Take a look at this blurb for a session about data privacy at the upcoming RSA conference on cybersecurity. It sounds a polite warning: “The importance of privacy is often alluded to in generalized, value-laden terms that, while sincere, don’t necessarily help privacy be taken seriously in the enterprise risk management process.” That situation is … Continue reading “Europe’s New Data Privacy Rules Nourish U.S. Privacy Tech Sector”
Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion
Online Tech, an Ann Arbor, MI-based cloud computing company operating since 1994, has been acquired by Schurz Communications, a media conglomerate headquartered in Mishawaka, IN. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Online Tech, which also has data centers in Indianapolis and Kansas City, MO, is a pioneer in healthcare IT. The company specializes … Continue reading “Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion”
Roche to Acquire Cancer Software Startup Flatiron Health for $1.9B
Roche has agreed to acquire Flatiron Health for $1.9 billion, a deal that brings the cancer research capabilities of Flatiron to the oncology drug portfolio and pipeline of the pharmaceutical giant. Roche already owns a 12.6 percent stake in Flatiron. The Basel, Switzerland company expects to complete the acquisition of the remaining Flatiron shares in … Continue reading “Roche to Acquire Cancer Software Startup Flatiron Health for $1.9B”
MIT’s Micali Talks Algorand, Bitcoin & Society’s “Honest Majority”
Silvio Micali says he mistimed his first two technology startups. But the renowned MIT professor thinks he’s hitting the market at the right moment with his latest company, Algorand, which plans to launch a blockchain-based virtual currency and transactions system this year. Micali, a cryptographer who has won the prestigious A.M. Turing Award, previously co-founded … Continue reading “MIT’s Micali Talks Algorand, Bitcoin & Society’s “Honest Majority””
Celularity Raises $250M to Make Stem Cell Treatments for Cancer & More
The placenta provides a fetus all of the nourishment it needs to grow and remain healthy. Executives at biotech startup Celularity believe cells from this organ can also be developed into treatments for a wide range of diseases, and the company announced Thursday that it has $250 million in funding to move its plans forward. … Continue reading “Celularity Raises $250M to Make Stem Cell Treatments for Cancer & More”
Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth
San Antonio—H-E-B, the retail and grocery store giant that operates 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, is acquiring delivery app Favor. Favor, which connects people with on-demand “runners” who deliver groceries, food, and more to customers, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of H-E-B, which is headquartered in San Antonio and is the largest private … Continue reading “Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth”
CRISPR Race 2.0: Doudna and Zhang Compete on a CRISPR Diagnostic
CRISPR pioneers and competitors Jennifer Doudna and Feng Zhang are once again locked in a CRISPR race, this time to show how CRISPR—the technology best known for its gene-editing prowess—can also be harnessed to develop a sensitive diagnostic. Today, two research groups, one led by Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, the other by … Continue reading “CRISPR Race 2.0: Doudna and Zhang Compete on a CRISPR Diagnostic”
Syngenta Acquires Farmshots to Give Farmers Birds-Eye View of Fields
Syngenta is adding satellite imagery to the high-tech features it can offer farmers. The agribusiness giant has acquired FarmShots, a Raleigh, NC, startup that has commercialized software that analyzes satellite and drone images to give farmers a view of field conditions. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed. FarmShots turns satellite data of crops … Continue reading “Syngenta Acquires Farmshots to Give Farmers Birds-Eye View of Fields”
Algorand Nabs $4M for Blockchain Aiming to Avoid Bitcoin’s Flaws
A new startup out of MIT called Algorand has raised $4 million from investors to help it launch a blockchain-based system that the company says could address some of the technological problems dogging Bitcoin and other popular digital currencies. Pillar Companies and Union Square Ventures are the investors in Boston-based Algorand’s seed funding round announced … Continue reading “Algorand Nabs $4M for Blockchain Aiming to Avoid Bitcoin’s Flaws”
Don’t Miss “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20
San Antonio—There’s a rustling of change in San Antonio. In a city often most associated with the Alamo, the River Walk, and the Spurs, a tech ecosystem has been taking shape and shifting the city’s business culture. A surging startup community, a group of blossoming sectors, and a rush of capital are stimulating San Antonio’s … Continue reading “Don’t Miss “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20″
