Two Pittsburgh-area startups secured investment dollars this week -- Logical Therapeutics Inc. and Cohera Medical Inc. -- with more deal closings expected in the coming months, insiders say.

Meanwhile, a string of Pittsburgh-area tech firms reportedly are courting or being courted by investors -- both in-town and elsewhere. The firms include Downtown-based mSpoke, led by Dave Mawhinney; and Netronome, the Pine-based venture created by a group of former Fore Systems and Marconi executives and headed by Niels Viljoen.

Some life sciences firms also are on the fund-raising trail, including Renal Solutions, the Marshall-based medical device firm that raised $16.5 million from investors last year, and Rich Ekstrom's Oakland-based ProteoPure and Phil Yeske's Fluorous Technologies Inc.

Leading this week's investment windfall was Cohera Medical Inc., a North Side-based University of Pittsburgh spin-out that is developing a biodegradeable surgical adhesive known as "TissuGlu." The firm, led by Patrick Daly, landed $6.79 million from a group of private "angel" investors -- half of whom are in Pittsburgh with the others hailing from states as far ranging as Wyoming, Florida and Connecticut.

These "angels" were convened in part by local investor Mel Pirchesky, the chief of private equity firm Eagle Ventures, who said that he had some discussions with venture capital firms, but that "we didn't pursue them -- all of my investors have been angels and that's who we went with."

The investment will allow Cohera to expand its office and lab space and prepare TissuGlu for clinical tests on humans that Mr. Daly said should begin by next summer. He hopes to add to his team a fifth person likely with regulatory experience by the beginning of the year. "Our product eliminates the need for post-surgical drains," he said, for procedures such as tummy-tucks. "Fifteen to 52 percent of patients that have post-surgical drains have complications. The market for [addressing that problem] is north of $600 million." Mr. Daly added.

The Cohera investment means that the 26 local companies linked to the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse collectively have raised more than $93 million from venture capitalists and private investors -- known as "follow-on funding," to those in the startup world.

That's money on top of the more than $3.4 million the Greenhouse has invested since its 2002 launch in those 26 companies, according to Chief Executive Officer Doros Platika.

"We hope to make three more funding announcements next week," he said.

The Greenhouse by the way, is said to be closing in on a new chief operating officer to replace David Palmer, who departed last month to head North Side-based startup ClearCount Technologies.

Another Greenhouse firm, PinMed Inc., was cleared this week by the Food and Drug Administration to market its specialized line of wireless electrocardiographs and accessories. PinMed's ECG machine is smaller than a cell phone and transfers the patient's cardiovascular data in real time to a smart phone, computer or personal digital assistant making an "immediate impact on a physicians ability to diagnose disease," Dr. Platika said.

Randy Eager stepped aside this week to allow industry veteran Edward Pupa to take the helm at Strip District-based software firm Design Advance Systems Inc.

That's nearly three years after Mr. Eager co-founded Design Advance and steered the firm through the risky ups and downs of an upstart tech firm. Mr. Eager, who will remain with Design Advance as a shareholder, board member and adviser, is tweaking the company's software product and market focus, securing investors and landing the first customers and international distributors for its maiden product, CircuitSpace.

Now it's time to hand off the company to someone with deeper roots and understanding of the electronics design automation arena that CircuitSpace is trying to conquer, Mr. Eager said, adding that his background was always a topic of discussion among potential investors. It's a wise move that is not uncommon for young tech firms aiming for a growth spurt, industry watchers have said.

But often, the company has to demonstrate it has legs before luring in a seasoned executive to take things to the next level, Mr. Eager said.

"To find a real industry stud you've got to pay all these dues," Mr. Eager said. "I think we've done a good job of that."

Robotics technology firm Applied Perception Inc. is not in fundraising mode -- since chief Todd Jochem and his Cranberry-based team landed $1.25 million for the second phase of their contract with the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency to develop robotics technologies to be used in unmanned ground military vehicles.

The Sept. 15 deadline for applying to the state's $25 million Keystone Innovation Zone Tax Credit program is approaching. Since the KIZ was designated by the state on Sept. 24, 2004, all firms applying this year will use the difference in gross revenues from all of 2005 to a three month base year (Sept. 23, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2004.)

This is the first year that local firms can apply to trade Pennsylvania tax credits of up to $100,000. A KIZ company is defined as a firm located in the zone, less than 8-years-old and within the KIZ's targeted industries, which include life sciences, information technology, robotics, speciality chemicals and newer technologies including nanotechnology and micro-electromechanical systems.

If you're not sure you're within the KIZ's boundaries, firms located at the Southside Works, Pittsburgh Technology Center, central Oakland, Craig Street corridor to Bloomfield, the Baum-Center Streets corridor to Highland Avenue, UPARC in Harmarville and Lawrenceville from Butler Street to the river between 40th and 51st streets fall within the confines. Visit the map at www.universitypartnership.com under the Greater Oakland KIZ section.

A select group of government officials, community, civic and business leaders have been invited to get a glimpse of the regional tech-based economic development strategy being hammered out by the Greater Oakland Keystone Innovation Zone. The Sept. 8 event is an invitation-only gathering hosted by the University of Pittsburgh's Institute of Politics and its economic development committee co-chairs, Allen Kukovich, director of Gov. Ed Rendell's Southwest Regional Office, and William P. Getty, who heds the Benedum Foundation. Institute Director Terry Miller said the off-the-record sessions create "a natural venue for folks to come together to gather information."

Matt Harbaugh was named chief investment officer at Innovation Works this week, taking over for Michael Morneault, who was recruited by San Francisco-based startup H5.

For five years, Mr. Harbaugh has remained behind-the-scenes helping local startups connect with private investors and venture capital firms, both in town and around the country.

He's also been a diligent numbers cruncher, who has long been the point-guy for keeping close tabs on what Pittsburgh tech firms have raised money and how much they've reeled in. Beyond that, Mr. Harbaugh puts those figures into context, creating a picture of how Pittsburgh's tech industry fits into and measures up against the national landscape.

Another behind-the-scenes guy, Paul Cohn, has left town after being named regional director for the Ohio Capital Fund at Buckeye Venture Partners -- a joint venture of the Cincinnati-based Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. and Peppertree Partners LLC in Cleveland. Mr. Cohn helped facilitate investment deals for local firms, including HardBikes.