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As Nortel’s final demise nears, what blame should its board shoulder?
Analysis: Chief Executive Officer Mike Zafirovski and his predecessors Frank Dunn and Bill Owens have taken plenty of heat for Nortel’s road to bankruptcy. But who hired them?
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Climate change and the economy: Public policies like ‘cap and trade’ and a carbon tax could have big impacts on our wallets.
Analysis: As the global warming debate continues to heat up, there’s more and more talk about something called “cap and trade” and the so-called “carbon tax.” The economics of climate change bear watching.
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20/20: Surgery can let you see like a child again
Improvements to cataract surgery and lenses can not only help people see more clearly, but can also help solve their lifelong vision problems and let them ditch their glasses.
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Can video games boost thinking in elderly? NCSU, Georgia Tech to find out
National Science Foundation is funding research of Games through Gaming Lab at NCSU.
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Korean firm considers Carolinas, Georgia for electric vehicle production plant
CT&T United says it plans to open plant in 2010, employ 2,600 people. Vehicles would start at $8,000. N.C. Commerce declines comment.
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RTP-based Metabolon raises another $1 million in venture capital
In SEC filing, nine-year-old firm that is focused on biomarker technology says it plans to raise another $6 million.
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High-tech kowtowing: PC makers bow to China’s censorware mandate
'Green Dam' is another brick for the 'Great Firewall' of China. Lenovo says it will obey government's requirements. Other high-tech firms have given in before in a country where free enterprise doesn't include free speech.
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Lenovo complies with China's demand for web filtering software
"Green Dam" will be made available either as pre-loaded software or on a CD-ROM, company spokesperson says. World's No. 4 PC maker says, "We obey the law and abide by local regulations wherever we do business."
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Despite three IPOs, venture-backed exits drop to trickle in second quarter
Number and value of mergers-and-acquisitions plunge, VentureSource reports. However, on positive signs, venture-backed firms need to raise less cash and are reaching an exit faster. National Venture Capital Association adds that exit pipeline isn’t filled. Those firms that did execute IPos are off to good starts.
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Seeking investors? Be sure to find the right angel partners
The Angel Connection: Believe it or not, there are some bad choices of angels. The trick is to avoid the angels that might cause you some problems in the future.
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Private equity firm ‘moving heaven and earth’ in a bid to buy bankrupt Nortel
Vulture fund wants to keep bankrupt company whole, lawyer tells Canadian newspaper.
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Are your click-through agreements enforceable?
TechLaw: The ability to contract online promotes our fast-paced global marketplace, allowing business to be conducted 24/7. Are these agreements, which often are entered into on a whim by a user, enforceable? The answer may surprise you.
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Which treatment works best? Institute of Medicine outlines top 100 priorities
RTI International executive is part of committee that develops blueprint for medical study needs.
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China postpones controversial Web filter mandate to PC makers
China postponed a plan to require personal computer makers to supply Internet-filtering software Tuesday, retreating in the face of protests by Washington and Chinese Web surfers just hours before it was due to take effect.
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Pozen files drug application for its 'purple pill' Nexium combo to combat arthritis
Filing with FDA triggers a $10 million milestone payment to Chapel Hill drug developer from partner AstraZeneca.
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Mankind fights to survive in new ‘Gears of War’ novel
Cary-based Epic Games teams with sci-fi bestselling author Karen Traviss for ‘Jacinto’s Remnant.’ It’s the second book based on the Gears franchise that has sold more than 11 million copies. A third book is planned for 2010.
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Bankruptcy court approves Nortel plan to auction off assets
Concerns about company's financial stability forced sale of assets, Nortel exec tells court.
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Study tracks how swine flu spread
In a startling measure of just how widely a new disease can spread, researchers accurately plotted swine flu's course around the world by tracking air travel from Mexico.
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Worst may be over for U.S. tech market, analyst firm says
As bad as the technology market fared in the first quarter of this year, the worst may be over, at least in the United States, Forrester Research said in a report Tuesday.
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Mom entrepreneurs conceive, give birth to some fascinating businesses
From belly casts to social networks, a record label to scrapbooking, these female entrepreneurs highlight StartupNation's best mom-owned business list.
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs back at work few days a week
Apple Inc. co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is back at work after a five-and-a-half-month medical leave, during which he received a liver transplant.
