Techstars Austin introduced its first startup class this week, with entrepreneurs innovating in health care, retail, and wearable technology, among other sectors. More than 850 startups applied for the 10 slots available for the three-month accelerator program. The companies will end the program by participating in a demo day in late October. Boulder-based Techstars announced … Continue reading “Techstars Austin’s First Class: Startups in E-Commerce, Health, and 3D printing”
Tag: TechStars
$60.2M from ’90s Startups Make Boulder’s Polis 7th Richest U.S. Rep
Jared Polis, former tech entrepreneur, Techstars co-founder, longtime figure in Colorado’s tech scene, and now Boulder’s representative in Congress, is the seventh wealthiest lawmaker in Washington, according to rankings released today by the Hill, a print and online publication that covers politics and government. The Democratic Congressman’s personal wealth is an estimated $60.2 million, according … Continue reading “$60.2M from ’90s Startups Make Boulder’s Polis 7th Richest U.S. Rep”
Techstars Pieces Together Connected Devices Accelerator with R/GA
The hardware sector, regarded by some as the black sheep of the innovation world, is enjoying a bit of renewed interest from the startup community. On Monday the folks at Techstars in Boulder, CO latched on to this rising trend, announcing a new connected devices accelerator that will be in partnership with digital marketing agency … Continue reading “Techstars Pieces Together Connected Devices Accelerator with R/GA”
RichRelevance Goes Shopping for Data Analytics Platform, Buys Precog
After two years of trying to “go broad” with predictive data analytics, Precog has been bought by a company that wants it to “go deep.” RichRelevance announced earlier this week that it bought Precog, a Boulder, CO-based startup, for an undisclosed amount. RichRelevance specializes in personalized e-commerce software, and the San Francisco-based company works with … Continue reading “RichRelevance Goes Shopping for Data Analytics Platform, Buys Precog”
Orbotix Rolls Out Next-Gen Sphero, Considers Possible New Directions
The ball, reinvented, has itself been reinvented—and that means changes could be on the horizon for Orbotix, the Boulder, CO, startup that took the ball and put a robot inside it. Orbotix this morning launched Sphero 2.0, the next generation of the Sphero robotic ball that’s controlled by iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Sphero … Continue reading “Orbotix Rolls Out Next-Gen Sphero, Considers Possible New Directions”
Build Locally, Thrive Globally: CEO David Cohen on Techstars’ Future
As we wrap up our seventh year of the Boulder Techstars program, it’s been a time to reflect on the past and look to the future. Not just the future of Techstars, but of startups everywhere. Because we strongly believe that we’re making a difference that spreads far beyond the companies we invest in or … Continue reading “Build Locally, Thrive Globally: CEO David Cohen on Techstars’ Future”
Techstars Names New President, Accelerates Plans for Worldwide Reach
In its quest to go global, Techstars is going back to its roots. The Techstars startup accelerator held its annual demo day Thursday in its hometown of Boulder, CO. Along with pitches from 10 startups, the presentation included a rare joint appearance by all four Techstars founders and the introduction—or possibly reintroduction—of its new president, … Continue reading “Techstars Names New President, Accelerates Plans for Worldwide Reach”
Intuit Acquires Tax Planning Startup GoodApril Before Techstars Demo
GoodApril, we hardly knew you. The founders of the Techstars startup announced Thursday that Intuit has bought their company for an undisclosed price. GoodApril makes tax-planning software intended to help users reduce their annual tax bill, so the company seems like a logical fit with Intuit (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTU]]), which makes the TurboTax tax preparation and … Continue reading “Intuit Acquires Tax Planning Startup GoodApril Before Techstars Demo”
FullContact’s CEO Looks Back at Techstars, Two Years and $8.8M Later
This morning I went on a hike up Mt. Sanitas with the founders of Kato.im, Peter Hizalev and Andrei Soroker. It’s an exciting time for Peter and Andrei—they are presenting tomorrow as part of the Techstars Boulder 2013 class at Techstars Demo Day. As we hiked and talked about the past summer, Kato’s product, and … Continue reading “FullContact’s CEO Looks Back at Techstars, Two Years and $8.8M Later”
RoundPegg Uses Web-based Polls, Services to Build Stronger Cultures
Corporate culture is a tricky issue in the business world. Companies spend vast sums of money on consultants, surveys, and “Successories” motivational posters. Meanwhile, jaded employees roll their eyes when it comes time to take the annual survey or wisecrack their way through buzzword-filled HR meetings. Both points of view are justified. Studies show companies … Continue reading “RoundPegg Uses Web-based Polls, Services to Build Stronger Cultures”
