Rand Capital

Rand Capital Corporation is a business development company specializing in venture capital and private equity investments. The firm prefers to make investments through equity or debt instruments in early venture, expansion stage, and in small to medium-sized privately held companies. It generally lends to more mature companies. The firm does not prefer to invest in real estate sector. It invests in companies that are engaged in the exploitation of new or unique products, technologies, or services. The firm invests in healthcare, consumer products, manufacturing, software, and professional services. It seeks to invest in companies based in the Western and Upstate New York region and its surrounding states with focus on Buffalo and Niagara region. The firm may invest in region within three to five hour drives from Western New York including Canada. It typically invests between $0.5 million and $1.5 million and the total investment in rounds is between $1 million and $5 million. The firm seeks to invest up to maximum of $3 million total per company as part of follow-on investments. It invest in startups and companies having annual revenue up to $10 million. The firm seeks to be a lead investor in companies within its geographical area and participates in syndicate/co-invest with other investors outside it. It prefers to invest in businesses that are unique or possess proprietary right. The firm prefers to be a minority investor and seeks to take a Board seat in its portfolio companies. It typically holds its investments for a period of five to seven years. Rand Capital Corporation was founded in 1969 and is based in Buffalo, New York.

Margaret Whalen Brechtel

VP of Finance

Allen F. Grum

President and CEO

DK

Deborah K. Pawlowski

Investor Relations

Daniel P. Penberthy

EVP, Treasurer and CFO

46 past transactions

Synacor

Series C in 2003
Synacor's online content, portal and comprehensive front-end technology solutions enable MSOs, ISPs and telecommunications companies to bundle, promote and deliver narrowband and broadband premium content and services as part of existing Internet access products. Its solutions offer the combined strength of a flexible portal framework, a robust provisioning platform, a unified back-end and a network of in-demand standard and premium content enabling service providers to maintain critical contact with consumers as they shift from screen-to-screen while seeking increasingly personalized entertainment experiences.

GridApp Systems

Series A in 2005
GridApp Systems, Inc. develops and markets database automation software and solutions for the database automation and management in the United States and internationally. It offers GridApp Clarity, which provides a solution that manages the database infrastructure through various stages of the life cycle, and manages various task automation and arbitrary scripts on hosts and databases in the database environment within a view console; and Patchworks, an automated patch management service to build, certify, and deliver patch bundles. The company also provides database automation and Oracle RAC consulting, and customer installations services. It serves various industries, such as financial services, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, education, eCommerce, and technology. The company has strategic partnerships with IBM Corporation, HP, Intel, and Oracle Corporation. GridApp Systems, Inc. was founded in 2002 and is based in New York, New York.

SciAps

Venture Round in 2013
SciAps is a Boston-based portable analytical instrumentation company that offers field-hardened and portable analytical instruments that measure compounds, minerals, and elements. They are dedicated to inventing, engineering, providing, and servicing field-hardened, portable instruments to measure any compound, any mineral, any element anyplace on the planet. It was founded in 2012 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts.

SciAps

Seed Round in 2013
SciAps is a Boston-based portable analytical instrumentation company that offers field-hardened and portable analytical instruments that measure compounds, minerals, and elements. They are dedicated to inventing, engineering, providing, and servicing field-hardened, portable instruments to measure any compound, any mineral, any element anyplace on the planet. It was founded in 2012 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Genicon

Venture Round in 2016
Genicon is recognized as an emerging leader in the design, production, and distribution of patented surgical instrumentation focused exclusively on laparoscopic surgery. Genicon is a privately held firm in which several of their shareholders are surgeons who utilize their products. Genicon remains today as it originated: a company driven to meet the needs of modern-day healthcare through the harmonization of clinical needs and the economic demands of a global healthcare system.

GiveGab

Seed Round in 2013
GiveGab helps nonprofits go beyond basic fundraising to raise more, engage more, and do more in a fun, simple, and social platform. We help these nonprofits build long-lasting relationships for repeat giving. We provide all aspects of online fundraising including: a.) general donations, b.) event fundraising, c.) p2p and team based fundraising, d.) days of giving e.) general crowdfunding campaigns f.) donor CRM. We make campaign managers and p2p fundraisers successful using automated coaching features. We make THE ASK easy and fun. Additionally, we help nonprofits engage their supporters through volunteer management features for long-term repeat giving.

