Andy Sack
As seen in:
BioXconomy,
Aol,
Yahoo Finance Singapore,
Fortune,
Flipboard,
Chief Executive Magazine,
Inkl
Co-ceo @forum3_ | my bag o' thoughts about ai, entrepreneurship, venture capital, parenthood, and the world in general.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Andy Sack
AI first: The playbook for a future-proof business
International “The real shift occurs when AI is used to make significant impacts on business margins or market position” IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS By Adam Brotman and Andy Sack As OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, artificial general intelligence (AGI) is likely going to be here in five years or so. It will be coming at us in a dynamic fashion, affecting everything, and we can’t exactly say when it will arrive or precisely what it will look like. That’s a lot to process.
Don’t count out Apple in the ‘AI race’: It might be in the best position of all Original
As generative AI reshapes the tech landscape, most attention has gone to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft, xAI, and China’s DeepSeek. Their models are powerful, their demos flashy, and their progress rapid. In contrast, Apple—famously secretive and methodical—has drawn skepticism over its perceived AI inertia. Despite announcing “Apple Intelligence” at WWDC in June 2024 and following it with a splashy fall ad campaign, Apple has yet to meaningfully integrate generative AI into iOS.
Don’t count out Apple in the ‘AI race’: It might be in the best position of all
6 hours ago Microsoft's new approach to logins is safer, one CNET expert says. If you use Microsoft Authenticator to store your passwords, listen up. Starting in August, Microsoft will begin deleting saved passwords in the Authenticator app. Instead, Microsoft will require you to use passkeys in place of …
Do You Need A Chief AI Officer?
Imagine it’s 1997 and your company is deciding whether it needs an internet strategy. That’s sort of where we are with gen AI today. Except with one big difference. In the early days of the web, a non-technical business leader would not be able to just speak a website into existence; nor would your internet strategy be anywhere near the minds of your CHRO as a potential workflow transformation process.
5 AI Books to Read in 2025
The AI landscape is evolving rapidly and it’s important to keep up. No one can afford to stay out of the loop on AI, so here are five new books to fill you in on the latest updates, concerns, and uses of this world-changing technology. Learn something new every day with “Book Bites,” 15-minute audio summaries of the latest and greatest nonfiction.
How AI Will Change Brand Strategy and Marketing Forever
Adam Brotman and Andy Sack are co-founders of Forum3. Adam was a Chief Digital Officer at Starbucks where he helped lead the creation of their mobile order payment and loyalty programs. He has also served as co-CEO of J.Crew, and today he works with companies navigating their brand, digital strategy, and AI strategy. Andy spent over two decades as a tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist.
Techstars isn’t just a 3-month accelerator - It’s a network for life — A Sack of Seattle - Official Blog of Andy Sack
Ian Sefferman still goes to work in Seattle’s South Lake Union every day, but instead of walking into one of the many Amazon buildings, where he used to be a software developer, he walks up the stairs to MobileDevHQ, the company he founded in 2012. MobileDevHQ was part of the Techstars Seattle 2012 class. What is MobileDevHQ? MobileDevHQ is an enterprise app marketing platform. We are basically SEO for apps.
RAM shift phase 2 | Xconomy
[Editor’s note: Seattle-based sci-fi author Greg Bear has contemplated a day when intelligent machines, which are already assisting or replacing humans in manufacturing and transportation, could do his job, too. Indeed, a World Economic Forum study (PDF) predicts that technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics will replace some 5 million jobs by 2020, while also creating new occupations.
Today Only: Save $120 for The State of Cybersecurity on 12/8 | Xconomy
Join us next Thursday, December 8, for The State of Cybersecurity, where you’ll hear the who’s who of business and tech leaders address questions about data security, IT strategy in the age of cyber threats, and much more. It all starts at 1:30pm at WGBH in Boston. And to save you a little extra cash, we have a Cyber Monday special that will last until midnight.
Cybersecurity Firm Proficio Raises $12M in Private Equity Round | Xconomy
Proficio, a Carlsbad, CA-based startup providing cybersecurity protection services for middle market companies, has raised $12 million in an investment round led by Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. The Los Angeles-based private equity firm provided funding from its Kayne Partners Fund Group, which invests in high-growth technology businesses.
