The OBI Welcomes Thaena, Inc.
In April, Thaena, Inc. joined the OBI as its newest client company. Thaena’s four-person team describes their company’s mission and vision:
“Thaena Inc. is a women-led early stage biotech company. Our mission is to reduce suffering by restoring balance to the microbial ecosystems.
“At Thaena we achieve our mission through research and development of all natural pre and postbiotic products derived containing hundreds of compounds and metabolites that work together to balance and restore native microbial ecosystems. Our main focus is to produce and manufacture effective, safe, and reproducible (cGMP) products that are scientifically proven to support health via the microbial ecosystems of the gut and/or skin.
“Thaena’s vision is to be the leading and trusted manufacturer and supplier of naturally derived pre and postbiotic active ingredient products. We are working towards this goal with a data-driven approach researching the molecules (postbiotics) that are found in healthy human stool. This work is based on the pioneering work of our founders in Fecal Microbiota Transplant as well as an experienced research team. We are pioneers in advancing our understanding of microbiome science by providing a research and development platform that will allow for exploration and discovery of what it means to be ‘healthy’ from the lens of the microbes.”
We are thrilled to have Thaena onboard!
Thank you, Autodesk!
Thank you, Autodesk and Greg Fallon, VP of Platforms and Technology at Autodesk’s Portland site, for becoming an OBI corporate partner and for your support of OBI’s mission to provide resources for health innovation companies that impact human well-being and create jobs for Oregon!
Upward Growth
Two of OBI’s client companies are moving on up! Inherent Targeting is moving from an OBI membership to a spot in our co-working space in Suite 200, and Izon is moving from the co-working space to private office suite and lab space, also in Suite 200. We wish them much success on their continued growth and expansion within the OBI.
OBI Client Company Wins
- Rewire Neuro‘s Pipsqueak AI version 5.5.0 has been released. It features new detection models, smoother model customization, and better co-localization analysis.
- Health Technology Innovations, Inc. (HTI)‘s CryoDiscovery™: A Machine Learning Platform for Automated Cryo-EM Class Selection for Single Particle Analysis in Structural Biology paper has been accepted by the Microscopy and Microanalysis 2021 conference (M&M), to be presented in August 2021. HTI has also been accepted as a Premier Member into the NVIDIA Inception Program for AI and data science start up.
- Caregiven crossed another threshold earlier this month when Rogue Venture Partners finalized their pre-seed investment becoming a true partner to our vision and catalyst for the next stage of our company’s growth. Our app is set to launch on April 15.
- Hemex has two great wins to report:
- In a recent clinical study conducted in Brazil and published in the Malaria Journal, Gazelle was shown to outperform current RDTs (Rapid Diagnostic Tests) in detection of P. vivax malaria. P. vivax, the most widely dispersed species of malaria, tends to be more difficult to detect with RDTs due to typically low levels of parasitemia. We are excited to share the results of the study with you in our press release.
- We also won a Phase I grant to add multispectral imaging to our Hb Variant test to lower the limit of detection and allow the test to screen newborns for sickle cell and other hemoglobin variants.
Join the OBI Mentoring Program:
Applications Open Through April 30
Mentor and mentee applications are open until April 30 for this structured, 6-month mentoring program, so now is your opportunity to get involved!
Would You Like to be a Mentor?
If you have experience working with startups in the bioscience or digital health industry, consider applying to become a mentor. Benefits of mentoring include:
- Free mentor training
- Exclusive access to handpicked startups
- Exclusive network of mentors
- Ability to earn mentor certification
- Give back to your community
- OBI highlights its mentors in the monthly newsletter
Growing Your Business? Become a Mentee!
