytokines as a way to broaden the reach of immunotherapy, which still doesn’t work for the majority of cancer patients. This week, Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) showed how much it believes in cytokines. The Indianapolis drug maker … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More”

As Michigan VC Scene Matures, Funding Gaps, Diversity Are Challenges

In venture capital circles, one often hears that it’s not particularly useful to look at trends year over year; instead, analysts counsel, one should study trends in five-year cycles to get a more accurate picture of where things are. From that perspective, Michigan’s venture capital scene seems to be healthier than it was five years … Continue reading “As Michigan VC Scene Matures, Funding Gaps, Diversity Are Challenges”