Sandy, here is a more up to date story. Maybe this is what moved BOCI today:
CORAL GABLES, FLA. (Dec. 22) BUSINESS WIRE -Dec. 22, 1997--Investors and venture capitalists from across the nation will meet once again in south Florida for the seventh annual Ernst and Young LLP Florida Venture Capital Conference, hosted by the Florida Venture Forum.
The Conference, held on January 21-22 at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, features 23 of Floridas best prospects for venture capital. Approximately 300 attendees, representing some of the country's largest venture capital firms and investment bankers, are expected to attend.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the amount of venture capital invested in the state of Florida. According to the Venture Economics Investor Services, in 1996, venture capitalists invested $307 million in Florida companies, more than doubling the $140 million invested in 1995. Industries most commonly invested in include computer software and services, telecommunications and medical/health. The 1998 Conference presenters are from throughout the state of Florida and represent a variety of industries including information technology, health care, telecommunications, retail, environmental services, and employment services. A selection committee chose forty semifinalists from an initial group of 200 applicants based on a detailed business plan.
More venture capital is being invested in Florida than ever before, said James W. Davidson, Chairperson of the Florida Venture Forum and Managing Director of South Atlantic Venture Funds, the largest institutionally funded venture capital firm in Florida and the Southeast with $173 million committed capital. We have had great success over the years in identifying and featuring high quality companies that inspire investor confidence.
Companies who have presented at the past six conferences have received over $58 million in funding demonstrating their creditworthiness and appeal to institutional investors. Some of these funded companies include Boca Research ($7 million), Redgate Communications ($1 million), Sportsline USA, Inc ($3 million) and Lets Talk Cellular (tba).
This years conference is proud to feature some very prominent venture capital industry speakers such as Chris Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of Outback Steakhouse (a Florida-based venture-backed company which has a market capitalization of over $1.4 billion), and Daniel T. Kinsgley, Executive Director of the National Venture Capital Association.
Ernst & Young LLP, one of the largest professional service firms in the world and the preeminent Big 6" firm serving entrepreneurial companies in the U.S., is the title sponsor of the conference. Patron Sponsors of the Conference include: Chase Manhattan Bank; Edwards & Angell; Evaco Financial Printers; Greenberg Traurig; Gunster, Yoakley, Valdes-Fauli & Stewart, P.A.; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; Sirrom Capital Corporation and South Atlantic Venture Funds. Conference Sponsors include: American Electronics Association; Business Wire; Cordis Corporation; Enterprise Florida; Huizenga Holdings; Kirpatrick & Lockhart LLP; McDermott, Will & Emery; Sano Corporation; South Florida Business Journal; Southern Technology Applications Center (STAC) and Warfield Media.
The Conference begins Wednesday, January 21, at 11:00 a.m. with registration. Presenting companies will be seen Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The registration price for the conference is $375.00 per person and interested parties may register on-line at the Forums web site at flvencap.org .
The Florida Venture Forum, founded in 1984, is an entrepreneurial networking group which assists companies in identifying sources of venture capital and provides them with technical assistance. Information on the Forum may be obtained by visiting the organizations web site at flvencap.org or by e-mailing forum@flvencap.org .
FLORIDA VENTURE CAPITAL CONFERENCE CONFERENCE
PRESENTERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING
COMPANY YEAR PRESENTED AMOUNT SOURCE
Tony Zalenski
Boca Research 1992 $ 7,000,000 Summit Partners
561/997-6227
Dr. Norman Weldon
Corvita Corp. 1992 $11,000,000 Institutional Investor
305/557-3100 (California)
Ted Leonsis
Redgate Communications 1992 $ 1,000,000 Massey Birch Inv.
415/525-4000 Group
Diane Huth
Skinny Snacks 1992 $13,000,000 Original Brazilian
941/278-0244 Investor
Luis Romero-Font
Celpage, Inc. 1994 $ 6,000,000 Providence Ventures
809/277-2812
Michael Levy
Sportsline USA, Inc. 1995 $ 3,000,000 Kleiner Perkins
954/351-2120 Caufield and Byers
Armand Alciatore
Tahoe Surgical 1995 $ 750,000 Econ. Dev. Fund of
Instruments Puerto Rico and
1-800-TAHOE-11 Venture Capital Fund
of Puerto Rico
Eric Hale
UroQuest, Inc. 1995 $ 2,500,000 E.M. Warburg Pincus
1-800-464-8735
Global Vision 1996 $ 2,500,000 Crosspoint Ventures
904/268-4587
Mead McCabe, Jr. 1996 $ 4,768,700 Initial Public
Genetic Vectors Offering
305/716-0000
Nick Molina
Lets Talk Cellular 1996 Amt. yet to Initial Public
IPO Filed 8/97 be determined Offering
305-477-8255
Burt Sookram
Catalina Food 1997 $ 3,500,000 Sirrom Capital
Ingredients
813-845-5595
Ellen Caravello
On-line @Unicom 1997 $ 1,000,000 PennWell Publishing
561/276-2433
Luis F.Ayala
TAC Systems, Inc. 1997 $ 2,000,000 Sirrom Capital
205-721-1976
TOTAL: $58,000,000
1998 FLORIDA VENTURE CAPITAL CONFERENCE PRESENTERS Activeword Systems Inc., Winter Park
Developer and marketer of ActiveWords semantic user interface for
(multi-lingual) personal computer users.
