Statewide Venue In Orlando January 22-23, 2004 For Second Year
1,000 Expected to Attend, Including 100+ VC Firms
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Up to 25 of Florida's best and
brightest later-stage entrepreneurial companies will be presented before a
national audience of venture capitalists at the 13th annual Florida Venture
Capital Conference. With millions of dollars in funding at stake, presenting
companies will do their best to "court" and otherwise convince venture
capitalists and other private equity funding sources to invest in their
companies. The 2004 Florida Venture Capital Conference will take place January
22-23, 2004 at The Peabody Hotel in Orlando.
"The pendulum has swung with regard to venture capital activity and
Florida is at the top of many investor's lists," said Carl Roston, a
shareholder with the law firm of Akerman Senterfitt, P.A. and 2004 Chairperson
of the Florida Venture Forum, organizers of the annual Conference. As
Florida's only venture capital conference, the 2004 Conference is considered
the premier platform for growing companies looking to raise private equity
funding. The Conference highlights different geographic regions in Florida,
their infrastructure, amenities and entrepreneurial base. The 2004 lineup of
Conference presenters features software developers, e-business enablers,
wireless, IT, aerospace and biotech/biopharmaceutical.
Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the 2004 Conference including
venture capitalists, private equity investors, leading service providers,
entrepreneurs and investment bankers. The two-day event includes approximately
20 to 25 back-to-back company presentations; seminars featuring the country's
leading venture capitalists, investment advisors and consultants; and two
prominent speakers.
The opening day speaker on Thursday, January 22 is Noel J. Fenton, General
Partner at Menlo Park-based Trinity Ventures, a $1 billion venture capital
firm that provides capital, networks and resources to software and networking
technology companies. On the same day, Scripps Research Institute will be
welcomed at a special reception at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Paul Schimmell will represent
Scripps and will discuss their plans to locate in Florida and their vision
concerning Florida's unique potential. Governor Jeb Bush will be recognized
for his efforts bringing Scripps to Florida. The second day of the
Conference, Friday, January 23, 2004, features luncheon speaker Michael
Tchong, Futurist and founder of Trendscape, a San Francisco-based media and
entertainment company and publisher of an e-mail newsletter called
Trendsetters.com. Michael just released his book called Trendscape 2004, a
compilation of the top 200 hottest trends.
"All indications are that funding activity, especially in Florida, is
returning to normalcy," said Richard J. Dobkin, 2004 Co-Chairperson of the
Florida Venture Capital Conference, and Managing Partner of the Tampa office
of Ernst & Young LLP. According to the National Venture Capital Association
(http://www.nvca.org), a total of 3028 venture capital deals were done with $21
billion in venture capital invested in companies nationwide in the year 2002.
As of the third quarter of 2003, Florida companies received $53.5 million in
venture capital. Presenters from prior Florida Venture Capital Conferences
over the last 12 years, have been successful in raising over $553 million in
capital and include some of Florida's most successful entrepreneurial
companies such as Citrix Systems, Sportsline.com and Redgate Communications.
"This year's presenting companies are a combination of companies looking
for first or second rounds of capital from all regions of Florida," said J.
John Simione, 2004 Co-Chairperson of the Florida Venture Capital Conference,
and Senior Vice President of MARSH. Presenting companies at the 2004
Conference went through an extensive selection process, which included the
online submission of a detailed application including financial history,
business model and management qualifications. More than 200 applications were
submitted by companies from within the entire state of Florida.
In addition, entrepreneurs selected to present at the 2004 Conference have
received valuable training as a benefit of their selection. The Florida
Venture Forum, Inc., http://www.flvencap.org, organizers of the Conference, conducted
Basic Training for Entrepreneurs, a crash course which educates presenters on
presenting their business plan, crafting an elevator speech, understanding
venture capital term sheets, negotiating private equity funding and making a
successful public presentation.
The Conference also boasts a high profile and respected list of corporate
sponsors, each of whom have contributed financially as well as hours of
volunteer time coaching presenters and acting as mentors. Conference Platinum
level sponsors include Akerman Senterfitt, Edwards & Angell, LLP, Ernst &
Young LLP, Greenberg Traurig, P.A., Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and
Vision Fuel. Conference Patron level sponsors include Becker Consulting
Services, Inc., Fowler White Boggs Banker, Grant Thornton LLP, Grotech Capital
Group, H.I.G. Ventures, Holland & Knight, Hunton & Williams, KPMG LLP, MARSH,
Microsoft, PanAmerican Graphic, Inc., PR Newswire, Silicon Valley Bank, and
White & Case LLP.
