San Antonio—[Updated 12:22 p.m. See below.] CyberFortress, a cybersecurity company focused on the insurance industry, closed a $3 million seed funding round co-led by New York venture firm Greycroft and Austin, TX-based LiveOak Venture Partners. Founded in 2018 in San Antonio, CyberFortress is still developing its product, which will insure e-commerce businesses. The company’s plans … Continue reading “CyberFortress Adds $3M Seed Round for Cybersecurity Insurance Tech”
Tag: carbonite
Boston Tech Watch: MIT Epstein, Notarize Cash, New Carbonite Execs
For a week shortened by the Labor Day holiday heralding the coming end of summer, the past few days yielded their fair share of Boston-area technology business news. Read on for a roundup of the news. —MIT Media Lab co-founder Nicholas Negroponte reportedly argued it was right to take money from disgraced financier and convicted … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: MIT Epstein, Notarize Cash, New Carbonite Execs”
Leaving Carbonite, Mohamad Ali Joins IDG to Make It a Tech Company
Mohamad Ali’s departure from Carbonite’s corner office didn’t follow the usual tech executive roadmap to which even his earlier career had hewn. Ali’s career ran through posts building technology tools at IBM and Hewlett-Packard prior to joining Carbonite in 2014, so the move to head up International Data Group, a technology media, events, and research … Continue reading “Leaving Carbonite, Mohamad Ali Joins IDG to Make It a Tech Company”
Boston Tech Watch: Carbonite, iRobot, Circle, Toast, & Flare Capital
CEO hopping in Boston, trade-war fallout, acquisitions, IPOs, and autonomous ships. This week in Boston tech news had it all. Read on for all the details. —Mohamad Ali is stepping down as CEO of data protection and backup company Carbonite after having led the growing public company since 2014. He is hopping industries a bit … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Carbonite, iRobot, Circle, Toast, & Flare Capital”
Carbonite CEO Mohamad Ali Leaves for International Data Group
[Updated 7/25/19, 9:05 pm. Added comments from Carbonite executives.] Carbonite’s Mohamad Ali is stepping down as CEO and board member of the Boston-based data protection company to lead International Data Group, a technology media, events, and research company. For now, the helm at Carbonite (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CARB]]) will be taken up by board chairman Steve Munford, … Continue reading “Carbonite CEO Mohamad Ali Leaves for International Data Group”
Insurance Tech Startup CyberFortress Starts Risk Assessment Service
San Antonio—CyberFortress, an insurance tech startup founded late last year, is graduating from the Plug and Play accelerator and launching a new service that gauges how vulnerable ecommerce businesses are to hacking. The service assesses the risk of an ecommerce business being taken down because of something like a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack or ransomware, … Continue reading “Insurance Tech Startup CyberFortress Starts Risk Assessment Service”
Pillar Fuels Second Go-Round With $100M Fund for Boston Startups
It took a few more years than initially planned, but early-stage venture firm Pillar has raised the $100 million fund it wanted. Launching with fanfare in 2016 under former North Bridge Venture Partners’ Jamie Goldstein, Pillar set its sights on $100 million for its debut fund but ended up raising just $57 million. It has since … Continue reading “Pillar Fuels Second Go-Round With $100M Fund for Boston Startups”
Procrastinators Special: Save on Tickets for Cyber Madness on Monday
As March Madness draws to a close, so does your chance to grab a ticket to Xconomy’s premier spring event in Boston, “Cyber Madness: Case Studies in Security.” On April 8, we’re gathering security-tech founders, executives, and investors, as well as IT leaders from sectors such as finance, legal, and healthcare for an afternoon of … Continue reading “Procrastinators Special: Save on Tickets for Cyber Madness on Monday”
Go Behind the Hacker Frontlines at Cyber Madness in Boston April 8
Criminal hackers might get most of the headlines, but there are plenty of “ethical” hackers helping companies and organizations spot and fix vulnerabilities in their cyber defenses. On April 8, you can go behind the scenes of the hacker frontlines at Xconomy’s “Cyber Madness: Case Studies in Security,” an afternoon conference in Boston focused on … Continue reading “Go Behind the Hacker Frontlines at Cyber Madness in Boston April 8”
Boston Tech Watch: .406, Circle, Haven, Shift, LinkSquares & More
The Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan-led healthcare moonshot has a name. The venture capital dollars continued to roll in for A.I. startups. The Akamai-Janrain deal was pegged at $125 million. And a local VC firm is reloading for a new fund. Read on for more of this week’s Boston technology and innovation news. —Shift Technology, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: .406, Circle, Haven, Shift, LinkSquares & More”
