Skin in the Game VC Podcast Florida Funders

Laura DiBella, the Secretary of Commerce for the State of Florida as well as the president of CEO of Enterprise Florida, joins us for this episode of Skin in the Game. 
Laura explores the robust evolution of Florida's tech industry and the state's response to COVID-19. Florida's open strategy during the pandemic made the state a magnet for tech talents, thereby catalyzing innovation. She acknowledges the pivotal role of a diverse talent pool and universities in creating a vibrant business environment.
They shift focus to Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership established in 1996, aimed at spurring economic growth. Despite its impending merger into the Department of Commerce, Laura counters misconceptions about its effectiveness, underlining its contributions, including the Florida Opportunity Fund, its venture capital arm. She points to its successful model as proof of its integral role in Florida's economic development.
Get an inside look at emerging technologies, with Laura unveiling Florida's ambition to be at the forefront of electric vehicle take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology. Florida's geographic characteristics and existing infrastructure make it an ideal location for the deployment of this technology,
As for the current political climate, Laura expresses hope for more unity and collaboration in government. She believes challenging economic times could forge a sense of unity, leading to a more stable, effective, and trusted government.


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Brad Feld, an avid ecosystem-builder, tech entrepreneur, and early-stage investor for over 35 years shares his insights on the venture capital, startup, and tech community in this episode of Skin in the Game VC Podcast. Brad began his journey in tech and venture capital in the ‘80s and has since become a respected and influential figure in the industry. He has written several books on entrepreneurship and venture capital and started blogging in 2004 before VC Twitter existed.
Join Tom Wallace as he dives into the world of angel investing in startups with Brad Feld where they’ll discuss his successes, what it takes, and where startup investing could be going.

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On this episode, Tom interviews Joey Levy. You may have seen him recently all over the news and social media alongside his business partner and top sports influencer Jake Paul. They have recently launched Betr (initially known as Instabet), the world’s first micro-betting focused app and new media venture for the next generation of sports fans.
If you want to learn more about investing in early-stage tech like a venture capitalist, be sure to visit the Florida Funders website at floridafunders.com. Join our angel network at no cost and get access to Florida Funders VC-vetted investment opportunities in the next great breakout tech companies. 


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Lakshmi Shenoy is the CEO of Embarc Collective in Tampa, Florida. Tom Wallace discusses her story and how she ended up helping to build and lead the fastest-growing startup hub in Florida.
If you like what you hear, please rate us 5 stars and check out other episodes here: https://www.floridafunders.com/category/podcast/

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Florida Funders partners Tom Wallace and Marc Blumenthal discuss the ups and downs of markets and the lessons learned from the past. Learn more about early-stage tech investing during these times.
If you like what you hear, please rate us 5 stars and check out our site: https://www.floridafunders.com/category/podcast/

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Hello, my name's Tom Wallace, and I'm the Managing Partner of Florida Funders. Welcome to Florida Funders podcast. Our podcast is all about how to make all of us better angel investors, or better founders or entrepreneurs. We really address two audiences here. One thing that I love about angel investing and entrepreneurship is, it's so dynamic, so fluid, and there's always something new to learn, and somebody new to learn from. Our guest this week is Tony Dibenedetto.
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