[Corrected, 2:25pm. See below] ‘Tis the season for Boston tech startups founded in 2010—and their products—to get acquired. Kinvey and Intrepid were bought last month, and now it’s SocMetrics’ turn. The Cambridge, MA-based social marketing company’s original product—called SocMetrics Influencer Platform—has been snapped up by Grapevine, a Boston marketing tech firm. Terms of the deal … Continue reading “SocMetrics Scooped Up by Grapevine in Social Marketing Deal”
Tag: TechStars
Progress Buys Mobile Backend Company Kinvey for $49M
[Updated 6/29/17, 8:33 am. See below.] Kinvey, one of the early players in mobile backend services, has been acquired by Progress for $49 million in cash. Progress, a 36-year-old software firm, has for years offered products and services for building, deploying, and managing business applications. Lately, it’s been focusing on making those tools more robust and sophisticated—a … Continue reading “Progress Buys Mobile Backend Company Kinvey for $49M”
Fighting Harassment, Raising Funds, & More Boston Tech News
Summer is here, but news from the Boston-area tech community hasn’t slowed down. Here are some of the recent headlines: —In a Medium blog post, the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA) pledged more action to fight discrimination and sexual harassment. The initiatives are partly a response to sexual harassment allegations against venture capitalist Justin … Continue reading “Fighting Harassment, Raising Funds, & More Boston Tech News”
Localytics Replaces Founding CEO After Becoming Cash-Flow Positive
Localytics, one of Boston’s prominent mobile analytics and marketing software companies, has replaced its founding CEO Raj Aggarwal with Jude McColgan, a veteran mobile software executive. Aggarwal (pictured at right) will remain involved with the company, but his exact role is unclear. A spokeswoman says Aggarwal’s new role will be full-time and he will remain … Continue reading “Localytics Replaces Founding CEO After Becoming Cash-Flow Positive”
Boston Tech Watch: Uber, Causeway Media, Cure Forward, Tive & More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking a second fund for a venture capital firm co-led by the co-owner of the Boston Celtics, a high-profile hire for Uber, a new cybersecurity startup, and the end of the road for a digital health company. Read on for details. —Causeway Media Partners raised $207.3 million for its … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber, Causeway Media, Cure Forward, Tive & More”
Around Texas: Joseph Kopser, Mark Cuban, REVtech, Founder Institute
—Mark Cuban has led a $1.5 million seed funding round in an Austin IT startup, along with investors such as data.world founder Brett Hurt and Barracuda Networks. Meta SaaS provides reports and alerts on abandoned, underutilized, or redundant software licenses before they are auto-renewed, the company says. “SaaS has solved numerous business problems, but it … Continue reading “Around Texas: Joseph Kopser, Mark Cuban, REVtech, Founder Institute”
Boston Tech Watch: Polaris, NuTonomy, Techstars, The Engine & More
It’s time to catch up on the latest headlines from the Boston-area tech community: —Polaris Partners said it closed a $435 million fund, the firm’s eighth. Polaris invests in technology and healthcare ventures. —Delphi, Optimus Ride, and Navya have contacted Massachusetts officials about potentially testing autonomous vehicles on state roads, according to a report from … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Polaris, NuTonomy, Techstars, The Engine & More”
Cazalot to Lead Techstars Boston, Wants to Energize Local Community
The first thing to know about Clément Cazalot is that he is French. The second thing is that he co-owns a new French restaurant in Boston’s South End, called Frenchie. It has a killer wine list and excellent food, based on a recent visit. The tech startup community will also want to know that Cazalot … Continue reading “Cazalot to Lead Techstars Boston, Wants to Energize Local Community”
Barclays Techstars’ Jon Zanoff on Startups, Banks, and Fintech’s Future
Jon Zanoff is ready for a new nickname. Dubbed “The Mayor of Fintech,” Zanoff, the newly appointed managing director of the Barclays Techstars accelerator in New York, has certainly been entrenched in the financial technology industry long enough to deserve the title. For the past five years, he’s presided over Empire Startups, a New York-based … Continue reading “Barclays Techstars’ Jon Zanoff on Startups, Banks, and Fintech’s Future”
Techstars Seattle Fetes Latest Class, Now Counts 100 Startups
Since opening its doors in Seattle in 2010, Techstars has polished up more than 100 startup companies through its 12-week accelerator program here. Those nascent technology companies have gone on to raise more than $400 million, said Techstars Seattle managing director Chris DeVore, introducing the latest batch of startups Wednesday night at the Museum of … Continue reading “Techstars Seattle Fetes Latest Class, Now Counts 100 Startups”
