Electric Cars Won’t Take Over, Biofuels 3.0 Must Fix the Bugs, & Microorganisms as Problem-Solvers: Big Ideas from Cleantech Leaders

We had a great time at our latest Xconomy Seattle event, “Separating Hype from Reality in Alternative Fuels,” held last night at the new Institute for Systems Biology headquarters in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. The presenters sketched some meaty ideas about the drive to develop oil alternatives, challenged a bit of conventional thinking, and … Continue reading “Electric Cars Won’t Take Over, Biofuels 3.0 Must Fix the Bugs, & Microorganisms as Problem-Solvers: Big Ideas from Cleantech Leaders”

Adapx, a Digital-Pen Company With Serious Military Chops, Adds $5M to Modernize Note-Taking

Seattle-based Adapx, which aims to speed up workflows by making it easier to mark up digital documents, has raised a new financing round of $5 million and says it has grown to about 800 customers. Adapx (pronounced “adapts”) said the money would be used to expand its Capturx software line for mainstream business uses and … Continue reading “Adapx, a Digital-Pen Company With Serious Military Chops, Adds $5M to Modernize Note-Taking”

Get Your Hack On: Detroit Geeks Make Finals of National Hacker Contest in New York

A few weeks ago, I asked tech entrepreneur Dug Song, co-founder of Arbor Networks, what Michigan needs in order to build its own Silicon Valley. He did not hesitate. “Hackers,” Song replied. No, not the kind that breaks into the Pentagon or Federal Reserve and initiates Doomsday. Rather, tech geeks who fiddle with stuff in … Continue reading “Get Your Hack On: Detroit Geeks Make Finals of National Hacker Contest in New York”

Acorda Stock Soars on European Surprise

The European Medicine Agency (EMA) recommended conditional marketing authorization of Acorda Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) prolonged-release multiple sclerosis drug, fampridine (Fampyra), for the improvement of walking in adult patients, according to a press release. Surprised investors pushed Acorda’s stock up 13% in morning trading to $30.22. The reversal of opinion was unexpected because even though the drug was … Continue reading “Acorda Stock Soars on European Surprise”

Garageband on the iPad Makes Amateur Musicians into Artists

Can you be a composer without being a musician? Thanks to the latest generation of music authoring software, the answer is yes. Take me, for example. I played the trombone in high school, and I can still read music (bass clef anyway), but I would be very hard pressed to strum a guitar chord, keep … Continue reading “Garageband on the iPad Makes Amateur Musicians into Artists”

Mobile Startup Session M Emerges with $6.5M from Highland, KPCB

Interesting news in the mobile scene today. Session M, a new Boston-area startup, announced it has raised $6.5 million in Series A financing from Highland Capital Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (iFund), and mobile industry leaders. Bob Davis from Highland and Matt Murphy from KPCB serve on the company’s board. As is often the … Continue reading “Mobile Startup Session M Emerges with $6.5M from Highland, KPCB”

Pfizer and BMS Score Approval for Orthopedic Drug

The European Commission has approved apixaban (Eliquis), developed by Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb, for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in adult patients who have undergone elective hip or knee replacement surgery, according to a press release. The two New York companies have an alliance to develop the drug, which is a new oral direct … Continue reading “Pfizer and BMS Score Approval for Orthopedic Drug”

Multiple Pathways to the Exit: Canaan’s Bloch on Advanced BioHealing Buyout

The $750 million sale of Advanced BioHealing to the Irish drug giant Shire Pharmaceuticals, announced on Tuesday, has been hailed as a rare win for regenerative medicine, with an extraordinary 15x return for Canaan Partners, the venture firm that helped to found the company just five years ago. But as I noted in a 2009 … Continue reading “Multiple Pathways to the Exit: Canaan’s Bloch on Advanced BioHealing Buyout”

ImmunoGen Grabs $84M

Waltham, MA-based ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]), the developer of targeted antibody drugs for cancer, said today it has raised $84 million through a stock offering. The company sold 7 million new shares at $12 apiece. Jefferies & Co., Oppenheimer & Co., RBC Capital Markets, William Blair & Co., Canaccord Genuity and Morgan Joseph TriArtisan managed the … Continue reading “ImmunoGen Grabs $84M”

Miller Tabak Fund Manager Says Investors Are Ignoring the Upsides in Healthcare

In October, New York-based investment firm Miller Tabak launched the Health Care Transformation Fund (MTHFX), which invests in managed care, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and medtech companies. Its top holdings include New York area pharma giants Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) and Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]), as well as Boston-based biotech Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MNTA]]). The fund’s manager, Les Funtleyder, … Continue reading “Miller Tabak Fund Manager Says Investors Are Ignoring the Upsides in Healthcare”

Peer39 Raises $5.2 Million

New York-based Peer39 has raised $5.2 million of a possible $7.2 million round, according to an SEC filing. Investors included Evergreen Venture Partners and Canaan Partners. Peer39 uses semantic technology to help ad buyers find and target their audiences. The company has raised more than $27 million, according to Venture Wire.

