There have been so many big headlines coming out of Boston this week—OK, really just one, about Tom Brady—that it’s been easy to miss some of them. With that in mind, here’s a roundup of some technology news of import: —Databox, a Boston company that helps marketers and managers track data from services such as … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Databox, Ascent, LogMeIn, & More”
Tag: TechStars
What Bubble? Techstars Boston Keeps Trying to Build Real Businesses
If you cover the technology startup industry, two words you are getting sick of seeing are “bubble” and “unicorn.” In place of the former, you are hearing more about a coming “correction” in valuations and so forth. In place of the latter, you mostly get people shaking their heads at what the term even means. … Continue reading “What Bubble? Techstars Boston Keeps Trying to Build Real Businesses”
In New York, A Digital Health ‘Mashup’ Builds A Startup Army
[Corrected 8/24/15, 12:40 pm. See below.] The booming field of digital health means different things to different people. Even the president of StartUp Health, a New York-based firm that wants to help build 1,000 digital health startups—yes, literally—acknowledges his company is a little tough to define. “We’ve had a challenge with how people bin us … Continue reading “In New York, A Digital Health ‘Mashup’ Builds A Startup Army”
AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston
As you might expect, mobile apps are pretty vulnerable to security breaches. That means hackers can get at users’ personal, financial, or health-related information via the apps on their phones. Plenty of tech companies are trying to protect against these mounting threats. One of them is AppInside, which says today it has raised $2.3 million … Continue reading “AppInside Gets $2.3M to Fix Mobile-App Security and Move to Boston”
How to Build a Smarter Water Cooler: The Bevi Story
This startup has a little of everything. Software, hardware, Internet of Things. Consumer tech, enterprise sales, even environmental impact. All in a neat package that looks like a high-tech vending machine. Boston-based Bevi (formerly called Refresh), makes an Internet-connected kiosk machine that dispenses customized drinks using tap water. On a touchscreen interface, you can select … Continue reading “How to Build a Smarter Water Cooler: The Bevi Story”
As White House Hosts Demo Day, Techstars and Others Push Diversity
It’s no secret that the tech industry has diversity problems. Xconomy has covered the topic extensively, highlighting various allegations of misogyny, sexism, and harassment that occur at startups, as well as folks who are trying to change it for the better. That includes individuals like Robin Hauser Reynolds, who described the work of her documentary, … Continue reading “As White House Hosts Demo Day, Techstars and Others Push Diversity”
Microsoft Buys Austin-Based FantasySalesTeam
Austin, TX, is known for semiconductors and startups, for breakfast tacos and music festivals. It may also now be a hub for the gamification of business. Microsoft said Monday it is buying Austin-based Incent Games, a company that sells a fantasy sports-style tool called FantasySalesTeam that aims to help customers boost sales by treating its salespeople like fantasy … Continue reading “Microsoft Buys Austin-Based FantasySalesTeam”
Roundup: New Money for FlexGen, Neos, MacroFab, Castle & Other News
Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: —Houston-based FlexGen Power Systems announced Monday it has raised a $25.5 million Series A round of financing to further market and install its hybrid energy storage software in oilfield and power generation sites. The round was led by Denver-based Altira Group and includes investors such as … Continue reading “Roundup: New Money for FlexGen, Neos, MacroFab, Castle & Other News”
Techstars Alum DigitalOcean to Double Staff, Office Space with $83M
Next week, the team at DigitalOcean will move into a 30,000-square-foot office, in the same building but twice the size of its current digs, as it ramps up with more funding in hand. The New York-based company hosts cloud infrastructure, largely used by developers to build websites and apps. Along with the extra elbow room, … Continue reading “Techstars Alum DigitalOcean to Double Staff, Office Space with $83M”
As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education
