Alex Baron is a pretty hard-core technical guy: Advanced degrees in computer science and statistics, expertise in machine learning, experience in the finance world and high-tech industry. So when he was confronted with a sometimes-elusive piece of human biology—how to get two people together at just the right time to conceive a baby—it was pretty … Continue reading “TechStars Grad Ovuline Gets $1.4M for Pregnancy-Tracking Software”
Tag: TechStars
CES Countdown: Startups Plant their Flags and Changes Coming to TV
Each January the makers of gadgets big and small bring an electronic carnival to Las Vegas as they tease the world with glimpses of devices they plan to unleash during the coming year. A few changes are in store for next week’s International CES, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby hotels. After … Continue reading “CES Countdown: Startups Plant their Flags and Changes Coming to TV”
An Xconomy Experiment in Crowdfunding, Colorado Style
Back in 2007, when Bob Buderi tapped out the first news story for the Xconomy Boston website, he wrote, “Ours is a grassroots endeavor, supported by some of the world’s great innovators and business leaders.” Our founding CEO and editor-in-chief took their lessons of entrepreneurship to heart—assembling a team of extraordinarily talented journalists who have … Continue reading “An Xconomy Experiment in Crowdfunding, Colorado Style”
Roundup: Madrona Invests in LUMO; news from Glympse, Carena, Sandglaz
As the year wanes, Seattle investors and companies are still closing some interesting deals. Here are a few highlights from recent days: —Madrona Venture Group, continuing its busy fourth quarter, is making its first investment in a consumer hardware company. The Seattle firm is leading a $5 million Series A investment in LUMO BodyTech, a … Continue reading “Roundup: Madrona Invests in LUMO; news from Glympse, Carena, Sandglaz”
Nike + TechStars: Another Licensing Deal for Top Startup Accelerator
TechStars, the top-tier startup accelerator program with branches across the country, is finding a bigger corporate appetite for its three-month startup “bootcamp” sessions. Nike has announced that it will partner with Boulder, CO-based TechStars for a version of the accelerator focused on using the sports apparel company’s Nike+ technology, which incorporates sensors and software to … Continue reading “Nike + TechStars: Another Licensing Deal for Top Startup Accelerator”
TechStars’ Apptentive Gets $1.2m to Improve Customer Service in Apps
If this is indeed the Christmas of the tablet, application publishers will have a huge new group of customers to serve in 2013. Lucky for them, Seattle startup Apptentive—which has closed a $1.2 million seed round from Founder’s Co-Op, Google Ventures, and others—is releasing a tool to help app developers do customer service better. A … Continue reading “TechStars’ Apptentive Gets $1.2m to Improve Customer Service in Apps”
TechStars Boston: 13 New Startups, from Super-Springs to Baby Makers
It’s no surprise to hear someone running a startup accelerator praise their latest flock for tackling a broad set of problems. But when TechStars Boston managing director Katie Rae praised the latest class of graduates for the diversity of their ideas, it turns out she wasn’t just reciting the standard speech. On Wednesday night, that … Continue reading “TechStars Boston: 13 New Startups, from Super-Springs to Baby Makers”
Zagster CEO Tim Ericson on Tapping Into the Sharing Economy
If you want to be the “Zipcar for bikes,” Boston is not a bad place to be—and Zagster isn’t a bad name. I first saw Zagster co-founder and CEO Tim Ericson speak at a TechStars Boston demo day in May. The Cambridge, MA-based bicycle-sharing startup has been around since late 2007 (fka CityRyde, based in … Continue reading “Zagster CEO Tim Ericson on Tapping Into the Sharing Economy”
TechStars NYC-alum Moveline Weathers Sandy, Raises $1.5M Along the Way
Across the Northeast, people, businesses, and governments continue the long work of recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy—and startups in New York were not spared from disruption. Moveline, a graduate of the spring TechStars NYC class, was one of them. The startup designs software used to compare prices from moving companies, and help people … Continue reading “TechStars NYC-alum Moveline Weathers Sandy, Raises $1.5M Along the Way”
Privy Gets Global Experience at 500 Startups Accelerator
Plenty of Boston-area tech startups want to learn from West Coast mentors. Few actually go out there and do it. And most that do, don’t come back. Privy is an exception—for now. The Boston startup, which helps restaurants and local businesses manage online marketing and promotions, is taking part in the 500 Startups Accelerator in … Continue reading “Privy Gets Global Experience at 500 Startups Accelerator”
A New Online “Pre-Accelerator” from Steve Blank and Startup Weekend
In the past, most early-stage startups went down one of three well-worn paths. They either rented office space from a business incubator, in the hope of running into investors and business partners; applied to an accelerator program like TechStars or Y Combinator, which provide mentorship and networking over a set period of several months in … Continue reading “A New Online “Pre-Accelerator” from Steve Blank and Startup Weekend”
In the Microsoft Accelerator with SD’s Embarke: ‘This is Not Easy!’