DataXu, Recent Investment in Tow, Helps Brands Follow Consumers as More Ads Go Digital

Here’s a quick snapshot of a local tech company that lots of people talk about, but not usually in much depth. Probably because it focuses on helping online advertisers understand consumers, but it’s not for consumers. Boston-based DataXu has been growing fast over the past year, and now has offices in Boston, New York, San … Continue reading “DataXu, Recent Investment in Tow, Helps Brands Follow Consumers as More Ads Go Digital”

PerkinElmer Buys Labtronics, Vertex Rival Merck Partners with Genentech, ThermoFisher Acquires Phadia, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

We saw news on both the drugs and medical devices sides of the life sciences industry in New England this week. —PerkinElmer (NYSE: [[ticker:PKI]]), a Waltham, MA-based provider of life sciences tools, said it acquired Labtronics, an Ontario, Canada-based provider of electronic laboratory notebook products. Deal terms weren’t disclosed. —Two-year-old Foundation Medicine of Boston revealed it … Continue reading “PerkinElmer Buys Labtronics, Vertex Rival Merck Partners with Genentech, ThermoFisher Acquires Phadia, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Session M Garners $6,500,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=eef25000-896c-4711-8fce-068ab8d1205e&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name Session M Mailing Address Undisclosed Boston, MA 02421 Company Description The company is developing a mobile application to deliver rewarding experiences to its users. Website http://www.sessionm.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,500,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. The company is … Continue reading “Session M Garners $6,500,000 Series A Funding Round”

Peer39 Secures $5,172,931 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8ec08f1f-0a34-425c-af97-1b527502f59b&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name Peer39 Mailing Address 2 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 Company Description Peer39 is an innovative online marketplace that actively matches offers in various verticals. Our proprietary technology and commerce tools increase conversion rates dramatically, thus enabling companies and individuals to focus on what they do … Continue reading “Peer39 Secures $5,172,931 New Financing”

Adapx Garners $5,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=933f0d65-4883-4e93-bf7b-8a366dd6a367&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name Adapx Mailing Address 2127 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 Company Description Adapx has developed field information capture technology that digitizes field personnel handwritten information. Website http://www.adapx.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the financing proceeds to expand … Continue reading “Adapx Garners $5,000,000 New Funding Round”

SMSC Acquires BridgeCo for $67,500,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4f20b6ae-5a24-42fb-bb1a-34d98b829099&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name BridgeCo Mailing Address 400 Continental Blvd 6th Floor El Segundo, CA 90245 Company Description BridgeCo, a networked entertainment pioneer, offers the world’s most comprehensive, cost-effective and highly integrated processor IC and software platforms for connecting Internet media sources, computers and consumer electronics throughout the home. Website http://www.bridgeco.com … Continue reading “SMSC Acquires BridgeCo for $67,500,000”

SQLstream Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=418f9157-83a0-4567-bc2c-1424166ca506&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name SQLstream Mailing Address 1540 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102 Company Description SQLstream was established with a mission to create a simple and affordable way to resolve real-time data and application integration challenges. Website http://www.sqlstream.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “SQLstream Obtains $6,000,000 New Funding”

Plizy Secures $1,200,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cdabe99f-5128-4b72-8036-2c8693c0f169&Preview=1 Date 5/20/2011 Company Name Plizy Mailing Address 60 Broad Street New York, NY 10004 Company Description Plizy learns who you are and recommends videos based on what you like. Our unique, patent pending recommendation engine builds an “entertainment graph” using your existing graphs (including Facebook and Twitter). We already know what … Continue reading “Plizy Secures $1,200,000 Series A Funding Round”

Symantec Pays $390M for Clearwell

Mountain View, CA-based Symantec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SYMD]]), the company best known for the Norton AntiVirus software line for PCs, said today that it has agreed to acquire Clearwell Systems, a maker of archiving and e-discovery software for litigation support. Symantec will pay $390 million in the transaction, net of Clearwell’s $20 million in cash. Clearwell, which … Continue reading “Symantec Pays $390M for Clearwell”

Shire Pays $750M for Advanced BioHealing, Amylin Sues Lilly, Pacira CEO Describes His Most Difficult Task, & More San Diego Life Sciences News

Our roundup of San Diego’s biotech news is short, but we had some important developments over the past week. Your update begins now. — Westport, CT-based Advanced BioHealing, which makes Dermagraft bio-engineered skin patches in San Diego, agreed to a $750 million buyout offer from Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPGY]]), the Irish pharmaceutical drug maker. The deal … Continue reading “Shire Pays $750M for Advanced BioHealing, Amylin Sues Lilly, Pacira CEO Describes His Most Difficult Task, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”

