GRA Venture Fund

The GRA Venture Fund, LLC is a private investment fund helping to finance promising companies emerging from Georgia's universities. The Fund makes seed, early-stage, and mid-stage investments in companies originating from GRA Ventures, the commercialization arm of the Georgia Research Alliance. Fund investors are the State of Georgia, private individuals, corporations and foundations.

J. Connor Seabrook

Director, Investments and Venture Acceleration

Past deals in FSU

Lucid Scientific

Series A in 2023
Lucid Scientific, Inc. is a biotechnology tools company based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in real-time cellular activity monitoring for drug discovery and biological research. The company serves academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies by offering innovative systems designed for continuous and non-invasive measurement of cellular activities. Its flagship technology, RESIPHER, utilizes high-resolution optical oxygen sensors to monitor oxygen consumption within standard multi-well plates. This system provides researchers with valuable insights into cell culture experiments, streaming data directly to a user-friendly web application. By enhancing the understanding of cellular environments, Lucid Scientific aims to accelerate drug discovery and advance basic biological research.

Micron Biomedical

Series A in 2022
Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company established in 2014 and located in Atlanta, Georgia. The company focuses on developing microneedle patches specifically for vaccines, including those for influenza and polio. Its innovative microneedle technology aims to improve protective and therapeutic effects while enhancing patient compliance and simplifying the administration process. By leveraging this technology, Micron Biomedical seeks to facilitate the development of effective vaccines, addressing important public health needs.

Apptega

Seed Round in 2020
Apptega Inc. specializes in developing cybersecurity management software solutions, offering a platform that allows users to efficiently build, manage, and report on various cybersecurity functions. This platform integrates with established frameworks and facilitates data sharing with other applications, streamlining the cybersecurity process. It is designed to assist organizations of all sizes, including chief information officers and Fortune 1000 companies, in organizing their cybersecurity programs and enhancing their defenses against modern threats. Apptega's tools enable managed service providers to effectively manage their clients' cybersecurity initiatives. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Apptega aims to simplify the complexities of cybersecurity and compliance, providing clients with greater visibility and control over their cybersecurity strategies.

Acivilate

Seed Round in 2017
Acivilate, Inc. is a technology social enterprise based in Atlanta, Georgia, that specializes in developing software as a service (SaaS) solutions aimed at reducing recidivism among returning citizens. The company's primary product, known as Pokket, serves as a cloud-based compliance platform that connects justice agencies and human service providers. It facilitates the synchronization of public and private social services case management, enabling effective communication and data exchange between drug, problem-solving, and juvenile courts. By addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals re-entering society, Acivilate aims to enhance rehabilitation efforts and support successful reintegration into the community. Founded in 2014, Acivilate is a majority woman-owned business that emphasizes measurable outcomes to ensure the effectiveness of its interventions.

Carbice

Seed Round in 2017
Carbice Corporation, founded in 2012 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializes in thermal interface technology components. The company produces Carbice Carbon, an advanced thermal interface material designed to lower device temperatures and effectively dissipate heat from product packaging. By utilizing a composite of recycled aluminum and aligned carbon nanotubes, Carbice Carbon sets a standard for performance, reliability, and cost-effective assembly across various sectors, including electronics, energy, and industrial applications. The technology addresses critical heat dissipation challenges faced by electronic devices, enabling clients to enhance thermo-connectivity management. Founded by Georgia Tech Professor Baratunde Cola and a team of researchers, Carbice also maintains an office in London and is expanding with a new location in Toulouse, France.

Axion BioSystems

Venture Round in 2016
Axion BioSystems, Inc. is a life science instrumentation company based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in multi-electrode array technology. This technology enables detailed cellular information analysis, catering to research, clinical, and drug discovery markets. The company provides a range of products, including single-well systems, stimulating and recording channels, multi-well systems, and integrated circuits designed to eliminate stimulation artifacts. Key offerings include microelectrode array plates, the Axion BioSystems Integrated Studio (AxIS), and Lumos. Founded in 2007, Axion BioSystems aims to enhance access to cellular data for various scientific applications.

Lumense

Series C in 2015
Lumense, Inc. is a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in the development of optical interferometric sensor technology for chemical and biological applications. Founded in 2011, Lumense has made significant advancements by exclusively licensing technology from Georgia Tech, where it originated from $20 million in research funding. The company offers real-time, in situ sensors that detect a range of substances, including chemicals, cellular organisms, viruses, and toxins. Lumense aims to enhance quality control by providing scalable sensors that enable clients to proactively manage contaminants in gases and liquids. In addition to launching standard products, Lumense is also engaged in the development of custom sensors in collaboration with various industry leaders.

