Florida: News

The Department of Health and Human Services today presented awards to 20 Florida hospitals for their success in increasing the number of organs available for transplantation. (Read more)

Since treating its first patient on Aug. 14, 2006, the Southeast's only proton therapy center has delivered more than 73,000 treatments to more than 2,200 patients, making the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute at Shands Jacksonville tenth worldwide in the number of patients treated. (Read more)

Florida Hospital, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, have signed a research agreement to form a collaboration to discover and evaluate new therapeutic approaches to obesity, a growing worldwide health problem. (Read more)

Savtira Corporation is bringing 65 new jobs to the historic Ybor City district of Tampa Bay, Florida. Savtira, a new provider of outsourced e-commerce solutions, will be moving into its new 8,000 square foot Ybor City headquarters in early 2011. (Read more)

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council recognized Florida among the top states for small business and entrepreneurship. The rankings measure the costs and burdens of government on small business, and policy areas that enable their competitiveness and growth. (Read more)

Gainesville GTEC graduate Sinmat, Inc. was one of only nine research projects to win funding from the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology for innovative manufacturing technologies in fields ranging from biopharmaceuticals and electronics to renewable energy sources and energy storage. (Read more)

CNNMoney.com ranks Miami among the nation's top "8 cities that want your business" and praises The Launch Pad for working to turn the region's economy around. (Read more)

Florida Hospital - Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes recently broke ground on its state-of-the-art, 54,000 square-foot translational research facility. (Read more)

Sybac Solar, a German subsidiary based in Lakeland, is building the largest privately owned solar array in the state in Gainesville. When complete, 8,600 photovoltaic panels will supply 2 megawatts of power - enough to power 200 to 300 homes. (Read more)

A game created in partnership between the Orlando Science Center and the University of Central Florida's Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy took first place in the student game category of the 2010 Serious Games Showcase & Challenge competition. (Read more)

BRS Aerospace, a company that manufactures parachutes, has opened a factory in Pompano Beach and is hiring at least 450 workers. (Read more)

Resource One Inc., which manufactures and distributes environmentally friendly cleaning products, plans to relocate from Largo, FL to Sarasota County and add a total of 36 positions over five years.

Florida ranks 7th in the nation for number of doctorate degrees awarded, and two Florida schools ranks among the top 50 in the U.S. (UF ranks 10th, FSU ranks 47th).

Intelligent Software Solutions (ISS), a global leader in geo-temporal application development, is opening a new office in Tampa, Fla., to support and expand its ongoing work with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). (Read more)

BusinessWeek has ranked Miami-Fort Lauderdale & Tampa-St. Petersburg among America's Top 25 Top High-Tech Cities. (Read more)

Aircraft maintenance company Midair USA Inc. has decided to expand their operations at Melbourne International Airport, building a $28 million facility and creating up to 450 new jobs. (Read more)

Florida ranks 7th in the nation for number of doctorate degrees awarded, and two Florida schools ranks among the top 50 in the U.S. (UF ranks 10th, FSU ranks 47th). (Read more)

Oak Hill Hospital to undergo $50 million, 100,000-square-foot expansion that will add eight operating rooms, 36 private rooms and 18 beds to the post-anesthesia care unit. The expansion is expected to result in 600 construction jobs and 70 hospital staff positions for Hernando County. (Read more)

WellCare Health Plans, Inc., a leading provider of managed care services for government-sponsored health care programs, and The Results Companies, a leading customer contact solutions provider, partner to bring 200 new jobs to a new Central Florida call center that will assist Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. (Read more)

Orlando was 1 of only 7 U.S. cities recognized for utilizing the strengths of existing business as well as government and academia, to become a hotbed for the biotech, IT, renewable energy technologies, aerospace/defense, digital media, and a host of other high-tech endeavors. (Read more)

A private-sector spaceship blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday and flew a stunningly successful maiden mission, opening up a new era of commercial space travel. (Read more)

A small Clermont startup company that launched a doctor-friendly electronic medical records program has been purchased by an Indian high-tech firm with plans to open a health-care division in downtown Orlando. (Read more)

Sypris Electronics, LLC, is developing an International Cyber Range for use by the U.S. and its partners to conduct realistic assessments of cyber warfare scenarios in a representative network environment with the objective of accelerating revolutionary advances in cyber security and cyber warfare initiatives. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.

December 2010 Highlights:

• Florida Bioscience Companies Win $22.6M
• Florida Ranks Among the Top 5 States for Business
• Florida's Aviation/Aerospace Cluster Adds 425 New Jobs
• Free Download: Advanced Biofuels White Paper

Read Full Newsletter

PGT Industries will transfer its Salisbury, NC operations to Venice, FL, consolidating the company's window and door production at its Florida plant and bringing approximately 300 new positions to Sarasota County in 2011. The company plans to add 400 new positions in North Venice over the next five years. (Read more)

HealthGrades has ranked Tampa General Hospital and Shands Hospital at the University of Florida among the nation’s Top Hospital Organ Transplant Centers. (Read more)

Interline Brands Inc. has hired 70 people to work at its new, 275,000-square-foot distribution center at Westside Industrial Park. (Read more)

Three diverse businesses relocating to Sarasota County plan to add 147 new jobs over the next three to five years. (Read more)

Telecom Service Center in Rockledge, an inbound-call center, is adding 100 workers to its existing workforce of 400. (Read more)

Youtorial beat more than 450 teams to earn a founding spot in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's first ever Kauffman Labs program. (Read more)

University of Florida officials today unveiled plans for Innovation Square, a large-scale development capitalizing on university research. The 10-plus-year project is described as "a game-changer" for the entire community. (Read more)

Pharmaceutical manufacturer CoreRx will soon add 55 high-wage jobs in Pinellas County. (Read more)

Algenol will build a 36-acre facility to demonstrate its Direct To Ethanol technology, which produces ethanol directly from carbon dioxide using blue-green algae. (Read more)

Flightstar Aircraft Services Inc. said it plans to hire 200 people over the next six months due to increased business repairing aircraft and converting passenger jets into cargo planes. (Read more)

Each of Florida's 11 universities won funding in the final phase of the New Florida Initiative. The program as a multi-year endeavor that will ensure Florida's "innovation economy" is knowledge-based - sustained by high-technology, high-wage jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. (Read more)

Senture, LLC has announced an expansion of their Ocala customer service center that will create 101 new jobs. The firm secured a major contract with a Fortune 500 health insurance company to provide customer support and service for their Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans. (Read more)

Alorica Inc., a customer support call center company, plans to add 250 employees to Lee County operations in the next three years. (Read more)

Ford has announced that Orlando is one of nineteen national launch markets for an electric version of the new 2012 Focus, starting in late 2011. (Read more)

Florida scored high in several categories of the Kauffman Foundation's 2010 New Economy States rankings. The state ranked 4th in Entrepreneurial Activity, 5th in Economic Dynamism, 7th in Export Focus of Manufacturing & Services, and 10th in Inventor Patents. (Read more)

Modernizing Medicine Inc., a software provider that delivers the next generation of healthcare IT solutions, is opening its corporate headquarters in Boynton Beach, and Florida Flavors and Concentrates, Inc., Brazil's second largest beverage company, is opening a manufacturing plant in Riviera Beach. (Read more)

Sanswire Corp, a developer of lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles and related technologies, is bringing its corporate headquarters to a facility located on the grounds of the John F. Kennedy Space Center. (Read more)

Florida's Business Climate was ranked 6th in the nation in Site Selection's annual survey of real estate consultants. (Read more)

Veterans will soon have expanded healthcare options, as the VA builds a $35 million, two-story, 135,000-square-foot facility near Shands Jacksonville. (Read more)

Tampa General & USF unveiled their new $35 million collaborative neonatal intensive care unit. The Jennifer Leigh Muma Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, affiliated with the USF College of Medicine, will bring research and neonatal care together. (Read more)

STS Component Solutions, a division of STS Aviation Group headquartered in Jensen Beach, is in the process of adding 16 new jobs, and has expanded its warehouse and office space in Palm City to accommodate the business for anticipated future growth. (Read more)