GiveGab

Seed Round in 2013
GiveGab helps nonprofits go beyond basic fundraising to raise more, engage more, and do more in a fun, simple, and social platform. We help these nonprofits build long-lasting relationships for repeat giving. We provide all aspects of online fundraising including: a.) general donations, b.) event fundraising, c.) p2p and team based fundraising, d.) days of giving e.) general crowdfunding campaigns f.) donor CRM. We make campaign managers and p2p fundraisers successful using automated coaching features. We make THE ASK easy and fun. Additionally, we help nonprofits engage their supporters through volunteer management features for long-term repeat giving.

GiveGab

Seed Round in 2015
GiveGab helps nonprofits go beyond basic fundraising to raise more, engage more, and do more in a fun, simple, and social platform. We help these nonprofits build long-lasting relationships for repeat giving. We provide all aspects of online fundraising including: a.) general donations, b.) event fundraising, c.) p2p and team based fundraising, d.) days of giving e.) general crowdfunding campaigns f.) donor CRM. We make campaign managers and p2p fundraisers successful using automated coaching features. We make THE ASK easy and fun. Additionally, we help nonprofits engage their supporters through volunteer management features for long-term repeat giving.

Synacor

Series C in 2006
Synacor's online content, portal and comprehensive front-end technology solutions enable MSOs, ISPs and telecommunications companies to bundle, promote and deliver narrowband and broadband premium content and services as part of existing Internet access products. Its solutions offer the combined strength of a flexible portal framework, a robust provisioning platform, a unified back-end and a network of in-demand standard and premium content enabling service providers to maintain critical contact with consumers as they shift from screen-to-screen while seeking increasingly personalized entertainment experiences.

Liazon

Series C in 2011
Liazon is an online benefits store that operates private benefits exchange for large and small businesses. Its flagship product, the Bright Choices Exchange, helps employers manage their health care costs by setting predictable budgets through a defined contribution funding strategy while guiding employees to purchase better coverage of health, dental, vision, life, disability, and other benefits. Launched in 2007, the platform’s operations are based in Buffalo, New York.

Liazon

Venture Round in 2010
Liazon is an online benefits store that operates private benefits exchange for large and small businesses. Its flagship product, the Bright Choices Exchange, helps employers manage their health care costs by setting predictable budgets through a defined contribution funding strategy while guiding employees to purchase better coverage of health, dental, vision, life, disability, and other benefits. Launched in 2007, the platform’s operations are based in Buffalo, New York.

QuaDPharma

Venture Round in 2012
QuaDPharma was designed from the beginning to serve the needs of the pharmaceutical industry that relates to small-scale pre-commercial and commercial manufacturing. Dr. Panaro has synthesis expertise in Drug Discovery and Pilot Plant scale-up and has used these skills throughout his tenure at APP Pharma and Contract Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

SOMS Technologies

Series B in 2008
SOMS Technologies LLC develops, manufactures, and commercializes vehicle engine oil filters. It offers engine oil filters for application ranging from small four cylinder engines to medium-duty diesel engines in heavy duty vehicles, fleets, and other vehicles. The company also provides private label automotive filtration products. It company markets its products through a network of authorized regional distributors. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Valhalla, New York with a technical and customer support office in Albion, Illinois.

BinOptics

Venture Round in 2011
BinOptics Corporation manufactures monolithically integrated optoelectronic components. It offers directly modulated fabry-perot, directly modulated distributed feedback, and ring lasers; and custom integrated chips, such as edge- and surface-emitting lasers, monitoring and high-speed photodetectors, electroabsorption modulators, semiconductor optical amplifiers, beam couplers/splitters, waveguides, and on-chip lenses. The company offers its products for use in datacom and telecommunication applications, such as gigabit ethernet and PON applications, as well as advanced non-telecomunication applications. BinOptics Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Ithaca, New York.

ACV Auctions

Series A in 2016
ACV Auctions, Inc., a wholesale automotive auction company, operates a mobile platform that enables used-car dealers to view, bid, and purchase car inventory via online auctions. Its dealer-to-dealer and online automotive marketplace allows used car dealers to select the type of cars they wish to purchase; companies to send an alert to the dealer’s mobile device when vehicles become available; and dealers to follow live auctions. ACV Auctions, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Buffalo, New York.

Liazon

Series D in 2012
Liazon is an online benefits store that operates private benefits exchange for large and small businesses. Its flagship product, the Bright Choices Exchange, helps employers manage their health care costs by setting predictable budgets through a defined contribution funding strategy while guiding employees to purchase better coverage of health, dental, vision, life, disability, and other benefits. Launched in 2007, the platform’s operations are based in Buffalo, New York.

