Second-Stage Businesses Compete to Earn Prestigious Honor

Applications are now open for the 11th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch® awards program. GrowFL is Florida’s only organization that focuses exclusively on second-stage growth companies, delivering programs and services for local communities to help these companies thrive and prosper. Second-stage companies are those that have grown beyond the startup stage and make up about ten percent of the companies in Florida but account for more than thirty percent of the jobs.

Through the GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch program, GrowFL honors fifty outstanding second-stage businesses throughout the state each year. The top honorees are selected from a pool of more than 500 nominations and excel in developing valuable products and services, demonstrate past and future growth opportunities, embody entrepreneurial leadership, create quality jobs, and enrich the local communities.  

The 11th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch program is brought to you by title sponsor Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.

“This is our second year as the event title sponsor because we share GrowFL’s commitment to the growth of Florida’s entrepreneurs, said Russell Slappey, CEO of Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services. “We are looking forward to seeing all the outstanding companies that apply this year.”

Eligible applicants must be privately held, second-stage commercial enterprises. Qualifying companies must also be headquartered in the state of Florida, employ between 6 and 150 employees, and earn between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue. A selection panel of judges representing areas of finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and small businesses, as well as past honorees will review and select the top fifty honorees to be announced in September 2021.

A typical GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch class is comprised of businesses who collectively gross over $450 million in annual revenue, add more than 350 new jobs per year, average a 30% increase in earnings, and experience 20% growth in employees annually. 

“It has been an absolute honor to recognize these entrepreneurs over the past ten years. We are thrilled to welcome another class of 50 honorees into the GrowFL family, all who demonstrate notable work ethic, unwavering tenacity, and innovation when challenges arise,” says Jennifer Barrows, GrowFL Advisory Board Chair. “These homegrown companies are the ones who have a direct impact on our state’s economy, and they need to be treated like the rock stars of economic development they are. It is our honor to play a part in celebrating them.” 

After being selected as a 10th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honoree, Aventusoft CEO and founder, Kaustubh Kale said, “It’s an incredible honor to be in such company with the other honorees. GrowFL has been a terrific partner for us, supporting us, sharing our vision, and connecting us with incredibly insightful networks. Being an honoree really vindicates all the work we have done.” 

Previously held at venues like the Straz Theater in Tampa and the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, honorees, and their team, family and friends can enjoy a night dedicated to celebrating them and their businesses. Over the past ten years, GrowFL has honored five hundred second-stage businesses through the GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Award program.

“The GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Awards Celebration is a terrific way to celebrate Entrepreneurs when they are still in a stage that they remember starting and recognize that they have truly achieved a lot. They are in the perfect position to continue to achieve more.,” said Dan Mitchell, Program Director at the Pasco Economic Development Council.

Applications are open through June 21, 2021. For more information and to apply for GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch, please visit https://growfl.com/flctw21/about-flctw/. 

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About GrowFL: 
GrowFL is dedicated to support and accelerate the growth of second-stage companies throughout Florida, by providing their leaders focused, efficient, and timely access to resources they deem important, such as connections with other second-stage company leaders, and to professional organizations whose expertise, experience, and products lead to the second-stage company’s continued growth and prosperity resulting in diversification and growth of Florida’s economy.  Second-stage growth companies have at least six employees, $750 thousand in revenue, and possess the intent and desire to grow beyond second-stage.  Website: http://www.growfl.com

About the Edward Lowe Foundation: 
Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition, and educational programs, which are delivered through entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs).  The foundation focuses on second-stage companies — those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. In addition, the foundation has a second mission of land stewardship and is committed to preserving the natural resources and historically significant structures at Big Rock Valley, its 2,000-acre home in southwest Michigan. Website: https://edwardlowe.org/