NJ Tech Weekly’s 10 Most Read Stories of 2021
As we head into 2022, NJTechWeekly.com is taking the look at our most-read stories of 2021. Here they are:
- Predicting 2021—Mario Casabona Takes a look at the 2021 Angel Investment Landscape By Mario Casabona ( Jan. 2. 2021)
“Trying to predict 2021 based on past data may be difficult because 2020 has seen an unprecedented economic situation. So, instead of relying on 2015-to-2019 data, I’m going to make some predictions based solely on my 2020 experiences as an angel investor, mentor and entrepreneur.”
2. New Jersey Tech Companies Take Action in Response to COVID-19 Crisis in India By Esther Surden (May 12, 2021)
“When the latest wave of COVID-19 hit India to a devastating effect in recent weeks, New Jersey-based tech companies sprang into action to help not only their own associates, but also others in the country.”
3. Innovation Keeps Clark-Based GEP on Top of Supply-Chain Software Sector, CEO Subhash Makhija Says By Esther Surden (May 20, 2021)
“The supply chain. It was the reason why you couldn’t get toilet paper during the early days of the pandemic. And it’s the reason why you’re having trouble getting a semiconductor-filled automobile today. The COVID crisis shone a spotlight on the supply chain, and the companies that make highly rated supply-chain software are now gaining the recognition they deserve.”
4. Pandemic Pivot: How the Realities of Working in the Suburbs Spurred Sneh Kadakia to Create “from Here” By William Swayze (April 7, 2021)
“Sneh Kadakia was about to launch her first startup, which promised to solve on-demand, no-commitment workspace needs, essentially creating an “Airbnb” for coworkers in cities across the country. Then came the pandemic. Everything stopped.
5. Edison Partners Exits Jersey City-Based TrialScope After Startup’s Acquisition by Informa
By Esther Surden (Feb. 10, 2021)
“This week, Edison Partners, a venture capital firm located in Princeton, announced that it had exited TrialScope (Jersey City) with a 3X return on investment. Edison has invested in nearly 50 New Jersey companies since its founding in 1986 as Edison Ventures.”
6. Under Leadership of CEO Jeff Miller, Synchronoss Narrows Focus to Continue its Comeback By Esther Surden (Aug. 20, 2021)
“An enthusiastic Jeff Miller, president and CEO of Bridgewater-based Synchronoss Technologies, spoke to NJTechWeekly.com recently about the company, and how it is orchestrating its turnaround.”
7. High Flying NJ Data-Protection Startup OwnBackup Achieves Unicorn Status By Esther Surden (Feb. 1, 2021)
“Word came last week that OwnBackup, the Englewood Cliffs-based cloud data protection company, closed a Series D investment of $167.5 million after just closing on $50 million six months ago. (See our story here).”
8. Opinion: New Jersey to Create Venture Capital Fund to Supercharge Investment into Early-Stage and Emerging Growth Companies in the State By David Sorin and Adam Sternbach of McCarter & English (Jan. 2, 2021)
“The New Jersey Legislature has passed the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Act, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is expected to sign it into law in the coming days/weeks. Pursuant to the Act, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (the NJEDA) will create a fund, called the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund (the Fund), to invest in early-stage and emerging growth companies in New Jersey. The Fund is expected to be capitalized with approximately $250 million over the next five years through competitive auctions of state tax credits.”
9. Interview with Rita Gurevich, Whose Hoboken-Based Cybersecurity Startup SPHERE Received a $10 Million Series A Investment By Esther Surden (Feb. 18, 2021)
“News came Thursday that SPHERE Technology Solutions, a woman-owned cybersecurity governance company in Hoboken, had secured $10 million in a Series A round led by ForgePoint Capital (San Mateo), a well-known VC firm specializing in early-stage cybersecurity companies.”
10. Interview with Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com, an E-Commerce Platform to Buy NJ Lottery Tickets on Your Phone By Esther Surden (July 2, 2021)
“The idea for Lotto.com Inc. (Jersey City) dates to well before 2018, when Thomas Metzger, CEO, established the startup, he told us in a recent interview. That’s because the idea of bringing lottery sales online was already old hat in Europe.”