KnowledgeVision Systems, Inc.

Venture Round in 2013
KnowledgeVision Systems Incorporated provides on-demand tools to create interactive and multi-media Web presentations for companies and organizations. It offers an enterprise solution for creating on-demand synchronized video business presentations for the Web. The company’s tool is used in sales and marketing presentations, product demonstrations, training and organizational development sessions, CEO and senior management communications, knowledge sharing presentations, periodic financial reporting and virtual road shows, on-demand replay of webinars, and interactive white papers. KnowledgeVision Systems Incorporated was founded in 2010 and is based in Concord, Massachusetts.

D’Lisi Food Systems

Venture Round in 2004
D'lisi Food Systems, Inc. produces and distributes private label and branded; and frozen pizzas.

Grainful

Venture Round in 2014
Grainful (BeetNPath, LLC) is a food company making chef-inspired, mouthwatering entrées that bring the wholesome goodness of oats to lunch and dinner. All products are made with steel cut oats, clean natural ingredients and are cooked to perfection under their watchful eye.

Genicon

Series B in 2015
Genicon is recognized as an emerging leader in the design, production, and distribution of patented surgical instrumentation focused exclusively on laparoscopic surgery. Genicon is a privately held firm in which several of their shareholders are surgeons who utilize their products. Genicon remains today as it originated: a company driven to meet the needs of modern-day healthcare through the harmonization of clinical needs and the economic demands of a global healthcare system.

Grainful

Venture Round in 2017
Grainful (BeetNPath, LLC) is a food company making chef-inspired, mouthwatering entrées that bring the wholesome goodness of oats to lunch and dinner. All products are made with steel cut oats, clean natural ingredients and are cooked to perfection under their watchful eye.

Loupe

Series B in 2015
Loupe is a customer loyalty tech company. We build products that help sit-down restaurants retain and reward loyal diners. Grow your restaurant with loyal diners and Loupe! Loupe has been committed to connecting great restaurants with hungry diners since 2010 and works with hundreds of restaurants across North America. A team of restaurant and small business experts, Loupe is based in Buffalo, NY.

Empire Genomics, LLC

Series A in 2014
Empire leverages genomics technologies, its keen understanding of the medical system, the needs of clinicians to deliver precise and continuous testing expertise for the best in class oncology disease management tools. Empire is a leader in the field of molecular diagnostics services.

Chequed.com, Inc.

Series A in 2014
Chequed.com is a cloud-based Predictive Talent Selection™ platform is used by some of the world’s leading brands including SUBWAY® Restaurants, The Walt Disney Company, Hallmark, Aspen Dental and many others.

Centivo

Series A in 2018
Centivo Corporation provides health insurance plans for employers, employees, and clinicians. It also offers member experience, claims administration, and employer support. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut with additional offices in New York and Buffalo, New York.

PostProcess Technologies

Seed Round in 2017
PostProcess Technologies is the only provider of automated and intelligent post-printing solutions for additive manufacturing. PostProcess Technologies removes the bottleneck in the third step of additive manufacturing – post-printing, through a combination of patent-pending integrated technologies including software, hardware and consumables.

Centivo

Series B in 2020
Centivo Corporation provides health insurance plans for employers, employees, and clinicians. It also offers member experience, claims administration, and employer support. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut with additional offices in New York and Buffalo, New York.

CrowdBouncer

Series A in 2014
CrowdBouncer, Inc. operates a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution for JOBS Act compliance and back-end transactional processing for equity crowdfunding portals. The company offers compliance cloud solutions, including data security; CrowdSIP, a crowdfunding securities identification protocol; Accredited Investor Verification that verify the accredited status of investors; Title III database that allows portals to manage the regulations under section 302(a) of the JOBS Act; crowdfunding documents; and investor anti-fraud vetting. It serves various portals and platform partners. The company was founded in 2012 and is based in Buffalo, New York.

ClearView Social Inc.

Seed Round in 2015
Clearview Social is an employee advocacy platform created to help companies increase revenue through more effective and systematic use of social media. With Clearview Social, employees can share on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter without leaving their inbox - helping companies bring in more business and increase exposure. Clearview Social gives marketers the ability to create a queue of content to be shared by the lawyers.