Conference Registration is available on-line at
http://www.flvencap.org/attendee_form.php3 or by calling 305-446-5060. Conference
fees are $449 per person before January 8 and $499 thereafter. For hotel
reservations, contact The Peabody at 1-800-732-2639 and mention the Conference
room rate of $199 for a single room.
ONLINE PRESS CENTER AND VIDEOCLIP
For additional background information, visit our online press center at
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/tradeshows/events.jsp?show=638244&option=tr
adeshow&view=LATEST, courtesy of PR Newswire.
For a videoclip about the Florida Venture Capital Conference, visit
High Bandwidth 300k
http://xgen.vitalstream.com/mcasx.asx?media=1265504&package=1250147
Low Bandwidth
http://xgen.vitalstream.com/mcasx.asx?media=1265515&package=1250147
ABOUT THE FLORIDA VENTURE FORUM, INC.
The Florida Venture Forum, Inc. is Florida's premiere statewide support
group for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. As an entrepreneurial
networking group, the Forum educates entrepreneurs and assists them identify
sources of venture capital. Created in 1984 by a group of high-level business
leaders and academicians, the goal of the Forum is to help ensure the success
of entrepreneurial ventures by offering expert counsel and educational advice.
For updated information on presenters, speakers and sponsors, please visit
http://www.flvencap.org or e-mail forum@flvencap.org.
Florida Venture Forum (FVF)/Florida Venture Capital Conference
Spokespersons
* Robin Kovaleski, FVF Executive Director, 813/335-8116
* Carl Roston, 2004 FVF Chairperson, Akerman Senterfitt 305/374-5600
* Richard J. Dobkin, 2004 Conference Co-Chairperson, Ernst & Young,
813/225-4900
* Jay Simione, 2004 Conference Co-Chairperson, Marsh, 954/838-3565
Attachments
* PDF of 2004 Conference Brochure and Agenda
* 2004 List of Selected Presenters (to date)
* Conference Funding History Chart (1992 to date)
2004 FLORIDA VENTURE CAPITAL CONFERENCE
LIST OF PRESENTERS
COMPANY DESCRIPTION
(19 a/o 12-8-03)
* 14 South Networks -- Boca Raton (http://www.14south.com) -- An intranet
security company that manufactures and markets, Security Appliance Cards for
servers.
* AuthenTec, Inc. -- Melbourne (http://www.authentec.com) -- A provider of
fingerprint sensors to the PC, wireless, PDA, access control and automotive
markets.
* Business Risk Technologies, Inc. -- Plantation (http://www.brtsystems.com) -- A
provider of advanced products and solutions for the insurance, financial, and
computer industries.
* CallMiner, Inc. -- Cape Coral (http://www.callminer.com) -- A software provider
for contact and call centers for converting recorded conversations into a
searchable text database.
* Cerebit, Inc. -- Tampa (http://www.cerebit.com) -- Develops software to prevent
misuse of information technology systems by authorized users across all
enterprise applications.
* Channel Intelligence, Inc. -- Celebration (http://www.channelintelligence.com)
-- Providers of commerce Web services that connect Fortune 100 manufacturers
to their channel partners to increase sales of their finished goods.
* ClearSky Mobile Media, Inc. -- Orlando (http://www.ClearSkyMobileMedia.com) --
An aggregator and developer of multimedia content for the latest third-
generation, color-screen and wireless handsets.
* Cross Match Technologies, Inc. -- Palm Beach Gardens
(http://www.crossmatch.com) -- A provider of forensic-quality fingerprint and palm
print capture solutions and fingerprint-based background-check services.
* DigiPortal Software -- Sanford (http://www.digiportal.com) -- A developer of
permission-based anti-spam software for consumers and enterprises using
optional identity verification and rules for special situations.
* Digital Interactive Streams, Inc. -- Jacksonville (http://www.distream.com) --
Develops comprehensive product solutions that enable service providers to
deliver interactive, on-demand, high quality, rich media distribution over
Internet, cable, satellite, wireless or broadcast networks.
* Doculex -- Winter Haven (http://www.doculex.com) -- Provides document imaging
products for the litigation support and commercial document imaging markets.
* Emida Technologies -- Miami (http://www.emida.net) -- A provider of
transactional networks for electronic prepaid distribution, bill payment and
money transfer services targeting the global Hispanic market.
