Industry news
The following news are selected by our team.
Australian Ride-Sharing Marketplace Jayride.com Grabs $400K In Angel Funding (21.02.2012)
Australian-based travel marketplace Jayride.com has lined up $400,000 AUD in seed funding for its ride-sharing service, which also aggregates transportation data. The angel funding was led by Andrey Shirben, one of the first investors in Kenshoo, a digital marketing software company. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
Vivo Ventures boosting biopharma bets in China with $375M fund (21.02.2012)
Vivo ventures approaches the Chinese market with a $375M life science investment fund. Read entire article on fiercebiotech.com.
U.S. Start-Up Strikes $1.25 Billion Deal To Turn Chinese Coal Into Natural Gas (21.02.2012)
A small Massachusetts start-up has signed a landmark agreement to do a big job in China—it will take already mined coal from the Gobi desert, convert it into natural gas, and transport the gas to the country’s rapidly expanding urban centers. The effort can help China slake its insatiable thirst for energy without exacerbating air pollution. Read entire article on blogs.wsj.com.
Mexico City Boards The StartupBus — But It Still Needs Sponsors (20.02.2012)
A combined hackathon and road trip to South by Southwest, the StartupBus is in its third year and becoming a bit of a tradition — and this time, it won’t be limited to the United States. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
Beyond Facebook: The Rise Of Interest-Based Social Networks (19.02.2012)
With the pending public offering of Facebook anticipated to be the largest tech IPO in history, it’s an interesting time to think about where we go from here. Some say “social is done,” Facebook is all the social media anyone would ever want or need. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
Stealth Search Engine Offers Private Internet Browsing (16.02.2012)
The Stealth search engine allows users to search the Internet without being trailed by cookies and other tracking devices. The startup is all about protecting privacy. Read entire article on mashable.com.
Greenstart Tightens Focus, Goes After Cleantech Startups (15.02.2012)
The San Francisco-based startup accelerator dedicated to the cleantech industry – and more importantly, to making it “sexy” enough to attract investors – announced its second cadre of of companies this week. This time around, the organization is tightening its focus to concentrate solely on the intersection of I.T. and cleantech, specifically in areas of smart grid, the built environment, consumer services and transportation. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
After raising $100 million, OZON acquires Sapato (Russia) (15.02.2012)
OZON, often dubbed the ‘Amazon of Russia’, has acquired 100% of Sapato.ru, often dubbed the ‘Zappos of Russia’. I hope I don’t really need to remind you that Amazon acquired Zappos back in 2009. Read entire article on eu.techcrunch.com.
No Longer An Awkward Teenager? Gamification Grows Up. (@qstli) (13.02.2012)
Over the last year, you may have noticed that a once-niche trend not only crept into the mainstream, but is starting to really make a big splash. Gamification has become one of the hottest buzz words in the industry and is probably in the process of taking over a website or user experience near you. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
Schweiz weiterhin führender Innovationsstandort in Europa (12.02.2012)
Die Schweiz steht erneut an der Spitze der Innovationsnationen in Europa. Dies zeigt das Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS) 2011 der EU-Kommission. Laut dem heute in Brüssel veröffentlichten Index hat die Schweiz das vierte Jahr in Folge eine Führungsposition inne. Read entire article on land-der-erfinder.ch.
Stealthy Startup timeRAZOR Raises $3.4M Pre-Launch (09.02.2012)
According to CEO and co-founder, Jeff White (formerly the founder of govWin), timeRAZOR is a mobile application that will help people discover interesting and relevant things to do close to where they are. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
LinkedIn Is Buying Smart Email Startup Rapportive (08.02.2012)
LinkedIn is buying Rapportive, a Gmail add-on that shows social data about contacts as you email them, according to a report. The professional network offered Rapportive “low teens” in millions of dollars worth of cash, according to All Things D, which cited “sources familiar with the negotiations.” Read entire article on mashable.com.
TastemakerX, The App For Fhose Who Totally Heard That Band First, Raises $1.2M (08.02.2012)
TastemakerX, an about-to-launch startup that will help music fans get credit for discovering the next big thing, has raised $1.2 million in Series A funding. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
Genomic Health Announces Formation of New Genetics Subsidiary (07.02.2012)
Genomic Health invests into the next step leveraging knowledge on the human genome for novel diagnostics & treatments Read entire article on fiercebiotech.com.
Startups, VCs Call For “Fresh Perspective” On Piracy Legislation (07.02.2012)
In the aftermath of the defeat of the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, a long list of organizations have sent a letter to Congress asking members to “take a breath” before they trying to push through new piracy legislation. Read entire article on techcrunch.com.
