| NEW Eligibility Guidelines |
Thanks to our partners, your company could qualify today for free business assistance!
Guidelines:
 Headquarters in Florida For profit business Growth oriented 7 to 100 employees
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| GrowFL Client Accolades |
If you have success stories, achievements, honors, awards or certifications that you are proud of, let us know! You could possibly be featured in the next edition of the GrowFL Update!
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~Orlando Sentinel~
UCF Program to Grow Businesses Survives |
It was easier for Richard Sweat to break into Canada with his Sanford-based medical device business this summer after a UCF program that helps small businesses armed him with a database of potential customers and other assistance.
Since it started two years ago, GrowFL, part of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at UCF, has helped save about 300 businesses time and money with market research and other services.
"It was a very valuable first step in going into the Canadian market," said Sweat, Chief Executive Officer of .decimal, which produces patient-specific devices for radiation therapy.
But this summer GrowFL was the one that needed help...
To read more of the Orlando Sentinel article, click here.
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| Metro Orlando EDC's Annual Celebration of Innovation |
The Metro Orlando EDC's annual celebration of innovation took place last week at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. The William C. Schwartz Industry Innovation Awards honor companies from throughout the region for unique practices, products or ideas; and for the impact these dynamic companies have on our local economy.
"CITY OF ORLANDO" Award:
Based in one of Orlando's Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zones, GrowFL client E.R. Precision Optical recently invested over $2 million to create an in-house system that allows them to grow germanium and silicon crystals - critical materials used for night vision in targeting and surveillance applications by the U.S. Military and Department of Homeland Security. This company is the only U.S. based manufacturing company to supply these critical materials, keeping important manufacturing jobs right here in the U.S.
"FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORIDOR COUNCIL" Award:
Orlando-based GrowFL client VaxDesign developed a "clinical trial in a test tube" that is able to predict human responses to pharmaceuticals and vaccines much better than existing approaches. This artificial immune system - called MIMIC - was part of a Rapid Vaccine Assessment Program with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that led to VaxDesign being acquired by global vaccine leader Sanofi Pasteur in 2010.
To see the other awards and to read more, click here.
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| Gainesville IT Company Completes GrowFL Economic Gardening Program |
e-TechServices, a Gainesville-based information technology
company, recently completed the statewide GrowFL program.
President Mario Ariet, who co-founded the 12-year-old company with CEO Marc Spindler, said even with
the company’s “deep bench of technical experts and years of experience in enterprise computing solutions”
they still had limited access to some of the corporate tools that large companies use to market themselves.
“We are a premiere IBM business partner whose experts offer enterprise-level computing solutions,
consultation and design for systems integration and optimization, as well as disaster recovery and business
continuity,” Ariet said. “The GrowFL team helped us gain access to some of these unique tools and
provided insight into the Florida market place and online marketing strategies.”
To read more, click here.
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~Daytona Beach
News-Journal~
DeLand Firm Gets Assist From GrowFL |
DeLand Bakery Group is the latest local business to get a boost from the GrowFL program at the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at the University of Central Florida.
The family-run natural and organic bakery, at 933 N. Woodland Blvd., received technical assistance through the state-funded GrowFL program in market research and technology, strategy analysis, CEO roundtables and forums, database research and website optimization, said Tom O'Neal, the institute's executive director.
"With the assistance from GrowFL, we're able to expand our line of certified..."
To read more of this article click here.
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Interested in joining CEO Roundtables?
Have you ever had to make difficult decisions alone as the sole executive in a growing company without anyone to turn to for advice?
Through GrowFL your company can address the management challenges you’re facing with guidance from business owners like yourself…..a panel of peers who can act as each other’s board and offer inuput and advice that can be immediately implemented.
Space is limited.
For more information contact FEGI at (407)823-6384 or info@growfl.com
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Interested in becoming a GrowFL company?
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FEGI's GrowFL Technical Assistance Program
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Economic Gardening -- Coming To Your Community in 2012!
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute's GrowFL Technical Assistance program is already available to many counties in Florida. If you are interested in a local Economic Gardening initiative to help businesses in your community, contact Tammie Nemecek at tammie@growfl.com or (239)253-1688.
New Funding!
On the heels of an eonomic impact study showing an impact of 3,285 jobs created, the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at the University of Central Florida has secured funding to continue the second phase of its successful GrowFL program that offers business support services to growth-oriented entrepreneurial companies. Funding contributions from Orange County, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council (FHTCC), the University of Central Florida (UCF) and other economic development agencies will allow GrowFL to expand the existing eligibility criteria of the pilot program, effectively opening applications to a larger pool of second-stage companies.
For more information and to submit your application, head to the GrowFL website at www.growfl.com or contact us at info@growfl.com
or (407) 823-6384.
