Beacon Angels

Surgicure Technologies is a biotechnology start-up founded in 2018 by Irena Volkov, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company focuses on developing innovative medical instruments aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency during surgical procedures and the healing process. Surgicure's primary product secures medical tubes intubated in a patient's mouth, utilizing the patient's oral cavity to prevent unnecessary harm. By optimizing airway management for both civilian and military use, Surgicure aims to reduce adverse events and improve the quality of care provided by medical professionals. The company's devices are designed to enhance patient breathing and facilitate quicker deployment, ultimately enabling doctors to perform surgeries more effectively.

Theromics Inc. is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing innovative cell therapies aimed at improving the effectiveness of thermal ablation techniques for cancer treatment. Founded in 2016 and based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the company has created HeatSYNC Gel, a thermal accelerant designed to enhance the transmission of thermal energy during microwave and radiofrequency ablations of soft tissue tumors. This novel biopolymer gel, derived from a naturally occurring protein, is administered through various medical devices such as syringes, laparoscopes, or bronchoscopes. HeatSYNC Gel increases local tissue electrical conductivity, optimizes the shape of the ablation zone, and protects surrounding critical tissues, thereby enabling physicians to achieve more accurate and effective ablation outcomes. Through its advanced thermal management solutions, Theromics addresses significant medical needs in the field of cancer treatment.

First Light Diagnostics Inc. is a medical diagnostics company focused on developing automated products for the rapid detection of pathogens responsible for healthcare-associated infections. Based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, the company offers a benchtop MultiPath analyzer, which is designed for hospital clinical microbiology laboratories and can identify both resistant and sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as various toxins and viruses. Their innovative diagnostic solutions address the increasing demand for accurate and cost-effective testing, which has been shown to significantly reduce hospital infection rates. First Light's proprietary MultiPath detection technology combines the performance of advanced laboratory tests with enhanced affordability and user-friendliness. By providing antimicrobial susceptibility tests that deliver results within hours, the company enables healthcare professionals to administer appropriate antibiotic treatments quickly, ultimately saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and improving antibiotic stewardship. First Light Diagnostics was incorporated in 2006 and was formerly known as First Light Biosciences Inc. before its name change in January 2019.

Spiro Technologies, Inc. is a Boston-based company that develops a relationship management platform designed to assist sales teams across various industries, including construction, finance, manufacturing, professional services, and technology. Founded in 2014, Spiro's platform operates in the background to automate data collection from emails, calls, and texts, eliminating the need for manual data entry. It creates and organizes contacts, prioritizes sales opportunities, and generates intelligent reports to enhance sales performance. Additionally, the platform offers features such as sales suggestions and tools for tracking and managing customer interactions, ultimately enabling businesses to optimize engagement and prevent lost opportunities.

Pykus Therapeutics, Inc. is a medical technology company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2016 by ophthalmology residents from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Harvard Medical School. The company focuses on developing a dissolvable intraocular surgical device aimed at improving the comfort and success of retinal surgeries. Pykus Therapeutics has created a novel polymer-based hydrogel that replaces the use of intraocular gas during these procedures. This innovative solution addresses significant patient burdens, such as the need for face-down positioning, which can limit mobility and quality of life during recovery. By utilizing this biodegradable hydrogel, the company aims to facilitate quicker and more comfortable recovery from retinal surgery, thus enhancing overall patient outcomes.

Xeno Biosciences Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Somerville, Massachusetts, founded in 2015. It specializes in developing innovative therapeutics aimed at addressing unmet needs in obesity and related metabolic diseases. The company's lead product, XEN-101, is an oral formulation designed to replicate the microbiome changes associated with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery. By delivering molecular oxygen to the lower gut, Xeno Biosciences enables a shift in the gut microbiome, promoting weight loss without the need for surgical intervention. The company's approach represents a novel class of therapeutics that seeks to transform the treatment landscape for obesity.

Concrete Sensors, a division of Structural Health Systems, Inc., specializes in the development of wireless sensors that monitor the curing process of concrete in real time. Founded in 2014 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company offers a mobile solution that allows general contractors to receive critical data regarding the strength, temperature, and humidity of concrete as it cures. By utilizing established methods and a comprehensive library of concrete mixes, the sensors provide essential feedback, enabling contractors to determine whether the concrete is curing under optimal conditions. This technology informs decisions on when to remove forms and proceed with subsequent construction activities, ultimately enhancing efficiency and ensuring structural integrity.

Siamab Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company based in Newton, Massachusetts, focused on developing therapies for cancers that express abnormal carbohydrates or glycans. The company's technology platform facilitates the discovery of anti-tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen (anti-TACA) therapeutic antibodies. Siamab Therapeutics' pipeline includes ST1, a program targeting a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen found in various solid tumors such as ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, gastric, and colon cancers. The company has a strategic collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim and was founded in 2006. Its core technologies were licensed from the laboratory of Ajit Varki, an expert in glycobiology and sialic-acid biochemistry.