Under Terrier, NASA’s JSC Seeks to Support Space Innovation | Xconomy
Houston—As chief technologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Douglas Terrier focuses in part on fostering innovation within his own organization. But his duties also involve seeking outside commercial partners that can use space technologies in other fields. “Our legacy system is the government invests in technology unique to NASA applications and somewhere down the road that leads to a spinoff that affects medicine or whatever,” he says. “We’re now taking a much more proactive approach to that.
Arrowhead, Microbes, Diabetes, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist | Xconomy
Stay current on the latest happenings in Wisconsin’s innovation community with these headlines: —Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Pasadena, CA, but houses its R&D operations in Madison, WI, provided updates on some of its drug candidates and development programs at two recent industry conferences.
The New Crowdfunding Rules: Will They Really Help Startups? | Xconomy
Hailed as the true democratizer of private investment, crowdfunding has been attracting both headlines and a fast-growing pile of cash. In May of 2016, rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission went into effect that will democratize the process even further. These new rules will open the doors to more investors, but they also pose some significant challenges for entrepreneurs seeking to safely tap this expanded source of financing.
Obamacare's Future Under Trump? Learn More at Xconomy Healthtech Event Thursday | Xconomy
After Donald Trump’s upset victory in the presidential election, one of the biggest questions is what will happen to the Affordable Care Act. It’s a hugely important topic for businesses, the healthcare industry, and, of course, the American people. That’s why Xconomy is working on organizing an informal discussion about the future of Obamacare at Thursday afternoon’s What’s Hot in Boston Healthtech event being held at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, MA.
The Five Major Tech Trends of 2016 | Xconomy
As we draw closer to the end of 2016, it is important that we take a moment to look back and reflect on all of the ways technology has inspired us, and transformed the way we live and do work. As technology becomes more pervasive in our lives, we increasingly look for simple but secure, as well as consistent and engaging experiences, regardless of the device we’re using. To augment and overcome physical distance, we are starting to use drones, virtual reality, and driverless cars.
Massachusetts Builds Diverse Edtech Sector, Still Seeks Big Wins | Xconomy
Massachusetts has long been known as a hub for both software and education. Now, a growing cluster of companies has emerged at the intersection of those two industries—but the local education technology sector seems to be searching for an identity. A recent study of Massachusetts businesses found more than 400 education-related companies that employ at least 20,000 people in the Bay State.
WEDC Early-Stage Investment Program Awarded $18M in Last Fiscal Year | Xconomy
Nearly $18 million was awarded to 25 Wisconsin companies during the 2015 fiscal year as part of a program designed to incentivize investment in early-stage tech startups, according to a draft of a report released Friday by the state’s job creation agency. In the report, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) said the 25 businesses certified for the Qualified New Business Venture (QNBV) Program last fiscal year brings the total number of participants to 167.
Green Sense Farms Aims to Change How Produce is Grown, Distributed | Xconomy
Green Sense Farms is on a mission to build the country’s largest network of tech-enabled, indoor vertical farms. To help it get there, the Portage, IN-based company has turned to a new mechanism for raising capital—equity crowdfunding, which allows companies to sell small stakes in their businesses to the general public. With four days left in its crowdfunding campaign, Green Sense has already raised more than $400,000 on StartEngine, surpassing its minimum goal of $100,000.
California Accelerators Enroll Startups Targeting Cannabis Industry | Xconomy
When California voters go to the polls on November 8, among the many issues they are expected to decide is Proposition 64. If a majority of voters vote yes, the initiative would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the Golden State for adults aged 21 years or older. Some entrepreneurs, though, are acting as if Prop 64, known officially as the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative, has already passed.
Promentis, Kiio, EmOpti, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
Take a break from raking leaves and putting up your Halloween decorations and catch up on the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community: —Milwaukee-based Promentis Pharmaceuticals raised nearly $8.8 million in equity financing from eight investors, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators. Reached by phone, Promentis president and CEO Chad Beyer declined to comment on his company’s plans for the money it raised as part of the Series C funding round.
Automation Alley Drives Toward Autonomous Future with New Director | Xconomy
As Automation Alley prepares to host its annual awards gala this week, it’s a good time to look at what the organization is up to and what progress it has made since its founding nearly 20 years ago—and how the recent boom in autonomous technology has affected the organization’s long-term strategy. Automation Alley—a technology trade association with a mission to connect companies and organizations with talent, resources, and funding—also has a new leader (more on that below).
