Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center
Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center (BRCC) is a venture capital firm based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, established in 2003 by the Michigan Legislature and affiliated with Western Michigan University. It focuses on funding startups in the life sciences sector, specifically targeting pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics. The BRCC aims to support companies with a significant presence in Michigan, particularly those linked to Southwest Michigan. With investments typically ranging from $25,000 to $250,000, the center provides essential startup and gap funding to entrepreneurs and scientists as they transition their innovations into the commercialization phase. Drawing on Kalamazoo's rich history in the pharmaceutical industry, the BRCC is well-positioned to leverage local scientific talent and expertise, contributing to a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.
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12 past transactions
Asalyxa Bio
Seed Round in 2021
Asalyxa Bio, Inc. is a drug development and platform technology company based in Southfield, Michigan, focusing on innovative therapeutics to address significant unmet medical needs linked to immune signaling dysregulation. The company specializes in developing neutrophil-targeting drugs aimed at combating severe neutrophil-mediated diseases, including conditions like Covid-19. Asalyxa Bio's platform technology facilitates the targeted delivery of both existing and novel drugs directly into over-reactive immune cells, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy. This approach allows for applications across a diverse range of diseases and conditions, positioning Asalyxa Bio as a key player in the field of immunotherapy.
ONL Therapeutics
Series B in 2020
ONL Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops small‑molecule peptide therapeutics to protect photoreceptors and preserve vision. Its pipeline focuses on targeting the FAS apoptotic pathway to prevent photoreceptor loss in retinal diseases such as retinal detachment, aiming to improve surgical outcomes and reduce vision loss. Founded in 2006, the company seeks to bring novel treatments for serious, vision‑threatening retinal conditions.
Shoulder Innovations
Venture Round in 2020
Shoulder Innovations designs and manufactures medical devices for shoulder replacement surgery, focusing on inset glenoid fixation technology to provide a stable glenoid platform and reliable fixation. Its product portfolio includes InSet Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, InSet Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, ProVoyance Shoulder Planning Software, and InSet Tray System, along with associated instrumentation. The company distributes its products through partners in the United States and aims to reduce operative time and overall healthcare costs while improving post-surgical implant stability. Founded in 2009, the company is based in Holland, Michigan.
Native Traits
Venture Round in 2020
Native Traits is a company focused on developing naturally-occurring genetic traits for corn that enhance agricultural sustainability and profitability. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Native Traits utilizes its proprietary NT RECOVERY technology to create traits such as drought resistance and tolerance to extreme temperatures. This approach provides several advantages over genetically-engineered traits, allowing businesses to leverage ancestral strains of corn as a natural gene source to improve commercial varieties. The company is actively negotiating licensing agreements with prominent seed companies to expand the adoption of its innovations in the agricultural sector.
Ocuphire Pharma
Seed Round in 2019
Ocuphire Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for various ophthalmic disorders. Its lead product candidate, Nyxol eye drops, is a once-daily preservative-free formulation of phentolamine mesylate aimed at reducing pupil size for indications such as night vision disturbances, glaucoma, pharmacologically-induced mydriasis, and presbyopia.
GreenMark Biomedical
Seed Round in 2019
GreenMark Biomedical Inc. is a minimally invasive healthcare company focused on developing innovative technologies utilizing biopolymer nanoparticles derived from natural starch. Founded in 2016 and based in East Lansing, Michigan, with a laboratory in Ann Arbor, the company specializes in dental and medical applications. Its dental technologies include a mouth rinse product that illuminates cavities and early-stage lesions, allowing dentists to accurately diagnose and treat tooth decay. Additionally, GreenMark's medical technologies are designed for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs, enhancing treatment precision. The company aims to provide health benefits through its advanced nanoparticle-based solutions, promoting less invasive and more effective healthcare practices.
Fifth Eye
Seed Round in 2018
Fifth Eye Inc. is a medical software company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in real-time analytics for patient health monitoring. The company develops an innovative clinical decision support system that continuously analyzes a patient's hemodynamic status to predict the risk of instability. Its advanced software utilizes artificial intelligence to process real-time ECG data, enabling minute-to-minute assessments and providing healthcare professionals with early warnings of potential complications hours in advance of traditional methods. By offering continuous patient trajectory forecasts and historical trend analyses without requiring electronic health record inputs, Fifth Eye aims to enhance proactive patient care, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce hospital costs. Formerly known as Trove Analytics, Inc., Fifth Eye was incorporated in 2017 and rebranded in June 2018.
GreenMark Biomedical
Seed Round in 2018
GreenMark Biomedical Inc. is a minimally invasive healthcare company focused on developing innovative technologies utilizing biopolymer nanoparticles derived from natural starch. Founded in 2016 and based in East Lansing, Michigan, with a laboratory in Ann Arbor, the company specializes in dental and medical applications. Its dental technologies include a mouth rinse product that illuminates cavities and early-stage lesions, allowing dentists to accurately diagnose and treat tooth decay. Additionally, GreenMark's medical technologies are designed for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs, enhancing treatment precision. The company aims to provide health benefits through its advanced nanoparticle-based solutions, promoting less invasive and more effective healthcare practices.
ONL Therapeutics
Series A in 2017
ONL Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops small‑molecule peptide therapeutics to protect photoreceptors and preserve vision. Its pipeline focuses on targeting the FAS apoptotic pathway to prevent photoreceptor loss in retinal diseases such as retinal detachment, aiming to improve surgical outcomes and reduce vision loss. Founded in 2006, the company seeks to bring novel treatments for serious, vision‑threatening retinal conditions.
Tetra Discovery
Seed Round in 2015
Tetra Discovery Partners provides consulting services in drug discovery and development. They partner with Universities to commercialize intellectual property and conduct proprietary research on diseases affecting the central nervous system.
Their research focuses on developing new treatments for depression and schizophrenia. Severe forms of depression affect 2–5% of the US population, while mood disorders impact 7% of the world’s population and rank among the top ten causes of disability.
Axonia Medical
Seed Round in 2014
Axonia Medical's proprietary approach is to repair and restore damaged peripheral or central nervous systems using tissue-engineered nerve grafts. They are expected to bridge lost nervous tissue and jump-start regenerative mechanisms to achieve levels of functional recovery not possible with current technologies.
Tetra Discovery
Seed Round in 2013
Tetra Discovery Partners provides consulting services in drug discovery and development. They partner with Universities to commercialize intellectual property and conduct proprietary research on diseases affecting the central nervous system.
Their research focuses on developing new treatments for depression and schizophrenia. Severe forms of depression affect 2–5% of the US population, while mood disorders impact 7% of the world’s population and rank among the top ten causes of disability.
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