Reveal Imaging, Makers of Airport Screening Technologies, Sold to SAIC

There’s some news on the homeland security front today. Reveal Imaging Technologies, based in Bedford, MA, said it is being acquired by SAIC, the McLean, VA-based government contractor giant also known as Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: [[ticker:SAI]]). Financial terms of the deal weren’t released, but the acquisition is expected to close by the end … Continue reading “Reveal Imaging, Makers of Airport Screening Technologies, Sold to SAIC”

Conatus Gets Pfizer Subsidiary

Conatus Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego-based drug developer targeting liver disease and cancer, announced it has acquired Pfizer subsidiary Idun Pharmaceuticals for an undisclosed sum. Conatus was launched in 2005 by Idun execs after Pfizer acquired the firm, which at the time was developing liver disease treatments and oncology drugs, and held intellectual property in the … Continue reading “Conatus Gets Pfizer Subsidiary”

Boston-Power Boosts Round to $66.4M

Boston-Power, the Westborough, MA-based maker of advanced lithium-ion batteries, has increased its Series E funding round from $60 million to $66.4 million, according to a regulatory filing. In June, the firm revealed that existing investors Foundation Asset Management and Oak Investment Partners both led the round, which included investments from previous backers Venrock Associates and … Continue reading “Boston-Power Boosts Round to $66.4M”

Avedro Raises $4.6M for Vision Correction Technology

Things appear to be heating up at Avedro. The Waltham, MA-based startup, which is developing a system that uses thermal energy to correct vision, has raised $4.6 million out of a proposed $5 million in an equity, debt, and rights financing, according to an SEC filing. David Muller, the CEO of Avedro, said in an … Continue reading “Avedro Raises $4.6M for Vision Correction Technology”

Larry Corey, Virus Hunter With Midwest Roots, Seeks to Unleash Health Innovation at Hutch

Raising her son in a middle class home in the Detroit area in the ’50s and ’60s, Larry Corey‘s mother dreamed he’d become a doctor. Now he’s set his sights much higher, as the new president and director of one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutes, a place that seeks to do no less … Continue reading “Larry Corey, Virus Hunter With Midwest Roots, Seeks to Unleash Health Innovation at Hutch”

Qualcomm Gets its Technology in EV Chargers, Aptera Makes Finals in $10M Automotive X Prize, & More San Diego BizTech News

It wasn’t a busy week for news about San Diego technology innovation, but it wasn’t a slow week either. It was jus-s-s-t right. And here is our summary. —You’re going to start hearing a lot about Ecotality in coming months. The San Francisco-based company is heading efforts to install electric vehicle charging stations throughout San … Continue reading “Qualcomm Gets its Technology in EV Chargers, Aptera Makes Finals in $10M Automotive X Prize, & More San Diego BizTech News”

SV Life Sciences, Fresh from Closing $523M New Fund, Looking at Health IT Deals

While many venture firms are struggling in the aftermath of the Great Recession, there are a few outfits with plenty of capital to invest. SV Life Sciences, which has operations in Boston and the Bay Area, is one of those few. Last month the firm closed one of the year’s largest healthcare-focused venture funds, its … Continue reading “SV Life Sciences, Fresh from Closing $523M New Fund, Looking at Health IT Deals”

With Traditional M&A Players Still on Sidelines, Small and Mid-sized Businesses Have Unique Opportunity to Make Strategic Acquisitions

The recent economic turmoil forced rapid change on the mergers and acquisitions marketplace, as the tightening of available credit pushed traditional M&A players—primarily private equity investors and large corporations—to the sidelines and dramatically slowed existing transactions. The landscape yielded a dearth of profitable deals, with any residual motivation for investment in mid-sized firms deflated by … Continue reading “With Traditional M&A Players Still on Sidelines, Small and Mid-sized Businesses Have Unique Opportunity to Make Strategic Acquisitions”

iTunes Meets Facebook & Epicurious: Kitchen Monki Brings A Number of Big Internet Ideas To the World of Food