The initial entrepreneur-investor meeting went well—I think. Venture capitalist Chris Lynch met Jonathan Cornelissen in a bar in Boston’s Back Bay. It was mid-May. The pitch part of the meeting was brief. The drinking part was not. “I ended up leaving without my shirt,” Lynch says. Literally: “I had a Sqrrl shirt on,” he says, … Continue reading “As Big Data Plateaus, DataCamp Raises $1M to Ramp Up Education”
Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China
The question is no longer whether we are in a tech bubble—we are—but rather what it all means for the future. And maybe the near future. Everyone seems to agree the market conditions are very different from 2000, but so what? Uber’s valuation is north of $40 billion, and the company is losing money as … Continue reading “Tech Bubble Talk Focuses on IPO Dearth, Overpriced Rounds, and China”
Astro Twists in Its Smart Light Bulbs in Connected Apartments
For all their promise of transforming homes into something out of Star Trek, connected devices are still trying to find a place in the mainstream. New York-based Astro, a graduate of the R/GA Accelerator, is building hardware and software that CEO Shaun Springer says could cast “smart homes” in a new light. His company’s platform … Continue reading “Astro Twists in Its Smart Light Bulbs in Connected Apartments”
Seattle Roundup: M&A Swarm, Element 8, STEM Diversity, & More
When the history of Seattle’s 21st century innovation economy is written (by a machine, of course), June 18, 2015, might mark the beginning of an important new chapter about the Global Innovation Exchange. In other news, there were acquisition announcements in bunches, headlined by Techstars’ pickup of UP Global; a new satellite company unveiled; more … Continue reading “Seattle Roundup: M&A Swarm, Element 8, STEM Diversity, & More”
Hunting, Millennial Marketing, and Credit Building: Austin Techstars 2015
Techstars events across the nation draw plenty of fanfare, from venture capitalists searching for emerging businesses to engineers looking for a job and maybe a free drink, too. In Austin, TX, on Wednesday, the local chapter of Techstars held a demo day for the 10 companies who recently completed its accelerator program. The program, which lasts for … Continue reading “Hunting, Millennial Marketing, and Credit Building: Austin Techstars 2015”
Techstars Acquires Nonprofit UP Global, As Startup Industry Matures
Techstars, one of the nation’s foremost startup accelerator programs, has acquired the nonprofit entrepreneurship education outfit UP Global in a bid to cover the full spectrum “from idea to IPO.” The Seattle-based nonprofit may be best known as the umbrella group overseeing Startup Weekend events, 54-hour sprints held in cities around the world in which … Continue reading “Techstars Acquires Nonprofit UP Global, As Startup Industry Matures”
Techstars’ David Cohen at Boston 2035 Wednesday: Less Chat, More Q&A
It’s all about the audience and the entrepreneurs. That’s the message from David Cohen, co-founder and managing partner of Techstars. Cohen is based in Boulder, CO, but will be in town Wednesday in part to deliver the closing keynote chat at Xconomy’s Boston 2035 event, our full-day conference at Babson College. I connected with Cohen … Continue reading “Techstars’ David Cohen at Boston 2035 Wednesday: Less Chat, More Q&A”
Copenhagen Wheel Rides and Hands-On Drones at Boston 2035 on June 17
Experience the future first hand. We are less than a week away from Xconomy’s full day innovation extravaganza, Boston 2035, which will take place at Babson College next Wednesday, June 17. The speaker lineup for this event exploring the Boston region’s long-term future is already off the charts—with legendary entrepreneur Desh Deshpande, David Cohen from Techstars, … Continue reading “Copenhagen Wheel Rides and Hands-On Drones at Boston 2035 on June 17”
What Do the Heads of Techstars & Boston Children’s Hospital Have in Common?
David Cohen and Sandra Fenwick both believe that Boston’s innovation community is poised to do huge things. Cohen, the founder and managing partner of Techstars, says Boston’s startup ecosystem will be “off the charts” in the next 20 years. Fenwick, the CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital, says the city’s healthcare and analytics expertise “will change … Continue reading “What Do the Heads of Techstars & Boston Children’s Hospital Have in Common?”
