The GBBC assesses companies’ qualifications for admission based upon the following criteria:

Industry Application – The GBBC is primarily interested in companies in the biotechnology, agribusiness, biofuels, pharmaceutical, therapeutic, diagnostic, medical device or other bioscience field.

Market Opportunity – There must be a significant multi-million dollar market opportunity generated through products, or a combination of products and services.

Financial Status – The company should have already secured an initial round of funding, and be prepared to either pursue additional funding or generate sales revenue.

Management Expertise – At least one member of the management team (CEO/COO) must have a track record within the industry application or analogous industry experience.

Intellectual Property – A strong intellectual property portfolio anchored by issued and/or pending patents, copyrights, and trade secrets is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage in highly technical fields such as biotechnology.

Relationship to the University – University relationships can be in the form of faculty and/or student founders, IP license/option/research agreements, or an interest in using University core facilities.

Job Creation – Companies should make a commitment to hiring between 4 and 20 employees in the Athens area within one year of assuming GBBC residency status.

In order to be considered for admittance to the GBBC, companies must submit an Executive Summary with cover letter to sschulze@uga.edu.

The document should include:

1. a description of technology
2. an assessment of the market opportunity
3. a description of how the company’s technology capitalizes on this opportunity
4. a review of direct and indirect competitors
5. financial projections for the first five years; and
6. a description of the management team’s relevant experience.

A full Business Plan may be submitted in support of the Executive Summary.

These companies meet GBBC admission criteria: industry application, market opportunity, financial status, management experience, intellectual property, relationship to UGA and job creation.

• Abeome is a biotechnology firm dedicated to leveraging its proprietary technology that greatly enhances the speed, efficiency and stability of developing and producing monoclonal antibodies.
• Argent Diagnostics is an early stage academic start-up company based on research directed toward the development and commercialization of a diagnostic platform using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to target bio-molecules. The technology is superior current PCR methods in sensitivity, speed, and the ability to directly detect biomolecules in clinical isolates without amplification.
• ArunA Biomedical is dedicated to the development and commercialization of products and services derived from or related to human stem cells. ArunA has worldwide exclusive licenses from the University of Georgia for technology related to methods of deriving neural stem cells from human embryonic stems.
• Evirx, LLC was formed to commercialize technology based solutions for human performance assessment and accountability (HPAA). Its lead product, Video Analysis Tool (VAT) uniquely combines customizable live video with commentary and assessment tools.
• Glycoscientific is a carbohydrate consumables company. The initial goal of the company is to commercialize reagents for MS based carbohydrate analysis.
• Glycosensors and Diagnostics (G&D) is an early seed stage company formed to commercialize discoveries, of both reagents (called Lectenz®) and the associated platform technology (GlycoProf MSA™), made in the field of carbohydrate-labeling reagents. This technology is licensed to G&D from the University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF). Professor Robert Woods, the President of G&D is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC) at UGA. G&D has successfully spun off from the CCRC.
• InsectiGen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of innovative biopesticides. Founded by Clifton Baile, PhD and Michael Adang PhD, InsectiGen has licensed IP from the University of Georgia associated with novel modified proteins from the intestine of insects that enhance natural insecticides produced by Bacillus thuringensis (Bt).
• IS3D was founded in 2010 to develop and commercialize interactive, inquiry-based 3-D educational materials that increase high school student performance and interest in science, technology and engineering (STEM). The goal is to engage kids in science early and get them to seriously consider STEM fields as careers. To date, IS3D has produced 4 interactive case study modules and is now capable of producing a new case study every three months. The company's goal is to introduce their first case studies to the market by early 2013. Their first iPhone video game, Osi Osmosis is available on iTunes.
• Molecular Therapeutics is the manufacturer and distributor of the advanced antibiotic potentiator, TricideÈ. Tricide is marketed only to veterinarians, and Tricide-Neo (Tricide with added neomycin sulfate) is marketed for over the counter sales to aquaculturists.
• Planteco Environmental Consultants was founded to provide a range of environmental remediation services and sustainable green technologies. Its key technology, “munitions remediation” (MUNIREM™), safely and cost-effectively cleans up munitions constituents at military and defense contractor sites.
• rPeptide (Recombinant Peptide Technologies, LLC) is focused on the Alzheimer’s market. rPeptide licensed a platform vector technology from the University of Georgia. Recombinant beta-amyloid peptides are being commercialized for use in Alzheimer's research. rPeptide’s long term goal is to develop the maximum field of uses for its vector technology, and develop related proprietary technologies.
• Synageva Biopharma is focused on the development of biopharmaceuticals that address needs in oncology, autoimmune disease, and genetic disease. Through its protein expression technology, AES™, Synageva has developed a diverse pipeline of products that promise superior efficacy and safety over existing alternatives. http:// synageva.com
• Viacyte is a stem cell engineering company dedicated to creating, delivering, and commercializing cell and drug therapies to treat diabetes and other chronic diseases. Viacyte uses its proprietary cell encapsulation technology and expertise in cell implantation to develop a renewable source of specialized cells for the treatment of cellular diseases. Viacyte represents a division of Viacyte’s research operation.
• Vitamin Derivatives Inc. manufactures 1-OH-Vitamin D3 for the global poultry industry. This particular D3 derivative is the most bioactive on the market, preventing fibial dyschoncroplasia and improving phytate phosphorous utilization. It creates a dual role of improving animal welfare while being environmentally friendly.