SocialFlow

Series B in 2013
SocialFlow, Inc., a software company, provides social media distribution and monetization solutions for publishers and media companies. The company’s algorithm releases posts when timing, relevance, and audience are optimized; identifies best performing posts to amplify with advertising; integrates amplified posts into platform-specific advertisement vehicles; establishes a continuous loop of feedback by analyzing responses; and develops new advertising opportunities that extend its client’s reach to segmented audiences. It offers its solutions to brands, publishers, marketers, and agencies to publish their social media content. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in New York, New York.

SciAps

Venture Round in 2015
SciAps is a Boston-based portable analytical instrumentation company that offers field-hardened and portable analytical instruments that measure compounds, minerals, and elements. They are dedicated to inventing, engineering, providing, and servicing field-hardened, portable instruments to measure any compound, any mineral, any element anyplace on the planet. It was founded in 2012 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Rheonix

Venture Round in 2015
Rheonix, Inc. operates as a biomedical device company. Its products include CARD (Chemistry And Reagent Device) system to miniaturize and automate new and existing assays in multiple fields. Its products and technology are used in human/veterinary in vitro diagnostics, food/water testing, SNP analysis for personalized medicine applications, homeland security/defense applications, process control and final product QC, and tissue culture analysis in a research or production setting. Rheonix, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is based in Ithaca, New York.
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. provides network deployment and information technology (IT) professional services. The company offers network design, development, and deployment in a range of technologies; IT professional services, including ERP, data, strategy, supply chain operations, technology and process transformation, program management office, software selection, and software development services; government consulting, including project consulting, management, and execution; and staffing and recruitment services. It serves construction, telecom, government, and utility industries worldwide. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Portland, Maine with a network of offices in the United States.

SocialFlow

Series C in 2015
SocialFlow, Inc., a software company, provides social media distribution and monetization solutions for publishers and media companies. The company’s algorithm releases posts when timing, relevance, and audience are optimized; identifies best performing posts to amplify with advertising; integrates amplified posts into platform-specific advertisement vehicles; establishes a continuous loop of feedback by analyzing responses; and develops new advertising opportunities that extend its client’s reach to segmented audiences. It offers its solutions to brands, publishers, marketers, and agencies to publish their social media content. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in New York, New York.

Synacor

Venture Round in 2004
Synacor's online content, portal and comprehensive front-end technology solutions enable MSOs, ISPs and telecommunications companies to bundle, promote and deliver narrowband and broadband premium content and services as part of existing Internet access products. Its solutions offer the combined strength of a flexible portal framework, a robust provisioning platform, a unified back-end and a network of in-demand standard and premium content enabling service providers to maintain critical contact with consumers as they shift from screen-to-screen while seeking increasingly personalized entertainment experiences.

DataView

Convertible Note in 1999
Applying insider knowledge gained from years of professional trading experience on and off the floor, running money for major New York hedge funds, and currently managing a hedge fund, MarketGauge's master traders created the powerful proprietary web‐based software tools HotScans, BigView, the Nuggets List and the ETF Monitor. These subscription‐based tools have been built for thousands of individual traders as well as institutional clients such as Reuters, Barrons' Online, Fidelity, Intershow, and Townsend Analytics. With the recent release of its revolutionary Opening Range Success Formula, MarketGauge established itself as the thought leader in statistical edge education based on the opening range. As specialists in the opening range trading strategy ‐‐ which derives from market action early in the trading day ‐‐ MarketGauge designed the Opening Range Success Formula to give traders of all styles a proven statistical edge that can be used to set a profitable course for trades regardless of market condition. The opening range is a trading strategy that underpins almost all of MarketGauge's trader training, serving as the foundational strategy for classes ranging from Position Swing Trading to Calendar Ranges. And you can learn how to use it for your own trading. In addition, MarketGauge has pioneered trader education responsive to real-time market conditions with the in‐depth trader training video newsletter Mish's Market Minute – Premium. Produced four times a week by market analyst Michele Schneider, Mish's Market Minute – Premium delivers trade set ups and recommendations in the morning (based on Michele's comprehensive market analysis) that can be traded that same afternoon. In addition, Mish communicates position adjustments via Twitter throughout the week, guiding subscribers as trades unfold. Subscription to Mish's Market Minute – Premium comes with full access to the Nuggets List and ETF Monitor, the MarketGauge software tools that inform Mish's recommendations. MarketGauge's online trading education, and its unique focus on leveraging the opening range, result from co‐founders Keith Schneider and Geoff Bysshe's over 60 combined years of first‐hand trading experience. Courses teach how to trade and thoroughly cover the core requirements for trading success, including: Advanced trading strategies, technique & tactics Charting basics to advanced charting Personalized trading plans Emotional mastery Position sizing Market analytics Risk & money management.