In their first 10 days at the Microsoft Accelerator program, Embarke CEO Al Bsharah says he and co-founder Bryan Hall have worked 16- to 20-hour days every day—“and we’re behind!” Of more than 600 startups that applied, Embarke was the only San Diego startup admitted to the intensive business-mentoring program. The accelerator, which began Oct. … Continue reading “In the Microsoft Accelerator with SD’s Embarke: ‘This is Not Easy!’”
Microsoft Azure Accelerator: 10 Startup Names to Watch
Microsoft’s partnership with the TechStars accelerator is taking another big step forward today: It’s announcing the first class of 10 startups admitted to the Azure cloud computing program. The software giant says it screened more than 600 applicants for the program, which houses startup founders in Microsoft’s office in the South Lake Union neighborhood—right near … Continue reading “Microsoft Azure Accelerator: 10 Startup Names to Watch”
From Yoga to Political Funding: ERA Summer Startups Demo Their Ideas
It is getting rather hectic these days in New York trying to keep track of each batch of startups getting a boost from an accelerator. TechStars New York naturally attracts plenty of attention but the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) program is busy making its own noise in town. The latest round of fledglings to emerge … Continue reading “From Yoga to Political Funding: ERA Summer Startups Demo Their Ideas”
Yes, Investing $100,000 in Boston-Area Companies Live on Stage Is Bananas
If there’s only one event you can attend this year—just one—it has to be the FutureM Shark Tank on October 25. That’s because you’re going to see real companies and real entrepreneurs receive $100,000 of actual money on the spot. And because you’ll get to view those companies through the eyes of luminaries like Fred … Continue reading “Yes, Investing $100,000 in Boston-Area Companies Live on Stage Is Bananas”
Flybridge Capital Expands New York Office, Keeps Boston Roots
After investing in New York startups such as social targeting technology company 33Across, database software developer 10gen, and social media management system developer tracx, Boston’s Flybridge Capital Partners quietly set up an office on Broadway in February, led by general partner David Aronoff. On Monday Flybridge said it sent Matt Witheiler, a principal with the … Continue reading “Flybridge Capital Expands New York Office, Keeps Boston Roots”
Boston Startup School’s Shaun Johnson: Seize the Opportunity
With the new school year under way, I thought it’d be a good time to get to know one of the area’s newer educational organizations: Boston Startup School. As its name suggests, Boston Startup School offers classes to people from all walks of life who are interested in working at a startup. More to the … Continue reading “Boston Startup School’s Shaun Johnson: Seize the Opportunity”
Amid Talk of Bubble, Xconomy Incubator Guide Grows to 121 Listings
After we put out the 2011 Xconomy Guide to Venture Incubators, my colleague Wade wrote a Friday column entitled “There Is an Incubator Bubble—And It Will Pop.” That particular guide listed 64 startup incubator programs, up from 34 in 2010, and 20 in our first guide in 2009. Wade concluded his column with the admonition: … Continue reading “Amid Talk of Bubble, Xconomy Incubator Guide Grows to 121 Listings”
8 Things We Learned This Summer About the Boston Tech Scene
Before you head out for the long holiday weekend—well, some of you—I wanted to remind you of one thing. Boston innovation scene, I am watching you. I am watching you because you are changing before my eyes. Some of it is surprising, some of it isn’t. Some of it is of local interest, but most … Continue reading “8 Things We Learned This Summer About the Boston Tech Scene”
Alnylam, OmniGuide, Ginger Software, and More from the Boston Deals Roundup
New England software makers, biotech companies, and startup incubators have been pumping out deals news in the last week. —Westford, MA-based RiverMeadow Software, whose technology helps migrate servers to the cloud, raised $5 million of a targeted $10.7 million equity-based offering, according to an SEC filing. —Ginger Software, a Lexington, MA-based maker of proofreading software, … Continue reading “Alnylam, OmniGuide, Ginger Software, and More from the Boston Deals Roundup”
Hukkster Brings Its Bookmarklets for Finding Discounts to E-commerce
Consumers may shrug these days when e-mails for deals and sales clog their inboxes, seeing as the Web is inundated with such offers. New York startup Hukkster believes it can help shoppers pinpoint the products they really want, with a “bookmarklet” service that alerts its users when prices drop on specific items they want to … Continue reading “Hukkster Brings Its Bookmarklets for Finding Discounts to E-commerce”
