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News & Deals

• As Tampa Bay tech firms scramble for talent, boot camp aims to boost supply
  

  At one of Tampa Bay’s largest technology companies, 116 Tech Data Corp. employees report to marketing vice president Angie Beltz. But only seven of them hold technology degrees. Beltz rattles off the history, marketing, communications and psychology degrees that many of her workers possess. It makes for a striking message. There are lots of promising career opportunities in “technology” firms that, unbeknownst to many entering the workforce, do not require engineering or formal technical educations. Continue reading

• Virtual Reality: The here and now and what’s possible
  

  Will 2015 be the year virtual reality technology goes mainstream? Industry experts speaking at The B.I.G. Summit this week in Miami Beach believe the time is right for more widespread adoption, and presented ways immersive experiences are already being used in industries such as automobile manufacturing, healthcare, sports and entertainment, retail and education. Continue reading

• Venture Capitalist Invested $863 Million in Florida Businesses in 2014 Twice the Amount Invested in 2013 & The Best Overall Performance in 10 Years
  

  Venture capital investments in Florida companies reached $863 million in 45 deals during 2014, twice the amount invested in 2013. Other than the 1999 – 2001 “dot-com” bubble, 2014 venture capital investments were at the highest level since 1995, according to the MoneyTreeTM Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), based on data from Thomson Reuters. Nationwide, venture capitalists invested $48.3 billion in 4,356 deals in 2014, a 61 percent increase over 2013. The top ten Florida venture capital deals in 2014 accounted for $762 million, lead by $592 million invested in Magic Leap Inc., located in Dania Beach. Seven of the top investment transactions were located in South Florida, followed by two in Orlando and one in Tampa. Continue reading

• How Tampa, Florida metros stack up in venture capital investing
  

  Seven Florida metropolitan areas are among the 160 metros nationwide with companies that received venture capital investments in 2014. With six funding deals totaling $40.65 million last year, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan statistical area ranks No. 58 on the list of investment data by MSA, compiled by the National Venture Capital Association. Continue reading