Connect has invited David Kappos, director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), to be the featured speaker in a public policy forum entitled “A Review of the America Invents Act and its impact on the USPTO.” After six long years and numerous legislative modifications, the President signed the America Invents Act earlier … Continue reading “New Legislation Review: Patent Director David Kappos on the America Invents Act”
Connect Framework Series: Intellectual Property Workshop
Intellectual property rights are often key to the foundation, growth, and ultimate survival of a company. For technology and bioscience companies, the ability to raise funding is dependent on establishing a sound intellectual property portfolio and strategy. This workshop also will cover the legal requirements and basic process for obtaining a patent and the effect … Continue reading “Connect Framework Series: Intellectual Property Workshop”
Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting
The Licensing Executives Society is holding its annual meeting in San Diego, with sessions on the economic uncertainty rocking biopharma, the historic Nortel auction, deal-making in China, new valuation strategies, technology convergence and other pivotal issues. More than 1,000 of the world’s leading intellectual property, licensing and business development leaders are expected to attend. More … Continue reading “Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting”
Innovating a Paradigm Shift through Green Technologies
Athena has organized a panel discussion to discuss how green innovations are shaping the way we live and work, and how these disruptive technologies are providing solutions to global challenges. The emerging green economy is about much more than green products and services. Behind this growing segment are incredibly talented and forward-thinking entrepreneurs as well … Continue reading “Innovating a Paradigm Shift through Green Technologies”
Entrepreneurs Workshop: Getting SBIR Grants From the National Institutes of Health
The San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange (SDEE) has organized a three-hour workshop on getting NIH small business innovative research grants. The session is intended to cover strategies that can work, nuts and bolts of submitting an SBIR application, and small group discussions with life sciences entrepreneurs who have received small business innovation research grants. Entrepreneurs are … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs Workshop: Getting SBIR Grants From the National Institutes of Health”
Help Scout Lands $435,000 Seed Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0b2a83e4-dfd6-485b-86f2-8f476e4f254a&Preview=1 Date 10/8/2011 Company Name Help Scout Mailing Address 500 Harrison Ave Boston, MA 02118 Company Description Help Scout is completely invisible to your customers. Every email looks just like a personal email thread. Even for a big company with 100 agents, your customers get a personal response from a real person … Continue reading “Help Scout Lands $435,000 Seed Round”
Terminator Vision: Augmented Reality UnPlugged
An evening event from the MIT/Stanford Venture Lab. From the event description: “Augmented Reality holds the promise of merging the physical world with information, but the ‘killer app’ remains elusive. Today,the rise of the smartphone and tablet – with powerful 3D, 4G, and high-res cameras – combined with significant advances in computer-vision, are finally unleashing … Continue reading “Terminator Vision: Augmented Reality UnPlugged”
Sprint Makes it Pretty Clear: Clearwire on Its Own
Sprint (NYSE: [[ticker:S]]) is unveiling a new plan to upgrade its national wireless network today, and Kirkland, WA-based Clearwire is not part of the picture. That’s sent shares of Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]) into a nosedive, losing a third of their value in afternoon trading. It had previously seemed that Sprint, as the majority shareholder, might … Continue reading “Sprint Makes it Pretty Clear: Clearwire on Its Own”
Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge Now Underway
The revamped Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge (MCEVC) is now accepting applications, the University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship announced this week. The MCEVC is a business competition designed to help Michigan students turn cleantech ideas into thriving businesses. New this year is the contest’s six-month format, which includes skill-building and acceleration phases in addition … Continue reading “Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge Now Underway”
Report: Tolerx Folds Its Tent, After $150M in Investment and a Failed Diabetes Drug Trial
Tolerx, a once promising Boston biotech with a novel drug in development for diabetes, has reached the end of the road. The Cambridge, MA-based company is winding down operations, according to a report today in FierceBiotech. The company, which raised more than $150 million in a decade in business, hit the rocks back in March … Continue reading “Report: Tolerx Folds Its Tent, After $150M in Investment and a Failed Diabetes Drug Trial”
