A major focus of the New Business Startup Initiative at the Office of Corporate Relations is connecting investors with emerging high growth companies having origins at UW-Madison. Each year ideas and research accomplishments from UW-Madison generate new ventures focused on commercializing novel products and services. As a result, a variety of diverse private equity opportunities are available for investors ranging from early stage first money to B or C round investments. The following summarizes some of the mechanisms available to investors wishing to learn more about how to identify investment opportunities.

Access to emerging early stage companies

Office of Corporate Relations Investor Assistance
Investors may wish to contact the Office of Corporate Relations for assistance in setting up introductions with prospective and existing startups based in Madison or based on research originating at UW-Madison. Please contact Allen Dines, (608) 262-2797, assistant director, for more information.

First Look Investor Forums
Held quarterly, these invitational meetings are open only to VCs and accredited investors. The forums provide an opportunity for investors to meet UW-Madison faculty and learn firsthand about research under way that has potential to lead to new commercial opportunities. Please contact Allen Dines, (608) 262-2797, assistant director, for more information.

The Deal Flow Pipeline
The Deal Flow Pipeline, hosted online by the Wisconsin Angel Network offers investors information about early stage companies seeking angel and seed round investment. Many of the companies represented on the site are UW-Madison-related. Executive summaries may be reviewed online by accredited investors who are registered angel or seed investors through the Wisconsin Angel Network.

Access to established UW-Madison spinout companies

UW-Madison has a long, rich history of spinning out startup businesses. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is the nation’s oldest university-based technology transfer organization. WARF holds equity in more than 30 companies that have started business operations to bring UW-Madison research to the marketplace. High-tech Madison-area companies including Third Wave Technologies, Tomotherapy and Nimblegen Systems all originated from the inventions of UW-Madison faculty, staff and students. Some long-established companies including Rayovac (now Spectrum Brands) and Covance also had early ties to UW-Madison.

Summary metrics about spinouts from UW-Madison include:

• 250 Wisconsin technology-based companies spun out of or otherwise associated with UW-Madison*
• Aggregate gross revenues exceed $1billion
• 98 percent still in Wisconsin
• About 50 percent have received professional investment
• Examples of wealth created by local startups:
  • Bone Care > Genzyme ($600 mil)
  • Tetrionics > Sigma Aldrich ($85 mil)
  • Pan Vera > Aurora/Invitrogen ($90 mil)

* Source: P. Z. Sobocinski, Creating High-Tech Business Growth in Wisconsin, 1998 (updated 2005)

A selected listing of past and current UW–Madison spinouts

The companies listed below illustrate the breadth and diversity of UW-Madison spinout companies and those who have invested in their development. While several of these companies have already had several financing rounds, generally all the companies welcome investor inquiries.

indicates a WARF Startup (WARF holds equity)
Indicates university supported early research through I&EDR or Draper TIF programs

Company	WARF Startup	Gap funding	Key Investors
Alfalight			ARCH Venture Partners Venture Investors Advantage Capital Partners EDF Ventures Center Point Ventures Interwest Advanced Technology Ventures
aOvaTechnologies			Private investors
Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals			Mason Wells Venture Investors
Gala Biotech			Acquired by Cardinal Health Prior VC backing: Venture Investors Stonhenge Captial Mason Wells Advantage Capital Partners
GenTel Biosciences			Life Capital AS (Norway) NEW Capital Management Private investors
GWC Technologies			Private investors
Imago Scientific Instruments			Draper Fisher Jurveston Infineon Technologies Cipio Partners Portage Venture Partners
Mirus Bio			Acquired by Roche Private investors
Mithridion			Venture Investors  Wisconsin Investment Partners  Rocket Venture Fund    Rosetta Partners
Neoclone			Private investors
NeuroGenomeX			Private corporate investor
NimbleGen Systems			Acquired by Roche Venture Investors Skyline Ventures Advantage Capital Partners Baird Venture Partners Tactics II Investments State of Wisconsin Investment Board WARF Schott Nexterion ITX Corporation
OpGen Technologies			Highland Capital Partners Mason Wells Versant Ventures CHL Medical Parnters State of Wisconsin Investment Board WARF
Platypus Technologies			Private investors
Quintessence Biosciences			Private investors
Softswitching Technologies			GE Equity Perseus Capital OPG Capital Venture Investors Advantage Capital Partners Exelon Capital Partners EdVenture Capital group
StrataTECH			Private investors
Third Wave Technologies			Acquired by Hologic Publicly traded on NASDAQ Prior VC backing: Venture Investors SV life Sciences Advisors Invesco SR One Ltd.
Tomotherapy			Publicly traded on NASDAQ Venture Investors Baird Venture Partners Advantage Capital Partners
Virent Energy Systems			Atrium Capital Venture Investors Advantage Capital Partners Cargill Ventures Honda Strategic Ventures
Wicab			Private investors