SRA International Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in homeland security-related areas,opened a new regional office in Tampa and plans to hire between 60 and 80 new employees. (Read more)

AAR has selected Melbourne, Fla. as the new location for its airlift services and specialized aircraft modifications businesses. (Read more)

The University of Central Florida has become the second-largest university in the nation in student enrollment, surpassing Ohio State. The university's growth is fueled by the longstanding commitment to providing high-quality students access to higher education. (Read more)

Vicor Technologies, a Florida bio-technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative, non-invasive medical diagnostics, has raised $2.7 million. (Read more)

The Tax Foundation has ranked Florida among the nation's Top 5 States for Business. (Read more)

The University of Central Florida has become the second-largest university in the nation in student enrollment, surpassing Ohio State. The university's growth is fueled by the longstanding commitment to providing high-quality students access to higher education. (Read more)

Edison State College will soon open its state-of-the-art nursing and medical facility. The 57,722 sq. ft. facility will expose students to situations and technology they'll see in the workplace. (Read more)

Gainesville Regional Utilities earned the prestigious 2010 Energy Star CHP Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its reliable, eco-friendly, energy-efficient and cost-effective South Energy Center. (Read more)

BioFlorida helped 77 Florida firms win more than $26 million in federal tax credits or grants under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program for research and development of new products or therapeutics with promise to significantly advance healthcare in the country. (Read more)

Ft. Lauderdale's Next One Interactive has signed an equity purchase agreement for up to $15 million. Next One delivers targeted content via digital platforms, including Satellite, Cable,Broadcast, Broadband, and Mobile. (Read more)

Boca Raton-based FriendFinder Networks Inc., one of the world's leading internet-based social networking companies, completes more than $551.2 million in financing. (Read more)

Palmetto-based Dynamic Innovations, a defense-based engineering and manufacturing company, is expanding & creating 100 new FL jobs. (Read more)

Eight Florida companies have been named to Deloitte's Technology Fast 500. This is an annual ranking of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America, based on fiscal year revenue growth from 2005 to 2009. (Read more)

The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Florida has begun construction of its $48.8 million, 100,000 sq. ft., biomedical research facility at the Tradition Center for Innovation in Port St. Lucie. The biotech firm's new three-story campus, which is slated to be finished in 2012, will house scientists working on such infectious disease threats as AIDS and Dengue fever, and will focus more on human clinical trials than its parent campus at Oregon Health & Science University. (Read more)

Florida ranks among the Top 3 States Where People Would Like To Live. Florida ranked third in a Harris Poll that asked "If you could live in any state in the country, except the state you live in now, what state would you choose to live in?" (Read more)

Nopetro, a natural-gas company, opened its headquarters in Tallahassee and announced plans to establish operations throughout Florida Nonpetro plans to build and operate 12 natural-gas stations in Florida that will mainly service large shipping-container trucks and school buses. (Read more)

Florida's fast-growing cleantech cluster celebrates the opening of Algenol Biofuels'$10M state-of-the-art biofuels lab & R&D facility. The 40,000 square-foot facility houses an advanced algae biology, engineering, carbon dioxide (CO2) and green chemistry laboratory. (Read more)

Gulf Power's landfill gas-to-energy facility is now up and running, producing 3,200 kilowatts - enough renewable energy to power more than 900 homes. It's the first renewable energy generation facility owned and operated by Gulf Power, and the first by its parent Southern Company. (Read more)

Sarasota Medical Products, which manufactures medical devices for advanced wound care, infection control and ostomy, plans to add 60 employees over the next five years, and Tervis Tumbler Co., a manufacturer of insulated drinkware, will add 214 jobs over the next three years. (Read more)

Gannett Co., Inc., an international news and information company, is expanding its operations in Lee County. Gannett plans to create a centralized online advertising operations department that will create 35 full-time jobs.

Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation praised the University of Central Florida for being a leader in online learning. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

October 2010 Highlights:

• Clearwire Corporation Announces 500 New Jobs
• North Florida's Largest Solar Facility Opens
• Four FL Cities Rank Among America's Best for College Students
• Free Download:  Florida Economy at a Glance

Read Full Newsletter

CallMiner Inc., the industry leader in enterprise speech analytics announced today it has received a $3 million investment from The Florida Growth Fund LLC. (Read more)

Microsoft has tagged Florida's Lakewood Ranch to become the nation's first fully implemented Microsoft Tag community. Using a new barcode technology, consumers will have instant access to websites, coupons and promotional media via their smart phones. (Read more)

Helpful Technologies Inc., a Fort Lauderdale-based company developing emerging market green energy technologies, has closed an $11.8 million equity raise connected to its acquisition of intellectual property. (Read more)

Bonita Springs-based Tigris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held drug development company, has completed a private placement of $6.5 million. (Read more)

Can nanotechnology produce a dramatically better, faster & cheaper fuel cell? Bing Energy thinks Florida State University researchers have found the answer & has entered a licensing agreement with the university. (Read more)

Florida, California, and Texas are tied for top honors as America's strongest population magnets. Each is the top destination for movers from six other states, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. (Read more)

Florida-based Banyan Biomarkers won a $26.3 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a point-of-care test for diagnosing traumatic brain injury. (Read more)

The world's largest optical telescope will soon become more powerful thanks to University of Florida astronomers. A multinational team led by UF has been awarded $8M to build a major new astronomical instrument. (Read more)

Miami's CareCloud, a provider of web-based on-demand software and services for the healthcare industry, has closed on a $5 million round of investment capital. (Read more)

The Max Planck Florida Institute and Florida Atlantic University team up to launch a new, joint Integrative Biology and Neuroscience graduate program. (Read more)

xG Technology, Inc., a Sarasota-based developer of a broad portfolio of wired and wireless communications technologies, has been awarded a contract to deploy an xMax cognitive cellular network that will provide mobile communications services for the U.S. Army's Fort Bliss Desert Training areas. (Read more)

Natural Prosthetic Dental Lab Inc., a 26-year-old Bradenton company, announced it will expand its facility and hire 283 employees over the next five years to support demand for digitally produced dental restorations. (Read more)

University of Florida officials broke ground on the UF Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona. This $44 million, 100,000-square-foot facility will include the Orlando campus of UF's College of Pharmacy, a clinical research unit from UF's Institute on Aging and another research institute that works to speed the development of drugs. (Read more)

Orlando-based Carley Corp. was awarded a $36 million contract to produce training technologies for the Marine Corps' advanced expeditionary fighting-vehicle program. Carley Corp. will use local subcontractors (including local operations of AEgis Technologies Group Inc., AVT Simulation Inc., Cole Engineering Services Inc. and Metters Industries Inc) to keep the work in Orlando. (Read more)

A massive training curriculum designed by Florida State University researchers to ensure the security of the nation's 350 commercial ports is about to enter the marketplace. A spin-off company, the Educational Development Group LLC, has been formed; through an agreement with the Florida State University Research Foundation, it has begun offering the security training program and its online reporting system to clients on a fee basis. (Read more)

The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute's Cancer Center has been rated "outstanding" by the National Cancer Institute and earned a five-year core grant renewal which provides more than $21 million to support advanced cancer research. (Read more)

Progressive, the fourth largest auto insurance group in the country, has announced plans to fill approximately 240 new positions in sales, service, and claims in Tampa by January 31, 2011. (Read more)

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) and JEA join forces to launch PSEG Jacksonville Solar, northern Florida's largest solar facility. PSEG Jacksonville Solar is a 15-megawatt facility consisting of 200,000 ground mounted solar panels situated on 100 acres. (Read more)

Four Florida schools were leaders in non-S&E research and development spending in FY 2009. University of South Florida (4th), University of Florida (7th), Florida State University (9th), and the University of Central Florida (11th) all earned top rankings. (Read more)

Boca Raton's Watermark Medical Inc., a medical products and services company that has developed a web-based sleep diagnostics product, secures a $6 million equity investment. (Read more)

