Cycad Group

Portfolio Companies

The following is a sample list of current and recently exited portfolio companies:

Advanced Bionics Corporation

Advanced Bionics® is dedicated to the development of neurostimulation products: implantable devices that generate sophisticated electrical pulses directed to nerves and muscles for the treatment of disabling conditions. Advanced Bionics technologies include treatments for deafness and chronic pain. The company is also developing other sophisticated neurostimulation devices to address additional challenges in many fields including blindness, tremor and spasticity, urinary incontinence, and functional restoration of paralyzed limbs. Advanced Bionics has been acquired by Boston Scientific Corporation.

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Agile RF, Inc.

Agile RF uses a novel material technology to design and fabricate tunable integrated components that have a wide range of applications in wireless communications. The key feature of Agile’s components and circuits is tunability; making their products much more than simply integrated passive circuits. Agile’s expertise in materials science and RF circuit design has enabled them to exploit the properties of newly developed thin film materials in innovative RF designs. The result is integrated, tunable passive circuitry that helps their customers create products that are smaller and packed with more functions, all at a cost that is competitive with existing technologies

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Alsius Corporation (NASDAQ CM: ALUS)

ALSIUS (Latin translation for “Cool”) is the worldwide leader in advanced patient temperature management therapies. Alsius Intravascular Temperature Management™ gives health care providers the power and control they need to rapidly, safely, and effectively manage the core body temperature of critically ill or surgical patients. Alsius has been acquired by a wholly-owned subsidiary of ZOLL Medical Corporation. (Nasdaq:ZOLL).

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Catalytic Solutions, Inc. (LSE AIM: CTS)

Catalytic Solutions, Inc. (“CSI”) has invented a fundamentally unique and patented material technology for the development of catalysts for emissions control (environment) and chemical processes. CSI has developed unique nanostructures that are extremely thermally stable and resistant to sintering. This enables superior catalytic performance (selectivity) over time and at extreme temperatures. CSI catalysts involve mixtures of chemical compounds, or phases, each with its own functionality. These Mixed Phase Catalyst (“MPC®”) systems are multi-functional because of their unique nanostructures, which enables CSI to develop a wide range of applications for catalytic coatings, including chemical processes an environmental emissions control for automotive, diesel, and energy.

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Centaur Pharmaceuticals Corporation/Renovis (NASDAQ GM: RNVS)

Centaur Pharmaceuticals developed a novel class of small molecule pharmaceutical compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases such as acute stroke, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, myocardial ischemia and Parkinson’s disease. Renovis is a biopharmaceutical company with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs to treat neurological diseases and disorders. Renovis acquired Centaur Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in December 2002.

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FzioMed Inc.

FzioMed is engaged in the development and commercialization of advanced, absorbable biosurgery products. FzioMed’s product platform is an innovative polymer technology called Oxiplex®. The properties of Oxiplex make it an ideal and versatile biosurgery material. A key focus for use of Oxiplex® is the prevention of post-surgical adhesions. Adhesions are abnormal fibrous bands of scar tissue that form attachments to normally independent organs and tissues. Adhesions create complications which may require further surgical intervention.

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Genocea Biosciences

Genocea Biosciences is a vaccine development company that has unique platform technology that allows it to rapidly identify antigens that result in the in vivo stimulation of protective CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells. These targets can be immediately incorporated into existing antigen delivery systems to produce multivalent vaccine formulations that have the highest probability of generating protective cell-mediated immunity.

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GRT, Inc.

GRT, Inc. has developed proprietary process chemistry that converts methane to gasoline or other hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. Low cost methane can be obtained from several sources, including biogas from renewable feedstocks and stranded natural gas. GRT has developed a highly flexible process that can be applied to make a wide variety of high volume chemicals and liquid fuels including olefins, aromatics, and high octane gasoline blend stocks. Unlike current technologies (Fischer-Tropsch chemistry and thermal cracking), GRT’s technology does not require high temperatures or pressures to create the gas to liquids reactions, thus providing significant savings in capital costs and operating expenses.

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Iconix Video

Iconix Video, Inc. is the manufacturer of the world’s smallest professional quality High Definition (HD) video cameras. The HD-RH1, its initial product, is a very small point of view HD video camera system has the “best-in-class” features of approximately twenty-five cameras. The small size, versatility and tremendous picture quality of the HD-RH1 make it ideal for television broadcasters and digital production, as well as military, security and scientific applications. Iconix is in the process of developing additional products that will complement the HD-RH1 and provide additional solutions for content providers.

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Iosil Energy Corporation

Iosil Energy Corporation intends to become a leading producer in the emerging global photovoltaic silicon (PV-Si) market by creating a sustainable, competitive advantage based on a unique granular silicon production technology. The Iosil process for producing PV-Si is based on a considerably less complex chemistry. As a result the Iosil manufacturing process consumes significantly less electricity and requires less capital equipment. In addition, the technology has the potential to be able to recycle the kerf (saw dust generated from slicing silicon ingot into wafers) from electronics-grade silicon plants.

