Innova Fund II, LP

By Milt Capps Last Updated 6:06 p.m. Nov. 5, 2009


Innova Fund II, LP | TNInvestco, Innova Fund II, Ken Woody, Bioworks Memphis Foundation, Steve Bares, venture capital, life sciences, medical devices, consulting, ActionCOACH, Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, Innova Memphis, Memphis Bioworks Foundation,

Ken Woody

Innova Fund II, LP -- The fund is managed by Ken Woody, the general partner of Innova Memphis Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of Memphis Bioworks Foundation, which aims to make Memphis an international bioscience center. Woody is also a vice president of Bioworks. Innova's current Tennessee-based businesses include arGentis Pharmaceuticals; Vaxent (vaccine development); Extraorth Inc. (formerly, QFx Technologies); and, Cagenix Inc. (dental implants). Also, Qpass.com (Centiba) is based nearby in Mississippi. A former U.S. Army officer, Woody earned a bachelor's in zoology at North Carolina State University, in 1983. He previously worked in executive roles for GE Healthcare and Capital businesses; for DePuy Spine (Boston); and, as SVP for global sales for Smith and Nephew Orthopedics. He also served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard. Prior to joining Innova, Woody maintained a business-coaching practice, operating under the ActionCOACH franchise, and sold that before joining Innova/Bioworks. Memphis Bioworks President and Executive Director Steve Bares previously spent a lengthy career with International Paper, in a series of management and technology development and commercialization roles. Bares holds bachelor's and Ph.D. in Chemistry, and a master's in business. Bioworks recently obtained $270,000 in Tennessee Technology Development Corporation funding to support bio entrepreneurs and technology commercialization.

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