Carbonite Buys Webroot for $618M to Offer Security with a Safety Net
Data backup and storage company Carbonite has bought endpoint cybersecurity provider Webroot in a $618 million deal designed to stitch both together into an A.I.-powered automated cloud security software for devices, with built-in emergency backup. Carbonite CEO Mohamad Ali told investors on a conference call, a little over an hour after the deal was announced, … Continue reading “Carbonite Buys Webroot for $618M to Offer Security with a Safety Net”
X·CON 2018: Photos From Three Innovation Days in November
On November 4-6, Xconomy organized a meeting of the minds—an elite gathering of leaders in technology, business, healthcare, education, and energy—to discuss and demonstrate the key trends in their fields, heading into next year. Our expert speakers and attendees at X·CON 2018 tackled everything from the impact of artificial intelligence on enterprises to the emerging … Continue reading “X·CON 2018: Photos From Three Innovation Days in November”
Boston’s Economy Urgently Needs Immigrants in Order to Thrive
I grew up in Guyana in the 1970s, where political turmoil gripped the country and water outages and power blackouts were frequent. When I was 11, our family came to America, and I remember being dazzled by the lights, the buildings, and the planes at New York’s Kennedy airport. Even an airport escalator amazed me … Continue reading “Boston’s Economy Urgently Needs Immigrants in Order to Thrive”
In Search of Names, Tech Startups Look to Galaxies Far, Far Away
All-seeing orbs, a distant planet and source of a life-giving drug, interstellar faster-than-light space travel, a carbon-freezing technique used to lock away enemies. The science fiction and fantasy creations—carbonite, palantir, Arrakis, warp drive—evoke the sort of futuristic vision that many startups dream to make a reality, or at least plumb for inspiration (and marketing). In … Continue reading “In Search of Names, Tech Startups Look to Galaxies Far, Far Away”
CyberFortress Plans 2019 Launch as Cyber Insurance Industry Grows
San Antonio—[Updated 9/25/19, 1:22 p.m. See below.] Cybersecurity is a fast growing area of the insurance industry as insurers capitalize on the smattering of fear-inciting headlines, from the Equifax and Facebook breaches to the ever-present risk of ransomware. Large companies like Nationwide Mutual Insurance offer businesses liability coverage if their customers’ data is stolen. As … Continue reading “CyberFortress Plans 2019 Launch as Cyber Insurance Industry Grows”
Human Augmentation, Throwable Robots & More at X·CON, Nov. 4-6
With fall officially here, it’s time to ask some big questions about the coming year—and decade. What will be the most transformative technology areas for society and business? What should students and innovators be doing to prepare for five to 10 years from now? Who are the leaders and companies that will shape this future? … Continue reading “Human Augmentation, Throwable Robots & More at X·CON, Nov. 4-6”
Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal
[Updated 2/27/18, 2:29 pm. See below.] Before Dropbox and Google Drive, there was Carbonite and Mozy. Both of those pioneer firms launched in 2005, and were among the early players in online data backup services. They enabled people to pay a few bucks a month for software that automatically encrypts the information on their hard … Continue reading “Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal”
Carbonite Buys Data Backup Competitor Mozy From Dell for $145.8M
Carbonite has agreed to buy competing online data backup service Mozy from Dell Technologies for $145.8 million, according to an announcement about the company’s 2017 financial results. Carbonite said the deal expands its customer base and the number of market segments to which it can sell. Boston-based Carbonite has been acquiring or planning to buy … Continue reading “Carbonite Buys Data Backup Competitor Mozy From Dell for $145.8M”
Net Neutrality Repeal Means The Battle Is Just Beginning
From businesses and consumers to politicians and tech industry leaders, the furor over last week’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to repeal net neutrality can be felt across America. People everywhere are stepping up to show their support for a free and open Internet. In my view, the battle to preserve net neutrality is still … Continue reading “Net Neutrality Repeal Means The Battle Is Just Beginning”
Jungle Disk Buys Canadian Data Backup Service for QuickBooks Online
San Antonio—Data backup company Jungle Disk has acquired an online data backup service for users of QuickBooks Online—a move toward offering backup support for more software-as-a-service (Saas) products. Jungle Disk already sells small businesses an encrypted file backup service for laptops, desktops, servers—any type of device where Jungle Disk’s product can mount and access a … Continue reading “Jungle Disk Buys Canadian Data Backup Service for QuickBooks Online”
