Verge Fund

Verge Fund is a venture capital firm established in 2003 that focuses on early-stage investments in high-growth ventures in New Mexico. The fund targets seed-stage companies, particularly those in the life sciences, technology, and renewable sectors, providing support even when business plans are still in development. With a strong emphasis on identifying emerging opportunities in the region, Verge Fund leverages the extensive experience of its principals, who have a combined 43 years of involvement with entrepreneurial companies in New Mexico. Their background includes work in laboratories, universities, and various successful venture capital firms, equipping them with the knowledge and connections to navigate the local business landscape effectively.

Bill Bice

General Partner

Chris Gregory

Director of Finance

Larry Lujan

General Partner

Ron J. McPhee

General Partner

Paul Short

Venture Partner

Thomas J. Stephenson

Managing General Partner

11 past transactions

boomtime

Series B in 2017
Boomtime is the e-commerce platform for thousands of small businesses, a turn-key marketing suite delivered end-to-end within your brand. Boomtime streamlines small business online marketing — affordably and effectively, through one login. Boomtime empowers your small business clients to compete with the big guys with low-cost, high-power online marketing tools.

Intellicyt

Venture Round in 2015
IntelliCyt Corporation specializes in developing and marketing high-throughput cell and bead-based screening solutions for the life sciences sector. Established in 2006 and based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the company offers innovative products, including the iQue Screener platform, which integrates instruments, software, and reagents for high-content multiplexed analysis of cell and bead samples. IntelliCyt's ForeCyt software facilitates data visualization and analysis, while its MultiCyt screening kits provide essential reagents for use with iQue Screeners. These solutions significantly enhance the speed and cost-effectiveness of detecting and measuring cells, catering to the needs of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as medical research institutions. By combining flow cytometry with patented sample processing technology, IntelliCyt has created a platform that accelerates suspension cell assays, enabling researchers to achieve higher productivity in drug discovery, antibody development, and toxicology studies. The company also provides installation, training, and technical support services to its clients. IntelliCyt operates as a subsidiary of Sartorius AG.

Intellicyt

Venture Round in 2013
IntelliCyt Corporation specializes in developing and marketing high-throughput cell and bead-based screening solutions for the life sciences sector. Established in 2006 and based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the company offers innovative products, including the iQue Screener platform, which integrates instruments, software, and reagents for high-content multiplexed analysis of cell and bead samples. IntelliCyt's ForeCyt software facilitates data visualization and analysis, while its MultiCyt screening kits provide essential reagents for use with iQue Screeners. These solutions significantly enhance the speed and cost-effectiveness of detecting and measuring cells, catering to the needs of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as medical research institutions. By combining flow cytometry with patented sample processing technology, IntelliCyt has created a platform that accelerates suspension cell assays, enabling researchers to achieve higher productivity in drug discovery, antibody development, and toxicology studies. The company also provides installation, training, and technical support services to its clients. IntelliCyt operates as a subsidiary of Sartorius AG.

Vibrant Corporation

Funding Round in 2008
Vibrant Corporation develops and commercializes process compensated resonance testing (PCRT) technology for the aerospace and power generation industries. Its PCRT is a non-destructive testing technology that determines if a component is structurally sound and fit for service. The company offers its technology for in-process and final inspection applications to the component manufacturers, as well as to screen components for gross defects, such as cracks, fatigue, and overheat for maintenance, repair, and overhaul companies. Vibrant Corporation was incorporated in 1991 and is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Wellkeeper

Venture Round in 2007
Wellkeeper, Inc. specializes in remote monitoring services tailored for independent oil and gas operators, primarily located in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the company utilizes a web interface to deliver a range of services, including remote pump control, alarm support, and monitoring of tanks, equipment, wellheads, and saltwater disposal sites. Additionally, Wellkeeper has established sales offices in Midland, Texas, and Denver and Dallas, Colorado. As of August 2019, Wellkeeper operates as a subsidiary of Noralta Technologies Inc.

