Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is a nonprofit organization established in 1925, dedicated to supporting the research endeavors of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It operates as an independent entity that patents the discoveries made by university researchers and licenses these innovations to commercial partners for practical application. WARF has played a crucial role in the commercialization of significant medical advancements, including vitamin D therapies, the anticoagulant Coumadin®, and developments in medical imaging and cancer radiation systems. By facilitating the transfer of technology from the academic environment to the marketplace, WARF aims to foster beneficial applications of scientific discoveries both locally and globally. The foundation's assets are overseen by a board of trustees, ensuring effective management and support for ongoing research initiatives.

Ryan Abrams

Investment Director

John Gransee

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Alain Hung

Deputy Chief Investment Officer

Erik Iverson

Chief Executive Officer

Michael J Partsch

Chief Venture Officer

Larry Prosser

Director of Finance and Investments

Katie Rice

Venture Associate, WARF Ventures

Lysa Thoeny

Senior Director, Finance

Mike Wagner

Investment Director

Past deals in Wisconsin

Immuto Scientific

Seed Round in 2021
Immuto Scientific is a biotechnology services company that provides analytical insights to pharmaceutical companies for drug discovery.

Pyran LLC

Seed Round in 2021
Pyran LLC specializes in developing a starting compound for the production of paints and plastic chemicals. Founded in 2017 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, the company creates a diol product derived from renewable wood and crop waste resources. This diol serves as a raw material for various applications, including digital versatile discs, paints, bottles, coatings, plastics, ropes, glues, and adhesives. Pyran primarily caters to the chemical industries, focusing on sustainable solutions for paint and plastic manufacturing.

Asto CT

Series B in 2021
Asto CT LLC specializes in X-ray computed tomography (CT) technology designed to enhance the health and safety of horses, particularly thoroughbreds, show horses, and older equines. Founded in 2015 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, the company focuses on improving fracture risk detection, diagnosing lameness, and managing dental and sinus issues. Its innovative system allows for rapid 3D imaging of the lower limbs, head, and neck of standing horses without the need for general anesthesia, ensuring a safer and more comfortable experience for the animals. Asto CT aims to provide high-quality volumetric imaging to improve equine well-being and offer reassurance to horse owners, while pioneering advancements in robotics and multi-slice CT technology for more effective screening and diagnosis.

OnLume

Series A in 2021
OnLume, Inc. is a medical device company based in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 2015. The company specializes in developing intuitive and ergonomic solutions for fluorescence image-guided surgery, aiming to enhance surgical precision in both human and veterinary medicine. OnLume is dedicated to providing surgeons with high-quality images in well-lit surgical environments. The company is currently testing prototypes in collaboration with the Laboratory for Optical and Computational Imaging (LOCI) and the Morgridge Institute for Research, both located in Madison. However, the systems have not yet received FDA clearance for market release and are not available for sale.

LÜM

Seed Round in 2020
LÜM is a startup based in Madison that has developed a streaming music platform and social network aimed at promoting emerging artists. The platform focuses on helping local and up-and-coming musicians grow their fan bases by emphasizing new music over established talents. By removing traditional barriers to music discovery, LÜM seeks to reduce the disparity in exposure between corporate music and independent artists. This approach allows users to discover fresh music while enabling artists to monetize their talents and engage with fans throughout their careers.
LÜM is a social media, music discovery, and streaming application that allows fans to directly support their favorite emerging artists. The company's application focuses on up and coming artists around the world and provides the ability for users to discover, share, and circulate music. They seek to decrease the disparity in exposure between corporate music and new music, and link-local areas into the undiscovered music that is all around them. By rethinking the interaction between social media and streaming, LÜM will eventually become a live entertainment “talent pool” for up and coming music around the world.

PROMISS Diagnostics

Debt Financing in 2020
At PROMISS Diagnostics they take applied science seriously. We believe marrying basic science with cutting-edge analytics can unleash exponential diagnostic potential from otherwise common blood tests. Their team is passionate about driving change and helping more people find hope by developing innovative diagnostic tools that are efficacious, inexpensive, and accessible to all.

SimpleMachines

Series A in 2018
SimpleMachines, Inc. is a semiconductor design and development company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2016. It specializes in creating a Software-Defined Compute platform that addresses the evolving demands of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning, robotics, and big data. As traditional computing systems face limitations due to the end of Moore's Law and the increasing complexity of software, SimpleMachines offers a programmable platform that allows for real-time hardware optimization. This innovative approach contrasts with conventional single-purpose systems, which are costly, time-consuming to develop, and often become obsolete upon deployment. The company's platform enables software developers to enhance application performance by dynamically reconfiguring hardware, thus supporting a wide range of use cases and ensuring adaptability in rapidly changing technological environments.

HealthMyne

Series B in 2018
HealthMyne, Inc., a healthcare informatics company, provides novel search, analytics, and imaging solutions to healthcare enterprises. It focuses on providing solutions to cancer care providers. The company’s smart imaging solutions deliver clinical decision support and quality assurance services to reduce diagnostic errors and increase clinical collaboration. Its technology provides physicians with tumor image manipulation, and EHR and image repository search capabilities for diagnosing and treating similar cases. HealthMyne, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.

