WRAL Tech Wire

Epic Games' Tim Sweeney reaps arts Hall of Fame honor today

The founder of the Cary-based videogame industry giant will be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. It's a truly deserved honor for Sweeney who has built Epic into a technical and financial success.

Charlotte's startup efforts pick up steam as more data pours in

Peak 10 CEO and the head of the Business Innovation and Growth Council are intensifying their drive to collect financial, jobs and other information from other entrepreneurs. Their goal is to document the Queen City's potential as a place to grow companies just as the CED did for the Triangle. Publicity about the effort is paying dividends.

'Battle in Bay 7' returns - Are you techies ready for some basketball?

The American Tobacco Historic District and NC Amateur Sports are teaming up to host some March basketball madness in the Bay 7 venue. The 3-on-3 tournament is set for March 28-30.

Battle in Bay 7

Inside RTP's new angel fund: Founders meeting 'significant' need

STATE OF VENTURE: In a Q&A with Rich Harris, managing director of Synergy Commercial Advisors, WRAL Tech Wire takes an in-depth look at the launch of Triangle Angel Fund Partners. Harris, one of TAP's founders, spells out why the fund was created, its mission, and what TAP is looking for in potential deals.

Triangle Angel Fund Partners

Tale of two drug giants: GSK's pipeline full, AstraZeneca's dwindles

Analysis: While AstraZeneca cuts, GSK is putting itself in a position to discover, develop and position for approval of a wider array of potential drug candidates. It's a strategy that should pay off in the best of times, and the worst of times.

Drug research

Who won 'Social Bowl'? Super Bowl ads paying fans to play

Ad agency McKinney and social media data firm EvoApp tracked and are now analyzing tons of social media data "buzz" generated by Super Bowl-related advertising campaigns. The early analysis shows brands that paid their fans with contest offers harvested the most benefit.

Social Bowl early winners

'The Hacker Way:' Inside the mind of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg

"As part of building a strong company, we work hard at making Facebook the best place for great people to have a big impact on the world and learn from other great people. We have cultivated a unique culture and management approach that we call the Hacker Way." So writes Mark Zuckerberg. As part of its SEC filing to go public, Facebook's founder, chairman and chief executive officer explains in a "letter" the social media giant's business plan, mission and why he hopes people will make an investment. But to him, hacker isn't a pejorative. "The word 'hacker' has an unfairly negative connotation from being portrayed in the media as people who break into computers. In reality, hacking just means building something quickly or testing the boundaries of what can be done."

A graphic in Facebook's IPO plots its global community

Big pharma could help FDA improve communications

Opinion: The Food and Drug Administration doesn't achieve the impact it's looking for in communications with physicians. The private sector could help.

In Super Bowl of social media, Patriots win, Triangle firm says

iContact tracks the Giants and Patriots in use of Twitter ahead of the Super Bowl and declares the AFC champs are No. 1.

Pats vs. Giants in social media (iContact graphic)

Big job cuts coming at IBM? Don't be surprised

Updated with workforce numbers: Big Blue's chief financial officer hinted at cost cutting in earnings call last month. Now, the Reuters news service and a German newspaper are reporting that major changes are coming. Meanwhile, U.S. work force at IBM is now estimated to be under 100,000.

IBM slide from 2011 briefing outlines plans for growth

Erskine Bowles is among those who can cash in big time on Facebook IPO

The former head of the UNC System joined the Facebook board last September, and he's already locked up 20,000 shares worth more than $600,000 in addition to an annual retainer of $50,000.

Erskine Bowles

Is Facebook worth the price? Money advisors are split

Some of the money managers interviewed by The Associated Press like the $5 billion price while others are wary.

Ignore Facebook hype - Check out 'risk factors,' too

Before you take out a loan against your 401K plan in hopes of buying Facebook shares, take time to read Facebook's SEC filing. It includes a section on "Risk Factors," something required in such documents. There truly are risks, as Facebook points out

A graphic from Facebook's SEC filing

Defending older entrepreneurs: VCs wrong in preferring the young

STATE OF VENTURE: In a story written for MIT's Technology Review, former Triangle entrepreneur and current Duke academic says innovation is limited by age. "Young stars dominate the technology headlines," he writes. "But outside the Internet, research shows, innovators are actually getting older as complexity rises."

Defending older entrepreneurs in MIT Technology Review

Facebook vs. Google IPO: Which deal ranks better?

Google, says Scot Wingo, the founder and chief executive officer of ecommerce services provider ChannelAdvisor who likes to play in the market.

Wall Street