Illumina Stock Dives on Weak Quarterly Sales Report
Illumina shareholders are having a rough day today. The San Diego-based maker of genome sequencing tools (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) fell $12.85 a share, or 32 percent, to $27.08 at 11:45 am Eastern time today. The drop came after Illumina released a dismal third-quarter sales report, in which it reported $235 million in revenue on an unaudited … Continue reading “Illumina Stock Dives on Weak Quarterly Sales Report”
When Will Software for the Genome Take Off? Find out Oct. 24
Illumina CEO Jay Flatley memorably called the bioinformatics industry “road kill” in an interview with Xconomy about 18 months ago. But have new opportunities started to emerge for genomic software startups now that scientists are really, Really, Really! crying out for better software to manage the data deluge? After all, isn’t the genomic data going … Continue reading “When Will Software for the Genome Take Off? Find out Oct. 24”
Saint Steve? Not Exactly. Apple and the Power of the Dark Side
Today’s column was co-written by myself and Curt Woodward, Xconomy’s Seattle-based senior editor. There’s a great term of art in the history profession: hagiography. It’s from the Greek for “holy writing,” and at one time it pertained mostly to biographies of saints. Well, there’s a whole lot of beatification going on this week as the … Continue reading “Saint Steve? Not Exactly. Apple and the Power of the Dark Side”
Enterproid Continues Development of App With $11M Series A From Comcast, Google, Qualcomm
Bruce V. Bigelow in San Diego contributed to this story. With $11 million from a Series A that was announced yesterday, New York-based Enterproid is moving closer to a full release of its app, which allows users to set their smartphones for business or personal use. Comcast Ventures (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CMCSA]]) led the round, with participation from … Continue reading “Enterproid Continues Development of App With $11M Series A From Comcast, Google, Qualcomm”
User Acquisition
You know you have a great product, but how do you get people to use it? Learn the answer in this day-long workshop at General Assembly. Topics will include SEO, SEM, product virality, and funnel and registration management. Register here.
Columbia Business School Health Care Conference
Join more than 400 health industry leaders and students from NYC colleges for networking and a day of discussion on the emergence of partnerships in the industry. Speakers include Franz B. Humer, chairman of the board of Roche Holding and non-executive chairman of Diageo; Sheri McCoy, vice chairman, executive committee, and member of the office … Continue reading “Columbia Business School Health Care Conference”
Patenting Biotech: Strategies and Tips for Protecting Your Invention
This lunchtime seminar will focus on steps biotech entrepreneurs should take during patent filing and patent prosecution to best maximize the commercial value of their biotech inventions. Speaker Gonzalo Merino is a member of the Patent and Licensing Group at Columbia University’s Office of the General Counsel. Pizza will be served. Register here.
Alternative Vehicle Technology Conference and Expo
Join the Center for Sustainable Energy at this conference, where experts will discuss technology and opportunities in alternative energy, and there will be 25 alternative-fuel vehicles on display. The keynote speech will be given by Chris Paine, director of “Who Killed the Electric Car,” and “Revenge of the Electric Car.” Register here.
Five Perspectives on Steve Jobs: Reflections from Around the Xconomy Network
When the news broke that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died, there was no shortage of tributes and remembrances, from names big and small. And they’re still pouring out, from entrepreneurs, technologists, consumers, and more. We were able to tap into our network of guest authors, known as the Xconomists, for some insights into Jobs’ legacy … Continue reading “Five Perspectives on Steve Jobs: Reflections from Around the Xconomy Network”
Thong Le Named New Chairman of WBBA, Replacing Tom Clement
Thong Le, the well-wired venture investor at Seattle-based WRF Capital, is stepping up to become chairman of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association, the state’s trade organization that represents biotech and medical device companies. Le will formally replace medical device entrepreneur Tom Clement in the volunteer chairmanship at the WBBA’s annual meeting, which coincides with … Continue reading “Thong Le Named New Chairman of WBBA, Replacing Tom Clement”
Celgene Pays Agios $20M, Lycera Adds Cambridge CEO, Getinge Buys Atrium Medical, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