SimpleMachines

Seed Round in 2017
SimpleMachines, Inc. is a semiconductor design and development company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2016. It specializes in creating a Software-Defined Compute platform that addresses the evolving demands of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning, robotics, and big data. As traditional computing systems face limitations due to the end of Moore's Law and the increasing complexity of software, SimpleMachines offers a programmable platform that allows for real-time hardware optimization. This innovative approach contrasts with conventional single-purpose systems, which are costly, time-consuming to develop, and often become obsolete upon deployment. The company's platform enables software developers to enhance application performance by dynamically reconfiguring hardware, thus supporting a wide range of use cases and ensuring adaptability in rapidly changing technological environments.

FluGen

Series A in 2017
FluGen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing vaccines to prevent diseases caused by influenza viruses. Founded in 2007 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, FluGen offers RedeeFlu, a nasal spray vaccine designed to protect against influenza, along with a vaccine-loaded intradermal microneedle delivery device. The company aims to address both seasonal and pandemic influenza on a global scale.

Isomark

Funding Round in 2017
Isomark, LLC is a company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2005, that specializes in non-invasive breath monitoring technology aimed at detecting life-threatening infections. Its primary product, Canary, functions as a breath analyzer that measures and analyzes isotopic biomarkers present in exhaled CO2 samples. This technology enables healthcare providers to monitor personal health and identify disease states effectively. Isomark's approach facilitates the early detection and treatment of infections, including hospital-related conditions like sepsis, thereby allowing for timely medical intervention before illnesses progress to more serious or chronic stages. The company's solutions are applicable in various clinical settings, including primary disease detection and outpatient medical services, as well as post-operative patient monitoring.

HealthMyne

Venture Round in 2016
HealthMyne, Inc., a healthcare informatics company, provides novel search, analytics, and imaging solutions to healthcare enterprises. It focuses on providing solutions to cancer care providers. The company’s smart imaging solutions deliver clinical decision support and quality assurance services to reduce diagnostic errors and increase clinical collaboration. Its technology provides physicians with tumor image manipulation, and EHR and image repository search capabilities for diagnosing and treating similar cases. HealthMyne, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Isomark

Venture Round in 2016
Isomark, LLC is a company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2005, that specializes in non-invasive breath monitoring technology aimed at detecting life-threatening infections. Its primary product, Canary, functions as a breath analyzer that measures and analyzes isotopic biomarkers present in exhaled CO2 samples. This technology enables healthcare providers to monitor personal health and identify disease states effectively. Isomark's approach facilitates the early detection and treatment of infections, including hospital-related conditions like sepsis, thereby allowing for timely medical intervention before illnesses progress to more serious or chronic stages. The company's solutions are applicable in various clinical settings, including primary disease detection and outpatient medical services, as well as post-operative patient monitoring.

FluGen

Venture Round in 2016
FluGen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing vaccines to prevent diseases caused by influenza viruses. Founded in 2007 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, FluGen offers RedeeFlu, a nasal spray vaccine designed to protect against influenza, along with a vaccine-loaded intradermal microneedle delivery device. The company aims to address both seasonal and pandemic influenza on a global scale.

Isomark

Funding Round in 2016
Isomark, LLC is a company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2005, that specializes in non-invasive breath monitoring technology aimed at detecting life-threatening infections. Its primary product, Canary, functions as a breath analyzer that measures and analyzes isotopic biomarkers present in exhaled CO2 samples. This technology enables healthcare providers to monitor personal health and identify disease states effectively. Isomark's approach facilitates the early detection and treatment of infections, including hospital-related conditions like sepsis, thereby allowing for timely medical intervention before illnesses progress to more serious or chronic stages. The company's solutions are applicable in various clinical settings, including primary disease detection and outpatient medical services, as well as post-operative patient monitoring.

Holos

Grant in 2015
Holos, Inc. is an educational technology company that provides a spatial computing platform designed for immersive learning experiences in 3D environments. Founded in 2015 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, Holos enables teachers and students to create, organize, and interact with content in a virtual reality space, resembling a 3D version of PowerPoint. Users can integrate various media types, including photos, videos, text, and 3D models, into their learning environments. The platform features tools such as 3D object and content cards, a collaborative magic table for spatial presentations, and a content library with pre-vetted 3D learning experiences, all of which facilitate active, hands-on learning. Holos operates on desktop VR headsets, making it accessible for educational settings.

FluGen

Series A in 2015
FluGen, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing vaccines to prevent diseases caused by influenza viruses. Founded in 2007 and based in Madison, Wisconsin, FluGen offers RedeeFlu, a nasal spray vaccine designed to protect against influenza, along with a vaccine-loaded intradermal microneedle delivery device. The company aims to address both seasonal and pandemic influenza on a global scale.

Madison Vaccines

Series A in 2015
Madison Vaccines, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, develops therapeutic plasmid DNA vaccines. It focuses on bone metastases and prostate cancer. The company is based in United States.