There’s no denying Seattle is a tech savvy town. And when it comes to food, I think it’s safe to say we’re climbing up in the ranks. We’re the most caffeinated city in the country, according to The Daily Beast (no surprise there), and when it comes to the intersection of food and tech, we … Continue reading “iTunes Meets Facebook & Epicurious: Kitchen Monki Brings A Number of Big Internet Ideas To the World of Food”

A Rival for the iTunes App Store, a Data-Driven Dating Service for Facebook, a Pair of Social Gaming Deals, & More Bay Area BizTech News

What summer doldrums? The startup launches, venture financings, and M&A deals were flying about as fast as they come last week. —I got the inside story on OpenAppMkt, a new marketplace for Web apps for the Apple iPhone, from co-founder Teck Chia. The service, which went live on Friday, is similar to the iTunes App … Continue reading “A Rival for the iTunes App Store, a Data-Driven Dating Service for Facebook, a Pair of Social Gaming Deals, & More Bay Area BizTech News”

Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Pays $112M to Buy Remaining Stake in PackeVideo

Japanese communications provider NTT DoCoMo, which acquired a 35 percent stake in San Diego’s PacketVideo last year for $45.5 million, says it is acquiring the remaining 65 percent from holding company NextWave Wireless for $111.6 million. Under terms of the deal, PacketVideo will become a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT DoCoMo. It will operate autonomously, … Continue reading “Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Pays $112M to Buy Remaining Stake in PackeVideo”

Azuki CEO Looking to Grow Mobile Software Business By Making it “Brainless”

Azuki Systems, an Acton, MA-based maker of software for helping video and other data-rich media content providers deliver their material through mobile devices, has announced that it hired a new president and CEO. Azuki‘s new leader is John Clancy, a cloud computing exec who most recently served as CEO-in-Residence at Schooner Capital in Boston. “I’m … Continue reading “Azuki CEO Looking to Grow Mobile Software Business By Making it “Brainless””

Avedro Garners $4,600,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=702a387a-f90d-453b-b1a7-23c389345671&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Avedro Mailing Address 230 Third Avenue Waltham, MA 02451 Company Description The company is developing vision correction technologies. Website http://www.avedro.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,600,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The new money will be used for general corporate purposes. M&A Terms Venture Investor Borealis … Continue reading “Avedro Garners $4,600,000 New Funding”

SAIC Acquires Reveal Imaging Technologies for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e353762c-5193-46a1-a446-eae251c5203a&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Reveal Imaging Technologies Mailing Address 28 Crosby Drive Bedford, MA 01730 Company Description MA, Reveal Imaging Technologies, Inc., has developed a new paradigm for government mandated explosives detection systems (EDS) for airport security. Website http://www.revealimaging.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms … Continue reading “SAIC Acquires Reveal Imaging Technologies for Undisclosed Sum”

Limelight Networks Acquires Delve Networks for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8ae13576-d3e9-4f1b-87ce-e5c1287ecb1b&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Delve Networks Mailing Address 1008 Western Ave Seattle, WA 98104 Company Description Thanks to the growth of broadband combined with on-demand access to vast content libraries, audiences worldwide are embracing online video viewing and content providers are using the power of the Internet to distribute media. A … Continue reading “Limelight Networks Acquires Delve Networks for Undisclosed Sum”

Explorys Receives $2,550,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e9926b0a-93c0-4070-a73c-3f4266fd2f64&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Explorys Mailing Address 10000 Cedar Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106 Company Description Explorys provides a secure cloud-computing platform specialized for the healthcare industry. We empower our customers to accelerate research and product development, while enabling critical measurement for healthcare reform, performance management and protocol safety. Website http://www.Explorys.net Transaction … Continue reading “Explorys Receives $2,550,000 Series B Financing”

WorkFlex Solutions Secures $1,500,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=18e28e27-04b0-45f0-9fd3-77040763ddb3&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name WorkFlex Solutions Mailing Address Undisclosed Montgomery, OH 45242 Company Description WorkFlex Manager effectively manages daily staffing gaps by providing optimized near real-time access to qualified workers to enable service providers to quickly adjust staff levels to actual demand. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 … Continue reading “WorkFlex Solutions Secures $1,500,000 New Round”

