Tampa Bay companies outraised 2020 by more than $100 million, according to new data.
According to Pitchbook and the National Venture Capital Association's quarterly report, Tampa Bay companies raised roughly $354 million in 2021 across 59 deals. It's a significant jump from 2020's already high total, which brought in $258 million across 60 deals.
The top 10 deals in the Tampa Bay region, according to the data, are:
- CrossBorder Solutions raising $70 million in March
- Symphonic Distribution raising $37 million December
- Telepathy Labs raising $31 million in August
- Cirkul raising $30 million in August
- Soma Global raising $22 million in January
- Homee raising $17 million in September
- InflammX Therapeutics raising $15 million in November
- Morphogenesis raising $14 million in November
- Omnivore raising $13 million in April
- mIQroTech raising $10 million in June
A few blockbuster deals were left off the list. Tampa-based ReliaQuest sealed a deal for an undisclosed amount from New York private equity firm KKR, putting the company in the $1 billion valuation range. Tampa-based OPSWAT raised $125 million in March, with newly launched startup Slide sealing in a $100 million investment.
Even with the omissions, 2021 brought in the most capital since the report originated in 2016. It also fared well against the state as a whole, which brought in 5.4 billion.
Companies across the nation also saw stronger numbers in 2021 than the year prior; a total of $329 billion was raised last year, compared to 2020's $166 billion. Deal flow also increased substantially, up to more than 17,000 deals compared to 2020's 12,000.
"2021 began with a bang in VC activity and ended in spectacular fashion, producing another record-setting year," the report stated. "While many were bullish on the industry at the start of 2021, possibly no one predicted how remarkable the year would prove to be."
