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

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