Overview
Founded in 1953 and based in Wayne, PA, Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE: SFE) provides growth capital for entrepreneurial and innovative life sciences and technology companies. Safeguard targets life sciences companies in Molecular and Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Regenerative Medicine, Specialty Pharmaceuticals and selected healthcare services; and technology companies in Internet / New Media, Financial Services IT, Healthcare IT and selected business services with capital requirements of up to $25 million. Safeguard participates in expansion financings, corporate spin-outs, management buyouts, recapitalizations, industry consolidations and early-stage financings.
Safeguard has deployed capital in and provided operational expertise and support to hundreds of companies, entrepreneurs and management teams, successfully completing more than 100 M&A transactions and more than 20 IPOs. Safeguard’s prudent and innovative approach to identifying market leaders in key strategic sectors has spawned household names and industry leaders including Novell, QVC, Cambridge Technology Partners, Internet Capital Group, CompuCom Systems and Traffic.com.
Public since 1967 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol SFE since 1971, Safeguard implements a disciplined strategy; provides operational expertise and support; has influence without necessarily owning control; has established a solid brand and reputation; and provides transparency into governance and performance. Safeguard’s history of innovation has provided the company with an expandable platform to deploy capital and pursue and fund expansions and acquisition opportunities.
Safeguard’s management team has decades of experience in the life sciences and technology industries as entrepreneurs, board members, financiers, managers and service professionals, building and operating businesses, and achieving returns for investors. In addition, Safeguard supports partner company growth and development with comprehensive resources, including financial and business technology strategy, operations, sales, business development, mergers & acquisitions, risk management, legal counsel, human resources, marketing communications, public relations and investor relations.
Safeguard’s status as a publicly-traded company enables us to be a patient partner. We are not subject to the limits of a three-to-five year fundraising cycle (typical with venture capital or buyout firms), enabling us to focus on growing our partner companies’ value at an appropriate pace. In addition, gains from sales of partner companies are sheltered from taxes by our net operating losses and are evergreened on our balance sheet, making us self-funding. Our expertise and leadership help accelerate growth, build long-term value and enable business transformation for each of our partner companies.