* Goodwin Biotechnology, Inc. -- Plantation (http://www.goodwinbio.com) -- A
contract manufacturer of biopharmaceutical products for Phase I and Phase II
clinical trials.
* Interfuse Technology Corporation -- Boca Raton (http://www.officelock.com) --
Developers of OfficeLock(R), a solution for electronic file security.
* MeshNetworks, Inc. -- Maitland (http://www.meshnetworks.com) -- Delivers
innovative mobile broadband networking solutions based on patented ad hoc
peer-to-peer technology to fixed, portable and mobile devices.
* Neptune Tech Services, Inc., d/b/a Neptune Precision Composites --
Jacksonville (http://www.neptuneprecision.com) -- Develops and produces highly
engineered composite structures for aerospace and defense systems including
radar, sonar and electro-optics.
* NovaMin Technology -- Alachua (http://www.novamin.com) -- Developers of a
proprietary dental and oral health care product that improves the strength and
appearance of teeth, reverses decay, and eliminates sensitivity.
* Solaribus Biomedical Corporation -- Melbourne (http://www.solaribus.com) --
Develops hyper spectral imaging to detect, delineate, and diagnose skin
cancers.
* WiDeFi, Inc. -- Satellite Beach (http://www.widefi.com) -- A wireless
technology development company that invents patented innovations that improve
the performance, coverage and capacity of mass-market wireless communications
network applications.
FLORIDA VENTURE CAPITAL 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
Diane Huth
Skinny Snacks 1992 $13,000,000 Brazilian Investor
941/278-0244
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
Instruments 1995 $750,000 Econ. Dev. Fund of
1-800-TAHOE-11 Puerto Rico and the
Venture Capital Fund
of Puerto Rico
Eric Hale
UroQuest, Inc. 1995 $2,500,000 E.M. Warburg
1-800-464-8735 Pincus
Global Vision 1996 $2,500,000 Crosspoint
904/268-4587 Ventures
Mead McCabe, Jr.
Genetic Vectors 1996 $4,768,700 IPO
305/716-0000
Nick Molina
Let's Talk Cellular 1996 $21,100,000 IPO
305-477-8255
Burt Sookram
Catalina Food Ingredients 1997 $3,500,000 Sirrom Capital
813-845-5595
Ellen Caravello
On-line @Unicom 1997 $1,000,000 PennWell
561/276-2433 Publishing
Luis F. Ayala
TAC Systems, Inc. 1997 $2,000,000 Sirrom Capital
205-721-1976
Michael Dowling
Sawgrass Electronics
Group, Inc. 1997 $5,000,000 N/A
954-340-8127
Brendan T. Fitzgerald
Microgistics, Inc. 1998 $2,400,000 Private Investors
407-757-5780
John Lawlor
The Email Channel 1998 $385,000 Antares Capital
561-226-3624
Steve McLaughlin
Net Healthcare 1998 $9,000,000 Sale/merger with
954-492-8774 Preferred
Employers Holdings
Gary Patterson
Imaginet Design Solutions 1998 $380,000 SF-based bank
954-922-0399
Martin E. Doyle
Perception, Inc. 1998 $3,000,000 Equity funds from
305-593-5505 Private Investors
Gail Nichols
Willow CSN Incorporated 1998 $5,000,000 Terms
305-864-6577 confidential
Oscar Coen
Yupi.com 1999 $108,000,000 ITP,
305/604-0366 IFX Corp., Sony,
etc.
Michael Baron
TeraNex 1999 $4,000,000 BancBoston
407/417-1086 2003 $6,000,000 BancBoston
Capital, Crest
Communications
Holding, Audax
Group
Michael A. McNeal
Absolutely Software 1999 $1,000,000 Private investors
561/852-0681
Clifford T. Boro
Internet Financial
Network, Inc.(IFN) 1999 $10,000,000 Private investors-
954/321-6061 Julius Trump
Scott Moody 1999 $20,000,000 Stonehenge
AuthenTec Capital, Royal
407-729-5848 Bank of Canada
2003 $12,100,000 Sierra Ventures
2003 $2,900,000 Newlight
Associates,
Firsthand
Capital Mngt.
Jerome Pepin
U.S. Bid 1999 $1,200,000 Private investor
407-725-0260 2000 $10,000,000 Spectrum Equity
Investors and
Brinson Partners
Zijad F. Aganovic, Ph. D.