U-M Student Startup Fetchnotes Wins TechStars Spot
Fetchnotes, the Ann Arbor, MI-based startup founded by a group of University of Michigan students, announced today that it has been accepted into the national business accelerator TechStars Boston. It’s a prestigious program that accepts only 1 percent of startups that apply to participate, and Fetchnotes is the first U-M student startup to earn the … Continue reading “U-M Student Startup Fetchnotes Wins TechStars Spot”
Daily Deals Go Mobile With Ford’s New Roximity App
The days of considering a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive as a peaceful refuge from a busy week are clearly over. Now, we expect to be able to take our hyperconnected lives with us on the road, and if we can tell our cars exactly how and who to connect with, all the better. In the … Continue reading “Daily Deals Go Mobile With Ford’s New Roximity App”
Shawn Broderick, Now at Murfie, Says Innovation in Digital Music Is Only Beginning
Earlier this week news broke that Xconomist Shawn Broderick (center in the photo) was leaving the virtual goods exchange startup Oomba after a few months on the job. He joined the team when it acquired play140, the social gaming startup Broderick ran after he left his gig as TechStars Boston managing director. Broderick—who lists his … Continue reading “Shawn Broderick, Now at Murfie, Says Innovation in Digital Music Is Only Beginning”
TechStars Seattle: The Early Word on the Lucky Few
While most of us are enjoying the summer, one group of entrepreneurs is buckling down for three intense months of work. TechStars, the national tech startup accelerator program, has just named its latest Seattle-based class of companies. Well, most of them, anyway. Ten companies in all were chosen from a long list of applicants, and … Continue reading “TechStars Seattle: The Early Word on the Lucky Few”
TechStars Grad Lua Technologies Gets $2.5M from IA Ventures, Angels
New York’s Lua Technologies says it closed on a $2.5 million seed round Wednesday, led by Roger Ehrenberg’s IA Ventures. Lua, a graduate of this spring’s NYC TechStars class, developed a communication and collaboration platform geared for teams of workers who are constantly on the go. Angel investors participating in the seed round include Aaron … Continue reading “TechStars Grad Lua Technologies Gets $2.5M from IA Ventures, Angels”
Seven Socially Minded Startups to Take Flight at Fledge
Fledge, a new Seattle-based incubator for companies that hope to improve society, is announcing its first class of seven startups. The proto-companies will be running through the Fledge program for eight and a half weeks at the SURF Incubator co-working offices in downtown Seattle, and plan to have their demo day in late September at … Continue reading “Seven Socially Minded Startups to Take Flight at Fledge”
Tout’d Puts $1.4M Seed Round toward Updating Recommendation Platform
A plethora of apps and websites try to help users figure out where to shop and eat but New York-based Tout’d believes it has trumped its rivals by focusing on what friends rather than strangers recommend. This month the company announced it raised $1.4 million in a seed round led by Warner Hill Angels. The … Continue reading “Tout’d Puts $1.4M Seed Round toward Updating Recommendation Platform”
Mark Cuban-backed Condition One Zooms in on New Angles in Video
As much as the camera-loving public enjoys capturing the moment in video, the proverbial “big picture” often gets lost. Sure, there’s a focal point in every scene, but the context of the surroundings may be cut off when played back. Condition One, a graduate of this spring’s TechStars NYC class, developed a platform that can … Continue reading “Mark Cuban-backed Condition One Zooms in on New Angles in Video”
Microsoft Confirms Bing Fund, a New Angel Investment Vehicle
Microsoft’s enthusiasm for early stage companies is getting turned up another notch. Today, the company is pulling back the curtain on its new Bing Fund, an angel investment program targeting online and mobile startups. The fund is headed by Rahul Sood, a former entrepreneur who sold niche computer maker VoodooPC to Hewlett-Packard in 2006. Details … Continue reading “Microsoft Confirms Bing Fund, a New Angel Investment Vehicle”
Ubi Interactive Bets on Kinect, Finds a New Home in Seattle
Last Christmas was not shaping up to be a banner holiday season for Anup Chathoth. Sick and cooped up at home, the young entrepreneur was contemplating how he could revive an idea that he’d been crunching for several months. Chathoth and his partner, Chao Zhang, were trying to make a new device that could turn … Continue reading “Ubi Interactive Bets on Kinect, Finds a New Home in Seattle”
Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of Q2 2012: Editor’s Picks
You know the drill. Half of 2012 is in the books, and it’s time now to look back on our editor’s picks for top stories of Q2. Because I said so, that’s why. As usual, these aren’t always the highest-traffic stories (though in some cases they are). They are the stories that exemplify the reporting, … Continue reading “Xconomy Boston’s Top 20 Stories of Q2 2012: Editor’s Picks”
David Tisch and Others See Opportunities, Caveats with Kickstarter
The federal JOBS Act will make it easier for novice investors to use crowdfunding platforms to make actual equity investments in startups, rather than just donating money, as they can now through sites like Kickstarter. But with any crowdfunded project, there are some concerns to watch out for, according to David Tisch, managing director of … Continue reading “David Tisch and Others See Opportunities, Caveats with Kickstarter”
Startups Burst into Motion at Kinect Accelerator Demo Day
Thursday was the climactic final day for the first class of TechStars’ Kinect Accelerator, concluding not only with the standard on-stage pitches expected at a Demo Day, but also with a room full of actual, live, working demos. I was a mentor with the accelerator, and looking back across the full 13 weeks of the … Continue reading “Startups Burst into Motion at Kinect Accelerator Demo Day”
Status-Report Startup Thinkfuse Acquired by Salesforce
The trend of enterprise software consolidation marches on. On the same day that Microsoft confirmed its $1.2 billion buyout of corporate communication platform Yammer, Seattle startup Thinkfuse announced that it’s being acquired by Salesforce.com. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. It doesn’t sound like the Thinkfuse product will be ported over to Salesforce—in its blog post, … Continue reading “Status-Report Startup Thinkfuse Acquired by Salesforce”
TechStars NYC Spring Class Demos Their Ideas for Investors
A fresh batch of TechStars graduates held their demo day in New York today to show off ideas they believe can change how we shop, watch videos, invest in local businesses, and even move to new homes. The spring class of 13 startups pitched their platforms and technology to a full house at Webster Hall. … Continue reading “TechStars NYC Spring Class Demos Their Ideas for Investors”
N Reduce Opens Up As Alternative to Ultra-Elite Startup Incubators
Maybe getting rejected by Y Combinator isn’t such a bad thing. For Jacques Crocker, Ash Bhoopathy, and Rich Lengsavath it turned into the beginning of a new adventure: alongside their own startup, called Lizi, they’re introducing a new, more open startup accelerator called N Reduce. Announced on May 10 and known for less than a week as N … Continue reading “N Reduce Opens Up As Alternative to Ultra-Elite Startup Incubators”
What TechStars’ Progress in Boston Really Means for Innovation
As I walked out of the latest TechStars Demo Day spectacle in Boston yesterday, I was struck by one question: what does it all mean? Yes, 13 young startups made highly refined pitches to a theater full of angel investors, venture capitalists, and fellow entrepreneurs, to mark the end of the accelerator program. Yes, some … Continue reading “What TechStars’ Progress in Boston Really Means for Innovation”
Box Looks to New York, Boston, and Seattle for Innovation
At a time when new rivals are emerging in the file-sharing industry, Box in Palo Alto, CA, is looking to New York and other markets as potential destinations for opening new offices and finding talent. Box is a venture-backed startup that has made name for itself in Silicon Valley. In recent weeks, however, the company … Continue reading “Box Looks to New York, Boston, and Seattle for Innovation”
Xconomist of the Week: Michael Greeley Dissects the VC Data
Michael Greeley is no pessimist. Eeyores don’t get picked to run the New England Venture Capital Association, as Greeley did from 2005 to 2008, and they don’t win gubernatorial appointments to state entrepreneurship boards. But he’s more willing than most VCs to talk about troubling trends in the innovation economy. So we paid attention earlier … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Michael Greeley Dissects the VC Data”
NY Tech Day Brings Together Startups and Potential Investors
