The Florida Venture Forum First Annual 2008 Early Stage Florida Venture Capital Conference Anticipating Capacity Attendance

In addition to informative panel discussions led by experts in their fields, 15 of Florida's best early-stage prospects for equity financing will make 10-minute presentations to an audience of venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors, investment bankers, financial intermediaries and entrepreneurs.

Selected companies include:

Central Florida

-- Audigence (http://www.audigenceinc.com), Melbourne: Provider of a software-based optimization technique for assessing and tuning digital hearing devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants.

-- WiPower, Inc. (http://www.wipowerinc.com), Gainesville: Developer of the smallest, most affordable wireless power system in the world. Their technology addresses the widespread dissatisfaction with today's corded charging systems which are numerous, unsightly, and difficult to handle.

-- iConvene (http://www.iconvene.com), Altamonte Springs: An Internet service that allows anyone to efficiently find and book meeting rooms and meeting-related services, while managing the meeting's attendees.

-- NeoCytex Biopharma (http://www.neocytex.com), Orlando: Developer of novel therapeutics to promote the repair and rejuvenation of damaged tissues, with the lead drug candidate being developed for speeding recovery from neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.

-- OCEANUS Engineering, Inc., Alachua: Provider of products and services to the water quality engineering industry, initially targeting the environmental monitoring market.

-- Optima Neuroscience (http://www.optimaneuro.com), Gainesville: Producer of a line of revolutionary brain monitoring products for use in hospital ERs and ICUs, designed to detect seizures formerly undiagnosed or misdiagnosed to prevent brain damage due to ongoing, untreated seizures.

Northern Florida

-- eLayaway, LLC (http://www.elayaway.com), Tallahassee: An Internet-based consumer alternative payments company that provides an intelligent financial planning and consumer payment alternative for Internet shoppers.

Southeast Florida

-- Aplicor (http://www.aplicor.com), Boca Raton: The most-awarded hosted CRM software and ERP/financial accounting solution in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry.

-- McGruff SafeGuard (http://www.GoMcGruff.com), Miami Beach: Provider of services that help parents manage their children's dangerous online activities, alerting parents to sexual predators, dishonesty, suicide, drugs, credit card abuse and other crimes.

-- WinProbe Corporation (http://www.winprobe.com), North Palm Beach: Developer of a medical ultrasound imager that is a hand-carried instrument with specific functionality to diagnose breast masses as being malignant or benign.

-- World Response Group, (http://www.smartgrow.us), Florida City: dba SmartGrow develops, manufactures and markets all-natural products using recycled human hair, replacing costly and toxic chemical products currently used in the agriculture, horticulture and oil remediation industries.

Southwest Florida

-- Trimax Wireless (http://www.trimaxwireless.com), Naples: Provider of fixed and mobile broadband wireless networking solutions, targeted at the local government, hospitality, defense and industrial markets.

West Central Florida

-- AquaVentus (http://www.aquaventus.com), St. Petersburg: Developer of a process to convert air into water, inspired by the scarcity of water during times of natural disasters. The AquaVentus will produce up to 20 gallons of clean drinking water per day -- from the air. AquaVentus will serve backup water supply markets in the southern U.S., Caribbean, South Pacific and other remote locations.

-- On Demand Mobile Data (http://www.ondemandmobiledata.com), Venice: Delivers heretofore unaffordable mobile workforce management by way of the On Demand (SaaS) model, employing the latest touch screen smart phone for the virtually untapped small and medium sized business market.

-- XCPT (http://www.xcpt.com), Venice: Software development company that creates unique products for dentistry to enhance communication and build trust, thereby ensuring optimal treatment planning.

Register today before the Conference is officially sold out. Registration is available on the website at www.floridaventureforum.org. The pre-registration fee is $249 per person before May 9, 2008 and $299 per person thereafter.

About The Florida Venture Forum

The Florida Venture Forum is Florida's oldest, largest and most prestigious statewide support group for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, helping emerging growth companies come together with sources of capital from across the country. Throughout the year, the Florida Venture Forum provides monthly programs on a statewide basis. For additional information, please visit the web site at http://www.floridaventureforum.org or e-mail robin@floridaventureforum.org.