# Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology

Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology is an Endowment / Foundation based in Clearwater, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Clearwater, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 912 Drew Street, Suite 102, Clearwater, FL 33755
- **Founded:** 2007
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** http://www.florida-institute.com/
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/ficpr

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology is an organization that supports technology commercialization. Its portfolio includes companies such as Admiral, Aerosens, Altavian, Amendsurgical, Apexedge (Megalodon Holdings), Auxadyne, and Aviana Molecular Technologies, LLC. The institute is located in Clearwater, Florida.

## Sectors

- Life Sciences
- Enterprise Software
- AI/ML
- Digital Health
- Cleantech

## People

- Rafael Lohner — Executive Director
- Jamie Grooms — Co-founder, former CEO
- David Day — Co-founder, former Vice Chair

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the Institute?

Executive Director Rafael Lohner leads the Institute's operations and investment activity. The organization was co-founded by Jamie Grooms, who served as CEO through 2016, and David Day, who served as Vice Chair of the Board. The Institute's governance structure includes a board appointed in accordance with its legislative charter.

### How does the Institute source its deal flow?

The Institute's pipeline originates primarily from technology transfer offices at Florida's public universities and research institutions. By legislative design, it accesses inventions and early-stage technologies that have not yet been exposed to commercial venture capital markets. It also sources opportunities through relationships with BioFlorida and the Florida Venture Forum.

### Is the Institute a venture capital firm or a foundation?

It is neither in the conventional sense. The Institute is a nonprofit organization created by the Florida Legislature that operates like a seed-stage commercialization catalyst. It does not raise funds from limited partners, does not charge management fees, and does not distribute profits to external investors. Its capital derives from state appropriations.

### Does the Institute participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The Institute focuses on direct investments and operational support for startup companies rather than making fund commitments to external venture capital managers. Its model is built around company-level engagement, often as the earliest institutional capital in a deal.

### Which sectors does the Institute focus on?

Sector focus is driven by the research strengths of Florida's universities. The portfolio includes life sciences, medical devices, digital health, enterprise software, AI/ML applications, and clean energy. The Institute does not invest in real estate, consumer brands, or financial services.

### Where does the Institute's funding come from?

The Institute was established by the Florida Legislature in 2007 and receives funding through state appropriations and program-related allocations. It does not operate as a philanthropic foundation with a single-family endowment, nor does it raise capital from institutional LPs.

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Last updated: 2026-07-10T07:12:55.000Z

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