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The Venture Codex

Verge Fund

317 Commercial St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, United States

Overview

Verge is a highly motivated venture capital fund that invests in seed-stage, high-growth ventures right here in New Mexico. This partnership focuses on opportunities at the earliest stages of their development, even if the business plan hasn’t been fully built out. Sure, there’s a certain amount of ambiguity at this stage, but it also the point at which the right experience generates the highest return. And the Principals at Verge know a little something about that. The opportunities in New Mexico are just below the surface and Verge knows exactly where to find them. The Principals of this partnership have a combined 43 years of experience investing in and working with entrepreneurial companies in New Mexico. Their history is working in the labs, the universities and successful venture capital firms. They live here, they work here and they know how to get things done here.

Total investments
5
Lead investments
2
Investments · 12mo
0
Active investors
7
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Investment portfolio

  • Intellicyt

    Participated · Equity · Oct 2015

    IntelliCyt is an Albuquerque, NM-based provider of integrated platforms to accelerate drug discovery, antibody discovery and immunology. It develops a platform featuring software-assisted automation, analysis, and experiment-level visualization tools for the study of cells, enhancing suspension-cell screening workflows from sample preparation through results. The system enables rapid, multiplexed analysis of cells and beads in suspension in 96, 384, and 1536 well plates. Its proprietary sample delivery system allows miniaturization of assays to conserve precious sample and reduce reagent use per well. Led by R. Terry Dunlay, President and CEO, the company recently closed a $7.4M financing comprised of $5.4M in venture capital and a $2M debt facility. The VC round included participation from current investors and the debt facility expands its capital resources. IntelliCyt develops high-throughput, high-content cell- and bead-based screening solutions used in phenotypic drug discovery, antibody discovery and in vitro toxicity testing. Its flagship product, the iQue® Screener, combines flow cytometry detection with sample processing to run a 96‑well microplate in about three minutes. The iQue Screener is offered as part of a complete solution of application-specific reagent kits and software products with applications in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and life science research. The company is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM and was founded in 2006; it is led by Founder, President and CEO R. Terry Dunlay. IntelliCyt recently secured debt financing to support ongoing operations. The company intends to use the funds for working capital and to support product development and marketing initiatives. IntelliCyt develops high-throughput, high-content cell- and bead-based assay screening solutions used in phenotypic drug discovery, antibody discovery and in vitro toxicity testing. Its product lineup includes reagent kits for these applications. The company completed an $8M financing round led by Arboretum Ventures with participation from Prolog Ventures, Verge Fund and New Mexico Community Capital. IntelliCyt intends to use the proceeds to expand commercial efforts globally, grow manufacturing capacity and expand its suite of reagent kits. Arboretum partners Tim Petersen and George Dunbar will join the board following the financing. Founded in 2006 and based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the company is led by President and CEO R. Terry Dunlay.

  • TruTouch Technologies

    Participated · Series B · Feb 2012

    TruTouch Technologies develops, manufactures and sells a patented, noninvasive alcohol detection and biometric testing system that measures alcohol concentration through the skin using a safe infrared light and an optical touch pad. The device is networked and includes biometric capability to verify user identity and ensure test integrity. The company intends to use recent funding to expand sales of its products into the global energy, mining and transportation industries. TruTouch is led by President and CEO Dr. Richard D. Gill, with co-founders Trent Ridder Ph.D. (CTO) and Ben Ver Steeg (VP Engineering), CFO David Desrochers CPA, and SVP Sales and Strategic Partnerships Oscar Lazaro. The article reports a $2.2M funding infusion to support the company’s commercial expansion. TruTouch Technologies develops, manufactures, and sells patented noninvasive biometric alcohol testing systems that use light and a fiber-optic touchpad to measure alcohol levels and verify user identity without collecting bodily fluids. The company’s self-administered TruTouch 2500 requires no disposables, no user training, and no operator assistance. TruTouch says its devices are aimed first at workplace safety and fitness-for-duty monitoring to prevent impaired employees from starting shifts. Future applications listed by the company include medical diagnostics, alcohol point-of-sale liability reduction, law enforcement, and industrial safety systems. TruTouch topped up its B-1 financing to $4.3M, funds the company says will enable it to build sales revenues toward profitability. The company is based in Framingham, Massachusetts and Riverside, California. TruTouch Technologies develops and commercializes patented noninvasive biometric alcohol-testing systems that use an optical sensor and a fiber-optic touchpad to measure alcohol concentration while simultaneously verifying user identity. The self-administered test produces accurate results in seconds without collecting bodily fluids, disposables, operator assistance, or user training. TruTouch’s products perform built-in biometric identification to ensure test-result integrity and are positioned for workplace, medical, point-of-sale, law enforcement, and industrial safety use cases. The company said the financing will enable it to build sales revenues through direct sales and to secure additional licensing partners as it advances commercialization. Management described the financing as a significant milestone in commercializing the TruTouch alcohol measurement technology. TruTouch is based in Albuquerque, N.M., and Framingham, Mass. TruTouch Technologies develops, manufactures and sells patented noninvasive biometric alcohol testing systems, including the TruTouch Guardian and finger-touch devices. The TruTouch Guardian uses infrared scanning to measure alcohol levels and includes biometric identification, producing accurate results in less than a minute without samples or disposables. The TruTouch 2000 finger-touch system currently provides analysis in 15 seconds and is being developed toward a portable TruTouch 3000. The company says its devices require no user training, no disposables, no samples, and no operator assistance. TruTouch is commercializing systems in law enforcement support, oil drilling, military and transportation workplace markets and plans to pursue medical, point-of-sale and automotive OEM partners. The company closed an expanded A-1 $2.1 million interim venture and angel funding round to support continued product commercialization and new technology development. TruTouch Technologies develops non-invasive biometric intoxication detection systems. Its flagship product, the TruTouch Guardian, is an advanced intoxication detection device that uses light to measure a subject's alcohol level rather than bodily fluids. The company is based in Albuquerque, NM. TruTouch recently closed a $1.3M venture and angel interim funding round. The round was led by the Verge Fund with participation from Launchpad Venture Group, Synergy Ventures, Fort Washington Investment Advisors and individual private investors. Proceeds will be used to support product commercialization and new technology development.

Team

  • Bill Bice

    Founding Partner

    LinkedIn
  • James R. Higdon

    Partners

  • H. Raymond Radosevich

    Partners

  • Thomas J. Stephenson

    Managing General Partner

    LinkedIn