Pancetera Lands $5,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fc87a5bd-e5ad-4ab2-88a5-5eea60016f0b&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Pancetera Mailing Address 2953 Bunker Hill Lane Santa Clara, CA 95054 Company Description Pancetera, a provider of virtual storage optimization solutions, helps organizations improve operational efficiency and leverage virtualization investments for greater levels of IT performance and productivity. The company’s virtual appliance provides a new way to … Continue reading “Pancetera Lands $5,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

Rapportive Receives $1,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=03d59e4f-6225-4557-afe0-6ce7f6866ef4&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Rapportive Mailing Address 153 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94107 Company Description Rapportive shows you everything about your contacts right inside your inbox. You can immediately see what people look like, where they’re based, and what they do. You can establish rapport by mentioning shared interests. You … Continue reading “Rapportive Receives $1,000,000 New Financing Round”

Gynesonics Obtains $15,591,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=281cce43-5238-4d09-babc-84a70b1be6d8&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Gynesonics Mailing Address 604 Fifth Avenue Redwood City, CA 94063 Company Description Gynesonics is a private company that is developing a novel, minimally invasive system to treat uterine fibroid tumors, The VizAblate™ system. Gynesonics’ disposable, hand-held device combines ultrasound imaging to allow the gynecologist to identify fibroids … Continue reading “Gynesonics Obtains $15,591,000 New Financing”

mFoundry Secures $8,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b844da03-c8ef-4848-b389-a421cc7a2345&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name mFoundry Mailing Address 60 E. Sir Francis Drake Larkspur, CA 94939 Company Description mFoundry provides the only equitable mobile banking and payments solution for financial institutions and wireless carriers. mFoundry’s Spotlight Financial Platform is a cross-carrier, cross-platform solution with the broadest device support of any competitor. Website … Continue reading “mFoundry Secures $8,000,000 New Funding”

Payfone Secures $5,000,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=ef6f2914-452a-444b-ac6c-92a9bb2638f2&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Payfone Mailing Address 137 5th Avenue 10th Floor New York , NY 10011 Company Description Payfone, Inc. allows users to pay for online goods and services using mobile credit. Website http://www.payfone.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes The company plans … Continue reading “Payfone Secures $5,000,000 Series B Funding”

Profitably Receives New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2f0fb3e4-61fc-4e72-8a54-a0b5dfac5ada&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Profitably Mailing Address 568 Broadway New York, NY 10012 Company Description Profitably is the fastest and easiest way to find the next couple things you can do to grow profits for your small business. It’s a web application that analyzes and interprets your QuickBooks data securely in … Continue reading “Profitably Receives New Funding Round”

Quest Software Acquires Surgient for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e4f36de4-29e1-4ea2-a961-e81fed2cab7b&Preview=1 Date 8/2/2010 Company Name Surgient Mailing Address 8303 North MoPac Austin, TX 78759 Company Description Surgient is the leading provider of Virtual Lab Applications that put virtualization technology to work for the world’s largest independent software vendors (ISV’s) and Global 2000 organizations. Website http://www.surgient.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction … Continue reading “Quest Software Acquires Surgient for Undisclosed Sum”

Admeld Secures $15,000,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=543578b5-b5a4-4d55-bb89-af8ee19f36c9&Preview=1 Date 8/1/2010 Company Name Admeld Mailing Address 230 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10003 Company Description The company provides advertising operation solutions and software development. Website http://www.admeld.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $15,000,000 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes AdMeld claims the new funding will help it meet growing … Continue reading “Admeld Secures $15,000,000 Series C Financing Round”

Xtify Garners $2,800,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f6d2ce28-a3f8-4e5a-ad28-9eb8f78ef593&Preview=1 Date 7/31/2010 Company Name Xtify Mailing Address 45 West 25th Street 11th Floor New York, NY 10010 Company Description The company provides a location-based API for mobile devices. Website http://www.xtify.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,800,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The company is using the funding proceeds to … Continue reading “Xtify Garners $2,800,000 Series A Financing Round”

Verient Picks up $3M

San Jose, CA-based Verient, which makes payment processing software for Web merchants, has raised $3 million in a round of equity-based financing that could total as much as $5 million, according to a July 28 regulatory filing. The identities of the funders have not been disclosed, but the company’s existing investors included DoCoMo Capital and … Continue reading “Verient Picks up $3M”