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The NanoSteel Company

The NanoSteel Company, Inc. develops and markets a family of amorphous nanocomposite steel alloys which have been dubbed Hard Steel. These patented nano-structured materials can be applied with a variety of widely-available industrial processes, including thermal spraying, welding and laser cladding. NanoSteel’s proprietary alloys cost-effectively address many of the deleterious effects on typical industrial metal surfaces, including wear, erosion, high temperature oxidation and corrosion.

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Sirtris Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ GM: SIRT)

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing proprietary, orally available, small molecule drugs with the potential to treat diseases associated with aging, including metabolic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes. Its drug candidates are designed to mimic the beneficial health effects of calorie restriction, without requiring a change in eating habits, by activation of an enzyme called SIRT1, a member of a recently discovered class of enzymes called sirtuins. Sirtris has been acquired by GlaxoSmithKline.

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Solaria Corp

Solaria Corp. manufactures low-concentration photovoltaic modules designed for ground-mounted tracking systems. Solaria’s proprietary manufacturing processes require only a fraction of the capital per watt of manufacturing capacity needed by standard industry processes. Based on its patented technology, Solaria’s modules provide reliable performance while matching form, fit and performance of conventional PV modules.

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Spectrafluidics, Inc.

SpectraFluidics has developed a novel chemical detection technology that provides molecular-specific detection at parts-per-trillion (ppt) concentration levels without any requirements for sample preparation, reagents, swabbing, or other special handling techniques. In addition, the SpectraFluidics technology maintains its sensitivity and selectivity in the presence of high background contaminants, such as saturated gasoline and kerosene vapor. SpectraFluidics is actively incorporating its laboratory-proven technology into rugged handheld detectors for identifying explosives and other substances.

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SteriFx, Inc.

SteriFx, Inc., is a specialty chemical company producing non-toxic antimicrobial solutions for the food safety, industrial, consumer, healthcare, and military/homeland defense markets. The patented technology is a low pH (<1) aqueous solution that is highly effective in controlling pathogens (viruses, bacteria and fungi) with no toxicity when properly used. In addition, SteriFx products are friendlier to the environment (low phosphates and no chlorine) and do not have the harmful effects on processing equipment or work surfaces typically associated with chemicals of similar efficacy. The Company’s products have received regulatory approvals from the USDA/FSIS, EPA and FDA for a variety of applications.

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Tilford Pinson Exploration, LLC/Pittsburg Gathering

Tilford Pinson Exploration, LLC (TPX) is an oil and gas exploration and development company focused in the Arkoma Basin of southeastern Oklahoma. TPX’s business strategies include development of coal-bed methane gas reserves utilizing horizontal drilling technology, and the use of 3-D seismic imaging to explore for hydrocarbon reserves in mature, complexly structured areas. TPX employs state-of-the-art technology to maximize production in the short term while creating long term value via future drilling opportunities. Pittsburg Gathering LLC designs, builds, and operates natural gas gathering systems. Pittsburg Gathering LLC collects natural gas at the wellhead from TPX and third party operators, then compresses, transports and treats the gas as required prior to resale to interstate and intrastate markets.

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Tioga Energy

Tioga Energy provides access to clean energy options without the risk of up-front capital investments or the ongoing commitments of owning and operating an independent solar facility. By leveraging pre-existing industry partnerships and powerful financial backing Tioga Energy removes the economic and logistical barriers to adopting enterprise-scale solar energy. Tioga Energy’s comprehensive Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) allow businesses and organizations to go green quickly without having to own and maintain solar equipment.

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Universal Space Network

Founded by aerospace pioneer Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr., Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN) is a leader in space operations for telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) services. Offering responsive, reliable and cost-effective solutions to the global government and commercial space community, USN provides unparalleled coverage through a seamless network of worldwide satellite tracking and communications assets. USN has been acquired by The Swedish Space Corporation

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Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. (NASD CM: ZIOP)

ZIOPHARM is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of a diverse portfolio of in-licensed cancer drugs to address unmet medical needs. The Company applies new insights from molecular and cancer biology to understand the efficacy and safety limitations of approved and developmental cancer therapies and identifies proprietary and related molecules for better patient treatment.

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ZT3 Technologies, Inc.

ZT3 is developing next generation thermoelectric devices for the conversion of waste heat to electricity, and solid state cooling and heating. Using advanced materials engineering and proprietary manufacturing processes ZT3 seeks to dramatically increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of thermoelectric devices. Simply through the harvest of heat energy that is otherwise lost, thermoelectric devices can create electricity without additional environmental impact (no emissions of any pollutants or greenhouse gases).