Alexa is now mobile. Seattle-based e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) is expected to unveil its first augmented-reality glasses to pair with Alexa, its digital assistant, at the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, in Las Vegas this week. The glasses were developed for Amazon by Vuzix, a Rochester, NY -based wearable tech company, and can communicate … Continue reading “E-Commerce Innovations in the Mix at Consumer Tech Conference”
Alder Plans for FDA Filing After Migraine Drug Posts Strong Results
Alder Biopharmaceuticals’ migraine-prevention drug hit its main goal in a late-stage study, and the drug developer these early results keep it on track to file for FDA approval later this year. Bothell, WA-based Alder (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALDR]]) tested its drug, eptinezumab, in patients who have chronic migraine—more than 15 headaches per month. The company reported that … Continue reading “Alder Plans for FDA Filing After Migraine Drug Posts Strong Results”
Chet Kanojia Paints Vision of a New Kind of ISP at Starry Internet
[Updated, 10:10am. See below] When it comes to buying home broadband service, there hasn’t been an abundance of choices. If you have at least two decent options—say, Comcast and Verizon—you’re in the lucky half of the population. One-quarter of U.S. households have no choice at all. But that’s all starting to change, and the cable … Continue reading “Chet Kanojia Paints Vision of a New Kind of ISP at Starry Internet”
Wireless Expert Lowenstein on Net Neutrality, Industry Consolidation
One of the biggest tech stories in 2017 happened at the end of the year, when the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal so-called “net neutrality” rules. There are many heated opinions on the issue, although no one really knows how things will play out. To try to figure it out, Xconomy contacted wireless expert … Continue reading “Wireless Expert Lowenstein on Net Neutrality, Industry Consolidation”
Xconomy Survey: Seattle Angel Investors’ Perspective, Predictions
A majority of Seattle angel investors in a recent poll by Xconomy plan to make more investments this year than in 2017, and artificial intelligence tops the list of technologies they’re excited about. Those are just two of the takeaways from a survey of the Seattle-based Alliance of Angels, one of the Northwest’s most active … Continue reading “Xconomy Survey: Seattle Angel Investors’ Perspective, Predictions”
After 2nd Bet on Familiar Drug, Impact Bio Lands $1B Celgene Buyout
Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) has kicked off J.P. Morgan week—the annual healthcare investment gathering in San Francisco—with a blockbuster deal, acquiring privately held Impact Biomedicines for $1.1 billion upfront in cash. More is in the offing if Impact’s drug fedratinib passes a series of regulatory and sales hurdles. The deal rewards the determination of San Diego … Continue reading “After 2nd Bet on Familiar Drug, Impact Bio Lands $1B Celgene Buyout”
Connecture, Spectrum, CDI, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Stay current on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Francisco Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, agreed to terms to acquire Connecture (OTCMKTS: [[ticker:CNXR]]) and take the Brookfield-based company private. Connecture develops Web-based software designed to aid consumers shopping for health insurance. Francisco Partners and Louisville, KY-based Chrysalis Ventures—both of which … Continue reading “Connecture, Spectrum, CDI, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
Sigilon Brings on Eli Lilly’s Moller as Chief Scientific Officer
David Moller has joined Sigilon Therapeutics to become the company’s chief scientific officer. Moller comes to the Cambridge, MA, drug developer from Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]), where he was vice president of business development for emerging technology and innovation. Last year, Sigilon raised $23.5 million in a Series A financing round to bring its technology … Continue reading “Sigilon Brings on Eli Lilly’s Moller as Chief Scientific Officer”
Biogen’s Jean-Paul Kress Joins Syntimmune as President and CEO