TruTouch Technologies

Venture Round in 2007
TruTouch Technologies, Inc. specializes in the development, manufacture, and marketing of noninvasive alcohol testing systems designed for various applications, including workplace safety, law enforcement, and medical diagnostics. The company's flagship product, the TruTouch biometric alcohol sensor, utilizes light to measure blood alcohol content while confirming the identity of the user through biometric verification. TruTouch Technologies offers solutions tailored for sectors such as energy, transportation, warehousing, and community safety. Founded in 2005, the company operates from Sudbury, Massachusetts, with a dedicated research and development center located in Riverside, California. The innovative technology aims to enhance safety and compliance by providing accurate and reliable alcohol testing without the need for invasive procedures.

Altela

Seed Round in 2006
Altela offers a range of water desalination and decontamination solutions with the use of its patented technology. Its product portfolio includes fluid waste reduction, waste-to-asset conversion, water desalination, and integrated services. Altela was founded in 2005 and is based in Colorado, United States.

SpaBoom

Series A in 2006
SpaBoom is a business-to-business play that specializes in ecommerce functionality for service-based organizations, helping these organizations realize greater revenues and business leads from the Internet. BoomTime's initial services include robust Instant Gift Certificate functionality, Dynamic Websites, and an Appointment Request feature. Service-based companies have been traditionally under-served on the Internet, since it's difficult to "buy a massage" over the Internet. Given that the service-based sector is the largest sector in the US and world economies, and general public acceptance of the Internet for business transactions has steadily increased over the years, SpaBoom is well positioned for growth. SpaBoom is one of several brands the company uses to reach niche markets. The other brands are [CoverBoom](www.coverboom.com) and [BoomTime](www.boomtime.com), for restaurants and the horizontal market, respectively. SpaBoom first tested the concept of Instant Gift Certificates with spas and salons, due to the perceived importance of gift certificates (up to 30% of their business) and Internet leads to these organizations. It was discovered that almost one-half of gift certificate purchasers wait to buy until the last 48 hours of a holiday or event. Providing an instant gift capability has allowed SpaBoom customers to greatly increase their sales by catering to the last-minute purchaser, where the delays associated with manual fulfillment and/or postal mail is nonexistent. In 2006, SpaBoom started work on a distribution model, that enables it to sell the Instant Gift Certificates of its clients and push the inventory of Instant Gift Certificates to other distribution networks. SpaEmergency (www.spaemergency.com) was formed in 2006 to sell Spa and Salon Instant Gift Certificates, and a strategic relationship with Zagat Survey (www.zagat.com) was formed in 2008 for its CoverBoom clients. By July, 2008, SpaBoom boasts over 10% of the Spa market with 2,600 spas and salons in North America. It is anticipated that CoverBoom will boast over 1,000 restaurants by the end of 2008.

Sevence

Venture Round in 2006
Sevence doing business as BoomTime, sells instant and online gift certificates for its customer's Website visitors. It also involves in the online management of the existing in-store gift certificates and appointment requests, processing of gift certificates, and updating its customer services. The company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

TruTouch Technologies

Venture Round in 2005
TruTouch Technologies, Inc. specializes in the development, manufacture, and marketing of noninvasive alcohol testing systems designed for various applications, including workplace safety, law enforcement, and medical diagnostics. The company's flagship product, the TruTouch biometric alcohol sensor, utilizes light to measure blood alcohol content while confirming the identity of the user through biometric verification. TruTouch Technologies offers solutions tailored for sectors such as energy, transportation, warehousing, and community safety. Founded in 2005, the company operates from Sudbury, Massachusetts, with a dedicated research and development center located in Riverside, California. The innovative technology aims to enhance safety and compliance by providing accurate and reliable alcohol testing without the need for invasive procedures.

ZTEC Instruments

Venture Round in 2004
ZTEC Instruments is a manufacturer of innovative modular wireless test products, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Orlando, Florida.