FLF Unveils Bold New Brand Reflecting Mission to Power the Country's Innovation Economy

Florida Funders, the Southeast’s most active early-stage tech investment firm for nearly a decade now, has unveiled a bold new brand identity that reflects its remarkable transformation—from a small crowdfunding platform in 2016 to a market-leading hybrid venture capital firm and investor network helping to shape the future of the United States innovation economy.

Founded with a vision to make Florida a global tech hub, FLF has always believed the Sunshine State is more than just beaches, tourism, and retirement—it’s fertile ground for the next generation of tech titans. The firm’s rebranding underscores its enduring commitment to finding, funding, and building game-changing technology companies in Florida, the Southeast, and beyond.

The Origins of a Movement

FLF’s journey began when seasoned investors and tech entrepreneurs Tom Wallace and Marc Blumenthal saw the untapped potential in Florida’s startup ecosystem. They envisioned a state where ambitious founders could build world-class companies without having to leave for San Francisco, Boston, or New York to find funding.

Their approach was both strategic and transformative: galvanize Florida’s high-net-worth individuals and family offices to support homegrown innovation. By doing so, they sought to reverse the talent drain and accelerate Florida’s evolution into a true innovation economy.

“In 2016, when Tom Wallace and I took over FLF, it was three employees and a struggling crowdfunding platform. We knew shortly after taking the company over that if we were able to get local investors involved in investing in technology, it would change the trajectory of the state's technology ecosystem, but they needed a platform, they needed FLF. Our success has been a combination of hard work, good timing, and of course brute force. We are all former entrepreneurs, so to be able to work with and support hundreds of founders on their journey is rewarding and at the same time so much fun! ” - Marc Blumenthal, General Partner

Building the Foundation

To bring this vision to life, Tom and Marc brought on Kevin Adamek, Tom’s former business partner, to help shape operations with their shared background in building and scaling tech companies. Also joining the team was Marc Sokol, who brought institutional knowledge as a prior VC. Saxon Baum, a veteran tech founder himself, also joined as one of the early faces of the brand. And with the addition of Michael Kadow, who brought deep experience in finance and compliance, the core team took shape.

The support of investors such as Steve MacDonald, Lee Arnold, Tony DiBenedetto, Chris Sullivan, Lance Raab, Brian Murphy, Scott Price, and Dr. Kiran Patel allowed us to launch FLF and build it into the FLF you see today.

A Force in Tech

From those humble beginnings, FLF has emerged as a dominant force in the Southeast’s early-stage investment landscape. The firm has invested over $300 million into promising startups across industries like digital health, fintech, enterprise software, AI, Sports, and EdTech. FLF’s investor network of more than 2,000 accredited investors continues to grow, and its multiple venture funds have positioned it at the forefront of tech investing across the region. FLF has over 100 companies in their portfolio and has been the most active VC investor in Florida and the Southeast for almost a decade. Partnerships range from JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, all the way to local initiatives such as Embarc Collective and the Tampa Bay Wave. FLF has truly established themselves as the premier venture capital fund in Florida and the Southeast.

Branding That Reflects a Mission

While the look and feel of FLF is evolving, its mission remains unwavering: to find, fund, and help build the next generation of break-out technology companies.

“We believe tech and innovation are the future of economic growth. We started in Florida almost a decade ago, and we have become a player at the national stage. Now, it's time for our brand to reflect that. We’ve come a long way since launching as a Florida-focused crowdfunding platform. But while our reach is now national, our commitment to supporting founders and fostering innovation in Florida remains core to who we are.” said Tom Wallace, Managing Partner at FLF.

The new brand reflects both the humble origins and bold future of FLF. It honors the firm’s early story while embracing a modern, forward-looking identity—smart, scrappy, and built for the evolving landscape of investing and technology. Adopting the acronym “FLF” allows the brand to nod to its Florida roots without being geographically bound, signaling a national and global ambition. The refreshed color palette is clean and inviting, and the new website design places founders and relationships at the center, underscoring what has always been at the heart of FLF’s success.

“This rebrand is more than a new logo or a sleeker website,” said Saxon Baum, Partner at FLF. “It’s a reflection of how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed. Our new identity puts founders and relationships at the center, which has always been the heart of our success.”

The FLF team has backed some of the most promising companies in the Southeast and beyond, including Betr, Flex, Worth AI, Rewst, HealthSnap, Passes, Mesh, ClassWallet, SimpleBet, Rebel, Manifest, and OpenHome, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance, mentorship, and access to an expansive network of experienced investors.

The new FLF website highlights the firm’s investment thesis, hybrid fund and investor network model, and a transparent pathway for both investors and founders to get involved. With a pipeline of new initiatives, upcoming fund launches, and a growing community of engaged stakeholders, FLF is setting the stage for its next decade of impact.

“We’re building something much bigger than a VC firm,” added Baum. “We’re building a movement, a community of funders and founders who believe in the power of innovation, relationships, and what’s possible when you invest in people first.”

Get Connected and Invest

FLF is constantly and actively looking to grow and add investors to its investor base. It has fully deployed its Fund 1 and is close to fully deploying its $60M Fund 2 as well. It has now begun to invest out of its Fund 3 which is targeting a $100M. Keep up with the latest news from FLF on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X.

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