Tour of Texas: Austin Tech in Politics, Watershed, Scaleworks & More
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. Austin: —Ottobock, a German prosthetics company with North American headquarters in Austin, has acquired Boston-based BionX Medical Technologies. BionX makes a prosthetic foot and ankle product that uses robotic technology. Financial terms were not disclosed for the deal that was announced earlier this … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Austin Tech in Politics, Watershed, Scaleworks & More”
Robo Madness 2017: The Photos and Takeaways
Third time’s a charm… and our third annual Robo Madness conference in Boston had plenty of that. (So did the first two.) From live robot demos to provocative discussions on the opportunities and challenges in artificial intelligence, our speakers really delivered on this year’s theme: A.I. Gets Real. Huge thanks to our host, Google, whose … Continue reading “Robo Madness 2017: The Photos and Takeaways”
Join David Baltimore, Nicole Glaros, Nathan Myhrvold, & More at Our Napa Summit
Year after year, Xconomy has gathered exemplary business leaders, investors, and far-seeing technologists to our most prestigious event—The Napa Summit. This year is no different. Come join us in the heart of wine country on June 8 and 9 to listen to visionary speakers and connect with fellow innovators. The Napa Summit is by invitation-only, … Continue reading “Join David Baltimore, Nicole Glaros, Nathan Myhrvold, & More at Our Napa Summit”
Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Nantero, WordStream, Tinyhood & More
[Updated 3/20/17, 5:45 p.m. See below.] If you’re sick of staring at the sea of red in your March Madness bracket, take a break with the latest headlines in Boston-area tech. This week, we’ve got a lot of funding news—including an update on the recent mega-round from DraftKings—plus a few other notable tidbits. Read on … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Nantero, WordStream, Tinyhood & More”
More Women, Minorities Join Angel Investor Group, Austin’s CTAN Says
Austin—The Central Texas Angel Network says it’s growing, and that the diversity of its membership is, too. The organization known as CTAN says its member base has increased to more than 160 individuals from about 120 two years ago, and that the group includes more women and minorities. Women now make up 25 percent of … Continue reading “More Women, Minorities Join Angel Investor Group, Austin’s CTAN Says”
Katie Rae Wants MIT’s The Engine to Build “World-Changing” Companies
Katie Rae has been tapped to run The Engine, an ambitious startup-support initiative launched by MIT that combines a venture fund, an accelerator program, and access to workspace and business services. On Monday, Rae was named The Engine’s president and CEO, as well as managing partner of its venture fund. Rae is well known in … Continue reading “Katie Rae Wants MIT’s The Engine to Build “World-Changing” Companies”
Semyon Dukach Talks Latest Techstars Boston Class, His Last at Helm
[Corrected 2/9/17, 11:45 a.m. See below.] This year’s session of the Techstars Boston startup accelerator will be the last one led by Semyon Dukach. In a blog post published Monday, Dukach unveiled the 13 companies accepted into the latest program and announced that he will be leaving Techstars Boston after this session, his fourth as … Continue reading “Semyon Dukach Talks Latest Techstars Boston Class, His Last at Helm”
Hardware Startups Accelerator makerSeed Set to Launch in Dallas
Dallas—A new accelerator for hardware innovation is being hatched in Texas. MakerSeed, which will be based at the University of Texas at Dallas, will focus on student startups and entrepreneurs developing technologies in wearables, IoT, robotics, and other hardware specialties. “I realized there’s kind of a grassroots maker community and a lot of talent in … Continue reading “Hardware Startups Accelerator makerSeed Set to Launch in Dallas”
Survey Reveals Seattle Startup Gender Gap as Techstars Struggles
Men and women in Seattle startups agree that men have more opportunities for advancement and typically fit in better with their company’s culture, according to a survey focused on gender of employees at smaller, growing companies. That’s one of several findings of the survey, Catalyze Seattle, released Thursday, which takes in responses from 315 people … Continue reading “Survey Reveals Seattle Startup Gender Gap as Techstars Struggles”
Announcing Robo Madness 2017: A.I. Gets Real on March 28 at Google
It’s time for Xconomy’s third annual robotics and artificial intelligence conference in Boston. In previous years, we’ve highlighted areas such as manufacturing, logistics, and medical robots. This year, the focus is on A.I.-related software—applied to hot areas like autonomous vehicles, virtual assistants, and connected devices. But there will also be discussion about the role of … Continue reading “Announcing Robo Madness 2017: A.I. Gets Real on March 28 at Google”
