Florida: News

A study released today on the economic impact of The Florida Film and Entertainment Industry Financial Incentive Program found a return on investment of 4.7, with estimated state and local tax revenues in Florida last fiscal year totaling $547 million and the present value of the tax credit totaling $117 million. (Read More)

Results of an economic-impact study commissioned by Broward College shows that the community college contributes about $1 billion toward the local economy. The study also reported that the public college offers a solid return for taxpayers, generating $1.40 for every dollar spent at the school for taxpayers. (Read More)

Sarasota, Florida was selected among FastCompany's Top 10 Underrated Hotbeds of American Innovation. The magazine highlights Sarasota's growing number of startups in fields like film, media, and medical research. (Read more)

Growing by a phenomenal 163% over the quarter, venture capitalists invested $95 million into Florida companies in the second quarter of 2012--ranking Florida among the nation's top 10 states. (Read more)

The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) ranked USF 10th worldwide among all universities granted U.S. patents in 2011. (Read more)

In FY2011, Florida moved into the top 10, climbing from 12th place last year and dropping Michigan out of the top 10. (Read more)

Florida is a national leader in state R&D spending, investing nearly $97 million -- the 4th highest in the United States -- in the most recently reported year. (Read more)

Florida is home to 2 of America's top tech transfer programs, University of Florida (17th) and University of South Florida (20th). (Read more)

In 2010, Florida received the nation's 7th largest number of doctorate degrees. (Read more)

Five Florida cities (Orlando, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tampa and Miami) have been named international innovation leaders. (Read more)

UF's Office of Technology Licensing, startup technology companies, and service providers such as accountants, patent attorneys and venture capitalists, have begun moving into University of Florida's new 45,000-square-foot, $13.2 million hub, a business incubator. (Read more)

Read today's new blog post to learn about Xhale Innovations, a University of Florida start-up, and its journey to commercialization. (Read more)

Florida's cutting-edge academic facilities rank among the nation's Top 10 in attracting research and development funding. (Read more)

The University of Florida is hosting a Celebration of Innovation Showcase to feature start-up companies in the areas of life sciences, medical devices, and information technology that are commercializing the latest in cutting-edge technologies generated as a result UF research. (Read more)

The Kauffman Foundation has ranked Florida among the nation's Top 10 States for Entrepreneurial Activity and reports that Florida's rate of entrepreneurial activity has increased by more than that of most other states over the last decade. (Read more)

The University of Florida is hosting a Celebration of Innovation Showcase to feature start-up companies in the areas of life sciences, medical devices, and information technology that are commercializing the latest in cutting-edge technologies generated as a result UF research. (Read more)

The University of Miami Launch Pad, the entrepreneurship resource center of the University's Toppel Career Center, is a part of a White House strategy to expand U.S. innovation and job creation across the nation. (Read more)

The Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research selected two Phase I projects and eleven Phase II projects in ten cities across Florida to share nearly $3 million in grant funding through the Florida Research Commercialization Matching Grant Program (FRCMGP) for projects ranging from the life sciences to advanced materials to energy. (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)

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)

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)

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)

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 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)

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)

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)

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.

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)

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)

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)

 

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)

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)

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)