Hutch Names Larry Corey as New President, To Build on Hartwell’s Growth Legacy

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, one of the world’s leading centers for biomedical research and innovation, has found its new leader after a year of searching. Larry Corey, the international HIV vaccine expert, has been named to replace the retiring Nobel laureate Lee Hartwell, 70, in the top job at the Seattle-based nonprofit research … Continue reading “Hutch Names Larry Corey as New President, To Build on Hartwell’s Growth Legacy”

OpenAppMkt: The Return of the iPhone Web App?

Few people remember it now, but for the first year after the launch of the Apple iPhone in June, 2007, there was no App Store. The device came with a few built-in or “native” apps like a calendar, a clock, and a notebook, along with a couple of third-party apps like the YouTube player and … Continue reading “OpenAppMkt: The Return of the iPhone Web App?”

Charles River Ends $1.6B WuXi Buyout

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:[[ticker:CRL]]), a provider of lab mice and drug research services, said yesterday that it nixed its plans to acquire the China-based contract research juggernaut WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) (NYSE:[[ticker:WX]]) for $1.6 billion due to lack of support for the deal among its shareholders. Wilmington, MA-based Charles River is paying WuXi a $30 … Continue reading “Charles River Ends $1.6B WuXi Buyout”

Connect Adopts New Measures to Boost the Innovation Economy

Connect, the San Diego nonprofit group for technology and entrepreneurship, said its board has approved a series of initiatives intended to stimulate the long-term formation of technology startups. The initiatives, which will be supervised by Connect CEO Duane Roth, are supposed to attract more early stage investment capital, and influence innovation policies set by the … Continue reading “Connect Adopts New Measures to Boost the Innovation Economy”

Silicon Valley’s TechShop to Open Ford-Affiliated Workshop for Detroit’s Next Generation of Inventors

Somewhere deep in Ford Motor’s institutional memory, it recalls a time before the strictly tiered, hierarchical business of making automobiles, when Detroit was a city of tinkerers, of makers, of individuals with dreams, talent, and a blowtorch. Today, harkening back to that legacy, Ford is announcing it is getting together with TechShop—a Menlo Park, CA-based … Continue reading “Silicon Valley’s TechShop to Open Ford-Affiliated Workshop for Detroit’s Next Generation of Inventors”

Gates Foundation’s Tachi Yamada: Biotechies and VCs are Missing Out on Global Health

Tachi Yamada was a big name in Big Pharma before he took the top global health job at the world’s richest charitable organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. But no single organization—not even a multi-national, multi-billion dollar R&D shop at GlaxoSmithKline, or the Gates Foundation—can conquer leading killers like HIV, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and … Continue reading “Gates Foundation’s Tachi Yamada: Biotechies and VCs are Missing Out on Global Health”

LS9 Reveals Key Biofuel Genes, Onyx Drug Passes Big Trial, Solazyme Seeks First-Mover Edge, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News

This week we had reports from a couple of the leading biofuel companies in the Bay Area, along with a noteworthy advance from a cancer drug developer. —LS9, the South San Francisco-based biofuel company, reported in this week’s edition of Science magazine how it discovered genes in cyanobacteria that it hopes will pave the way … Continue reading “LS9 Reveals Key Biofuel Genes, Onyx Drug Passes Big Trial, Solazyme Seeks First-Mover Edge, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”

FDA Gives Nod to Momenta’s Anti-Clotting Generic, Ingenix Acquires Picis, Millennium Harnesses BioScale’s Protein-Measuring Technology, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