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Venture capital doesn't need government help
Opinion: New proposals by the VC industry for low taxes and less oversight may impede innovation, not promote it
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Two biotech startups receive $50,000 Biotech Center loans
Agile Sciences, NeuroScience Pharmaceuticals are commercializing technology developed at NCSU, Duke.
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A Nortel mystery: What happens to its next-generation wireless technology?
As creditors fight for shares of bankrupt company, industry publication Light Reading reports Nortel is hanging on to key intellectual property.
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Inflation-proof your business – now; otherwise, you risk ruination
Analysis: This recession might snap like a rubber band into a period of rapid inflation. Business leaders need to be preparing for surge in prices.
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Applying science to the art of systems management
Analysis: Software systems are complex and—in the world of IT operations—we leave far too much to chance. We fly blind. It’s time to apply some science to the art of systems management.
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In the job market? LinkedIn can pay dividends
Networking to get a job or get ahead in the business world is an art – even when it comes to brand-new networking tools like the Web site LinkedIn.
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New exit route for entrepreneurs, VCs – Private stock exchanges
SharesPost, SecondMarket seek to provide ways for investors, startup owners a way to cash out other than initial public offerings.
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Ovary transplants may help women fight biological clocks
Two new techniques to preserve and transplant ovaries might give women a better chance to fight their biological clocks and have children when they are older, doctors announced Monday.
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Big vaccine business for GSK, Novartis? Swine ful may require 600 million doses
A potential fall swine flu immunization campaign may involve an unprecedented 600 million doses of vaccine, though officials said Friday they haven't figured out how to administer so many doses or accurately track side effects if a seasonal vaccine is given simultaneously.
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Companies appeal to China to drop Web filter plan
Global business groups have made an unusual direct appeal to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to scrap an order for PC makers to supply controversial Internet filtering software, citing security and privacy concerns.
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'Trust in South Carolina:' A campaign to realize human potential of everyone
A spark is needed to light a fire that will reinvent South Carolina. Here's a comprehensive strategy and movement to realize the human potential of everyone.
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Just say 'no' to venture capital: Why less is more for startups
Analysis: A company running on a tight budget will perform far better than a company that has gotten a chunk of cash from venture capitalists.
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City of Raleigh seeks power from sunflowers
Sunflowers planted near the city's wastewater treatment plant could produce biofuel to help power equipment at the plant.
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UNC-CH specialist: Swine flu vaccine availability still unclear
Every flu season a vaccine is available to control the spread of the illness, but the H1N1 virus has been spreading without a vaccine to control it.
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CDC: U.S. swine ful cases hit 1 million
As many as 1 million Americans now have swine flu, U.S. health officials said Thursday, adding that 6 percent or more of some urban areas are infected. The estimate voiced by a government flu scientist Thursday was no surprise to the experts who have been closely watching the virus.
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Who moved my 'Delete' key? Lenovo did. Here's why.
Lenovo put nearly a year of research into two design changes that debuted on an updated ThinkPad laptop this week. No, not the thinner, lighter form or the textured touchpad – rather, the extra-large "Delete" and "Escape" keys.
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Apple demanded tax break for data center, documents show
Newly released state documents show Apple Inc. told North Carolina business recruiters the state would have to change a corporate tax law to erase an advantage favoring Virginia if it wanted the technology giant's $1 billion server farm.
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Georgia Tech launches center to help improve recovery of severely injured soldiers
UniversityTech: Musculoskeletal biology and regenerative medicine expertise are keys to effort, Tech says.
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Analyst: Red Hat remains 'a beacon of light'
Jefferies & Co.'s Katherine Egbert sings praises of world's top Linux software developer and services provider. "Red Hat seems well-positioned to weather the current IT spending storm," she says in upping share value.
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Job seeking? Use the power of power networking
With more and more people on the job market, finding the next opportunity is also a matter of who you know. Your next job may be just a handshake away. By meeting people and impressing upon them what you offer as a professional in your field increases your chances of getting your next job.
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PPD pulls out of N.C. Research Campus, citing slow development of project
Pharmaceutical Product Development had committed to creating 300 jobs at Kannapolis biotech center being built by billionaire David Murdock.
