New York’s open data whiz is coming to Baltimore [Startup Roundup]

WHO’S GETTING FUNDED

A pair of startups that spun out of research at Johns Hopkins University reported seven-figure raises:

• Personal Genome Diagnostics raised $4.3 million in debt, according to an SEC filing. The Canton-based company makes systems for testing and analysis of cancer genomes.
• Meanwhile, wound healing startup Gemstone BioTherapeutics raised $2.45 million, the Baltimore Sun reported.

In cybersecurity funding news, Terbium Labs reported selling $1.6 million in equity in an SEC filing. The South Baltimore-based company makes Matchlight, a product that uses fingerprinting technology to protect data.

WHO’S MAKING MOVES

Baltimore is moving on a list that ranks startup activity in U.S. metro areas. Baltimore-Towson was up 2 spots to rank 17th in this year’s list, resting us nicely between Seattle and Riverside, Calif. The list is compiled by the Kauffman Foundation. Check out the full list here.
The fledgling Center for Government Excellence brought another data dynamo onboard. According to a news release, former New York open-data program chief Andrew Nicklin is joining the Johns Hopkins-based center that will help cities use data to improve government. Nicklin will serve as open data director for the center, which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and aims to help more than 100 cities. In New York, Nicklin worked on open data at both the state and city level. In New York City, he helped kickstart competitions and hackathons to get the public interacting with the information.
Contrast Security is a Baltimore City company now, so we’ll be following their progress. Last week, the company released a product that provides app developers with security both during development and operations. Known as Contrast Enterprise, the product is the first of its kind, company officials say.
SmartLogic returns with another episode of SmartLogic Studies, which provides a look at different aspects of building a startup. This episode on hiring and talent stars Rob Wray of Whitebox, Andrew Schuster of NewsUp, Eff Norwood of ComedTech, Betamore’s Jen Meyer, Fearless Soltuions CEO Delali Dzirasa and Patrick Rife of Pixilated Photobooth.