As Monday morning rolls in, we’re providing TechWire readers with a quick recap of the past week’s news headlines.
Last week brought big news for the local drone industry: After a successful trial project at WakeMed in Raleigh, UPS finally won approval from the FAA to run a “drone airline” to more hospitals. The NC Department of Transportation commented on the news and revealed more drone plans exclusively with TechWire. In another Q&A, WakeMed Innovations Director Stuart Ginn also shared insight into the future of drones in healthcare.
Hot news for September 30-October 4 also included: NC IDEA revealed 23 semi-finalists for its latest SEED grant cycle; Durham biotech startup Ribometrix is scaling rapidly with a major drug development deal and $20 million investment; Raleigh City Council gave GoTriangle approval to build a new mixed-use facility next to Union Station; the Triangle and Charlotte ranked 2nd and 4th (respectively) in a major new study of top real estate markets; Cary-based Epic Games is expanding its headquarters.
- Check out TechWire’s comprehensive resource package for Triangle startups.
Did you miss last week’s TechWire Live event? Here’s a recap of our panel with four female founders.
And, here’s some national news: More calls for vaping regulation come as the death toll continues to rise; WeWork officially suspended its planned IPO; HP will be cutting 9,000 jobs over the next three years; U.S. unemployment dropped to a new five-decade low, though hiring has slowed this year.
Keeping with our Monday tradition, here’s a look back at 74 local, state and national headlines as reported by WRAL TechWire last week:
MONDAY September 30 Headlines:
- China is sending top trade negotiator for talks in DC
- Durham pharma firm Dova merging with Swedish biotech in deal worth up to $915M
- Durham startup Ribometrix lands $20M investment in drug development deal potentially worth $700M
- Events ‘on the horizon’ in Nov.: Venture135, NC Tech Awards, Cucalorus Connect+ many more
- Here’s your guide to 130+ tech & startup meetups across Triangle
- Innovate Raleigh Summit addresses AI, climate change & other issues impacting Triangle future
- Knowledge is power – here’s how to find and leverage it for fundraising
- NC IDEA selects 23 semi-finalists across NC for its latest SEED grant cycle
- Musk cuts cost projections for Mars rocket + watch video update
- October calendar, part II: 58 conferences, workshops, events & deadlines across NC
- October tech calendar, part I: 90+ events coming up in the Triangle
- Our Triangle Startup Guide keeps growing – check out the latest additions
- Robotic pharmacy tech firm Parata Systems expands Durham headquarters, completes new Wisconsin facility
- Sellout nears for WRAL TechWire Live: Fueling Your Startup event on Oct. 2
- TechWire rewind: WeWork changes; black entrepreneurs; Pfizer in RTP; Cree’s NY move + 88 more headlines
- The end of seasonal flu shots? The Duke Vaccine Institute wins $400M in funding to develop alternative
- What’s behind the growing number of injuries linked to vaping? 2 studies offer clues
- Whistleblower in Facebook data scandal to publish book Oct. 8
- WeWork formally suspends its planned stock market IPO filing
TUESDAY October 1 Headlines:
- Big names top Startup Summit lineup; event founders have plans to expand
- Can Airbnb rescue the IPO market? Possibly in 2020, say experts
- Cary-based logistics software firm MercuryGate gets new director, expands footprint globally
- Consumers’ shift to ecommerce is helping drive brick-and-mortar retail apocalypse
- Court: FCC had power to end net neutrality but states can create own rules
- Duke researchers land up to $36M in grants to combat opioid crisis
- Durham-based Chimerix signs licensing deal worth up to $180M plus royalties
- FAA approves UPS for a ‘drone airline’ after WakeMed trial deliveries
- From a potential $700M deal to new funding, Durham’s Ribometrix is sizzling – and they are hiring
- Nasdaq acquires Greensboro-based corporate governance, compliance firm
- Mahindra, which is considering NC for new car plant, gains control of Ford’s India business
- Raleigh-based agriculture investment fund raises $59M in two funds
- ‘Recession risk is real:’ Trade war bites deep as manufacturing drops to 10-year-low
- RTP firm CivaTech receives FDA approval for third radiation therapy device
- Senior exec at Credit Suisse, which has growing RTP presence, resigns in spying scandal
- TechWire readers can get 20% discount to upcoming Bull City Venture Partners event
- Vaping is not safe, regulation needed, say UNC, Duke scientists as death toll rises to 14
WEDNESDAY October 2 Headlines:
- A big bet: Merger creates $12B online gambling empire
- Artificial Intelligence disruptor: How entrepreneur is revolutionizing rental industry – and lessons for others considering AI
- Cooling tech startup Phononic gives retailers chance to ‘test’ freezers via augmented reality
- Downtown Raleigh tower to include bus station, affordable housing, offices, possible hotel
- Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney joins Jim Goodnight, John Sall of SAS on Forbes’ billionaires list
- Exclusive Q&A: New CEO at edtech startup Terra Dotta explains why he took the job, his plans for company
- Exclusive Q&A: Why Terra Dotta’s founder and CEO is moving to role as chairman
- Google beefs up privacy for Maps, YouTube, makes Assistant easier to erase – here’s how
- Melinda Gates pledges $1 billion to boost gender equality
- NCSU postdoctoral researcher wins $1.25M grant from NIH
- Options for shoppers to return online purchases are growing
- Raleigh startup Pureport speeds up the cloud, achieves prime Amazon Web Services ranking
- Report: Facebook’s cryptocurrency plan may be losing big backers
- So how does an innovator in Artificial Intelligence innovate himself and his firm? Read on
- Study: Raleigh-Durham is nation’s No. 2 hottest real estate market; Charlotte is No. 4
- Surgeon & pilot, WakeMed Innovations director sees bright future for drones in health care
- TopCourt, an online platform for tennis players, adds $195,000 as it nears official launch
- Vaping update: Juul drops drive against SF ordinance; 2 more deaths reported
- What’s next for drones in NC? Department of Transportation has aggressive agenda
- Wilmington fintech startup nCino raises $80M in equity
- Your medical device could be hacked, FDA warns
THURSDAY October 3 Headlines:
- As economy slows, what happens if the Fed cuts rates to zero — or goes negative?
- Cary-based Epic Games to expand headquarters with potential to accommodate up to 2,000 employees
- Climate change expert warns more warm days like today will take toll on health, productivity
- Duke researchers devise technique for electronic tattoos and personalized biosensors
- Forget about passion. What you need is ‘grit,’ argue female founders at TechWire Live
- Hollywood-based Quibi turns streaming service on its head with mobile-only, short-form videos
- Momentum is on a roll after raising $2.75M from Clarkston Consulting
- Raleigh startup District C, founded by husband-and-wife team, prepares next generation for ‘real work’
FRIDAY October 4 Headlines:
- Computer giant HP plans to slash up to 9,000 jobs
- Ever try to pill a cat? It’s just gotten easier thanks to Piedmont Animal’s patented one-time injections
- Introducing Iqos, a new, non-vaping, non-smoking way to get nicotine
- Robots are coming, but they won’t look like how we imagined, says Raleigh AI expert
- Rogue vape brand is focus of investigation after spate of deaths
- Tech in the fast lane: vTestify shares its own startup accelerator experience
- Three civic tech projects inspire the ninth annual Civic Camp in Durham
- US authorities pressing Facebook to get access to encrypted messages
- US unemployment drops to ‘five-decade low’ of 3.5%, but pace of hiring weakens
