As the eyes of the world focused on the debt debacle in Washington, D.C., business churned on as usual last week along the 101/280 axis between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The brief summary: —I profiled TokBox, a San Francisco startup with technology that lets Web publishers and developers embed multi-way video chat features in … Continue reading “TokBox, Kiva, WalmartLabs: The 1-Minute Version of Last Week’s Bay Area BizTech News”
Actus Medical Raises $1M
San Diego’s Actus Medical, which was founded earlier this year with technology for improved mapping of heart arrhythmias, has raised $1 million in initial funding from private investors and Index Ventures, which has offices in Geneva, London, and Jersey. In a statement, Index Ventures says the technology provides cardiologists with instantaneous and precise visualization of … Continue reading “Actus Medical Raises $1M”
Cooley Adds IP Lawyers From Seed
Cooley, the national law firm that serves tech, cleantech, and biotech companies, said today that three new attorneys have joined its Seattle office as partners in its intellectual property practice. Bill Christiansen, Emily Wagner, and Carol Laherty moved over to Cooley from Seed IP, where they represented many of the West Coast’s leading biotech companies.
PivotLink Collects $8.1M
PivotLink, a business intelligence software firm with offices in San Francisco and Bellevue, WA, has collected $8.1 million in an equity-based financing round that could go as high as $10.3 million, according to an August 4 regulatory filing. The company, formerly known as SeaTab Software, raised $10 million in Series C funding in February 2009. … Continue reading “PivotLink Collects $8.1M”
Lumenpulse Shines with $16M
Lumenpulse, a manufacturer of LED lighting fixtures, announced today that it has raised $16 million in an equity- and debt-based Series A round of financing. The company, whose U.S. headquarters are in Boston, said the funding will go to market and product development. Investors in the round include Lumenpulse’s management and board of directors, as … Continue reading “Lumenpulse Shines with $16M”
ParAccel Round Was $10M
Last month we reported that Campbell, CA- and San Diego-based high-performance database maker ParAccel had raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Amazon, Menlo Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Bay Partners, Walden International, Tao Venture Capital Partners, and Silicon Valley Bank. An August 4 regulatory filing now shows that the amount of ParAccel’s recent financing was … Continue reading “ParAccel Round Was $10M”
Okta Brings in $16.5M
San Francisco cloud services management startup Okta has collected $16.5 million in a Series B financing, according to an announcement today. New investors Greylock Partners and Khosla Ventures led the round, with existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Floodgate Fund participating. Khosla Ventures’ David Weiden has become a board advisor. The funds, which come on top … Continue reading “Okta Brings in $16.5M”
Moore Starts a Mini VC Fund, TakeLessons Lands $6M, Chumby Partners with BestBuy, & More San Diego BizTech News
San Diego’s innovation community saw some new startups and new money emerge last week. We’ve got it all wrapped up for you, and our briefing begins now. —Following a global-and-local Web 2.0 strategy, San Diego-based Eventful is now hosting roughly 5 million local events for roughly 20 million users, who can search the website by … Continue reading “Moore Starts a Mini VC Fund, TakeLessons Lands $6M, Chumby Partners with BestBuy, & More San Diego BizTech News”
Another $5M for DynamicOps
DynamicOps, a Burlington, MA-based developer of technology for virtualizing IT environments for businesses, has brought in another $5 million in equity-based funding, according to an SEC filing. The document for the newest investment lists members of Sierra Ventures and Credit Suisse, which spun out DynamicOps in 2008, as directors at the company. DynamicOps raised $11.3 … Continue reading “Another $5M for DynamicOps”
Which Boston VCs Are Raising New Funds? General Catalyst, Kepha Partners, and More
Maybe the better question is who isn’t raising a new fund? Venture fundraising seems to be picking up around town after a bleak couple of years. At least for a few prominent VC firms. We reported back in March that Bessemer, Greylock, and Summit Partners were on the fundraising trail, and now all of them … Continue reading “Which Boston VCs Are Raising New Funds? General Catalyst, Kepha Partners, and More”
Quirky Adds $16M
Quirky, a website that encourages anyone to be an inventor, has raised $16 million in a Series B. The funding was led by Norwest Venture Partners, with participation from existing investor RRE Ventures. Founder Ben Kaufman told VentureWire the cash would last until 2013, at which point he expects the company will be profitable. Several … Continue reading “Quirky Adds $16M”
Finovate Fall 2011
More than 50 startups will demo their goods at this conference for entrepreneurs in financial technology. There will be plenty of networking time, as well. Register here.
