This year has been anything but typical for the Tampa Bay startup ecosystem.
It was the year the nation — seemingly overnight — took note of the region, although many tech founders had been building the foundation for years.
But their hard work began paying off. There has been a mass amount of exits. There have been larger funding rounds than ever before, garnering larger institutional firms. We've seen more partnerships secured with national giants across an array of industries.
We wanted our annual Fire awards — previously known as the Inno on Fire awards — to reflect the current times we're living in.
In the past, Tampa Bay Inno has honored 50 companies setting the ecosystem ablaze in a number of categories, including edtech, startup supporters and cybersecurity.
For 2021, we wanted to keep our list as fresh as the ecosystem it honors. We've chosen the companies that have been involved in the most momentous deals of the year, as well as some companies that have truly flexed their innovation muscles in the last 12 months.
On Nov. 16, we'll be honoring these innovators at our Fire Awards and announcing our "Blazer" winners. Those are standouts chosen by a panel of community judges picking one innovator from each category that is blazing the way. The event will be held at the newly completed rooftop at the Florida Aquarium and you won't want to miss it.
And now, here are your 2021 Fire honorees.
Acquisitions
- Presence. Canadian company Modern Campus acquired the St. Petersburg edtech startup in June. The company was founded in 2012 by Reuben Pressman, who has risen in the startup ranks throughout the years. He currently serves as St. Pete's first-ever entrepreneur-in-residence. Under the acquisition, Presence will work with Modern Campus' 1,400 universities and college partners. Pressman will join Modern Campus' executive team, with the company's CEO Brian Kibby remaining at the helm. Presence will remain in St. Petersburg and Pressman said all the local employees will stay on with the new deal.
Reuben Pressman
Reuben Pressman
- Script: A LINQ Solution. Tampa-based edtech startup Script, which has been a two-time Blazer winner, was acquired in April by North Carolina-based EMS LINQ Inc. Script's CEO Aaron Whitehas become LINQ's senior director of product, focusing on Script. The company's COO Dan Greco has decided to exit the company. The remaining 10 full-time employees at Script have all stayed on for their new roles at LINQ, according to White. Beyond title changes, very little has changed for the company itself, he said.
The Script: A LINQ Solution team
Nola Laleye
- Synzi. San Diego-based AMN Healthcare acquired the St. Pete telehealth company in May in a $42 million all-cash deal. Synzi was founded in 2018 and provides remote patient monitoring and virtual care platforms for the outpatient and home health sectors. It will keep its name, brand and office in St. Petersburg and all 35 current employees. One of the few changes will be a new title for CEO Lee Horner, set to be known as the head of telehealth technology solutions for AMN Healthcare.
The Synzi team, from an image shared as part of the TBBJ's Best Places to Work annual event.
Synzi
- Ensurem. The Clearwater-based insurance brokerage firm was acquired by 777 Partners, a Miami-based private investment firm, in March. Ensurem provides Medicare services by building technology, educational tools and marketing platforms for the insurance-buying process. It was touted as one of the fastest-growing private companies, according to the Business Journal, with a 245,900% revenue growth from 2017 to 2019. Ensurem recently expanded into Pasco County with a new office that will house 200 employees.
Ensurem CEO Dave Rich
Ensurem
- Perform[cb]. In May, Canadian private equity firm Beringer Capital acquired Sarasota-based Perform[cb], formerly known as Clickbooth. The company, which rebranded from Clickbooth in February 2020, will remain headquartered in Sarasota and views the acquisition as more of a "partnership," officials told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The company was founded in 2002 and is in the performance marketing industry, using artificial intelligence to help clients with new customer acquisition.
Erin Cigich, Perform[cb] CEO.
Perform CB
Partnerships
- Edgility. The Tampa-based healthtech company partnered with the University of South Florida's College of Nursing and College of Engineering this year in an effort to boost high-quality talent in the region. The company launched the "Health Re-Imagined: The Digital Incubator” program, which provides training modules to teach nursing students and faculty how to incorporate technology into finding solutions for the industry's challenges. The College of Engineering partnership allows students to work on Edgility projects, giving them the real-world experience often lacking in academia, while giving Edgility access to new, young talent.
