Posts Tagged ‘Columbia’
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
 Appia is one of the top 100 mobile focused private companies selected by AlwaysOn Alwayson, a mobile focused publication, has named 100 emerging mobile companies it says “are transforming big industry and creating viable business models for the mobile marketplace.” While the list is heavily weighted toward West Coast firms, four we’ve covered, Durham, NC-based Appia, the mobile apps store headed by Jud Bowman, and Georgia’s Snapfinger, and Columbia, MD-based BoxtTone, and Baltimore-based Millennial Media, made the list.
Morgan Stanley, DCM, KPMG, Hewlett-Packard, Blackstone Group, Bridge Bank, Norwest Venture Partners, Fenwick & West, Silicon Valley Bank and AlwaysOn editors selected the companies. They identified the top 100 private companies that are pushing aggressively into the mobile space and turning the old smartphone into a must-have connected device.
Companies were selected based on five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value, and media buzz.
The overall winner? Palo Alto, CA-based Flipboard, in the social and consumer networking category. Founded in 2010, the 30 employee company’s venture backers include: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Index Ventures, The Chernin Group, and SV Angel.
The list includes firms in the categories of Advertising, Cloud Services, Commerce, Consumer and Social Networking, Devices and Enabling Technologies.
While you’ll find many names you know on the list (Foursquare, Evernote, and BOKU, for instance, you may also encounter a few you haven’t heard of yet. It’s worth a look.
Top 100 emerging mobile companies list
Tags: AlwaysOn, Appia, Baltimore, BoxTone, Columbia, Durham, Georgia, Maryland, Millennial Media, Mobile 100, mobile advertising companies, mobile device makers, mobile enablers, mobile social networking, NC, Snapfinger, top 100 mobile private companies
Posted in Carolinas, Georgia, Maryland, Mobile, North Carolina, Potomac, smartphones, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Telecommunications | Comments Off
Monday, May 9th, 2011
 SC Launch, an SCRA affiliate, today announced that three client companies will receive investments in undisclosed amounts for their continuing projects. Greenville-based Dannar, Columbia-based Senex Biotechnology and Charleston-based Madeira Therapeutics will each receive SC Launch funds after presentation to and subsequent approval by the SC Launch Board of Directors.
Based in Greenville, SC and developed by Gary Dannar, Dannar’s technology offers hybrid/battery-electric systems to reduce emissions in transportation vehicles. The Dannar – Mobile PowerStation (MPS) is a leading edge OEM of purpose built vehicles for the government roadside and “Right-of-Way” management market.
A company formed by recently-named USC Endowed Chair Dr. Igor Roninson and Dr. Lawrence Friedhoff, Senex Biotechnology develops novel therapeutics for the treatment of major diseases. Target technologies include the treatment of cancer, viral diseases and age-related diseases by targeting damage-inducible signal transduction pathways involved in cellular aging.
Located in Charleston, SC, Madeira Therapeutics was founded to develop new pharmaceutical products for unmet medical needs in the pediatric population. Currently the FDA does not run separate clinical trials for pediatric applications; doctors simply apply adult approved drugs at smaller doses for children. Madeira Therapeutics strives to ensure drug safety and efficiency for intended patients in the pediatric setting.
TechJournal South is a TechMedia company. TechMedia presents the annual conferences:
SoutheastVentureConference: www.seventure.org
Internet Summit: www.internetsummit.com
Digital East: www.digitaleast.com
Digital Summit: www.digitalsummit.com
Tags: Biotech, Charleston, clean energy, Columbia, Dannar, financing, Greenville, Maderia Therapeutics, SC, SC Launch, Senex Biotechnology
Posted in Biotech, Carolinas, Economic Development, Energy, Hardware, Money, South Carolina | Comments Off
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
 Mignon Clyburn WASHINGTON, DC – Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn has issued a statement saying that state efforts to limit municipal broadband deployments are new obstacles in meeting the goals of the National Broadband Plan.