Sanborn Studios LLC announces the creation of a new film and television production facility in Sarasota County. The company has committed to adding 177 jobs and making an initial capital investment of $30 million over the next 18 months. (Read more)

A Palm Beach Gardens publisher and a new Boca Raton healthcare innovation company are strengthening their corporate presence in Palm Beach County by adding jobs and expanding their headquarters locations. (Read more)

The University of South Florida ranks among the nation's Top 25 Graduate Schools for Entrepreneurs, according to The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. The schools were selected because they have high numbers of experienced faculty, students launching businesses after graduation, and experiences outside of the class room. (Read more)

Florida is home to 15 of the 2010 InformationWeek 500 companies. These rankings recognize business technology teams that have made a demonstrable impact on the way their organizations do business. (Read more)

U.S. Department of Energy selects UCF as one of five projects to build and strengthen "innovation ecosystems" that will accelerate the movement of cutting-edge energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies from university laboratories into the market. (Read more)

The University of South Florida ranks among the nation's Top 25 Graduate Schools for Entrepreneurs, according to The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. The schools were selected because they have high numbers of experienced faculty, students launching businesses after graduation, and experiences outside of the class room. (Read more)

Orlando-based Engineering & Computer Simulations has launched TraumaCon, a mobile medic application, available through U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM). The application was developed as a platform-independent web application and targets mobile platforms such as the iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone, and Android smart phones. (Read more)

Humana Cares, Humana Inc.'s care management division headquartered in St. Petersburg, is now hiring 270 people in preparation for the January 2011 launch of its new program, Humana Cares Chronic Condition Management. (Read more)

Two Florida firms, Tampa's Ultrasonic Technologies and Seminole's FieldMetrics, Inc, were among 33 in the nation to score Dept. of Energy funds to support clean energy technology commercialization projects. (Read more)

Osceola Regional Medical Center has signed an agreement with Sarah Cannon Research Institute, a national clinical research program, to become a cardiovascular clinical research strategic site. (Read more)

Abamis IT Solutions, a small military subcontractor which is part of the University of Central Florida's high-tech business incubator, just landed its first prime contract: a $2 million deal to help develop digital technology for the high-tech-training industry. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

September 2010 Highlights:

• Florida Launches a $36M Clean Energy Investment Fund
• 261 of the Nation's Fastest-Growing Private Companies are in FL 
• Tyndall AFB Lands New F-22 Squadron & 600 Jobs
• Free Market Brief:  Cleantech

Read Full Newsletter

A research center at Daytona Beach International Airport offered the first demonstration of a $50 million project that's being called the future of air-traffic-control technology. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach is running one of the nation's only three locations to test "NextGen," the Federal Aviation Administration program to upgrade air-traffic control from radar to satellite-based technology. (Read more)

PNC Bank has picked Jacksonville for a new mortgage office that will employ around 200 people by early 2011, with the possibility of additional hiring in the future. (Read more)

Gainesville (5th), Miami (13th), Naples (16th), and Orlando (18th) are among America's top college destinations in new report rating the best places to attend college released by the American Institute for Economic Research. The organization's 2010-2011 College Destinations Index ranks cities based on 12 criteria in the categories of academic environment, quality of life and professional opportunity such as earning potential. (Read more)

NetBoss Technologies Inc., a new company that recently acquired an established product line of network management software, will locate its new operations in Indian River County. The company plans to hire 55 to 60 computer technicians, customer support personnel and office staffat an average annual wage of $85,000. (Read more)

The Tampa Bay area scored No. 1 among 27 U.S. markets for wireless call quality, J.D. Power said in a survey released Thursday. The semiannual study measures wireless call quality based on seven areas. (Read more)

CallMiner, a Fort Myers-based company selling speech analytics software, has closed on a $4 million round and plans to use the funds for expansion. CallMiner's clients include Continental Airline, Daimler Financial Services, and Comcast, among others. (Read more)

Stem Cell Assurance Inc.,which sells stem cell colleciton and storage services for personal applications, has closed a $1 million funding agreement. (Read more)

Pinellas County's National Forensic Science Technology Center provides quality services including training, assessment, research and technology assistance to the justice, forensic science and military communities. Now, the non-profit organization is expanding with a for-profit spin-off, the Forensic Innovation Center, which will create 40 new jobs. (Read more)

UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Science is one of the best 100 in the world, according to The Academic Ranking of World Universities. Considered the most influential international ranking system in the world, the ARWU rates a variety of broad fields at research universities. (Read more)

The University of Central Florida ranks 8th in the nation on the Universities Patent Scorecard, which represents universities and university-based laboratories from around the world in patenting their research in all disciplines within the United States. (Read more)

UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Science is one of the best 100 in the world, according to The Academic Ranking of World Universities. Considered the most influential international ranking system in the world, the ARWU rates a variety of broad fields at research universities. (Read more)

Florida's Xhale Inc. has received a $1.8M SBIR Phase II grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the NIH to develop a next generation breath-based ethanol sensor. (Read more)

MH Operations, a manufacturer of commercial, industrial and residential hoses, is moving to Flagler County and expects to create 125 jobs over the next two years. (Read more)

Florida ranks 5th on the 2010 Inc 5,000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies. More than 260 Florida companies that made this year's list. (Read more)

Florida's students, teachers and schools won a great victory today with the announcement of up to $700 million coming to the Sunshine State as a part of the federal Race to the Top competition. Along with New York, Florida received the largest award. (Read more)

Sheet Metal Unlimited, a general fabrication and machine shop, is expanding in Martin County. The company is moving to a 36,000 square foot facility to accommodate future growth, and to create space for the addition of approximately $850,000 in new equipment - a state-of-the-art laser cutter and sand blasting booth. (Read more)

The University of South Florida and Mote Marine Laboratory won a $2 million grant to expand the USF CONNECT program to the Mote Aquaculture Research Park supporting a test-bed and business innovation facility that will build upon Mote's innovative programs in sustainable energy and protein for food production. (Read more)

Florida ranks 5th in the nation for its number of schools that offer degrees in video game design, development, programming and art. (Read more)

Florida companies won 2 of the 5 spots on the 2010 SCORE Client Awards. Naples-based Just Like Home Family Care won the Outstanding Woman-owned Business Award, and Cortez, FL's Translation Link won the Outstanding Small Business Launched by an Individual Aged 50 Award. (Read more)

Rollins College (#1), Stetson University (#3), and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (#10) all earned top spots on U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges 2011, Regional Universities in the South. (Read more)

Eight of Florida's colleges and universities were ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report. University of Miami (#47), Univeristy of Florida (#53), Florida State University (#104), Florida Insitite of Technology (#159), University of Central Florida (#179), and University of South Florida (#183) were all named to the National Universities list, while New College (#99) and Eckerd College (#137) made the National Liberal Arts list. (Read more)

Edward Jones plans to more than double its size in the Tampa Bay area, adding more than 120 financial service branches over the next 10 years. (Read more)

The University of Florida has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory as one of the 15 research and deployment partnerships to participate in a four-year $90 million research project. (Read more)

Clearwire Corporation, already one of Santa Rosa County's largest private employers, unveiled expansion plans to add some 500 new jobs and retrofit a new 37,000-square-foot facility. The 500 jobs are primarily in technical support and account services fields. (Read more)

Tower Cloud Inc., which provides backhaul services to mobile wireless carriers, has raised $25.5 million in equity funding. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

August 2010 Highlights:

• Energy Farm Inc. Announces $300M Photovoltaic Plant
• Florida's Workforce Ranks #1 in the Nation
• Florida's Education System Earns Top Marks
• Free Aviation/Aerospace Whitepaper:  A New World of Unmanned Systems

Read Full Newsletter

TZ Insurance Solutions LLC is coming to Lee County and plans to create at least 125 full-time jobs. The economic impact in the county for this project could be over $10 million. (Read more)

Two emerging biotechnology company with a focus on finding better treatments for cancers are expanding to Palm Beach County and creating new high-tech jobs. (Read more)

