Building Companies, Changing Lives


Issue 39- February 2016

IRIS Awarded 2015 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for
New Product Innovation
 

Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS) received the 2015 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation for advancement in diabetic retinopathy technology. Based in Pensacola with technology developed at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, IRIS’ systems were developed by retina specialty physicians to more efficiently diagnose the early stages of preventable eye disease, giving patients and physicians unprecedented access to drive quality outcomes and reduce the cost of care. Frost & Sullivan recognized IRIS for broadening exam access via seamless cloud-based technology, and enabling more physicians to identify patients at risk of blindness.



Florida Institute Closes Record Number of Funding Transactions in
First Half of New Fiscal Year
 

The Institute recently celebrated an important milestone as it successfully completed its 72nd financing transaction, with 15 of those closing between July and December, 2015, the most transactions closed in a six-month period since the program launched in 2011. Since that time, the Institute has funded 48 companies that, through June 2015, had an overall economic impact in the state of $379 million.
According to Bob White, (pictured above), an emerging companies and technology attorney at Gunster, which acted as counsel to the Institute in all of these transactions, “this is a great achievement for the Institute, and the availability of these funds has been vital in fostering economic development and innovation in Florida by getting much-needed capital to exciting new companies that are commercializing technologies developed at Florida’s research universities and institutes. The Institute is filling key funding gaps for these companies, and we are pleased to have supported this important activity.”



Enterprise Florida Holds Board and Stakeholder Meetings
 

Enterprise Florida held their 2016 Board and Stakeholder Meetings in Tallahassee on January 28-29, where a series of discussions took place on Florida’s explosive job growth and competitive business climate, as well as recent company successes and legislative priorities. The organization announced the launch of the new Florida: The Future is Here marketing campaign, which has been well-received both locally and nationally. The Enterprise Florida Board is chaired by Florida Gov. Rick Scott and is comprised of top business, economic development and government leaders. Institute Chief Operating Officer, Jane Teague (pictured above with Gov. Scott at the meeting reception), attended on behalf of the Institute.


Five New Members Join the Institute’s Investor Advisory Board
 

The Institute is pleased to welcome 5 new members to its Investor Advisory Board, bringing the total number of members to 31. The new members include: Ramsay Battin - Eastside Partners; Mitchel Laskey - FAN Fund;Gabriela Perez- NextGen Venture Partners; Patrick Dunnigan - River Cities Capital Fund; and Chris Cogan- Seven Holdings. The Investor Advisory Board is comprised of distinguished investment experts from Florida and across the country who review companies for funding consideration through the Institute’s Florida Technology Seed Capital Fund, and advise entrepreneurs on matters relating to fundraising and business development.



Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development Holds 2016 Capacity Building Conference
 

The Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD)​ will be hosting the 2016 Capacity Building Conference on March 4-5, 2016 at the Broward County Convention Center. The Capacity Building Conference – themed “Strategic Pathways for Growth” – provides a platform for entrepreneurs, corporations and government entities to participate in engaging and relevant educational and networking events.  
This year’s inaugural conference features a panel on Equity Investment Capital, which will be moderated by Institute COO Jane Teague, and includes esteemed panelists Jonathan Cole, Locke Lord, Orin Levy,  New World Angels, and Brian Brakeen, Kairos, a company funded by the Institute. The session will focus on raising equity financing as a way to fund your startup, how to align your business goals and objectives with those of potential investors, and the pros and cons of each method depending on your stage and type of business. It will also include an overview of recent developments on crowdfunding as a way to finance your startup. More details and event registration may be viewed here.


Don’t Miss These Two Great Opportunities in Miami
 

The Miami Herald is actively engaged in community service projects, with two important events coming up soon: Miami Herald Business Plan Bootcamp: Get advice from investors Melissa Krinzman and Mark Kingdon about evaluating and testing your startup concept, raising capital and preparing your startup for growth, and hear from entrepreneurs like you who have been there-done that, March 7, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., Miami Dade College. The event is free to attend, and more details and event registration maybe be found here
Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge: Enter your idea or young business in our contest by March 28 (Community and FIU Tracks) or April 4 (High School Track) and have it evaluated by an expert panel of judges for a chance to win publicity for your business and valuable opportunities for education, mentorship and connections. Contest rules and more information may be foundhere.



Register Today for UF Celebration of Innovation
 

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. This year’s conference is offering a panel discussion, Making a Difference: The Cycle of Innovation from Lab to Market, featuring special guests telling the story of one invention's journey from idea to product. More details and event registration may be viewed here.



Save the Date for Moffitt’s Annual Business of Biotech 2016
 

Join the Moffitt Cancer Center Office of Technology Management and Commercialization on Friday, March 18, 2016 at the Moffitt Cancer Center for the 10th Annual Business of Biotech Conference. The conference brings together biomedical companies, startups, entrepreneurs, and investors for networking and partnership discussions. This year’s keynote address will be presented by Arie Belldegrun, M.D. President, CEO and Founder of Kite Pharma and Sam Donaldson former ABC news correspondent and member of the Moffitt Board of Advisors. More details and event registration may be viewed here.



Save the Date for BioNetwork East 2016
 

Join the BioNetwork Partnering Summit for BioNetwork East 2016 on May 2-4, 2016 at the Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, FL. Launched in 2003, the BioNetwork is a platform for business development executives across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space to come together in an intimate setting and develop relationships that lead to strategic partnership. BioNetwork East showcases product from business services, environment and waste management, plant, machinery and equipment, research and development industries. More details and event registration may be viewed here.


About Us 
Formed by the Florida Legislature in 2007, the Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research is a non-profit organization that works collaboratively with the technology licensing and commercialization offices of Florida’s state universities and private research institutions to leverage a $2B+ research base and form investable companies that create clean jobs in new industries that are driving the global economy. The Institute provides company building services, and seed funding through the Florida Technology Seed Capital Fund, to promising Florida startups. Forty-eight companies have been funded to date, and the Institute’s economic impact through June 30, 2015 was $379 million, a return on investment of 14 times to the State of Florida.