Building Companies, Changing Lives
Issue 51 - February 2017
BlinkBio Receives Institute Funding
The Institute has finalized a first-round funding agreement with BlinkBio, a Jupiter-based company with technology developed at The Scripps Research Institute. BlinkBio is a biotechnology company formed to exploit Bioorthogonal Linker (BLink) chemistries through its Tunable Drug Conjugates (TDCs) platform for the treatment of oncology and other diseases. The company has assembled a proprietary suite of assets for the development of TDCs that use a differentiated rapid payload release/rapid systemic clearance approach intended to drive high payload concentrations within tumor cells while minimizing toxicities to patients, resulting in improved treatment outcomes for patients worldwide.
Register today for the SUP – X: The Start-Up Expo
SUP-X is a two-day international conference and expo that attracts 1500+ startup and early-stage entrepreneurs, angel and VC investors, and related service providers from throughout North America. This year’s conference is being held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale-Broward County Convention Center on March 6-7, 2017. Get 50% off General Admission Tickets with discount code: SUPX17GA99 or get 25% off VIP Passes with discount code SUPX17VIP299. More details and event registration may be viewed here.
Two Institute Companies Featured in
Florida High Tech Magazine
Two Gainesville-based companies, Verigo and Entrinsic Health, were recently featured in the Florida High Tech Magazine, the region’s in-depth guide to the high tech community with features on university research, impacts of entrepreneurial activity, and the ongoing feature, Faces of Technology, that highlights professionals who are driving advancements in a variety of industries. Entrinsic Health was highlighted for their medical food Enterade, that provides select amino acids and electrolytes that help to manage gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction resulting from the treatment of cancer. Enterade works by rebuilding and protecting the GI tract and delivering total body hydration. Adam Kinsey, the CEO of Verigo, was featured in the Faces of Technology section for his leadership in reducing food spoilage and other supply chain casualties which cause an estimated $10 billion of food waste in North America. Verigo provides monitoring and tracking solutions to improve operations and reduce waste for businesses that rely on perishable supply chains.
Microsoft Honors IRIS for Innovation
Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS) was selected as one of the winners of this year’s Microsoft Health Innovation Award. The Microsoft Health Innovation Awards are presented annually to the healthcare or life sciences organization and technology solution partners that best demonstrate industry leadership in using technology to achieve innovation excellence.
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. The company provides the only retinal telemedicine assessment service cleared by the FDA, and has examined more than 100,000 patients with diabetes, diagnosing roughly ten percent with immediate, sight-threatening disease.
Intecrowd Acquires HCM Partners
Orlando-based Intecrowd, a Workday Services Partner focused solely on helping Workday Human Capital Management (HCM) customers integrate with third-party payroll solutions, has acquired HCM Partners to help grow their Application Managed Services (AMS) business. The acquisition brings Intecrowd several important customers and strong leadership while expanding Intecrowd’s capabilities and capacity at a critical time in the company’s growth.
Vigilant Biosciences Featured in Fort Lauderdale Magazine
Fort Lauderdale-based Vigilant Biosciences was featured in Fort Lauderdale Magazine for becoming an international leader in oral cancer prevention. Led by CEO Matthew Kim, Vigilant Biosciences is an innovator and developer of solutions that aid in the early detection and intervention of cancer. Their point-of-care and lab-based solutions are simple, accurate and cost-effective – empowering healthcare practitioners to improve potential outcomes through earlier intervention.
Space Coast High Tech Incubator and
Coworking Space to Open
Groundswell Startups will host its grand opening on March 24, 2017 in Melbourne. An 11,300 SF indoor skate park has been converted into a high-tech incubator and riverfront coworking space. The graffiti-laden space now represents one of the largest privately-owned, nonprofit incubators. Groundswell's 24/7 access facility will host top industry-experts offering mentorship in sales and marketing, as well as some of the top cybersecurity experts in the United States. Registration for the grand opening and more details may be viewed here.
Save the Date for the University of Florida
“A Celebration Innovation Startup Showcase”
This year the University of Florida (UF) will hold its eleventh annual startup showcase, “A Celebration of Innovation” on April 4, 2017 at the Hilton University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center. The showcase is 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 in research conducted annually at UF. Those interested in licensing, commercializing, investing or otherwise becoming involved with getting new discoveries to the marketplace will want to mark their calendars to attend. More details and event registration may be viewed here.
Save the Date for Innovation Awards 2017
Join Innovation Coast and the Office of Economic Development and Engagement (OEDE) at the University of West Florida for the Innovation Awards being held on April 12-13, 2017 at the Pensacola Beach Hilton. Registration is now open for companies willing to compete. Selected companies will compete for cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 before a live audience of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and potential investors. 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 $2.5B+ 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. Sixty-three companies have been funded to date, and the Institute’s economic impact through June 30, 2016 was $630 million, with an annual return on investment of 22 times to the State of Florida.