Stratatech Begins Test of Engineered Skin for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Stratatech is moving forward with tests of a genetically engineered human skin that could heal the sores and wounds many diabetic patients get on their feet. Madison, WI-based Stratatech, a subsidiary of U.K.-based Mallinckrodt (NYSE: [[ticker:MNK]]), said Wednesday that it had enrolled the first patient in a study of the skin tissue, called ExpressGraft-C9T1. Stratatech … Continue reading “Stratatech Begins Test of Engineered Skin for Diabetic Foot Ulcers”
FDA OKs Banyan Diagnostic, the First Blood Test for Concussions
The FDA has approved the first blood test to help diagnose concussions, clearing a path to the market for a diagnostic that could reduce the use of expensive brain imaging technologies that expose patients to radiation. The approval goes to San Diego diagnostics developer Banyan Biomarkers. The company’s test, called Banyan BTI (short for brain … Continue reading “FDA OKs Banyan Diagnostic, the First Blood Test for Concussions”
MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce
This week, the Ypsilanti Township, MI-based American Center for Mobility, in collaboration with AARP and Waymo, announced that it has commissioned a study on how autonomous vehicles will impact transportation jobs in the future. The study is being conducted by Michigan State University and Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute. According to a press release, the purpose … Continue reading “MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce”
Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal
[Updated 2/27/18, 2:29 pm. See below.] Before Dropbox and Google Drive, there was Carbonite and Mozy. Both of those pioneer firms launched in 2005, and were among the early players in online data backup services. They enabled people to pay a few bucks a month for software that automatically encrypts the information on their hard … Continue reading “Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal”
Astellas Buys Stem Cell Gene-Editing Firm Universal Cells for $102.5M
A Seattle-based company developing a universal source of stem cells for cell therapies has been acquired by Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma for $102.5 million. Universal Cells’ technology aims to make stem cells that don’t have some of the problems that current cell therapies face, such as the immune rejection of transplanted cells. This is an attractive … Continue reading “Astellas Buys Stem Cell Gene-Editing Firm Universal Cells for $102.5M”
Shipping Wars: Walmart Launches Free Delivery for Sam’s Club Members
In order to better position itself against competitors like Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: [[ticker:COST]]) and Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), Sam’s Club, the bulk retailer owned by Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]]), is now offering free shipping for many items as part of a revamping of its membership programs. With a $100 annual fee—just one dollar more than the cost … Continue reading “Shipping Wars: Walmart Launches Free Delivery for Sam’s Club Members”
With IPO, BioXcel Looks to Fund AI-Fueled Drug Discovery Work
[Updated, 2/16/18, 9:10 a.m. See below.] Using software to speed up drug discovery isn’t a new idea, but it’s generating more interest thanks to artificial intelligence. BioXcel Therapeutics is trying to parlay that momentum into an initial public stock offering to fund human studies on a pair of drugs it found with the help of … Continue reading “With IPO, BioXcel Looks to Fund AI-Fueled Drug Discovery Work”
Everbridge Eyes International Expansion With UMS Deal
Critical communications software company Everbridge has made a $33.6 million cash bid to acquire Norwegian competitor Unified Messaging Systems (UMS) in a deal that would grow its overseas presence. Burlington, MA-based Everbridge (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EVBG]]) said its purchase offer represents a nearly 45 percent premium to UMS’s closing share price on Tuesday. UMS is based in … Continue reading “Everbridge Eyes International Expansion With UMS Deal”
Startups Peddle Innovative Tools to Fight Tech’s #MeToo Problem
As the last year has shown, the tech industry has a significant problem with sexual harassment and ensuring that women are treated equitably in the workplace. Now, some founders are seeking to use tech tools such as chatbots, artificial intelligence, analytics, and mobile to help clients remedy those deficiencies. One of those founders is Heather … Continue reading “Startups Peddle Innovative Tools to Fight Tech’s #MeToo Problem”
Super Saver Rate Ends Today for Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming
Experts across the robotics and artificial intelligence industries are coming together for our fourth annual Robo Madness event. It all takes place on April 12 at iRobot in Bedford, MA. Join us for interactive talks, panels, and demos from an elite group of business leaders discussing how robots and A.I. have shifted from exotic machines … Continue reading “Super Saver Rate Ends Today for Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming”
Mid-FDA Review, Tetraphase Stumbles Again on Latest Phase 3 Setback
Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals’ ups and downs have continued, as new data have clouded the future of the Watertown, MA, company’s experimental antibiotic, eravacycline, once again. Tetraphase (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TTPH]]) reported that eravacycline failed a 1,200-patient Phase 3 study called Ignite3, one of four late-stage trials the company ran to test the antibiotic against either complicated urinary tract … Continue reading “Mid-FDA Review, Tetraphase Stumbles Again on Latest Phase 3 Setback”
Bristol-Myers Bets Nearly $2B on Nektar for an Immunotherapy Boost
When it comes to spending cash on potential combinations for its cancer immunotherapy drugs, Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) isn’t afraid of the b-word: billions. The New York-based pharma firm is paying Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NKTR]]) of San Francisco $1 billion in cash and buying another $850 million in shares, all to grab partial rights to … Continue reading “Bristol-Myers Bets Nearly $2B on Nektar for an Immunotherapy Boost”
Forget Austin or Toronto, Indianapolis Has What It Takes to Win HQ2
Twenty North American cities have made the final cut in Amazon’s search for the location of its second headquarters, or HQ2, and the Seattle tech giant has the world on pins and needles as it finishes deliberations. With a project so large in scope—HQ2 is expected to create thousands of jobs and generate billions in … Continue reading “Forget Austin or Toronto, Indianapolis Has What It Takes to Win HQ2”
With Qualcomm Buyout Looming, EvoNexus Aims for Self-Sufficiency
In the nine years since San Diego’s EvoNexus incubator began amid the great recession of 2009, CEO Rory Moore has emphasized it is a pro bono program—startup teams admitted to the technology accelerator get free office space and other perks, with no strings attached. EvoNexus operates as a non-profit, which is possible because dozens of … Continue reading “With Qualcomm Buyout Looming, EvoNexus Aims for Self-Sufficiency”
Carbonite Buys Data Backup Competitor Mozy From Dell for $145.8M
Carbonite has agreed to buy competing online data backup service Mozy from Dell Technologies for $145.8 million, according to an announcement about the company’s 2017 financial results. Carbonite said the deal expands its customer base and the number of market segments to which it can sell. Boston-based Carbonite has been acquiring or planning to buy … Continue reading “Carbonite Buys Data Backup Competitor Mozy From Dell for $145.8M”
Fitbit Snaps Up Twine Health to Connect Dots for Patients, Doctors
Wearable device maker Fitbit is extending its reach into hospitals and doctors’ offices with the planned acquisition of Twine Health, an MIT spinout that sells healthcare coaching and collaboration software. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed in a press release announcing the deal Tuesday. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of this … Continue reading “Fitbit Snaps Up Twine Health to Connect Dots for Patients, Doctors”
FDA’s Rachel Sherman on Right to Try, Succession Trouble & More
The opioid crisis. Right to Try legislation. The first human trials of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology. These are just a few of the many topics at the feet of the FDA this year. Speaking at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference in New York on Tuesday, principal deputy commissioner Rachel Sherman, the FDA’s second in … Continue reading “FDA’s Rachel Sherman on Right to Try, Succession Trouble & More”
Stem Cell Firm Cellular Dynamics to Provide Heart Cells to Takeda
Fujifilm said it plans to use stem cells developed by Cellular Dynamics International, a Wisconsin-based company it owns, as part of a new partnership between Fujifilm and Takeda Pharmaceutical that’s aimed at developing regenerative medicine therapies. Takeda and Fujifilm, both headquartered in Japan, recently signed a contract giving Takeda the global commercialization rights to therapies … Continue reading “Stem Cell Firm Cellular Dynamics to Provide Heart Cells to Takeda”
UT Health San Antonio Awards $200K to Fill Early Stage Funding Gaps
San Antonio — [Corrected 2/14/18, 10:45 a.m. See below.] Money is one of the primary hurdles for innovators and entrepreneurs hoping to turn an idea into a product—particularly in the life sciences, where a drug or device can easily fail despite millions spent on research. The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has … Continue reading “UT Health San Antonio Awards $200K to Fill Early Stage Funding Gaps”
Eli Lilly Builds Case to Expand Immune Drug’s Use to Spinal Arthritis
An Eli Lilly drug first approved to treat psoriasis is delivering encouraging data from a late-stage study testing it as a potential new treatment for a form of arthritis affecting the spine. Indianapolis-based Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) is trying to expand use of its drug ixekizumab (Taltz) to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a condition that causes … Continue reading “Eli Lilly Builds Case to Expand Immune Drug’s Use to Spinal Arthritis”
