WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center
Government fundKalamazoo · Seed–Series A · 12 people tracked
Investment thesis
The BRCC focuses on commercialization-phase funding for Michigan-based life sciences and medical device ventures. Its aim combines return on investment with economic development, supporting companies from early development through the commercialization phase. Established in 2003 by the Michigan Legislature and based on Western Michigan University's Parkview Campus in Kalamazoo, the fund leverages the region's deep pharmaceutical commercialization expertise and scientific talent, a legacy of companies such as Upjohn, Stryker, and Pfizer. Its customers include entrepreneurs, scientists, corporations, and University Technology Transfer offices seeking startup and gap funding.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 12 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 15 of 31 portfolio companiesHealthtech ×10Biotech ×9Medical Devices ×6Deep Tech ×4AgTech ×1AI & Machine Learning ×1Digital Health ×1Hardware ×1
HQs:United States×13
Investments · 31 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2023 · 12021 · 12020 · 12017 · 12016 · 15 dated
SeaStar Medical develops the Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD), a therapy that targets highly activated neutrophils and monocytes to neutralize the hyperinflammatory immune response in critically ill ICU patients facing conditions such as infection, trauma, or surgery.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesDenver, US
H David Humes(Director)Eric Schlorff(Executive Officer, Director)inPeter DeComo(Director)Mark Morsfield(Executive Officer)inR James Danehy(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardAlvin Vitangcol(Director)
Co-investorsAphelion CapitalCapital Midwest FundEarly Stage Partners, LP
Shoulder Innovations develops InSet® glenoid technology for shoulder joint implants that reduce the rocking horse effect and provide mechanical stability, serving patients with severe shoulder arthritis.
HardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesNorthern California, US
Robert Ball(CEO & Executive Chairman)Matthew Ahearn(Chief Operating Officer)inJeff Points(Executive Officer)inDavid Blue(Executive Officer)inDon Running(Manager and Chief Executive Officer)Jeff Ondrla(Chief Technology Officer)
Co-investorsAPERTURE Venture PartnersArboretum VenturesGenesis Innovation GroupGlobal BrainInvest MichiganLightstone Ventures+2 more
Medical device company developing a next-generation device for treating difficult-to-heal lower extremity wounds such as diabetic and venous ulcers.
Advertent Biotherapeutics is a biotechnology company developing first-in-class biologics that modulate TGF-β family growth factors to protect muscle quality and promote regeneration in neuromuscular disorders, with a particular focus on muscular dystrophies.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtech
Monique Floer(Co-Founder, President & CEO)Erik M. Martinez-Hackert(Co-Founder & CSO)
Co-investorsMichigan Rise
Developing an immune cell targeting platform to create first-in-class particle drug products for high unmet medical needs.
Co-investorsLoftyInc Capital
Building an AI-powered surgical practice observation system using camera systems and custom AI models to improve surgical efficiency and patient safety.
Coordinista provides technology solutions designed to improve engagement and care outcomes for high-acuity and hard-to-reach patient populations through clinician-friendly tools that support care teams in delivering meaningful care services.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaS
Co-investorsMichigan Rise
Biotech commercializing UPenn-derived assets for weight loss in obese patients without the severe side effects of GLP-1 drugs.
Epsilon Imaging develops EchoInsight, a software platform that uses speckle-tracking strain imaging and automated analysis to detect cardiovascular dysfunction from echocardiograms earlier than traditional methods.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesMichigan, US
Eric J. Sieczka(Chairman, President and CEO)
Co-investorsID Ventures
Espervita Therapeutics develops metabolic reprogramming therapies targeting liver and kidney disease, with a lead program in acetyl-CoA metabolic enzyme inhibitors.
BiotechDeep TechMedical Devices
Roger Newton(Founder / Board Advisor)James Lally(Founder / Board Advisor)
Co-investorsID VenturesMichigan Rise
Developing therapeutic HDL nanodiscs to induce immunological tolerization for autoimmune disorders and cancer.
Software that detects subtle vital-sign changes to warn medical professionals of post-operative patient deterioration risk.
Co-investorsInvest Michigan
Commercializing Hygromycin A and derivatives as selective antibiotics against Lyme and related spirochete bacteria.
Minimally invasive healthcare company developing biopolymer starch nanoparticles as carriers for dental and medical applications.
HealthtechGrand Rapids, US
Ryan Roeder(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardMatt Ahearn(Director)Brian McCollum(Director)Ben Olds(Director)Matt Milanowski(Director)Steven Foster(Director)
Co-investorsGenesis Innovation Group
BiotechEast Lansing, US
Robert Forgey(Executive Officer, Director)Xuefei Huang(Executive Officer, Director)Herbert Kavunja(Executive Officer)
BoardDonald Parfet(Director)Jeffrey Wesley(Director)inSteve Kuemmerie(Director)
Co-investorsMichigan Rise
Digital health company helping individuals identify and manage risks of hereditary conditions to personalize screening and therapy.
