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• Hey fever! The surprise benefit of allergies (Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:46:00 EST)  Long-suffering victims of allergies such as asthma and hay fever might enjoy a surprise benefit, according to research led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
• Chemo and radiation after surgery prolongs life for pancreatic cancer patients (Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:20:00 EST)  Pancreatic cancer patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation after surgery survive approximately six months longer than those receiving surgery alone, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists report.
• Soyfoods Association response to research on soy in men (Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:14:00 EST)  Headlines claiming "soy products lower sperm count" do not tell the whole story. The small scale, preliminary study that Dr. Jorge Chavarro, published online in Human Reproduction, is based on recollected intake of soyfoods and not on specific diets containing soyfoods.

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Funds and Venture Capital Investing

• Accuitive Medical Ventures (AMV) is a venture capital firm with offices in Atlanta, GA, Newport Beach, CA, and Rochester, MN. AMV is in business to finance and help develop early and expansion stage medical device and technology companies.
• Adams Capital Management's focus in the medical arena seems to be on software-based diagnostic equipment.
• Advanced Technology Ventures focuses on early-stage companies. Portfolio includes a number of diagnostics manufacturers as well as makers of minimally invasive surgical instruments and intracoronary radiation systems.
• Advent International invests in companies at all stages of development, from emerging growth enterprises to large profitable businesses. The group can provide up to $200 million in equity for a single transaction and will consider a variety of investment structures, including minority equity positions, leveraged recapitalizations, and management buyouts. Current portfolio includes companies in the cardiovascular, orthopedic, imaging, and diagnostics fields.
• Alliance Technology Ventures typically invest between $500,000 and $2 million in early-stage companies, particularly those in the Southeast. About a half-dozen device firms are currently supported, including some pursuing cardiovascular technologies, surgical devices, and organ repair.
• Alpha Capital Partners provides equity financing for promising growth businesses and buyouts or recapitalizations of established companies. Investment typically ranges from $500,000 to $4 million per enterprise, with concentration in the greater Midwest. The portfolio includes developers of automated immunoassay instruments, digital interconnect systems for medical imaging equipment, and surgical cable and instruments.
• Alta Partners prefers to act as the lead investor, taking a board seat, and assisting the company as it develops. Typically, between $2 million and $8 million is invested in a company throughout the life of the investment. Focus is on the West Coast.
• Ampersand Ventures focuses exclusively on the specialty material and chemical industry. Portfolio includes companies developing microfluidics systems for genetic analysis, automated cancer diagnosis, and reagents and electrophoresis systems for research applications.
• Anthem Capital is a $43 million VC partnership focusing on investments in Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Southern New Jersey. The group expects to help develop the financial marketing and overall strategic plans and to oversee their tactical execution by management. Products covered in the portfolio include a microprocessor-controlled CPR vest, products for cancer screening, a miniature optical sensor with applications in glucose and oxygen sensing, and products for diagnosing and treating chronic pain.
• ARCH Venture Partners invests in life science companies. Strength seems to be biotech and biopharmaceuticals, but the portfolio also includes developers of optoelectronic implants, therapeutic ultrasound systems, and mammography peripherals. Interest in medical devices is driven by less-invasive approaches and miniaturization as well as by technology derived from nonmedical fields.
• Asset Management Associates lists a few diagnostics manufacturers on its portfolio of life sciences companies. Usually invests about $2 million to $3 million during the seed or early stages.
• Atlas Venture's portfolio seems to emphasize genomics and biopharm, but also includes manufacturers of cardiac-mapping systems, a cardiac assist device, disposables, diagnostic endoscopes, surgical instruments, medical lasers, and separation products. Initial investment is usually between $500,000 and $5 million, although seed investments of less than $500,000 can also be arranged.
• The Aurora Funds are invested primarily in North Carolina and the Southeastern US. Typical investments range from $250,000 to $1,500,000. The portfolio lists manufacturers of 3-D imaging systems and diagnostic instruments.
• Bancorp Piper Jaffray Ventures organizes venture funds and invests the capital into emerging-growth companies in the areas of medical devices, healthcare services, and technology. Healthcare funds have approximately $80 million under management. Areas of focus in the medical device arena include cardiovascular surgery, interventional neuroradiology, minimally invasive orthopedics, urology/women's health/oncology, and tissue engineering/biological.
• Bessemer Venture Partners invests between $1 million and $5 million in private companies at any stage. The small number of device firm investments includes MRI and diagnostics companies.