Celtaxsys

Series D in 2015
Celtaxsys, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for inflammatory diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. Established in 2007 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company is engaged in developing drug compounds that manipulate immune cell migration and activation. One of its key products, CTX-4430, is a small-molecule drug designed to inhibit the enzyme Leukotriene A4 hydrolase in immune cells, targeting conditions such as cystic fibrosis and moderately severe acne. Celtaxsys aims to provide innovative treatments that address the protective mechanisms of certain tumors, thereby enhancing the immune response against cancer and managing serious inflammatory conditions.

StarMobile

Seed Round in 2015
StarMobile, Inc. is a provider of a cloud-based enterprise mobility platform that enables organizations to transform existing enterprise applications into mobile applications without the need for coding or extensive technical skills. Founded in 2012 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company utilizes a unique remote computing protocol called MORPH, which allows for real-time adaptation of applications to deliver a native mobile experience across various devices. StarMobile's solution requires minimal configuration and maintenance, ensuring scalability and end-to-end security while maintaining detailed analytics capabilities. The leadership team brings over 125 years of experience in enterprise software and mobile computing, positioning StarMobile as a cost-effective and efficient option for companies looking to enhance their mobile application offerings.

Lumense

Series B in 2013
Lumense, Inc. is a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in the development of optical interferometric sensor technology for chemical and biological applications. Founded in 2011, Lumense has made significant advancements by exclusively licensing technology from Georgia Tech, where it originated from $20 million in research funding. The company offers real-time, in situ sensors that detect a range of substances, including chemicals, cellular organisms, viruses, and toxins. Lumense aims to enhance quality control by providing scalable sensors that enable clients to proactively manage contaminants in gases and liquids. In addition to launching standard products, Lumense is also engaged in the development of custom sensors in collaboration with various industry leaders.

StarMobile

Seed Round in 2013
StarMobile, Inc. is a provider of a cloud-based enterprise mobility platform that enables organizations to transform existing enterprise applications into mobile applications without the need for coding or extensive technical skills. Founded in 2012 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company utilizes a unique remote computing protocol called MORPH, which allows for real-time adaptation of applications to deliver a native mobile experience across various devices. StarMobile's solution requires minimal configuration and maintenance, ensuring scalability and end-to-end security while maintaining detailed analytics capabilities. The leadership team brings over 125 years of experience in enterprise software and mobile computing, positioning StarMobile as a cost-effective and efficient option for companies looking to enhance their mobile application offerings.

Clearside Biomedical

Series A in 2013
Clearside Biomedical is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and delivering treatments for serious eye diseases, aiming to restore and preserve vision. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, the company employs a proprietary ocular microinjection platform that allows for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to specific compartments of the eye, such as the retina and choroid. Among its products, XIPERE is a triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension designed for treating macular edema linked to conditions like uveitis and diabetic macular edema. Additionally, the company's CLS-AX is being developed as an axitinib formulation for suprachoroidal injection. Clearside's innovative approach provides a non-surgical and repeatable method for administering therapies, which could significantly benefit patients with sight-threatening eye diseases.

Urjanet

Series B in 2012
Urjanet is the global source for utility data. The business is on a mission to build a platform for the world's utility data and make it useful. The Urjanet Utility Data Platform transforms organizations and their decisions across industries. Urjanet's data platform integrates directly to customer applications and tooling, empowering a wide range of uses and implementations for automated utility data. Founded by a team of veteran entrepreneurs, Urjanet is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Clearside Biomedical

Series A in 2012
Clearside Biomedical is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and delivering treatments for serious eye diseases, aiming to restore and preserve vision. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, the company employs a proprietary ocular microinjection platform that allows for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to specific compartments of the eye, such as the retina and choroid. Among its products, XIPERE is a triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension designed for treating macular edema linked to conditions like uveitis and diabetic macular edema. Additionally, the company's CLS-AX is being developed as an axitinib formulation for suprachoroidal injection. Clearside's innovative approach provides a non-surgical and repeatable method for administering therapies, which could significantly benefit patients with sight-threatening eye diseases.

Urjanet

Series A in 2011
Urjanet is the global source for utility data. The business is on a mission to build a platform for the world's utility data and make it useful. The Urjanet Utility Data Platform transforms organizations and their decisions across industries. Urjanet's data platform integrates directly to customer applications and tooling, empowering a wide range of uses and implementations for automated utility data. Founded by a team of veteran entrepreneurs, Urjanet is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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