About Us

 

History

CitareTx Investment Partners was founded in August of 2008 by Jeffery Sheldon and E.J. “Jere” Pederson, both serving as General Partners and Managing Directors of the fund. The company is strategically located in Houston, Texas equidistant from downtown Houston and Galveston island and close in proximity to the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest of its kind, and the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Focus

Our investment activities are primarily focused on Class II medical devices for which the United States Food and Drug Administration pre-market notification process (i.e. 510(k)) can be utilized as the means to obtain regulatory clearance and begin commercial sale of product. However, we remain opportunistic and consider other investments if certain criteria are present, such as the presence of a strategic partner with a defined exit milestones.

Although our team has extensive expertise in the cardiovascular, interventional cardiology, interventional radiology, cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, critical care, consumable product, patient care, and orthopedic markets, we are open to any and all target markets. In addition, we do consider investment opportunities with smaller than typically accepted venture capital market size thresholds.

Approach

We are driven by the opportunity to change clinical outcomes and improve patient lives.

Following identification and preliminary evaluation of opportunities we meet with select inventor(s), entrepreneur, and/or management teams, as the case may be, for a formal presentation. In the event that the partners elect to advance discussions further, a detailed due diligence process ensues. During the process, preliminary terms and conditions are discussed to avoid confusion and ascertain strategic fit. Following the due diligence process an investment thesis is prepared, the partnership considers its options, and a term sheet is provided or company is created/direct investment made.

Although we prefer to create a start-up company around a nascent technology, investment into an existing entity is often considered. In any event, we take an active role in the management of our portfolio companies following cash or equity for services investments, including Board representation and participation as Executive Management.

 

General Partners/Managing Directors

Jeffery J. Sheldon

General Partner - CitareTx Investment Partners I, LP
Managing Director - CitareTx Management, LLC
Managing Director - CIP I-GP, LP
Chairman & CEO - Houston Medical Robotics, Inc.
Chairman & CEO - EMIT Corporation
Chairman & CEO - Coagulex, Inc.
President & CEO - Yguana Entertainment, Inc.
Board Member - Houston Technology Center
Member, Advisory Committee - UT Health Galveston Health Technology Seed Fund
Member, Strategic Advisory Board - University of Minnesota Discovery Capital Fund
Member, Board of Advisors - University of Houston Cougar Venture Fund

Mr. Sheldon has over 28 years of leadership/management experience in business & product development, strategic planning, technology transfer, domestic & international negotiations, marketing, finance, engineering, operations, and start-up company formation & funding. Throughout his career, Mr. Sheldon has been involved in the creation, evaluation, implementation or commercialization of high & biomedical technology. Mr. Sheldon currently serves as the General Partner of CitareTx Investment Partners I, LP, a medical device venture development, investment, and management company; Managing Director of CitareTx Management LLC, the venture fund management and operating/incubator company; Chairman & CEO/Founder of three CitareTx portfolio companies: Houston Medical Robotics, Inc., EMIT Corporation, and Coagulex, Inc.; and President & CEO of Yguana Entertainment, Inc.

Prior to founding CitareTx, Mr. Sheldon founded IDev Technologies, Inc., a fully integrated medical device company focused on commercializing interventional cardiology/radiology and vascular surgery products, including but not limited to: peripheral vascular stents, thrombectomy systems, and foreign body retrieval devices. Mr. Sheldon served as the Chairman, President, & CEO for the first six years of operation and President and COO for two years thereafter. IDev secured over $110 million of private equity/venture capital, established a fully integrated operating infrastructure, obtained ISO13485:2003 certification, received FDA 501(k) clearance & CE-mark for eight products, and launched eight products into the world-wide market and was sold to Aboott Laboratories in August 2013 for $310 million.

Prior to IDev Mr. Sheldon also founded and served as the Chairman & CEO of Nittany Polymedics, Inc., a high performance manufacturer for biomedical and dental applications; served as Director of Technology Development at MDACC were he was responsible for commercializing technology emanating from the research and development efforts, construct of the institution’s venture investment program, strategic planning for the development of a biomedical research/business park, and launch of several new ventures; launched the Technology Management & Commercialization office at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; and held numerous leadership positions at Rockwell International/Rockwell Space Operations Company, the prime NASA Space Shuttle contractor. Mr. Sheldon holds a B.S. Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics, with distinction, from the University of Minnesota and a M.B.A. from the University of Houston Clear Lake.

E. J. (“Jere”) Pederson

 

 

Investment Opportunities

We are not only looking for good investment opportunities, but always seek to expand our network of limited partners and would be delighted to discuss this further with any and all interested parties.