Wide World Security Inc. of Bradenton plans to hire up to 100 employees over five years to operate a $35-million headquarters and training center for security and first-responder personnel on 400 acres in eastern Manatee County. (Read more)

The UCF College of Medicine opened its $65 million, 170,000-square foot, state-of-the-art medical education building at Lake Nona, featuring the latest in lab and classroom technology. (Read more)

U.S. Foodservice broke ground today on a $33-million expansion of its Port Orange division's food distribution center. The new facility will have a combined workforce of more than 500. (Read more)

Business Facilities Magazine ranks Panama City, FL ranks #1 in Top 10 Rankings for Metro Economic Growth Potential. Orlando also made the list, ranking #10 in Aerospace/Defense Manufacturing and #10 Most Wired. Tampa/St. Petersburg ranked #9 in Aerospace/Defense Manufacturing. (Read more)

The U.S. Department of Energy has designated the Center for Ocean Energy Technology at Florida Atlantic University as a national center for ocean energy research and development. (Read more)

The FESC Summit at the University of Central Florida (Sept 28-29) will showcase pioneering research, education and outreach programs that focus on Florida's sustainable energy future. (Read more)

A tiny Internet provider based in Myakka City has landed a federal award of nearly $8 million that will enable it to live up to its "Broadband to the Boonies" motto. (Read more)

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded its highest honor, the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, to Dr. Kenneth Ford, CEO and Director of the Pensacola, Florida-based Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. (Read more)

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration has awarded its highest honor, the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, to Dr. Kenneth Ford, CEO and Director of the Pensacola, Florida-based Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. (Read more)

Inuvo, a leading provider of performance-based online marketing services, has selected Orlando, Florida-based Contact Centers of America to provide outbound and inbound call center support for BabytoBee.com, creating 200 new jobs at its Clearwater headquarters. (Read more)

Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC is ramping up operations in its new Manatee County facility with plans to add 125 jobs in the next three years. Mustang manufactures equipment used by solar cell manufacturers, and its expanded production capacity will drive down the cost of solar energy for consumers by incorporating technologies into solar cell production that will reduce costs as well as increase efficiency of the cells. (Read more)

Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County has been chosen to receive 21 F-22 raptors. They are the only base in the country to receive an additional squadron, and this new addition will bring about 600 new jobs to the community. (Read more)

The Florida Opportunity Fund has launched a Clean Energy Investment Program, a fund of $36 million in federal stimulus dollars for state projects that promote adoption of clean energy technology. (Read more)

Florida is home to two of America's Coolest Cities, Orlando (6th) and Miami (9th). To compile the list, market research company Harris Interactive conducted an exclusive poll for Forbes. (Read more)

Fort Lauderdale-based Saveology and its affiliate, SupportSquad, are growing by leaps and bounds. The online marketing and IT support provider has added 175 jobs and expects to add another 50 to 75 employees by the end of the year. (Read more)

Moffitt Cancer Center and Central Florida Health Alliance jointly announce today that they are partnering to provide world-class cancer care closer to home. The partnership will deliver state-of-the-art cancer care in two new facilities to be built on the campuses of Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Health System. (Read more)

JSKaraoke, the parent company of Emerson Karaoke, IXT Systems, and Forever Hits, is expanding in Pinellas County. Collectively, these companies form one of the largest manufacturers, importers and exporters of karaoke equipment and music in the world. (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to announce the expansion of UCT Coatings, Inc. The company is hiring 38 new employees and expanding into a 45,000 square foot space in Sands Commerce Center of 42nd Avenue in Palm City. (Read more)

AirTran Airways unveiled its new state-of-the-art System Operations Control Center and announced plans to open a pilot base in Orlando. The base will initially employ 100 pilots, including a chief pilot. (Read more)

Port Canaveral officials have announced an agreement with a new cargo operations company that eventually will bring in more than a million dollars in annual revenue to the port and possibly upwards of 500 jobs. (Read more)

The University of North Florida's School of Engineering has received a combined $9.4 million in federal contracts from the Army and Department of Energy for a fuel cell research project - the highest-funded project in the school's history. The research has two goals: develop and then commercialize a direct methanol fuel cell power source for two laptops - one for American soldiers, the other for ordinary consumers. (Read more)

Florida hospitals earned top marks in their specialties on U.S. News & World Report's recent rankings of America's Best Hospitals. (Read more)

Siemens Energy is planning to design, install, and operate a pilot plant at the Tampa Electric Big Bend Station to demonstrate POSTCAP technology for capturing carbon gas. The primary goal of this project will be to reduce the large amounts of energy traditionally needed to operate carbon capture technologies. (Read more)

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division has conducted the first successful flight of an Airborne Laser Mine Detection System. This cutting-edge application that revolutionizes the Navy's ability to conduct Airborne Mine Countermeasures was developed by a U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman team. (Read more)

Insurer Universal North America says it will add about 80 jobs in the next year at its U.S. headquarters in Sarasota County. Universal, which is on a pace to collect about $285 million in premiums this year, says it is ready to start the next phase of growth in its U.S. strategy. (Read more)

Clean and Green Enterprises, Inc., a renewable energy company, has established a research and development operation in Melbourne, Florida. Clean and Green Enterprises, Inc. is a clean energy company with proprietary technology for harnessing electricity from ocean waves, and is directly involved in efforts to create jobs in the emerging green economy. (Read more)

Fast-growing, Orlando-headquartered Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS) has announced plans to expand its operations into a larger 23,000 sf facility in downtown Orlando. With this expansion, the company also intends to hire 75 new employees over the next three years, nearly doubling its local employment. (Read more)

Florida has been ranked number one in the nation for its workforce on CNBC's fourth annual America's Top States for Business rankings. The workforce rankings in CNBC's annual study are based on several indicators, including the education level of the workforce, the number of available workers, union membership and the relative success of each state's worker training programs in placing participants in jobs. (Read more)

Florida has been ranked number one in the nation for its workforce on CNBC's fourth annual America's Top States for Business rankings. The workforce rankings in CNBC's annual study are based on several indicators, including the education level of the workforce, the number of available workers, union membership and the relative success of each state's worker training programs in placing participants in jobs. (Read more)

Oldsmar is about to become the headquarters of a medical manufacturing company, which will bring about 100 high-wage jobs to the area. MicroLumen, whose medical tubing products are used in catheters, stents and other devices, is building a 60,000-square-foot facility at the Brooker Creek Corporate Center. (Read more)

Prommis Solutions, LLC, is expanding its current operating footprint to include two new Florida offices-one in Orlando, and the other in Ft. Lauderdale. The company, a leading national provider of processing solutions to the mortgage banking industry, now maintains 16 office locations nationwide. (Read more)

Calhoun County officially opens a new paved runway that will accommodate larger planes and offer a new option for area pilots. (Read more)

Locklin Tech is offering a new program to meet a growing demand for pharmacy technicians and to give students a foot in the door in the health care profession. The 36-week program costs $2,600 for adults and is free for high school students. (Read more)

Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon company, currently has over 450 employees at its Lake Mary facility and has announced plans to add 300 new jobs over the next three years. The company will also add an additional 23, 000 square feet to their existing footprint in Colonial TownPark with an expected capital investment of $4.5 million. (Read more)

The Florida Venture Forum is now calling for outstanding early stage private companies in all industries from the state of Florida to apply to be presenters at its Third Annual Early Stage Venture Capital Conference, to be held Sept. 15, 2010 at the Omni Orlando Resort in ChampionsGate, Fl. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

July 2010 Highlights:

• Orlando Kicks Off $37M Electric Vehicle Program
• Max Planck Breaks Ground on 100,000 sq. ft. Florida Institute
• New Florida Legislation Makes Medical Manufacturing Easier
• Free Aerospace & Defense R&D Whitepaper:  The Cutting Edge

Read Full Newsletter

Innovative hemophilia research from the UCF College of Medicine earned one of only five Special Project Awards by Germany's Bayer Healthcare. Dr. Henry Daniell and his team are working to prevent potentially deadly reactions to hemophilia treatments by helping patients develop a tolerance to them with the use of genetically modified plants. Read more

