Google’s GV leads $21M Series B in bioscience firm Cambridge Epigenetix

VC firm GV (née Google Ventures) has made another investment in Europe — its seventh — leading a $21 million Series B round for epigenetic sequencing tech company and Cambridge University spin-out, Cambridge Epigenetix. The U.K.-based bioscience company makes DNA modification analysis tools for epigenetics researchers — an emerging field of study which looks at how environmental factors and […]

Seed fund helps catalyze Duke energy research on materials, environment, policy 

Research projects that examine energy materials, the water-energy-food nexus, and renewable energy policies will receive funding in 2016 from the Energy Initiative’s Energy Research Seed Fund. Six projects involving 16 faculty members were selected for the third annual round of awards from the fund. The Energy Research Seed Fund provides a financial head start for […]

The Secret to Spreading the Startup Wealth in Emerging Global Markets

A lot of investors say that they’ll back great ideas anywhere. But in most markets, building impactful businesses is a “chicken and egg” situation—investors say there are no good deals, and entrepreneurs say there’s no capital. This is the “Pioneer Gap,” the period when entrepreneurs are the most vulnerable—you’ve taken the plunge, but haven’t raised […]

Purdue Ventures to Oversee Startup Investments

The combined investment resources for Purdue University-affiliated startups will now be managed by a single entity. The newly-created Purdue Ventures will oversee the deployment of $37 million in investments from the Purdue Research Foundation’s multiple funding resources. Dan Hasler, president and chief entrepreneurial officer of the Purdue Research Foundation, says it makes sense to put […]

New university crowdfunding platform provides opportunities for organizations 

Students and faculty will have the opportunity to raise funds for projects through a new crowdfunding platform university officials developed, which will be available in April. The Office of University Advancement is currently working with Community Funded, a crowd funding solutions company based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Community Funded works with many other universities who […]

Transition in Tech Transfer: Will MIT Ever Start a Venture Fund?

By the end of June, Lita Nelsen will retire from MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, where she has worked for 30 years. She has been director of the office since 1993 and has seen a lot of things. Nelsen recently sat down with Xconomy to talk about trends in tech transfer and entrepreneurship. One timely issue: […]

Fostering Commercialization to Improve Health and Create Jobs in Washington: WBBA to Receive $1.8 Million Grant from the Life Sciences Discovery Fund

SEATTLE (February 10, 2016) — A new technology commercialization program will launch this spring to help Washington’s life sciences innovators move their promising ideas into the hands of providers and patients, thanks to a $1.8 million “ecosystem” award from the state’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF). Led by the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA; […]

MIT MISTI Global Seed Funds winners announced

Since 2008, the Global Seed Funds Program (GSF) has funded more than 530 faculty-led projects in over 70 countries. From engineering medical diagnostic devices in Mexico to exploring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Israel to building the framework for a self-sustaining community of electricity prosumers in Italy, GSF funds projects that confront worldwide […]

King’s College, Arizona State and New South Wales team up for global alliance, seed fund

International collaboration in the higher education sector has increased rapidly over the past decade. Recent figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development show that between 2003 and 2012 the US saw a 33 per cent increase in the percentage of scientific documents produced through international collaboration, while more than 45 per cent of all […]

Bridging the gap: University of Texas Medical Branch technology commercialization program funds four promising technologies

UTMB researchers are making invaluable discoveries. However, how do the researchers get their breakthroughs out of the laboratory and into the marketplace? One of UTMB’s goals is to support its researchers and promote technology transfer and commercialization of their research discoveries. Under the direction of Dr. David L. Callender, president of UTMB, the Office of […]