Dave Chitester, the founder and managing partner of Seedfunders, based in St. Petersburg, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Florida Venture Forum, a nationwide support and membership organization for venture and private equity professionals and entrepreneurs.
In addition to founding Seedfunders – which to date has invested approximately $ 2.85 million in 22 early stage technology startups – Chitester founded Tampa-based Florida Funders, a venture capital fund and network of angel investors. Marc Blumenthal, General Partner of Florida Funders, has also been appointed to the Florida Venture Forum Board of Directors.
Seedfunders has invested in innovative startups from a variety of industries, such as Guidesly, a Boston-based company that has developed a mobile app that aims to enhance the archaic way in which fishing guides are researched and hired, to change. It also launched an Opportunity Fund that aims to fund black-owned startups based in Florida.
The Florida Venture Forum has also appointed Gretchen Perkins, partner at Avance Investment Management, and David Zinn, co-founder and CEO of Ocean Azul Partners, to its board of directors. With the appointments of Blumenthal, Chitester, Perkins and Zinn, the Florida Venture Forum is now led by executives from nearly 50 investment firms.
“We are very excited to welcome Marc, Dave, Gretchen and David to an already strong board,” said Travis Milks, managing partner of Topmark Partners and chairman of the Florida Venture Forum 2020-2021, in a prepared statement. “The forum’s strength lies in its strong membership, which is made up of the most active players in venture capital and private equity. The addition of these new investor members, who invest capital at almost all levels, is a huge win for our organization and a huge boost to the continued growth of Florida’s venture ecosystem. “
Founded in 1984, the Florida Venture Forum launched the Florida Venture Capital Conference in 1992, which serves as a showcase for high-growth companies seeking equity financing to a statewide audience of venture capitalists and investment bankers. According to the organization’s website, companies that presented at the conference have collectively raised nearly $ 11 billion over the past 30 years.
Note: Catalyst Editor Joe Hamilton is a partner at Seedfunders.
The post Florida Venture Forum Appoints St. Pete, Tampa Investment Leader to Board • St. Pete Catalyst first appeared on Daily Florida Press.
from Daily Florida Press https://dailyfloridapress.com/florida-venture-forum-appoints-st-pete-tampa-investment-leader-to-board-%e2%80%a2-st-pete-catalyst/
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