July 2008
Precision Therapeutics to Raise $30+ Million
Precision Therapeutics expects to close on more than $30 million in venture funding, the largest round raised in the company's 13-year existence. Investors in the round included existing firms (including Draper Triangle) as well as some new out-of-town backers. CEO Sean McDonald plans to increase his company's staff by 50% this year, and plans to use the money to hire across the board, and for continued research into the company's personalized cancer therapies.
Jul 30 | Permalink
Landslide Summer 2008 Release Available
Landslide Technologies, Inc. has launched its Summer 2008 Release, which offers a breakthrough in usability, new Web 2.0 capabilities and an innovative Sales Workspace that allows salespeople to engage, interact and sell using the proven best practices of their company and industry. Landslide is the only company that combines live services with its software offering to support the work styles of salespoeple. The Summer '08 Release adds to this offering with the launch of eVIP -- a new set of services for sales executives specifically designed to help them manage their sales teams. Learn more about this powerful sales-centric approach to increasing sales performance at www.landslide.com.
Jul 30 | Permalink
Carnegie Learning Use Expands in Chicago
The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has purchased Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor(R) Bridge to Algebra and Algebra I curricula for eight additional high schools, bringing to 25 the total number of high schools using the company's math instructions as part of Chicago's High School Transformation project. Initially, Carnegie Learning's solutions were selected for eight schools, and over the last two years, CPS has consistently expanded the implementation of Carnegie Learning's blended textbook and software solutions. Chicago Public Schools is the nation's third largest school system and includes more than 600 schools serving 435,000 students. Learn more about Cognitive Tutor at www.carnegielearning.com.
Jul 30 | Permalink
Unitask Appoints Industry Veteran as CEO
As a leading provider of Oracle E-Business Suite solutions, Unitask Software has appointed Dale D. Royal as Chief Executive Officer. As CEO, Dale will lead the company in the evolution of its initial product offerings into a cohesive solutions offering, while expanding the company's market presence and accelerating the company's revenue growth. Prior to joining Unitask, Dale served as cofounder and CEO of COEUM Software, a provider of Application Performance Management Software. For more about Dale and Unitask, visit www.unitask.com.
Jul 29 | Permalink
Aethon Names New CFO
Robert J. Reilly has joined Aethon, Inc. as its Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer. Aethon is the leading developer of mobile robotics for hospital supply chain logistics. Most recently, Mr. Reilly served as General Manager for McKesson Coporation's Specialty Pharmacy Division, and, prior to his GM role, as CFO for McKesson's Automation Group. Along with his 30 years of finance and operations experience, Mr. Reilly holds a BS degree in Accounting from Duquesne University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Jul 24 | Permalink
Jumpstart: Non-Traditional Financing for Tech Entrepreneurs
Billed as "one of the more innovative" groups to provide seed money to entrepreneurs in Cleveland, Jumpstart was profiled in a New York Times article about non-profit companies who provide financing without the expectation of a monetary return on their investment ... the return comes as satisfaction for elevating the region's economic standing. Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Innovation Works were also cited as prominent examples. The article can be found here.
Jul 24 | Permalink
Aethon Deploys 100th TUG
Tray-C is the latest Aethon TUG to be activated in US hospitals, and marks the 100th of its kind. The TUG is an automated transportation system for the delivery and tracking of hospital goods and supplies and uses a wireless, RFID tracking system. Employed by Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Florida, Tray-C delivers late meals to patient units, and allows hospital staff to concentrate on patient care, not on repetitive, mundane tasks like pushing carts and running errands.
Jul 24 | Permalink
Hamilton County Renews Carnegie Learning Purchase
Hamilton County Tennessee Schools, serving the Chattanooga area, has renewed the purchase of Carnegie Learning Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II programs for the upcoming 2008-2009 academic year. Carnegie Learning's Algebra I program was originally purchased in 2001 as a pilot curriculum for three schools, and the district has since expanded implementation to serve as the core mathematics curricula at all 16 high schools and 22 middle schools in the district. "Teachers are noticing a great improvement not only in their students' problem solving abilities, but in their reading, writing, and technology skills" says Christy Evans, Director of Secondary Math & Science for Hamilton County Tennessee Schools. Learn more about Carnegie Learning at www.carnegielearning.com.