• BioAsia Investments is a California-based VC firm. Average investment ranges from $1 million to 3 million, although investments from $0.5 million and $5 million can be considered. Generally, a BioAsia representative will serve on the board of directors. Strength seems to be in drug discovery and diagnostics; investments include companies developing clinical diagnostic reagents and enzyme-based immunoassays, a portable device for measuring blood glucose and glycated protein, and blood processing and cryopreservation equipment.
• Brentwood Venture Capital invests equity capital in start-up, early-stage, and emerging-growth companies, preferably in a market that will support revenues of greater than $50 million within five years. Current portfolio includes more than a dozen medical device companies and covers the cardiac, surgical, and imaging areas, among others.
• Canaan Partners can invest in any stage of development, from early through expansion stage, and will consider other growth opportunities such as private placement in public companies, management-led buyouts, and recapitalizations. Funds ranging from $0.5 million to $15 million are available for individual companies. Portfolio companies include makers of hemodialysis equipment, patient monitors, infusion pumps, and orthopedic products.
• Capital Southwest provides capital for early-stage financing, expansion financing, management buyouts, recapitalizations, and industry consolidations. Representative investments include a manufacturer of surgical masks and other disposable products, a manufacturer of medical x-ray imaging film and direct radiography systems, and a manufacturer of hematology and blood-chemistry analyzers.
• Capstone Ventures invests in early-stage healthcare companies—particularly businesses that combine healthcare and information technology. The group originates and leads the majority of its investments, which typically begin in the range of $500,000 to $1,500,000. Geographical preference is for companies in the West or Upper Midwest.
• Cardinal Health Partners manages an initial capital pool of $62 million, and typically invests between $2 million and $5 million per company. The group focuses on early-stage companies developing medical devices, healthcare information systems, healthcare services, and life science technologies. Group principals have been the co-founding investors in over 100 start-up companies and have played interim management roles in more than ten.
• Charter Venture Capital invests in technology-based companies at the seed and early stages of development. The group frequently serves as lead investor, contributing resources and management support. Half of business is life sciences, including manufacturers of controlled-release delivery systems, diagnostics, electrophysiology devices, orthopedics, cancer therapeutics, computer-aided surgical systems, infusion pumps, and hearing aids.
• Clarus Ventures - Founded by a team of accomplished investment professionals with extensive and complementary industry backgrounds, Clarus Ventures is a life sciences venture capital firm with a team that has a unique and long history of success in creating value. Deep relationships with thought leaders and decision makers allow this team to identify unique investment opportunities and shepherd them to maturity. Clarus augments its core expertise of investing in biopharmaceuticals, specialty pharma and medical technology with the deep and diverse experience of the team in research and development, commercialization, business development and operations management at a global level. Clarus has offices in Cambridge, MA, and South San Francisco, CA.
• Founded in 1990, Collinson Howe & Lennox invests principally in start-up and early-stage companies in the medical sector. Current portfolio companies are active in the areas of women's health, minimally invasive surgery, drug-delivery catheters, treatment of in-stent restenosis. Investments range in size from $100,000 to $5 million.
• Cordova Ventures prefers companies located in the Southeast with the potential to serve national markets. The portfolio includes a manufacturer of vascular access products.
• Crosslink Capital invests in emerging-growth companies with proof-of-concept. In the medical arena, the company has supported biotech, equipment, and software firms.
• Crosspoint Venture Partners is an early-stage investor interested in equity participation of 20% or more with liquidity in three to seven years. Geographically, the firm concentrates on California and the other western states. Current portfolio includes manufacturers of continuous noninvasive blood-pressure monitors, ultrasound contrast agents, and devices to treat neurovascular disorders.
• Domain Associates provides $30 million to $40 million annually to US-based ventures concentrating in the life sciences. Current portfolio includes some well-known device firms, including developers of tumor-ablation devices, wearable defibrillators, minimally invasive surgical instruments, and surgical vision systems.
• Edison Venture Fund provides financing and guidance to growing companies in the Midatlantic region. Initial investment averages $3 million. The firm is usually the first and largest investor. The medical portfolio lists a manufacturer of products for urology, gynecology, and minimally invasive general surgery.
• Eno River Capital manages the North Carolina Bioscience Investment Fund, which invests in new biotechnology and bioscience companies in North Carolina.
• Located in Southern California, Enterprise Partners invests in privately held early-stage and emerging-growth companies, particularly in the area of medical technology and healthcare services. An extensive portfolio includes manufacturers of gynecological instruments, cytometers, medical-records management software, minimally invasive devices for orthopedic surgery, patient monitors, noninvasive blood-pressure monitors, and nerve stimulation devices.