New York is teeming with events to showcase startups, but Thursday’s NY Tech Day presented a lineup of up-and-comers who, in some cases, drew more attention than big-name exhibitors such as tumblr. In its debut event, NY Tech Day brought out some 160 tech companies to the 69th Regiment Armory in New York’s Flatiron District. … Continue reading “NY Tech Day Brings Together Startups and Potential Investors”
Wander Obtains $1,200,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5fd6388f-2fcf-4da9-ae87-b92e551bb6d7&Preview=1 Date 4/20/2012 Company Name Wander Mailing Address Undisclosed Brooklyn, NY 11211 Company Description Wander, which co-founder Jeremy Fisher describes as a “a way to the see the world through other people eyes” is still under wraps but Fisher reveals that the final product will be “adjacent” to both the curation and … Continue reading “Wander Obtains $1,200,000 New Funding”
Microsoft, TechStars Unveil New Program for Azure Cloud Services
Updated 3 pm with correction Microsoft is taking its relationship with startup accelerator TechStars to another level. Today, the software company revealed that it’s sponsoring a second startup program based around the TechStars model, this time for companies that use Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing service. That’s in addition to the Microsoft-TechStars accelerator based on the Kinect … Continue reading “Microsoft, TechStars Unveil New Program for Azure Cloud Services”
GrabCAD Hosts Estonian President, Who Happens to Be Cyber Security Expert
The first sign that this was not a regular day was the State Police detail in the parking lot of the American Twine building near Kendall Square. Then, in the hallways, a group of secret-service types watching every door, and at least one person in a military uniform. They weren’t there to see Stavros, the … Continue reading “GrabCAD Hosts Estonian President, Who Happens to Be Cyber Security Expert”
Boston Startups Join New NY Incubator With Women, Mobile Niche
A New York startup incubator program is underway with a new class, and before you call me Captain Obvious, let me say I’m not talking about TechStars. This particular program may be navigating its way through the oft-reported incubator bubble with a very specific niche that should be obvious in its name: Women Innovate Mobile. … Continue reading “Boston Startups Join New NY Incubator With Women, Mobile Niche”
The Tap Lab, Backed by Harmonix Trio, Pushes Mobile Gaming Into Real World
You can’t box in Dave Bisceglia. Just when you think you know what location-based games are, or what mobile check-ins are, he goes and tries to upend the whole sector. Bisceglia and his fellow co-founder Ralph Shao (see photo, right) don’t know any better. They’re a couple of young guns—recent grads of Boston University and … Continue reading “The Tap Lab, Backed by Harmonix Trio, Pushes Mobile Gaming Into Real World”
Microsoft’s Kinect Accelerator: The Real Scoop on the Lucky Few
Microsoft is building on the momentum of its one surefire consumer hit, the Xbox video-game system, by expanding its motion- and sound-sensing Kinect controller into fields far beyond gaming. That’s where the Kinect Accelerator comes into play—it’s a hybrid program that gives startups access to Microsoft technology and top-flight mentors, while running entrepreneurs through a … Continue reading “Microsoft’s Kinect Accelerator: The Real Scoop on the Lucky Few”
Ex-Vertica/HP Honcho Lynch Talks Next Steps, New Big Data Investments
“I’m a fighter. I’m only happy when I’m in some kind of battle.” That would be Chris Lynch, the former CEO of Vertica Systems, the Cambridge, MA-based data analytics firm acquired by Hewlett-Packard for some $300 million a year ago. Lynch is looking for his next battle right now, since he left HP and Vertica … Continue reading “Ex-Vertica/HP Honcho Lynch Talks Next Steps, New Big Data Investments”
Intelligent.ly, Led by Balter & Hodges, Wants Boston to Learn New Tricks
At first I thought this might be a joke. Some fine wool pulled over the eyes of overworked, underslept journalists. The same week the “Bostlandia” video spoof comes out (shouldn’t it be Bostonia?) and there are all sorts of rumors flying around at Ruby Riot, surely this thing called “Intelligent.ly” isn’t for real. First of … Continue reading “Intelligent.ly, Led by Balter & Hodges, Wants Boston to Learn New Tricks”
HAXLR8R Opens a China-Based Accelerator for Hardware Startups
Over the last week, 10 lucky companies have been getting the calls from HAXLR8R: they’ve been admitted to the inaugural session of the startup world’s newest venture incubator. Following the popular model pioneered by TechStars and Y Combinator, HAXLR8R will provide teams with a stipend of $6,000 per founder and about three months of mentorship, … Continue reading “HAXLR8R Opens a China-Based Accelerator for Hardware Startups”