We saw a mix of personnel, drug partnership, and acquisition news from New England’s life sciences players this week. —Atrium Medical, a Hudson, NH-based developer of cardiology and radiology medical devices, is getting acquired by the Swedish firm, Getinge Group, for $680 million. Atrium will act as an independent business unit of the Getinge subsidiary … Continue reading “Celgene Pays Agios $20M, Lycera Adds Cambridge CEO, Getinge Buys Atrium Medical, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Courtagen Life Sciences Obtains $8,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f13398ca-37d2-4948-a546-4420b2dcd24f&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Courtagen Life Sciences Mailing Address 12 Gill Street Woburn, MA 01801 Company Description Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc. (“CLS”) provides innovative and disruptive proteomic and genomic products and services to the Life Sciences industry. Our companies deliver tools that enable researchers and clinicians to make better decisions regarding … Continue reading “Courtagen Life Sciences Obtains $8,000,000 New Funding”
HomePipe Garners $150,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=874b69e1-05dd-494e-9c71-0f94c46fbdbf&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name HomePipe Mailing Address 19805 15th Ave. NW. Shoreline, WA 98177 Company Description The company provides a service that allows users to access and share files from any browser or mobile device. Website http://www.homepipe.net Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $150,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “HomePipe Garners $150,000 Series A Financing”
SolarReserve Lands $15,000,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=07d3a25d-770d-4ead-9788-3cc595b86b85&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name SolarReserve Mailing Address 2425 Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 Company Description SolarReserve was formed to solve two of the fundamental barriers of renewable energy: scalability and storage. Unlike hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, and other renewable energy technologies that use limited renewable fuel sources, SolarReserve’s power plants draw … Continue reading “SolarReserve Lands $15,000,000 New Funding”
Autonomic Technologies Obtains $32,125,489 Series C Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=61cfe564-da5a-492c-9cc4-87ea06f3acec&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Autonomic Technologies Mailing Address 2750 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description The company is developing neurostimulation devices. Website http://www.autonomictechnologies.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $32,125,489 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor … Continue reading “Autonomic Technologies Obtains $32,125,489 Series C Financing Round”
Airtime Lands $8,300,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b3088ee5-2c24-4971-b0f3-aa687b9a0505&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Airtime Mailing Address 338 Spear Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description Airtime aims to help users expand their social network and will be random, realtime and include a live video chat component. Website http://www.airtime.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,300,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds … Continue reading “Airtime Lands $8,300,000 Series A Financing”
Synopsys Acquires Extreme DA for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3962c7bb-882c-49b7-b00d-99cc1ce9fa7d&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Extreme DA Mailing Address 3211 Scott Blvd Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Extreme DA is a privately held EDA company focused on variation-aware parametric yield analysis, optimization, and sign off for transfer of integrated circuit (IC) designs into manufacturing. Extreme DA solutions and technology facilitate robust … Continue reading “Synopsys Acquires Extreme DA for Undisclosed Sum”
Pinterest Obtains $27,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=100fd10e-b22a-4d87-96f9-031cad240725&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Pinterest Mailing Address 635 High St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Company Description Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Website http://www.pinterest.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “Pinterest Obtains $27,000,000 New Funding Round”
Everlane Secures $1,100,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3d9a9d74-857a-407b-b25e-0a4f84320837&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name Everlane Mailing Address 110 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94104 Company Description We’ve set out to challenge conventions and offer our designer-quality goods at great—and honest—prices. No tricks. No middlemen taking their cut. No crazy brand markups. Website http://www.everlane.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,100,000 Transaction … Continue reading “Everlane Secures $1,100,000 New Financing”
HiGear Receives $1,300,000 Seed Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4bb228e7-5e5c-4d6e-97ca-b82051fa0f1f&Preview=1 Date 10/7/2011 Company Name HiGear Mailing Address 550 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111 Company Description HiGear is a private car-sharing club for luxury and sports cars. You can rent amazing cars from real people like you in your city. Website http://www.higear.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,300,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “HiGear Receives $1,300,000 Seed Financing Round”
