South Florida Tech HubSouth Florida Tech Hub

By Nikki Cabus

Social Mobile celebrated their new office grand opening and ribbon cutting

Read Time 4 Minutes

On April 9th, Social Mobile celebrated their grand opening and ribbon cutting of their new headquarters office in Hollywood, Florida. 

Founded in 2011, Social Mobile is a Google Mobile Services (GMS) partner, leveraging the Android operating system to design, engineer, and manufacture turnkey, mobility-as-a-service deployments that enable enterprise organizations to utilize smart solutions to support an array of business-critical operations. An OEM, managed service provider, and consultancy, Social Mobile is uniquely positioned to serve as a domestic design partner to US clients, controlling all aspects of the development supply-chain, and ensuring the utmost in security and availability.

The company has been growing tremendously over the past decade and has hired multiple executives, tech professionals and sales managers just in the past year creating a need for a larger space. The new office space is designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and productivity among the growing Social Mobile team. The new office is located at 2057 Coolidge Street in Hollywood, Florida.

The night held opening remarks by Social Mobile CEO, Robert Morcos, and included Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails for all guests. In attendance were city officials, tech industry professionals (including Tech Hub!), many Social Mobile staff, and community members, friends and family.

Some of South Florida’s most prominent leaders were in attendance such as CITY Furniture CEO, Andrew Koenig. In a social media post, he wrote “Proud of my buddy Robert Morcos & his Social Mobile team for the grand opening of their new offices and innovation space in Hollywood. Amazing journey that Robert & his team have been on for over 10+ years working with and selling to some of the most amazing organizations in the world like Google, T-Mobile, AT&T, DoorDash, Qualcomm, Air Force, etc. Absolutely unbelievable!!!”

He continued, “He’s the definition of living the American Dream starting from humble beginnings to now one of the most Innovative Tech Companies in his space. Even the Mayor of Hollywood Josh Levy came to visit and congratulate this team on this new building and growth. Very cool to see some of the best companies in the world attending too.”

Social Mobile® is a mobility solutions provider focused on providing services critical to organizations looking to deploy and/or bring to market innovative mobile products. The company designs, engineers, and manufactures turnkey solutions that enable clients to bring smart devices to market quickly and efficiently, while also taking the burden of deploying and supporting these devices off their plate.

We are a key Google Mobile Services (GMS) partner, offering new and innovative ways to leverage the Android operating system that have enabled us to pioneer new products and solutions that many have never seen or considered possible. We recognize the power and flexibility of the Android OS, supercharge it by creating solutions dedicated to the unique and challenging environments in which our clients operate, and offer the option to use our proprietary mobile device management system. Through our work as an OEM, managed service provider, and consultancy, we have become the industry’s best aggregator of resources, helping clients control their own destiny for over a decade.

Our strength lies in our ability to leverage our partnerships throughout the mobility ecosystem to offer a true end-to-end solution, from concept all the way through to deployment. We have a global presence, with operations in the U.S., the U.K., Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, and have successfully deployed over 11 million smart devices across Europe, USA, Canada, Africa, and Latin America. Founded in 2011, Social Mobile has quickly become the industry leader in custom products, servicing a wide range of industries from healthcare and retail, to government and non-profits.

“After years of hard work by the Social Mobile team it felt great to finally be able to welcome our clients, partners, and friends. A big thank you to Mayor Josh Levy for attending and welcoming us to the city,” Robert posted on social media.

“We are immensely proud to call this place our new home. Our headquarters represents not just a physical space but a hub of creativity, collaboration, and forward-thinking ideas. A big shoutout to our amazing team, whose hard work and commitment have brought us to this milestone. To all our clients, partners, and friends who joined us in marking this occasion, we are deeply grateful for your support and enthusiasm.”

To learn more about other Social Mobile products and solutions, visit: www.socialmobile.com.

By Nikki Cabus

Social Mobile Welcomes Geoff Leonard as New Chief Revenue Officer

Read Time 2 Minutes

Social Mobile recently announced the appointment of Geoff Leonard as Chief Revenue Officer.

Social Mobile is an enterprise mobility solutions provider who designs, engineers, and manages custom mobility solutions for clients in all industries from healthcare to retail to defense. Our team of certified Android Enterprise experts work to deliver a fully custom mobility solution that includes hardware, software, managed mobility services, connectivity, and more.

Geoff Leonard brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Social Mobile, with a rich history working on Google’s Android Enterprise team, both directly with clients and partners.

“We are thrilled to welcome Geoff to the Social Mobile leadership team as our Chief Revenue Officer,” said Founder and. “His proven track record in driving revenue growth and building successful teams will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and success of this company.”

Before joining Social Mobile, Geoff served as the General Manager of North America at CleverTap, a global mobile marketing automation company headquartered in San Francisco. Prior to CleverTap, Geoff served as North American Regional Manager of Android Enterprise at Google, successfully launching the world’s first Android Enterprise purpose-built and BYOD projects for renowned clients such as Pitney Bowes and Guardian Health. 

Prior to Google, Geoff served as Director of Sales at Divide, the company responsible for building the original Android Enterprise framework. Geoff and Mike Burr (Social Mobile’s CTO) worked together at Divide. Their technology became what is now Android Enterprise after the company was acquired by Google in 2014.