ACV Auctions

Series B in 2017
ACV Auctions, Inc., a wholesale automotive auction company, operates a mobile platform that enables used-car dealers to view, bid, and purchase car inventory via online auctions. Its dealer-to-dealer and online automotive marketplace allows used car dealers to select the type of cars they wish to purchase; companies to send an alert to the dealer’s mobile device when vehicles become available; and dealers to follow live auctions. ACV Auctions, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Buffalo, New York.
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. provides network deployment and information technology (IT) professional services. The company offers network design, development, and deployment in a range of technologies; IT professional services, including ERP, data, strategy, supply chain operations, technology and process transformation, program management office, software selection, and software development services; government consulting, including project consulting, management, and execution; and staffing and recruitment services. It serves construction, telecom, government, and utility industries worldwide. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Portland, Maine with a network of offices in the United States.

Knoa Software

Series A in 2012
Knoa® Software delivers enterprise and cloud solutions that generate unique insights to increase the performance and optimize the end-user experience of SAP, Siebel and other platforms. Knoa's patented software provides CIOs and business executives the actionable metrics needed to ensure their organizations and users realize the full value of their enterprise application investment. Headquartered in Union Square, New York, Knoa’s solutions have helped hundreds of global corporations and government organizations make impactful, real-time, fact based decisions that enrich and maximize the experience for over a million end users.

Knoa Software

Series B in 2014
Knoa® Software delivers enterprise and cloud solutions that generate unique insights to increase the performance and optimize the end-user experience of SAP, Siebel and other platforms. Knoa's patented software provides CIOs and business executives the actionable metrics needed to ensure their organizations and users realize the full value of their enterprise application investment. Headquartered in Union Square, New York, Knoa’s solutions have helped hundreds of global corporations and government organizations make impactful, real-time, fact based decisions that enrich and maximize the experience for over a million end users.

Gemcor

Acquisition in 2004
Gemcor, headquartered in West Seneca, NY, is a global leader in automated fastening systems and part positioning solutions used in the assembly of aircraft components. Founded in Buffalo, NY in 1937 by Thomas Speller Sr., Gemcor invented the automated fastening process to support U.S. aircraft production during World War II. Gemcor's Drivmatic® process quickly became an industry standard for automated aircraft assembly. www.gemcor.com

Rheonix

Venture Round in 2014
Rheonix, Inc. operates as a biomedical device company. Its products include CARD (Chemistry And Reagent Device) system to miniaturize and automate new and existing assays in multiple fields. Its products and technology are used in human/veterinary in vitro diagnostics, food/water testing, SNP analysis for personalized medicine applications, homeland security/defense applications, process control and final product QC, and tissue culture analysis in a research or production setting. Rheonix, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is based in Ithaca, New York.

Innov-X Systems

Venture Round in 2007
Innov-X Systems manufactures, sells and services field portable x-ray based analytical instruments providing real-time, non-destructive analysis to multiple industries with varied applications. Thousands of units are in use world-wide in remote areas or in demanding applications with continuous uptime requirements.
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. provides network deployment and information technology (IT) professional services. The company offers network design, development, and deployment in a range of technologies; IT professional services, including ERP, data, strategy, supply chain operations, technology and process transformation, program management office, software selection, and software development services; government consulting, including project consulting, management, and execution; and staffing and recruitment services. It serves construction, telecom, government, and utility industries worldwide. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Portland, Maine with a network of offices in the United States.

Kionix, Inc.

Venture Round in 2006
Kionix is a global leader in the design and fabrication of high-performance, silicon-micromachined MEMS inertial sensors. With its acquisition by ROHM Co., Ltd. of Japan on November 16, 2009, Kionix is positioned well to carry on its corporate mission to bring the best in MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) inertial sensor technology to the global marketplace.

Rheonix

Venture Round in 2013
Rheonix, Inc. operates as a biomedical device company. Its products include CARD (Chemistry And Reagent Device) system to miniaturize and automate new and existing assays in multiple fields. Its products and technology are used in human/veterinary in vitro diagnostics, food/water testing, SNP analysis for personalized medicine applications, homeland security/defense applications, process control and final product QC, and tissue culture analysis in a research or production setting. Rheonix, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is based in Ithaca, New York.