Dept. of Commerce: Gov. Doyle Qualifies Five Technology Companies for Investor Tax Credits

Contact:
Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608/267-9661

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced that the Department of Commerce
(Commerce) has qualified five small businesses for investor tax credits
under the new Angel Investor and Venture Fund Tax Credit Programs.

“I championed legislation to spur more venture capital investment, as it is
essential to the state’s economic growth,” Governor Doyle said. “By
encouraging investors through tax credits to make these crucial investments
– we are helping to turn these great ideas into viable, job-creating
businesses.”

The Angel Investor and Venture Fund Tax Credit Programs offer Wisconsin
income tax credits to angel investors and investors in seed-stage venture
capital funds. These programs are designed to increase the supply of both
qualified angel investors and investors in qualified venture capital funds.
The tax credits are available only for investments made in technology
businesses qualified by Commerce. As Commerce qualifies businesses for
investment, it will list them on the Commerce website at
www.commerce.wi.gov/act255.

The qualified new business ventures are as follows:

* BioSystem Development, LLC – A Middleton company established in 2002
to develop products to improve conventional protein assay test methods. For
more information, visit www.biosystemdevelopment.com.

* eMetagen, LLC – A Madison company founded in July 2002 to develop
faster and more cost-efficient identification and development of antibiotics
and other therapeutic natural products. For more information, visit
www.emetagen.com.

* BellBrook Labs LLC – A Madison company founded in August 2002 to
develop biological assay systems and methods of calculation to more
accurately describe human disease processes and therefore enable more
rational drug discovery. For more information, visit www.bellbrooklabs.com.

* SirkPath, Inc – A Neenah company founded in July 2000 to develop a
system that allows non-healthcare locations to create and maintain a
complete, accurate and up-to-date health record. For more information,
visit www.sirkpath.com.

* Sound Focus LLC – A Madison company founded in 2003 to develop and
commercialize a proprietary platform technology for sound projection and
reproduction. For more information, visit www.soundfocus.biz.

For further information on the Angel Investor and Venture Fund Tax Credit
Programs, contact Jamie Wall, Department of Commerce, at 608-267-0770.