Esperance Pharmaceuticals is extremely proud of the caliber of its three founding investors: Louisiana Fund I; Themelios Venture Partners; and Research Corporation Technologies, and they serve as the Board of Directors of the Company. Each of the Board members/investors is represented by a key member of the investor company.
Louisiana Fund I (LFI)(www.louisianafund.com ) is an early-stage venture capital fund focused on the identification of investment opportunities emanating from research universities and other organizations in the state of Louisiana. Louisiana Fund I targets companies developing commercially promising technologies with an emphasis on those originating in Louisiana universities. Areas of interest include pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, agritechnology, information technology and other high technology opportunities that offer venture capital returns. Louisiana Fund I is represented by Joseph F Lovett, managing general partner. Mr. Lovett serves as Chairman of the Board of Esperance Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He has over 36 years of experience in the life science field and has extensive experience managing venture capital funds. He holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Vermont and an MBA from California State Polytechnic University.
Themelios Venture Partners (TVP) is one of two investment funds managed by VCE Capital Partners LLC (www.vcecapital.com), a southeast U.S.-based venture capital firm that provides equity capital to early-and expansion-state companies with proprietary technology platforms or unique products addressing large markets. TVP invests in both life sciences technologies originating from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in companies outside of the Pennington Center that run clinical trials or conduct research collaborations with the Center. Themelios Venture Partners is represented by Ross P. Barrett, managing general partner. Mr. Barrett is also a Partner at VCE Capital. His expertise includes risk assessment and regulatory reform. Mr. Barrett received a B.A. in Political Science from Southern Methodist University, and a J.D. from Louisiana State University School of Law. He also earned a masters degree in taxation from New York University School of Law.
Research Corporation Technologies (RCT) (www.rctech.com) is a technology investment and management company that provides early-stage funding and development for promising biomedical companies and technologies. RCT focuses on technology investments with origins from universities and research institutions worldwide. Research Corporation Technologies has assets of more than $300 million to advance technology development through venture investment, partnerships and special licensing programs. The RCT BioVentures program provides venture capital to companies whose technologies have the potential to become significant biomedical products. Research Corporation Technologies is represented by Chad Souvignier, Managing Director. Mr. Souvignier conducts the scientific and business analysis of early-stage biomedical investment opportunities and manages a portfolio of projects and investments. His areas of focus include oncology, pain, central nervous system disorders, diabetes and metabolic disease. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, a M.S. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron, a M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Arizona.