The team from Edgility poses at the Fire Awards photo shoot.
Nola Laleye
- SiteZeus. The Tampa-based tech company most recently partnered with Tijuana Flats, adding on to its deals with Subway, Burger King, Pollo Tropical and more. The company uses a number of data sets, ranging from traffic patterns to the company's marketing budget. It was founded in 2014 and launched in 2016 and has worked with more than 100 entities.
The team from SiteZeus represents.
Nola Laleye
- Teamwork Commerce. It is a Clearwater-based retail technology company that allows retailers and sports teams such as the Washington Nationals to streamline its retail platforms to one easy-to-use space. Its latest software version is currently being rolled out overseas. It is also testing the use of AI to translate customer feedback into easy-to-consume reports, specifically diving into topics such as why specific customers did not end up making a purchase. It has partnered with Apple through its Mobility Partner program, which began in Brazil and eventually expanded to the U.S.
Teamwork Commerce point-of-sale examples.
Teamwork Commerce
- Chattr. The artificial intelligence-powered software startup partnered with more than 500 Bealls' stores throughout the U.S. It is the first major partnership for the Tampa-based startup. Its technology will help streamline the hiring and onboarding process for Bealls. Chattr's software helps with a company's initial job posting, reviews and narrows down qualified potential candidates, schedules interviews and handles post-interview duties. Its AI chatbot can also chat with potential applicants, taking them through a series of questions instead of a lengthy application. The company was founded in 2018 and was previously known as Hire Humanely.
The team from Chattr celebrates being named a Fire Awards honoree.
Nola Laleye
Fundings
- SOMA Global. The cloud-based system raised a $22.5 million Series A in January. The funding was given entirely by Tampa-based investment firm Weatherford Capital, which typically invests in larger Series B and up rounds. SOMA Global, also based in Tampa, helps store information given on 911 calls, helps with records management and collecting data, and keeps incident and arrest reports in one system.SOMA Global's software, in particular, extends beyond traditional law enforcement agencies and can be used wherever law enforcement officers are dispatched, including higher education institutions, military offices and more.
The Team from SOMA Global.
Nola Laleye
- Red Rover. The company raised $13.6 million in January. Red Rover was created by Peter Warhurst, who originally founded moving and storage company PODS. Red Rover is an improvement upon that model, Warhurst said in a previous interview with Tampa Bay Inno. The "fetchable" solution with a patent-pending ramp system offers trucks for free at various locations and then charges for the cost of the container. The latest funding comes after Red Rover expanded to Long Island, New York, to take advantage of the mass exodus currently occurring amid the novel coronavirus.
This screenshot from Red Rover shows its container product.
Red Rover
- Aspen RxHealth. The Tampa telehealth company raised $23 million in its Series B in January. Aspen RxHealth, which connects users with pharmacists to deliver clinical services, had the investment led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Bessemer has a long history of investing in well-known technology companies, including LinkedIn, Yelp, Shopify and DocuSign. The company previously raised a $9 million Series A round.
Aspen RX Health mobile look as taken from a TBBJ file image.
Aspen RX Health
- MiQroTech. The Tampa startup that uses technology to predict oil spills raised more than $10 million in its Series A round it closed in June. The company uses both hardware and software to predict oil and gas pipeline leaks before they occur. It was most recently accepted into the Chevron Technology Ventures Catalyst Program, which CEO Meade Lewis said helped give the company more credibility among investors to further its oversubscribed round.
MiQroTech's Meade Lewis
Nola Laleye
- Cirkul. The innovative water bottle company that went viral on TikTok closed a $30 million Series B in August. Cirkul, which raised $6.6 million in November 2020, has seen massive growth since its previous funding. The company has continued to build its TikTok following and hired 100 additional employees from March to June. The company, which has a patented system of water bottles and cartridges to swap out 43 different flavors, was founded in 2018 in Tampa Bay, with a satellite office in Boston.
Garrett Waggoner, CEO/Founder at Cirkul Inc.