See You Tonight at “Separating Hype from Reality in Alternative Fuels”

Gas is $4 a gallon, consumers are steaming, the oil companies keep getting tax breaks, and alternative fuels are still a long way from reaching the consumer masses. What’s going on here? There’s a lot of meaty material to discuss as I’m getting ready for tonight’s Xconomy event, titled “Separating Hype from Reality in Alternative … Continue reading “See You Tonight at “Separating Hype from Reality in Alternative Fuels””

Polaris Expands Ludwig Collaboration

The San Diego-based Polaris Group has agreed to expand its collaboration with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research on their work together in developing pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG 20), a promising anti-cancer compound. We recently profiled the company here. Under their expanded collaboration, Polaris and the institute hope to identify other enzymes with potential anti-tumor … Continue reading “Polaris Expands Ludwig Collaboration”

Jennerex Shows Survival Edge for Liver Cancer Patients in Small Study of Anti-Tumor Virus

San Francisco-based Jennerex Biotherapeutics isn’t ready to show results from its tumor-fighting virus at the meeting that attracts all the big boys and girls in the cancer drug business, but today it is unveiling some provocative results that suggest it may help liver cancer patients live longer. Jennerex’s data is still preliminary, and comes from … Continue reading “Jennerex Shows Survival Edge for Liver Cancer Patients in Small Study of Anti-Tumor Virus”

Ostial Solutions, Targeted Catheter System Maker, Raises $137K

Ostial Solutions has raised $137,530 from the sale of equity, according to SEC documents. The medical device startup, based in Kalamazoo, MI, is seeking about $350,000, the filing says. Founded in 2003, Ostial’s guided catheter technology helps surgeons to precisely position a stent, a device that props open clogged arteries, in patients suffering blockages occurring … Continue reading “Ostial Solutions, Targeted Catheter System Maker, Raises $137K”

Pacira Raises Wall Street Expectations of a New Blockbuster Painkiller

The last time Xconomy checked in with Pacira Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PCRX]]), in early 2009, the company was laying off a third of its workforce in the wake of a disappointing clinical trial of Exparel, a treatment for post-surgical pain. Pacira was capital-constrained because the market for life-sciences IPOs was all but dead. And the future … Continue reading “Pacira Raises Wall Street Expectations of a New Blockbuster Painkiller”

Thermo Pays $3.5B for Phadia

Waltham, MA-based Thermo Fisher Scientific (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TMO]]), a provider of products and services for labs, announced that it has acquired Sweden-based Phadia from the European private equity firm Cinven for about $3.5 billion in cash. The acquisition of Phadia, which provides allergy and autoimmunity diagnostic products, is expected to close fourth quarter 2011 and will … Continue reading “Thermo Pays $3.5B for Phadia”

Boston Venture Firms on the Move: A Roundup of Who’s Heading West (to CA), and Who’s Heading East (to Cambridge)

Updated, see below—The January 2009 announcement by Y Combinator that it was leaving the Boston area and moving full-time to Silicon Valley gave a real jolt to the local innovation community. Then, only a few months later, Greylock Partners dropped a similar bombshell. The storied venture firm, arguably in the elite of the elite alongside … Continue reading “Boston Venture Firms on the Move: A Roundup of Who’s Heading West (to CA), and Who’s Heading East (to Cambridge)”

$3M for MongoLab

San Francisco-based MongoLab, a spinoff of ObjectLabs, has raised $3 million in a funding round led by Boulder, CO-based Foundry Group, according to an announcement yesterday from Foundry. MongoLab offers hosting and support for companies using the MongoDB database system developed by New York- and Redwood Shores, CA-based 10gen. Baseline Ventures, GRP Partners, Freestyle Capital, … Continue reading “$3M for MongoLab”

TechStars Boston Alum Sensobi Joins Forces With GroupMe To Better Organize Mobile Social Network

Mobile app developer Sensobi reaped the benefits of the tight-knit New York tech startup community earlier this month, you could say. CEO and founder Ajay Kulkarni calls it “a fortuitous introduction that turned into something bigger.” That would be Sensobi’s acquisition by GroupMe. Sensobi, which I profiled last January, offers a $10 BlackBerry app that … Continue reading “TechStars Boston Alum Sensobi Joins Forces With GroupMe To Better Organize Mobile Social Network”

Resolve Maps Out New Biotech Model, SeaGen Expands, Schadt Heads East, & More in Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