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Jobs' liver transplant shows power of the rich
A celebrity like Apple CEO Steve Jobs scores a rare organ transplant and the world wonders: Did he game the system? The rich have plenty of advantages that others don't. But winning the "transplant lottery" involves more than the size of your wallet – and true medical need.
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Stomach stapling may lower cancer risk in women – but not men
Women who have their stomachs stapled not only lose weight; they also may reduce their cancer risk by up to 40 percent, new research says. In a study of more than 2,000 obese people who had surgery to reduce the size of their stomachs, Swedish researchers found women who had the procedure were less likely to get cancer than those who did not.
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Feds at CIA, DOE are banking on power from Durham startup
New $500,000 grant from Department of Energy is latest sign that Semprius could be delivering solar power and new semiconductor technology that makes financial sense.
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Want to reduce pancreatic cancer risk? Weight control could help
It’s estimated that nearly 27 percent of all cases of this highly lethal cancer are due in part to excess weight.
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Scrape those hulls? Not with NCSU high-tech prevention
UniversityTech: Non-toxic hull coating resists barnacle buildup, potentially saving ship owners millions
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Cloud computing: Can IT deliver on the hype?
Analysis: The idea that purchasing only the services you use from a cloud environment may allow businesses to both save money and focus on their core business is an enticing proposition in the current economic climate. However, it is critical for business consumers to understand the infrastructure, components and service delivery characteristics of the offering being considered.
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Cleantech is hot – Should you try to cash in?
The Angel Connection: Venture capitalists are shifting their focus from many of the traditional investment sectors in an attempt to capitalize on environmentally friendly technologies.
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It’s good to be green … and silver, and gold, and platinum
TechLaw: No longer the pet project of environmentalists, building green has gone mainstream. Enthusiasm for green projects has grown beyond recycling programs and using compact fluorescent light bulbs. In the face of increased fuel costs, climate-related disasters, regional drought and a wounded economy, going ‘green’ has become a stimulus concept in itself, particularly suitable to the image and marketing of cutting-edge technology companies.
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IT job market in North Carolina bottoms out in May, report says
Unlike nation-wide trend, number of information technology job openings across the state show slight increase. However, demand remains far below that of one year ago and little further improvement is expected this summer, SkillProof and NCTA report.
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Entrepreneurship 101: Financing the launch of your company
The Angel Connection: Options include bootstrapping, strategic partnerships, customer partnerships, angel investors –possibly, venture capitalists.
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What will the economic recovery look like?
The economic pie will again expand, but slowly. Businesses, and regions, will be competing more for bigger slices than for parts of a larger pie. The successful firms will get ahead by the profitable use of management, marketing, and creativity – skills that will be vital and essential like never before.
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Under Black Hills, work begins on world's deepest lab
Far below the Black Hills of South Dakota, crews are building the world's deepest underground science lab at a depth equivalent to more than six Empire State buildings - a place uniquely suited to scientists' quest for mysterious particles known as dark matter.
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Duke explores alternative to open heart surgery for murmurs
A trial at Duke Hospital is helping people born with a defect in the aortic heart valve correct the problem without several open-heart surgeries.
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RIP, Nortel – Was Mike Zafirovski's mission impossible?
The firesale of Nortel's assets is on. Its crown jewel is already sold, and more deals are in the works. Who is to blame for the fall of a once mighty company? Not just Mike Z.
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Creating an attractive business model is an essential element in attracting investors
The Angel Connection: Investors always look at the management team to ultimately decide, but the story about their business model has to be compelling and convincing, and the management team has to show that they can really pull it off.
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Linking viruses, cancer – A key to developing new treatments?
UniversityTech: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer has uncovered clues to the development of cancers in AIDS patients.
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Gates Foundation, MDC partner for jobs, education initiative
Guilford Technical Community College will receive $743,000 over three years for a remedial program. Institutions across 15 states will receive support.
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DVD renters see lots of red - Redbox kiosks vs. Netflix red mailers
With more subscribers than ever flocking to its DVD-by-mail service, Netflix Inc. is one of the few companies to prosper during the worst U.S. recession in 70 years. Yet Netflix CEO Reed Hastings still has something to worry about: an even cheaper DVD rental service run by one of his former lieutenants.