Jean-Paul Kress has been appointed president and CEO of Syntimmune. Kress will also serve as a director of the New York-based drug developer. He replaces David de Graaf, who has stepped down as CEO and member of the company’s board of directors. Kress comes to Syntimmune from Cambridge, MA-based Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]), where he was … Continue reading “Biogen’s Jean-Paul Kress Joins Syntimmune as President and CEO”
Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures
Jill Ford, the city of Detroit’s former head of entrepreneurship and innovation, says she was already interested in the mobility field when she landed a new job last month with Toyota AI Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based investment arm of the Toyota Research Institute. “After hearing about Toyota AI Ventures and its mission, I was fascinated by … Continue reading “Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures”
Xconomy Bookclub: “Troublemakers” Charts the Birth of Silicon Valley
In 1968, a little-read article in a soon-to-fail magazine prophesied an age of networked machines that could be more than passive, oversized calculators to become digital partners in solving problems alongside humans. “In a few years, men will be able to communicate more effectively through a machine than face to face,” wrote JCR “Lick” Licklider … Continue reading “Xconomy Bookclub: “Troublemakers” Charts the Birth of Silicon Valley”
VIP Crowd Takes Online Dating Approach to Enterprise Software Buying
[Updated 1/5/18 2:06 p.m. See below.] Three years after Mark Wilson sold the first startup he founded to a French business with hundreds of employees and annual revenues of more than $50 million, he’s back at it, once again working to develop a new software product that targets people in the corporate world. Wilson’s latest … Continue reading “VIP Crowd Takes Online Dating Approach to Enterprise Software Buying”
Denali, Takeda Reach $155M Deal to Develop Alzheimer’s Drug & Others
Denali Therapeutics and Takeda Pharmaceutical have agreed to work together to develop up to three drugs for neurodegenerative diseases, including a compound that could treat Alzheimer’s disease. The deal announced Friday calls for Takeda to pay Denali (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNLI]]) $155 million, a combination of cash and stock purchases. If South San Francisco, CA-based Denali successfully … Continue reading “Denali, Takeda Reach $155M Deal to Develop Alzheimer’s Drug & Others”
Bio Roundup: Trump, Gottlieb, Gene Therapy Prices, IPO Hopes & More
Welcome to the new year. What will it bring? Hopefully a lot less hatred, greed, stupidity, and angst than 2017. But we’re not holding our breath. We emerged from the winter break pondering several of the year’s burning biopharma questions, including the volatility of the U.S. president and what it means for the biopharmaceutical business, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump, Gottlieb, Gene Therapy Prices, IPO Hopes & More”
A VC’s Wish for 2018: More Efficient Entrepreneurs
Tech companies continued to rake in massive amounts of venture capital last year, while the exit market was underwhelming. Xconomy reached out to Boston-area investor Eric Paley to put 2017 in perspective and find out what might be in store for the coming year. Paley’s early-stage venture firm, Founder Collective, has backed companies such as … Continue reading “A VC’s Wish for 2018: More Efficient Entrepreneurs”
Biogen’s Jean-Paul Kress Joins Syntimmune as President and CEO
Jean-Paul Kress has been appointed president and CEO of Syntimmune. Kress will also serve as a director of the New York-based drug developer. He replaces David de Graaf, who has stepped down as CEO and a member of the company’s board of directors. Kress comes to Syntimmune from Cambridge, MA-based Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]), where he … Continue reading “Biogen’s Jean-Paul Kress Joins Syntimmune as President and CEO”
Boston Pharmaceuticals Appoints Peter Ho Chief Medical Officer
Peter Ho is joining Boston Pharmaceuticals as chief medical officer. He comes to the Cambridge, MA-based drug developer from Epizyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EPZM]]), where he also served as chief medical officer. His experience includes posts at Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]), the National Cancer Institute, Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]), and DuPont Pharmaceuticals.
