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Off Ramp to Success

Citrix, other partners support new accelerator

By Chris Fleck

The partners at The South Florida Accelerator have a long history as angels in startups, including Skype, Baidu and D-wave, which have turned into billion-dollar companies. Christopher Malter, Neil Adams and Thomas Buchar have combined their extensive experience to launch Florida’s first “off-ramp” technology accelerator.

What is that? Off-ramping capitalizes on the technology demands of corporations, thus expediting the commercialization of new technologies. TSFA increases the commercial viability of intellectual property while simultaneously generating and matching human capital and talent to each new technology.

TSFA’s largest differentiator regionally is its strategic partnerships, which, at the onset, provide many of its startups the ability to create intellectual property that can be off-ramped rapidly for acquisition or carried through to commercial viability.

TSFA’s relationships with universities, incubators, other accelerators and venture capitalists are essential parts in developing the region’s portfolio and delivering a favorable ROI to stakeholders. The team also has extensive experience with cross-border alliances and transactions, which will enhance South Florida’s position as a global innovation hub.

South Florida’s development of its innovation economy is at its genesis. In the last three years, several incubators and shared space offices have begun to take root and support a broader strategy to foster entrepreneurs and bring their ideas to fruition. Magic Leap, Modernizing Medicine, MDLive and numerous other startups have generated substantial funding, but South Florida needs more. The Kaufman Foundation recently announced that South Florida is ranked second in startups behind Austin, Texas. Yet the region ranks 39th out of 40 in scaling. Why? Lack of funding and ability to effectively grow companies.

TSFA’s mission is to identify visionary entrepreneurs and facilitate the formation of ideas and concepts. It helps to do this by providing a clear path to success through a global ecosystem of innovation resources. TSFA is quite passionate about accelerating the maturation of new technologies and the generation of jobs in Florida’s innovation ecosystem.

“Our strategic partners get early access to tailor-made innovations in a cost-effective manner and in a shortened time-to-market environment,” Malter says. “Investors and venture capitalists will receive lower-risk investment opportunities. Ultimately, we are here to add to the region’s GDP and foster job growth.”

Most recently, Citrix and TSFA announced a strategic partnership to advance new technologies and support South Florida’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem. As a co-founding sponsor, Citrix will have a seat on TSFA’s selection committee and will be allocated three industry-specific, accelerator-sponsored NewCo forums annually. Citrix will hold a seat on the boards of the TSFA and Innovation Florida, its nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to the advancement of innovation.

“Citrix has deep roots in the South Florida business and technology communities,” says Buchar, TSFA’s managing director. “We are honored to join hands in efforts to foster entrepreneurs in South Florida’s new ideation economy.”

Chris Fleck is on the board of the South Florida Technology Alliance and vice president of emerging solutions for Citrix Systems (Nasdaq: CTXS), a Fort Lauderdale company that provides secure delivery of applications and data.

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Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.