• Fluke Venture Partners makes equity investments in developing and expanding companies based in the Pacific Northwest. Prefers to hold minority equity positions in its portfolio companies and to maintain a close yet hands-off relationship with management. The group typically invests between $500,000 and $2 million in a round of financing, although the minimum investment can be lower. Given the Northwest focus, it's perhaps not surprising to see software companies, coffee wholesalers, and microbrewers alongside manufacturers of wound-care products and medical lasers in the investment portfolio.
• Forward Ventures pursues a mix of early-stage portfolio investments focused in biotechnology and healthcare, with an emphasis on seed and start-up investments. Over the last decade and a half, the partners have founded 14 life-science and healthcare companies. Geographic preference is the West Coast, and initial investment size ranges from $500,000 to $1,500,000.
• Golden Pine Ventures is a venture capital company focused on discovering and developing exceedingly rare early-stage technologies which can form the basis of promising biotechnology and biomedical companies. The management and directors of Golden Pine Ventures have a history of past successful ventures in the biotechnology and biomedical fields. In total, they have successfully launched over two dozen companies, raised over a billion dollars for portfolio companies, and have taken seven of these companies public.
• Greylock, a Boston-based VC firm founded in 1965, invests at all stages of corporate development—from supplying the initial capital to providing expansion capital to growing private companies. Portfolio includes manufacturers of dialysis equipment, disposables, filtration equipment, orthopedic devices, monitoring equipment, diagnostic, C0₂ analyzers, hospital information systems, neurological therapeutics, and others.
• Hambrecht & Quist Capital Management manages the H&Q Healthcare Investors fund, which invests in smaller, emerging biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices and services companies. HQCM focuses on later-stage and mezzanine financings, with initial investments in the $2 million – $5 million range. The fund may invest up to 40% of assets in restricted securities of both public and private companies.
• Hickory Venture Capital provides long-term venture capital financing to small but rapidly growing private companies throughout the Southeast, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest. The firm typically invests $1 million to $2 million initially, and may fund up to $6 million over time. The group does not seek control, but instead backs strong management teams.
• Highland Capital Partners works with entrepreneurs and growing businesses in the information technology and healthcare industries. Portfolio companies include manufacturers of anesthesia monitors, DNA-based cancer screening, minimally invasive urological surgical instruments, stents, urology products, and healthcare information systems.
• IVP-Institutional Venture Partners invests primarily in seed or early-stage technology companies with as little as $50,000 and as much as $4 million. Extensive portfolio includes manufacturers of POC clinical chemistry analyzers, blood-glucose monitoring, revascularization devices, stents, therapeutic ultrasound devices, cytology equipment, infusion pumps, and more.
• InnoCal focuses is on early- and expansion-stage companies with proprietary technology. Businesses in California receive preference, although the group will consider investment opportunities anywhere in the country. Technologies currently supported include orthopedic implants, infusion devices, and urology products.
• Intersouth Partners invests primarily in the Southeast. The firm prefers to be the lead investor in the first institutional round of financing. Focus is on seed and early-stage companies with reasonable initial capital requirements and sales potential exceeding $20 million in 3–6 years. Technologies represented include POC diagnostics, implantables, laparoscopic instruments, and drug-delivery systems.
• InterWest Partners invests an average of $5 million over the span of involvement with each portfolio company. The group supports companies in all investment stages, and investments may be staged over several rounds of financing. An extensive healthcare portfolio includes a number of well-known companies in areas ranging from ultrasound imaging to orthopedic surgery to DNA probes to vascular intervention.
• JP Morgan Partners is the venture branch of J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Very deep pockets, fairly conservative investments. Portfolio companies in the healthcare area include manufacturers of cardiac catheters, diagnostic systems, orthopedics, liver-assist devices, urological surgery products, blood-glucose monitors, external defibrillators, IV components, and plastic components.
• KBL Healthcare Ventures is a physician-run VC firm. Focus is on start-up, early-stage, and emerging-growth companies. Current investments cover noninvasive cardiac diagnostics, women's health, cytology, and healthcare software.
• Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers seems to focus on Internet technologies, but the portfolio does list one or two device manufacturers in the fields of orthopedics and neurology.
• Kline Hawkes & Co. provides equity capital for later-stage venture deals, changes of control, and industry consolidations. Typically, investments range from $3 million to $6 million.