Nola Laleye
Tampa Bay transplants
- John Sung Kim. Kim was a founding partner of San Francisco-based Five9, which was set to be acquired by Zoom in a reported $14.9 billion deal in July before the deal fell through. He recently landed in Tampa to continue to build his company, JetBridge, which provides a network of seasoned engineers to mid-market and enterprise companies. It also helps engineers break into the startup investing scene as well. He has the lofty goal to bring a local company public in the next decade. He also plans to set an example by investing $1 million a year into Tampa software companies "indefinitely," starting off with Tampa-based Panther.
John Sung Kim
John Sung Kim
- Procoto. The company's founder Michael Otis moved from Atlanta to set up his company's new headquarters in St. Petersburg. The company was part of the prestigious Silicon Valley-based Y Combinator accelerator program and was recently featured as one of the "Most promising startups in the Southeast" at Venture Atlanta. It automates the source-to-contract process to ensure better products with faster and cheaper services with fewer needed resources. It is currently in the process of a roughly $1 million pre-seed round led by TampaBay.Ventures.
Michael Otis, founder & CEO at Protoco.
Nola Laleye
- TrustLayer. Founder John Fohr moved from Silicon Valley to Tampa and quickly caught the attention of investors. He raised $6.6 million in February and another $15.1 million in August. Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik participated in both rounds. His company was founded in 2018 and offers an application that reduces the back-and-forth paper trail between businesses when it comes to verifying business partners — such as vendors, suppliers and subcontractors — credentials and certifications.
John Fohr, Trustlayer founder
Nola Laleye
- OPSWAT. The former San Francisco-based cybersecurity company announced the creation of its "Eastern" headquarters in Tampa in January. It raised a $125 million in March, and with a rising number of acquisitions, it is eyeing an IPO. Its CEO believes he's still on track to go public in the next 12 to 18 months, depending on the route. He could file a special purpose acquisition company, better known as a SPAC, which would allow him to go public by next June, he said.
The team from OPSWAT.
Nola Laleye
Inno innovators
- PROVEN. The St. Pete-based company, which is a subset of NAHA Health, launched in May and offers a digital vaccine passport platform. It partnered with Visit Mexico and plans to expand to two more countries in the coming months. The company goes beyond a typical "vaccine passport" allowing customers to access their vaccine card on a smartphone. The company verifies the card to ensure it is not fraudulent, a growing concern among entities that require proof of a vaccine. For those without the vaccine, there is an option to show a business owner they have a negative Covid-19 test. Lastly, PROVEN can incorporate if a user has previously had Covid-19, and therefore has potential antibodies.
PROVEN is based in St. Petersburg.
Nola Laleye
- Squaremouth. The St. Pete travel insurance technology company recently scrapped its former dreams of a Silicon Valley-esque headquarters and will be in-person optional. It's long been ahead of the curve, offering unlimited paid time off and a flexible seating chart. "Whenever we're thinking about having everyone together, the office space was a real big thing," Squaremouth CEO Jessica Burns said. "But as we progress, we realized that's not what the employees wanted. We wanted everyone to have that work-life balance, and that was more important to have that than a cool office space."
The Squaremouth team from a group shot shared by the company.
Ashlee Hamon Photography, INC
- Quiet Professionals. The Tampa defense contractor launched a high-tech tracker to help rescue refugees looking to leave Afghanistan. The Quiet Professionals OSINT (open-source intelligence) tracker is able to connect with those in Afghanistan seeking to leave the country due to the turmoil that has occurred after the Taliban took control of the country in mid-August. Those interested can fill out a survey, which will then be scrubbed from their cell phone to ensure safety. They will be able to be tracked through the sensor in their phone and can be "sponsored" by those interested who can further help coordinate a rescue plan.
The Quiet Professionals team
Quiet Professionals
- Chris Krimitsos and Gabe Higgins. The two Tampa entrepreneurs launched the state's first-ever Florida Blockchain and Bitcoin Summit in Orlando this June, to further bolster the state's rising star in the blockchain world. They also brought a version to Tampa this month, allowing both novices and experts to learn more about fostering growth in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector. "You've got Miami, which is the new financial capital of the country," Krimitsos said. "And Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and other cities now have a huge opportunity to be the new Silicon Valley of blockchain if we play our cards right."