What Can Seattle Learn from Amazon’s HQ2 Search? 3 Takes
Perhaps the biggest story in Seattle last year was Amazon’s decision to seek a second headquarters elsewhere in North America. The tech and retail juggernaut has transformed this city and its economy over the last decade, for good and for ill. So, what lesson should Seattle take from Amazon’s move? We put that question to … Continue reading “What Can Seattle Learn from Amazon’s HQ2 Search? 3 Takes”
E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry
Nathaniel Borenstein, chief scientist at e-mail management company Mimecast, wears many hats: he’s a pioneer in the development of e-mail, a lay theologian, a grandfather who is married to his high school sweetheart, a vegetarian, a former “cyber banker,” and a pacifist. However, he is best known for successfully sending the world’s first e-mail attachment … Continue reading “E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry”
WP Engine Gets $250M From Silver Lake as PE’s Hunger For Tech Grows
Austin—WP Engine, a seven-year-old company that hosts and manages WordPress websites for businesses, is taking a $250 million investment from private equity giant Silver Lake Partners. WP Engine says it helps some 75,000 businesses around the world build and operate their websites on WordPress, working with customers on anything from technical issues when building pages … Continue reading “WP Engine Gets $250M From Silver Lake as PE’s Hunger For Tech Grows”
CertaDose, Preparing to Sell First Product, Adds $5M and J&J Grant
San Antonio — CertaDose, a medical device maker with a syringe that is meant to cut down errors when giving doses of drugs to children, has raised about $5 million in early stage funding and hopes to begin selling its first product this year. CertaDose also announced in December a grant from Johnson & Johnson Innovation, … Continue reading “CertaDose, Preparing to Sell First Product, Adds $5M and J&J Grant”
Gene Therapy 2.0: New Startups Aim to Fine-Tune Gene Delivery and Control
This past month brought a major milestone for gene therapy, a cutting edge type of medicine meant to permanently alter a patient’s genes to treat disease. For the first time, a gene therapy is available in the U.S., adding to other treatments previously approved in Europe. More are likely on the way, ushering in a … Continue reading “Gene Therapy 2.0: New Startups Aim to Fine-Tune Gene Delivery and Control”
Hc1 Uses Artificial Intelligence to Uncover Opioid Crisis Insights
As the opioid crisis continues to wreak havoc on the nation’s health and productivity, an Indianapolis-based startup called hc1 is applying artificial intelligence to a vast array of datasets in an attempt to uncover insights aimed at decreasing opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction. Brad Bostic, CEO of hc1, describes his venture as a healthcare relationship … Continue reading “Hc1 Uses Artificial Intelligence to Uncover Opioid Crisis Insights”
Barracuda Buys PhishLine, Maker of Cybersecurity Education Software
The proverb “a stitch in time saves nine” would seem especially apt in the cybersecurity world. Employers can in theory save time and money by training their workers to identify suspicious links and avoid clicking on them, rather than having to deal with the potentially costly fallout from a phishing attack. That’s the idea behind … Continue reading “Barracuda Buys PhishLine, Maker of Cybersecurity Education Software”
OncoResponse Names Singal Chief Scientific Officer, Puri VP of R&D
OncoResponse has named Anil Singhal chief scientific officer of the Houston-based cancer drug developer. He comes to the company from AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]), where he was vice president, early oncology development. OncoResponse has also appointed Kamal Puri vice president of research and development. Puri was most recently director, immunology & inflammation, at Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]). … Continue reading “OncoResponse Names Singal Chief Scientific Officer, Puri VP of R&D”
Selecta Biosciences CEO Werner Cautreels to Retire
Werner Cautreels, president and CEO of Selecta Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SELB]]), plans to retire at the end of the year. The Watertown, MA-based drug developer says it will hire an executive search firm to find a successor. As part of the succession process, Omid Farokhzad, a member of the company’s board of directors and a co-founder … Continue reading “Selecta Biosciences CEO Werner Cautreels to Retire”
Six West Coast Tech Leaders Share Top Developments of 2017
Xconomy asked technology and innovation leaders around our network to reflect on the most important developments in their industries during 2017, and the answers were appropriately wide-ranging. Responses from individuals in Seattle and San Diego touch on the rapid advance of machine learning, tech’s full-scale invasion of digital health, dramatic growth in blockchain and cryptocurrency, … Continue reading “Six West Coast Tech Leaders Share Top Developments of 2017”
Genalyte Takes Aim at Lab Testing Giants with Cloud-Based Service