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N.C. Research Campus could land federal research center, hundreds of jobs
U.S. Department of Agriculture might pick Kannapolis for a nutrition and research center. Rep. Larry Kissell is seeking a $500,000 earmark to establish the center.
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Apple fans, shareholders are prepared for a part-time Jobs
Five and a half months ago, word that Steve Jobs would only work part-time as he recovered from a liver transplant would have sent investors into a selling frenzy, so closely linked was Apple's charismatic co-founder and CEO to the company's success.
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Reports: Apple CEO Steve Jobs had liver transplant
Apple Inc. co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, whose recovery from pancreatic cancer appeared less certain when he had to take medical leave in January, received a liver transplant two months ago but is recovering well, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
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Nortel to sell itself off in pieces
Nortel Networks, once a technology giant, has decided to sell itself off in pieces rather than attempt to emerge from bankruptcy as a restructured company.
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Nokia Siemens in deal to buy Nortel wireless units
Nokia Siemens Networks said Saturday it will buy the wireless operations of Canadian-based Nortel Networks in a $650 million (euro465 million) deal to strengthen its position in North American markets.
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Putting on his 'hairshirt,' Nortel's CEO defends his actions
Mike Zafirovski a lot of body blows in yet another round of his seemingly never-ending struggle to keep the telecommunications gear maker alive.
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RDU International Airport goes green with LED runway lights
Backed by federal and state grants totaling $7 million, RDU Airport Authority will replace existing lights with LEDS that promise reduced energy and maintenance costs.
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Buckle up for new valuations and term sheets
The Angel Connection: The personal wealth of angels and the portfolio value of foundations and institutions are considerably less by 30 to 40 percent. This puts a lot of pressure on their willingness to take on new investments.
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Start your browsers: Inlet adds dimensions to wide world of sports viewing
Raleigh-based firm helps deliver a multi-faceted Internet web cast of the Indy 500 and aims for more live sports in future. But there's a risk. "Live happens only once – so you have to get it right the first time," company’s president says.
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More bad news for venture firms: Institutions decrease private equity investments
For entrepreneurs, it has been getting harder and harder to acquire venture money since the end of 2008, and it doesn't like it is going to get any better this year.
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Bonuses but no severance during bankruptcy – What is going on at Nortel?
CEO Mike Zafirovski is to appear before a Canadian parliament committee today to answer questions about bonuses. An RTP veteran wonders why he was laid off, denied severance and still received a bonus.
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Southern Capitol Ventures goes to Maryland for latest deal
Raleigh-based venture capitol firm invests in AVIcode, which focuses on Microsoft .NET monitoring solutions.
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National Venture Capital Association resists Obama’s financial regulatory plan
The trade group says venture industry is already adequately regulated and doesn’t "pose significant systemic risk" to the financial system.
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U.S. unemployment to keep climbing as recession drags on, Duke CFO survey says
Economic fundamentals remain ‘troubling,’ Duke professor says. Recession to drag on, credit remains tight and capital spending to be ‘slashed’ along with jobs, CFOs predict. ‘Little fundamental data’ to indicate a recovery, warns Duke’s Campbell Harvey.
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N.C. Biotech Center awards $2.5 million grant to nanobiotechnology center
Center for Innovation in Nanobiotechnology, which is located in the Triad, will receive money over four years. The goal is to help commercialize research done at state’s universities.
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In IT world, it's more than pay that keeps employees motivated, survey shows
Quintiles, SAS, Michelin, Southern Company, Aflac, Palmetto Health, Red Hat receive high marks in a Computerworld survey – for many reasons.
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The basics of business bankruptcy: Making the best of a bad situation
TechLaw: As we work our way through the ongoing recession, more and more businesses are confronted with the real possibility of bankruptcy. This article highlights some of the basics of business bankruptcy.
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China backpedals on filtering software order
China's authoritarian government has backed away from an order to load Internet-filtering software on every new computer, easing pressure on PC makers Lenovo and Dell.
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Canadian Parliament orders Nortel CEO to testify about bonuses
Mike Zafirovski had declined an invitation to speak but government committee votes to summon him, other execs anyway.
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Duke Energy CFO to take over as top executive at FairPoint Communications
David Hauser, who is already a member of the telecommunication firm’s board, will replace Eugene Johnson. Johnson is retiring.
