• Sonoma Orthopedics

  Participated · Equity · Sep 2025

  Sonoma Orthopedic Products, founded in 2005 in Santa Rosa, has developed two implant devices for repairing fractures of the wrist and collarbone. The devices are implanted inside the bone by an orthopedic surgeon using minimally-invasive techniques. The company says the approach results in less pain and better healing. Sonoma disclosed a new $1.5 million venture funding round in a filing with federal securities regulators. To date the startup has raised more than $25 million, including a $12 million funding round in 2009. Named investors include EDF Ventures, Asset Management Co., Split Rock Partners and MedVenture Associates. Sonoma develops and manufactures orthopedic implants for wrist, ankle, and collarbone fractures. Its patented WaviBody® and ActivLoc® technologies are used in least-invasive surgical procedures to provide fixation for fractures at the core of the bone. The implants are inserted in a canal in the center of the bone, require much smaller incisions with minimal tissue damage, and have no prominence outside the bone. The company intends to use the funds to receive FDA clearance on its new ankle implant, launch it, and scale commercially. Sonoma received $12M in funding from First Analysis, which also placed Tracy Marshbanks on the company’s board. Founded in 2005 and based in Santa Rosa, California, and outside Chicago, the company focuses on minimally invasive fracture fixation solutions. Sonoma Orthopedic Products develops and commercializes least invasive, fracture‑specific implant systems using proprietary technology for orthopedic trauma. The company is led by President and CEO Glen Coleman and was founded by COO Charles Nelson. It intends to use recent funding to launch new products, expand its U.S. sales network, and support key clinical trials. Sonoma also plans to use proceeds to acquire certain key assets of NovaLign Orthopaedics, Inc. In conjunction with the financing, Dr. Walter Lin of Ascension Health Ventures joined Sonoma’s board of directors. The company is based in Santa Rosa, California. Sonoma Orthopedic, based in Santa Rosa, Calif., develops the WaviBody, a flexible device inserted into a fractured bone that then becomes rigid to set breaks anatomically. The company aims to commercialize its first two products, positioning the WaviBody as an alternative to casts, braces and bone plates. Sonoma is currently testing the WaviBody on 50 patients with wrist fractures to evaluate whether they heal faster using the device. Wrist and clavicle fractures have proved problematic because existing treatments can be unwieldy or fail to heal injuries quickly or correctly; Sonoma targets those shortcomings. Financially, the company has raised $25 million to date, including the most recent $12 million round. Sonoma says it has enough runway to last through 2011. Sonoma Orthopedics is a stealthy spinal-device maker based in Santa Rosa, Calif. The company is developing devices that repair or reinforce bones from the inside. It is operating under a stealth profile while advancing those spinal repair technologies. Financially, Sonoma raised at least $10 million in a second funding round. MedVenture Associates led that round, joined by existing investors EDF Ventures, Asset Management, Halo Fund and Angel's Forum. The company previously raised $3 million in a first round last April.

• Abionyx Pharma

  Participated · Series C · Oct 2010

  Abionyx Pharma is a biotech company based in Balma developing therapies to combat sepsis, with its lead investigational candidate CER-001 aimed at treating septic shock. The company has launched an €18.7M capital increase with preferential subscription rights and secured a subscription agreement with Fenja Capital for up to €14M in two tranches. Those financings provide immediate funding of €28.7M and could total €32.7M if the second tranche is exercised. Abionyx says the proceeds will be used to accelerate development of CER-001. No prior funding rounds or operating metrics were disclosed in the article.

• Lycera

  Participated · Equity · Apr 2009

  Lycera focuses on the discovery and development of selective, small-molecule immunomodulators targeting autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. The company plans to use new capital to continue advancing its discovery and development programs and to support corporate growth. In this financing Lycera raised an $11m second tranche of its Series A. The financing coincided with senior hires: Jeffrey Leiden of Clarus Venture Partners joined as chairman of the board and Dr. Goldstein joined as vice president, preclinical development and program management, reflecting progress toward the clinic. Lycera was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a research center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Lycera develops oral small-molecule drugs to treat autoimmune diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The company is pre-revenue and plans to use new funding to advance two programs: one into Phase II proof-of-concept studies and another into Phase I clinical trials. Lycera added a program focused on Th17 cells, a pathway implicated in multiple autoimmune conditions, and named NYU professor Dr. Dan Littman to lead its scientific advisory board. To secure the financing the company created three new seats on its now six-member board of directors. Lycera has raised up to $3.6 million over the past three years, according to SEC filings. The new funding will support clinical development and the expanded research focus on the Th17 pathway.

• Direct Flow Medical

  Participated · Equity · Oct 2007

  Direct Flow Medical is an emerging medical device company focused on the Direct Flow Medical Transcatheter Aortic Valve System, a metal-free valve that uses a polymer frame. The system is expanded with saline/contrast for assessment and repositioning, then locked in place with a quick-curing polymer; its double-ring design creates a tight seal and the valve is fully repositionable and retrievable up until polymer exchange. The low-profile, fully sheathed delivery system avoids rapid pacing and minimizes vascular complications and is commercially available in Europe for extreme-risk surgical patients. The company is progressing toward U.S. regulatory approval and is currently enrolling patients in the SALUS pivotal trial while pursuing expansion outside the U.S. Financially, Direct Flow Medical closed a $32 million financing to support the SALUS trial and international growth. The company has strengthened its commercial leadership with the appointment of Chris Richardson as Chief Commercial Officer and named Dan Rose Vice President and General Manager of EMEA to support global commercialization. Direct Flow Medical develops a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) system designed with a metal-free frame and a low-profile, flexible delivery system intended to reduce aortic regurgitation. The company won CE Mark approval in the European Union for its flagship TAVI device and has closed a U.S. feasibility study. It has begun initial enrollment in its SALUS U.S. feasibility trial and hopes to proceed to a pivotal trial later this year. Direct Flow is positioning its relative newness as an advantage by addressing surgeon complaints about rival devices. The company faces competition from large medtech firms but is using recent regulatory and clinical milestones to support commercialization efforts. The new financing is intended to support those commercialization activities. Direct Flow Medical develops a catheter-based, percutaneous-delivered prosthetic aortic valve for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The company is pursuing a Series C financing to fund business build-out in a large, fast-growing market sector. It has raised $40.0M to date toward a projected $42.5M Series C round. Wolverine Venture Fund announced its participation in the Series C; this marks WVF's second investment in the company, the first having occurred in 2005. Past and participating investors named in the articles include Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., Foundation Medical Partners, VantagePoint Venture Partners, ePlanet Ventures, EDF Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners and Spray Venture Partners. The financing is intended to provide the critical funds the company needs to advance its business, according to WVF commentary. Direct Flow Medical is a Santa Rosa, Calif.-based startup developing heart implants. The company makes minimally invasive aortic-valve replacements for the heart. It raised $27 million in a second funding round. Investors in the round included Johnson & Johnson Development, Foundation Medical Partners, VantagePoint Venture Partners, ePlanet, EDF Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners and Spray Venture Partners. The article notes the aortic-valve replacement field is booming. Competitors mentioned include JenaValve, AorTx and Sadra.

No current team members are available.