June 2006
Cognitive Tutor to Help Students in Raytown, MO
Raytown School District in Jackson County, MO has purchased Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor Bridge to Algebra, Algebra I and Geometry curricula for several thousand 9th and 10th grade students. The contract delivers a full curriculum integrating interactive software sessions, textbooks and student-centered classroom instruction. The purchase was made, in part, with funding from the Kauffman Foundation Grant for Math & Science.
Jun 29 | Permalink
DFJ Element Closes $284 Million Venture Fund
DFJ Element, a venture fund formed by Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Element Venture Partners, has closed with a well-oversubscribed $284 million (the initial target was $150 million). The fund will invest in clean technology companies. DFJ Element has already invested in 4 companies: CoalTek, Inc, Fat Spaniel Technologies, Miartech, Inc. and EcoSMART Technologies. Limited partners in the new fund include CalPERS, Swiss Re, Coca Cola, ITT, Robeco, LA City Employees Retirement System, WP Global and British Airways, among others.
Jun 29 | Permalink
Donald W. Joseph Joins Renal Board
Donald W. Joseph has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Renal Solutions. Renal is the exclusive provider of advanced sorbent hemodialysis products and services for treatment of patients with renal failure. Mr. Joseph is currently President & CEO of Sorbent Therapeutics, Inc., a company focused on solutions for patients with fluid balance deficiencies. Previously, Mr. Joseph served as Group Vice-President, Corporate Officer and CEO & President of Baxter's Global Renal Business. Mr. Joseph successfully led the strategic development, implementation and growth of Baxter, increasing revenuew from $20 million to $2 billion.
Jun 29 | Permalink
Plan4Demand Opens New Office
Plan4Demand Solutions Inc., a consulting services firm specializing in supply chain management business processes and technologies, opened a Midwest office, in Green Bay, Wis. The executive office will be run by Bob Rich, who recently joined Plan4Demand as the company's director of strategic services.
Jun 29 | Permalink
TOA Technologies Releases ETAdirect 3.01
TOA Technologies has released their ETAdirect 3.01 designed to improve usability to further decrease training and implementation time. ETAdirect 3.0 was the first truly holistic software application suite for fulfillment of field service delivery management. Version 3.01 takes advantage of Ajax (asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technology to provide an even greater usability, interactivity and speed than earlier versions. Tasks require fewer screen changes than before, making the system both faster and easier to use than previous versions. All current ETAdirect 3.0 customers will migrate to 3.01 free of charge. Since the product is web-base, no software installation or hardware purchase is required by current customers.
Jun 22 | Permalink
SalesGene Hits Growth Spurt
Since officially launching as a company and releasing its first product, Landslide, in February, SalesGene has more than 300 salespeople using its system, nearly doubled its employee base and begun to secure venture capital to help the company grow and reach profitability, so says an article in the Pittsburgh Business Times. The current version of Landslide (a new version is due in August) helps companies come up with a consistent way to close deals by taking the best practices of an organization and making them available to everyone on the sales team. Visit Landslide's website for more information.
Jun 22 | Permalink
TOA Technologies to aid Cox Communication's Mobile Workforce
TOA Technologies has successfully implemented their ETAdirect 3.0 mobile workforce managment solution for Cox Communications, the nation's 4th largest cable multiple system operator (MSO). ETAdirect 3.0 offers companies a better way to manage their field workforce and decrease costs while improving the customer experience. TOA's system leverages the Internet to increase flexibility and reduce costs, providing cable customers with more accurate arrival times and narrower appointment windows. For more information on TOA and ETAdirect 3.0, visit www.toatechnologies.com.
Jun 21 | Permalink
Ayalogic Helps Healthcare Provider GAI Improve Efficiency
Communication software provider, Ayalogic, recently implemented its Qmunicate software solution to Gastroenterology Associates Inc. (GAI). Qmunicate redefines how a business can manage its communications internally and with its customers, by consolidating and prioritizing business communications in a secure manner. This software solution optimizes high fidelity audio quality, delivered over the Voice over Internet Protocol Network (VoIP) and merges additonal forms of voice and text messaging through the same communications portal. Qmunicate was developed with the security required by HIPAA to maintain the privacy and integrity of patient information. For more information, visit www.ayalogic.com.