Techstars Picks 9 Startups For Seattle, Complementing Local Strengths
Techstars has named nine startup companies for its 2017 Seattle accelerator class, each with a focus that complements one of the region’s core or emerging technology strengths. Techstars Seattle managing director Chris DeVore says this deliberate matching of startup companies to strengths in the local tech industry is meant to “give the teams we select … Continue reading “Techstars Picks 9 Startups For Seattle, Complementing Local Strengths”
RealCo Accelerator Opens in San Antonio for Internet Tech Startups
San Antonio—There is a new startup accelerator in San Antonio that provides early stage funding, mentorship, and more for business-to-business Internet tech companies. RealCo’s accelerator program lasts up to 15 months and offers startups as much as $125,000 in early operating capital for a small equity stake in return. The accelerator is led by partners … Continue reading “RealCo Accelerator Opens in San Antonio for Internet Tech Startups”
Artificial Intelligence Startup Neurala Lands $13.7M in Funding
Neurala, the Boston artificial intelligence startup aimed at helping machines like robots learn and interact with the world, has raised about $13.7 million in a new round of funding, according to a regulatory filing. The filing didn’t specify who the investors in the new round are, though the company has previously received about $2 million, including … Continue reading “Artificial Intelligence Startup Neurala Lands $13.7M in Funding”
Ann Arbor’s MySwimPro Named Apple Watch App of the Year
As we head into the holiday weekend, it’s always nice to share happy local startup news—especially during a year as tumultuous as 2016: Apple has chosen Ann Arbor, MI-based MySwimPro as the year’s top Apple Watch app. “We definitely weren’t expecting to win anything like that,” says CEO Fares Ksebati. “When you’re trying to build a … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s MySwimPro Named Apple Watch App of the Year”
Seattle Week in Review: Light Reading for the Darkest Day
As the darkest day of the year approaches—Winter Solstice is Dec. 21—we’re taking in some low-angle winter sun and catching up on a few news items from the past week. Check out new data on venture capital’s lack of diversity, a survey of diversity at Seattle startup companies, applied research funding for teams at Washington’s … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Light Reading for the Darkest Day”
Geekdom Touts Five-Year Rise of Downtown San Antonio’s Tech Scene
San Antonio—Downtown San Antonio has been better known for its tourist attractions in recent decades than its business activity. In the last five years, however, a tech corridor has emerged in the sprawling city’s urban core. Multiple co-working spaces, various accelerator programs, and infrastructure investments like a new tech-focused high school are helping San Antonio’s … Continue reading “Geekdom Touts Five-Year Rise of Downtown San Antonio’s Tech Scene”
Smack Might Be the Future of Social Apps, But I’m Not Cool Enough
I’ve got a confession to make: I don’t get Snapchat. I consider myself a generally tech-savvy person. I own a smartphone, I know my way around your average software program or mobile app, and I’m giddily hoping Santa delivers me an Amazon Echo Dot on Dec. 25. But even though I’m a 27-year-old tech journalist, … Continue reading “Smack Might Be the Future of Social Apps, But I’m Not Cool Enough”
Techstars Teams with Amazon for Alexa Startup Accelerator in Seattle
Alexa, what’s the epicenter of innovation in speech as the new user interface? A good case can be made for Seattle, following an announcement today from Techstars and Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]). Techstars, a top-tier startup accelerator with locations around the world and a major presence in Seattle since 2010, will begin a second program here … Continue reading “Techstars Teams with Amazon for Alexa Startup Accelerator in Seattle”
Seattle Week in Review: A Chill in the Air and a Flurry of Funding News
Winter is coming. Yes, I’m talking about the weather. Meanwhile, a flurry of tech news from the Seattle area emerged through the deafening cacophony of news and reaction to America’s new political reality. Read on for funding news from Tola Capital, Heptio, M87, Apptentive, Echo Health Ventures, and more. —Tola Capital, a Seattle-based venture fund, … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: A Chill in the Air and a Flurry of Funding News”
Spoiler Alert Eats $2.5M to Grow Online Surplus Food Marketplace
About 42 million Americans struggled with “food insecurity” last year, meaning they lacked access to quality food or went hungry at times. Meanwhile, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the nation’s food supply goes to waste, costing farms and businesses billions of dollars each year. The leaders of Boston startup Spoiler Alert think software … Continue reading “Spoiler Alert Eats $2.5M to Grow Online Surplus Food Marketplace”
