The Venture Forum has announced the 2009 Greater Richmond Companies to Watch(GRCTW), celebrating innovative early-stage companies with high growth potential in Greater Richmond.

Richmond, VA –- Oct. 30, 2008 – Business and community organizations across metro Richmond joined the Venture Forum and Troutman Sanders to present the 2009 Greater Richmond Companies to Watch (GRCTW). GRCTW spotlights innovative companies with high growth potential that have demonstrated marketplace success.

2009 Greater Richmond Companies to Watch:

· Gallium Technology, LLC - Gallium offers a comprehensive, software-based solution to companies such as FedEx, Ryder and UPS for managing credit and collection processes.

· Live Well Financial, Inc. - Live Well markets reverse mortgages direct to consumers through proprietary, differentiated programs.

· Marz Industries, Inc. - Marz manufactures hydrogen fuel cell based systems that provide air conditioning, heating and electric power for idle or idling long haul trucks.

· MedVirginia - MedVirginia provides electronic health information exchange services for over 300 physicians, 100 medical practices and 500,000 patients.

· Midwest Proteomics - Midwest provides preclinical/diagnostic research companies a faster and less expensive way to identify promising drugs by quickly identifying unanticipated toxic interactions using their proprietary computational platform.

· nHealth, Inc. - nHealth provides an innovative product for small-to-mid-size companies by combining the benefits of Health Savings accounts and catastrophic policies to provide health insurance at lower costs.

· Romp n' Roll - Romp n’ Roll is a rapidly growing franchisor of locations offering classes camps, parties and programs (gym, art music, science, and language) for young children.

· Smash Direct - One of the eBay’s Top 50 resellers, Smash Direct buys and sells pre-owned camera gear and musical instruments online

· Taradel - Taradel is a direct marketing company using technology in new ways to provide design, print and distribution solutions to small businesses without the use of advertising agencies.

· TESLA, Inc. - TESLA enables utilities, energy trading companies and energy transmission companies to save significant expenses by providing electricity, gas and direct heat demand forecasting.

ABOUT THE VENTURE FORUM

The Venture Forum - the intersection of innovation and capitalization in central Virginia - is dedicated to promoting the success of entrepreneurial ventures, and the growth of entrepreneurship in central Virginia, through programs like Greater Richmond Companies to Watch and networking events. Founded in 1986 as the Richmond Venture Capital Club, becoming The Venture Forum in 1998, the Forum is the Richmond area’s premier business organization dedicated to the success of Greater Richmond’s entrepreneurs and its entrepreneurial environment. The Venture Forum – growth starts here.