How Augmented Reality is Transforming the Manufacturing Industry | Xconomy
For many Americans, the manufacturing industry brings to mind images of Industrial Revolution-era factories, World War II assembly lines, or perhaps even outsourced workshops overseas. But that picture is outdated. The truth is that the advanced technologies that are changing modern life are also revolutionizing the manufacturing industry in ways that are not yet widely understood.
TerrAvion’s Eye in the Sky For Growers, And Now, Ranchers | Xconomy
Robert Morris was a military drone platoon leader in Afghanistan, where he started thinking about the potential of aerial imagery in agriculture. He later became a chapter president of the Drone Industry Association, and explored the idea of setting up a business providing drone surveillance of farmland. Morris did go on to co-found an aerial imagery company for agriculture in 2013, but he scrapped the idea of using drones.
Boston Tech Deal Roundup: Akamai, Cengage, Mautic, Skedaddle, & More | Xconomy
September was a busy month for tech startup funding and acquisition news in the Boston area. Here are a few of the latest deals that you might’ve missed: —Cambridge, MA-based Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM) acquired data processing startup Concord Systems for an undisclosed price. New York-based Concord was founded in 2014. Meanwhile, Akamai’s plans for a new headquarters in Kendall Square moved forward. The state approved a $700,000 tax break for the expansion project.
Tech Giants' Partnership To Explore Ethics, Societal Impacts of AI | Xconomy
With public interest in artificial intelligence technologies on the rise, five of the world’s largest corporations—vying against each other in so many spheres—are banding together to support research on the ethical and societal issues raised by machines with increasingly human-like capabilities. The Partnership on AI, formally unveiled Wednesday, includes Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM, Google and its 2014 acquisition DeepMind.
Gener8tor, University of Minnesota Tech Transfer Office to Team Up | Xconomy
Gener8tor, a startup accelerator whose programs have taken place exclusively in Wisconsin up to this point, took a key step forward in its expansion into Minnesota this week. The University of Minnesota’s technology transfer arm, known as the Office for Technology Commercialization (OTC), says it has formed a partnership with Gener8tor in an effort aimed at spinning startup companies out of research conducted at the school.
In the Driver’s Seat: Austin Edtech Startup Aceable Brings in $4M | Xconomy
Austin—Aceable has raised $4 million in a Series A round of funding to help it further expand its line of online testing products beyond driver’s education. The round was co-led by earlier investors Silverton Partners in Austin and Floodgate in Palo Alto, CA. In total, the startup has raised $8.7 million, including a $3 million round announced in October last year. Aceable, which was founded in 2013, started by offering driver’s ed testing via phone or tablet.
Pillar Hires Hodges as Boston VCs Build Community, Boost Diversity | Xconomy
It’s been a dynamic year for the Boston venture capital scene. Several new tech-focused funds have launched, some putting new spins on the traditional VC model. And, it’s worth noting, the firms are assembling diverse leadership teams. The latest example comes from Pillar, which today announced a new partner, Sarah Hodges. Hodges (pictured above) previously co-founded Boston leadership development firm Intelligent.ly.
Pharmaceutical Price Controls Might Be Closer Than You Think | Xconomy
Amid the hue and cry over the Mylan EpiPen pricing debacle, Hillary Clinton unveiled her “Plan to Respond to Unjustified Price Hikes for Long-Available Drugs.” Clinton’s plan calls for “dedicated oversight to protect consumers.” To that end she would “convene representatives of federal agencies…to create a dedicated group charged with protecting consumers from outlier price increases.
Epic, Astronautics, Virent, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
|
Keep up with the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Verona-based Epic Systems, revealed to Healthcare IT News that half of her company’s operating expenses go toward research and development. That’s ahead of competing electronic health records software vendors such as Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX), Athenahealth (NASDAQ: ATHN), and Cerner (NASDAQ: CERN).
By David Cohen Verified, Alexander Muse, Ben Elowitz, Andy Palmer, Alan Sachs, Chris Rizik, Andy Sack
|
BioXconomy
San Antonio Investors Create Angel Network, Hire Executive Director | Xconomy
San Antonio—South Texas now has its own angel network, and the network officially has its own executive director. The San Antonio Angel Network announced this morning that it has hired Chris Burney, a former finance manager and analyst at Rackspace, for the position. The group quietly got its start this summer and is an effort to connect accredited investors in the San Antonio area with potential startup investments.