A Small Biz COO App: Five Questions for Shopventory’s Rares Saftoiu
Rares Saftoiu and Bach Le were working on the TurboTax engineering team at Intuit in San Diego when they decided to quit in 2013 to work full-time on Shopventory, a software startup they founded to serve small business owners. It was their second attempt at a startup while they were still working full-time at Intuit. … Continue reading “A Small Biz COO App: Five Questions for Shopventory’s Rares Saftoiu”
PillPack Picks Up Pace in Health IT With $50M Deal Led by CRV
It’s no surprise that the latest tech startup to go big in Boston is in health IT. The sector has been burgeoning locally and will probably see more big funding deals this year. PillPack, an online pharmacy and medication management company, said Wednesday that it has raised $50 million in a financing round led by … Continue reading “PillPack Picks Up Pace in Health IT With $50M Deal Led by CRV”
CarePort Health Gets $2.2M to Aid Patients After Hospital Visits
Anyone who has taken care of aging parents or family members knows the agony of navigating all the doctors, insurance claims, and post-hospital care. That last one is its own special nightmare: once patients are discharged, they are basically on their own to find the right rehab facility, nursing home, or home healthcare agency. And … Continue reading “CarePort Health Gets $2.2M to Aid Patients After Hospital Visits”
Qualcomm Names First 10 Companies to Robotics Accelerator
Following a global recruiting effort that yielded hundreds of applications, San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) today named the 10 startups selected for the new robotics accelerator program it is operating with Techstars. The inaugural class includes two San Diego robotics startups, Inova Drone and CleverPet, San Francisco-based Carbon Robotics, and early stage companies from Singapore; … Continue reading “Qualcomm Names First 10 Companies to Robotics Accelerator”
Boston 2035: Here’s the Agenda for New England’s Future on June 17
You want robots? We got robots. You want cybersecurity? We got cybersecurity. Healthcare and biotech? Yup, got those too, along with a healthy dose of marketing tech, big data analytics, entrepreneurship education, venture capital, and a few other pillars of the New England innovation ecosystem. It’s all coming to you on June 17 at Babson … Continue reading “Boston 2035: Here’s the Agenda for New England’s Future on June 17”
Boston’s Innovation Future Hinges on People, Startups, Relationships
From time to time, we need to step back and think about the future. What will New England’s business and innovation community look like in 10 or 20 years? Where will it fit into the national and global picture? We can start by talking about the strengths of the region. Biotech, pharma, and healthcare have … Continue reading “Boston’s Innovation Future Hinges on People, Startups, Relationships”
FinTech Could Be the Core NYC Needs to Differentiate Its Startup Scene
Consumer-driven startups tend to spread like wildfire in this town, from shopping for pet products to apps for finding hip nightspots—but tech ideas born from New York’s financial heritage have been something of a slow burn. It is about time that changed. This summer, the Barclays Accelerator, in partnership with Techstars, will host its first New … Continue reading “FinTech Could Be the Core NYC Needs to Differentiate Its Startup Scene”
SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public
SnowShoe, a startup founded in Wisconsin, continues trying to make its mark. This week, it announced the release of new software it says will let anyone “build digital experiences” out of real-world toys. It also announced investors have pumped $1 million into the business. SnowShoe makes what it calls “clever pieces of plastic” that interact … Continue reading “SnowShoe Raises $1M Round, Releases Kits to Public”
Techstars NYC Firms Up Its Technology Muscles in Latest Class
Brad Feld, a Techstars co-founder, did not mince words when he grabbed the microphone at demo day. “I think this Techstars class is the most technically deep Techstars class that I’ve seen,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible to see it here in New York City.” That was his assessment of the winter 2015 class of … Continue reading “Techstars NYC Firms Up Its Technology Muscles in Latest Class”
Why Etsy’s IPO Could Silence Haters of the New York Tech Scene
Over and over, it seems technology startups in New York have to validate their existence to outsiders. Whether it is comparisons to the legacy of Silicon Valley or the depth of research in Boston, this city never measures up for some folks. Hecklers in the peanut gallery want to see big exits or companies go … Continue reading “Why Etsy’s IPO Could Silence Haters of the New York Tech Scene”
Announcing Boston 2035: Innovating the Future Starts Now
Twenty years is a long time to plan for. But as Bostonians (OK, Cantabrigians too), we like to think long-term around here. So now is a good time to discuss what the future of the high-tech and life sciences cluster in New England will look like in the year 2035. Looking out more than a … Continue reading “Announcing Boston 2035: Innovating the Future Starts Now”