FDi Magazine has ranked Jacksonville's Foreign Trade Zone the best port zone in the United States and the third best in the world. Shanghai, China and Tangier, Morocco ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively. (Read more)

BlueChip Energy, a Florida-based provider of complete solar energy solutions for residential, commercial, government and utility applications, has started stage one of the Rinehart Solar Farm, a 10 MW utility-scale solar PV facility in Central Florida. This facility will have a total capacity of 10 megawatts and an annual generation of approximately 15,000,000 kilowatt-hours. (Read more)

USF Health won key funding and can now move forward with plans to establish its new School of Pharmacy, which will begin enrolling students in August 2011. The new program will emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, so that pharmacy students can learn from faculty and other resources in the USF Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health. (Read more)

Valencia Community College was selected by the Transportation Security Administration as one of 32 colleges nationally picked for an educational partnership. This positions the Orlando college to take a leading role in homeland security. (Read more)

Medical device manufacturer Oscor, Inc. will bring 70 new high-wage jobs to Pinellas County. Oscor has been expanding its research and development efforts and developing innovative technologies steadily over the past three years. (Read more)

Micro Matic, a leading Danish manufacturer of beverage dispensing equipment, is expanding in Brooksville, Florida. The facility expansion will provide space for a consolidation of operations from the west coast. (Read more)

Convergys Corp. is adding more than 300 full-time positions at its Lake Mary contact center to provide customer service and sales support for its clients in the telecommunications and entertainment industries. (Read more)

Hernando County Airport welcomes Brooksville Air Center, the aiport's second Fixed Base Operator. Pilots can do flight planning, fueling and aircraft maintenance at this full-service facility, and storage space is available for aircraft of all sizes within the 20,000 square foot hangar. (Read more)

Mercedes-Benz USA announced it will opening a 415,000-square-foot facility near the Jacksonville International Airport that will house several of its business units. It will employ 160 people and have four business units operating out of the facility when it officially opens in July. (Read more)

Orlando's .Com Marketing, a leading interactive marketing agency, has been selected to participate in a state-financed economic growth program called GrowFl. The muliti-million dollar GrowFl program provides support to carefully selected Florida businesses to help them grow. (Read more)

Trinity Graphics USA and American Finishing Inc., two companies approved for incentive grants by the Manatee County Commission, plan to add nearly 50 employees in the next five years. (Read more)

Energy Farm Inc. plans to build a $300 million photovoltaic plant in Florida's Walton County. The facility, capable of supplying 12,000 homes, will be built on 550 acres near Freeport. (Read more)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber Foundation have ranked Florida a national leader in infrastructure (#1) and workforce development & training (#2). Read the full report or view Florida's Profile to learn more.

According to Newsweek, Florida schools account for 1 out of every 12 of the best high schools in the nation. Ranked by advanced-placement college-level courses and test scores, 135 Florida schools made the list, including 3 of the Top 10. (Read more)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber Foundation have ranked Florida a national leader in infrastructure (#1) and workforce development & training (#2). (Read more)

Florida's Valencia Community College awards more associate degrees than any other two-year school in the nation, according to a report just published by Community College Week. Florida is home to nearly 1 out of every 5 of Community College Week's top schools, including 6 of the Top 10 four-year institutions. (Read more)

SEOP Online, a search engine optimization company headquartered in Ontario, Canada, has announced plans to establish Florida operations in Casselberry and create 200 new technology-based jobs within the next two years. (Read more)

Florida's Valencia Community College awards more associate degrees than any other two-year school in the nation, according to a report just published by Community College Week. Florida is home to nearly 1 out of every 5 of Community College Week's top schools, including 6 of the Top 10 four-year institutions. (Read more)

Palm Beach County's National Healing Corporation has recently acquired, and is planning to relocate from outside of Florida, an existing medical supply business which provides wound care products. The expansion will create 40 jobs with average salaries of more than $58,000, and will result in a 6,000 square-foot expansion of NHC's current headquarters. (Read more)

With 119 ranked companies, Florida was the No. 1 state on the 2010 HispanicBusiness 500. (Read more)

Orlando kicked off a $37 million program to deploy electric vehicle recharging stations in nine regions around the US with the first installed ChargePoint Networked Charging Station. Orlando will receive hundreds of free home and public ChargePoint stations for electric vehicles, preparing for the release of new electric cars from major manufacturers later this year. (Read more)

Florida counties dominated recent Forbes rankings, accounting for nearly half of the top spots on Where America's Money is Moving. Collier County ranked No. 1 in the nation followed by Nassau (3rd), Walton (5th), Sumter (10), Lee (11), Monroe (14), Palm Beach (17), and Sarasota (18). (Read more)

The medical device industry, already a powerhouse in Florida's economy, got a boost with the approval of state legislation that eliminates an entire layer of regulation. (Read more)

Florida hospitals earned top marks on U.S. News & World Report's recent rankings of America's Best Children's Hospitals. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

June 2010 Highlights:

• Florida's Bioscience Workforce Earns Top Marks
• New $62M Institute for Aging Life Science & Research
• Orlando Company Wins 2010 National Small Business of the Year
• Free Whitepaper:  Advances in Nanotechnology

Read Full Newsletter

University of Florida and Gainesville leaders broke ground on the Florida Innovation Hub, a business "super incubator" designed to promote the development of new high-tech companies based on UF research. The facility is unique because in addition to providing offices, laboratory space and shared equipment areas for high-tech startup companies, it will house UF's Office of Technology Licensing and UF Tech Connect, the main commercialization offices for the university. (Read more)

Saab Training USA - an Orange County company that specializes in the development and manufacturing of advanced simulation training systems for the U.S. Military, Foreign Military, and Homeland Security - has expanded their operations in the Central Florida Research Park. (Read more)

Full Sail University cut the ribbon on the opening of the Full Sail Studios Gateway Project, a 22,000 sq. ft., multipurpose facility that features a 500-seat venue and game production and recording studio spaces. (Read more)

Florida's Office of Film & Entertainment is now accepting applications for the new five-year, $242 million entertainment industry tax credit incentive program. (Read more)

Watermark Medical Inc., a medical products and services company currently servicing the sleep-disordered breathing market, has closed a $15 million equity round. (Read more)

Hamilton County may soon be known for its ongoing efforts in renewable energy development. A renewable power development team called Hamilton Energy Resource Organization, or HERO, plans to break ground early next year on a 400-acre photovoltaic solar power system in Jennings, the Hercules Solar Park, where at least 50 megawatts of power will be produced. (Read more)

Charter jet service Sky King is moving from California to Lakeland and expects to employ 80 or 90workers by the end of this year. Beginning in August, Sky King's fleet of ten 737s will be maintained in Lakeland. (Read more)

Tampa electronic payment firm Fintech was named the nationwide Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. (Read more)

OpenPeak, a Boca Raton-based company selling multi-media touch screen devices and device management software, has raised $52 million in equity and debt funding. (Read more)

Martin County's Old Cell Phone Co. recently expanded into 20,000 square feet in Palm City and plans to add 863 jobs in the next 36 months. (Read more)

Palm Bay, Florida ranks 11th on Forbes' first-ever ranking of America's Most Innovative Cities. Rankings were based on a combination of data including patents, venture capital investment, and ratios of high-tech, science and "creative" jobs. (Read more)

An unmanned, privately built rocket lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Friday on a successful test flight before it begins cargo runs to the International Space Station for NASA. (Read more)

Palm Bay, Florida ranks 11th on Forbes' first-ever ranking of America's Most Innovative Cities. Rankings were based on a combination of data including patents, venture capital investment, and ratios of high-tech, science and "creative" jobs. (Read more)

Defense-industry giant Lockheed Martin Corp. is dramatically expanding its Orlando-based high-tech training division's footprint by adding operations in Maryland and California to the local organization. The move means Orlando will become the headquarters for a newly created group that includes global mission logistics, engineering support services and wireless tracking systems, among other operations. (Read more)

A new five-year, $242 million transferable tax credit incentive program is now available to qualified projects in Florida's Film and Entertainment industry. The package also includes incentives for digital media and other independent and emerging media projects. Qualified businesses can apply by June 9. (Learn more)

A new technology company has been formed in Tallahassee by an engineer from the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and will produce superconducting cable as part of an international fusion energy project. Known as CICEFT, the business is starting out with a $5 million federal contract to produce components for what could essentially be a unlimited source of clean, carbon-free electricity. (Read more)

Ocala businesswoman Meredith Roberts is celebrating success after participating in Enterprise Florida's trade mission to Central America. Roberts already has a signed contract with a Costa Rican distributor for her "AtLast1" organic insect spray. (Read more)

Florida's 1st STEM Education Conference will be held July 25 - 27 at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa in Lake Buena Vista. The conference will focus on developing a statewide strategy for STEM that addresses the STEM workforce outcomes needed as identified by the business community. The conference will also present "best practice" awards in four STEM categories. Seating is limited, so learn more, register or submit an award nomination today at www.STEMFlorida.net.

