SigEx Ventures :University of Florida incubationby Ioana Madalina Tantareanu

The University of Florida's biotechnology incubator,tucked in the backwoods of Alachua,is emerging as a sleeping giant, challenging the might of Goliaths such as MIT, Stanford and Caltech. The new thing is that this year UF's Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator claimed the second spot in the technology category of the National Business Incubation Association's annual Incubator of the Year award program and also captured a glowing write up in Business Week magazine. Related to this subject, experts say that the incubator's biotech focus helped it stay on course and succeed in an area that's considered hot and trendy. David Day, UF director of technology licensing said that "It's one of those 11-year overnight success stories." George Gordon, a director of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, said that "When you are number one, it's hard to say that you are not a role model,"refering to the fact that it jumped ahead of its peers at USF by attracting more capital, infusing a corporate atmosphere and installing a team of passionate managers. The cutting edge equipment, a climate-controlled greenhouse, an attached animal facility and a pilot fermentation facility also sets the incubator apart from its peers is its million-dollar facility, said incubator manager,Patti Breedlove.Officials there focus on snapping the umbilical cord between the scientists and the companies that emerge. They emphasize water-tight business plans, and encourage bringing in seasoned professionals to run the companies.

by Ioana Madalina Tantareanu for SigEx Ventures (http://sigexventures.com)

SigEx Ventures's matrix of properties are quickly becoming leaders in digital telebroadcasting, free content delivery allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, video blogs and SMS. SigEx Ventures invests in projects deploying "free" to add-on royalty revenue models