Fetchnotes Co-Founder on Mobile Collaboration, Acquisition by Driftt
Buoyed by $15 million in venture funding, Cambridge, MA-based Driftt announced this week that it has acquired Ann Arbor-born startup Fetchnotes. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Fetchnotes co-founder and CEO Alex Schiff confirmed that it’s purely a technology acquisition; none of the Fetchnotes team will join Driftt. In 2012, Fetchnotes was … Continue reading “Fetchnotes Co-Founder on Mobile Collaboration, Acquisition by Driftt”
Techstars NYC Alum Dash Brings Connected Cars to NY Tech Meetup
Tuesday night was a chance to catch up with a few familiar faces from New York’s innovation scene—and to bid adieu to a longtime fixture of New York Tech Meetup. Before the demos from Dash and others got rolling, Jessica Lawrence, NYTM’s executive director, brought Nate Westheimer back to the stage one more time via … Continue reading “Techstars NYC Alum Dash Brings Connected Cars to NY Tech Meetup”
Placester Adds $15M to Expand in Real Estate Marketing
One of the Boston area’s fast-growing software startups is making progress in real estate marketing. Placester says today it has raised a $15 million Series B round, which brings its total funding to about $23 million. The round was led by New Enterprise Associates (a new investor), and previous investor Romulus Capital also participated. Placester … Continue reading “Placester Adds $15M to Expand in Real Estate Marketing”
Is Disney-DraftKings a Done Deal? $250M Reasons to Say “No Comment”
Disney appears to be making a bet with DraftKings, the Boston startup that lets users make fantasy sports bets on a daily, per-game basis. The entertainment conglomerate’s wager is a little more substantial than a guess about a basketball or football player’s performance; Disney is investing $250 million in DraftKings and its digital media tool, … Continue reading “Is Disney-DraftKings a Done Deal? $250M Reasons to Say “No Comment””
Gearing Up for Robo Madness West on April 7: Here’s the Agenda
Robots and jobs. Robots and Steve Jobs. Robots and Steve Cousins. The cousins of all your favorite robots. Please forgive the word association frenzy. But all will be on display (or be discussed) on Tuesday, April 7, at SRI International in Menlo Park, CA. That afternoon, Xconomy is organizing its fourth annual Robo Madness West … Continue reading “Gearing Up for Robo Madness West on April 7: Here’s the Agenda”
From FantasyHub to Self Lender, The Techstars Austin 2015 Class
[Updated 3/24/15, 5:17 pm. See below.] A business that connects hunters with landowners and a company that helps consumers establish a credit history are among the latest participants in Techstars’ accelerator in Austin, TX. Techstars posted the names of the 10 companies yesterday that will participate in its three-month intensive boot camp from now through … Continue reading “From FantasyHub to Self Lender, The Techstars Austin 2015 Class”
Localytics Pushes Mobile Marketing with $35M Series D
Localytics may be hitting its stride. In the ever-difficult tightrope walk of increasing revenues while also growing a company, the Boston-based mobile marketing company is doing both. It passed the $10 million mark for revenue run rate in 2014, 2.5 times greater than the prior year, according to CEO Raj Aggarwal. And it has a … Continue reading “Localytics Pushes Mobile Marketing with $35M Series D”
Boston-Based Help Scout, Though Profitable, Takes $6M Series A
Help Scout, a Boston company whose software aids small and medium-sized businesses with e-mail customer support, is taking a $6 million Series A funding round four years after its founding, and after already achieving profitability. The company, profiled by Xconomy in 2011 after it graduated from Techstars Boston, plans to use the funding to invest … Continue reading “Boston-Based Help Scout, Though Profitable, Takes $6M Series A”
Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene
Austin Ventures funded many of the first generation of technology companies that put the Texas capitol on the innovation map. But after three decades and 10 funds, the venture capital firm has decided not to raise an 11th for early stage investing. The announcement set off speculation in a recent article in Fortune that the … Continue reading “Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene”
R/GA Techstars Accelerator Charts New Path with Internet of Things
The tone has shifted at the R/GA Accelerator, with its latest class largely focused on enterprise and business uses for the Internet of Things. Initially built to nurture ideas in connected devices, largely related to consumer markets, the New York-based accelerator took a new approach with its second class of startups. This is part of an … Continue reading “R/GA Techstars Accelerator Charts New Path with Internet of Things”
Datadog Acquires Big Data Analytics & App-Building Platform Mortar Data
