Southwest Michigan First Features Cleveland Clinic Foundation Technology Innovations at Kalamazoo Venture Tuesday Forum.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Entrepreneurs from Cleveland Clinic Foundation, CCF Innovations, will be featured at the Southwest Michigan First Kalamazoo Venture Tuesday monthly investment meeting on Tuesday, April 5. The half-day program also includes a panel discussion entitled, The Entrepreneur's Board: Friend, Foe or Both?

Two Cleveland Clinic spin-off companies will present business plans to the KVT audience. CleveX, dedicated to advanced skin biopsy and wound healing solutions. CleveX' first product, NaeveX, is a one-step device that delivers safe and consistent results through a disruptive technology. It has the potential to enhance current practice patterns for physicians and patients. The second company is PeriTec Biosciences, Ltd. whose mission is to create and develop innovative peripheral vascular and cardiovascular surgical products that improve surgical outcomes through product longevity and cost effectiveness. The company's technology involves the incorporation of a superior biological tissue, peritoneum, into several implantable product applications - peripheral vascular stents, dialysis and leg bypass grafts, percutaneous aortic heart valves, and vascular patches.

"The quality of the Kalamazoo Venture Tuesday meetings is significantly enhanced by the participation of the Cleveland Clinic companies," said Gail Lindsey, equity investment director for SMF. "The unprecedented pace at which biotechnology is advancing demonstrates the value of events with this format. The challenge for us will be to continue to attract bold and innovative technologies for a first look by investors and industry collaborators."

The panel participants are: David Parsigian of Miller Canfield who will moderate the discussion, Phil Torrence, also of Miller Canfield, Mina Sooch of Apjohn Ventures, Tom Dickerson of Tullis Dickerson and David Demirjian zuChem. The presentation will provide entrepreneurs with insight into selecting and working effectively with a board of directors.

The event, which is free and open to individuals interested in venture capital development, will be held at the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center located at 4717 Campus Dr. in Western Michigan University's Business Technology and Research Park and begins at 9:00 a.m. For more information, contact Gail Lindsey, Southwest Michigan First's director of equity investments, at [e-mail].

At each Kalamazoo Venture Tuesday, an audience of experts in the fields of business development and venture fund investments, local business leaders, and fellow entrepreneurs provides the presenting companies with the feedback to improve their business model and presentation approach.