In a statement issued April 4, she wrote:
“I have serious concerns that as the Federal Communications Commission continues to address broadband deployment barriers outlined in the National Broadband Plan, new obstacles are being erected that are directly contrary to the Plan’s recommendations and goals.
“I recently learned that several state legislatures are considering bills that are contrary to the deployment objectives of the Broadband Plan. For example, in North Carolina, the state legislature is currently evaluating legislation entitled ‘Level Playing Field/Local Government Competition.’ Last week the North Carolina House passed the bill, and it currently awaits consideration in the Senate.”
“This piece of legislation certainly sounds goal-worthy, an innocuous proposition, but do not let the title fool you. This measure, if enacted, will not only fail to level the playing field; it will discourage municipal governments from addressing deployment in communities where the private sector has failed to meet broadband service needs. In other words, it will be a significant barrier to broadband deployment and may impede local efforts to promote economic development.”
Seven of ten worst broadband deals in NC
Craig Settles, of Successful.com, a consulting firm with a heavy emphasis on municipal broadband and government use of mobile tech, tells us, “What we have here is a handful of corporations going into some of the most broadband-deficient states in the country, and subverting communities’ efforts to claw their way into the digital 21st Century. These entrenched incumbents are trying to pass rules that would make even Google’s support (similar to the Kansas City Gigabit City announcement) illegal. At least we’re now getting some attention from DC.”
That’s not just talk. Bandwidth.com, which does broadband mapping, shows that seven of the ten U.S. cities with the worst broadband connections at price per Mbps are in North Carolina. They include Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Wilmington, and Charlotte. Columbia, SC, is also on the list. South Carolina is also considering a bill to restrict municipal broadband.
Congressional action needed?
Clyburn points out hat the National Broadband Plan recommends that Congress make it clear that “local governments should not be restricted from building their own broadband networks.”
“Unfortunately, ” she wrote, “this National Broadband Plan recommendation continues to be ignored by some broadband industry members that are encouraging these misguided efforts.”
She added, “Regrettably, North Carolina isn’t the only state considering such legislation. My home state of South Carolina has similar legislation pending, and the state of Arkansas is contemplating a complete ban on publicly-owned broadband facilities. I fear that preventing local governments from investing in broadband is counter-productive and will impede the nation from accomplishing the Plan’s goal of providing broadband access to every American and community anchor institution.”
Nationally, 130 communities own wireless broadband networks.
We have reported previously that the fastest and cheapest broadband networks are city run in the south.
A group called the Institute for Local Self-Reliance says that restricting municipal broadband would hurt job creation in NC.
Additional resources:
The municipal broadband battles rages on
Here’s an excellent resource with extensive links on municipal broadband efforts:
Baller Herbst Law Group: Herbst Law
States that have already passed laws limiting municipal broadband:
State Barriers to Community Broadband Services
Wikipedia entry on municipal broadband
Municipal Wireless Snapshot report:
Fast Company: Time Warner’s Antics in Wilson, NC Give another reason to snip the cable
List of municipal broadband network organizations.
An older, but contrary view from the Reason Foundation:
Municipal broadband fails again
Fastest and cheapest US broadband systems are city run in the South
For more on the commercial providers positions:
www.techjournalsouth.com/news/article.html?item_id=7334
Tags: Cary, Charlotte, Columbia, Craig Settles, Durham, FCC Commissioner Migno Clyburn, Greensboro, Municipal broadband, National Broadband Plan, NC, Raleigh, SC, Succssful.com, Wilmington, Winston Salem
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off
Monday, February 7th, 2011
 COLUMBIA, MD – The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), in collaboration with the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, have completed the Ft. Detrick Technology Transfer Initiative (FDTTI) and three final grant awardees.
Through the FDTTI program, 26 startup companies received a total of $1,300,000 for the development of technology solutions used to address medical needs of the U.S. Army. The final companies to receive funding are Oculearn, Fyodor Biotechnologies Inc., and Foxspire.
Each research team received $50,000.