Done Deal: Nuance Buying Swype for Around $100M in Cash
[Updated 10/7/11, 8 am Pacific] There’s a Tegic Communications reunion shaping up in Seattle. Documents filed with the SEC show that Nuance Communications is buying mobile software startup Swype for $102.5 million. As we reported last night, based on a source with knowledge of the deal, about three-quarters of the cash is paid up-front with … Continue reading “Done Deal: Nuance Buying Swype for Around $100M in Cash”
FDA Adopts New Initiative, Scripps Health Begins Longevity Study, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
What was the biggest life sciences news over the past week? It might be that five San Diego companies landed financing deals, grants, and payments. Here are our highlights. —The U.S. Food and Drug Administration outlined a new strategic initiative intended to address industry criticism that the agency has been thwarting life sciences innovation through … Continue reading “FDA Adopts New Initiative, Scripps Health Begins Longevity Study, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Going Public: Preparing for a Successful IPO
This panel event will focus on such issues as the legal and financial preparation for going public, the current state of the IPO market, and life as a public company. Panelists include Nick Beim, general partner at Matrix Partners, Bill Blais, managing director at Goldman Sachs, and Paul Milbury, former CFO of Starent Networks and … Continue reading “Going Public: Preparing for a Successful IPO”
The Essential Steve Jobs for Today’s Pharmaceutical Executive
It is hard to overestimate the importance of Steve Jobs on the American psyche. The co-founder and guiding force of Apple has died, succumbing to a long illness after only recently stepping down as chief executive. But his impact continues beyond his life, his business, his industry, his leadership, and his vision. One only needs to … Continue reading “The Essential Steve Jobs for Today’s Pharmaceutical Executive”
Steve Jobs & the Power of Vision: My Visits to the ‘Reality Distortion Field’
Steve was an incredible product visionary and had an uncompromising sense of product design. Aldus and desktop publishing came about because Steve had a vision of what was possible by marrying a plain paper copier to a computer to make the Apple Laserwriter. When the Laserwriter was introduced it cost $7000, more than twice as much … Continue reading “Steve Jobs & the Power of Vision: My Visits to the ‘Reality Distortion Field’”
Intellectual Ventures Sues Motorola Amid Acquisition by Google – an IV Investor
Intellectual Ventures is stepping up its position in the mobile patent wars, suing Motorola Mobility in federal court today for allegedly infringing on a range of patents covering hardware and software. Irony alert: Google, which is in the middle of acquiring Motorola Mobility for about $12.5 billion, has been listed in previous court filings as … Continue reading “Intellectual Ventures Sues Motorola Amid Acquisition by Google – an IV Investor”
Helping Patients Better, Faster, Cheaper: WBBA Event
The WBBA is hosting a forum on translational medicine on Oct. 12, honing in on the process of turning biological discoveries into drugs and/or medical devices that can help patients better, faster, and cheaper. Speakers include Tom Clement, the CEO of Aqueduct; Tom Fritz, the CEO of Inland Northwest Health Services; Mike Gallatin, the former … Continue reading “Helping Patients Better, Faster, Cheaper: WBBA Event”
Steve Jobs: The Soul of an Industry
When I heard the news of Steve Jobs’s death last night, even though I was hardly surprised, I felt like I had been kicked in the gut—as if the industry in which I’ve spent my career had lost its soul. I’m rarely shy about criticizing the titans of our industry, but from the beginning Steve … Continue reading “Steve Jobs: The Soul of an Industry”
Lycera Hires New CEO, Plans Move to U-M Research Center
Plymouth, MI-based biopharmaceutical company Lycera announced yesterday it has hired a new CEO: Kathleen Metters, former senior vice president and head of worldwide basic research at Merck. The company is also in the process of moving from Plymouth to a spot at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Center. Metters will continue to be based … Continue reading “Lycera Hires New CEO, Plans Move to U-M Research Center”
Of Aspirin, Bubbles, and Clouds: A Chat with OpenView Venture’s Scott Maxwell
“We’re not social media investors,” says Scott Maxwell. And I like him already. Maxwell is the founder of OpenView Venture Partners. The Boston-based VC firm is different from a lot of its peers in that it doesn’t typically invest in early-stage startups or late-stage growth companies. Instead it specializes in something in between, what it … Continue reading “Of Aspirin, Bubbles, and Clouds: A Chat with OpenView Venture’s Scott Maxwell”
LiveIntent, with $8M from Series B, Plans New Hires and Weighs Overseas Opportunities
