GrowFL opens nominations for the next class of Rock Stars!
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This year marks the fourth annual Florida Companies to Watch awards program. On behalf of Executive Director, Dr. Tom O'Neal and the GrowFL Advisory Board Chairman, Danny Jackson, we invite all our great entrepreneurs in Florida to apply to be recognized as one of the elite winners in the 2014 class. As an entrepreneur support organization, if you know of a great company in your community, you can also nominate them for this award. Over the last three years, 150 companies from throughout Florida have been recognized at our rock star event held in October.

From 2009 through 2012, our 2013 winning companies generated $1.1 billion in revenue and added 940 employees (both in Florida and out of state), reflecting a 126 percent increase in revenue and 102 percent increase in jobs for the four-year period. That translates into a 31 percent annual revenue growth and 26 percent annual growth in employees.

These companies project continued growth in 2013, with a 30 percent revenue increase and 23 percent growth in employees (both in Florida and out of state) compared to 2012. If their projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.6 billion in revenue and added 1,369 employees over the last five years — a 194 percent increase in revenue and 148 percent increase in jobs since 2009.

We hope you get involved!

Dr. Tom O'Neal, Executive Director, GrowFL
Associate VP for Research and Commercialization
University of Central Florida

Danny Jackson, Chairman, GrowFL Advisory Board
Principal, Cherry Bekaert

2013 Florida Companies to Watch Rock Stars!

2014 Florida Companies to Watch is generously sponsored by:

Sponsorships as of 4/4/2014

Additional support provided by: ACG Capital Connection, Enterprise Florida, Florida Venture Forum, SCB Marketing, Florida Trend, CEO Nexus

About Companies to Watch:GrowFL and the University of Central Florida in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation are proud to announce the 2014 Florida Companies to Watch annual awards program. This weekly update is dedicated to the kick-off of nominations and applications for this exciting program.

The Florida Companies to Watch awards program recognizes and honors growing second-stage companies, headquartered in Florida, that exhibit innovative business strategies and processes that are “worth watching”.

About GrowFL:GrowFL was created in 2009 by the Florida legislature as an economic development program focused on assisting second-stage growth companies prosper in the state of Florida. By providing strategies, resources and support to second-stage companies for next level growth through Strategic Research and peer-to-peer CEO mentoring, GrowFL helps companies overcome obstacles to growth and leads them towards prosperity. Based on the philosophy of Economic Gardening®—to grow existing businesses in a community, region or state—GrowFL, the Florida Economic Gardening Institute at the University of Central Florida, is a critical component to the state’s economic development strategy and Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As of June 30, 2013, GrowFL assisted companies represent 13,493 direct jobs across the state of Florida. In 2013, these companies had an estimated sales output of $1.14 billion and contributed $2.33 billion to the Florida economy. For fiscal years 2012 and 2013, a variety of state, local and private sector funding sources invested $2.61 million in the GrowFL program. The activities of this program over the same time period helped generate an estimated 3,745 net new direct, indirect and induced jobs, which in turn contributed $587.49 million to Florida’s economy and generated an additional $19.78 million in total state and local tax revenues (above and beyond the cost of the program). This translates into a Return On Investment of $7.58 for every $1.00 invested into the program. All dollar amounts have been adjusted to 2014 dollars.

Today, GrowFL has assisted more than 700 companies through our Strategic Research and CEO Roundtable programs and recognized 150 successful entrepreneurs through our annual awards program, Florida Companies to Watch.