Jul 17 | Permalink
Qlique Keeps the (Online) Party Rolling
"Qlique is the super-party host that keeps the party going, helping people to break the ice in fun, casual and hilarious ways." says an article on www.popcitymedia.com. The website lauched a beta version in Pittsburgh on June 30th, and plans a nationwide rollout in the fall. Qlique's unique technical platform allows users to meet people in their geographic area and visit places with friends in real time. Games like "Grill Me" and "Q-Factor Quizzes" keep the action going. Founder and CEO Andy Field says, "Our absolute drive is to have a brand that says you're going to get great, laugh out loud stuff."
Jul 10 | Permalink
Nestle Healthcare Nutrition and BodyMedia Form Strategic Partnership
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition, Inc. and BodyMedia, Inc. have formed a strategic partnership to promote SenseWear(R) WMS to clinics using OPTIFAST(R), Nestle's medically-monitored weight loss program. Michael Soule, Senior Director of Sales & Partnerships at BodyMedia says, "BodyMedia is very excited to work with the global leader in healthcare nutrition. We are confident that by combining these two world-class offerings, patients will see impoved and sustained weight loss." Read more at www.bodymedia.com.
Jul 8 | Permalink
Sales Jump at Carnegie Learning
Carnegie Learning has logged a 40% increase in sales for its middle and high school software programs from the 2006-2007 to 2007-2008 school years. The increase comes as a result of schools using the company's products in supplemental intervention applications, providing students with a self-paced, individualized alternative to the traditional textbook approach to math. The company says the 2008-2009 curricula will contain several new features, including flexible sequencing, allowing administrators to customize the curriculum; interactive examples; automated pre- and post-tests; and enhanced reports, providing the ability to track the program at various levels.
Jul 8 | Permalink
Sean McDonald: E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Regional Award Winner
Congratulations go out to Sean McDonald, CEO of Precision Therapeutics, as he received Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year(R) 2008 Award in the Applied Science Category in the Upstate New York, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia region. This award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic growth businesses. McDonald was selected by an independent panel of judges and the award was presented at a gala event at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh on June 27, 2008.
Jul 3 | Permalink
Aethon ATRS Does NOT Interfere with Hospital Medical Equipment
Addressing critical safety concerns outlined in a study in the June issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Aethon, Inc. has announced that its robotic Asset Tracking and Recovery System (ATRS) cannot interfere with medical equipment. The study from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was designed to assess and classify incidents of electromagnetic interference by radio frequency identification (RFID) on critical care equipment. The article titled “Electromagnetic Interference from Radio Frequency Identification Inducing Potentially Hazardous Incidents in Critical Care Medical Equipment” appears in the June 25, 2008 issue of JAMA. Using RFID technology that emits zero power, Aethon's readers and portals only listen for tags and stop the radios and antennae from interfering with clinical equipment because the system employs a mobile robot outfitted with a passive antenna. Read all about Aethon's ATRS at www.aethon.com.
Jul 3 | Permalink
Carnegie Learning Adaptive Math Solutions Provides Supplemental Support
Carnegie Learning, reported an increase in the use of its middle and high school math software programs for use in supplemental, intervention applications. Carnegie Learning Adaptive Math Solutions provide interactive instruction to supplement secondary math courses and include Algebra Readiness, Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II. New features for the 2008-2009 academic year for the Cognitive Tutor suite of products are designed to improve the curricula for use in a supplemental environment and include: Flexible Sequencing, Interactive Examples, Automated Assessment and Enhanced Administrative Reports. Read more at www.carnegielearning.com.
Jul 3 | Permalink
Testing on Biopsy-Sized Specimens Allow Greater Utility in Breast Cancer
Precision Therapeutics has announced that results from the ChemoFx(R) Assay, a cell-based test that examines the response of a specific patient's tumor to various chemotherapies, correlate with pathologic complete response in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant (pre-operative) chemotherapy. Data published in Anticancer Research show that the assay accurately predicted response to therapy 75% of the time. This study, done in conjunction with US Oncology, a leading cancer research and treatment network, represents the company's first publication in the breast cancer setting. Other major findings in the study addressed technical aspects of the assay, including the feasibility of performing the test on small amounts of tissue and the reproducibility of test results. Learn more at www.precisiontherapeutics.com.
Jul 1 | Permalink