Contact: Rodney Baker, Vice President, Telephone: 407-628-5504 A. Marinelli & Accessories, Inc., Coral Gables
Designs, markets and distributes women's casual footwear to
upscale department stores and independents throughout the
US and Canada.
Contact: Anthony J. Marinelli, President/CEO,
Telephone: 305-665-4552 Commerce Payment Systems Corporation, Orlando
Markets an affordable service allowing Internet web site owners
to accept credit card payments over the Internet, securely
and in real time.
Contact: Abner Weintraub, CEO, Telephone: 407-522-1577 Corporate Buying Service, Boca Raton
Internet distribution of P.C. hardware and software to fortune
2000 companies.
Contact: Russell Madris, President, Telephone: 561-367-1188 Data Net Corporation, Miramar
Designs, manufactures and markets data collections systems used
in factories and warehouses.
Contact: Bob Williamson, Vice President of Finance and CFO,
Telephone: 954-437-3535 The Email Channel, Boca Raton
A database management and distribution company specializing in
Internet Email.
Contact: John Lawlor, President, Telephone: 561-470-5544 Enviro-Check, Inc., Orlando
Developer of energy conservation solutions for the multi-family
housing industry.
Contact: Cameron Kuhn, President, Telephone: 407-352-2266 Hidden Eyes, Inc., Bonita Springs
Developer of a vehicle access control service for gated
communities that utilizes video conferencing technology via
standard telephone lines.
Contact: Raymond H. Bolduc II, Vice President of Operations,
Telephone: 941-498-5330 Imaginet Design Solutions, Hollywood
A professional services firm specializing in electronic commerce
solutions, Internet consulting, software and technology
engineering and creative concept design.
Contact: Steven McKean, Director/ COO, Telephone: 954-922-0399 InnerPulse, Boca Raton
Develops, manufactures and markets worldwide a complete line of
implantable neurological control devices to manage chronic pain,
tremors and reverse coma.
Contact: G.L. Carlson, President/CEO, Telephone: 561-483-8468 International Wireless Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens
Installer and operator of wireless data delivery and
paging-messaging networks using FM subcarrier transmission in
emerging countries worldwide.
Contact: Jon Canaday, Chairman/President,
Telephone: 561-775-9310 Marketplace Dental, Inc., Lake Worth
Provides dental services to children in a unique retail store
format that entertains and relaxes children and young adults.
Contact: Dr. James Quick, President/CEO,
Telephone: 561-582-0252 Merchants Square Media, Inc., Coral Springs
Electronic retailer of branded catalog product through
entertainment based television programming and Internet shopping
mall.
Contact: Elliot Newman, CEO, Telephone: 954-255-4031 Microgistics, Inc., Indiatlantic
Low cost provider of personal alarm services for individuals
targeting the university market.
Contact: Brendan T. Fitzgerald, President,
Telephone: 407-779-2397 NET Healthcare Inc., Fort Lauderdale
Temporary and permanent placement of health care professionals
with health care organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Contact: Stephen M. Mc Laughlin, COO, Telephone: 954-492-8774 Ocean Optics, Inc., Dunedin
Develops, manufactures and sells innovative optical sensor
systems and add-on products such as illumination systems,
probes and specialty fibers.
Contact: Scott Faris, COO, Telephone: 813-733-2447 Oceans, Reefs & Aquariums, North Palm Beach
Produces marine ornamental fish in hatcheries and provides
aquarium products, services and support to the aquarium market.
Contact: Richard A. Davis, President, Telephone: 561-688-8922 OmniWorks, Inc., Orlando
Provides online entertainment software as well as consulting,
advertising and distribution services.
Contact: Paul Lewis, President/CEO, Telephone: 561-581-0407 Provider Solutions Corporation, Clearwater
Develops software and provides network services and data
processing for home health, long term care and community
hospitals.
Contact: Ron Miller, Chairman, Telephone: 813-573-6047 SkyBox Services Corporation, Miami
International courier service that provides a personal US street
address to upscale international clients for the delivery of
mail and merchandise from US companies.
Contact: Peter Weisberg, Vice President, Telephone: 305-594-8755 Sunol Molecular Corporation, Miami
A biopharmaceutical company that develops immunotherapeutic drugs
for the treatment or prevention of life-threatening infectious
diseases.
Contact: Hing C. Wong, President, Telephone: 305-591-0886 TRADEex Electronic Commerce Systems, Inc., Tampa
Develops and licenses Java-based, enterprise electronic commerce
software products that facilitate on-line, business-to-business
product sales and purchases over networks.
Contact: Daniel S. Aegerter, CEO, Telephone: 813-222-2050 Willow CSN Inc., Miami
Coordinator of Cyberagent Network, a staffing service that
supplements in-house employees of high volume call centers and
service agencies on an as-needed basis.
Contact: Gail Nichols, Vice President, Telephone: 305-864-6577
(a) Presenters listed are those at time of printing and are subject to change without notice.
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CONTACT: Alicia Nogueira, 305/446-5060
KEYWORD: FLORIDA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING
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