Florida is home to 12 of America’'s Most Admired Companies - all of which ranked among the top 5 in their respective industry group categories. These annual rankings are determined by a survey of industry peers and are based on qualities such as innovation, social responsibility, financial soundness, quality of products/service, and use of corporate assets. (Fortune Magazine, March 2008)

Florida is 4th in the nation, with 22 and 263 of the fastest growing privately-held companies, respectively, on this year's Inc. 500/5000 rankings. (Inc. Magazine, August 2008)

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In South Florida, researchers are already working to harness the power of one of the ocean's most energy-dense currents -- the Gulf Stream. The Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology is only a little more than a year old, but it's in a great location. It's just off the beach and, as director Rick Driscoll points out on a map, it is just 15 miles from the Gulf Stream.

Driscoll says that by investing in ocean energy technology, Florida will do more than just fill its power needs. It will create jobs and make the state a leader in an emerging industry. Driscoll says that by investing in ocean energy technology, Florida will do more than just fill its power needs. It will create jobs and make the state a leader in an emerging industry.

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Video originally aired on Eco- Tech and is property of the Science Channel.

Half the automotive fuel in the United States could be replaced with ethanol from renewable agricultural and forest waste, says a University of Florida researcher who has developed a biotechnology "bug" that converts biomass such as sugarcane residues, rice hulls, forestry and wood wastes and other organic materials into ethanol

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Video originally aired on Eco- Tech and is property of the Science Channel.

Florida is among the top 5 states for best tax climates for business. Florida has remained among the top 5 U.S. states since the survey’s inception. (The Tax Foundation, Oct '08)

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The University of South Florida's graduate entrepreneurship program was ranked the 5th best program in the country in the 2008 ranking from The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine. USF is also the youngest program to be included in the 2008 ranking.

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Florida has the 2nd highest number (tied with Washington) of leading metropolitan areas on the Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best Performing Cities 2008 - 200 Largest Metros Index. Florida consistently ranks among the top states in this annual report which measures economic growth, job creation, and technology growth. (Milken Institute, September 2008)

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The University of Central Florida is among the top 10 research universities in the nation, according to the 2008 University Patent Scorecard published by Intellectual Property Today. The Patent Scorecard ranks technology innovations gained from patents. UCF jumped from 21st to eighth to surpass Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin in the top 10. UCF also ranked third in the industry impact category, which measures the role a university’s patents play in serving as a foundation for other patents and technologies. (Intellectual Property Today, Sep 2008)

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