Thinkstock
While December has already kicked off with a billion-dollar deal, Tampa Bay technology companies and organizations held their own in November. From funding to grants, Tampa Bay Inno has rounded up the deals you might have missed last month.
Fundings
- Aharon Chernin, the Perch Security founder-turned-VP of security strategy at ConnectWise, is launching a robotics process automation company and secured $2.5M led by Florida Funders. The Florida Institute (Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology) and MDJ Group also participated in the round. The funding joins $1.5M already raised by Rewst, which will be used to take the company to market. Get the full story.
- Slide, an insurtech company in stealth mode, raised $100M. It closed its oversubscribed Series A led by Tampa-based Gries Investment Funds. Slide's founder Bruce Lucas plans for this to be the only funding the company needs before it goes public. You'll want to get the full details over at the Business Journal.
Out-of-state investment
- Tampa General Hospital's $15M innovation-focused fund tapped New York-based Enroute as its first participant in its Co-Labs program, which lets the company conduct a paid pilot program and have access to mentors in exchange for a small piece of equity. It also teamed up with a Texas-based fund to find more health care talent. Get those details here.
- Florida Funders invested in a Philadelphia-based startup tackling the name, image, likeness ruling allowing college athletes a chance to cash in on their name. The Tampa-based fund participated in NOCAP Sports’ $2.5M seed round, which will go toward the company's expansion to Miami, along with platform development, hiring and marketing. Get the full details.
Grants
- Embarc Collective, the Tampa-based startup hub, hopes to expand from 100 companies to 400 people in the next year thanks to a $100K state grant. The Florida Business Development Corp. awarded the grant intended for providing training, coaching and education to equip startup talent with the necessary skills. Get the full story.
- Tampa Bay Innovation Center was awarded a $14.7M contract from Pinellas County. The center, which is now called the Ark Innovation Center after New York-based Ark Investment Management got the naming rights, is still raising capital for furnishings and equipment for the facility. Tonya Elmore, president and CEO of TBIC, expects the campaign to wrap by the end of next year. The Business Journal's got your full timeline on the center.
- AmSkills, the Pasco County-based workforce training center, received a $1.4M grant to boost robotics training in the region. The training will have a specific focus on filling the talent pipeline for the manufacturing industry, which experts say is a huge need in Tampa Bay. The Business Journal has the full story.