Avaxia Biologics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Lexington, Massachusetts, focused on developing oral antibody therapeutics for a range of gastrointestinal diseases. Founded in 2005, the company utilizes a proprietary antibody platform to create treatments for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, radiation syndrome, oral mucositis, and type 2 diabetes. By concentrating on gut-targeted therapeutics, Avaxia aims to improve treatment options for patients suffering from these serious ailments. The company has established a strategic collaboration with Courtagen Life Sciences to enhance its product development efforts. Avaxia Biologics operates as a subsidiary of Circle33 LLC.

iQuartic, Inc. is a healthcare technology company that develops cloud-based platforms for electronic health record (EHR) networking and data mining. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, iQuartic's technology supports various functions in the healthcare sector, including EHR and claims auditing, quality benchmarking, population health management, disease management, and risk profiling. Its flagship product, the iQ EHR Network, integrates disparate EHR systems from multiple facilities and processes real-time data analytics. Additionally, iQuartic offers a suite of products designed for specific applications, such as the EHR Data Auditor for analyzing patient group behaviors, the Diabetes Management Scorecard for assessing diabetes management, and the Readmission Predictor for identifying patients at risk of hospital readmission. Other tools include the Predictive Claims Auditor for detecting clinical data errors and the Clinician Profiler for evaluating clinician performance and practice variations. Overall, iQuartic aims to enhance healthcare outcomes through advanced analytics and integrated data solutions.

Avaxia Biologics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company based in Lexington, Massachusetts, focused on developing oral antibody therapeutics for a range of gastrointestinal diseases. Founded in 2005, the company utilizes a proprietary antibody platform to create treatments for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, radiation syndrome, oral mucositis, and type 2 diabetes. By concentrating on gut-targeted therapeutics, Avaxia aims to improve treatment options for patients suffering from these serious ailments. The company has established a strategic collaboration with Courtagen Life Sciences to enhance its product development efforts. Avaxia Biologics operates as a subsidiary of Circle33 LLC.

Pixability, Inc. is a technology company that specializes in video advertising, providing a platform designed to optimize YouTube campaigns and enhance the value of video advertising across various platforms, including connected TV services. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and London, Pixability offers a cloud-based software suite that encompasses channel management, campaign management, and insights for effective media execution. Its flagship platform, PixabilityONE, facilitates sophisticated targeting and automated media execution, helping advertisers ensure brand suitability and maximize return on ad spend. The company is recognized for its unique capabilities as a certified YouTube Measurement Partner, addressing brand suitability and contextual targeting, and collaborates with notable measurement firms like DoubleVerify and Nielsen. Pixability serves a diverse clientele that includes media agencies, brands, and strategic marketers, enabling them to effectively manage video advertising strategies and measure performance across multiple platforms.

SmartCells, Inc. designs and develops insulin products. It offers SmartInsulin, a self regulating injectable formulation for treating diabetes. The company's polymer-based dosing technology is used for various applications, such as fertility, thyroid, and growth hormone deficiencies; treatments with poor compliance or therapeutic window issues, such as oncology; and drug-device combinations. SmartCells, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is based in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Crimson Hexagon, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, is a leading provider of social media analysis software. The company's AI-powered platform offers global brands and agencies instant access to vast amounts of unstructured text and image data from various sources. This enables clients to gain comprehensive insights into consumer behavior, track brand perception, monitor campaign performance, and detect market trends in real-time. Crimson Hexagon serves a diverse range of prominent clients, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Adidas, General Mills, Paramount Pictures, Starbucks, and Twitter. The company also offers reduced-fee access to its platform for nonprofits, classrooms, and research communities through its social impact program. As of October 31, 2018, Crimson Hexagon operates as a subsidiary of Runtime Collective Limited.

SmartCells, Inc. designs and develops insulin products. It offers SmartInsulin, a self regulating injectable formulation for treating diabetes. The company's polymer-based dosing technology is used for various applications, such as fertility, thyroid, and growth hormone deficiencies; treatments with poor compliance or therapeutic window issues, such as oncology; and drug-device combinations. SmartCells, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is based in Beverly, Massachusetts.

GateRocket, Inc. provides verification and debugging solutions for FPGAs. It offers RocketDrive, a device native verification system for complex FPGAs, which accelerates verification throughput and identifies problems with IP blocks, pin-outs, and tool chain anomalies. The company also provides RocketVision, a FPGA debug solution that automates test point insertion and detects differences between RTL and FPGA devices. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.