E-ZPass Links With PayByCar to Advance In-Vehicle Payments
In the future, you might pay for gas or a parking spot by touching a button on your vehicle’s dashboard. Car companies are already starting to introduce these kinds of in-vehicle payments systems. But it’ll likely take years before they come standard in most new automobiles, and even longer for cars equipped with such systems … Continue reading “E-ZPass Links With PayByCar to Advance In-Vehicle Payments”
Vertex Pharma Gets FDA Approval for Combo CF Drug, Sets $292,000 Price
[Updated, 2/13/18, see below] The FDA has approved a new Vertex Pharmaceuticals cystic fibrosis drug, clearing the way for the Boston company to bring to the market its third treatment for the inherited disorder. The new Vertex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) drug pairs the already approved ivacaftor (Kalydeco) with the newly approved drug tezacaftor. Vertex set a … Continue reading “Vertex Pharma Gets FDA Approval for Combo CF Drug, Sets $292,000 Price”
Trump Budget Touts Lower Drug Prices, But No Medicare Negotiation
As president-elect, Donald Trump in January 2017 slammed drug companies for “getting away with murder” and said he supported Medicare negotiation. He vowed during last month’s State of the Union speech that drug prices “will come down.” Today, his administration’s fiscal 2019 budget proposal laid out what it calls a “comprehensive” strategy to lower drug … Continue reading “Trump Budget Touts Lower Drug Prices, But No Medicare Negotiation”
Foxconn, Gener8tor, URP, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Keep up with the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Foxconn purchased a seven-story office building in downtown Milwaukee that will serve as the Taiwanese multinational’s Wisconsin headquarters, according to a news release issued by Gov. Scott Walker. Foxconn, which is perhaps best known for assembling iPhones, iPads, and other gadgets … Continue reading “Foxconn, Gener8tor, URP, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
Buying Shoes? Digital Stylists Use A.I. to Suggest Clothing to Match
The black skirt had multiple personas. The fact that it was made of leather gave it an edgy vibe, but its A-line fit-and-flair cut was more flirty and feminine. “I fell in love with it,” says Michelle Bacharach, co-founder of FindMine. “But as soon as I brought it home, I wondered, ‘how do I wear … Continue reading “Buying Shoes? Digital Stylists Use A.I. to Suggest Clothing to Match”
CRISPR Therapeutics’ Lundberg Steps Down as Chief Scientific Officer
Bill Lundberg is leaving his position as chief scientific officer of CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRSP]]). CRISPR Therapeutics, which has operations in Switzerland and Cambridge, MA, said that Lundberg will continue as an advisor to the company and he is now head of its scientific advisory board. CRISPR Therapeutics develops treatments based on the CRISPR-Cas9 gene … Continue reading “CRISPR Therapeutics’ Lundberg Steps Down as Chief Scientific Officer”
Execs Talk Hurdles As Immunotherapy Combos, CAR-T Launches Progress
With multiple products on the market and many more coming, it’s easy to think that cancer immunotherapy has arrived. In reality, however, we’ve only just begun to figure out how to coax the immune system into killing cancer. That’s why a mad dash is on to expand its reach, and a panel of experts invested … Continue reading “Execs Talk Hurdles As Immunotherapy Combos, CAR-T Launches Progress”
Fintech Startup Autobooks Raises $10M from Group of Midwestern VCs
Autobooks, the Detroit-based financial technology startup spun out of Billhighway in 2015, has raised $10 million in a Series A1 funding round. Contributors included Draper Triangle, Baird Capital, Detroit Venture Partners, Invest Michigan, and CU Solutions Group. Steve Robert, CEO of Autobooks, says this latest round comes a few months after the company raised a … Continue reading “Fintech Startup Autobooks Raises $10M from Group of Midwestern VCs”
As Trump Budget Addresses Opioid Crisis, BIO Report Reveals Scarce Pain Drug Development
[Updated 2/12/2018, 1:37pm ET, see below.] With the opioid epidemic showing little sign of letting up, new ways of treating chronic pain are desperately needed. But the development of non-addictive, non-opioid pain drugs lags far behind drug R&D for other diseases (I wrote a few months ago about why that is), and a report from … Continue reading “As Trump Budget Addresses Opioid Crisis, BIO Report Reveals Scarce Pain Drug Development”
Cybersecurity Startup Infocyte Lands $5.2M, Hires Dell GM as CEO
San Antonio—Internet cybersecurity startup Infocyte has added a $5.2 million Series B round of funding to build out sales of its flagship product, and has hired a new CEO. Curtis Hutcheson, the former general manager of Dell’s software businesses focused on security, is taking the helm at San Antonio-based Infocyte, which sells software that automates … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Startup Infocyte Lands $5.2M, Hires Dell GM as CEO”
XebiaLabs Nabs $100M+ From Accel & Others for Software Tools