Jun 20 | Permalink
Imago adds to LEAP 3000X at Northwestern
Imago Scientific Instruments has added the Laser Pulse module to its LEAP 3000X microscope at Northwestern University. The Laser Pulse module allows the LEAP microscope to move past normal electric scanning and increases its capacity to analyze metallic, semi-conducting and oxide materials with higher electrical resistance. The module was paid for under the Defense Universities Research Initiatives Project. The upgraded LEAP system at Northwestern is the first commercially available laser probe in the world.
Jun 20 | Permalink
Ayalogic Secures Additional Financing
In a vote of confidence from existing investors, Ayalogic has closed on an additional $1.25 million in financing, the majority from institutional investors from a Series A round raised late in 2004. We've invested again, as has Early Stage Partners and JumpStart. The plans are to use this additional investment to build the company’s infrastructure of talented people and innovative technology. Ayalogic plans to expand its sales and marketing expertise through direct sales and channel partners, locally and nationwide.
Jun 20 | Permalink
Haley Introduces Hosted Web Service Availability
Haley Systems announces the availability of its HaleyAuthority business rules authoring environment as a hosted Web Service. This marks the first time that a business rules authoring system has been made available as a hosted service using XML standards. It represents an unprecendented level of flexibility in business rule authoring metaphors and customizable user interfaces for developers. One of the first applications to be supported by the new Web Service will be tabular rules, also known as decision tables. For the full release, visit www.haley.com.
Jun 20 | Permalink
Sean McDonald Offers Advice for VC-Seekers
If you're looking to raise money from a venture capital firm, Sean McDonald has some advice for you. In an article in the Pittsburgh Business Times, McDonald cautions business owners against being too close to their own ideas that they lose sight of the opportunity for the investor. "Your job is to give [the investors] investment opportunities where they have a very good chance of making exceptional returns on their money." And Sean should know, he's helped PTI attract nearly $50 million in venture funding over the past five years, including $20 million in February of this year.
Jun 9 | Permalink
Renal Solutions Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has granted 501(k) clearance of the Allient Sorbent Hemodialysis System, including the SORB series and the HISORB series cartridges from Renal Solutions. The FDA clearance of the Allient System addresses recent system enhancements which enable improved reliability and performance. The Allient System opens new treatment options to dialysis professionals and patients by virtue of its ability to provide short, standard or extended duration hemodialysis therapy using just 1 1/2 gallons of ordinary dirinking water. This translates into increased transportability, flexibility and ease of system use.
Jun 8 | Permalink
LAUSD Doubles Carnegie Learning Implementation
Los Angeles Unified School District has purchased Carnegie Learning's Bridge to Algebra curricula for several thousand additional eighth grade students following a milti-million dollar initial implementation of the company's algebra readiness curriculum in the 2005/06 school year. The value of the new contract is $1 million over three years and includes the Professional Development services for teachers. With the expanded contract, Carnegie Learning will be working to improve math performance for more than 36,000 Los Angeles middle and high school students this fall.
Jun 7 | Permalink
BodyMedia Founding Member of Continua Health Alliance
A group of technology, healthcare and fitness companies, including BodyMedia, formed the Continua Health Alliance to help empower people with the information they need to better manage their health. The open industry group will establish an ecosystem of connected personal health and fitness products and services, making it possible for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers to more proactively address ongoing healthcare needs. The Alliance's efforts will focus on three categories: chronic disease management, monitoring the health and healthcare needs of aging people and proactive health and fitness. For more information on the Continua Health Alliance and participating companies, visit www.continuaalliance.org.
Jun 6 | Permalink
BodyMedia to Keynote at Healthcare Unbound Conference
BodyMedia will present a keynote address at the Third Annual Healthcare Unbound Conference on July 17th and 18th in Cambridge, MA. The Conference is hosted by The Center for Business Innovation (TCBI), and features the coming together of consumer and healthcare technologies to promote wellnesss and to help manage disease. The Conference will include panel discussions, case studies and keynote addresses with sessions on disease management and wellness promotion applications, legal/regulatory and reimbursement issues, payer perspectives on Healthcare Unbound and the emerging role of wireless technologies. Full details on the event can be found at www.tcbi.org.
Jun 6 | Permalink