Genalyte, a biomedical diagnostics company that has maintained a low profile in San Diego while raising almost $92 million, is getting ready to debut technology that targets a market long dominated by centralized lab services providers. Kevin Lo, an Internet veteran who recently joined Genalyte as president, said in a telephone interview the company is … Continue reading “Genalyte Takes Aim at Lab Testing Giants with Cloud-Based Service”
Lovepop Unseals $12.5M to Grow 3D Pop-up Greeting Card Business
Investors are enamored with Lovepop, the technology-enabled, pop-up greeting card startup. The Boston-based company announced Wednesday it received a $12.5 million investment led by Highland Capital Partners. Greeting cards aren’t a traditional venture capital-backed business, but Lovepop’s backers say there’s an opportunity to shake up a large market that hasn’t seen much innovation over the … Continue reading “Lovepop Unseals $12.5M to Grow 3D Pop-up Greeting Card Business”
Clean Energy Entrepreneur Desai on Tech’s Pitfalls & Promise in 2017
A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Nisha … Continue reading “Clean Energy Entrepreneur Desai on Tech’s Pitfalls & Promise in 2017”
First U.S. Gene Therapy, Approved for Vision Loss, to Cost $850,000
The first gene therapy approved in the United States will cost $850,000, its developer Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONCE]]) announced today. Spark hopes to reduce the sticker shock by offering refunds and other creative pricing ideas, but those carve-outs, at best, are limited, and some are unlikely to come to fruition, according to healthcare economists. The … Continue reading “First U.S. Gene Therapy, Approved for Vision Loss, to Cost $850,000”
In Quest to Drug RNA With Small Molecules, Expansion Pulls In $55M
Drug developers have long thought that targeting RNA with small molecule drugs was too difficult, but new insight into RNA biology is starting to change their minds. In the latest sign of this growing interest, a new startup, Expansion Therapeutics, today announced a $55.3 million Series A investment round. The financing will fund the development … Continue reading “In Quest to Drug RNA With Small Molecules, Expansion Pulls In $55M”
Check out “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20
Wasn’t one of your New Year’s resolutions to save a little more money this year? Don’t give up now—buy your ticket to Xconomy’s San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum today and save $130. This half-day forum will be taking place on Feb. 20 at the Peal Stable, and it’ll sure be something you do not … Continue reading “Check out “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20”
Cybersecurity Firm Illumio’s Alan Cohen on the Tech Backlash of 2017
One of the largest and most consequential data breaches in 2017 afflicted credit reporting agency Equifax, and it was hardly the only victim. Any year-end review of technology news must also include reports on Russian hacking of the 2016 election campaign, and the manipulation of social media channels to spread false and divisive political messages. These … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Firm Illumio’s Alan Cohen on the Tech Backlash of 2017”
Imbed Bio Snags $1.6M to Commercialize Infection-Preventing Dressing
[Updated 1/3/18 1:13 p.m. See below.] Imbed Biosciences has raised a funding round of nearly $1.6 million, which the Fitchburg, WI-based startup plans to use to begin selling an ultra-thin wound dressing material later this year, CEO Ankit Agarwal says. Imbed has spent years working on its product platform, which was used to develop the dressing, Microlyte … Continue reading “Imbed Bio Snags $1.6M to Commercialize Infection-Preventing Dressing”
After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News
Life science companies are continuing to raise cash, keeping pace with the financing trends of recent years. Fourth quarter figures are still being tallied but in the third quarter, 171 companies raised $3.2 billion, according to the Healthcare Moneytree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights. Those totals compare to 166 companies that raised $3.3 billion … Continue reading “After Strong 2017, Biotechs & Medtechs Start ’18 with Venture, IPO News”
Boston Tech Watch: Starry, Boston Millennia Partners, Voatz & More
[Updated 1/3/18, 9:17 am. See below.] Welcome to 2018, Boston tech watchers. Here are some of the deal headlines you might have missed over the holidays: —Boston Millennia Partners pulled in $150 million for a new venture fund, according to an SEC filing. The growth equity investor has backed the likes of Parexel, WebCT, Avhana … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Starry, Boston Millennia Partners, Voatz & More”
Trump v. Drug Makers? And 6 More Burning Biopharma Questions for 2018
Next week, a big slice of the biomedical industry is gathering in San Francisco for the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and other life sciences events that have emerged like sprouts around the base of an old redwood tree. One year ago, the pharmaceutical folks—by far the largest delegation to this annual mosh pit of … Continue reading “Trump v. Drug Makers? And 6 More Burning Biopharma Questions for 2018”
Six Useful Things You Can Do With Your New Smart Speaker
TL;DR: It’s time to buy a smart speaker. They’re ridiculously cheap—$30 for the Amazon Echo Dot, and $29 for the Google Home Mini—and increasingly powerful. It will be a long time before they’re as empathetic as Samantha in Her or as industrious as Rosie in The Jetsons. But they can already make your life easier, … Continue reading “Six Useful Things You Can Do With Your New Smart Speaker”
