KALAMAZOO – Grand Rapids-based Grand Angels, one of the state’s most active angel investor groups, has launched an affiliate group in Kalamazoo known as the Ka-zoo Angels.

Tim Parker, Grand Angels president, said the Kalamazoo affiliate will increase deal flow and strengthen ties to Western Michigan University.

“To date, we have 10 members, and membership will continue to grow in the coming weeks,” Parker said.

The members “bring expertise in the areas of finance, banking, manufacturing, life sciences, medical, software, consumer products, food and other industries.”

Parker said his group had taken an increased interest in the Kalamazoo area and has made investments in two companies there: $200,000 in Armune BioScience Inc., which makes tests to detect prostate cancer; and Micro-LAM Technologies, which has developed laser-assisted machining for manufacturing.

The angels directly invested $550,000 in Micro-LAM and syndicated the deal to outside investors, bringing in an additional $1.6 million.

As part of the investment in Micro-LAM in March, the company moved from Battle Creek to Kalamazoo.