The FDTTI program announced by Senator Barbara Mikulski in March 2005, allowed TEDCO to work with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command to maintain awareness of new and developing technologies and to develop effective strategies for the transition of successful projects to follow-on funding.
The initial phase of the program provided funding for 11 companies, while the second phase of the program awarded funding to 15 different companies.
Oculearn,– Located in Mount Airy, Md., has designed technology to assist victims of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) who have had services for their injuries discontinued due to limitation of benefits or due to the lack of improvement achieved during rehabilitation.
Fyodor Biotechnologies Inc. – Baltimore-based Fyodor Biotechnologies, Inc. collaborated with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) to test, further develop and commercialize its single and recombinant antibody-based urine test for rapid diagnosis of clinical malaria.
Foxspire – Located in Frederick, Md., Foxspire, LCC is working with USAMRMC to design and develop a system that tracks stock of infectious agents.
Tags: Biotech, Columbia, defense, FDTTI, Foxspire, Ft. Detrick Technology Transfer Initiative, Fyodor Biotech, grants, MD, Mt. Airy, Oculearn, TEDCO
Posted in Biotech, Government/Defense, Maryland, Money, Potomac | Comments Off
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
 NGB's technology makes fuel from plants and other sources COLUMBIA, MD – New Generation Biofuels Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: NGBF), a clean energy company deploying technologies to produce cleaner, renewable biofuels, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with a limited number of institutional investors for the placement of Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Notes totaling $1 million.
Miles F. Mahoney, president and CEO, said, “This new infusion of capital will allow us to take several important near-term steps toward establishing value-added alliances with technology partners, feedstock suppliers and strategic customers.”
He added, “Chief among these are making fuel deliveries under our existing contracts; demonstrating a repeat-delivery cycle with our technology to produce a cleaner burning renewable product; and initiating feasibility studies of new, lower-cost feedstocks that have the potential to result in positive margins regardless of government incentives
Tags: Columbia, Energy, financing, MD, New Generation Biofuels
Posted in Biotech, Energy, Maryland, Money, Potomac | Comments Off
Friday, January 14th, 2011
 COLUMBIA, MD – Merkle Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest database marketing agencies, has closed on a $2.8 million equity round, according to a regulatory filing.
The customer relationship marketing firm raised a whopping $87.2 million in three equity offerings in 2010. Investors include Palo Alto, CA-based Technology Crossover Ventures.
Merkle provides customer strategy, business intelligence and analytics, data sourcing, media targeting and measurement, and marketing technology solutions to Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations. With over 800 employees, the privately held corporation is headquartered near Washington, D.C. in Columbia, Maryland with additional locations in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Little Rock, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Hagerstown, MD and Shanghai.
Company clients include such marquee names ad Bank of America, Dell, General Electric, Samsung and the Arthritis Foundation.
The company employs more than 1200 people. It disclosed the raise in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
–Allan Maurer
To contact TechJournal South Editor & Writer Allan Maurer: Allan at TechJournalSouth dot com.
Tags: CA, Columbia, CRM, financing, Hagerstown, MD, Merkle, Palo Alto, Technololgy Crossover Ventures
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Maryland, Money, Potomac | Comments Off
Friday, January 7th, 2011
 It was a fairly busy first week of the year for merger and acquisition activity in the Southeast.
Dell Buying SecureWorks, credit union impact questioned
ATLANTA – DELL Computers said this week it plans to buy 10-year-old, venture-backed Atlanta security firm SecureWorks for an undisclosed price. According to one report, the buy could have an impact on one set of SecureWorks clients, Credit Unions. (See: Dell Talkeover of Secureworks sparks talk of CU Impact).
SecureWorks has more than 2,900 clients. Reports say Dell made a “table-clearing bid” for the company. Other reports say Dell grabbed the firm as it was getting ready to file for an Initial Public Offering of stock with the SEC later in 2011.