This week saw a long-awaited FDA approval for a Boston-area drug maker, speculation about a possible buyout of a local biotech giant, and some in-depth profiles on other key life sciences players. —Hospital software maker Picis, of Wakefield, MA, said it is being acquired by Ingenix, an Eden Prairie, MN-based healthcare intelligence and analytics firm. … Continue reading “FDA Gives Nod to Momenta’s Anti-Clotting Generic, Ingenix Acquires Picis, Millennium Harnesses BioScale’s Protein-Measuring Technology, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Boston-Power Obtains $6,400,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d4731148-461c-441c-8840-568c6959477a&Preview=1 Date 7/30/2010 Company Name Boston-Power Mailing Address 2200 West Park Drive Westborough, MA 01581-3961 Company Description Boston-Power, Inc. ™ is an emerging portable power company answering the call for safer, longer lasting Lithium-ion batteries – today. Website http://www.boston-power.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,400,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds … Continue reading “Boston-Power Obtains $6,400,000 New Round”

Total Living Choices Garners $2,200,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4e974364-81d3-43d2-897a-6abd04176f5e&Preview=1 Date 7/30/2010 Company Name Total Living Choices Mailing Address 1633 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Company Description Total Living Choices is a leading healthcare technology Company dedicated to assisting hospitals, families, and post-acute providers during patient transition. Website http://www.twilightliving.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,200,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Total Living Choices Garners $2,200,000 New Round”

Total Living Choices Nabs $2.2M

Seattle-based online senior care information and referral service Total Living Choices (also known as TwilightLiving) has raised $2.2 million in equity out of a $3.5 million offering, according to a regulatory filing. The company, founded in 1999, maintains a database of over 68,000 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home care, hospice, medical equipment, and long-term … Continue reading “Total Living Choices Nabs $2.2M”

Trius IPO Idling

San Diego’s Trius Therapeutics has again delayed its long-planned $78 million initial public offering, which was scheduled to go out this week, according a report today by Bloomberg News. Renaissance Capital, which listed Trius among the expected IPOs this week, continues to list the Trius offering as “day to day.” Trius, founded in 2004, has … Continue reading “Trius IPO Idling”

Fierce Competition at the TechFlash Summer BBQ & Ping-Pong Tournament

There was some serious action going on last night at TechFlash’s second annual Summer BBQ and Ping-Pong Tournament. With over 400 in attendance, techies from far and wide traded in their smartphones for paddles, and battled it out for the championship.

For the less athletically inclined, there was also the first ever foosball competition, and an award for the team with the most spirit (i.e. the zaniest costumes…I mean uniforms), which went to social media agency Banyan Branch, whose mascot could only be described as ‘shaggy.’ (See pictures here).

California Startup Carmakers, Aptera and Zap, Finalists in Automotive X Prize

And then there were nine. What began in April as a field of 136 experimental cars and 111 teams with their eyes on the $10 million Automotive X Prize has been winnowed to just nine cars and seven teams. Track testing was completed Tuesday at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI. The nine finalists … Continue reading “California Startup Carmakers, Aptera and Zap, Finalists in Automotive X Prize”

Early Theraclone Scientist Lee Adams Dies in Mount Rainier Climbing Accident

Some more sad news has hit the Seattle biotech community. Lee Adams, one of the early employees at Spaltudaq, now Theraclone Sciences, died this week on Mount Rainier after a fall into a crevasse. He was 52. The Seattle Times has a solid story on what happened on the mountain at 13,000 feet of elevation. … Continue reading “Early Theraclone Scientist Lee Adams Dies in Mount Rainier Climbing Accident”

LS9 Shows Recipe For $50 Oil: Genes That Convert Sugar to Diesel in One Step

LS9 is on a quest to make renewable fuel at $50 a barrel, and today it is revealing at least part of the scientific road map it’s been following to get there. The South San Francisco-based biofuel company is reporting today that it has discovered novel genes from strains of cyanobacteria that are the basis … Continue reading “LS9 Shows Recipe For $50 Oil: Genes That Convert Sugar to Diesel in One Step”

Xconomy Readers Set $20B Pricetag on Genzyme—Is That Too Rich for Sanofi-Aventis?

We asked our readers to chime in this week on the value of the venerable biotech Genzyme (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]), which has reportedly become an acquisition target of the French drug giant Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:[[ticker:SNY]]). Well, the results are in, but the question remains how our readers’ predicted price will match up with what Sanofi offers, and whether … Continue reading “Xconomy Readers Set $20B Pricetag on Genzyme—Is That Too Rich for Sanofi-Aventis?”