We are looking for entrepreneurs who are already in business but would like guidance, accountability, and support from a mentor to help set and reach business goals. Benefits and time commitments for mentees include:
- Mentoring helps you grow your business! A recent survey from Kabbage found that 92% of businesses who have a mentor say mentoring has directly impacted their business growth and survival
- Mentee meets with mentor 2 hours a month for 6 months
- Mentee checks in with OBI once per month and completes a survey at the end of the program
Apply by April 30
For more important dates, details, and link to the applications: www.otradi.org/mentoring
Mentor of the Month
Douglas Kawahara
Douglas Kawahara is the President & CEO of Elex Biotech and has over 25 years of biotechnology industry experience in business development, M&A, in-/out-licensing, technology assessment, strategic marketing/market analysis, patent portfolio management, and R&D management. His work has spanned the spectrum of the life sciences industry: multiple therapeutic areas, discovery to late-stage development, a range of therapeutic classes, therapeutic and preventive vaccines, platform technologies, diagnostics, and research products. In addition, he has an extensive international network in pharma, biotech, and venture capital communities.
Dr. Kawahara holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego, an MBA in finance from California State University, Long Beach, and a Ph.D. in microbiology (immunology) from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
His mentee is very pleased with the mentoring and notes that Dr. Kawahara’s experience in negotiating licensing agreements has been extremely helpful.
OHSU Invent-a-thon Post-Hack
Wednesday, April 21 from 3:00-6:00 PM Pacific
Come cheer on the most promising teams from October’s Invent-a-thon, addressing topics ranging from Alzheimer’s to asthma, aging-in-place to efficient trial recruiting. They’ll pitch live to compete for a share of $40k in prizes plus in-kind investor support. Get inspired by brief keynotes from OBI client company Hemex Health, as well as Kiddo and Xploro. Then enjoy some genuinely fun virtual networking and poster session with healthcare entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers while the judges deliberate.
This is an exciting opportunity to connect and catch a glimpse of the future of digital health and med-tech first-hand. Free, learn more and register at inventathon.org
SBIR/STTR Workshop May 25
The Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are a critical source of non-dilutive financing for early-stage companies. On May 25, NIH National Cancer Institute SBIR program directors Monique Pond and Jonathan Franca-Koh will cover eligibility, resources, investor initiatives and meet 1:1 with pre-selected companies.
- 10-11:30 a.m. virtual seminar
- 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 1:1 meetings
- Register by May 7 to be considered for a 1:1 meeting
This event is a collaboration between the National Cancer Institute, Oregon Bioscience Incubator, OHSU’s Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, and Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute.
Biopharma Collaboration is Crucial
As we mark a full year since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, it’s impossible to overstate the significance of collaborations. The coronavirus outbreak has brought new attention to the importance of these innovative cross-stakeholder partnerships. A new report from PhRMA looks broadly at the collaborative ecosystem and illustrates biopharmaceutical industry’s long history and vast experience with a diverse breadth of collaborative efforts.
OHSU Research Week 2021
On May 6, learn more about research and innovation at OHSU, hosted by Technology Transfer and Collaborations & Entrepreneurship.
Agenda:
10-11am: Innovation and Commercialization Keynote
11:30am-12:30pm: A Researcher’s Guide to Partnering with Industry
1:00-2:00pm: OHSU Innovation Showcase
2:30-3:30pm: OHSU Startup Company Showcase
More details and registration here!
Events
OBI EVENTS
Virtual Lunch & Learn:
Funding Your Early Stage Bioscience Business
April 22, 2021
12:00-1:00 PM
Register here
Accelerate Biotech + Digital Health
Virtual Happy Hour
May 6, 2021
5:00-6:30 PM
Register in advance
Virtual Lunch & Learn:
Counterfeit Medicines & Drug Importation’s
Impact on Bioscience Innovation
May 11, 2021
12:00-1:00 PM
More information
MORE COMMUNITY & PARTNER EVENTS
TAO Event: Founders Talk Fundraising
April 15, 2021
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Registration link
Zapproved Event: Colonialism in the Workplace
April 15, 2021
12:00-1:00 PM
Register here
PSBA Lunch & Learn:
Difficult Conversations and Working Through Tensions
April 27, 2021
12:00-1:00 PM
Register now
TAO Event: Resilience Shapes Reputation
April 28, 2021
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Registration link
VertueLab and Women in Science PDX Event:
Badass Women Entrepreneurs
April 29, 2021
12:00-1:30 PM
Register now