By Evan Vitale
What stories are already making headlines in the early part of 2017?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that former Novartis Pharma-unit head David Epstein has joined Flagship Pioneering. Epstein is the latest in a line of top pharmaceutical executives—such as former Sanofi SA Chief Executive Chris Viehbacher and AstraZeneca PLC’s ex-chief medical officer, Briggs Morrison—to join venture-capital firms or young biotech companies following long careers in the industry giants. Details: http://on.wsj.com/2iDRN3n
Forbes has announced it’s 30 Under 30 in venture capital. You can meet and learn more about the top young investors for 2017 here: http://bit.ly/2iP30hP
Blockstack, a New York company that develops platforms for secure, server-less apps using blockchain technology, raised $5.3 million in a round of venture capital funding. According to a report, the funding was provided by Union Square Ventures. The article, published by pymnts.com is available here: http://bit.ly/2inxdmS
At the Minneapolis firm Loup Ventures, formally launched this week by former securities analyst Gene Munster and two partners, the founders have basically turned that idea on its head. Instead of looking for visionaries to back, savvy entrepreneurs should come looking for them, as they are the ones with the confident vision of the future. They are so confident that they are publishing a 27-page manifesto with the title “The Future Perfect: Rediscovering Utopia.” Details: http://strib.mn/2jmWBNM
TechCrunch has published one of the first bold prediction headlines of the year stating that “2017 will be a strong year for venture capital.”
Contributor Matt Murphy writes:
“What does my crystal ball say about the outlook for venture capital in 2017? The building blocks of a better year are in place. Many venture capital firms are flush with cash, startup valuations have become more reasonable, technology industry M&A is robust and the technology IPO market is improving. Moreover, the obsession of funding unicorns at almost any price — and at the expense of smaller startups — has materially waned. All good news.”
Details here: http://tcrn.ch/2imTEcJ