Techstars Picks 11 Startups for 2013 Class in Seattle
Techstars Seattle has picked 11 startup companies to participate in its 2013 class, which begins today. The fourth edition of the top-tier startup accelerator in Seattle includes three companies working on some aspect of online education; a social media metrics play; a collaborative news reader for businesses; mobile customer service tools; a service for continuous … Continue reading “Techstars Picks 11 Startups for 2013 Class in Seattle”
Startup Phenomenon Launches, Aims to Capture Essence of Startup Hubs
You could call the recent interest in startup communities and entrepreneurial hubs a movement, a trend, a revolution, or possibly just a fad. But whatever it is, entrepreneurs clustered in cities around the world are making something happen, and as with any natural, technological, or economic phenomenon, people are watching it and trying to learn. … Continue reading “Startup Phenomenon Launches, Aims to Capture Essence of Startup Hubs”
Mile High Roundup: Winners Needed, TechStars, and $50K for Failures
Welcome to the Mile High Roundup, a look at some of the interesting things that have happened over the past two weeks in the tech scene in Boulder, Denver, and around Colorado. In this edition, Convercent’s CEO reminds Denver of a truth, TechStars’ Class of 2013 starts taking the stage, and the state finds four … Continue reading “Mile High Roundup: Winners Needed, TechStars, and $50K for Failures”
Content Marketing Platform Helps Kapost Raise $5.6M Series C Round
First things first: it’s Kapost, pronounced like “kaboom.” The idea of blowing up—but only in the good way—seems apt, following Kapost’s announcement Thursday that it has raised a $5.6 million Series C round. Boulder-based Kapost has raised $8.2 million the past three years and develops content marketing software. Basically, it’s a robust content management system … Continue reading “Content Marketing Platform Helps Kapost Raise $5.6M Series C Round”
Filip Technologies Drafts New CEO from Virgin Group, Plans NY Office
A British developer of a wearable communicator for kids has hired Jonathan Peachey, previously CEO of Virgin Management USA, and plans to open a U.S. headquarters in New York that will include tech talent in mobile, Web, and backend software development. Filip Technologies is putting the final touches on a device that functions as a … Continue reading “Filip Technologies Drafts New CEO from Virgin Group, Plans NY Office”
Orbotix’s Sphero Gets the Ball Rolling for Augmented Reality Games
When I first learned about Orbotix and its plan to build the first robot you could control with a smartphone or tablet, my reaction could pretty much be summed up as this: Shut up and take my money!!! That was less than three years ago. Orbotix, which is based in Boulder, CO, had just graduated … Continue reading “Orbotix’s Sphero Gets the Ball Rolling for Augmented Reality Games”
Detroit Startup Rippld Finds New Life in Silicon Valley
On a recent rainy summer morning, Adrian Walker, co-founder of the Detroit and now San Francisco-based startup Rippld, described how he almost threw in the towel on the fledgling team-building network he built for creative professionals. It was December 2012, and Rippld was nearly out of money, behind schedule on its public launch, and had recently … Continue reading “Detroit Startup Rippld Finds New Life in Silicon Valley”
TechStars Austin Will Complement City’s Vibrant Startup Scene
When TechStars last month announced that Austin would be home to its next outpost, many of us had the same thought: We thought you would have been there long ago. After all, the Texas capital is not a Johnny-come-lately on the technology scene. “It’s not for a lack of awareness about Austin, but more about … Continue reading “TechStars Austin Will Complement City’s Vibrant Startup Scene”
TechStars Boston Demo Day: Four Startups Taking Innovation Offline
TechStars Boston has officially unleashed its latest group of early stage companies, 14 startups with well-practiced pitches and big hopes. And this time around, several companies stood out for their focus on tackling real-world problems with software and online tools. That shouldn’t be a big surprise for a couple of reasons. First of all, we … Continue reading “TechStars Boston Demo Day: Four Startups Taking Innovation Offline”
TechStars Accelerator Plants Flag in People’s Republic of Austin
We don’t know if the people at TechStars like live music, barbecue, SXSW, and bats—but we definitely know they like startups, and that’s why they’re launching a new program in Austin, TX. TechStars CEO David Cohen announced this morning that Austin will be the home of the newest TechStars accelerator. The program offers about a … Continue reading “TechStars Accelerator Plants Flag in People’s Republic of Austin”
Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push
Orbotix got a little boost last week in its quest to make the Sphero robotic ball one of the must-have gadgets of 2013. CEO Paul Berberian said the $4 million equity financing Orbotix raised last week will be used to ramp up production for the holiday season. After all, there are only 224 shopping days … Continue reading “Orbotix CEO: $4M Round to Fund Sphero’s Holiday Shopping Season Push”
11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class
Four startups from the Boulder/Denver area are among the 11 companies that will be part of this summer’s TechStars program in Boulder. TechStars announced the members of the class this morning on its blog. The program begins today. The founders of the startups will work in Boulder to improve their business plans, refine their products, … Continue reading “11 Startups Get Down to Business in TechStars’ Latest Boulder Class”
Seattle Seeks to Stir Up More Startups With New McGinn Initiative
Seattle is the latest big city government to throw its weight behind the technology startup community, as mayors and economic development officials across the country grasp at an elusive formula for fostering more new companies with potential to create jobs. From New York City to San Francisco to state and national capitals, governments are trying … Continue reading “Seattle Seeks to Stir Up More Startups With New McGinn Initiative”
Cloud Seeding: Rackspace’s Soft Spot for Startups
There are at least three good reasons for a startup to apply to an accelerator or incubator program: the mentorship, the networking connections, and the money (around $100,000 if your company gets into a top-tier accelerator like Y Combinator). But at most accelerators, there’s another, lesser-known benefit: the swag—as in the free, or virtually free, … Continue reading “Cloud Seeding: Rackspace’s Soft Spot for Startups”
PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup
Sometimes it feels like all technology roads lead to the New York Tech Meetup. Fresh from Boulder, CO, David Mandell and the team from PivotDesk took the stage at last night’s gathering here to introduce themselves to the New York tech community. PivotDesk helps startups find space they can rent by connecting them with other … Continue reading “PivotDesk Plunges into the East Coast Market at New York Tech Meetup”
Placester Picks Up $2.5M to Push Real Estate Publishing Market
Here’s another snapshot of a tech startup making its way through the Series A crunch. This one hasn’t officially “made it” yet, but it seems to be doing just fine. The startup is Placester, a real-estate Web publishing company based in Cambridge, MA, and it is announcing a seed financing round of $2.5 million from … Continue reading “Placester Picks Up $2.5M to Push Real Estate Publishing Market”
Kickstart, a Utah-Based Seed Investor, Adds $26M to Regional Pot
There’s more money for entrepreneurs and startups in the Rocky Mountain West, following Kickstart Seed Fund’s announcement this week that it has raised $26 million to make seed-stage investments. Kickstart is based in Salt Lake City and invests in companies in Utah, Colorado, and the rest of the region, managing director Gavin Christensen said. This … Continue reading “Kickstart, a Utah-Based Seed Investor, Adds $26M to Regional Pot”
Kendall Square’s New Rules
With the events surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing last week, I have found it difficult to think about much else. Xconomy had previously invited me to write about the upcoming transformation MIT is bringing to Kendall Square. When it came time to sit down and write this piece, my first reaction was to pass. But … Continue reading “Kendall Square’s New Rules”
PivotDesk Expands to Help NYC, SF Startups Solve Real Estate Needs
When building a company, entrepreneurs have enough challenges, like perfecting their product and finding customers. Playing the guessing game about how much office space they need shouldn’t have to be one of them. That’s what David Mandell, co-founder and CEO of PivotDesk, thinks. The Boulder, CO.-based company and TechStars Boulder 2012 alum has created an … Continue reading “PivotDesk Expands to Help NYC, SF Startups Solve Real Estate Needs”
TechStars NYC alum Frederick Cook to Speak at NY Venture Challenge
Moveline co-founder and CEO Frederick Cook will give a glimpse of his startup’s evolution on April 25 at the “New York’s Venture Challenge” half-day forum organized by Xconomy. Moveline’s platform puts people who need to relocate in touch with moving companies they can hire and lets users create a video inventory of their stuff prior … Continue reading “TechStars NYC alum Frederick Cook to Speak at NY Venture Challenge”
TechSandBox Looking to Rally Entrepreneurs in Boston’s MetroWest