Waymon Armstrong, the owner of a small business that uses computer simulations to help government and private sector clients prepare for and respond to natural disasters, medical emergencies and combat, was today named National Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. (Read more)

PRC, LLC, one of the country's leading providers of outsourced customer management, has created110 new positions at its Tampa center. The new jobs are attributed to the expansion of an existing program for a Fortune 100 technology company, and primarily focus on consultations with business leaders about their web-based and search engine advertising campaigns. (Read more)

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council ranks Florida's state tax system among the nation's Top 10 on its "Business Tax Index 2010: Best to Worst State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship and Small Business." The index ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia according to the costs of their tax systems for entrepreneurship and small business. (Read more)

Alachua-based startup, NovaMin Technology Inc., has been purchased by U.K. pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in a deal worth $135 million - the largest acquisition of its kind for a local technology company. (Read more)

A new, major public-private partnership between Microsoft and the State of Florida was launched to provide free technology training to individuals across the state. Through the Microsoft Elevate America initiative, Microsoft has partnered with Workforce Florida Inc. to donate 40,000 vouchers for no-cost, online technology training and certification. (Read more)

Saturday truly was a historic day for Bay county as the community welcomed Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. This is the first new airport built since the 9-11 terrorist attacks. (Read more)

AvMax Group Inc. is opening a heavy maintenance and modification facility for the regional jet and turboprop aviation industry at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The facility will initially employ as many as 100 to 120 licensed aircraft mechanics. (Read more)

Small Florida life sciences companies can soon apply for a new tax credit or a grant under the Affordable Care Act that covers up to 50 percent of the cost of qualifying biomedical research. The U.S. Department of Treasury recently released the guidelines for the application process on its website. (Read more)

 

rVue Holdings, Inc., a leader of digital advertising via its proprietary rVue Ad Exchange for Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) media, has secured over $1 million in financing. Simultaneously, rVue Holdings was quoted on the OTCBB exchange trading under the symbol "RVUE." (Read more)

Officials from the University of Florida Health Science Center and Shands Healthcare unveiled an ambitious five-year plan Thursday that would add 300 faculty positions and cost $580 million, with the goal of placing the Health Science Center among the top 10 percent of national academic health care facilities. (Read more)

Florida tied with Georgia for 6th place on the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, a leading indicator of new-business creation in the United States. (Read more)

IBM and the University of Central Florida's Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering are working together to prepare students for jobs in systems engineering, a profession that is critical to the creation of the smart cities, healthcare systems and advanced products and systems of the future. (Read more)

One of Haines City's largest employers, the paper manufacturer Cellynne, is about to get even larger thanks to a recent expansion, and the expansion doesn't stop here- business has been so good that Cellynne is now building a more environmentally friendly product that is expected to create even more jobs in the future. (Read more)

Business Xpansion Journal and BizMiner have ranked Florida 3rd in the nation for both Medical Devices Startups and New Branches. Florida also ranks 7th for Medical Devices Employment. (Read more)

Florida Atlantic University won approval to create an independent medical education program. The new FAU medical education program will employ a unique Continuity Medicine Curriculum and a state-of-the-art medical simulation center. (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to announce the expansion of GiftRAP Healthcare Software. The company is adding employees and expanding into a bigger facility. (Read more)

Orlando's XOS Digital, a company selling content management software and digital media services for college and pro sports organizations, has raised at least $37.1 million of a targeted $41.9 million. (Read more)

Digital Risk LLC has officially selected Jacksonville as its new site for about 300 new positions. The Maitland-based company helps monitor and manage loan portfolios, and detect loan fraud. (Read more)

Florida cities earned top marks on AmericanStyle Magazine's recent list of Top Cities for Art. Among mid-sized cities, St. Petersburg ranked #1 in the nation, followed by Tampa (11th) and Miami (12th). Among small cities, Key West ranked 4th, Sarasota was 5th, Naples was 14th, and Bradenton ranked 22nd. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

May 2010 Highlights:

• NASA and Florida Power & Light Launch Next Generation Solar Energy Center
• Moffitt Cancer Center and Scripps Florida Team Up
• U.S. Dept. of Energy Selects Planar Energy for R&D Collaboration
• Free Whitepaper:  The Future of Biomedical Innovation

Read Full Newsletter

The Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority secured $2 million to assist in the expansion of the Bristow Academy, a major helicopter pilot training facility, and create 97 new central Florida aerospace sector jobs. (Read more)

The Port of Jacksonville was one of only five North American ports that experienced container trade growth in 2009. In 2009, Jacksonville ranked 14th in the nation, followed by Miami at 15th. (Read more)

Florida ranked among the Top 10 states on Chief Executive's annual survey of best and worst states for business. More than 600 CEOs rated states on a wide range of criteria from taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment. (Read more)

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners approved a new Job Creation Toolkit that will be funded, in what has been called an "innovative, out-of-the-box" approach, with new tax revenue from FPL's Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center under construction in Indiantown. (Read more)

Florida is home to three of the nation's top 20 metros for the creation and development of small businesses. (Read more)

Battelle and the Biotechnology Industry Organization's new report shows that Florida has a strong presence in the bioscience workforce context, ranking sixth nationally in both postsecondary bioscience degrees generated and in bioscience-related occupational employment. (Read more)

Roses Southeast Papers LLC will undergo a $7.5 million expansion in May, nearly doubling the size of its Sanford plant and adding 50 new local jobs. (Read more)

Palm Health Partners will open The Institute for Aging Life Science & Research at Abacoa. The healthcare facility will create 220 jobs with average salaries of $46,000 and an overall capital investment of $62 million. Palm Health Partners will collaborate with Scripps Florida scientists for clinical research into the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease as well as other neurological and age-related conditions. (Read more)

For the sixth year, Pinellas County, Florida is leading the state in Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant awards, proving itself once again the Ideal Business Location. With the IWT program, over 30 Pinellas County companies have trained more than 2,100 employees this year. (Read more)

Employing some 292,300 high-tech workers at 24,500 high-tech establishments, Florida ranks 4th in the nation in terms of high-tech employment and 3rd for its number of high-tech business locations. (Read more)

Pico-Tesla Magnetic Therapies, LLC will open an east coast headquarters in Clearwater. The medical research and device development company provides personalized electro-magnetic treatment regimens for multiple diseases and disorders. (Read more)

Intersil Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, donates a high-technology semiconductor wafer fabrication facility and the land it occupies to the University of Central Florida. (Read more)

Planar Energy, the developer of large-format, solid-state, ceramic-like batteries at half the cost and triple the performance of lithium-ion batteries, is one of four companies selected to collaborate in a U.S. Department of Energy research-and-development initiative. (Read more)

Two Palm Beach County Companies are strengthening and expanding operations with jobs & worker training grants. Infinity Sales Group, LLC plans to add 200 jobs, and Belcan Corporation plans to add 50 jobs. (Read more)