Taap.it Makes the Rounds in the New York Startup Trenches
New York’s evolving startup community offers a bevy of forums for fledgling companies to pitch their ideas to potential investors and collaborators. Duy Huynh, CEO and co-founder of startup Taap.it, has been to a menagerie of such events this summer, including the New York Venture Summit, NY Tech Meetup, and the NY Entrepreneurs Business Network. … Continue reading “Taap.it Makes the Rounds in the New York Startup Trenches”
WordStream Tries to Tame a River of Search Marketing with Software for Small Businesses
With all the hoopla around social media and other newfangled marketing tools, people sometimes forget that Google is a $30 billion business—thanks mostly to paid search advertising. Not Larry Kim. His startup, Boston-based WordStream, specializes in search engine marketing software. That means helping businesses make their paid text ads appear high up on the page, … Continue reading “WordStream Tries to Tame a River of Search Marketing with Software for Small Businesses”
How Seattle Set Out to Create a Biotech Hub and Fostered a Global Health Nexus
I recently organized a MOHAI walking tour of South Lake Union to begin to explore the roots of the museum’s new neighborhood. My original intent was to explain the importance of South Lake Union as a biotech hub but a different theme emerged in the course of my research. It is true that Seattle has … Continue reading “How Seattle Set Out to Create a Biotech Hub and Fostered a Global Health Nexus”
Gamification Startup BigDoor Media Levels Up to Bigger Digs, Keeps on Hiring
Can a company that hands out digital coins make real money? That’s the idea at Seattle’s BigDoor Media, a growing startup playing in the burgeoning field of gamification. In case you’ve missed it—which is possible, since the phenomenon is really less than two years old—gamification is the video game-inspired idea that businesses can get users … Continue reading “Gamification Startup BigDoor Media Levels Up to Bigger Digs, Keeps on Hiring”
Dendreon Wounds Are Self-Inflicted, Not the Start of a Biotech Industry Virus
Dendreon has made its share of mistakes before. But last week, the Seattle cancer drug developer achieved the biotech equivalent of fumbling the ball on the 1-yard line with time running out on the clock. The failure was so painful, so shocking, it erased two-thirds of the company’s stock value—about $3 billion. It even started … Continue reading “Dendreon Wounds Are Self-Inflicted, Not the Start of a Biotech Industry Virus”
Maritime Mapping, Tracking, & Visualization from Harbors to the Deep Ocean
Maritime domain awareness pertains to security, safety, economy, environment, exploration and research. Underlying these many aspects is the effective understanding of anything associated with the global maritime domain. Evolving technologies in mapping, tracking and visualization provide necessary tools for a higher level of awareness. The Maritime Alliance is pleased to partner with sponsor Esri to … Continue reading “Maritime Mapping, Tracking, & Visualization from Harbors to the Deep Ocean”
SmartGrid Security Summit West 2011
This two-day executive conference is comprised of presentations, roundtable discussions and interaction among those with a vested interest in securing the next generation energy grid. Delegates attending include network security experts, utility and energy industry executives, suppliers of advanced metering infrastructure solutions and components, regulators, and state and federal government and standards organizations. Officials from … Continue reading “SmartGrid Security Summit West 2011”
What is it really like being a biotech CEO?
Suffering from corner office envy? Yearning for your own designated parking spot? Biocom has organized this event to tell it like it is, from the perspective of six local life sciences CEOs: Bob Baltera of Amira Pharmaceuticals; Rich Heyman of Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Bert Liang of Pfenex, Jay Short of BioAtla; Gonul Velicelebi, CalciMedica; and former … Continue reading “What is it really like being a biotech CEO?”
