ZINO Life full of LIfe and Energy!

l-r: Murray Johnstone, Michael Gilbert, Rachel Tanner, Prem Urali,
Jonathan Wright, John DesRosier, John Otter, Brad Harlow,
Sam Webb, Gregg Bennett, Chris Rivera, Christiana DelloRusso

Last Friday morning, ZINO Society produced our 4th annual ZINO Life Investment Forum at the Bellevue City Hall.  It was a jam-packed three and one-half hours full of life and energy and was an opportunity for thought leaders in the life sciences business sector and entrepreneurs who have developed companies in this area to gather together and exchange ideas and make connections.  In addition, we were able to feature ten medical device, diagnostics or healthcare IT companies who are looking for resources to our audience of around 130 investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals.



Cathi Hatch and Mary Holmes with ZINO Zenith Award Winners
Best Presentation: Paul Ciechanowski, Samepage
Best Investment Opportunity: Ron Merryman, REDpoint Intl. Inc. 

There was a group of five panelists and another eight expert judges that asked tough questions of the presenting ZINOpreneurs and provided insights and feedback about the life sciences area.  Panelists included Murray Johnstone, Latisse Patent Holder, Michael Gilbert, Medical & Surgical Director of NW Vision Institute, Brad Harlow, B. Harlow & Associates, Chris Rivera, President WBBA, and Sam Webb, Partner at Stoel Rives.  In additional to the panelists serving as judges, there were an additional eight judges from the industry including Dave Smulkowski, CEO, Sensors in Motion, Gregg Bennett, Angel Investor, John Otter, President CBC Partners, John DesRosier, Director of Programs, Life Sciences Discovery Fund, Christiana DelloRusso, Managing Director, WINGS, Rachel Tanner, Program Director UW Coulter Translational Research Partnership, Prem Urali, President & CEO, Health Unity Corporation, and Jonathan Wright, Counsel, Cairncross & Hempelmann.  This group of thirteen judges was responsible for selecting the ZINO Life Judges' Award for Best Investment Opportunity which went to dBMEDx / David Shine and Bill Barnard.

ZINO Annual Angel Fund Finalists for ZINO Life
l-r: David Shine & Bill Barnard, dBMEDx
George Gates, OtoMetrix Medical Technologies
Ron Merryman, REDpoint, Int'l. Inc.
Ron Berenson, KitoTech Medical

There were also two ZINO Zenith Awards announced for Best Presentation and Best Investment Opportunity as selected by all attendees.  Winners of those awards were Paul Ciechanowski of Samepage for Best Presentation and REDpoint International, Inc. / Ron Merryman for Best Investment Opportunity.

And finally, though it was very difficult since the companies were all especially exceptional, the fund investors who are part of the ZINO Annual 2012 Angel Fund Investment LLC selected four fund finalists with whom we will enter into due diligence prior to selecting only one to receive the ZINO Life fund allocation which will be announced in around 60 days or so.  The fund finalists included:

dBMEDx / David Shine & Bill Barnard
Developing a range of low cost, wireless, 3D ultrasound devices for both application specific and general purpose imaging applications.

KitoTech Medical / Ron Berenson

Painless wound closure device as alternative to sutures.

OtoMetrix MedicalTechnologies / George Gates
Manufactures the revolutionary OtoStat, a Doppler ultrasound device to accurately diagnose middle ear infections (otitis media).

REDpointInternational, Inc. / Ron Merryman
Patent pending and FDA registered exempt primary tubing stabilization devices for catheters provide the most effective solution to a $1B global recognized problem.