Storage Trends for 2018: Cloud Storage 2.0 Players Poised to Ascend
In March 2006, Amazon launched Simple Storage Service (S3). Although few people paid much attention at the time, the announcement of S3 marked the beginning of a great migration of data from on-premises storage to the cloud. The first generation of cloud storage products—as represented by Amazon S3, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure—made the best … Continue reading “Storage Trends for 2018: Cloud Storage 2.0 Players Poised to Ascend”
Family & Kids’ Advocate Shum Preston on the Tech Backlash of 2017
Much attention was focused this past year on the impact of social media on the 2016 presidential election, as reports emerged about the use of these platforms by entities linked with Russia to spread false, misleading, or inflammatory political messages. Aside from these revelations about “fake news,” the year brought reports on major data breaches … Continue reading “Family & Kids’ Advocate Shum Preston on the Tech Backlash of 2017”
Houston Investor Murthy Reflects on Tech’s High & Low Points in 2017
A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Neal … Continue reading “Houston Investor Murthy Reflects on Tech’s High & Low Points in 2017”
Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe on the Tech Backlash of 2017
It’s time to ring out the old year. Or perhaps in the case of 2017, with its litany of data security breaches, social media manipulations, and allegations of sexual harassment, to just wring out the old. As the year drew to a close, Xconomy asked a variety of tech industry observers for their perspective on … Continue reading “Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe on the Tech Backlash of 2017”
Tech Industry Must Implement Old-School Corporate Best Practices
There is little doubt that Silicon Valley has taken a reputational hit in 2017, partly as a result of the media’s usual star-making and -breaking process, but mostly through self-inflicted wounds. However, while specific details in the press may be shocking, the problems were predictable: Bad behavior often follows when there is an imbalance in … Continue reading “Tech Industry Must Implement Old-School Corporate Best Practices”
UTD’s Guengerich on the Promise and Peril of Tech Innovation in 2017
A series of events this year—from the Equifax data breach to the foreign use of social media to influence the U.S. presidential election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to Web companies and cybersecurity. To help put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy reached out to Steve … Continue reading “UTD’s Guengerich on the Promise and Peril of Tech Innovation in 2017”
Tamr’s Andy Palmer on Diversity in Tech & A.I.’s Data Challenge
As 2017 comes to a close, we’re surveying business and technology leaders from around our network to get their perspectives on the year in tech—and what’s next. Below are the highlights from our e-mail exchange with entrepreneur and investor Andy Palmer, the co-founder and CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Tamr, a “data unification” software company. (Palmer … Continue reading “Tamr’s Andy Palmer on Diversity in Tech & A.I.’s Data Challenge”
WatchHerWork CEO Hamilton: “We Are All Ready for Tech to Grow Up”
A series of highly publicized events in 2017—from the Equifax data breach to the exposure of rampant sexual harassment in parts of the tech industry—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to cybersecurity and tech culture. In a bid to put things in perspective at year’s end, Xconomy … Continue reading “WatchHerWork CEO Hamilton: “We Are All Ready for Tech to Grow Up””
Privacy Advocate Richard Holober on the Tech Backlash of 2017
We’ve just passed a year full of news about the role of technology companies in U.S. elections, democracy, free speech, fairness in hiring, sexual harassment, privacy, data security, and the future job market for humans in the age of robots and artificial intelligence. Speculation is rampant about a possible sea change in consumer attitudes toward … Continue reading “Privacy Advocate Richard Holober on the Tech Backlash of 2017 “
Roundup: NextChallenge Winners, Strata Oncology Trial, MCWT & More
What a long, strange year it’s been, with no shortage of news coming out of the technology sector. As we say goodbye to 2017, here’s a final roundup of innovation news from around the state: —Detroit cleantech incubator NextEnergy, in partnership with Denso, DTE Energy, and Wells Fargo, has named Ontario’s SmartCone as the winner of the … Continue reading “Roundup: NextChallenge Winners, Strata Oncology Trial, MCWT & More”
Despite Scandal-Filled Year, Mark Cuban Says “Tech Is Just Tech”
A series of highly publicized events this year—from the Equifax and Uber data breaches to foreign use of social media and Web services to influence the U.S. election—has prompted some to question the utopian promise of innovation, especially when it comes to cybersecurity and big tech companies. In a bid to put things in perspective … Continue reading “Despite Scandal-Filled Year, Mark Cuban Says “Tech Is Just Tech””