Publisher: Gulf Coast Business Review
Date: August 22, 2012

Not since 2009 has Florida cracked the top 10 list of states for venture capital investment, so the $95 million that found its way to Florida companies in the second quarter was welcome news.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater cheered the news in a recent email newsletter, and justifiably so.

But while a win’s a win, you have to put that amount in perspective. In the second quarter, for example, California companies attracted $4.1 billion in venture-capital money, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ Money Tree Report. Read more here.

Author: Jean Gruss
Publisher: Gulf Coast Business Review
Date: February 10, 2012

The Florida Venture Forum’s annual conference in Naples in 2009 wasn’t exactly a celebration of private enterprise.

The star of that event was a state-sponsored investment fund. The financial markets had come to a stop after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in late 2008 and entrepreneurs were eager to tap into government funds to grow their business, the only source of money available.

So it’s fair to say that the mood at the Florida Venture Forum’s 2012 affair recently in the same venue was more about tapping private capital than government coffers. “There’s a plethora of capital looking for deals,” says Glenn Oken, managing director of Mangrove Equity Partners in Tampa.  Read more here.

Publisher: Gulf Coast Business Review
Date: January 5, 2012

Clare Controls Inc. says it will hire 62 employees over the next four years to support its new operations in Manatee County, with 39 of those hires taking place in 2012.

Clare Controls is a startup company that provides automation systems for consumers with custom audio/video setups in their homes. It also offers ClareVision, a video surveillance service.

In addition to the hirings, the company is renovating its 20,000-square-foot headquarters, located at 7519 Pennsylvania Ave., in South Manatee County, a statement explains.

Manatee County commissioners have combined with state officials to provide Clare with nearly $600,000 in financial support for these efforts. The county and the state have each approved $248,000 in performance-based incentives for Clare; Manatee will waive $7,797 in impact fees; and the state’s Quick Response Training program approved a $93,000 grant, for a total of $596,797 in funds.  Read more here.

Publisher: Gulf Coast Business Review
Date: October 25, 2011

Let’s hope the mood at the Florida venture capital conference early next year is better than the last time the same group of investors gathered in Naples.

You’ll recall that the last time Naples hosted the statewide venture capital confab was in early 2009, just months after the implosion of Lehman Brothers. The long faces and depressing panel discussions told the story of the financial crisis in full bloom.

The forum, which is scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Naples Grande hotel, will showcase about 25 privately held growing companies that are seeking investors. A good sign: In 2011, the forum had 800 attendees, including 200 from venture-capital firms from around the world.  Read more here.