Here’s a concept: a Boston-area startup incubator outside of Route 128. What’s outside 128, you ask? A whole lot of experienced technology and life sciences workers, that’s what. And some of them want to start new companies, without commuting every day into the rush-hour hell that is Boston and Cambridge. That’s the impetus behind TechSandBox, … Continue reading “TechSandBox Looking to Rally Entrepreneurs in Boston’s MetroWest”
One of the Lucky Few: HighFive Kicks Off Nike+ Accelerator
Brent Gilmore was just looking for a Web domain. He wound up with a co-founder, a new company, and a trip across the country. Gilmore’s startup, HighFive, is part of the new Nike+ Accelerator program, a three-month product bootcamp run by prominent national startup accelerator TechStars. The program kicked off last month and runs through … Continue reading “One of the Lucky Few: HighFive Kicks Off Nike+ Accelerator”
Scaling the Peak: Denver Out to Follow Boulder’s Entrepreneurial Ascent
When Bart Lorang decided to build his startup in Denver just over a year and a half ago, the city wasn’t exactly a lonely place. Denver has a lively downtown, cool neighborhoods, and a diverse and energetic population. Lorang is the co-founder and CEO of FullContact, which is developing a cloud-based system for managing online … Continue reading “Scaling the Peak: Denver Out to Follow Boulder’s Entrepreneurial Ascent”
Telling the Story of Colorado Innovation, from Molecules to the Moon
Great communities deserve great journalism. It’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my career. And even with all the drama surrounding the media’s alleged decline, even with all the fretting over what will—or won’t—replace it, that truth remains. Why? Because there are too many great stories that need to be told, and … Continue reading “Telling the Story of Colorado Innovation, from Molecules to the Moon”
Announcing Xconomy Boulder/Denver—7th Region in Our Network
Thank you Boulder and Denver! We are extremely pleased to announce today the launch of Xconomy Boulder/Denver, the seventh bureau in our growing network of news sites covering the business of technology in key innovation clusters around the United States. We couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of the entrepreneurial and innovation communities … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Boulder/Denver—7th Region in Our Network”
What Greenstart’s Reboot Means for Cleantech—And For Accelerators
When Greenstart set up shop in San Francisco in 2011, it was the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to nurturing cleantech startups. Co-founder and managing partner Mitch Lowe said at the time that the organization’s mission was to fill a big gap: He wanted to give alternative energy entrepreneurs access to the same type of training, … Continue reading “What Greenstart’s Reboot Means for Cleantech—And For Accelerators”
Roundup: Kick, UW STEM Programs, Funds for Indochino, World CNG
[Corrected 3/26/13, 12:00 pm See below.] In addition to Decide’s $8 million funding round, local companies Indochino and World CNG raised capital this week. Meanwhile, new resources are being added to the front end of the local business and technology pipeline with expanded technology education programs at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma, and a new … Continue reading “Roundup: Kick, UW STEM Programs, Funds for Indochino, World CNG”
EverTrue Lands $5.25M to Build Out Alumni-Relations Mobile Tech
Anyone making it through the Series A crunch these days? EverTrue is. The Boston-based alumni-networking software startup has raised $5.25 million in Series A funding led by Bain Capital Ventures, with participation from previous investors Boston Seed Capital, TechStars’ David Cohen, Andy Dunn, and Brian Spaly. Bain Capital Ventures has been busy lately, bringing on … Continue reading “EverTrue Lands $5.25M to Build Out Alumni-Relations Mobile Tech”
Roundup: Dwellable Partnership, Front Desk Launch, Concur Buy & More
There was deal news for the leisure and business traveler this week as Dwellable partnered with FlipKey to expand the reach of its vacation rental app, and Concur bought conTgo to enhance business travel communications and marketing. Meanwhile, Front Desk landed cash from some big names ahead of its planned launch; Chris DeVore—a member of … Continue reading “Roundup: Dwellable Partnership, Front Desk Launch, Concur Buy & More”
Boston Startup School Adds NY, Gets New Name: Startup Institute
The push to remake higher education is picking up steam, and some Boston-based innovators are once again on the front lines. Boston Startup School, an education company that offers two-month skills training classes for people seeking to join early stage companies, says today that it’s expanding to New York with a first Big Apple-based class scheduled … Continue reading “Boston Startup School Adds NY, Gets New Name: Startup Institute”
TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced
TechStars, the top-shelf startup accelerator program, is kicking off its newest Boston class with a group that covers a wide array of sectors and includes several teams from outside the U.S. It’s the sixth time TechStars has run its three-month “bootcamp” for entrepreneurship in Boston, which is one of the program’s core cities. TechStars began in … Continue reading “TechStars Boston Spring 2013 Class Announced”
Roundup: Cozi, X2Impact Raise Funds, Angels Report, and More
Investors are making bets on Seattle companies including family organizer Cozi and X2Impact, which aims to prevent sports head injuries, while angel groups the Keiretsu Form Northwest and Northwest Energy Angels closed the books on 2012. And what happens if you locate an accelerator inside an incubator? An accelerbator? An inculator? 9Mile Labs and SURF … Continue reading “Roundup: Cozi, X2Impact Raise Funds, Angels Report, and More”
San Diego Opens CyberHive to Incubate Cybersecurity Startups
A cybersecurity initiative that began in San Diego several years ago has taken an interesting turn, with the formation of a new technology incubator for seed-stage companies developing new ways to defend computer networks, software, and data from malicious attacks. The incubator, called CyberHive San Diego, is modeled after a similar cybersecurity accelerator at bwtech@UMBC, … Continue reading “San Diego Opens CyberHive to Incubate Cybersecurity Startups”
TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM
Last night’s New York Tech Meetup put some familiar faces on stage, including the team at Shelby.tv, which gave a look at what the startup has been up to since last summer when it began to rebuild. From a big picture perspective, Shelby.tv continues to be about discovering video online; however this alumnus from the … Continue reading “TechStars Alum Shelby.tv Moves Back Towards Spotlight at NYTM”
New Accelerator LearnLaunchX Looks to Make Boston Ed-Tech Capital of the World
There’s a new startup accelerator in town. OK, there are a few—but this one specializes in technology and innovation in the field of education. LearnLaunchX, led by angel investor Jean Hammond and her team, is gearing up for its first group of startups this summer. Hammond spoke with me in conjunction with her nonprofit LearnLaunch’s … Continue reading “New Accelerator LearnLaunchX Looks to Make Boston Ed-Tech Capital of the World”
Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director
TechStars New York has a new managing director: Eugene Chung, a former senior associate at big VC firm New Enterprise Associates. He replaces David Tisch, who stepped down from the job in August and still has a role with the program. TechStars has emerged as one of the top startup accelerators in the country in … Continue reading “Eugene Chung Named New York TechStars Director”
Roundup: 9Mile, Invoke, nFluence, FlexMinder, Sigby, and Globys
Another Northwest startup incubator is launching, this one in Vancouver, BC, while Seattle’s newest, 9Mile Labs, adds to its roster of partners. Meanwhile, nFluence Media, FlexMinder, and Sigby each took on more than $1 million of additional investment, and Globys moved its headquarters to accommodate growth. —Voyager Capital alum Enrique Godreau and Microsoft exec Tom … Continue reading “Roundup: 9Mile, Invoke, nFluence, FlexMinder, Sigby, and Globys”
Ed-Tech Tidbits: Launch Academy, LearnLaunch Step Out
Everyone talks about the technical talent crunch in Boston (and other hubs). Few do anything about it. But today is all about the “launch.” More specifically, Launch Academy. And, secondarily, LearnLaunch. Launch Academy is an interesting new 10-week program designed to train new Web developers and help them land jobs in Boston-area tech companies. The … Continue reading “Ed-Tech Tidbits: Launch Academy, LearnLaunch Step Out”
Symform, Tred, LikeBright, UIEvolution, and More Seattle Tech Deals
Washington attracted 4 percent of VC investment in the fourth quarter of 2012—up from 2 percent a year earlier—and new deals are continuing to roll out for Northwest tech companies this year. Seattle TechStars grads Tred and LikeBright landed funding, along with Symform, UIEvolution, and Portland’s Janrain, which collected a whopping $33 million. Read on … Continue reading “Symform, Tred, LikeBright, UIEvolution, and More Seattle Tech Deals”
Feld, Herron, and O’Driscoll Talk Startups and Investments at Eureka Park
Beyond the glitz of new big ticket electronics, startup innovations sparked chatter at this year’s International CES in Las Vegas—especially after a trio of high-profile VCs came to Eureka Park, the startup-focused exhibitor area at the show. Frank Gruber, founder of Las Vegas–based media company and events organizer Tech Cocktail, moderated the spirited chat that … Continue reading “Feld, Herron, and O’Driscoll Talk Startups and Investments at Eureka Park”