Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X X V N OV E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5 16 MB: Can you give an example? DS: Well, my fi rst one actually was IDEXX. In the late '70s and early '80s medical device technology was starting to create new opportunities for monitoring disease and testing for things. e testing tradition- ally happened in big laboratories where you'd send samples and get the test results a few days later. So the ability to create devices that could do those tests closer to the consumer in professional offi ces or in the fi eld was the megatrend that IDEXX rode. I also was a founder of Cytyc Corp., which makes tests for cervical cancer [and was bought by Hologic Inc. in 2007]. Cytotechnologists tradition- ally looked through a microscope at maybe 100,000 cells for an abnormality. e question was, is there a better way to do that because it's such a tedious and inaccurate procedure? Cytyc created a way to look at a monolayer of cells that a digital reader system could look at and show you the least normal cells. e cytotechnologist could then look at that and make the diagnosis, but improve the accuracy. MB: Where does Black Point get its capital? DS: It's mostly family capital. MB: Will you talk about how much it is? DS: No. Benjamin Shaw: ere's a few of us, we use mostly our own capital, and there are a few other individu- als that we've had projects with. Ideal investment profi les MB: What's your ideal investment profi le? DS: We like megatrends that off er opportunities to do great things in the world. Vets First Choice is an Internet-based pharmacy management company in the veterinary space. We like that. ere's clearly an opportunity to be proven that there's an ability to use new technology to off er great value to veterinarians and their clients. Physion Consulting is a scientifi c Vets First Choice, Portland, a provider of e-com- merce and marketing solutions for veterinary hospitals and pet owners. CEO is Benjamin Shaw. IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), Westbrook, a worldwide leader in veterinary diagnostics and tests for animal milk and water. David Shaw founded the company in 1983 and was CEO and chairman for nearly 20 years. Ikaria Holdings, Hampton, N.J., is a critical care pharmaceutical company focusing on life-saving drugs. Ikaria was sold to Madison Dearborn December 2013 and then to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals in 2015. Black Point Group remains an investor in biotheraprutics spin-off Bellepheron, also of Hampton. Venrock, New York City, is a premier venture capital firm with which Black Point Group is a limited partner. Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IRWD), Cambridge, Mass., focuses on irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and other treatments. Cytyc Corp., Marlborough, Mass., makes novel products to detect cervical cancer. The company was acquired by Hologic Inc. in 2007 for $6.2 billion. Sapphire Energy Inc., San Diego, Calif., is developing renewable fuel from algae. Itaconix Corp., Stratham, N.H., produces chemical polymers from itaconic acid. Its product is sold to consumer and industrial detergent formulators to replace phosphates, EDTA, citric acid and petro- leum-based chemicals. Modern Meadow, Brooklyn, N.Y., applies bioprinting and tissue engineering to develop novel biomateri- als such as cultured leather and meat. Cyteir Therapeutics, Cambridge, Mass., is building a therapeutic platform for oncology and other applications. Physion Consulting, Cambridge, Mass., is develop- ing cloud-based data management tools broad scientific applications. Sirna Therapeutics, San Francisco, created RNAi- based therapies. Black Point co-founded Skinetics Biosciences in 2004 to develop RNAi technologies in the dermatology market. That company was acquired by Sirna, which in turn was bought by Merck & Co. Inc. in 2006 for $1.1 billion. Cornerstone Brands Inc., West Chester, Ohio, direct markets fine home, leisure and casual brands including Frontgate and Garnet Hill. Cornerstone was sold to IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2004. FetchDog Enterprises LLC, Portland, was a catalog and website serving passionate dog owners. It was bought by PotPourri Group in 2012. MyTaskit, West Palm Beach, Fla., focuses on managing relationships between service providers and consumers in marinas. NanoMech, Fayetteville, Ark., focuses on nanotech- nology-based lubricants. Black Point Group companies S O U R C E : Black Point Group Not only do you get the convenience of valet parking at the airport for $10 a day, but we'll take care of your car needs, too. www.parknjetportland.com 747-5650 Drive 100 yards past baggage claim. Look for our green sign. Open 4:30AM - 1AM or later. per day $10 park perks OiL chANge • cAr wAsh • DetAiLiNg with All of Your Staffing Needs in One Place Comprehensive to meet your many needs, specialized to deliver the quality you want. Call us today! Project Staffing / Project Flagging / Project Flagging / / Direct Personnel / Direct Personnel / 207-854-2422 directpersonnel.net 1-800-639-8802 mainestaff.com » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E

• Cover