San Diego 2011 Corporate Directors of the Year
Each year, San Diego’s Corporate Directors Forum honors San Diego’s top directors for their outstanding performance in the boardroom and behind the scenes. Honorees are nominated by their boardroom peers to recognize their contributions in six categories: corporate governance; corporate citizenship; enhancement of economic value; not-for-profit organization governance; companies in transition; and lifetime achievement. More … Continue reading “San Diego 2011 Corporate Directors of the Year”
Supercomputing with Michael Norman and Gordon
The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego is on the verge of deploying a new kind of supercomputer designed specifically to handle the largest data sets science and engineering can muster. The system, named Gordon, will incorporate a vast amount of flash memory. Gordon was made possible by a $20 million grant … Continue reading “Supercomputing with Michael Norman and Gordon”
Tech Coast Angels’ Annual Quick Pitch Competition
Announcing the Fifth Annual Quick Pitch Competition, featuring talented entrepreneurs and—in the audience—the investors who fund them. Company finalists will present two-minute pitches to a blue-ribbon panel of judges and an audience expected to number more than 450 leaders. Each presentation will be judged based upon investment potential and presentation quality, and winners will be … Continue reading “Tech Coast Angels’ Annual Quick Pitch Competition”
WLSA 2011 Wireless Health Conference
Following upon a similar event held for the first time last year, San Diego’s Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance has organized this conference with the idea of providing the highest profile forum for leading academic and industrial research in wireless and mobile health. The conference will feature 14 presentations of peer-reviewed research papers, keynotes speakers, and panel … Continue reading “WLSA 2011 Wireless Health Conference”
Ceres Lands $11,425,232 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9433d8ac-bd0b-4814-90fe-d162bd049569&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Ceres Mailing Address 1535 Rancho Conejo Blvd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 Company Description Ceres is developing the crops needed by farmers and biorefineries for a new generation of biofuels. Our dedicated, high-yield energy crops can provide more fuel, new opportunities for farmers and a cleaner environment for … Continue reading “Ceres Lands $11,425,232 New Financing Round”
Singulex Obtains $2,175,822 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f7fb558b-9346-409d-a092-3e5fa6cc9aa4&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Singulex Mailing Address 1650 Harbor Bay Parkway Alameda, CA 94502 Company Description Singulex is an early stage biotechnology company with research and development laboratories in St. Louis and commercial operations in Hayward, California. Singulex has obtained exclusive license to all intellectual property around its core technology and … Continue reading “Singulex Obtains $2,175,822 New Financing Round”
Nodality Obtains $9,999,999 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=67283ca6-5417-40ed-b850-a7cd3ed6189a&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Nodality Mailing Address 201 Gateway Blvd. South San Francisco, CA 94080 Company Description Nodality Inc. is a privately held emerging biotechnology company focused on developing mechanistic and patient-specific classification of disease. Website http://www.nodalityinc.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $9,999,999 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were … Continue reading “Nodality Obtains $9,999,999 New Financing Round”
Okta Obtains $16,500,000 Series B Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7c8497dd-33d5-43ee-ba44-d9b37ac52bad&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Okta Mailing Address 400 2nd St. San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description Your cloud applications are no longer tactical point solutions, they are the backbone of your business. Now there’s a way to quickly and easily transform these applications from independent silos into a secure, flexible and … Continue reading “Okta Obtains $16,500,000 Series B Round”
Lumenpulse Receives $16,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9bde556d-be5d-459d-8b5f-40150ada1bc4&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Lumenpulse Mailing Address 268 Summer Street 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02210 Company Description Founded in 2006, Lumenpulse designs and manufactures cutting edge Architectural Solid State Lighting Luminaires for both interior and exterior applications. Our attention to detail in mechanical, optical and fixture design positions Lumenpulse as a … Continue reading “Lumenpulse Receives $16,000,000 New Round”
eSolar Secures New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=80f38e41-cc30-4a59-a781-ce90a87cff7e&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name eSolar Mailing Address 3355 W. Empire Ave. Burbank, CA 91504 Company Description eSolar is an Idealab company founded by CEO Asif Ansari in 2007 to develop, construct and deploy modular, scalable solar thermal power plants. Website http://www.esolar.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “eSolar Secures New Funding”
BigTime Software Secures $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7e375dbb-a3cd-41fe-84c6-11faf3021b1e&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name BigTime Software Mailing Address 1 South Wacker Chicago, IL 60606 Company Description BigTime Software, Inc. (originally founded in 2002 as Edison’s Attic, Inc.) is a global provider of software solutions. Website http://www.edisonsattic.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The proceeds … Continue reading “BigTime Software Secures $2,000,000 Series A Financing Round”
Additech Obtains $846,663 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8961a06d-9326-4835-be2c-806c94232fa3&Preview=1 Date 8/8/2011 Company Name Additech Mailing Address 10925 Kinghurst Houston, TX 77099 Company Description Additech, Inc. builds and operates a unique at-the-pump automotive care system that enables consumers to conveniently perform routine auto maintenance while they refuel. Website http://www.additech.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $846,663 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Additech Obtains $846,663 New Funding Round”
San Diego Venture Group Beer Bash
The San Diego Venture Group has organized a scenic networking event at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s seaside pavilion. This celebration of innovation also happens to be a celebration of San Diego’s cluster of mirco-breweries. More information and online registration is here.
