Denver and Fort Collins, Colo.- Innosphere Ventures, Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), and Colorado BioScience Institute (The Institute) announce the eight startup and scaleup companies that were selected to join the 2023 Colorado Life Sciences Incubation Program. The 2023 cohort includes: Live Fully, Anzen Pharmaceuticals Corporation, EnteroTrack, PFRx, LLC, Prohibix, TEGSAL, IllumifyDX and Lonzevity.
With funding support from the state of Colorado, the Colorado Life Sciences Incubation Program provides life sciences startups with a powerful advantage by leveraging the combined expertise and insights of three leading organizations from the state’s life sciences and innovation ecosystem. Startups that are developing or commercializing technologies, products, devices, and life-saving breakthroughs will benefit from Innosphere’s leading incubation program for entrepreneurs, CBSA’s resources and programming that promote a collaborative and supportive business climate for life sciences innovation, and the Institute’s specialized expertise career programs for life sciences professionals.
Participants will gain access to a comprehensive suite of support, resources, and knowledge that will help accelerate their growth and maximize their potential. This initiative reflects the program’s commitment to fueling innovation in the life sciences industry and supporting the development of life-saving technologies.
“Building upon the success of last year, our mission now is to firmly establish Colorado as a leading bioscience hub in the nation. We remain committed to nurturing and supporting innovative life sciences startups through our unique incubation program, which combines the expertise and resources of Innosphere Ventures, the Colorado Bioscience Association, and the Colorado Bioscience Institute. Our aim is to create a vibrant ecosystem that fosters the growth of groundbreaking bioscience technologies, creates high-quality jobs, and positively impacts lives both locally and globally,” said Mike Freeman, CEO of Innosphere Ventures.
“Colorado BioScience Association and Colorado BioScience Institute extend a warm welcome to the promising start ups selected for this year’s Colorado Life Sciences Incubation Program cohort,” said Elyse Blazevich, President and CEO of Colorado BioScience Association and President of Colorado BioScience Institute. “We are thrilled to partner with Innosphere Ventures on this one-of-a-kind incubation program and thank Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade for supporting the program with an Advanced Industries Business Accelerator Grant.”
The Advanced Industries Business Accelerator Grant, awarded by Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), provides funding to programs in Colorado that have developed or are developing programming for early-stage companies in the state’s advanced industries. The state funding allows founders of the selected life sciences companies to take part in the year-long Innosphere-led incubator, membership in Colorado BioScience Association, with access to a broad variety of education and networking opportunities each year, and fully funded participation in The Institute’s Foundations of Leadership Program.
2023 Life Sciences Incubation Program Cohort Companies
Live Fully
Live Fully, Inc. is a patient-driven company, providing anxiety reducing solutions to improve oxygen saturation, mobility and oxygen conservation for long-term oxygen therapy patients.
Monument, CO | Scott Mason, COO | Founded 2018 | www.livefullyinc.com
Anzen Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Anzen Pharmaceuticals Corp. is developing a safer version of acetaminophen. Anzen’s patented technology mitigates the harmful effects of overdose and opens to door to new therapeutic use of traditional acetaminophen. Our products lower the overall cost of healthcare by preventing ER admissions and liver transplantation.
Fort Collins, CO | CEO/Founder: Kevin M. Strait | Founded 2019 | www.AnzenPharma.com
EnteroTrack
EnteroTrack is a clinical-stage company with a unique, clinically validated, ready for growth product for non-invasively monitoring Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). The company’s patented sampling technology also allows simple, home-based monitoring and screening for GI cancers, metabolic conditions, and nutritional optimization.
Aurora, CO | CEO: Robin Shandas, Ph.D.| Founded 2013 | www.Enterotrack.com
PFRx
PFRx specializes in the development of affordable, portable biofeedback units that effectively treat pediatric pelvic floor dysfunction. Our portable devices are easy to use, provide gamification abilities, and collects data to help children regain control of their bowel and bladder functions. Our mission is to empower patients and their families with tools to promote positive social outcomes and independence in their care.
Lakewood, CO l CEO: Juliette Hawa, PT, DPT l Founded 2022
Prohibix
Prohibix is developing injectable hyaluronic acid products powered by a HYALUTE™ microparticle technology. This platform technology is a breakthrough in controlling the release of hyaluronic acid in the body, and also serves as an ideal delivery vehicle for a wide range of therapeutics from small molecule drugs to delicate biomacromolecules. Prohibix is dedicated to improving patient lives by introducing differentiated hyaluronic acid and hyaluronic acid combination products in markets with large unmet clinical needs.
Boulder, CO | CEO/Founder: Brendan Purcell | Founded in 2018
TEGSAL
TEGSAL is building an antimicrobial, hemostatic polymer. This technology is intended to stop hemorrhage, and dynamically protect wounds from bacterial infection. This exciting polymer is being investigated for providing sophisticated treatment in an easy-to-use form for wounds in military and emergency trauma settings.
Aurora, CO | CEO/Founder: Daewon Park | Founded in 2023 | www.tegsal.com
IllumifyDX
illumifyDx is a cancer diagnostics company striving to be the leader in optical spectroscopy-based clinical diagnostics by identifying unmet clinical needs and engineering solutions that are rigorous, scalable, and above all, improve patients’ quality of life. We are currently developing a blood and saliva-based test for the early detection of head and neck cancer.
Broomfield, CO | CEO/ Founders: Maria Navas-Moreno, Ph.D. CEO & Co-founder. Randy Carney, Ph.D. CSO & Co-founder | Founded in 2022 | www.illumifyDx.com
Lonzevity
Lonzevity has developed a Healthcare Decision Support System for the Primary Care Physicians to provide Meaningful Healthcare Outcomes for their patients.
Broomfield, CO | CEO/ Founder: Jaspal Singh
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About Innosphere Ventures
Innosphere Ventures accelerates the success of science and technology-based startups through its unique accelerator and commercialization programs, specialized laboratory facilities, and venture capital fund. Innosphere has supported founders and CEOs building high-tech companies for 24 years and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a strong mission to grow the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. https://innosphereventures.org/
About Colorado BioScience Association
Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) creates co-opportunity for the Colorado life sciences community. CBSA champions a collaborative life sciences ecosystem and advocates for a supportive business climate. From concept to commercialization, member companies and organizations drive global health innovations, products and services that improve and save lives. The association leads Capital and Growth, Education and Networking, Policy and Advocacy, and Workforce Cultivation to make its members stronger, together. Learn more: cobioscience.com
About Colorado BioScience Institute
Colorado BioScience Institute cultivates and diversifies Colorado’s life sciences workforce, from classroom, to campus, to career. The Institute team nurtures an early love of science with STEM education, engages students and teachers through hands-on experiences, and empowers employees with professional development. The Institute’s leadership in widening the life sciences talent pipeline supports the state’s economic growth, builds a skilled, diverse workforce to advance health innovation, and elevates people with purpose-driven, high-paying jobs. Learn more: cobioinstitute.org