• Magic Venture Capital provides seed and first-round funding for healthcare ventures, assisting the majority of its portfolio companies by playing key roles in early management. The group has a modern prototype facility capable of providing working models of most medical devices. The two companies currently supported develop products for treating atrial fib and internal spinal fixation devices.
• The Mayfield Fund has $1 billion of capital under management and has invested in more than 300 information technology and healthcare companies since its founding in 1969. The current portfolio of about a dozen device firms includes companies involved in computer-assisted surgery, hearing aids, cardiovascular intervention, and anesthesia monitoring.
• Medicus Venture Partners invests in early-stage financing of medical and biotechnology companies based in the western US, particularly in California. The list of about 20 portfolio companies ranges in specialty from POC diagnostics to urology to neuroradiology to ultrasound contrast agents.
• MedVenture Associates specializes in the early-stage financing of companies in the fields of medical devices, medical information technology, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology products. Companies must be located in the Western region of the continental US. An extensive portfolio encompasses the cardiovascular, neurovacular, orthopedic, and women's health specialties as well as instruments and equipment. Some of the industry's most prominent movers and shakers are on the list.
• Menlo Ventures typically invests from $4 million to $10 million in a portfolio company, usually over several rounds of financing. The group serves on the boards of over 80% of portfolio companies. The device division focuses primarily on minimally invasive surgical technologies.
• Mitsui USA Private Equity Group seeks early-stage investment opportunities in the information technology and healthcare industries. The firm prefers opportunities where pre-money valuations are less than $20 million. The group's Orien Fund supports manufacturers of an implantable nerve stimulator, an infusion pump, and a blood-handling device.
• Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Venture Partners invests in later-stage high-growth companies in the IT and healthcare industries. Although the partners are active investors who seek significant ownership positions, they do not require controlling interest in companies nor desire an operating role. The group's healthcare portfolio covers cardiology diagnostics, automated sample preparation, and computerized diagnostics.

• Morgenthaler Venture Partners invests in medical devices, healthcare services, healthcare information services, and biopharmaceuticals. Focus is on early-stage investments as well as management-led buyouts, build-ups, and recapitalizations. Typical investment ranges from $2 million to 8 million in VC opportunities and $5 million to 30 million in management buyouts. A small but impressive device company portfolio shows particular strength in cardiovascular surgery and neurology.
• MPM Capital is the manager for the $230 million BioVentures family of venture capital funds that are invested in parallel in selected private healthcare companies in the US and Europe. BB Bioventures LP investments range from $5 million to $20 million. The current portfolio includes manufacturers of surgical sealants, diabetes management systems, hearing aids, and transdermal drug-delivery systems.
• New Enterprise Associates provides an initial financial commitment typically ranging from $500,000 to $6 million. An extensive medical portfolio covers ultrasound imaging, endovascular surgery, orthopedics, urology, patient monitoring, cardiology, and just about everything else.
• Newbury Ventures is a private VC partnership providing seed and early-stage financing for communication and healthcare technology companies. Partners will take a position on the portfolio company's board of directors and can provide assistance with management team building, product development, operations and manufacturing, business development, and sales and marketing. The portfolio, though favoring communications companies, lists companies developing cardiac output monitors and waterjet-based surgical instruments.
• Norwest Venture Capital commonly serves as one of the lead investors for its portfolio companies. Total investment in a company can range from $1.5 million to $20 million. The portfolio covers automated sample preparation, blood-gas sensing, minimally invasive surgery, and orthopedics.
• Olympic Venture Partners focuses primarily on companies in the Pacific Northwest. Initial investment is usually about $1 million to $3 million, almost always made with at least one other VC firm. Given their NW focus, it's not surprising to see so many Internet companies on the portfolio list—but there are also manufacturers of cardiology catheters and vascular sealing devices.
• Onset Ventures focuses on seed and early-stage investing. Initial first- or second-round investments may range from $1 million to $4 million. While the amount varies based on the needs of each company, the average investment is $5 million over a company's development. The portfolio includes companies involved in revascularization, molecular diagnostics, spinal implants, and reproductive health.
• A. M. Pappas & Associates manages three investment funds, including TechAMP, an international life science VC fund based in Research Triangle Park, NC. Investments will focus on mid-stage companies developing therapeutics, diagnostics, discovery platforms, biotech toolkits, and drug-delivery technologies. TechAMP's investment scope also includes clinical instrumentation, interventional devices, and regulatory enhancing technologies.