Isomark

Venture Round in 2014
Isomark, LLC is a company based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2005, that specializes in non-invasive breath monitoring technology aimed at detecting life-threatening infections. Its primary product, Canary, functions as a breath analyzer that measures and analyzes isotopic biomarkers present in exhaled CO2 samples. This technology enables healthcare providers to monitor personal health and identify disease states effectively. Isomark's approach facilitates the early detection and treatment of infections, including hospital-related conditions like sepsis, thereby allowing for timely medical intervention before illnesses progress to more serious or chronic stages. The company's solutions are applicable in various clinical settings, including primary disease detection and outpatient medical services, as well as post-operative patient monitoring.

Madison Vaccines

Series A in 2014
Madison Vaccines, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, develops therapeutic plasmid DNA vaccines. It focuses on bone metastases and prostate cancer. The company is based in United States.

Silatronix

Venture Round in 2013
Silatronix, Inc. is a company based in Madison, Wisconsin, specializing in the development of organosilicon (OS) compounds and formulations for energy storage applications. Founded in 2007, the company focuses on creating organosilicon electrolytes used in both rechargeable and non-rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, as well as in ultracapacitors. Silatronix combines expert knowledge in organosilicon chemistry with advancements in nanostructured electrodes and the electronic properties of materials, aimed at enhancing the performance and efficiency of energy storage devices. Its innovative products are integral to the evolving landscape of energy storage technology.

NeuWave Medical

Series B in 2012
NeuWave Medical develops tools that deliver energy to the human body to treat a variety of serious medical conditions. Their company founders are both engineers and physician-scientists which allows determining a clinical need and design solutions that are clinically relevant, effective, and minimally invasive. They strive to make the highest quality devices that are the products of choice for leading physicians and medical centers around the world. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
Cellular Dynamics International Inc., (CDI) is a developer and manufacturer of fully functioning cells in industrial quantities to precise specifications. CDI's proprietary products include true human cells in multiple cell types (iCell products), human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and custom iPSCs and iCell products (MyCell Products). CDI's products provide standardized, easy-to-use, cost-effective access to the human cell, the smallest fully functioning operating unit of human biology. Customers use our products, among other purposes, for drug discovery and screening, to test the safety and efficacy of their small molecule and biological drug candidates, for stem cell banking, and in the research and development of cellular therapeutics.

NeuWave Medical

Series A in 2008
NeuWave Medical develops tools that deliver energy to the human body to treat a variety of serious medical conditions. Their company founders are both engineers and physician-scientists which allows determining a clinical need and design solutions that are clinically relevant, effective, and minimally invasive. They strive to make the highest quality devices that are the products of choice for leading physicians and medical centers around the world. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.

Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals

Series B in 2007
Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that engages in the research, development, and commercialization of therapies for the treatment of renal diseases, osteoporosis, skin diseases, and other targets. It focuses on vitamin D analogs and other compounds to develop selected therapies through early phases of the drug development process. The company’s product includes DP001 for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis. It also develops DP006 for the treatment of acne. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mithridion

Series A in 2007
Mithridion is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops drugs for central nervous system disorders, with an initial focus on Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

Roche NimbleGen

Series D in 2003
Roche NimbleGen provides products and services to the life science research market. The company offers SeqCap EZ system, a solution-based capture system that enables enrichment of exome in a single test tube; SeqCap EZ library that covers exome designs, gene panels, and custom content designs; and SeqCap EZ reagents to maximize workflow and order different reagent needs. It also provides SeqCap Epi, an enrichment system that includes a set of target enrichment tools for DNA methylation assessment at single-base resolution, as well as offers SeqCap Epi kits and reagents. The company provides a set of preparation and adapter kits for library construction including SignalMap, a software product for browsing of genomic tracks; and NimbleDesign, an online tool that enables users to design SeqCap EZ choice libraries. It offers DNA microarray products and services for CGH, ChIP-chip, DNA methylation, AccuSNP, CGS, instruments, sequence capture arrays, gene expression microarrays, and their associated workflows. The company also provides online technical and instruction support services. Roche NimbleGen was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. As of August 8, 2007, Roche NimbleGen operates as a subsidiary of Roche Holding AG.

Roche NimbleGen

Series B in 2001
Roche NimbleGen provides products and services to the life science research market. The company offers SeqCap EZ system, a solution-based capture system that enables enrichment of exome in a single test tube; SeqCap EZ library that covers exome designs, gene panels, and custom content designs; and SeqCap EZ reagents to maximize workflow and order different reagent needs. It also provides SeqCap Epi, an enrichment system that includes a set of target enrichment tools for DNA methylation assessment at single-base resolution, as well as offers SeqCap Epi kits and reagents. The company provides a set of preparation and adapter kits for library construction including SignalMap, a software product for browsing of genomic tracks; and NimbleDesign, an online tool that enables users to design SeqCap EZ choice libraries. It offers DNA microarray products and services for CGH, ChIP-chip, DNA methylation, AccuSNP, CGS, instruments, sequence capture arrays, gene expression microarrays, and their associated workflows. The company also provides online technical and instruction support services. Roche NimbleGen was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. As of August 8, 2007, Roche NimbleGen operates as a subsidiary of Roche Holding AG.