Click here for a current coverage map.
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| GrowFL Economic Impact Study 09-11 |
Established in 2009, GrowFL is Florida's official economic gardening technical assistance program - a job creation initiative that focuses on assisting established companies which have reached a stage of high growth potential. In July 2011 a census of companies that participated in the GrowFL program was conducted to measure initial outcomes and successes. Based on the job growth figures these companies have reported, an outside consulting agency estimates that, to date, GrowFL helped to create more than 3,285 direct and indirect local jobs and contribute more than $510.4 million (direct and indirect) to Florida's economy, for a total state investment of $3.5 million. It also helped to generate an additional $18.17 million in net state and local tax revenues (above and beyond the cost of the program).
For the complete report, click on the link below.
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| GrowFL Program Initiated in 2009 |
Since November 1, 2009, the GrowFL Program has provided many services for 2nd stage companies including economic gardening technical assistance, CEO Roundtables, CEO Forums, various webinars and workshops ad the "Florida Companies to Watch" recognition event. Each of these activities has been targeted to support the 2nd stage CEOs with operational and revenue-increasing strategies to improve business performance. This in turn has driven the creation of new jobs in the State of Florida.
Since the GrowFL program began, UCF Provided technical assistance to 250 companies located throughout the State of Florida. This assistance has resulted in companies increasing sales, which in turn allowed them to hire more people.
For a complete summary of the GrowFL program from November 1, 2009 through September 1, 2011, click on the link below.
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Why is the GrowFL Technical Assistance Program so valuable to companies?
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| 24 GrowFL Clients Among Nation's Top Entrepreneurs |
Twenty four clients of GrowFL, a program administered by UCF’s Florida Economic Gardening Institute, rank in the 2011 Inc. magazine 500/5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.
GrowFL companies account for nearly 14 percent of the top 500 Florida companies and 11 percent of the top 5000 Florida companies on the fifth annual edition of the list.
“This is an impressive affirmation of the quality level of the companies that we assist,” said Tom O’Neal, associate vice president for research and executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute, which oversees the GrowFL program. “These are the companies that are making a difference in the new economy,” he said.
To read more of this article, click here.
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| Florida's Companies To Watch 2012 |
Coming in Fall 2012!
Have your say on which second-stage companies are repressented on the 2012 Florida Companies to Watch stage!
For more information and to nominate or apply, head over to
florida.companiestowatch.org.
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Florida High Tech Corridor Council
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Looking for a Comprehensive Resource about
How to Grow Your Business?
The Virtual Entrepreneur Center Web portal (www.flvec.com) is designed to be a one-stop shop library for entrepreneurs who are looking for business resources all in one place.
As an initiative of the Florida High Tech Corridor Coucil in partnership with local economic development organizations, the Virtual Entrepreneur Center offers a catalog of local, regional, state and global business resources organized by county, as well as a directory of businesses that offer services catering to entrepreneurs and small business owners. The flvec.com site complements GrowFL's services by providing entrepreneurs with access to resources for expanding their business.
To read more about the FHTCC's VEC, please click here.
High Tech Companies: Looking for Funds to Develop Your Emerging Technologies?
The Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s primary focus is to foster applied research between universities and their high tech industry partners through its Matching Grants Research Program. The program is managed on the campuses of the University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and University of Florida by a committee of researchers and Council partners.
Since the inception of the program in 1996, the Council has partnered with 350 companies on more than 1,000 research projects in sectors ranging from Agritechnology to Sustainable Energy.
The more than $50 million in funds that have been invested by the Council have been matched by corporate cash and in-kind investments, resulting in a total project value of more than $1 billion. A recent study determined the MGRP has generated an impact of 3,276 jobs downstream.
To learn more about the MGRP process and guidelines at each of the Corridor universities, visit floridahightech.com/research.php.
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| Upcoming Events |
September 28, 2011
Entrepreneur Summit - Florida's Research Coast
Hosted by Congressman Bill Posey
Indian River State College - Mueller Campus - Richardson Center - Vero Beach, FL
For more information or to register, click here
September 30, 2011
MMES 2011: "Building Communities of Opportunity"
"Consensus Building, Announcement and Adoption of MDEAT 11-12 Action Plan
9am - 5pm - Joseph Caleb Center and Auditorium
5400 NW 22nd Avenue - Liberty City - Miami, FL
For more information, call (866)888-8032 or click here.
October 20, 2011
Webinar - "Introduction to Economic Gardening"
10am - 11:30am
Click here for more information, or Register Here.
November 3, 2011
Webinar - "Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem"
10am - 11:30am
Click here for more information, or Register Here.
November 17, 2011
Webinar - "Implementing a Local Economic Gardening Program"
10am - 11:30am
Click here for more information, or Register Here.
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