Tantaline Snaps Up $3.6M
Waltham, MA-based Tantaline, a developer of corrosion-resistant surface alloy technology, announced yesterday that it had pulled in $3.6 million in Series B financing, led by Harvard, MA-based Berwind Private Equity, and Danish firms Vaekstfonden and CC Holdings. Tantaline’s technology enables materials to achieve greater energy efficiency in high chemical, pressure, and temperature environments—for applications in … Continue reading “Tantaline Snaps Up $3.6M”
An Open Letter to Dendreon’s Chairman
[Editor’s Note: This letter was sent today to Dendreon chairman Richard Brewer.] Dear Mr. Brewer: Just over five months ago I wrote to you expressing serious concerns about the composition of the board of directors and its oversight of Dendreon’s management. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss these views in person with management at company … Continue reading “An Open Letter to Dendreon’s Chairman”
OncoGenex Drops on Trial Delay
Bothell, WA-based OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OGXI]]) saw its stock tumble $3.25, or more than 26 percent, to $8.90 in mid-day trading today after issuing its quarterly financial update. The company reported yesterday that a pivotal clinical trial of its lead prostate cancer drug candidate, custirsen, has been dogged by slow patient enrollment. OncoGenex said it … Continue reading “OncoGenex Drops on Trial Delay”
IO Turbine Acquired by Fusion-io for $95M
San Jose-based IO Turbine, which makes software that speeds up input/output operations in virtualized computer systems using flash storage, has been acquired by memory systems maker Fusion-io (NYSE: [[ticker:FIO]]) for $95 million in cash and stock, the Salt Lake City, UT, company announced today. “IO Turbine’s software is uniquely architected to take advantage of flash … Continue reading “IO Turbine Acquired by Fusion-io for $95M”
6waves Lolapps Raise $35M
6waves Lolapps—the entity formed from the July merger of San Francisco-based social game developer Lolapps and Hong Kong-based game publisher Six Waves—has raised $35 million in an offering of equity and options, according to a regulatory filing. The investors included Tokyo-based Nexon, a maker of microtransaction-based online games, and Insight Venture Partners of New York, … Continue reading “6waves Lolapps Raise $35M”
Hopen Nabs $25M for Second Fund
Grand Rapids, MI-based Hopen Life Science Ventures has pulled in $25 million in a first close of its second fund, the venture firm announced yesterday. It’s still opening up the fund to another crop of limited partners, and hopes to close the fund at a total of $50 million by January 2012. Hopen aims to invest … Continue reading “Hopen Nabs $25M for Second Fund”
San Diego’s Wellaho Prescribes Social Networking For the Chronically Ill
A new health IT startup built around an intriguing idea will begin operating in San Diego next month. What’s the idea? Prescription-based social networking for the chronically ill. The startup, called Sanitas, was founded in San Diego last year and made its debut yesterday at “Take This Pill and Tweet Me in the Morning,” a … Continue reading “San Diego’s Wellaho Prescribes Social Networking For the Chronically Ill”
Bonfire of the Vanities: The Difference Between Marketing and Sales in Tech
When I was in my 20s, I was taught the relationship between marketing and sales over a bonfire. — Over 30 years ago, before the arrival of the personal computer, there were desktop computers called office workstations. Designed around the first generation of microprocessors, these computers ran business applications like word processing, spreadsheets, and accounting. … Continue reading “Bonfire of the Vanities: The Difference Between Marketing and Sales in Tech”
Radio Without Radios, Books Without Bookstores: Welcome to the Era of Unbound Media
Last weekend I decided to get serious about the fact that I live in an earthquake zone, and started putting together a kit with all the food, water, and equipment I’d need to survive for a few days if local services broke down. One of the items that turns up on all of the standard … Continue reading “Radio Without Radios, Books Without Bookstores: Welcome to the Era of Unbound Media”
HTC Buys Dashwire to Boost Mobile Cloud Service
