Scripps Research Institute hasn't yet opened its doors in Florida, but it already has received star billing at the state's annual venture capital conference.
The meeting, sponsored by Florida Venture Forum and scheduled for Jan. 22 and 23 in Orlando, will feature a reception for Scripps on its opening day. Speaking on the institute's behalf will be Dr. Paul Schimmell, a professor of molecular biology and chemistry who has started a half-dozen companies. Schimmell, who works at Scripps' California campus, also has a home in Palm Beach County.
Robin Kovaleski, Florida Venture Forum's executive director, said the cocktail party is intended as a welcoming gesture to Scripps, known as a powerhouse when it comes to attracting venture capital investments in its researchers' spin-off companies.
The meeting's sponsors, as well as little-known startup companies, hope Scripps' magic rubs off, resulting in more private funds flowing to Florida entrepreneurs. After spinning off more than 40 companies, Scripps taps a well-oiled investment network when it wants to take its research from the lab to the marketplace.
Life is not quite that easy for startups in Florida. At the January forum, about two dozen businesses will pitch their companies to investors. Among them is Cerebit, a Tampa softwaremaker.
Even without Scripps, the meeting's presenters haven't done too badly, raising more than $553-million in capital in the past 12 years.