Boston Blockchain Firms Shrug Off ICO Critics, Hunt for Talent
Blockchain technologies and digital currencies are arguably the most hyped and least understood areas of tech right now. Unbridled optimism about these emerging sectors—as well as interesting questions about how they’ll play out—were on display Thursday night at an event in Boston’s financial district featuring three local companies pitching virtual token sales. The main takeaway? … Continue reading “Boston Blockchain Firms Shrug Off ICO Critics, Hunt for Talent”
Xconomy IMPACT Highlights Innovation That Matters: The Photos
Last week’s Xconomy IMPACT event at the Museum of Science in Boston tackled a big theme—“innovation that matters”—but our speakers did not disappoint. The program explored a broad mix of ambitious ideas and advanced technologies—brain-computer interfaces, self-driving cars, collaborative robots, interactive entertainment, and much more. Speakers also offered solutions to some of the most pressing … Continue reading “Xconomy IMPACT Highlights Innovation That Matters: The Photos”
Last Chance to Grab Your Ticket for Xconomy IMPACT
Tomorrow, join Xconomy at the Museum of Science for a unique multidisciplinary event—IMPACT: Innovation That Matters. There are a lot of topics we’ll cover, but the main focus will be on how innovative technologies and the people behind them can make a real difference in our society. The afternoon will be comprised of keynote speeches, … Continue reading “Last Chance to Grab Your Ticket for Xconomy IMPACT”
Startups: Make Your Predictions for a Free Ticket to IMPACT on 6/22
In a few days Xconomy will put on a new type of event called IMPACT: Innovation that Matters. The conference will focus on how technology leaders can make a real difference in society. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we’re excited to announce we have a new block of 25 complimentary tickets to give entrepreneurs in … Continue reading “Startups: Make Your Predictions for a Free Ticket to IMPACT on 6/22”
Procrastinator’s Special Ending—Grab Your Ticket to IMPACT, June 22
Next week Xconomy will host its newest event, “IMPACT: Innovation That Matters”—and we’re offering you a chance to save $130 if you register by tomorrow. The afternoon conference features spotlight talks, fireside chats, and panel discussions that will address how top names in technology and innovation are trying to make a real impact on society. … Continue reading “Procrastinator’s Special Ending—Grab Your Ticket to IMPACT, June 22”
The Engine, Carbonite, Lola, and More: Here’s the Agenda for IMPACT
[Updated, 6/8/17 8:50am. See below] Hard to believe we are just over two weeks away from Xconomy’s big annual tech event in June. IMPACT will bring together leaders from New England’s technology and business community to discuss the future of their fields, but also issues of broader importance: things like influencing policy and making a … Continue reading “The Engine, Carbonite, Lola, and More: Here’s the Agenda for IMPACT”
5 Takeaways From the WannaCry Ransomware Attack
This may be the incident that finally pushes ransomware into the mainstream—and also forces both organizations and malicious hackers to adapt their approaches when it comes to this type of attack. The “WannaCry” virus, which first hit companies and healthcare services on Friday, has infected some 300,000 computer systems in 150-odd countries. By exploiting a … Continue reading “5 Takeaways From the WannaCry Ransomware Attack”
Friend & Flowers Return With Wasabi, Take on Amazon in “Hot Storage”
In the market for cloud storage and related tech services, there is Amazon—and then there’s everybody else. The Seattle-based company’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) Amazon Web Services business generated $12.2 billion in sales last year, and it controls an estimated 33 percent of the global market for cloud infrastructure services, according to a recent analysis by Synergy … Continue reading “Friend & Flowers Return With Wasabi, Take on Amazon in “Hot Storage””
Carbonite Raises $125M to Pay Off Debt, Scout Acquisitions
Carbonite, a publicly traded cloud backup and data protection firm, is raising $125 million from investors to pay off debt and restock its war chest. The Boston-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CARB]]) announced it’s conducting a private offering of convertible senior notes to institutional investors. The initial buyers have a 30-day option to purchase an additional $18.75 million … Continue reading “Carbonite Raises $125M to Pay Off Debt, Scout Acquisitions”
Immigrants Are the Best of Humanity and the Strength of Our Nation
[Editor’s note: This post was adapted from Mohamad Ali’s speech at a naturalization ceremony at the JFK Library in Boston on March 8, 2017.] My fellow immigrants, buenas tardes, masa-al-khayr, and good afternoon! I am deeply moved by the opportunity to be here today, to share this momentous occasion with you, and to personally return … Continue reading “Immigrants Are the Best of Humanity and the Strength of Our Nation”
