Medical device expert joins O.C. investor group

April 21st, 2009, 12:18 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Jan Norman, small-business columnist

Guy Sohie, an experienced executive at medical device companies, has joined the Orange County network of Laguna Hills-based Tech Coast Angels, one of the nation’s largest groups of early-stage investors.

Guy Sohie

Sohie, a native of Belgium, has been a senior executive with Ventracor, Cardiac Science and General Electric.

Sohie’s expertise is especially important in Orange County because of its large medical device community.

“Becoming a part of TCA is exciting, particularly in light of today’s economy,” Sohie said. “Venture capital firms are getting squeezed and just can’t invest in companies like they used to. Angel investors like TCA members can be more creative and provide a wider range of opportunities.

“Angel investing has become a critical element of the business economy,” he added.

In addition to money, TCA members bring expertise and mentoring skills to young, high-growth companies. Sohie has devoted much of his career to developing small businesses and identifying risk and opportunity both for investors and medical device companies.

TCA member Raymond Chan said of Sohie, “We look forward to Guy’s input on all the network’s investment opportunities, particularly those in the medical and biotech arenas.”

The group’s members make their own decisions about investments, rather than pool their money and have investment decisions made by group vote.

TCA has more than 250 members in networks in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara counties. Since the group’s founding in 1997, members have personally invested $99 million in young companies and helped them attract an addition $960 million in investments.

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