Just weeks after raising new funding, New York-based Datadog went shopping. On Wednesday, cloud monitoring service Datadog announced it acquired Mortar Data, a startup also based in New York that provides analytics and developed a software platform used by companies to build their own big data applications. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. … Continue reading “Datadog Acquires Big Data Analytics & App-Building Platform Mortar Data”
Techstars Closes $150M Seed and Early Stage Fund
Techstars has closed a $150 million third fund to make seed and early stage investments, the Boulder, CO-based startup accelerator announced Wednesday. Techstars co-founder and CEO David Cohen said the fund will be focused on investing on startups that have graduated from the accelerator or have other ties to the program. According to its website, … Continue reading “Techstars Closes $150M Seed and Early Stage Fund”
Austin-Based Yard Care Startup LawnStarter Raises $1M Seed Round
Mowing the yard might get easier—or rather, finding the right person to mow the yard for you. At least that’s the ambition of LawnStarter, an Austin, TX-based startup that wants to become the tool homeowners turn to when they need to find a local company to take care of their lawns. LawnStarter this week raised … Continue reading “Austin-Based Yard Care Startup LawnStarter Raises $1M Seed Round”
Schools Should Nurture Kids’ Natural Knack for Entrepreneurship
I think the most important change we could make in education would be to put more emphasis on exposing kids to entrepreneurship, starting very early on. I’ve found that kids have a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship—we just need to give them the opportunity to learn and practice the skills they need to act on their … Continue reading “Schools Should Nurture Kids’ Natural Knack for Entrepreneurship”
Techstars Expands With New Accelerator in Berlin
How do you say “startup accelerator” in German? We might soon know, now that Techstars is opening a new program in Berlin. The first program is this summer, with applications being accepted through March 15. Techstars said the program will be run in English, and it expects to have more than 100 mentors. Techstars announced … Continue reading “Techstars Expands With New Accelerator in Berlin”
Big D’s VentureSpur Targets Innovation in Retail & Restaurants
The VentureSpur accelerator in Dallas aims to make itself the destination of innovation that reflects the city’s overall economy: retail and restaurants. It makes sense when you’re located in the home of retailers ranging from luxury peddler Neiman Marcus to more down-market JCPenney, as well as food chains like Brinker International Restaurants, which has Chili’s … Continue reading “Big D’s VentureSpur Targets Innovation in Retail & Restaurants”
Boston Tech Roundup: Freight Farms, Autodesk, Mavrck, Atlas
Startups are raising money, a small developer shop has been acquired, and the split-up of a venture capital firm motors along in this collection of recent deals around the Boston-area tech sector: —Freight Farms, a Boston-based startup that sells hydroponic vegetable-growing systems housed in shipping containers, has raised $3.7 million in new investment led by Spark Capital. … Continue reading “Boston Tech Roundup: Freight Farms, Autodesk, Mavrck, Atlas”
Techstars Hires Startup Vet to Run Qualcomm Robotics Accelerator
Ryan Kuder, a San Diego startup veteran who left the mobile device recycler EcoATM earlier this year, has been hired to lead the new robotics startup accelerator that Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) is establishing under a deal with Techstars. Boulder, CO-based Techstars, which just announced its 16th startup program last week in Detroit, named Kuder as … Continue reading “Techstars Hires Startup Vet to Run Qualcomm Robotics Accelerator”
Ford, Magna, Verizon Help Launch Techstars Program in Detroit
If you’re looking for further validation that Detroit’s tech ecosystem is gaining respect in the eyes of the world, here it is: Ford, in partnership with global auto supplier Magna International and Verizon Telematics, will announce today that it is helping to bring the esteemed Techstars startup accelerator to the Motor City. Techstars Mobility will … Continue reading “Ford, Magna, Verizon Help Launch Techstars Program in Detroit”
Techstars, Mayo Clinic Team Up to Launch Post-Accelerator Program
Add the Mayo Clinic to the list of companies, entrepreneurs, and investors that are in Techstars’s seemingly ever-growing network. The Boulder, CO-based startup accelerator announced today that it has a new relationship with the Rochester, MN-based nonprofit hospital and research institute that will enable healthcare-related Techstars startups to work with experts from the Mayo Clinic … Continue reading “Techstars, Mayo Clinic Team Up to Launch Post-Accelerator Program”
An Xconomy Analysis: Five Ideas to Boost San Diego’s Software Sector
Like a lot of cities, San Diego is jealous of Silicon Valley. Not jealous of Silicon Valley as a place, but jealous of the tech innovation and startup activity that happens there. As ServiceNow (NYSE: [[ticker:NOW]]) CEO Frank Slootman said earlier this year, the Bay Area is “one beehive of talent that is constantly reconstituting … Continue reading “An Xconomy Analysis: Five Ideas to Boost San Diego’s Software Sector”