Fiksu Looks to Help Brands Like Gilt, Barnes & Noble, Groupon Spend Less to Get More Mobile App Customers

You could say Fiksu, one of Boston’s most buzz-worthy mobile startups, took the lemons its first product gave it, and made lemonade. The firm, founded in 2008 under the name Fluent Mobile, rolled out a news aggregator mobile app in 2009, to help consumers track and read publications from their smartphones. “What happened with the … Continue reading “Fiksu Looks to Help Brands Like Gilt, Barnes & Noble, Groupon Spend Less to Get More Mobile App Customers”

$7M for XLumena

Mountain View, CA-based medical device maker Xlumena has raised $7 million in equity-based financing in a round set to total $8 million, according to a regulatory filing and press release. The company develops ultrasound-guided interventional endoscopic devices. The round included new investors Aperture Venture Partners and Western Technology Investment as well as existing investors Ascent Biomedical Ventures, … Continue reading “$7M for XLumena”

Service-now Hires New CEO, Fallbrook Yanks IPO Filing, VoIP Specialist VoxOx Launches iPhone App, & More San Diego BizTech News

Is software-as-a-service provider Service-now.com be poised to become San Diego’s next big thing? We’ve got that and the rest of the local tech news, and our roundup starts now. —San Diego-based Service-now.com co-founder Fred Luddy told me he expects the company’s revenue to double every year for the foreseeable future. So it’s hard to underscore … Continue reading “Service-now Hires New CEO, Fallbrook Yanks IPO Filing, VoIP Specialist VoxOx Launches iPhone App, & More San Diego BizTech News”

Five Questions on Innovation, Health IT, and Biotech for Lux Capital’s New Venture Partner Richard Foster

On April 26, New York-based venture capital firm Lux Capital added two new partners: former CIA director James Woolsey, who will focus on energy investments; and Richard Foster, a former McKinsey & Co. partner who will help Lux identify new business opportunities in life sciences and healthcare IT. Throughout his career, Foster has been on … Continue reading “Five Questions on Innovation, Health IT, and Biotech for Lux Capital’s New Venture Partner Richard Foster”

Lot18 Raises $10 Million for Online Wine Sales

New York startup Lot18—which sells wine in limited-time “flash sales”— is only six months old, but it has already raised a Series B round of funding, according to Business Insider. The company raised $10 million from investors including NEA Ventures and FirstMark Capital. Lot18 is attracting 50,000 users a month and brought in sales of … Continue reading “Lot18 Raises $10 Million for Online Wine Sales”

Semyon Dukach, the MIT Blackjack King, Takes SMTP Public in Latest Effort to Fight the Power

An intriguing Boston-area tech company is going public after more than 10 years—and it’s not too late to shake things up in its market. I’m not talking about Zipcar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZIP]]), which had its long-awaited IPO a couple weeks ago. I’m talking about SMTP, a pioneering e-mail software firm based in Cambridge, MA. Yes, the … Continue reading “Semyon Dukach, the MIT Blackjack King, Takes SMTP Public in Latest Effort to Fight the Power”

Kilimanjaro Energy Seeks to Pop Loose Trillions’ Worth of Underground Oil, Save the World

Four years ago when Ned David and his wife were thinking of starting a family, a realization hit. Why was he using his knowledge of chemistry and entrepreneurship to start biotech companies? Wasn’t there something more meaningful to do with his life than come up with a new diabetes drug or antibiotic? How about saving … Continue reading “Kilimanjaro Energy Seeks to Pop Loose Trillions’ Worth of Underground Oil, Save the World”

SeaGen FDA Deadline Set for Aug. 30

Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) said today that the FDA has agreed to provide a faster-than-usual six-month review of its application to start selling brentuximab vedotin (SGN-35) for the treatment of patients with Hodgkin’s disease and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The agency now has until August 30 to decide whether the drug is ready for sale … Continue reading “SeaGen FDA Deadline Set for Aug. 30”