Sunovia Energy Technologies Inc., which designs, develops and markets highly efficient renewable energy and energy conservation products in the solar and LED lighting industries, plans to triple the size of its facility and add 68 employees in a relocation to Sarasota County. (Read more)

Moffitt Cancer Center, in collaboration with researchers at Scripps Florida in Jupiter, has been awarded a five-year, nearly $2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to design lymph nodes for cancer immunotherapy. (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to announce the upcoming expansion of Bonadeo Boatworks. Bonadeo Boatworks just broke ground for a new facility located on Commerce Avenue in Stuart. (Read more)

Officials from NASA joined Florida Power & Light Company to commission FPL's Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center. The new solar photovoltaic power facility is the result of a unique public-private partnership between NASA and FPL and demonstrates both organizations' commitment to bringing clean-energy solutions to the state. (Read more)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded funds to several Florida nonprofits to establish Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers. Community Health Centers Alliance in St. Petersburg will receive $10.9 million, Univeristy of Central Florida will receive $7.6 millio,, and University of South Florida was awarded $5.8 million. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

April 2010 Highlights:

• FPL Group to Build World's 2nd Largest Solar Plant
• Saft Breaks Ground on $200M High-Tech Battery Plant
• Visa Adds New Miami Operation and 350+ New Jobs
• Free Whitepaper:  Personalized Medicine and Tissue Regeneration

Read Full Newsletter

Open source business intelligence software vendor Pentaho has raised a cool $7 million in fourth-round funding, bringing total funding to around $32 million. (Read more)

Very competitive labor costs along with moderately-low office/industrial leasing and sales tax costs help make Tampa the least-costly place to do business among 22 U.S. cities/locations with populations exceeding 2 million. (Read more)

Orlando's training-simulation industry recently marked an improbable 60-year anniversary of what may be the longest military interagency collaboration on record. (Read more)

Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Orlando high-tech training division has won a contract potentially worth $105 million to build next-generation test equipment for the U.S. Navy's worldwide fleet of aircraft. (Read more)

The nation's top four undergraduate business programs on Bloomberg BusinessWeek's ROI ranking of public schools are all in the Sunshine State: University of Central Florida in Orlando; University of Florida in Gainesville; Florida International in Miami; and Florida State in Tallahassee. (Read more)

The Polk Public Schools are one of 33 school districts nationally to win a 2010 Magna Award from the American School Board Journal magazine. Polk won the award for its implementation of 31 career academies at 15 high schools. (Read more)

The University of Central Florida ranks third in the nation for the strength and impact of its patents. UCF moved up from seventh place last year in the rankings by IEEE, the world's leading association for the advancement of technology. (Read more)

U.S. Gas & Electric, Inc., a leading energy service provider headquartered in Miami-Dade County, is expanding with a new business service center in the City of Doral. (Read more)

GeNO, LLC, a biomedical pharmaceutical company previously located in Cape Canaveral, is expected to bring a total of 24 new jobs to Brevard County and generate a total economic impact of $3.06 million on Brevard County’s economy. GeNO has already hired 11 new employees due to the expansion and expects to hire 6-12 more employees with an average annual wage of $80,000 in the next 12-18 months. (Read more)

Saft, a French company that is described as a world leader in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries, has broken ground at Cecil Commerce Center for a $200 million plant that will build advanced batteries for use in hybrid vehicles, aviation, renewable energy storage and other uses. (Read more)

The Orlando-based Florida Mezzanine Fund and CapitalSouth Partners will provide access to up to $450 million in capital to invest in Florida small to mid-sized businesses. Florida Mezz will invest from $500,000 to $30 million in debt and equity financing per investment, and will provide one of Florida's largest sources of private venture funding. (Read more)

 

Wireless communications tower company Tarpon Towers, has received a $15 million investment from Spire Capital Partners to further its acquisition and development strategy. With ABS Capital, Tarpon has secured over $50 million of equity and also has a $30 million bank facility with a prominent regional bank. (Read more)

Since its program began in 2007, South Miami Hospital executives say it has become one of the world's busiest centers for surgeries using robots, formally called da Vinci Surgical Systems. In Florida, 49 hospitals have 67 high-tech robots performing surgeries. (Read more)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

March 2010 Highlights:

• Okeechobee Attract's World's Largest Advanced Biodiesel Demonstration Plant
• Lake Nona Scores VA's National Simulation Center for Excellence
• Florida Home to 2 of the Top 10 U.S. High-Tech Manufacturing Hotspots
• Free Whitepaper:  Emerging Trends in the U.S. Solar Market

Read Full Newsletter

Largo's Beckwith Electric, a premier provider of innovative and high quality electronic products, systems, technical services and custom solutions, will be awarded a U.S. Department of Commerce Award for Export Achievement. (Read more)

Construction of the $5.1 million Gulf Power Co. landfill gas-to-energy facility is now under way at Perdido Landfill, where methane gas fumes from rotten garbage will be burned into enough renewable energy to power more than 900 homes. (Read more)

Visa Inc. will open a new customer service center in Miami-Dade, that will be co-located in the same building as Visa's Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) headquarters, and will create more than 350 new positions in Visa's Global Customer Care Services group. (Read more)

The testing and production of the U.S. Air Force's new drones will be built by Boeing at Cecil Field. The contract should add 40 jobs to Boeing's Cecil facility by Spring 2011. (Read more)

Seven Florida companies were named to Fortune Magazine's global list of "most admired" companies, earning top marks in their respective industry categories. (Read more)

Across 500 acres north of West Palm Beach in Martin County, the FPL Group utility is grafting the world's second-largest solar plant onto the back of the largest fossil-fuel power plant in the United States. (Read more)

The Stan Mayfield Biorefinery Pilot Plant, slated to be operational in spring 2011, will be operated as a UF/IFAS satellite laboratory facility concentrated on the use of cellulosic biomass to produce ethanol. (Read more)

Florida is home to two of the nation's top 20 Most Wired Cities, as ranked by Forbes. These cities have the greatest access to and usage of broadband and WiFi. (Read more)

Florida is once again the nation's most popular summer destination, accounting for 24.5 percent of all responses with cities such as Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa named to the ASTA's 2010 Hot Spots for Summer survey. Orlando was the No. 1 ranked city in 2010. (Read more)

Florida tied with one other state for the Top Spot on HealthGrades' America's 50 Best Hospitals rankings. The nation's top hospitals received HealthGrades' stamp of approval after undergoing a demanding analysis of their mortality rates and the number of complications their patients experience. (Read more)

A new full-service hospital opened just north of Tampa in Lutz. St. Joseph's Hospital-North, part of BayCare Health System, offers emergency care, surgical services, imaging and diagnostic facilities, intensive care and more. (Read more)

Boca Raton's Protec Fuel Management has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to open thirty E85 stations. Protec is teaming up with General Motors, the Renewable Fuels Association and Urbieta Oil to open these alternative fueling outfits. (Read more)

AAR Composites, serving the aerospace market, will receive $42,000 to train 40 employees in Pinellas County, Florida. (Read more)

Four companies are joining the Palm Beach County business community after receiving assistance from the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. The companies will create 136 jobs with a total capital investment of $3.25 million. (Read more)

Lakeland Electric and SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider, have started the first roof top installation of what will total 24 megawatts of solar generated power. Once built out, the system will provide enough power to sustain approximately 7,200 homes with clean, environment friendly energy. (Read more)

Telecom Service Center LLC plans to generate up to 600 jobs for Brevard County residents including call center, accounting, operations and management positions. (Read more)

The newly-formed North Florida Broadband Authority (22 Local Governments) partnered with the North Florida Economic Development Partnership to win a $30 million grant that will enable and enhance real access to Broadband and high-speed connectivity. (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to announce that all 51 Martin County applicants for the "Florida Back to Work" program were granted their requests. The applications will create 261 jobs in the community. (Read more)

