Loveland’s Heska acquires Lacuna Diagnostics of Fort Collins
Veterinary diagnostics equipment maker Heska Corp. of Loveland has continued its monthslong acquisition spree by purchasing Fort Collins-based Lacuna Diagnostics.
The acquisition is Heska’s first foray into specialty clinical services after mainly focusing on developing tools for diagnostics, radiography and a few allergy treatments.
It comes months after it spent $110 million to acquire a European diagnostics provider with large market shares in France, Germany, Spain and other countries on the continent.
Founded in 2018 by a group of Colorado State University students, Lacuna gives veterinarians the option to send digital images of patient samples to a group of pathologists who can interpret them for signs of illness in minutes rather than the longer wait times required by sending the samples through the mail.
In a statement, CEO Kevin Wilson said the acquisition adds to the company’s stated goal of doubling its product line and customer base through 2023.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but details will likely emerge in a future earnings report.
L3 announces first class of prospective local leaders
Leveraging Local Leaders, a leadership training program in Northern Colorado, has formed its first class of participants.
L3, a nonprofit formed by Leah Johnson and Tom Lucero, is working in collaboration with BizWest to help develop the next generation of elected leaders for county and city governments. It is a nonpartisan effort striving to elevate civil discourse and pragmatic solutions to Northern Colorado issues.
“It is great to see that there are people in Northern Colorado who want to take on the challenge of running for local office and do it in a way that can elevate the conversation to ensure a bright economic and balanced future for our region,” Lucero said in a written statement.
The 2021 inaugural class members are:
• Morgen Harrington, Loveland.
• Solitare Svoboda, Loveland.
• Vi Wickam, Loveland.
• Gavin Kaszynski, Fort Collins.
• Nicole Watkins, Greeley.
• Kathi Wright, Loveland.
The class consists of campaign elements to help participants learn how to get elected to local offices, as well as knowledge about impacts of policy on local government.
“We are all going to have to do better to see that while we might not always agree, there is a space where we can find common ground and good solutions for our communities,” Johnson said.
Rocket maker Ursa Major Technologies raises $15M
Berthoud-based Ursa Major Technologies, a maker of rockets and propulsion for small satellites, has raised just more than $15 million in its latest round of funding.
In filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company disclosed that it raised the money from nine investors in a round that closed Tuesday. Just more than $4 million of those proceeds is from stock issued by a convertible option.
Ursa Major develops rocket engines for commercial microsatellites and nanosatellites weighing 100 kilograms or less. The company has raised a little over $33.33 million in prior rounds, according to SEC records.
The company did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Otter Products moves into video game cases
Otter Products, the Fort Collins-based maker of Otterbox cellphone cases and accessories, last week unveiled a new line of accessories for the Xbox console, the firm’s first entry into the video game market.
The new accessories include a clip that attaches a smartphone to an Xbox controller, a protective controller shell, a game carrying case, a console protection case and a display privacy screen guard.
“Gaming is one of the unique spaces where everyone has the opportunity to compete and connect, especially as we are physically distanced. This connection is enhanced with advances in cloud gaming and fast 5G networks,” Otter Products CEO Jim Parke said in a written statement.
“OtterBox is the best in the world at providing trusted mobile accessories, and we’re better positioned than anyone to deliver a premium gaming experience,” he said. “This portfolio and our accessories designed for Xbox marks a major entry into the gaming market for us.”
The new line will be available online and at retailers starting Jan. 25, according to an Otter news release.
People
• Lightning eMotors of Loveland, maker of electric powertrains for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, has named Teresa Covington as its new chief financial officer as it prepares to go public this year. Covington most recently was CFO of AsTech, an automotive diagnostics company in Dallas. Before that, she was vice president of finance and CFO of AeroVironment, a maker of drones and a large supplier to the Department of Defense. The company said Covington will head up Lightning’s financial operations and investor relations teams.
• Industrial-controls manufacturer Woodward Inc. of Fort Collins has hired Roger Ross as its new president for its aero systems division. Ross most recently was a president at Arizona-based plane maintenance company StandardAero Aviation Holdings, a segment president at Esterline Technologies in Washington state and spent almost 21 years with aerospace conglomerate United Technologies Corp. The company said he will lead the company’s actuation and components business starting this week.
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