Considering a Career in Biotech? How About Trying Computer Science Instead

Sometimes biotech really feels like an industry in danger of being left behind. Take last Friday afternoon for example. I was at a networking reception at the University of Washington, chatting with undergraduates from all kinds of engineering fields about the job market. People were finding jobs, but nothing much to brag about, until I … Continue reading “Considering a Career in Biotech? How About Trying Computer Science Instead”

Kno Lands $5,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0ba61128-d975-4fbb-af47-5aebb2fca10c&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name Kno Mailing Address 5155 Old Ironsides Dr. Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Kno is a transformative two-panel tablet that artfully blends the intuitive experience of the conventional textbook with a rich digital world of video, note-taking, sharing and more. Its open platform encourages publishers and developers … Continue reading “Kno Lands $5,000,000 New Financing Round”

NoiseToys Garners $1,200,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f718e5da-2e58-444a-b810-fd160fbf6679&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name NoiseToys Mailing Address 587 Leyte Terrace Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Company Description NoiseToys makes mobile content sharing fun. By utilizing game mechanics with social sharing, NoiseToys creates new ways for users to engage with content. Website http://www.NoiseToys.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $1,200,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “NoiseToys Garners $1,200,000 New Round”

Local.com Acquires Krillion for $3,500,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=617c0786-9d52-4d7e-aa03-ea169bb5107f&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name Krillion Mailing Address 607A West Dana Street Mountain View, CA 94041 Company Description Krillion is the leader in actionable local search; local search that enables consumers to find and buy products offline, from a physical store. Krillion’s mission is to transform the way ready-to-buy consumers find and … Continue reading “Local.com Acquires Krillion for $3,500,000”

ExtraHop Networks Secures $14,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1f98daad-aca9-450c-9db8-b18e102ccbb5&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name ExtraHop Networks Mailing Address 520 Pike St. Seattle, WA 98101 Company Description ExtraHop Networks is a venture-backed technology startup based in Seattle. We have a world-class team focused on solving problems in computer networks everywhere. We are building cutting-edge technology to deliver a disruptive level of performance … Continue reading “ExtraHop Networks Secures $14,000,000 New Funding Round”

Ampla Pharmaceuticals Lands $1,467,898 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=aaa49914-63f0-4b3a-a735-0f98712cc967&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name Ampla Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 5410 La Jolla Blvd La Jolla, CA 92037 Company Description The company operates as a pharmaceutical company. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,467,898 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. M&A Terms Venture Investor … Continue reading “Ampla Pharmaceuticals Lands $1,467,898 New Funding”

Peel Garners $16,700,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ad5c3ae1-fff1-40cf-a1a4-2c9a1a4a50e0&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name Peel Mailing Address 4655 Old Ironsides Dr. Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Discover and control TV programming right from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Lose your remotes, once and for all. Quit scrolling those tiresome grid guides. See what you want, right at your own … Continue reading “Peel Garners $16,700,000 Series B Financing”

Cobalt Technologies Receives $20,000,000 Series D Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=68062dd3-5a80-4ce2-9308-2fcfdb00296a&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name Cobalt Technologies Mailing Address 500 Clyde Avenue Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description Cobalt Technologies is contributing to solving energy challenges by making commercial scale biobutanol from biomass a sustainable reality. Our patented and proprietary technologies create favorable economics for the biorefinery business model by increasing productivity … Continue reading “Cobalt Technologies Receives $20,000,000 Series D Funding Round”

LikeALittle Obtains $1,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f04efe1c-9ba4-4411-86f8-f1cdf6c63ee8&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name LikeALittle Mailing Address 129 Hawthorne Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Company Description LAL lets you interact with the people nearby. Meet new people, anonymously flirt with that person who caught your eye and discover if someone likes you. Website http://www.lal.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,000,000 … Continue reading “LikeALittle Obtains $1,000,000 New Financing”

Aurora Networks Acquires GoBackTV for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ba4a8fdb-b4df-4662-98f1-3ebb6be8b6a9&Preview=1 Date 5/2/2011 Company Name GoBackTV Mailing Address 937 Hamilton Ave. Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description The company provides the ability for cable operators to offer new revenue producing services via its technologies. Website http://www.GoBackTV.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of the … Continue reading “Aurora Networks Acquires GoBackTV for Undisclosed Sum”

WCTA Lunch Seminar

Featuring James Billmaier, author of “JOLT! The Impending Dominance of the Electric Car and Why America Must Take Charge.” Also includes a discussion with Tim Miller of Drive Oregon. Tickets are $15-25.