[Updated 2:40 pm Pacific] This week of acquisitions in Seattle tech is going out with a bang. Taiwan-based mobile device maker HTC announced early Friday that it is buying Seattle mobile data-syncing startup Dashwire for as much as $18.5 million, making the smaller company a wholly owned subsidiary through its American unit. Dashwire’s products synchronize … Continue reading “HTC Buys Dashwire to Boost Mobile Cloud Service”
On Deck Capital Gets $4M in Follow to Series C Round
New York’s On Deck Capital said in a press release Thursday that it raised $4 million in follow-on funding. Five-year-old On Deck, a technology platform for connecting so-called Main Street businesses to capital, received $15 million in a series C round in January. On Deck evaluates the financial health of small businesses through data aggregation … Continue reading “On Deck Capital Gets $4M in Follow to Series C Round”
Acceleron, Celgene Take Aim at Amgen’s Multibillion-Dollar Anemia Market
Amgen became the biotech industry’s biggest company largely because of a drug it developed in the 1980s for treating anemia. Plenty have tried, and failed, to knock Amgen off that pedestal ever since. But now a deepening alliance between Summit, NJ-based Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) and Cambridge, MA-based Acceleron Pharma is taking one, and possibly two, … Continue reading “Acceleron, Celgene Take Aim at Amgen’s Multibillion-Dollar Anemia Market”
Celgene Pumps Up Acceleron, On-Q-ity CEO Goes to Roche Unit, MSMB Eyes Amag, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
We caught some personnel updates and other news from public and private New England companies developing drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics technology. —Woburn, MA-based Pathogenetix, the diagnostics and biodefense company formerly known as U.S. Genomics, raised $4 million of a targeted $9.5 million equity financing. —Beacon Endoscopic, a Newton, MA-based startup that’s developed a fine … Continue reading “Celgene Pumps Up Acceleron, On-Q-ity CEO Goes to Roche Unit, MSMB Eyes Amag, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
SeeWhy Obtains $133,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b24ad430-13f4-4224-b05a-a3d53a190b98&Preview=1 Date 8/5/2011 Company Name SeeWhy Mailing Address 300 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 Company Description SeeWhy delivers breakthrough improvements in website conversion with its Abandonment Tracker family of “on demand” services. Re-marketing to abandoned visitors using the SeeWhy service re-converts up to 50% of visitors who abandon their shopping carts, online … Continue reading “SeeWhy Obtains $133,000 New Funding”
Rox Medical Garners $4,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8cc03c01-0b3b-4349-8fcc-221f15564bab&Preview=1 Date 8/5/2011 Company Name Rox Medical Mailing Address 150 Calle Iglesia San Clemente, CA 92672 Company Description ROX Medical is an early phase medical device company that is pioneering an innovative treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Our therapy is intended to improve the delivery of oxygen to tissue to … Continue reading “Rox Medical Garners $4,000,000 New Round”
On Deck Capital Receives $4,000,000 Series C Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=445a9996-3a5f-4b16-a214-686d4641ad52&Preview=1 Date 8/5/2011 Company Name On Deck Capital Mailing Address 13807 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Company Description On Deck Capital was founded in 2006 to help businesses get small business loan financing when traditional bank loans are not an option. Our vision is to help small businesses get access to … Continue reading “On Deck Capital Receives $4,000,000 Series C Round”
Nuvosun Receives $8,600,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bdb70a53-ffc2-442f-91eb-998de300d1a6&Preview=1 Date 8/5/2011 Company Name Nuvosun Mailing Address 1565 Barber Lane Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description NuvoSun is a second generation innovator of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules based on flexible Copper Indium/Gallium di- Selenide (CIGS) technology. NuvoSun’s mission is to redefine the cost point for PV cells and modules and … Continue reading “Nuvosun Receives $8,600,000 New Round”