Building Companies, Changing Lives
Issue 34- October 2015
Two Companies Receive Institute Funding
The Institute has finalized a first-round funding agreement with Aviana Molecular Technologies (AMT), an Orlando-based company with technology developed at the University of Central Florida. Aviana is developing a smartphone-enabled platform for first-level point-of-care diagnostics, allowing rapid detection of infections by anyone, anywhere. Additionally, BioFront Technologies producers of diagnostic kits and reagents that detect viral and allergenic proteins for food safety and infectious disease market received follow-on funding from the Institute after achieving significant development milestones since initial funding.
Governor Rick Scott visited the University of Florida’s Innovation Hub to highlight its accomplishments and recognize successful startup companies. Over the last four years the hub has housed nearly 36 startup companies and has helped create over 760 jobs. He awarded students and business leaders in Gainesville and Jacksonville with the Governor’s Young Entrepreneur Award for excelling in the workplace and creating jobs through innovative businesses. Young Entrepreneur Award winners include: Elite Parking Service, Captozyme,RAPiD Genomics, Youth Combine, Eventplicity, and Verigo.
BioFlorida will hold its Annual Conference at the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate, where conference attendees will connect with more than 500 life science professionals from Florida and throughout the country, including scientists, executives, investors, policy makers and service providers. The organization supports the largest and most prestigious life sciences community in the state, and the 2-day conference provides a comprehensive speaker lineup from all sectors of the life sciences including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical devices and bioagriculture. This year’s conference will feature an enhanced BioPitch presentation format where accepted companies will compete behind closed-door sessions, and finalists will present to a panel of judges later in the day. More details about the conference and event registration may be viewed here.
Register Today for the Florida TechXPo 2015
The Florida TechXpo is an exposition of the technology and innovations created by 100 technology and manufacturing companies throughout Florida. This single-day event will take place at Eastern Florida State College Aviation Center, and allows companies with advanced technologies and innovations to display their products and services to other companies looking for resources and suppliers. More details and event registration may be viewed here.
SMTP, a global provider of cloud-based marketing technologies, announced that Rick Carlson will succeed Jonathan Strimling as the company’s Chief Executive Officer and replace him on the board of directors. The transition reflects the company’s focus on driving the growth of Institute-funded SharpSpring, a cloud-based marketing automation provider offering a next-generation solution that rivals the industry’s other platforms in terms of features, functionality and performance. SharpSpring was acquired by SMTP in 2014, continues to maintain offices in Gainesville, and is actively hiring.
Join the Florida Venture Forum for
2015 Emerging Technologies and Business Showcase
TSensors Summits, the world’s leading visionaries in sensor technologies will come together in Central Florida in an effort to accelerate the development of ultra-high volume sensors that will support the vision of “abundance”, mobile health (mHealth) and the Internet of Things (IoT). A division of the MEMS Industry Group®, the TSensors Summit is part of a worldwide initiative to create a roadmap for the production of trillions of sensors to meet critical life sustaining/transforming needs in areas such as healthcare, food, safe water and clean air.
This year’s event will take place at the Florida Hospital Nicholson Center in Celebration, FL. The TSensors Summit’s Central Florida location is made possible thanks to the combined efforts of Enterprise Florida, University of Central Florida, ICAMR, Orlando EDC and Florida High Tech Corridor, with additional support from ROHM, ams, QuickLogic, Tousimis, Qualcomm, PNI Sensor and New Generation M2M Consortium. More details and event registration may be viewed here.
The University of Florida will hold its tenth annual startup showcase, “A Celebration of Innovation” on March 8th at the Hilton University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center. The showcase offers a unique opportunity to see startup companies commercializing the latest life science, medical device, and cutting-edge technologies generated as a result of the more than $700 million research conducted at UF. The University has earned a reputation as a leader in commercializing discoveries that cure diseases, create jobs and make the world a better place. UF consistently ranks among the top universities for startup launches and licensing, and in the past 12 years, the Office of Technology Licensing has launched 157 biomedical and technology startups, generating more than $1 billion in private investment. More details and event registration may be viewed here.
About Us
The Institute delivers company building and funding programs to facilitate new venture and job creation through commercially-viable technologies in major industries that are driving the global economy. In addition to providing company support services, the Institute manages the Seed Capital Accelerator Program launched in 2011, and the Florida Technology Seed Capital Fund launched in 2013. For more information, visit www.florida-institute.com.