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CeNeRx BioPharma closes on $9M in new financing
RTP-based startup secures $5 million in credit, another $4 million from Pappas Ventures, other investors. CeNeRx also acquires right to ‘agent’ that targets neuropathy and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Bidding war for Data Domain ensures at least one winner – shareholders
Regardless of whether EMC or NetApp wins the battle, Data Domain shareholders already have made a windfall. The firm's shares were selling under $20 when the NetApp deal was disclosed. After EMC entered the battle, shares shot as high as $34.35.
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New report supports N.C. as center for 'green' jobs, governor says
According to a new Pew Center report, North Carolina is ready to capitalize on Gov. Bev Perdue’s green energy plan, including her proposals to make green energy jobs a cornerstone of the state's economy.
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Oh, what a relief: Bleach baths can give relief from eczema
A weekly bath in bleach can give relief to the millions of American children – one in six – who suffer from the skin affliction called eczema.
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Quintiles vaults to 16th on '100 Best Places to Work in IT' list
The information technology group at the world's largest privately held contract research organization is "making real contributions," says Quintiles chief information officer. "We make a difference now, and people like that."
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China’s ‘Great Firewall’ move an attack on democracy and U.S. trade
Analysis: Edict to install filtering software on PCs sold in China is the latest humiliation for American business at the hands of China’s leaders.
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IBM prepares rollout for its own 'cloud computing' suite
Big Blue to offer three "flavors" of services – private inside an enterprise, preview for testing and a package including management software.
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Novartis just says 'no' to free swine flu vaccine
With swine flu now an official pandemic, the race is on among drugmakers to produce a vaccine. GSK to offer 50M free doses. Novartis won't.
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Virtual Heroes, HopeLab team up for Remission 2 – A video game to fight cancer
RTP-based virtual training company will help develop a new version of video game designed to help young people deal with deadly disease.
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Asia becoming the darling of venture capital firms
New report further substantiates that the global venture capital market will continue to play an increasing role in venture capital firm investments.
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Novartis produces first batch of swine flu vaccine; GSK continues research
Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG said Friday it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations. A plant in Holly Springs is designed to produce new type of treatment.
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China defends telling Lenovo, other PC makers to install net filtering software
Decision could be a boost for Morrisville-based Lenovo but hurt Dell, HP analyst says. Author warns 'net nanny' edict will hurt U.S. software firms as well.
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Nortel CEO won't talk with Canadian government about bonuses
Company says lawyers advise Mike Zafirovski to 'decline the invitation.'
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North Carolina's 'green' jobs sector swells over 10 years, study shows
Nationally, clean tech sector employs some 770,000 people based on 2007 data, Pew Charitable Trusts says.
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Kauffman Foundation report calls for ‘right-sizing’ of ailing venture industry
Study’s author calls for ‘by half’ reductions in fund raising and VC fund size as well as other changes in order to help investors see more profitable exits. However, not all VCs agree. One calls report ‘alarmist,’ says investors still seek opportunities.
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Most venture firms planning fewer investments, global survey says
Few venture capitalists expect U.S. investments to grow. VCs say times are good to invest but overall paint a collective somber picture about their industry in Deloitte and National Venture Capital Association report. Large funds are most likely to cut number and amount of deals.
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Fedora’s new Linux release is roaring toward the global desktop
Critics gush with praise for code-name Leonidas project as Red Hat-supported project makes a pre-emptive strike against Windows 7. It also offers insight into Red Hat’s virtualization strategy.
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Collecting your due – Minimize the risk of loss
TechLaw: The economic downturn has been devastating for all industries, including the technology industry. Now, more than ever, it is important for business owners to arm themselves against non paying customers and to preserve their rights in the future.
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Former Nortel execs seeking $1B loan from Canadian government to buy company
Group says it has lined up private backers but ‘needs federal money,’ CBC News says. If a buyout occurs, group plans to keep two thirds of Nortel, base it in Ottawa.
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Stemming leukemia: Benefits of treatment may outweigh risks
Researchers reviewed data from two dozen studies on allogeneic stem cell transplantation, in which blood-forming donor cells replace abnormal cells in a patient's bone marrow. The procedure has a high risk of serious side effects.