Catching the attention of customers can hinge on timing and placement. That’s the thinking behind New York’s LiveIntent, which offers advertisers and publishers a way to tailor banner ads in e-mails for the recipients. The two-year-old startup closed an $8 million Series B funding round in September and, according to chief operating officer David Hendricks, … Continue reading “LiveIntent, with $8M from Series B, Plans New Hires and Weighs Overseas Opportunities”
Steve Jobs: A Few Memories
I’m so sad this evening—as millions are—to hear of Steve Jobs’s death. Scattered over the last quarter century, I learned much from Steve Jobs, and was proud to consider him a friend. And indeed, he contributed in various ways to all three of my major life projects so far: Mathematica, A New Kind of Science and Wolfram|Alpha. I … Continue reading “Steve Jobs: A Few Memories”
Sweeney Among the Florence Nightingales: Wireless Health Pioneer Jim Sweeney Customizes iTouch for Patient Care
When it comes to healthcare, San Diego’s Jim Sweeney has some serious entrepreneurial street cred. Before taking over the San Diego company now known as PatientSafe Solutions in 2009, Sweeney founded eight healthcare companies, beginning in 1979 with Caremark, which sold to Baxter for roughly $600 million in 1987. His enterprising run continued to CardioNet, … Continue reading “Sweeney Among the Florence Nightingales: Wireless Health Pioneer Jim Sweeney Customizes iTouch for Patient Care”
Varolii Helps Southwest Wrangle Pilot Schedules, Sees Bigger Moves Ahead
Here’s a sign that your industry is ripe for a technological overhaul: Last-minute scheduling is sometimes handled by old-fashioned phone trees, with human schedulers making hundreds of phone calls a day to fill open slots. That was the case at Southwest Airlines (NYSE: [[ticker:LUV]])—at least it was before a new text-messaging program supplied by Seattle-based … Continue reading “Varolii Helps Southwest Wrangle Pilot Schedules, Sees Bigger Moves Ahead”
Xconomist of the Week: Five Questions for New York Life Sciences 2031 Panelist Eric Schadt
Eric Schadt’s career as a scientist has been focused on unlocking genetic cues to common human diseases such as diabetes and obesity. He is the chief scientific officer of Pacific Biosciences, a Menlo Park, CA, company that develops gene-sequencing technologies. He recently joined Mount Sinai Medical Center as the director of the Institute for Genomics … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Five Questions for New York Life Sciences 2031 Panelist Eric Schadt”
Light Sciences Stumbles, Cardiac Dimensions Gets EU OK, Immune Design Pockets $11M, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
This week had a smattering of pretty significant updates from companies that tend to (try anyway) to keep a pretty low profile. —Seattle-based Immune Design, the developer of vaccine technology, said it has pulled in another $11 million through the second tranche of its previously announced Series B venture financing. The company is backed by … Continue reading “Light Sciences Stumbles, Cardiac Dimensions Gets EU OK, Immune Design Pockets $11M, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
How Steve Jobs Rewired Our Lives-and Raised Our Expectations
What was Steve Jobs’ greatest contribution to society? The amazing thing is that there are so many answers to choose from. Was it the insanely great Mac? Or perhaps the iPod and the MP3 music revolution? Or Pixar and Toy Story and all of the studio’s other animated wonders? Or the iPhone and the iPad … Continue reading “How Steve Jobs Rewired Our Lives-and Raised Our Expectations”
iMedX Obtains $950,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=82b26bb6-0938-41f0-92c6-56af0ffee78f&Preview=1 Date 10/6/2011 Company Name iMedX Mailing Address Four Corporate Drive Shelton, CT 06484 Company Description iMedX, Inc. is a rapidly growing medical software and services company headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut. The Company’s main product is TurboScribe, a unique combination of medical transcription software and service. With TurboScribe, physician practices can halve … Continue reading “iMedX Obtains $950,000 New Funding Round”
Kareo Receives $10,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4ea30da9-2df8-42eb-9a37-8dcbdd08e932&Preview=1 Date 10/6/2011 Company Name Kareo Mailing Address 111 Academy Dr. Irvine, CA 92617 Company Description Kareo offers the first on-demand revenue cycle automation software for medical billing companies. Kareo connects medical billing professionals with healthcare providers on one system to share information and coordinate workflow across organizational boundaries. Kareo makes the … Continue reading “Kareo Receives $10,000,000 New Financing Round”
Claret Medical Garners $3,377,129 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=64ddbcfb-c6d9-48e1-a75d-8493ab7e6346&Preview=1 Date 10/6/2011 Company Name Claret Medical Mailing Address 3633 Westwind Blvd Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Company Description Claret Medical is a company dedicated to the development of interventional products for stroke prevention. Website http://www.claretmedical.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $3,377,129 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Claret Medical Garners $3,377,129 New Funding”