North Highland buys Insight Solutions Group
ATLANTA and MINNEAPOLIS — Global consulting firm North Highland is expanding into the Midwest United States with the acquisition of Insight Solutions Group Inc., a Minneapolis-based management consulting firm. The acquisition marks the establishment of North Highland’s twentieth US office.
Financial details were not disclosed.
North Highland is a global, employee-owned consulting firm that delivers strategic business solutions to Fortune 1000 clients, government agencies and non-profits. The firm has 47 offices in the United States,Europe and Asia-Pacific.
GE Intelligent Platforms acquires SmartSignal
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – GE Intelligent Platforms has closed its acquisiton of SmartSignal, an analytics software company based in Lisle, Illinois. SmartSignal specializes in providing Remote Monitoring & Diagnostics solutions to the Power Generation, Oil & Gas and other industrial sectors. Financial details were not disclosed.
Virginia-based GEIP is a global provider of software, hardware, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing.
Virginia-based Rivermine acquired by Emptoris
FAIRFAX, VA - Rivermine, which develops software to help customers manage their telecom expenses, has been acquired by Massachusetts-based Emptoris, which sells supply and contract management tools. Financial details were not disclosed.
Rivermine employees joined Emptoris. CEO Mark Logan is now president of the Emptoris Rivermine division.
Rivermine manages more than $6 billion in communications spending a year for clients who include Chubb Insurance, Ford, Fannie Mae, and IKON Office.
Maryland-based Sourcefire acquires Immunet for $21M
COLUMBIA, MD – Sourcefire, which develops network security tech, has acquired Silicon-Valley based Immunet, which sells cloud-bade anti-malware software, in a deal worth up to $21 million.
Sourcefire paid $17 million in cash at closing, and will pay as much as $4 million more over the next 18 months if Immunet meets product delivery milestones.
Sourcefire said it plans to keep all of Immunet’s fulltime employees. It said the deal expands its security offerings to include a cloud-based platform.
Travel Leaders Group buys Virginia-based Vacation.com
Alexandria, VA – Minnesota-based Travel Leaders Group, a company that manages corporate travel, has acquired Alexandria-based Vacation.com. Financial details were not disclosed.
TLG says the move bolsters its offerings in the North American travel market. Vacation.com sells cruises and vacations through agencies.
Maryland-based National Office Systems buys East Coast Storage Solutions
GAITHERSBURG, MD – National Office Systems, which sells storage and information management systems, has acquired Connecticut-based East Coast Storage Solutions to expand in the Northeast. Financial terms were not disclosed.
East Coast has been a major player and our competitor in Connecticut,” said Joe Alvarez, NOS principal. “Their arrival will expand our world-class products and services even farther into the Northeastern United States, especially the Connecticut and New York markets.”
Tags: Acquisitions, Alexandria, Atlanta, Columbia, Dell, Emptoris, Fairfax, GA, GE Intelligent Systems, M&A roundup, MD, Minneapolis, Rivermine, SecureWorks, SmartSignal, Travel Leaders Group, VA, Vacation.com
Posted in Acquisitions, Georgia, Healthcare, Internet/New Media, IT, Maryland, Potomac, Virginia | Comments Off
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
 COLUMBIA, MD – Lotame, a company helping advertisers and publishers use social networks and data to connect people to brands and monetize content, has raised $6 million in equity, according to a regulatory filing.
In 2008 Lotame raised a $10 million first round and later in the year, a $13 million B round, from New Hampshire-based Hillcrest Management, Boston’s Battery Ventures, New York’s Betaworks and California-based Emergence Partners.
At the time of the B round, Jason Green, general partner at Emergence and on Lotame’s board said,
“Lotame is producing unparalleled results and insight for publishers and advertisers by leveraging a unique targeting platform that translates social media inventory into valuable real estate that brand advertisers love. With dozens of blue chip advertising clients and a growing publisher network reaching tens of millions users today, Lotame is clearly the company to beat in the space.”
Lotame CEO and foudner Andy Monfried previously helped build the New York office of Advertising.com, which was acquired by AOL.