Gabe Higgins
Nola Laleye
Chris Krimitsos
Gabriel Aluisy
Fintech/blockchain
- ProCredEx. The Tampa-based tech startup looking to streamline the credential process raised a $4.6 million seed round in July, led by industry giants Spectrum Health Ventures, based in Michigan, and Nashville-based Martin Ventures. It has raised more than $8 million total since launching in 2018. The company has a focus on the health care industry for the next two years, its founder Anthony Begando said, and will then turn toward any industry with credentialing needs.
Anthony Begando, CEO, Professional Credentials Exchange
Nola Laleye
- Trustate. The company, which launched in the summer of 2020 in Tampa, was accepted to the prestigious Chicago-based 1871 accelerator in June. It aims to help streamline and automate the estate administration process. The group offers a flat rate to help close an estate, as compared to a lawyer with an unknown price tag. Trustate works with "preferred partners" that range from banks to financial advisers and estate lawyers, although any customer can sign up for their services. They have roughly 10 employees and the service is available in all 50 states.
The team from Trustate
Nola Laleye
- Pocket Network. The blockchain platform raised $9.3 million six months after launching, while still being 100%-owned by the team due to selling the company's cryptocurrency tokens versus equity. The selling of the protocol was open to anyone — a user could buy one node, which is what a blockchain network consists of, while others could buy six figures' worth. According to CEO Michael O'Rourke, over 200 people participated. O'Rourke's next goal is to hit 100 million daily requests — or transactions — which it is well on track to achieve in the next 18 months. It currently receives roughly 5 to 10 million requests daily.
Michael O'Rourke, co-founder and CEO, Pocket Network
Pocket Network
- BlockSpaces. The blockchain-focused tech company closed a $1.2 million seed round in March, catching the attention of San Francisco area-based Leadout Capital, which led the round. Silicon Valley-based Brighter Capital and Tampa-based BlockFund Ventures also participated in the round. In April, it teamed up with USF to address food insecurity through a Florida House bill, called the "Food Equity & Racial Disparities in Food Supply Chain Blockchain Pilot." USF began its relationship with BlockSpaces after the startup provided the technology for one of the university's Covid-focused research projects.
The team from BlockSpaces as seen at the Fire Awards photo shoot in October.
Nola Laleye
Software
- XGen. The Tampa startup, which uses artificial intelligence to help e-commerce companies, raised a $7.5 million seed round in March and grew 400% in its first quarter. Its AI technology adapts to users in real-time, tailoring product recommendations based on the user's behavior. The new funding will be used to further invest in the company's product development and expand its sales and customer support teams. The majority of the investors are angel investors. However, local firm Florida Funders also participated in the round.
Team from XGen
Nola Laleye
- Qure4U. The Bradenton-based virtual care company raised a $25 million Series B round in July and saw more than double the growth in the last year. Boston growth equity firm Volition Capital was the sole investor in the round. Qure4u previously raised a $2.5 million Series A. The company was founded in 2015 and provides 25 tools in its virtual health platform, spanning from telehealth services to online appointment scheduling and virtual appointment check-ins.
Qure4U's Monica Bolbjerg from a screenshot taken from a video shared by the company.
Qure4U
- Panther. The Tampa startup offering a way to simplify international remote hiring closed two funding rounds in six months. The company launched in June 2020, offering solutions to simplify remote hiring. That November, the company announced it closed two pre-seed rounds. The latest funding includes participation from angel investors Elias Torres, a Tampa resident and co-founder of Drift, along with Eric Ries, the author of "The Lean Startup," Naval Ravikant, co-founder and former CEO of AngelList, and more. The funding will be used to triple Redler's team to 30 employees in the next six months, as well as build out its technology.
The Panther team from an image in the TBBJ archives.
Panther
- Qgiv. In June, the Lakeland-based, nonprofit-focused technology company hit a new milestone and helped its clients collectively raise over $2 billion. Qgiv was founded in 2007 when Todd Baylis and his roommate were doing "anything anyone would pay us for." Part of that involved creating software, which eventually turned into a proof of concept, to help nonprofits better handle donations through its online processing system. It hits fundraising at three levels. There's year-round, annual giving; contextual giving, tied to things like auctions or one-time events; and peer-to-peer giving, such as someone raising money for a nonprofit by running a 5K.
Todd Baylis, CEO at Qgiv
QGiv screenshot
