Florida Funders

Guess who has been the most active VC firm in Florida since 2014 according to @CBinsights 👀

Here's a16z speedrun's SF Tech Week through FLF's perspective. Each person came home with plenty to share. Swipe through for FLF's top takeaways from the trip. #FloridaFunders #SFTechWeek #TechWeek #A16ZSpeedRun #VentureCapital #Founders

Before Knack, Samyr Qureshi sold candy from his backpack and ran a T-shirt business out of a garage. Raised to value a stable career and a 401(k), he chose to build while young enough to take the risk. His full story on Skin in the Game: hubs.la/Q04BMZgs0

Samyr Qureshi left corporate life at 21 to build Knack. On Skin in the Game, he talks the COVID pivots that hit $1M+ in 6 months, the cost of over-hiring, AI in the classroom, and why Florida doesn’t need to be the next Silicon Valley. 🎧 Listen: hubs.la/Q04BMVnj0

We came back from #VentureAtlanta feeling energized! Our favorite part had to be seeing our new Fund 3 portfolio company hubs.la/Q04BVLXg0 present on how its Service Intelligence Platform helps manufacturers make better service decisions that create better outcomes.

In this new episode of The Founder Playbook, Rachael walks through how to calculate burn multiple and where the benchmarks sit. She also flags the mistake that throws off the math for a lot of founders, so double-check whether you're using gross burn or net burn.

Introducing the new FLF Accelerate Fund. 🚀 It invests in the founders coming out of a16z speedrun. We pressure-tested our shortlist with our expert network + entered Demo Day knowing who we wanted to back. Meet our first 5: @TryKeythorn, Lazyweb, @Codos_ai, Kairo and @Sotant_ai.

Where does AI belong in the classroom? Erika Donalds explores how AI can help students build foundational skills and prepare for the workforce not replace great teachers. What do you think? Listen here: hubs.la/Q04BPmdR0

Entrepreneurship isn’t always the highlight reel. 🎙️ Erika Donalds shares the realities of building a business, managing cash flow, and carrying the responsibility of having people depend on you. Sometimes, taking the risk means facing the moments when everything feels uncertain.

Students learn 2x faster in immersive classrooms (Stanford research). @ErikaDonalds told @SaxoBaum on our podcast how she’s applying it at @OptimaVR, the world’s first VR school, plus AI in learning and what Florida needs to attract founders + capital. hubs.la/Q04B0wsR0

Florida Funders is proud to have led the growth round for Tampa-based @CircuitryAI, a decision intelligence company. Deep Work Capital and Tampa Bay Ventures participated in the round, and FLF joins existing investors, including Lasagna. hubs.la/Q04zXml60

Optima Academy Online founder Erika Donalds joins Saxon on Skin in the Game to discuss challenges in education, AI's role in learning, and Florida's potential in tech and commercial space. Listen to the full episode here: hubs.la/Q04zHN4T0

Venture Atlanta, we're coming for you! FLF's Rachael Ferm and Zach Brodsky will be there looking for brilliant founders, companies that catch our eye, and new colleagues to connect with. Comment or send us a message so we can be sure to meet up.

Smart Risk Management = Survival & Growth 💡 Going all-in without a backup plan can leave you stranded if things don't go as expected. Tune in to this episode to hear how Trevor Clark took calculated risks.

Carnegie Mellon is coming to Miami. 🌴 Ken Griffin’s historic $3B gift includes $2B to launch CMU Miami, a 35-acre campus in Wynwood opening in 2028. A major investment in Florida’s tech, research, and innovation ecosystem. Read the full article here: hubs.la/Q04yQhtV0

When pouring gasoline on the fire, does it make it better or worse when it comes to growing your business? Listen to what Trevor Clark, Founder and CEO of ShyftOff has to say on our newest episode. Watch the fullpisode here: hubs.la/Q04yKKHF0

An investor update is one of the few times a founder controls the narrative directly. Use it to create something your investors look forward to reading, that's clear on where the business stands, honest about what's not working, and specific about what's needed next.

Investors evaluating SaaS companies rarely stop at NRR. NRR includes expansion, so a company can post 110% while losing software customers, as long as the ones who stay spend more. GRR removes expansion from the calculation.

What does it really take to build a startup? Trevor Clark, founder of ShyftOff, shares his experience building a company and risking it all. From the ⬆️ to the ⬇️, he talks entrepreneurship, resilience, and what it takes to keep building when things get tough. Link in bio.

For family offices, regional diversification can drive strong risk-adjusted returns. Read our full article to see why rit should be your next move. Reach out to our team to learn how we can help your family office access high-quality regional deal flow. hubs.la/Q04whnYf0

New Episode: ShyftOff founder Trevor Clark joins Saxon to talk about where AI is already handling customer interactions well, where it still falls short, and why he believes complex conversations will always need a human on the other end. Listen: hubs.la/Q04xF9W10