• Partech assists companies at all stages of growth—from the early-stage start-up phase to pre-IPO and beyond. Portfolio companies include device firms active in the cardiology and urology markets as well as manufacturers of surgical sealants and drug-delivery polymers.
• Patricof & Co. Ventures most often takes a lead investor or sole investor position. Average investment ranges $5 million to $25 million. Investment structures include phased early-stage transactions, recapitalizations, and off-balance-sheet financing.
• Primus Venture Partners specializes in healthcare services, healthcare information systems, and medical devices. The portfolio includes companies involved in diagnostics, sterilization systems, blood processing, and motor-function restoration. Preferred investment size is $5 million to $10 million
• Within the healthcare field, Prism Venture Partners focuses on medical devices (particularly disposables), healthcare services, healthcare information systems, software, and services. A suitable portfolio company must have the potential to achieve annual revenues of $50 million to $100 million within 5 years. Capital requirements should support an investment of $4 million or more prior to a liquidity event.
• The River Cities Capital Funds provide growth equity and business building experience to entrepreneurial private companies, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Broad portfolio includes a manufacturer of specialty disposables and a manufacturer of intraoperative surgical navigation systems.
• RiverVest Venture Partners focuses on early-stage life sciences investments. The St. Louis–based firm seeks to build relationships with entrepreneurs and scientists striving to develop breakthrough solutions to unmet clinical needs.
• The Ryan Enterprises Group is a family-owned principal investment firm with a capital base of about $1 billion. The group seeks to purchase or partner with manufacturing companies posting sales of about $25 million to $250 million. The group is especially interested in contract or outsource manufacturers of medical devices.
• Seaflower Associates makes seed and first-round investments in companies developing biotechnology, medical devices, healthcare information technology, and healthcare services. Geographical preference is for New England and the Great Lakes region. Typical investments range from $250,000 to $1,250,000. Portfolio companies range in focus from computer-enhanced laparoscopy to biomaterials to endoscopic imaging.
• Sequoia Capital prefers early-stage investments in technology-driven companies on the West Coast. Funding ranges from a $50,000 seed investment to $10 million transactions. The group's partnership role can range from intensive involvement in an early-stage company (which can set up shop in the group's offices during initial formation) to a far more detached role once the company matures. A lengthy device company portfolio includes manufacturers of ultrasound equipment, minimally invasive cardiac surgery systems, patient-side diagnostic devices, orthopedic implants, glucose monitors, and BPH treatment systems.
• Sierra Ventures typically likes to serve on the board of directors of portfolio companies. The group manages six venture capital partnerships, which together have more than $400 million of committed capital. Portfolio companies are involved in vascular intervention, computer-guided surgery, diagnostics, and others.
• Sorrento Associates provides VC funding for emerging-growth companies in San Diego and Southern California with prospects to grow to $25 million to $50 million in revenues within three to five years. The group does not seek to run portfolio businesses or to be involved in any day-to-day management activities. Typically provides between $1 million and $7 million. Current portfolio lists manufacturers of central venous catheters, a solid-state gamma camera, respiratory equipment, infusion pumps, defibrillators, and drug-delivery platforms.
• Spray Venture Partners is a $50 million seed and early-stage healthcare venture firm, with a particular focus in medical devices. Portfolio includes companies developing ultrasound catheters, minimally invasive surgical equipment, microfluidics, AEDs, drug delivery, and other technologies.
• The Sprout Group typically invests $5 million to $50 million with a minority interest. More than a score of device companies are on the portfolio list. Diagnostic products seem to be a specialty, although the roster also covers vascular access, minimally invasive surgery, urology, cardiology, and orthopedics.
• St. Paul Venture Capital provides direct investments in high-potential growth companies ranging from $1 million to $10 million over the course of the relationship. About a dozen device firms are currently supported, including manufacturers of blood-handling products, x-ray systems, cardiovascular stents, diagnostics, and spinal implants.
• Split Rock Partners, formerly part of St. Paul Venture Capital, works with emerging companies in the healthcare (medical devices and specialty pharmaceuticals) and software industries, primarily in the Upper Midwest and on the West Coast.
• Telegraph Hill Partners is a life-science and med-tech focused private equity fund that invests in growth-stage companies across the U.S. The firm will invest between $5M to $25M in companies that have: commercial revenue through the sale of products or services, current or near-term profitability, a loyal and expanding customer base, superior economic business models, and a strong management team.  Portfolio investments include chemical and reagent companies, orthopedic and cardiovascular device companies, and diagnostic companies.