BitSight Nabs $40M as Cybersecurity Ratings Sector Picks Up Steam | Xconomy
BitSight Technologies wasn’t looking to raise more money from investors when GGV Capital came calling in April. The cybersecurity ratings startup still had nearly $20 million stashed in the bank from the Series B funding round it raised in June 2015, says Tom Turner, BitSight’s chief operating officer and president. But BitSight executives decided they couldn’t pass up the opportunity, Turner says.
Fund Worth Up To $100M Seeks to Increase Diversity in Tech Workforce | Xconomy
A first-of-its-kind fund has launched with the mission to increase diversity in the tech industry by removing financial barriers and increasing access to tech education for anyone interested in pursuing it. The Tech Opportunity Fund is a partnership between the Iron Yard and Code Fellows, which offer tech training, and the financial literacy organization Operation HOPE.
HealthMyne Brings On New CEO, Eyes 2017 For Commercial Launch | Xconomy
HealthMyne, a healthcare IT startup based in Madison, WI, has named Arvind Subramanian as its new chief executive, the company said Monday. Subramanian’s first day at HealthMyne was Aug. 1, he said in a phone interview. Subramanian replaces Praveen Sinha, who co-founded HealthMyne in 2013. Sinha will now be vice president of business development, the startup said in a press release. Also joining HealthMyne, whose headcount currently stands at 24, is Linda Peitzman.
San Antonio Tech Academy Creates Cybersecurity Course for Veterans | Xconomy
San Antonio—A technical career school affiliated with Rackspace is announcing a new training program focused on cybersecurity, a move that comes as more companies around the nation are seeking workers with highly technical training, especially in Internet security. The Rackspace Open Cloud Academy is starting a 12-week course on cybersecurity for job-seeking veterans with experience in the field. The first classes begin next week and run through December.
The Power of Polymers | Xconomy
Throughout history, innovative humans have developed technology to overcome or adapt to challenges in the natural world. As it turns out, some of our most important advances were actually inspired by a naturally occurring group of materials: polymers. Derived from Greek words meaning “many parts,” the word polymer refers to a large molecule composed of multiple repeating units.
StartingBlock Reaches Funding Goal, Moves Closer to Groundbreaking | Xconomy
StartingBlock Madison, a still-to-be-built entrepreneurial center just east of downtown in Wisconsin’s capital city, took another major step forward this week. The nonprofit organization says it has met its $3 million fundraising goal and, with that piece in place, can continue working toward a groundbreaking planned for later this year. The City of Madison contributed half of the $3 million total, says Scott Resnick, executive director of StartingBlock Madison.
Under New Owners, Petco’s Digital Strategy Emerges in Petnet Deal | Xconomy
Petco, the privately held pet supplies company based in San Diego, said today it led a $10 million Series A financing in Los Angeles-based Petnet, a three-year-old startup developing technology-enabled pet feeders and pet food delivery service. The new funding will enable Petnet to expand its product line and sales and marketing capabilities. An existing investor, Los Angeles-based Aspiration Growth, joined in the round, along with unnamed investors.
Circular Board Founder Carolyn Rodz Puts New Spin On The Accelerator | Xconomy
Houston—There is a lot of discussion in the startup world about how to better support women entrepreneurs. Carolyn Rodz decided to tackle one aspect of it: the accelerator. “We wanted to take best practices from accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator, and build something that is for women,” says Rodz, who launched the Circular Board last year. For example, she says, traditional demo days emphasize a one-way communication, whereas women benefit more from pitches that solicit feedback.
SPLT Tackles Non-Emergency Patient Rides, Opens Mexico Office | Xconomy
Detroit-based enterprise ridesharing and carpooling startup SPLT has been on a take-no-prisoners growth trajectory since CEO Anya Babbitt first set foot in the Motor City last year as part of Techstars Mobility’s inaugural cohort. So far in 2016, the two-year-old company has won a number of pitch competitions across the country, participated in Google Demo Day at the tech giant’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA, and established a number of partnerships and pilot projects.