Belle Capital Pulls The Trigger; Invests Up To $500,000 In Electric Motorcycle Startup Current Motor

Belle Capital, a new Michigan-based angel fund that backs women-run companies, has made its first investment, as much as $500,000, in Current Motor, an electric motorcycle startup in Ann Arbor, MI. Current Motor also raised another $200,000 from Belle Capital co-managing director Lauren Flanagan, the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, and former General Motors vice chairman … Continue reading “Belle Capital Pulls The Trigger; Invests Up To $500,000 In Electric Motorcycle Startup Current Motor”

Washington Companies Scored $53M in Equity Financing for March, Led by nLight, Tier 3 & Physware

Washington state companies collected about $53 million in equity financing from venture capitalists and angels in March, led by an $11 million VC round for Vancouver, WA-based semiconductor laser manufacturer nLight Photonics, according to data compiled by research firm CB Insights. nLight still had another $4 million left to sell from the offering, according to … Continue reading “Washington Companies Scored $53M in Equity Financing for March, Led by nLight, Tier 3 & Physware”

Appature Gets ‘Cool Vendor’ Kudo

Seattle-based Appature, the maker of software to help healthcare companies better connect with physicians, was named as a “cool vendor” in life sciences by market analyst Gartner. Appature got the kudo, Gartner said, because its software is helping pharma sales reps, who are stretched thin, to do a better job of reaching physicians, who increasingly … Continue reading “Appature Gets ‘Cool Vendor’ Kudo”

Xconomy to Tech Journalists: Help Us Take an Even Bigger Bite Out of the Big Apple

It’s been less than a month since we launched Xconomy New York, and (to none of our surprise, really) we’re already finding there are more important innovation stories than even Arlene Weintraub, the intrepid editor of Xconomy New York, can tell on her own. So to all you reporters pounding the pavement in NYC’s tech … Continue reading “Xconomy to Tech Journalists: Help Us Take an Even Bigger Bite Out of the Big Apple”

My 33 Months at Xconomy, a Nano-Memoir (of Sorts)

By the time you read this, I’ve probably already wrapped up my work as a correspondent for Xconomy, turned in my key to office on Rogers Street in Cambridge, MA, and taken a deep breath in anticipation of my exciting new role as an executive editor for the life sciences group at FierceMarkets. I’m really … Continue reading “My 33 Months at Xconomy, a Nano-Memoir (of Sorts)”

J&J Wins Early Approval of Potential Prostate Cancer Blockbuster

J&J’s $21 billion acquisition of medical device maker Synthes—its biggest acquisition ever—overshadowed a second big piece of news for the New Brunswick, NJ-based company. The FDA approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have received prior chemotherapy, according to a press release. The drug inhibits an enzyme … Continue reading “J&J Wins Early Approval of Potential Prostate Cancer Blockbuster”

Goin’ Mobile: VoxOx Launches iPhone App with International Calling Feature

San Diego-based VoxOx, which provides a free communications service based on voice over Internet (VoIP) technology, hopes to make a big splash today with the release of its VoxOx Call for iPhone—the startup’s first mobile app. When VoxOx debuted three years ago, users could download a free application to their desktop, enabling consumers to combine … Continue reading “Goin’ Mobile: VoxOx Launches iPhone App with International Calling Feature”

Invoke Brings In $3.8M

Invoke Solutions, a Waltham, MA-based provider of software for marketing research, has pinned down $3.8 million in equity-based funding from two investors, an SEC filing shows. The company’s previous investors include Bain Capital Ventures, BEV Capital, North Atlantic Capital, and the BRM Group. Last summer the company raised $1.8 million in an equity and options … Continue reading “Invoke Brings In $3.8M”

Harvard Innovation Lab Appoints Director

Harvard University announced today that Gordon Jones will be the inaugural director of the Harvard Innovation Lab, a $20 million community center for entrepreneurship that’s slated to open this fall at WGBH-TV’s former offices in Allston. The goal of the lab is to foster startups and interactions among students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and the local community. … Continue reading “Harvard Innovation Lab Appoints Director”

From Smartphones to Smart Spaces: SRI’s Vision of Computer Evolution

If the future is here but unevenly distributed, as William Gibson said, then where is it concentrated? One place, certainly, is the contract research giant SRI International. Created by Stanford University in 1946, it’s the organization we have to thank for inventions like automated check processing, the computer mouse, hypertext, the ARPANET (which evolved into … Continue reading “From Smartphones to Smart Spaces: SRI’s Vision of Computer Evolution”

PacBio Goes Commercial, Tweet by Tweet from BayBio, VCs Turn Up the Heat on FDA, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News

One of the ambitious new players in the field of superfast/supercheap gene sequencing graduated from R&D mode into a commercial enterprise this week. The plot thickens in this competitive world… —The sequencing company in Menlo Park, CA, Pacific Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PACB]]), had a coming out party this week when it said it has converted its … Continue reading “PacBio Goes Commercial, Tweet by Tweet from BayBio, VCs Turn Up the Heat on FDA, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”

FDA Panel OKs Vertex Drug, Dyax Works With FivePrime, Genzyme Amends Anika Lawsuit, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

New England biotechs made news this week with approvals from FDA advisory panels, licensing deals, collaboration agreements, and lawsuits. —An FDA advisory panel unanimously recommended the FDA approve telaprevir, the thrice-daily pill for hepatitis C from Cambridge, MA-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]). The FDA, which usually takes the recommendations of these panels, is scheduled to make … Continue reading “FDA Panel OKs Vertex Drug, Dyax Works With FivePrime, Genzyme Amends Anika Lawsuit, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

XLumena Receives $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1e15e1cb-83e7-4772-bd6e-7897d6d53def&Preview=1 Date 4/29/2011 Company Name XLumena Mailing Address 453 Ravendale Drive Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description Xlumena is the leader in the developments of image-guided therapeutic endoscopy products specializing in advanced implants and devices that address multiple markets. Collaborating with top physicians in the field, Xlumena focuses on technology that advances … Continue reading “XLumena Receives $7,000,000 Series B Funding Round”

OptMed Obtains $6,009,950 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5e2df519-d77e-48f4-9387-12fb53e2b779&Preview=1 Date 4/29/2011 Company Name OptMed Mailing Address 420 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10017 Company Description Our lead biosurgical product in development— Devakor, a topical skin adhesive—is a replacement for surgical sutures. OptMed’s therapeutics in development are based on proprietary new indications for a widely used drug to provide targeted relaxation … Continue reading “OptMed Obtains $6,009,950 New Round”

Crisp Media Secures $6,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c3fc3970-be65-4b6b-af68-96328955d186&Preview=1 Date 4/29/2011 Company Name Crisp Media Mailing Address 545 8th Avenue 20th Floor New York, NY 10018 Company Description Crisp Media is a rich media advertising company that offers a universal ad platform for building, serving, and measuring interactive campaigns across multiple platforms — including desktop and mobile Web, mobile applications, … Continue reading “Crisp Media Secures $6,000,000 New Round”

Eons Bought by Crew Media

When is an eon only half a decade? When you’re talking about Eons, the social networking site for baby boomers launched in 2006 by Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor. San Francisco-based media services company Crew Media, which operates a boomer-focused advertising agency called Continuum Crew, said today that it has acquired Eons and its associated advertising … Continue reading “Eons Bought by Crew Media”

Smartphone Robots, Insect-Wing Wind Power, Online Video Game Tourneys & More Notes from the UW Business Plan Competition

Hundreds of people packed the Bell Harbor Conference Center on Seattle’s waterfront yesterday for the University of Washington’s annual Business Plan Competition. Now in its 14th year, the competition is a great showcase of energy and ideas from student entrepreneurs and some of their more experienced collaborators. Last night, the group of 37 teams was … Continue reading “Smartphone Robots, Insect-Wing Wind Power, Online Video Game Tourneys & More Notes from the UW Business Plan Competition”

Turning Garbage Into Fuel, S4 Energy Joins Xconomy Lineup on May 19

Most people in the renewable fuel business will say that if you want to make ethanol, then corn is a lousy choice of raw material. The U.S. certainly has a lot of it, but corn is an inefficient source of energy, and it hogs up land that can be used to produce food. But what … Continue reading “Turning Garbage Into Fuel, S4 Energy Joins Xconomy Lineup on May 19”

Vertex Wins FDA Panel’s Recommendation for New Hepatitis C Drug

Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ bid for FDA approval of its new drug for hepatitis C has been treated by most observers as a slam dunk, and the company, as expected, nailed its high percentage shot on goal today. Cambridge, MA-based Vertex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) received a unanimous 18-0 endorsement from an FDA advisory panel, which said the company’s … Continue reading “Vertex Wins FDA Panel’s Recommendation for New Hepatitis C Drug”

U-M Spinout MEMStim Seeks Its Fortune In Neurostimulation Devices

Though Angelique Johnson is pleased her team won the $27,000 top prize  in the Michigan Business Challenge earlier this year, the University of Michigan student, who’s earning a doctorate in electrical engineering, says the competition was not just about money. “Coming from the engineering side, I had a piece of technology, I did not know … Continue reading “U-M Spinout MEMStim Seeks Its Fortune In Neurostimulation Devices”

Gates Foundation Dishes Out Latest $100K Grants for ‘Out of the Box’ Global Health Ideas

You can liken the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to a giant mutual fund for global health, with a diversified portfolio like you might find at T. Rowe Price. The world’s largest philanthropy invests in some big, stable, blue-chip global health projects that are sort of like its version of IBM or Boeing stock, and … Continue reading “Gates Foundation Dishes Out Latest $100K Grants for ‘Out of the Box’ Global Health Ideas”

SF MusicTech Summit

From the conference website: “Are you interested in meeting and interacting with many of the leading lights from the music/technology community? Learning about the bleeding edge? Finding business opportunities with folks who will be leading the way into the evolving music/technology ecosystem? Helping to establish and participate in a Northern California music and related technology … Continue reading “SF MusicTech Summit”

David Cancel, Stephen Kaufer, Katie Rae, and Others Join XSITE Program on June 16

As we hurtle towards XSITE 2011, our full-day conference on June 16 at Babson College, a few thoughts come to mind. The theme this year is “the entrepreneurship era”—the idea that there is increased attention to startups and company-building as a key to revitalizing the U.S. economy. But now that entrepreneurship is at the top … Continue reading “David Cancel, Stephen Kaufer, Katie Rae, and Others Join XSITE Program on June 16”

NYC’s Vivaldi, Allied With Harvard and San Francisco VC Firm, Forge a New Way to Fight the Flu

Vivaldi Biosciences is a rare and highly sought after property in New York City: a promising biotech startup. Why rare? Because office space is so expensive, and wet-lab space so hard to find, that most biotech companies that originate in NYC end up fleeing for some other city that has more to offer them. But … Continue reading “NYC’s Vivaldi, Allied With Harvard and San Francisco VC Firm, Forge a New Way to Fight the Flu”

Zino Names Green Fund Finalists

The Zino Society said four finalists have emerged from its Zino Green Investment Forum earlier this week, who will go on to compete for a $50,000 investment. The finalists are Columbia Power Technologies, MyTown, Puralytics, and WISErg. The recipient of the Zino investment will be announced in 60 days.