MADISON, Wis., March 8, 2010– Semba Biosciences, Inc. has been recognized as one of the thirty 2010 “Wisconsin Companies to Watch,” an awards program presented by the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network (WEN) with support from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce and the Division of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (DEED) at the University of Wisconsin-Extension in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.

Semba Biosciences, Inc. will be honored at an awards ceremony during the inaugural Wisconsin Companies to Watch gala on April 13, 2010, at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison.

Semba Biosciences is a Madison-based life science tools provider. Founded in 2005, the company supplies instruments and consumables that enable researchers to perform a new separation process. Semba is the first company in the world to offer a bench top instrument for simulated moving bed chromatography, a process that enhances productivity up to 20-fold over traditional separation processes. Customers include universities and pharmaceutical, agrochemical and food companies, who use the Octave™ Instrument to speed discovery and production of new drugs, nutraceuticals, and other high-value materials.

“We are honored and excited to be named a Wisconsin Company to Watch,” stated Robert Mierendorf, President and CEO of Semba Biosciences. “Such recognition by the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network will be valuable in developing community and investor relationships as we enter the growth phase of our business, and is a source of pride for our employees.”

“I’m pleased that we could join the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network in recognizing these dynamic, innovative companies,” said Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel. “I’m confident that we will be watching and benefiting from their achievements in the years to come.”

“CTW recognizes companies at the crucial stage of growth where financial potential, concept and management have been established, and attracting talented workers, solid vendor relationships and access to peer learning are key components of future growth,” added Gayle Kugler. The Edward Lowe Foundation’s studies have shown second-stage companies are the ones who generate jobs and economic growth in their communities.

Companies making it to the Wisconsin Companies to Watch list are a remarkable group of second-stage companies. Defined as having 6 to 99 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants, these companies form the backbone of Wisconsin’s economy. Representing all regions of the state and a diverse range of industries, companies like Semba Biosciences are known for their exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, creation of innovation or use of innovation in creative ways, and their sustainable competitive advantage.

During 2005-2007, Wisconsin's resident companies averaged more than 33,500 second-stage establishments, according to YourEconomy.org, an online resource of the Edward Lowe Foundation. Those second-stage companies employed more than 800,000 workers (that's 36.7 percent of the jobs created by companies headquartered in the state).Winners were selected by judges from the banking, economic development, entrepreneurial and angel communities.