Boston Tech Watch: TVision Tracks Eyeballs, Diffeo Grabs Cash, & More
Here are a few of the latest happenings in the Boston-area tech scene: —MIT spinout TVision Insights raised $6.8 million in an investment round led by Accomplice, with contributions from Golden Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Itochu Technology Ventures, and Project 11 Ventures. The Boston-based company uses sensors and software to detect TV viewers’ eyes, in order … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: TVision Tracks Eyeballs, Diffeo Grabs Cash, & More”
Roundup: Techstars Leaves, U.K. Healthcare Firms Arrive, & Other News
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: Austin: —Techstars Ventures and Texas-based angel investors have added $1 million to the $1.6 million previously raised by NuPark, an Austin startup with video technology to help schools and governments better manage parking. NuPark says its software can help customers manage permit sales, … Continue reading “Roundup: Techstars Leaves, U.K. Healthcare Firms Arrive, & Other News”
Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio
San Antonio—Techstars Cloud is closing its San Antonio accelerator program focused on cloud computing startups after four years in the Alamo City, according to managing director Blake Yeager. Yeager is staying with Techstars but moving to the company’s headquarters in Boulder, CO, where he’ll work as vice president of engineering for the national chain of … Continue reading “Techstars Decides to Close Cloud Accelerator in San Antonio”
Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark
Austin—NuPark, a startup with video technology and software that helps customers like schools and governments manage parking, has added $1 million in new funding to the $1.4 million seed round the company raised last year, CEO Kevin Uhlenhaker tells Xconomy. That brings NuPark’s total seed money to about $2.6 million, including an early friends and … Continue reading “Techstars, Angels Add $1M to Seed Round for Parking Startup NuPark”
The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM
When the CEO of Meetup took the stage last week at the latest New York Tech Meetup (NYTM), there was a touch of expectation that something eye-opening might happen. Several years prior, Scott Heiferman—who is also the co-founder of NYTM—infamously took a sledgehammer to a new Apple iPad in order to call attention to changes … Continue reading “The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM”
Austin’s DivInc Accelerator Focuses On Minority Startup Founders
Austin—Preston James left his position as chief of Dell Computer’s Global Center for Entrepreneurs two years ago, and decided to mentor and invest in startup founders full-time, most notably through an affiliation with Austin’s Capital Factory and the Central Texas Angel Network. He quickly noticed that, as an African-American, the faces he saw rarely resembled … Continue reading “Austin’s DivInc Accelerator Focuses On Minority Startup Founders”
Survey: Tech Startup Leaders Want Diversity, Not Sure How to Reach It
Tech startup leaders “want to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, but many simply don’t know what to do to build inclusive teams.” That’s how Techstars co-founder and co-CEO David Cohen put it in a blog post earlier this week summarizing the results of a survey of 680 startup founders and top executives, mainly of … Continue reading “Survey: Tech Startup Leaders Want Diversity, Not Sure How to Reach It”
Barclays & Techstars Graduate Latest Fintech Accelerator Class in NY
Today, 10 teams will demo their fintech ideas as the latest batch of startups to come through the Barclays Accelerator in New York. British bank Barclays and startup accelerator Techstars collaborate to run the program here, with managing director Jenny Fielding heading things up. She also runs the Techstars IoT (Internet of Things) Accelerator in … Continue reading “Barclays & Techstars Graduate Latest Fintech Accelerator Class in NY”
As Rackspace Sells to Apollo for $4.3B, Locals and Cloud Feel Impact
San Antonio—Even though it now has more than $2 billion in annual revenue, Rackspace is a company whose roots are in the nimble startup world. That’s epitomized by a decision in the late 1990s, when the company’s co-founders—Richard Yoo, Dirk Elmendorf, and Pat Condon—transitioned the business from being an Internet service provider and app developer … Continue reading “As Rackspace Sells to Apollo for $4.3B, Locals and Cloud Feel Impact”
Circular Board Founder Carolyn Rodz Puts New Spin on the Accelerator
Houston—There is a lot of discussion in the startup world about how to better support women entrepreneurs. Carolyn Rodz decided to tackle one aspect of it: the accelerator. “We wanted to take best practices from accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator, and build something that is for women,” says Rodz, who launched the Circular Board … Continue reading “Circular Board Founder Carolyn Rodz Puts New Spin on the Accelerator”
