Forty early stage companies will present to potential investors at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, to be held Nov. 10-11 at Madison’s Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center.

The annual conference, which has existed under different names for more than 20 years, will feature the fifth annual “Elevator Pitch Olympics” for companies in a seed financing stage and the third annual Wisconsin Angel Network Early Stage presentation track for companies seeking angel investments beginning in the $500,000 range.

Twenty-two companies were selected for the WAN track (Tuesday, Nov. 10) and 18 for the Elevator Pitch Olympics (Wednesday, Nov. 11).  Companies in the WAN track feature technologies in major sectors: information technology and Internet services, biotechnology, medical devices, advanced manufacturing and “cleantech.” These companies are located in communities across Wisconsin as well as other Midwestern states.

“The presenting companies at the Early Stage Symposium include seven from southeast Wisconsin, reflecting growth in the Milwaukee-area tech economy,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “Five presenting companies from outside Wisconsin demonstrate continued interest in Wisconsin’s start-up climate.”

Here are the 22 companies selected from more than 50 applicants to make seven-minute investor pitches in the Wisconsin Angel Network tracks:

Addiction Therapeutix Inc. – This Wauwatosa company is developing proprietary in-licensed compounds for the treatment of various addictions and related illnesses.

Aero-Stream LLC – This Hartland company has developed patented water cleaning products in a $45 billion industry, with a 95 percent success rate over six years.

AquaMost – This Fitchburg company has developeda unique and scalable treatment device that will allow it to quickly penetrate the emerging market for clean water technologies.

AviMed Pharmaceuticals LLC – This Milwaukee company has developed technology to repurpose central nervous system drugs (four issued and three pending patents) and a license-ready schizophrenia drug lead.

CDI Bioscience Inc. – This Madison company has developed innovativetechnology for increasing protein therapeutic yields, which enables companies to double their manufacturing output without additional hardware. 

Echometrix LLC – This Madison firm is commercializinga breakthrough, proprietary technology to drive the market for musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Eso-Technologies Inc. – This Middleton firm has patented a replacement cardiac monitoring probe to be inserted in the esophagus during surgery. About 45,000 patients die each year from complications related to existing pulmonary artery catheter technologies. 

Flex Biomedical Inc – This Madison company has developed novel products to treat and diagnose orthopedic conditions. Flex PolymerTM is a synthetic polymer injectable to treat osteoarthritis.

HarQen – This Milwaukee company develops smart, easy-to-use voice applications on its web-telephony platform to optimize inefficient business processes and social interactions.

Neuro Amp – This Milwaukee spin-off is engaged in the development of proprietary in-licensed drugs for the treatment of memory and cognition disorders.

NxtMile LLC – This Waunakee company is developinga line of running shoes engineered to meet the specific biomechanical needs of over-40 and experienced runners.

OrthoCor Medical – This Minnesota firm is an innovator of clinically proven, mobile, noninvasive therapeutic devices that help patients by alleviating pain and arthritis.

PosiPair – This Madison start-up is an onlinemarketplace that connects green businesses with green consumers using social networking tools to drive marketing and sales.

Scopia LLC – This Bayside software company integrates all transportation modes seamlessly into one, door-to-door itinerary on a single ticket.

Sologear LLC – This Middleton company has proprietary technology to manufacture solidified ethanol. Its first product in national distribution is FlameDisk, a replacement for charcoal in grills.

Spira Footwear – Currently located in El Paso, Texas, this company produces and sellsrunning, outdoor, hiking, walking and casual shoe lines using patented “WaveSpring” technology that helps people of all ages.

Stemina Biomarker Discovery – This Madison company is focused on discovery, development and commercialization of molecular biomarkers to improve drug safety and human health.

Vatrix Medical Inc – This Minnesota-based company is a medical technology company focused on developing revolutionary methods of diagnosis and treatment for aneurysmal disease.

Vital Medix Inc – This Minnesota-based company is developinga drug called Tamiasyn, which is a low-volume treatment used to treat hemorrhagic shock in trauma patients.

White Bear Technologies – This Minnesota-based company has developed GPS technology for pet location and containment, via the web or a proprietary receiver developed by White Bear Technologies.

World Sports Technology Inc. (World Fantasy Games) – This Kenosha company is leveraging patent-pending technology to market interactive games targeting the $800 million fantasy sports market.

Xela Innovations LLC – With 25 years ofinnovating for others and with more than 50 patents, this Milwaukee company is marketing its own line of “next-generation” washroom hygiene products.

News media representatives may contact the companies through Liz Schrum at 608-442-7557 or lschrum@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com

In addition, 19 Wisconsin companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and industrial biotech industries will be among 49 companies presenting at the MidAmerica Healthcare Venture Forum, which will be held back-to-back with the Early Stage Symposium at the Monona Terrace.  The MHVF is an annual event led by the MidAmerica Health Investors Network, which includes 45 venture capital firms from 14 states as members. MHVF sought presenters in a 14-state region.  Click here to read more.

“In all, nearly 90 companies will have a chance to present to investors attending one or both conferences,” Still said.

The Early Stage Symposium will also feature nationally known speakers and panelists, the “First Look Forum” for pre-commercial, campus-based discoveries and a dinner honoring Wisconsin’s winners of SBIR and STTR grants.  Participants in the angel and “Elevator Pitch” tracks will also be eligible to take part in presentation training seminars.

The conference is produced by the Wisconsin Technology Council and its partners and sponsors. Visit www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/events/earlystage to register, review sponsorship opportunities or to learn more.

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