Cylex Systems, Inc. 1999 $6,000,000 H.I.G. Capital
561-998-7175
Christopher Cogan
GoCo-op 2000 $21,000,000 Invemed Assoc.
407-628-3636 2001 $23,000,000 Invemed Catalyst
Fund
David A. Schwedel
Marex.com 2000 $43,000,000 Brown Simpson
305-285-2003 Strategic Growth
Funds
Glenn Parker
ParkStone Medical 2000 $31,500,000 Oak Investment
954-389-8900 Partners,
Partech Intl.,
Cardinal Health
Partners and
Salix Ventures
Kenneth Dotson
ScoreCardUSA.com 2000 $1,600,000 CrossBow
407-482-8282
Michael Davis
eAngler.com 2000 $9,100,000 SI Ventures LLC
877-979-3474 Brunswick Corp.
2001 Florida Venture Capital
Steve Sponder 2001 $3,200,000 Crossbow
BizProLink
954-535-2999
Roger Ueltzen 2001 $3,000,000
Cylex Systems, Inc.
561-998-7175
William D. Kirsh
eAppealSolutions.com,
Inc. 2001 $2,500,000
305-534-7174 Scientia Health
Group
Rick Sanderson
Fourbit Group, Inc. 2001 $1,500,000 Private
954-938-9900 Investors
John Textor 2001 $6,800,000 Crossbow,
Jester Digital Wyncrest
561-833-9220 Capital
Keith Gibson 2001 $5,000,000 Stonehenge
Kview, Inc. Capital,
813-221-2765 Advantage
Capital,
Thompson
Murff LCC and others
Nate Clement 2001 $300,000 Fred Perkins,
LatPro Perkins & Assoc.
954-474-6880 ext. 138
Michael Meiser 2001 $4,000,000 Crossbow,
Medmundo Battery Ventures
305-576-0227
Chris Fleck 2001 $10,000,000 Mellon,
OmniCluster HIG,
561-981-0261 Crossbow
Kurt Long 2001 $10,000,000 Battery
OpenNetwork Technologies Ventures,
727-561-9500 JP Morgan,
SI Ventures
2001 $10,000,000 (round 2,
same investors)
2002 Florida Venture Capital
Stefan Borg 2002 $2,500,000
Copharos, Inc.
904-543-1140
Rudy Mazzocchi 2002 $2,850,000 Medtronics,
Image Guided Neurologics Stonehenge Capital Corp.
321-309-8209
Page Six
Florida Venture Forum
John D. Friske, Jr. 2002 $400,000 Stonehenge
In.vision Research Capital and others
727-822-7200
Richard Licursi 2002 $12,000,000 Redwood
MeshNetworks Venture Partners and others
407-659-5302
2003 $12,000,000 Existing
investors
John Yin 2002 $600,000 Private
PartnerCommunity, Inc. investors
561-981-1200
Robert L. Heid 2002 $150,000 Aurora Funds
psiloQuest 2002 $1,150,000 Grace Venture
407-677-0997 Partners
Douglas A. Wheeler 2002 $2,000,000 Crossbow
ScriptRx 2003 $ 710,000 Crossbow
561-805-5935 2003 $ 250,000 Crossbow
Robert C. Strandberg 2002 $8,333,000 SpaceVest,
Xytrans, Inc. Grace Venture
407-345-8008 Partners,
Crossbow,
Stonehenge
Capital, ATV
2003 Florida Venture Capital
Simon Zisman 2003 $3,000,000 Syncom
Comerxia
954-862-0002
Ren Mohan, CEO 2003 $1,000,000 Springboard
Intelligenxia, Inc. Capital I, LLC
904-861-2165
Robert Rubin 2003 $10,000,000 American
Litestream Technologies Capital Corp.
813-375-3482
Stephan A. Tuchman 2003 $410,000 Springboard
MaxxVision, LLC Capital, LLC
352-378-6620
Chris Morton, Pres./CEO 2003 $10,500,000 BancBoston
SkyCross Capital; BAE
321-308-6619 Systems;
Investment Partners
of Orlando
Lawrence J. Keim 2003 $15,000,000 Draper Fisher
Solicore, Inc. Jurvetson
863-603-7640
TOTAL: $553,487,100
SOURCE Florida Venture Forum, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.flvencap.org
CONTACT:
Bertha Diaz, +1-305-444-2181, or
+1-305-804-4994, or bdiaz@beckerconsulitng.com, for Florida
Venture Forum, Inc.
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