Penn Biotech Spinout Receives Support from Science Center New Ventures Program, Takes Office and Lab Space at Port Business Incubator
PHILADELPHIA--(March 12, 2012) –A biotech company formed out of the University of Pennsylvania with the support of the University City Science Center is one of two new companies to locate in the Port Business Incubator. Nelum Sciences, a spin out of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering, is occupying lab space while Oxo Pharma, headquartered in France, has established its U.S. presence in the Bullpen, the Port’s newest co-working space. Both companies are located at 3711 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Nelum Sciences LLC is a material chemistry company specializing in surface modification technology. Currently, the company is developing transparent superhydrophobic coating that can be applied on plastic eye protection equipment, such as safety goggles. With the coating, water droplets will not stick on the surface to cutoff sight.
Prior to Nelum Sciences move into the Port, the University City Science Center assisted the company with a National Science Foundation grant submission which was later awarded. Nelum is also participating jointly in the Science Center’s New Ventures Program and University of Pennsylvania’s UPSTART program, both of which seek to cooperatively provide resources, including funding, corporate and business development, and networking opportunities for pre-capitalized companies.
“Nelum Sciences’ move into the Port Business Incubator demonstrates how the Science Center’s programs can help shepherd a company along the startup continuum,” comments Science Center President & CEO, Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., MBA. “From the Science Center’s New Ventures Program to Quorum, QED and the Port, we’re able to support companies at the critical stages of their life cycle.”
With its headquarters in Paris and operations in Lyon, France, as well as a recently opened office in Shanghai, Oxo Pharma is an international consulting firm supporting the life science industry by helping to improve performance, quality and regulatory compliance. Specializing in performance and compliance improvement of critical processes, Oxo Pharma provides services in quality product and systems, supply chain, lead time reduction, production sites, laboratories performance and regulatory compliance.
The firm plans to increase customer support in major markets with plans to open offices in Benelux and Morocco within the next few years.
Oxo Pharma is the latest participant in the Science Center’s Global Soft Landing program, which fosters international business in the U.S. by helping global companies establish a foothold in local life sciences and IT markets.
About the Science Center
The University City Science Center accelerates technology commercialization, regional economic development, and the market availability of life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs by bringing together innovations, scientists, entrepreneurs, funding, laboratory facilities, and business services. Established in 1963 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Science Center was the first, and remains the largest, urban research park in the United States. Graduate organizations and current residents of the University City Science Center’s Port business incubators have created more than 15,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $9 billion to the regional economy annually. For more information about the Science Center, go to www.sciencecenter.org.
The Port business incubator offers start-up companies more than just physical resources. It also surrounds emerging ventures with the other ingredients required to grow and be successful. The Port offers its residents access to free programming including Lunch for Hungry Minds scientific presentations and Smart Talk’s business building advice. The Science Center’s Scientific Advisory Committee connects Port companies with a vast array of clinical and technical expertise and facilities. Current committee members include the senior research administrators (or equivalent) from academic, healthcare and research institutions, as well as from leading local companies in the life sciences and other industry sectors. The Port is one of 23 business incubation programs in the world that hold the Soft Landings International Incubator designation from the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA). The NBIA’s Soft Landings Program recognizes incubators that are especially capable of helping nondomestic companies enter the incubator's domestic market.
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CONTACT:
Kristen Fitch
University City Science Center
215-966-6156
kfitch@sciencecenter.org
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