Lighter Capital Aims Revenue-Based Loans at Salesforce App Makers
[Updated 9:27 p.m. See below.] Lighter Capital expects to lend money to 11 small businesses this month. That’s exactly how many deals the Seattle-based company made in all of 2013, said CEO BJ Lackland. The growth is emblematic of the company’s overall expansion since Lackland took over as chief executive in 2012. At the time, … Continue reading “Lighter Capital Aims Revenue-Based Loans at Salesforce App Makers”
Techstars Alum AirFox Adds to Boston’s Sponsored Data Cluster
Silicon Valley rules most areas of high tech in the U.S., but Boston can make a case that it’s the epicenter of the emerging “sponsored data” sector, with a handful of startups powering services that give smartphone users free Internet access if they interact with ads or use a sponsor’s app or website. Three Boston-area … Continue reading “Techstars Alum AirFox Adds to Boston’s Sponsored Data Cluster”
Robotic Kitchens, Sports Apps, Hedge Fund Bets & More Boston Tech
[Updated 8/2/16, 3:18 p.m. See below.] We’ve officially entered the dog days of summer, although it already felt like that with the recent heat wave. Now that temperatures in Boston have cooled down a little, take a moment to catch up on some recent local tech headlines that you might’ve missed: —In one of the … Continue reading “Robotic Kitchens, Sports Apps, Hedge Fund Bets & More Boston Tech”
Seattle Week in Review: Watching History at the DNC, and Dick’s Drive-In
It was an historic week, and, with the end of the two major parties’ conventions, perhaps time for a summer break from politics? (Not likely.) We’re reviewing a few tech-related highlights of Hillary Clinton’s acceptance speech, as well as local tech news from Washington State University, which is expanding computer science programs; a new role … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Watching History at the DNC, and Dick’s Drive-In”
Seattle Week in Review: Happy Independence Day Edition
Happy Independence Day Weekend. (And Happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the north.) Xconomy Seattle is planning to harvest some Dungeness crab from Puget Sound, eat fresh berries in patriotic colors, and contemplate freedom in the midst of the craziest political season of our lives. But first, here’s a recap of some technology news—University … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Happy Independence Day Edition”
Gener8tor Opening Minnesota Office, First Class to Start in Fall
Gener8tor’s westward march along Interstate 94 continues. The startup accelerator, which launched in Milwaukee in 2012 before adding programs in Madison, WI, said on Thursday that it plans to open an office in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and enroll its first class of early-stage companies there later this year. “We see a really robust market … Continue reading “Gener8tor Opening Minnesota Office, First Class to Start in Fall”
With Tech Charter School, San Antonio Groups Aim to Boost Workforce
San Antonio—For many startups, finding the right people is at least as important as developing the right idea. The sooner you build out a talented staff, the sooner you can implement your plan. In San Antonio, city leaders, a local grocery store chain, and an industry-focused nonprofit are taking that concept to a new level … Continue reading “With Tech Charter School, San Antonio Groups Aim to Boost Workforce”
Web Communications Company Twilio Raises $150M in IPO
Twilio, a Web communications company reportedly valued at more than $1 billion after a financing last year, raised $150 million in its initial public offering today, according to a press release. The San Francisco-based company sold 10 million shares for $15 each, higher than its expected range of $12 to $14 a share. The company … Continue reading “Web Communications Company Twilio Raises $150M in IPO”
Seattle Space Sector Ready for Its Close-up
The Seattle area’s commercial space businesses will showcase themselves and the region to the broader industry as the NewSpace conference kicks off here for the first time Tuesday. More than 500 people are expected for the three-day event, put on by the Space Frontier Foundation, which will also be highlighting its new initiatives meant to … Continue reading “Seattle Space Sector Ready for Its Close-up”
Techstars Alum Netra Nabs Funding, Customers After Strategy Shift
Computer vision might one day enable things like completely autonomous cars, but for now, companies are more frequently applying such technology to more tractable (and lucrative) problems in sectors like marketing and e-commerce. The latest example is Netra, a nearly three-year-old Boston startup that today announced $1.85 million in new venture funding led by Launchpad … Continue reading “Techstars Alum Netra Nabs Funding, Customers After Strategy Shift”