Local biotech people and companies were moving onward and upward this week. —Eric Schadt, the shorts-wearing, motorcycle-riding genomics brainiac, the guy who made his name at Seattle’s Rosetta Inpharmatics, is moving to the Big Apple to run a big new genomics institute at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Schadt, a co-founder of Seattle-based Sage Bionetworks, … Continue reading “Resolve Maps Out New Biotech Model, SeaGen Expands, Schadt Heads East, & More in Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Music Mastermind Obtains $6,800,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0f278a15-7a29-46b4-ad03-3fefa6c3d324&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name Music Mastermind Mailing Address 22301 Mulholland Highway Calabasas, CA 91302 Company Description Music Mastermind (MMM), based in Calabasas, CA, and formed in 2008, is an entertainment software company that is changing the way music is created, shared, and enjoyed. Led by top players in the three very … Continue reading “Music Mastermind Obtains $6,800,000 New Funding Round”

Saygent Obtains $1,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d06b9ebb-7d4f-4d1d-a002-14e6011d7733&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name Saygent Mailing Address Undisclosed Mountain View, CA 94041 Company Description Saygent is the world’s smartest voice response & analysis SaaS for superior customer insights at scale without using the expensive call centers. Our patent-pending platform interviews your target audience over the phone and automatically analyzes open-ended responses … Continue reading “Saygent Obtains $1,000,000 New Financing”

Theron Pharmaceuticals Garners $662,550 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b9f870e9-e501-4a6d-9d0a-99ffe50aecb4&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name Theron Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 1500 Oak Avenue Los Altos, CA 94024 Company Description The company manufactures pharmaceutical products. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $662,550 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed

JIBE Receives $6,000,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a3f80975-b416-4e60-ac27-4d8c79919e05&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name JIBE Mailing Address 902 Broadway Seventh Floor New York, NY 10010 Company Description JIBE connects you to people you already know at companies you want to work for and increases your chances of landing a great job. Website http://www.jibe.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,000,000 Transaction … Continue reading “JIBE Receives $6,000,000 Series A Round”

Datran Media Garners $9,477,054 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bd639d34-8f33-484b-8487-95c3c6ece0a0&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name Datran Media Mailing Address 345 Hudson Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10014 Company Description Datran Media is a leading digital marketing technology company that helps advertisers, agencies and publishers identify, engage and retain ideal audiences across all digital media channels, including social, mobile, the web and … Continue reading “Datran Media Garners $9,477,054 New Financing Round”

VuClip Receives $8,000,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3db1f52f-e140-4530-98a2-f39b1a835c59&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name VuClip Mailing Address 1551 McCarthy Boulevard Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description For millions of people around the world, Vuclip is an essential part of their daily lives. We deliver video on-the-fly, on any device, and in any country, providing unparalleled reach for our partners. Website http://www.vuclip.com Transaction … Continue reading “VuClip Receives $8,000,000 Series C Financing Round”

TuneSat Obtains $6,000,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8d545710-a690-4ae8-8480-002096a12038&Preview=1 Date 5/19/2011 Company Name TuneSat Mailing Address 1650 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Company Description Do you know where your music is being broadcast? TuneSat does… We are listening. Whether you’re a composer, publisher, artist, or record label, tracking the use of and protecting your copyrighted music has been nearly impossible … Continue reading “TuneSat Obtains $6,000,000 Series A Round”

Zaarly Starts Making Deals

After several weeks of hype-building, name-your-price crowd-commerce startup Zaarly began publicly operating today. The company came together when co-founders Bo Fishback, Eric Koester and Ian Hunter won a Startup Weekend competition in Los Angeles. Here’s how it works: A consumer posts an offer to Zaarly, either through its website or a mobile app, naming a … Continue reading “Zaarly Starts Making Deals”

Genentech Gears Up for ASCO, Pushing Data on Personalized Cancer Medicine

It’s the season for playoff-level intensity for a bunch of Big Pharma and biotech companies. They’re all psyched up, over the next two weeks, to show clinical trial results for their drugs at the annual extravaganza for cancer doctors, put on by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Win over those influential doctors, and … Continue reading “Genentech Gears Up for ASCO, Pushing Data on Personalized Cancer Medicine”

VGo Brings in $4.3M

VGo Communications, a Nashua, NH-based robotics startup, has pulled in $4.3 million of a targeted $6 million offering, an SEC filing showed. The money comes from 11 investors. VGo, formerly known as North End Technologies, makes devices for two-way, audio and visual conferencing, to better connect employees of the same company at different locations.  The company … Continue reading “VGo Brings in $4.3M”

Eventbrite Goes On a $50 Million E Ticket Ride

Nobody under 40 would remember this, but until 1982, Disney sold tickets in its theme parks by the ride rather than charging admission by the day. The newest, best rides required an E ticket, which was the most expensive denomination, hence the popular phrase “E Ticket Ride,” referring to “an unusually interesting, thrilling, or expensive … Continue reading “Eventbrite Goes On a $50 Million E Ticket Ride”