Boston, NY Tech Job Growth Hits 5-Year Low, as Amazon Keeps Expanding
The hiring pace among Boston and New York software companies has slowed to a crawl, amid a broader downshift in the tech industry. During the fourth quarter of last year, the two tech hubs saw their weakest job growth in the past five years. That’s according to a quarterly study compiled by John Barrett, a … Continue reading “Boston, NY Tech Job Growth Hits 5-Year Low, as Amazon Keeps Expanding”
Carbonite Pays $65M for Double-Take, a Fraction of Its 2010 Cost
[Updated 1/31/17, 7:40 pm. See below.] Carbonite is making more moves to bolster its offerings in cloud backup and data protection. The Boston-based firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CARB]]) said it acquired Double-Take Software for $65.25 million, which includes $59.75 million in cash and $5.5 million in the form of about 332,000 shares of Carbonite common stock. The … Continue reading “Carbonite Pays $65M for Double-Take, a Fraction of Its 2010 Cost”
Jungle Disk Gets Additional Funding A Year After Rackspace Spinout
Jungle Disk, a data backup company that spun out of Rackspace about a year ago, has raised more funding to help the company market itself and add more customers. Jungle Disk isn’t disclosing how much it raised or whom it’s from. The money comes on top of the $11 million in venture funding the company … Continue reading “Jungle Disk Gets Additional Funding A Year After Rackspace Spinout”
Jungle Disk CEO: After Machines Learn, Hacking Methods Will Evolve
San Antonio—[Corrected 1/17/2017, 5:05 p.m. See below.] When people consider the potential downside of machine learning and artificial intelligence, it often leans toward the extreme: “The Terminator” or, perhaps, “The Matrix.” But other threats that may be less ominous are likely far more realistic. An example: A hacker could use an artificial intelligence tool, which … Continue reading “Jungle Disk CEO: After Machines Learn, Hacking Methods Will Evolve”
The State of Cybersecurity: Photos and Takeaways
‘Tis the season to be careful. We live in uncertain times—made even more perilous by the specter of cyber attacks on every level of business. But there’s a lot that can be done to improve things. To dive deeper into the threats and opportunities, Xconomy convened the top names in cybersecurity from around Boston and … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity: Photos and Takeaways”
Boston Tech Watch: Cybersecurity, Drones, Silent Discos, & More
[Updated 12/12/16, 2:54 pm. See below.] It’s mid-December, and that means a rush of tech news, as companies work feverishly to get deals done before the end of the year. Recent moves in the Boston area include American Express’s purchase of a local cybersecurity startup, more funding for the new cloud storage startup from Carbonite’s … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Cybersecurity, Drones, Silent Discos, & More”
Today Only: Save $120 for The State of Cybersecurity on 12/8
Join us next Thursday, December 8, for The State of Cybersecurity, where you’ll hear the who’s who of business and tech leaders address questions about data security, IT strategy in the age of cyber threats, and much more. It all starts at 1:30pm at WGBH in Boston. And to save you a little extra cash, … Continue reading “Today Only: Save $120 for The State of Cybersecurity on 12/8”
The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8: Here’s the Agenda
2017 is shaping up to be a dramatic year indeed. In technology, business, and government, one of the most crucial problems to work on is cybersecurity. The current cyber threat landscape affects everything from corporate and consumer data to the critical infrastructure our society runs on. On December 8, Xconomy is hosting a special conference … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8: Here’s the Agenda”
Grab Your Ticket for The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8th
Join Xconomy for its first-ever public cybersecurity event on December 8 at WGBH. With the growing number of cyber attacks, we decided to bring this issue front and center to discuss what business leaders and consumers can do to help secure their data and IT systems, what opportunities are out there for investors and executives, … Continue reading “Grab Your Ticket for The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8th”
Hack This: Xconomy to Host the State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8
The end may be near. No, I’m not talking about the U.S. presidential election. I’m talking about the chances of a catastrophic cyber attack on our companies and infrastructure (though the two may be related). With the mounting number of vulnerabilities out there—see last month’s massive Internet attack—what can we all do to help secure … Continue reading “Hack This: Xconomy to Host the State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8”