Boston-area companies are cashing in on the demand for tools that can help large companies more efficiently develop and deploy software. The latest beneficiary is Burlington, MA-based XebiaLabs, which today announced it pulled in an investment of more than $100 million from a group of backers that includes Susquehanna Growth Equity and Accel. To date, … Continue reading “XebiaLabs Nabs $100M+ From Accel & Others for Software Tools”
Axovant CEO Hung, COO McCourt Resign After Brain Drug’s Failures
Axovant Sciences CEO David Hung has left the company, a move that comes a month after the firm halted development of a brain drug that failed in clinical trials. The shakeup of Basel, Switzerland-based Axovant (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AXON]]) includes the resignations of president and chief operating officer Marion McCourt, and three members of the board of directors. … Continue reading “Axovant CEO Hung, COO McCourt Resign After Brain Drug’s Failures”
Harvard Taps Former Tufts, MIT Leader Bacow as Next President
Harvard University didn’t have to go far to find its next leader. On Sunday, the school named Lawrence Bacow its 29th president. Bacow is currently working as a “leader-in-residence” at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Center for Public Leadership. He was on the Cambridge, MA-based university’s presidential search committee before stepping down in order … Continue reading “Harvard Taps Former Tufts, MIT Leader Bacow as Next President”
ClearMotion, Ori, Owl Labs CEOs Join Robo Madness April 12 at iRobot
The program for our fourth annual Robo Madness conference in Boston is almost set. In case you’ve been hiding under a rock lately (understandable), it’s all happening on the afternoon of April 12 at iRobot headquarters in Bedford, MA. We’re pleased to announce some new speakers in the program: —ClearMotion CEO Shakeel Avadhany (ClearMotion raised … Continue reading “ClearMotion, Ori, Owl Labs CEOs Join Robo Madness April 12 at iRobot”
FDA Nod for NorthStar Device Clears Way to Make Medical Radioisotope
A Wisconsin company has moved one step closer to becoming the first domestic producer in decades of a crucial medical radioisotope after receiving a key approval from the FDA on Thursday. The agency approved a device developed by Beloit, WI-based NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes that could be key to supplying a radioisotope whose scarcity has sparked … Continue reading “FDA Nod for NorthStar Device Clears Way to Make Medical Radioisotope”
Boston Tech Watch: Eric Schmidt’s MIT Role, CIC’s New Digs & More
[Updated 2/9/18, 3:32 pm. See below.] Here are some of the latest headlines from the Boston-area tech scene: —Humatics, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of “microlocation” and analytics software for robots, grabbed $7.2 million from investors, according to an SEC filing. The new capital arrives a few months after Humatics announced an $18 million Series A … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Eric Schmidt’s MIT Role, CIC’s New Digs & More”
Genentech’s Grossman Named Bellicum Pharma Chief Medical Officer
William Grossman has been appointed chief medical officer of Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BLCM]]). Grossman comes to the Houston biotech company from Genentech, where he was group medical director, cancer immunotherapy. Bellicum develops immunotherapies for cancers and blood disorders. In January, the company disclosed that the FDA halted a clinical trial testing its lead drug, BPX-501, … Continue reading “Genentech’s Grossman Named Bellicum Pharma Chief Medical Officer”
Uber and Waymo Reach $245M Settlement in Driverless Tech Lawsuit
After months of breathless anticipation and a week of bro-tastic testimony, the Waymo v. Uber lawsuit, in which Google’s driverless tech arm sued the ride-hailing pioneer over allegedly stolen autonomous vehicle technology, is over. In a surprise move, Uber announced today that it has settled with Waymo, offering the company 0.34 percent of Uber’s equity at its current … Continue reading “Uber and Waymo Reach $245M Settlement in Driverless Tech Lawsuit”
InVivo Therapeutics Chooses Richard Toselli for CEO Post
Richard Toselli has been named president and CEO of InVivo Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NVIV]]). Toselli had been acting CEO of the Cambridge, MA, medical device developer since December. Toselli will also continue as the company’s chief medical officer, a role the neurosurgeon took on when he joined InVivo last July. InVivo’s technology was co-invented by MIT … Continue reading “InVivo Therapeutics Chooses Richard Toselli for CEO Post”
Think3 Launches $1B Fund to Help Founders “Take More Shots on Goal”
Austin—Serial entrepreneur Andy Tryba has launched a $1 billion private equity fund in Austin aimed to help “modestly growing” software companies find exits. “We developed this fund to enable founders to take more shots on goal,” Tryba, Think3’s founder and CEO, said in a press release. “Founders should think of ‘time’ as their portfolio—making the call … Continue reading “Think3 Launches $1B Fund to Help Founders “Take More Shots on Goal””