These companies do not meet residency criteria, but have a substantive relationship to UGA through intellectual property, sponsored research, faculty participation, and is in applied biotechnology.

• Algix is focused on the development of algal bioplastics using a protein-based thermomechanical approach. These protein based bioplastics exhibit superior biodegradability to existing bioplastics. Biodegradable bioplastic material can be used for a variety of applications such as, disposable packaging containers for dry and liquid goods, food packaging, agricultural & horticultural products.
• ARChem is an early stage software company dedicated to the commercialization of the SPARC physicochemical calculator. The development of SPARC has been funded for over fifteen years by USEPA, and the free web based version of the software is commonly used by chemists in both academia and industry.
• Merial is a world-leading animal health company. Merial is a forward-looking business with a proven track record, producing pharmaceutical products and vaccines for livestock, pets and wildlife.
• Pathens Inc. is an early seed-stage company formed to commercialize discoveries made in the field of vaccination. The core discovery is that a cold-adapted bacterium, Mycobacterium shottsii, can provide a platform technology for the production of a wide range of vaccines or vaccine vectors.
• PISCES is a sturgeon aquaculture company producing farm-raised Russian sturgeon caviar and meat utilizing expertise in husbandry, nutrition and sex determination through the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.
• Trellis Bioscience has developed a unique technology for the discovery of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, with particular value in the area of Infectious Disease. Through collaborations with Dr. Ralph Tripp of UGA’s School of Veterinary Medicine, Trellis discovered a human monoclonal antibody for treating Respiratory sycytial virus (RSV). RSV is a very common virus that leads to mild, cold-like symptoms in adults and older healthy children. It can be more serious in young babies, especially to those in certain high-risk groups. The antibodies produced by the Trellis/Tripp collaboration were licensed in Dec 2009 to MedImmune for further commercial development.

Companies are eligible for graduation from GBBC when established revenue, financing, management, facilities or production milestones are achieved. Current GBBC graduate companies are:

• Apgen (Applied PhytoGenetics, Inc.) utilizes plants, trees and grasses, through the process of phytoremediation, to remove or degrade hazardous materials from the environment. Apgen's current strategy for the remediation of organic chemical contaminants involves the selection and use of naturally-occurring plant species capable of taking up and degrading pollutants. Apgen is also developing genetically modified plants to remediate mercury, arsenic and other elemental contaminants. »
• P3 Laboratories provides consulting, development, production, and post-marketing technical support to the pharmaceutical industry for the development of niche products.
• ViaGen identifies economically important genetic traits in any animal species, and then efficiently applies them to commercial breeding operations regardless of scale. Its gene mapping, gene identification and functional genomics services are supported by an in-house reproductive technology laboratory where a range of services from gene banking through nuclear transfer are performed.