Absci Files for IPO

Big news for OBI graduate Absci! Last week they filed paperwork with the SEC for an initial public offering. Absci, a biotech company whose technology enables “better, faster, smarter” biologic drug discovery and cell lines, graduated from the OBI in 2016. They’ve grown substantially over the past several years, acquiring other companies, most recently Totient, and expanding their operations and workforce. GeekWire just featured them in an article about biotech in the Pacific Northwest.

We at the OBI & OTRADI are cheering on Absci for many years of continued success and growth.

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OBI Client Company Wins

• Hemex Health
  • We’ve officially launched our newborn release! Gazelle is now able to diagnose newborns for sickle cell disease before they even leave the hospital. Check out the press release.
  • With our product design and engineering partner Tata Elxsi, the Gazelle Reader won the Social Impact Solution of the Year award at the 2021 NASSCOM Engineering & Innovation Excellence Awards in India!
  • In a recent P. vivax clinical study, Gazelle demonstrated higher sensitivity than the only FDA-approved malaria rapid diagnostic test. Press release here.
• Izon
  • Izon has recently released two new consumables products to the market! We hope these kits will further establish Izon as an industry leader in extracellular vesicle analysis. Please see product pages below:
    • qEV RNA Extraction Kit
    • qEV Concentration Kit
  • Izon is seeking a Lab Technician/Research Associate for its Portland office. Please see job description and share with interested applicants.
• Gamma Diagnostics
  • We have a new name – Gamma Therapeutics is now Gamma Diagnostics!
  • David Eastman retired as CEO, we hired Ajay Nair from Perth, Australia as our new CEO, and he hired Chris Venter, also from Perth, as our Chief Finance Officer.
  • We also discovered that our GammaCoeur diagnostic blood test for cardiovascular disease is extremely elevated in COVID-19 patients and predicts the need for hospitalized patients to need extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in order not to suffocate, and it predicts death from COVID-19. We now have a provisional patent on this I.P. that also protects the use of the test as a companion diagnostic for the administration of dexamethasone in COVID-19 patients.
• Rewire Neuro
  • Rewire secured additional investment from Angel Oregon Tech, and received funding from Elevate Capital’s Oregon Gap Fund. We are excited to have these investors supporting Rewire’s growth and are thankful for Business Oregon and Oregon InC’s funding of early-stage Oregon startups.
• Caregiven
  • We were delighted to learn that we are a semi-finalist for Aging 2.0’s Global Innovation Search.
  • Candice Smith was interviewed by the HITLab for their Women’s Health Tech Wednesday forum.
  • Caregiven was highlighted in an article titled “Looking to the Future of Insurance.”
  • Caregiven was presented “Shark Tank” style to attendees at the ISCPA conference.
• CytoImage
  • Founder Tania Vu presented at the international Innovation Stage at BIO Digital 2021.
• Inherent Targeting
  • CEO Connor Barth also presented at BIO Digital 2021 Innovation Stage.
• SUTUREGARD
  • We were named a Top 10 Innovation by Podiatry Today, a leading trade journal. This is unsolicited, unlike some trade publication lists which are paid for. We are at the end of the article; they saved the best for last!
  • The Veteran’s Administration is now ordering HEMIGARD. Our Veteran population has a high incidence of wound problems and we will be making a big impact here, reducing wound complications and improving limb salvage efforts. The HEMIGARD is a great tool to not only speed the surgical closure, reduce the need for additional deep sutures, but also to support the healing through the difficult postoperative period when the foot may swell and the wound may open (dehisce).  We are excited to improve outcomes for our veterans!

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Meet our Administrative Assistant,
Sarah Vivian

Sarah joined OTRADI in July of 2021. She is a seasoned office specialist with over a decade of administrative experience. In her role, Sarah helps facilitate the everyday administrativia of the office and is the point person for OBI client companies.

Having a background as a technical writer and a passion for nonprofit and social justice work, Sarah served as a committee head and then Board Director of Communications for Pride Northwest, the nonprofit organization that plans and implements the Portland LGBTQ+ Pride Festival and Parade, until 2017.

In her personal time, Sarah is an avid crafter, permaculture gardener, home cook, and true crime fanatic. We are thrilled to have her on the OBI team!

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ScienceDocs Interview with
Inherent Targeting’s Connor Barth

Inherent Targeting co-founder and CEO Connor Barth, PhD recently sat down with Claire Sykes for an enjoyable ScienceDocs interview after winning a $2.25 million SBIR grant for their fluorescence-guided nerve detection technology. Watch the 30-minute video and read the transcript here.

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Summer-Fall Mentoring Kicks Off

July 1 was the start date for the Summer-Fall 2021 cohort of the OBI Mentoring Program. This 6-month cohort includes mentors and mentees listed below; some are new pairings and triples, and some returning pairings. We are pleased to welcome these participants and wish them much success in making progress toward their goals.

We will have a new cohort of mentors and mentees in January, 2022. Keep an eye on the mentoring page on our website and newsletter for more information in the fall on how you can participate in our mentoring program.

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Kamino App Has Launched

TeleHeath and wellness company, Kamino Care provides nutrition and health coaching for Latin X clients via video appointment. Bilingual providers assist families and caregivers with the latest nutrition and fitness advice, from a preventative mindset, all from the comfort of home.

Their story begins when a young boy named Heber is asked to translate from English to Spanish for his mother once she was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes. She was advised to eat whole grains, whole foods, potatoes, and tofu. Due to cultural differences, the provider failed to recognize the family’s pantry was filled with arroz, frijoles, and tortillas. Kamino Care helps people like Heber’s mom get the health and wellness they need with a provider who understands both their culture and language.

As a young boy, Nick watched his father’s diabetes worsen due to improper nutrition and fitness management, ultimately leading to a stroke and heart attack. He has made it one of his life’s goals to stay fit, healthy and informed on how to best prevent diabetes as much as possible. Kamino Care was an obvious choice for Nick to provide families the tools they need to hopefully avoid the tragedies of Diabetes.

Kamino Care’s mobile appointment app, Kamino, is available for both iOS and Android devices and offers a free 30 minutes appointment with a Nutrition or Fitness provider.

OTBC is Hiring an Executive Director

OTBC‘s long-serving Executive Director is preparing to retire, and we are looking for the next leader for this small but ambitious not-for-profit. The Executive Director is responsible for the management of the OTBC facility, staff and programs and for performing diverse tasks ranging from mentoring of entrepreneurs to office operations. This position is full-time and reports to the OTBC Board of Directors.

The position is full-time, based in Beaverton, and offers a wide range of exposure to the Oregon entrepreneurial and funding communities. Highlights of the position include:

• Develop and oversee OTBC entrepreneur support programs including entrepreneur mentoring, workshops, the Beaverton Startup Challenge, the Rural Oregon
• Startup Challenge which includes the Virtual Incubation Program, and future programs of the organization.
• Offer superior startup business coaching to participating entrepreneurs
• Create the OTBC annual operational plan and execute the plan after approval by the Board
• Oversee OTBC marketing and outreach programs, including social media marketing
• Raise funds for OTBC operations
• Represent OTBC and its client businesses to the community, to investors, and to partner agencies and funding organizations

Apply no later than August 1, 2021. More information here.

 

Other Great Community Events

 

TAO Leader Launchpad: Career Mapping
July 15, 2021
4:00-5:30 PM
More information

 

ULP: International Clinical Trial Negotiation and Management
July 28, 2021
9:00-10:00 AM
Register here

 

Zapproved Event: Talking to Kids About Racism
August 11, 2021
12:00-1:00 PM
Register here