HealthtechWaltham, US
JANINE MORALES(Executive Officer)RUSSELL INGERSOLL(Executive Officer)EPHRAIM HOCHBERG(Executive Officer)CLYNT TAYLOR(Executive Officer, Director)MARK OLESNAVAGE(Director)MICHAEL GROSS(Director)
Co-investorsChrysalis Ventures
Offers devices and services leveraging 3D CZT for real-time radiation imaging in the medical market.
HealthtechAnn Arbor, US
Michael Hopkins(Executive Officer, Director)
BiotechHolland, US
Matthew Ahearn(Executive Officer)Jeff Ondrla(Executive Officer)Donald Running(Executive Officer, Director)Matt Milanowksi(Director)Robert Ball(Executive Officer, Director)Stephen LeBeau(Director)
Developing painless cool cardioversion to treat and terminate dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
Native Traits recovers naturally occurring genetic traits from heritage crop varieties and incorporates them into hybrid seeds to improve yield, drought tolerance, and heat resilience.
AgTechBiotechKalamazoo, US
James Friedrich(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardSteve Haakenson(Director)inLee Huey(Director)Brian Steensma(Director)Larry Mayberry(Director)
Co-investorsInvest Michigan
Biopharmaceuticals company developing small molecule drugs for ocular diseases, with lead candidate Nyxol eye drops.
ONL Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies to preserve sight by preventing Fas-mediated death of retinal cells, a cause of vision loss and blindness.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesAnn Arbor, US
David Zacks(Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer)inDavid Esposito(Executive Officer, Director)inConstance Chang(Executive Officer)John K Freshley(Executive Officer, Director)inJeffrey A Jamison(Executive Officer)in
BoardAaron Fletcher(Director)in
Co-investorsExSight VenturesInvest MichiganNovartis Venture FundVisionary VenturesBios PartnersInFocus Capital Partners, LLC+3 more
Developed the MediBot robotic system to make minimally invasive surgery accessible and scalable worldwide.
Developed a contactless imaging device for rapid vascular access monitoring of hemodialysis patients.
Peptinovo develops PALM™, a targeted drug-delivery platform that encapsulates chemotherapy drugs to deliver them directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, reducing side effects and enabling higher therapeutic doses.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesAnn Arbor, US
Ren Homan(Founder)REYNOLD HOMAN(Executive Officer, Director)BILL ELLIOTT(Executive Officer)STEVE TOKAZ(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardDAVID ROMENESCO(Director)FRED BROWN(Director)
Co-investorsID Ventures
Spin-off of Remedy Pharmaceuticals developing a combination drug therapy for multiple sclerosis.
Medical device company whose primary product is the Tibbe External Female Urine Collection Device to reduce CAUTIs.
Developed and commercialized peptide-based insecticides derived from spider peptides.
Producer of unique sugars for human consumption, with xylitol as its primary product.
BiotechChicago, US
Douglas Stewart(Director)David Demirjian(Executive Officer, Director)Grant Brewen(Director)Rajni Aneja(Executive Officer)Nelson Levy(Director)Thomas Churchwell(Director)
Exits · 2
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioSeaStar MedicalNASDAQ: ICUShoulder InnovationsNYSE: SI
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesSeaStar Medical · manilatimes.net · Aug 12, 2026
Shoulder Innovations · investing.com · Jun 29, 2026
HAPPE Spine · finance.yahoo.com · Nov 13, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center made?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center has 31 tracked investments.
- What stage does WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center invest at?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What is WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center's typical check size?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center typically writes checks of $100K – $250K.
- What sectors does WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center focus on?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center focuses on Biotech, Healthtech, Longevity, Medical Devices.
- Where is WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center located?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center is headquartered in Kalamazoo, US.
- Who does WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center co-invest with?
- WMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center most often shares deals with Invest Michigan, Michigan Rise, ID Ventures, among 19 tracked co-investors.
Similar investors
Future Positive Capital is a European deep-tech fund that ties its entire thesis to the Future Cones foresight framework, explicitly focusing on preferable futures and positioning itself as a futures-thinking, systems-change VC rather than a generic climate or impact fund. The firm hard-wires impact into its economics by contractually indexing more than 100% of partners' carried interest to portfolio companies achieving both financial and measurable impact outcomes, while specializing in capital-intensive, highly technical step-change solutions for planetary-scale problems like robotics for wind farm operations, large-scale carbon removal, and ecosystem restoration.
GV (Google Ventures) is a venture capital firm that has invested in artificial intelligence and machine learning since its early days, building a global portfolio of more than 100 AI companies across infrastructure, life sciences, and applications.
Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm founded by Vinod Khosla.
5AM Ventures is a life science venture capital firm founded in 2002 that invests primarily in private therapeutic companies, with a focus on biopharmaceuticals, drug delivery technologies, and life science instruments.
Averin Capital is an investment firm focused on the intersection of technology and health, backing teams building companies in areas such as early disease detection, treatment delivery, personalized care, and medical breakthroughs.