• TL Ventures mostly covers biopharmaceuticals, but also lists some manufacturers of diagnostics and monitoring equipment in its portfolio. The group initially invests between $3 million and $10 million in companies in the early to middle stages of development.
• Tredegar Investments provides seed through mezzanine financing in amounts ranging from $500,000 to $4 million. Current portfolio covers 3-D medical imaging, microfluidics, cryotherapy, coronary revascularization, devices for treating ischemic strokes, surgical instruments, disposable haring aids, and vascular-access closure systems.
• TVM Techno Venture Management is an international VC firm with offices in Munich and Boston. Generally, investments in a given company will range from $3 million to $4 million; however, the group can invest as little as $100,000 in seed financing and as much as $5 million in exceptional cases. A lengthy portfolio includes manufacturers in the fields of urology, orthopedics, and imaging.
• U.S. Venture Partners invests principally in companies headquartered in the Western US. Healthcare investments are primarily focused on companies developing innovative proprietary medical devices to enable less invasive therapeutic procedures. An extensive roster covers diagnostic imaging, fluoroscopy, cardiovascular surgery, implantables, drug delivery, and more.
• Vanguard Venture Partners specializes in seed and early-stage high-tech investments. The firm looks for market opportunities that can return at least 10 times the investment through IPO or acquisition within five to seven years. Expertise in the life sciences includes medical devices, diagnostics, biotech instruments, and medical infotech.
• Venrock Associates is the venture capital arm of the Rockefeller family. In the medical device sector, emphasis seems to be on minimally invasive technologies, particularly in the area of cardiovascular medicine and orthopedics.
• Over 80% of the dollars invested by Venture Investors Management LLC have gone to seed and early-stage companies in markets such as biotechnology, instrumentation, and medical services and devices. Usually functioning as the lead investor, the group also enters co-investor relationships. Portfolio companies include manufacturers of cardiac analyzers and biodegradable polymers.
• Versant Ventures currently manages over $1 billion in committed capital having recently raised its third fund and currently managing over 65 companies in its portfolio. Versant's medical device portfolio includes Acclarent, Calypso Medical Technologies, Cameron Health, LipoSonix, NDO Surgical, NeoVista, Second Sight Medical Products and Spiration.
• The Wakefield Group concentrates on companies located in the mid-Atlantic region, with special emphasis on the Carolinas. The group generally invests $1 million to $5 million in each company. Recent investments include a developer of nerve stimulation technology.
• Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe focuses on only two industries: healthcare and information services. Healthcare services seem to represent the group's core medical focus, although several investments have also been made in healthcare products. Investments usually focus on medium-sized companies, with revenues typically between $30 million and $200 million.
• Western Technology Investment looks for companies with the potential to generate $25 million in annual sales within 5 years. Investments range from $500,000 to $10 million. Portfolio includes companies active in the cardiovascular, drug delivery, glucose monitoring, and urology markets.
• WFD Ventures LLC provides equity financing and industry expertise to medical device and healthcare technology companies. The principals of WFD have developed and commercialized dozens of technologies and seek partnerships with entrepreneurs, doctors and scientists to improve medical outcomes and maximize the financial potential of their innovations.
• WFD typically invests between $2 million and $15 million in therapeutic, diagnostic or drug delivery technologies with strong intellectual property rights and exceptional market potentials. WFD targets ventures at any stage, as we have direct experience with prototype development, intellectual property and licensing strategies, clinical trials (US and OUS), regulatory filings (510(k), PMA and drug/device combinations), system and physician economics, reimbursement, distribution strategies and sales management.
• WFD helps its portfolio companies develop liquidity strategies and orchestrate liquidity events. Successful interaction with potential partners and acquirers requires focus long before the event. To inform exit planning, we have built collaborative, working relationships with all of the major medical device consolidators.

• J.H. Whitney & Co. has been around for over 50 years. Companies supported include manufacturers of minimally invasive devices and separation technology.
• Windward Ventures provides early-stage venture capital for companies in Southern California. The firm generally servesg as lead investor. Typical funding ranges from $1 million and $2 million over the life of an investment. Initial investments may be as little as $250,000. Current portfolio includes companies working in interventional cardiology and infusion therapy.
• Zero Stage Capital invests in start-up, early-stage, and on-going technology companies in the Northeast (from New England to Washington, DC). The group usually does not seek voting control or a majority equity position, although in the absence of a board seat, the group usually retains board visitation rights. Portfolio includes companies developing products for cardiac monitoring, Alzheimer's disease testing, waterjet-based surgery, and blood screening.