Other top company execs also came from Advertising.com and AOL.
Say what you will about AOL, it has seeded the Potomac region with Internet experienced entrepreneurs who have founded an unending stream of digital start-ups.
Tags: advertising, Battery Ventures, Betaworks, Columbia, Elkridge, Emergence Partners, financing, Hillcrest Management, Lotame, MD, online publishers, targeting and analytics
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Maryland, Money, Potomac | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
 A Sensics device COLUMBIA, MD - Sensics Inc., a company making head-mounted display devices for simulation, research, entertainment and other uses, has closed a $400,000 mixed securities offering, according to a regulatory filing.
Founded in 2003, Sensics developed panoramic head-mounted displays that provide wide field of view and high resolution for training and simulation, research, virtual prototyping, visualization, entertainment, and remote presence applications.
Its customers include NASA, Honeywell, Northup Grumman, Renault, Lockheed Martin, and a number of universities, among others.
The company raised $946,687 in funding in 2009 and has support from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) and The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO).
It disclosed the latest raise in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Versions of this sort of technology abound in science fiction and popular media, but are obviously coming into their own (virtual) reality.
I wonder how long it will take for such displays to move to smaller configurations and projection devices that throw images up in front of the viewer ala the movie “Minority Report.”
TJS Editor Allan Maurer. Email Allan at TechJournalSouth dot com.
Email TJS Editor/Writer Allan Maurer: Allan at TechJournalSouth dot com.
Tags: Columbia, financing, head-mounted displays, MD, Sensics
Posted in Hardware, IT, Maryland, Money, Potomac | Comments Off
Friday, November 19th, 2010
 COLUMBIA, SC - SC Launch has invested an undisclosed amount in Vitasol, a life science company focused on improving therapies in emergency medicine and critical care.
SC Launch typically invests $250,000 or less in South Carolina start-ups.
Vitasol’s first product, Resuscinex, a patented multi-component IV fluid for the treatment of hypovolemia (blood and/or fluid loss from the vascular system). Resuscinex works by drawing fluid out of the microscopic spaces between cells and into the vascular system. This restores blood pressure, which often drops sharply in shock victims who have lost blood, and also restores normal heart rate.
In addition, the formula provides anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory agents and intermediate energy to cells while increasing blood flow in capillaries, the tiny vessels that are critical for supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissue.
The company was founded and advanced by several researchers at the University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine. Trauma surgeon Stephen Fann, MD, FACS is the Chief Medical Officer of Vitasol. Fann, a School of Medicine faculty member, has long wanted a better alternative to the IV fluids traditionally used to stabilize victims of severe blood loss.
Together with his colleagues, Michael Yost and John Propst, he soon might have it. Michael Yost, PhD is Director of Research in the Department of Surgery at the USC School of Medicine and Chief Operating Officer of Vitasol. John Propst, PhD, MBA, the company’s President and CEO, earned his doctorate from the USC School of Medicine while researching biomedical science with Fann and Yost. Passionate about the business implications of cutting edge biotechnology, he also earned his MBA from the USC Darla Moore School of Business.
“We started this company hoping to solve a major problem for trauma victims and improve treatment outcomes in critical care situations,” stated Vitasol CEO John Propst. “The domestic market is quite large and the global implications are significant. Our initial test results are very encouraging, and with this investment from SC Launch we will be able to secure follow on investments and move our research discoveries that much closer toward improving patient care.”
Vitasol plans to begin human trials in coming months and is currently seeking FDA approval. The company hopes to ultimately establish manufacturing of its Resuscinex product in the South Carolina.
SC Launch, an SCRA collaboration, assists entrepreneurial start-up companies with up-front counseling, seed-funding, and access to a powerful resource network.
Tags: Columbia, emergency medicine, financing, SC, SC Launch, SCRA, Vitasol
Posted in Biotech, Carolinas, Economic Development, Money, Pharma, South Carolina | Comments Off
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