Seattle Week in Review: Heat, Haiku, Hard Choices
It was hot last night in Seattle. History hot. Xconomy Seattle’s Week in Review starts with the weather and the changing climate, and a proposal from the Sightline Institute designed to shield low-income people from the economic impact of taxing carbon dioxide emissions. We also review news from Amazon’s $100 million Alexa Fund and an effort at the Internet giant to create entire teams of part-time employees.
Epic, Wellbe, WARF, & Arrowhead: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
|
Lots of recent news from Wisconsin’s innovation community to catch up on. Let’s get to it: —Healthcare IT News spoke to leaders at Verona-based Epic Systems, including founder and CEO Judy Faulkner, about the ability of hospitals and clinics that use Epic’s patient records software to exchange data with other organizations. Faulkner told the blog that Epic clients can customize their record-keeping systems based on organizational wants and needs.
By David Cohen Verified, Art Mellor, Benjamin Cravatt, Art Pappas, Andy Sack, Alan McGlade, Jamie P. Merisotis, Joel S. Marcus
|
BioXconomy
Endeavor Detroit Aims to Help Companies Connect to Mentors and Grow
There’s a new nonprofit organization in town that seeks to connect Michigan’s entrepreneurs with a global network of mentors, service providers, and investors in order to help them grow. Endeavor Detroit set up shop in the Motor City 18 months ago with the goal of finding mid-stage startups with annual revenues between $2 million and $30 million that are poised to scale, and providing them with a suite of services and programs.
Seattle Week in Review: Healthcare IT, Machine Learning, and the 12s
Summer weather may finally come to Seattle in earnest this weekend. Before you head to the lake, check out Xconomy Seattle’s review of a couple of healthcare IT investments; Apple’s acquisition of Turi (nee GraphLab, then Dato) and the future of the iPhone; new funding for Zenoti and Kepler Communications; a new fund for Keiretsu Capital; a 12th Man licensing deal; and Paul Allen’s new music festival. —We’ve seen a couple of significant healthcare IT investments in the last week.
From Drugs to Data, Student Founders at Rice, UH Make Their Pitches
Houston—For the Bayou Startup Showcase, the third time proved to be the charm. Wednesday evening’s demo day of the student startup programs from the University of Houston and Rice University showed a certain maturity, a gelling of operations both in terms of the joint summer accelerator and in the startups themselves. The pitches this year were polished, probably the best cohort in the four classes I’ve seen. The entrepreneurs clearly stated their product and defined their potential customers.
Xconomy Q&A: Vuforia, Pokémon Go, and Augmented Reality
Talk about auspicious timing. It’s been less than a year since Needham, MA-based PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) shelled out $65 million to acquire Vuforia, the augmented reality technology created by San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM). Qualcomm had worked to develop its Vuforia technology for at least five years before a maturing smartphone market and new economic realities led to the sale.
Brookings Report, Imbed, & Coinigy: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist | Xconomy
Keep up with the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —The Washington-based Brookings Institution released a report on trends in what the think tank calls “America’s advanced industries,” a group of 50 sectors with large numbers of STEM professionals. Madison, the 88th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. by population, was home to more than 44,000 advanced industries jobs in 2015, 49th most in the nation.
Report: Seattle Machine Learning Star Turi Acquired by Apple
One of Seattle’s foremost machine learning startup companies, Turi—formerly known as GraphLab and then Dato—appears to have been acquired by Apple, according to press reports. GeekWire first reported the news, citing anonymous sources close to the deal. TechCrunch also reported the acquisition. Both quote an Apple statement indicating the tech giant has purchased the company.
Seattle Week in Review: Up in the Sky, It’s Prime Air and Blue Angels
The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels—and Amazon Prime Air—are rumbling the (currently) blue Seattle skies and the Thunder Boats are ready to rip around Lake Washington. It’s Seafair Weekend, Seattle’s annual celebration of speed and noise.
Pawn Shops Finally Go Digital, Helping Underbanked Find Quick Cash
In May and June, the financial industries that serve low-income Americans began to change in big ways. First, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed new rules for payday lenders. The first banned lenders from withdrawing money directly from their customers’ bank accounts, while the second restricted their ability to lend by imposing credit limits. Then Google announced its intent to ban payday and title lenders from advertising in search results.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Andy
Contact Andy, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack