John H. Friedman

Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. is a medical device company, which engages in the development and commercialization of solutions for treating vascular and coronary disease. It offers orbital atherectomy systems for both peripheral and coronary commercial applications. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in St. Paul, MN.

VentralFix is developing a proprietary laparoscopic surgical instrument for use in the repair of ventrala hernias. The VentralFix device was invented by the company's founders, who are renowned laparoscopic surgeons practicing in New York. The device greatly reduces surgical time for ventral hernia repair, and has the potential to improve outcomes as well.

Promedior, Inc. is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, which engages in the development of targeted therapeutics to treat fibrotic diseases. Its proprietary therapeutic platform is based upon Pentraxin-2, an endogenous human protein that plays an important role in regulating the response to fibrosis. The company was founded by Gomer H. Richard, Lawrence M. Kauvar, and Darrell Pilling in April 2006 and is headquartered in Lexington, MA.

Trellis Bioscience, Inc. is discovers and develops novel human antibody therapeutics. It provides the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies from human B cells. The firm develops the CellSpot antibody discovery platform, which enables the identification of antibodies directly from human blood. The company was founded by Lawrence Kauvar and Stote Ellsworth in 1998 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, CA.

Sequella, Inc. develops antibiotic drugs resistant to bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. It offers product for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Helicobacter pylori, Clostridium difficile, Nontuberculous mycobacteria, Trypanosomes, and fungal infections. The company was founded by Carol A. Nacy and Leo Einck in 1997 and is headquartered in Rockville, MD.

iTherX is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for Hepatitis C. This is a disease that affects almost 3% of the world's population, and is the major cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver failure and primary liver cancer. Currently there is only a single mode of therapy and less than 5% of patients can be successfully treated. The company continues to carry out focused research in their areas of expertise to provide sustainability of product pipelines. In an era of managed care and increased regulatory scrutiny, it is easy to yield to the temptation of producing 'me too drugs'. However, they think that innovation in the development of pharmaceutical products is important because it is the only way to improve the outcomes for patients. As such, they also think that innovation can ensure the financial returns that investors in health care deserve for the risks that they take. Their innovative approach is evident in their pipeline of Hepatitis C drug candidates. As new and better treatments are being sought, most companies involved in this effort are targeting the enzymes responsible for viral replication: polymerases and proteases. While these are important targets, there is a great deal of duplication of effort in these initiatives. At iTherX, they are pioneering the development of a novel class of HCV antivirals by targeting the steps involved in the entry of the hepatitis C virus into liver cells. Their Host Cell Receptor Target Program engenders small molecule compounds that target a liver cell membrane protein, SR-B1, which recognize and dock the virus. Their lead compound, ITX5061, has extensive safety data in over 250 patients, and shows picomolar potency in inhibiting HCV infection in vitro. They plan to initiate a Phase 2a clinical trial in HCV patients in Q2 of 2009. They have also used medicinal chemistry to develop back-up compounds for this program, and a clinical candidate has been selected for development. Another innovative program is novel cell receptor, which develops antagonists (including biologics) against a novel liver cell membrane protein required for infectivity of the virus.

Within3, Inc. provides digital collaboration solutions for the health and life sciences markets. Its technology enables its clients to convene and engage with groups of health professionals from around the world for collaboration within key programs, such as virtual advisory boards, steering committees, clinical trials, and other HCP engagement programs. The company was founded by Markus M. Heather and Brian N. Smith in 2004 and is headquartered in Cleveland, OH.

Tigerconnect, Inc. provides secure mobile messaging services. It offers secure, real-time mobile messaging for the enterprise, empowering organizations to work more securely. The company serves healthcare, enterprise, personal and developers. The company was founded by Jeffrey Albert Evans, Andrew A. Brooks and Brad Brooks in 2010 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Precise Light Surgical, Inc. develops a minimally invasive surgery technology platform. The firm’s flash vaporization technology provides unprecedented precision and control for the removal of delicate tissues to improve patient outcomes, reduce surgical risk and down time while lowering the treatment costs. The company was founded in October 2008 and is headquartered in Campbell, CA.

Assistive Technology, Inc. developed hardware and software as solutions for people with disabilities. The company was headquartered in Dedham, MA.

Respiratory Motion, Inc. develops medical devices. The firm specializes in clinical research, clinical evaluation and testing. Its product ExSpiron 1Xi, measures minute ventilation non-invasively. The company was founded by Jenny E. Freeman, Alexander Panasyuk and Svetlana Panasyuk in March 2010 and is headquartered in Waltham, MA.

Experimed Bioscience, Inc. engages in research and development of drugs. The company was founded by Schepartz Alanna and is headquartered in South San Francisco, CA

New Museum of Contemporary Art, Inc. operates as a contemporary art museum. The company was founded by Marcia Tucker on January 1, 1977 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Gore Range Capital LLC (Gore Range Capital) is a venture capital firm founded in 2015 by Ethan Rigel. The firm is headquartered in New York.