Florida State University is proud to announce that DeepWork Capital and Florida Funders, two of Florida’s leading venture capital (VC) firms, will participate in events during FSU Discovery Days, a weeklong celebration of research and innovation.
Kathy Chiu, managing partner of DeepWork Capital, and Zach Brodsky, senior investments associate at Florida Funders will offer fundraising advice to the Tallahassee start-up community on a panel titled “Capital of Florida: VC & Angel Funding for Sunshine State Tech Startups” at the IGNITE Tallahassee Grand Opening the morning of Oct. 21. That afternoon, both Chiu and Brodsky will also serve as judges for the third annual Discovery Challenge, a “Shark Tank”–style pitch competition for startup companies founded on FSU research.
Both firms have played pivotal roles in Florida’s venture capital landscape. DeepWork Capital, which manages multiple private venture capital funds as well as the state’s Florida Opportunity Fund, is known for its founder-focused and hands-on approach. Multidisciplinary in capabilities and generalist in industry focus, DeepWork’s investments span enterprise IT to deep tech to life sciences. The firm’s investments have spurred growth in undercapitalized regions and expanded access to many founders’ promising startups. Florida Funders is recognized as one of the most active venture capital firms in Florida and ranks among the top in the nation. By combining a venture fund with one of the largest angel investor networks in the Southeast, Florida Funders has backed more than 120 startups across industries like financial technology, AI, health tech and digital media.
The participation of DeepWork Capital and Florida Funders creates a vital connection for the Tallahassee startup community raising funds to develop their technology or grow their companies.
“We are thrilled to welcome Florida Funders and DeepWork Capital to Discovery Days,” said Valerie L. McDevitt, associate vice president of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at FSU. “Their participation not only elevates the Discovery Challenge pitch competition but also connects our innovators with investors who are actively growing Florida’s startup ecosystem.”
Discovery Days brings together students, faculty, entrepreneurs and community partners to celebrate research, creativity and innovation at the university. Along with the incubator grand opening and pitch competition, Discovery Days’ weeklong schedule of events has something for everyone, from kid-friendly physics and art projects to events on public health, AI and more.
About the IGNITE Tallahassee Grand Opening
The IGNITE Tallahassee grand opening will showcase the 40,000-square-foot facility designed to enable translation of new technologies from the lab to the market. Meet the current incubator companies, hear from tech startup specialists and learn about the entrepreneurship programs available to tech entrepreneurs in North Florida. October 21, 9 a.m. Registration is now open!
About the third annual Discovery Challenge
The third annual Discovery Challenge provides FSU startups the opportunity to pitch bold ideas to investors and compete for $50,000 in prizes. This competition is a centerpiece of Discovery Days, FSU’s annual celebration of research, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, October 21, 3 p.m. Registration is now open!
For more information about FSU Discovery Days, click here.