Florida Venture Forum and Space Florida Announce Winners of $150,000 in 2026 Early Stage Venture Conference Investment

Orlando, Fla.—June 3, 2026—Florida Venture Forum, Florida’s largest statewide support organization for investors and entrepreneurs, announced today the recipients of $150,000 in award dollars and investment from Space Florida during its 18th annual Early Stage Venture Conference in Orlando. Winning companies will also be eligible for a share of $80,000 in legal services provided by wiggin(x).

The conference featured 32 selected companies from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the state. A panel of judges representing Space Florida and Florida Venture Forum evaluated each company based on innovation, market opportunity, and alignment with Florida’s targeted high-growth sectors, including aerospace, defense, and emerging technologies. Six standout companies were selected to receive a combined total of $150,000 in Space Florida investment to help accelerate their growth and commercialization efforts.

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AWARD WINNERS

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Accelerating Innovation Award – $50,000

Aloft Biotechnologies

Alachua, FL

Aloft Biotechnologies is developing next-generation biomanufacturing systems for space-based cell culture and biologic production. Their platform addresses one of the core barriers to scalable orbital biotechnology: oxygen and nutrient transport in microgravity environments. While their long-term vision is enabling commercial biomanufacturing in space, they are pursuing near-term revenue through terrestrial applications in advanced cell therapy manufacturing, including ongoing proof-of-concept work with Sartorius, focused on improving iPSC and T-cell bioreactor performance. Aloft is building dual-use infrastructure for the future of both space biotech and regenerative medicine manufacturing.

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Accelerating Innovation Award – $50,000

E&P Technologies

Melbourne, FL

E&P Technologies develops advanced high-voltage capacitor solutions through rapid prototyping and scalable manufacturing, enabling next-generation power-intensive systems in fusion energy, defense, and other mission-critical applications. Products include traditional film pulsed capacitors, nano-layer dielectric enhanced capacitors, and smart capacitors with embedded sensing for real-time performance and health monitoring. Revenue is generated through design services, rapid prototyping contracts, and scalable manufacturing of advanced film capacitors for defense, fusion energy, and grid applications, with future IP licensing from smart capacitor technology.

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1st Runner Up – $35,000

SmartCare360.Health

Fort Lauderdale, FL

SmartCare360.Health is a disease-specific comprehensive digital health technology and virtual care delivery platform covered by Medicaid, Medicare and most commercial insurances for anyone with 1+ chronic issues. They help support healthcare organization complex chronically ill patients by providing proactive preventative health and wellness programs in between their office visits. The platform integrates with all EHR’s and over 250+ FDA-approved remote patient monitoring devices to track vitals and medication adherence, and is in-network with 25+ major insurances and licensed in 17 states to practice medicine.‍

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Collegiate Award Winner – $7,500

Radical Solutions, representing Florida State University

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Collegiate Award Winner – $5,000

Dirty Bastard, representing the University of Tampa

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Collegiate Award Winner – $2,500

Mayott Aerospace, representing Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

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‍Rob Long, Col. (Ret.), President and CEO of Space Florida, said, "Florida's aerospace economy continues to attract the bold, early-stage innovators who will define the future of this industry. This year's competition drew a record number of applicants — a clear signal of the growing demand and interest in what Florida has to offer. Space Florida is proud to support this year's winning companies, and we look forward to watching their impact grow for years to come."

Kevin Burgoyne, President and CEO of the Florida Venture Forum, said, “Congratulations to our winning companies – and to all our presenters, who were chosen from almost 300 applicants in a very competitive process. And thank you to our co-host, Space Florida, for all they do to support Florida’s innovation ecosystem. We are very encouraged that the Forum’s conferences and events continue to set records for attendance and support – a positive sign that Florida’s startup ecosystem continues to grow and thrive.”

Len Gray, Partner at Wiggin and Dana LLP: We’re thrilled to be able to support another outstanding event by the Florida Venture Forum, and couldn’t be more excited about the quality of companies that presented. Florida’s venture community is one of the fastest growing in the world and after seeing this week’s pitches, it’s easy to see why. Congratulations to all of the winners — we look forward to supporting your next stage of growth!

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Media Contacts:

Nicole Harnke, nicole@flventure.org

Alayna Curry, APR, acurry@spaceflorida.gov

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About the Florida Venture Forum

The Florida Venture Forum is Florida’s largest statewide support organization for investors and entrepreneurs, helping fast-growth companies connect with sources of capital from across the country. Since 1984, over 2000 companies have presented at Forum events and raised upwards of $30B in equity capital, producing billions more in economic value to Florida. The Forum’s 500+ members represent a “who’s who” of venture capital and private equity dealmakers, including equity and debt investors at all stages, major law, accounting, and investment banking firms, and large corporates active in the innovation ecosystem. The Forum provides programs and programming statewide throughout the year in addition to hosting major annual conferences like the Florida Venture Capital Conference, the Statewide Collegiate Startup Competition, the Early Stage Venture Conference, and industry-focused events including aerospace and healthcare. For more information, visit: https://flventure.org/

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About Space Florida

Space Florida is where leading aerospace companies get everything they need to see their new ideas take off. As the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, Space Florida brings a mix of unrivaled experience, unmatched financial tools, and unbeatable location to the table by providing critical business financing opportunities for the aerospace industry, managing infrastructure investment in the state’s spaceport system, and facilitating research and development, workforce, education, and investment programs

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About wiggin(x)

‍wiggin(x)® is a division within Wiggin and Dana LLP, designed to meet the needs of emerging and high-growth companies, their investors and their founders. Our lawyers work with clients, not as detached legal experts, but as trusted advisors and integrated team members who intimately understand our clients and their issues. We guide clients through formation, expansion and, ultimately, exit. In addition to providing sophisticated counsel on a wide range of funding transactions, wiggin(x) attorneys provide a full stack solution with areas of specialization that include M&A, secured finance, intellectual property, licensing and tech transfers, employment, immigration, tax, fund formation, international trade compliance, dispute resolution, commercial contracting, real estate, and more.

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