Pillar Hires Hodges as Boston VCs Build Community, Boost Diversity
It’s been a dynamic year for the Boston venture capital scene. Several new tech-focused funds have launched, some putting new spins on the traditional VC model. And, it’s worth noting, the firms are assembling diverse leadership teams. The latest example comes from Pillar, which today announced a new partner, Sarah Hodges. Hodges (pictured above) previously … Continue reading “Pillar Hires Hodges as Boston VCs Build Community, Boost Diversity”
CloudLock Bought by Cisco for $293M After Pivot to Cloud Security
The Boston-area cybersecurity scene is ripe with acquisition targets. IBM bought incident-response firm Resilient Systems earlier this year. Now, Cisco Systems says it is acquiring CloudLock, a Waltham, MA-based cloud security company, for $293 million in cash and stock, plus retention-based incentives for CloudLock employees who join Cisco. It’s one of the biggest exits of the … Continue reading “CloudLock Bought by Cisco for $293M After Pivot to Cloud Security”
Boston Tech Watch: iRobot, MIT, Xura, Locus Robotics
Before everyone gets out of town for Memorial Day weekend, let’s catch up on a few recent announcements in Boston-area tech: —Xura (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MESG]]), a Wakefield, MA-based provider of digital communications products and services for businesses, is being acquired for $643 million by affiliates of Siris Capital Group, a New York private equity firm. —Locus … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: iRobot, MIT, Xura, Locus Robotics”
Boston Deal Watch: RedPoint Global, Nift, BlueArchive, Cogito
It’s time to catch up on a few recent investments in Boston-area tech startups, including a new data storage company from the founders of Carbonite. Read on for details. —RedPoint Global said Wednesday it snagged $12 million in Series C funding from Grotech Ventures and WP Global Partners. Located just outside of Boston in Wellesley, … Continue reading “Boston Deal Watch: RedPoint Global, Nift, BlueArchive, Cogito”
Internal Threats: 10 Ways to Protect Your Business
The topic of cybercriminals can invoke the image of a scruffy-looking hacker glaring at a computer screen from a mysterious location. But the most serious threats to your business’s information security could be much closer than you think. A growing number of small and midsize businesses consider internal security breaches—accidental and malicious—from employees a bigger … Continue reading “Internal Threats: 10 Ways to Protect Your Business”
BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App
The Boston area has become a hotbed for companies testing new ways to merge software with fields like healthcare, rehabilitation, and education. One of the more interesting areas of activity is assessing and treating brain health and cognitive disorders. Those elements have come together in a startup called Constant Therapy, which today announced it raised … Continue reading “BU Spinout Constant Therapy Gets $2M for Speech and Brain Rehab App”
Carbonite Buys EVault, Gains 200 Employees in Data Recovery
[Corrected, 1:40 pm. See below] One of the Boston area’s technology pillars just got stronger. Carbonite, a cloud backup and data protection company, says it is acquiring San Francisco-based EVault for $14 million in cash. The acquisition is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2016. More important, Carbonite (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CARB]]) is gaining … Continue reading “Carbonite Buys EVault, Gains 200 Employees in Data Recovery”
Digital Guardian Grabs $66M, Looks to Prevent Data Loss
The story of the year in Boston tech might be the growth of the cybersecurity sector. Today, an established player in data protection says it’s adding a big funding round to keep up with market demand. Digital Guardian, based in Waltham, MA, has raised $66 million in financing from a mix of new investors—LLR Partners, … Continue reading “Digital Guardian Grabs $66M, Looks to Prevent Data Loss”
Enterprise Tech Strikes Back: Photos and Takeaways
Steve Papa said it takes having a different viewpoint and the persistence to turn a bad idea into a good idea. Andy Ory said it takes choosing the right market and problem to solve in the first place. Ash Ashutosh said that fast is the new big. The translation from these successful serial entrepreneurs: building … Continue reading “Enterprise Tech Strikes Back: Photos and Takeaways”
Grab Your Cyber Monday Ticket to Enterprise Tech Strikes Back
Xconomy has a deal for you. In honor of Cyber Monday, we are running a one-day sale on our remaining tickets to this week’s big tech event in Boston. For today—and today only—all new tickets to Wednesday’s Enterprise Tech Strikes Back conference are 30 percent off if you register with the promo code CYBER. It’s … Continue reading “Grab Your Cyber Monday Ticket to Enterprise Tech Strikes Back”