Moffitt Cancer Center received the CEO Cancer Gold Standard reaccreditation, recognizing Moffitt's continuous dedication and commitment to maintaining a high standard of excellence in cancer care and prevention. (Read more)

FEMA released $1.69 million this week for the Port of Pensacola to begin homeland security improvements.  (Read more)

Acknowledging rapid changes in the aviation/aerospace sector, the Business Development Board of Martin County facilitated a meeting with sector leaders, Martin County companies, and Congressman Thomas J. Rooney. (Read more)

Star2Star Communications LLC, which develops and provides business grade communications solutions via the Internet, plans to create 80 communications technology jobs over the next five years. (Read more)

Lake Nona's Medical City has been selected as the national site for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Simulation Center for Excellence. The center, located at the new Orlando VA Medical Center, will be the nationwide training and planning home for the VA's new medical simulation system, which will allow VA employees to improve care and treatment for veterans across the country. (Read more)

Oliphant Financial LLC, a debt buyer and software provider to that industry, plans to add 100 to 150 jobs in 2010 at the company's new financial services headquarters location in Manatee County. (Read more)

Osprey Biotechnics Inc., a Sarasota-based biotechnology company that creates beneficial bacterial products which promote animal health, plant health and environmental restoration, is expanding to a larger facility and plans to add 35 employees over the next three years. (Read more)

Armstrong World Industries, with help from the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, recently received a $50,000 incumbent worker training grant from Workforce Florida to train 60 of its existing employees. (Read more)

The number of international passengers through Orlando International Airport (MCO) increased nearly 11 percent in 2009, propelling the airport to a record-breaking year for international travel. (Read more)

The Florida Opportunity Fund has made a commitment of $3 million to 5AM Ventures II, a bioscience venture capital fund that recently completed an investment with a life sciences startup company in South Florida. (Read more)

Melbourne-based United Service Source Inc., provider of commercial and residential communication technical services, will add 30 jobs in a 17,000-square-foot expansion project. The new space will allow for the integration of Ascent Media's Palm Bay operation, as well as a new technical operations center. (Read more)

California petroleum company, LS9, is opening a new Okeechobee facility to move its technology from proven pilot capabilities to commercial demonstration scale production. Once the building retrofit is complete, the facility will be the largest advanced biodiesel demonstration plant in the world. (Read more)

The Hub City is the seventh best small city for high-tech manufacturing companies to expand or relocate, according to a national study conducted by the Boyd Co. The study also ranked Lynn Haven in Bay County as the eighth best small city for a manufacturing plant to locate. (Read more)

Federal, state, and local leaders joined to celebrate the official dedication of the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) Ocala research facility. (Read More)

The Innovation Monthly is your source for the latest news and insights on Florida's Innovation Economy.       

February 2010 Highlights:

• Florida is a Top 10 State for Education
• Cecil Field Becomes Nation's 8th Commerical Spaceport
• Alachua Attracts Lithium-Ion Cell Manufacturer
• Florida Economy at a Glance Report

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Palm Beach Gardens-based Sonavision, which makes an ultrasound fingerprint sensor that uses less power than others, has raised $5.87 million. (Read more)

The Oettinger Davidoff Group will soon bring its "Good Life" philosophy and its U.S. headquarters to Pinellas County, Florida. With this move, Davidoff will bring 90 new jobs paying 150% of the average annual wage to the area. (Read more)

The construction of the University of West Florida's new $30.6 million science and engineering building already has provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the Panhandle economy. UWF economist Rick Harper said the economic impact from construction of the building is somewhere around $60 million. (Read more)

Florida leads the nation in clinical excellence with 43 hospitals awarded HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Awards. This is nearly double the number of facilities in any other state. (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to welcome Level 3 Inspection (L3I) to Martin County. This move to Martin County positions L3I to hire 33 additional employees over three years. (Read more)

The Beacon Council has successfully worked to diversify South Florida's economy targeting industries poised for growth. Because of this, our region's economy sustained growth longer during this recession. (Read more)

The announcement of a $50 million gift to the Burnham Institute for Medical Research will further expand the organization's cutting-edge research at Lake Nona's emerging "medical city". (Read more)

JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to hire 600 people this year in Florida, with 250 of them in South Florida alone. That's just part of the New York-based company's expansion plans, Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon said during a visit to Miami. (Read more)

IntegraClick, a rapidly growing Sarasota Internet firm, has closed on a campus on 12 acres of land. The new space will accommodate IntegraClick's Clickbooth.com business, its sister divisions Calculated Creativity and Authorise.com, and lead to the addition of more than 100 jobs. (Read more)

The University of Florida's Institute on Aging has received close to $15 million from the National Institutes of Health to construct an almost 40,000-square-foot complex for clinical and translational research. The building will bring together scientists from a range of scientific disciplines and enhance how aging research is carried out on the campus. (Read more)

Eight Florida companies have been selected to present at the 2010 Southeast Venture Conference. These showcase companies, representing the future of the region's technology economy, will present to a national venture capital audience representing billions in private equity capital. (Read more)

American Le Mans racing has come to Martin County with Scott Sharp's Extreme Speed Motorsports. With the team comes about 30 highly skilled, well-paying jobs. (Read more)

Bren-Tronics Energy Systems is opening a design and manufacturing facility in Alachua County to produce lithium-ion cells for rechargeable batteries. The company plans to invest about $10 million for renovations and new equipment. (Read more)

Sarasota's Ringling College of Art and Design, one of the top schools in the nation for the niche craft of digital filmmaking, has announced plans for a new Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab. The program includes hands-on experience with top-shelf producers, directors, screenwriters and other disciplines that is said to be so cutting edge it will break the mold of student filmmaking. (Read more)

Florida public schools ranked 8th overall in Education Week magazine's annual Quality Counts, a report card that grades states on education performance and policy. Florida earned top marks for its Teaching Profession (ranked 4th in the nation); Standards, Assessments, & Accountability (5th); and K-12 Achievement (7th).  (Read more)

Florida's State University System will receive $81 million for research activities from the 2010 federal budget- an increase of 31 percent from the previous year. (Read more)

Tradesmen in Martin County may have a clear indication that the economy is starting to turn, with 40 new jobs being created at American Custom Yachts. The company has landed two large contracts and the promise of more.  (Read more) 

New College of Florida (3rd) and Florida State University (4th) took top spots on the Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges 2010. Rollins College, University of Central Florida and University of Florida also made the top 100. Selection criteria included more than 30 factors in academics, costs and financial aid. (Read more)

Jacksonville's Cecil Field airport is the country's newest licensed commercial spaceport, and the first in Florida cleared to fly space vehicles that take off and land horizontally, like airplanes. The airport was awarded a federal license to fly commercial space vehicles being designed to ferry tourists, researchers and others beyond Earth's atmosphere. (Read more)

Nova Southeastern University's Oceanographic Center received $15 million in federal stimulus money to build the country's largest coral reef research center. The $30 million, 86,000 sq. ft. Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Science Research Facility will house local, national and international coral reef research. (Read more)

Orlando is the nation's No. 1 Domestic Travel Destination, according to Travel Leaders' 2010 authoritative annual Travel Trends Survey. (Read more)

Micro Star Innovations plans to nearly double its Largo workforce, creating new positions in engineering and research and development.  The company, in Largo since 2004, utilizes robots to make products ranging from specialized light bulb housings to high-tech laparoscopic surgical tools.  (Read more)

The Business Development Board of Martin County is pleased to announce the expansion of Coaxial Components Corp. in Martin County. With this expansion, the company will add 10 to 14 additional employees over the next three to five years. (Read more)

Kiplinger's ranks five Florida schools among the nation's best values in public colleges and universities. Based on academics and cost, the University of Florida ranked #2 for in-state value and #4 for out-of-state value. (Read more)

Alachua's Sharklet Technologies is one of only nine companies chosen for Inc. Magazine's list of the most innovative technologies of 2009. Sharklet makes sheets of plastic which are imprinted with a raised sharkskin-like pattern and can be adhered to germ-prone surfaces to prevent bacteria from settling in for up to 30 days.  (Read more)