When GrowFL announced its 2017 list of Florida Companies to Watch, the Gulf Coast got a significant share of attention. From an incentive marketing company boasting eight at its Bradenton headquarters to a craft brewer shipping beer from a Sarasota distillery to a VoIP provider based in Venice, the firms in the region showed off the Sarasota-Manatee area as one enjoying disproportionate success in cultivating startup businesses.

“It affirms the recent significant national recognition our area has been receiving for being a great place for entrepreneurs to start and grow a business,” says Mark Huey, Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County president and CEO. “What is exciting about this particular recognition is that it growing growing businesses that are helping diversify our local economy, since most of their revenues are earned outside our market.”

Companies to Watch were selected from more than 500 applicants and were selected for being second-stage companies headquartered in Florida that demonstrated high performance in the market[lace with innovative strategies. Out of the 50 companies announced by GrowFL recognized for 2017, four hail from Sarasota County: AdRizer, Big Top Brewing Company, Clickbooth and Lightspeed Voice. 

Web companies earned particular attention. AdRizer, a Sarasota-based tracking platform for publishers seeking return on investment optimization and digital marketing analytics, specializes in real-time analysis of revenue partners for businesses. Clickbooth, a Sarasota digital advertising company, has been recognized nationally for its high customer acquisition rates. Light speed Voice, based out of Venice, offers cloud-hosted Voice-over-Internet-Protocol telecommunications, a business service growing in popularity. CEO Brad Fuller released a statement touting the GrowFL recognition. “Our company would be nothing without our amazing team of professionals, who work tirelessly to provide impeccable service to our national client base. It is because of their dedication that we continue to grow and thrive,” he says.

Of course, Sarasota brewery Big Top’s recognition came thanks to growth at the bar top, not the laptop.

Bradenton-based Xplor, an incentive marketing company, specializes in developing promotions for companies to build loyal customer bases and improve brand recognition. “Owning a small business is both rewarding and challenging,” says Anju Lynn, CEO and President. “For our efforts to be recognized is more than we can ask for.”