Venture Fund Member Profile
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Since 1984, VENTANA has led multiple syndicates comprised of both domestic and internationally recognized venture investors. VENTANA creates value for our investors using the know-how and know-who accumulated over more than two decades of doing business around the world.
VENTANA works very closely with portfolio companies using a disciplined, value-added approach to drive each investment toward the best possible liquidity event, in the shortest time possible.
VENTANA's experienced Team bring to the firm their in-depth domain knowledge and reputation as innovators. These individuals contribute proprietary advantages to VENTANA, resulting from active and successful investing in one of the largest and fastest growing technology centers of the world.
With its corporate office in Orange County, California, VENTANA is in an ideal location - entrepreneurially positioned within Southern California's burgeoning entrepreneurial "knowledge economy." In addition to the sheer number of technology businesses located in this region, it is one of the very few in the world with leadership positions across alternative energy/cleantech, information technology, and life sciences sectors. Given its nearly 30-year history in the region, VENTANA is in an ideal position to benefit from this rich local universe of outstanding opportunities
To complement its local efforts, VENTANA has cultivated academic and industrial relationships worldwide, and uses this global network to the benefit of its portfolio companies and investors. Our international connections enable access to technology/intellectual property, product development expertise, manufacturing know-how, and "global rollout" marketing/commercialization capabilities.
VENTANA will continue to leverage its domain knowledge and experience and to take advantage of the firm's geographic, human capital, and technology strengths to optimize the performance of its funds. To date, the unique abilities of the VENTANA team have enabled the firm to invest successfully through the full spectrum of economic conditions -- downturns as well as periods of prosperity.
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Thomas Gephart
Founder and Managing Director
Ventana Capital |
Mr. Gephart founded Ventana in 1974. In 1982, Ventana's Board decided upon a Global Charter for Ventana's first institutional venture fund, established in 1984. Since then, Mr. Gephart has led the successful global launch of 5 U.S. Technology venture capital and private equity funds. In the past, he has worked with his Latin American Partners to form funds in both Chile and Mexico, but now focuses entirely on U.S. technology companies.
As Ventana's driving force, Tom has implemented the firm's proactive investment style, by assisting companies in the necessary business strategies and relationships for introduction to the public capital markets. He pioneered Ventana's focus in both the high tech and life sciences sectors. He has led the active investment by Ventana's affiliated funds in 76 portfolio companies in these two sectors, with roles ranging from CEO to Chairman to Director. His long history of actively working shoulder-to-shoulder with the senior management and boards of directors of these companies makes him an ideal person to lead Ventana's activities in these areas.
Prior to the formation of Ventana, Mr. Gephart held executive positions with AMP, Inc., Bunker-Ramo Corporation, Hughes Aircraft and Interlink, Co. He has served as Chairman and a director of numerous public and private companies, including: Fidelica Microsystems; HemaCare Corporation; Infrasonics, Inc.; Maxim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Medical Imaging Centers of America, Inc.; R2 Medical Systems, Inc.; SenDx Medical, Inc.; and Tickets.com.
Mr. Gephart remains actively involved with several civic and business organizations including the UC San Diego CONNECT program, World Affairs Council, Association for Corporate Growth, the International Protocol Foundation, the USC School of Engineering Dean's Board of Councilors, and the Leadership Forum for the Technology Coast. He is also on the Board of Concordia University. Mr. Gephart earned a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Representative Investments
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BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. designs drug candidates using detailed knowledge of the structures of active sites of targeted enzymes. BioCryst focuses its product development efforts on cancer, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases and viral infections; therapeutic areas that are all large and growing. |
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NeoPhotonics, Inc. develops optical components products fulfill the needs of long-haul, metro and access system customers deploying passive optical, coarse and dense wavelength division multiplexing - PON, CWDM and DWDM - networks. Neo produces optical waveguide components that integrate multiple functions at the substrate level, and manufacture them at high-yield volumes on 6 inch silica and silicon wafers, and uniquely enable integration of rare-earth doping in silica for amplification and loss compensation. The results: Greater efficiency in less space, with less loss, less power and less worry. The company has recently acquired one of Asia's largest private active components businesses, giving NeoPhotonics a complete FTTx solution to offer its customers. |
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Sequoia Communications, Inc. enables wireless handset manufacturers to accelerate their time to market by shortening the RF design cycle of integrated multi-mode solutions. Single-chip RF transceivers developed using Sequoia Communications' innovative approach and common architecture, and manufactured by IBM, will set new industry benchmarks in chip cost, component count, size and power consumption.
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Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. is developing both an injectable ultrasound contrast agent, ImagentTM, and a perflurochemical blood substitute for acute surgery, OxygentTM. ImagentTM was licensed for sale in the US during Q3 of 2002. OxygentTM is being developed through a joint venture, PFC Inc. with Baxter Healthcare. Alliance has also developed a third technology for Immunotherapy. |
Thomas participated in the FundingPost event: Las Vegas Angel And Early-Stage Venture Event
on Thursday, April 28, 2011 in NV, Sponsored by Technology Business Alliance of Nevada, Vegas Valley Angels, Nevadas Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, RMSC Law
To list your Company on our website and make your profile available to Thomas and 7,500+ other VCs and Angel Investors, Click Here.
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