Geoff expressed his excitement, stating, “Social Mobile has a strong reputation as a leader in enterprise mobility, and I am honored to join the team to help drive new business opportunities, expand our partnerships, and nurture our client relationships.”

Geoff has 15 years of experience building and managing go-to-market teams for SaaS, Mobile, Martech, and Cloud companies, with 2 successful SaaS acquisitions by Google and Clevertap. Social Mobile’s commitment to innovation, growth, and fostering partnerships remains steadfast, and the addition of Geoff Leonard to its executive team signifies a new chapter of collaboration.

“Looking forward to helping take Social Mobile to new heights with you Robert Morcos, Benjamin Y., Ed Shulman and Mike Burr, CISSP, GIAC GMOB,” Geoff wrote in a social media post. “Lookout Android Enterprise, I’m back!”

By Nikki Cabus

Hollywood-based custom enterprise mobility leader Social Mobile hires Ronald Hans

Read Time 2 Minutes

Social Mobile announced the appointment of Ronald Hans as Vice President of Business Development & Partnerships. 

Social Mobile is an enterprise mobility solutions provider who designs, engineers, and manages custom mobility solutions for clients in all industries from healthcare to retail to defense. Their team of certified Android Enterprise experts work to deliver a fully custom mobility solution that includes hardware, software, managed mobility services, connectivity, and more.  

Founded in 2011 by current CEO, Robert Morcos, and is headquartered in Hollywood, Florida. Our team of accredited Android Enterprise experts span the globe with offices, warehouses, and facilities in multiple countries ensuring high-quality solutions with full supply chain visibility. Social Mobile is the only US-based OEM with a pure focus on custom enterprise mobility.

Ronald expressed his excitement, stating, “I am honored to be a part of the Social Mobile team and look forward to contributing to its continued success. Social Mobile has a strong reputation as a leader in enterprise mobility, and I am eager to start driving new business opportunities and expand our partnerships.” 

With over 25 years of experience in the mobility sector spanning across the USA, LATAM, MENA, and APAC, Ronald Hans brings a proven track record of fostering strategic partnerships and driving business growth. 

Before joining Social Mobile, Ronald Hans spent over 7 years contributing to the success of venture-backed, early-stage tech companies across a diverse range of sectors, including AI, enterprise SaaS, and supply chain technologies. Prior to that, he served as the Vice President of Markets at PCS Wireless from 2009 to 2018, expanding the business to 80+ countries and over $1B in annual revenue. 

Throughout his career, Ronald has collaborated with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), mobile network operators (MNOs), and retailers, covering major commercial regions and sales channels worldwide. 

Founder and CEO of Social Mobile Robert Morcos shared his enthusiasm about the new addition to the leadership team saying, “We are delighted to welcome Ronald Hans on board. His background and strategic insights into the telecom industry align perfectly with our growth goals. I believe Ronald will be instrumental in taking our business to new heights.” 

Social Mobile’s commitment to innovation, growth, and fostering partnerships remains steadfast, and the addition of Ronald Hans to its leadership team signifies a new chapter of expansion and collaboration. 

To learn more about Social Mobile’s leadership team, please visit https://socialmobile.com/about/

By Nikki Cabus

CEO and Founder of Social Mobile was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Florida Award finalist

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Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that Robert Morcos, CEO and Founder of Social Mobile was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Florida Award finalist.

Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all by unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall Award winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ title.

Robert was selected by an independent panel of judges. Entrepreneurs were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

“As the CEO and Founder of Social Mobile, I am honored to be selected as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year,’ said Robert Marcos. Twelve years ago, I embarked on a journey to build a technology company that would make a meaningful impact on the world. Today, we are recognized as a global leader in enterprise mobility, and I am proud of the hard work and dedication that our team has put in to make this dream a reality. Thank you to EY and to all those who have supported us on this incredible journey.”

Regional award winners will be announced on June 8, during a special celebration. The winners will then be considered by the National judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®,one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2024.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 entrepreneurs throughout the US since its inception in 1986, and it has grown to recognize business leaders across 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, N.A.; SAP America; and the Kauffman Foundation. In Florida, sponsors also include – regional Platinum sponsors, Cresa, and DLA Piper.

EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

As Advisors to the ambitious™, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs.

Congrats, Robert!

By Nikki Cabus

Social Mobile Secures $35 Million Credit Facility from Citi®

Read Time 3 Minutes

Social Mobile is pleased to announce that it has secured a $35 million senior credit facility from Citi.

Social Mobile is a mobility solutions provider focused on providing services critical to organizations looking to deploy and/or bring to market innovative mobile products. They design, engineer, and manufacture turnkey solutions that enable clients to bring smart devices to market quickly and efficiently, while also taking the burden of deploying and supporting these devices off their plate.

“Social Mobile has never received outside capital to grow its business until now. This credit facility from Citi is a significant milestone for our company,” said Benjamin Yogel, Chief Financial Officer of Social Mobile. “It will allow us to accelerate our growth plans and put us in a position to enter the M&A space that will further strengthen our market position.”

Already a major player in the enterprise mobility space, Social Mobile has over 11 million users worldwide in Europe, USA, Canada, Africa, and Latin America. They have developed custom mobile devices and mobility solutions servicing a wide range of industries from healthcare and retail, to government and non-profits and include clients such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, the U.S. Air Force, and more.

Social Mobile is approximately 1 of only 100 a Google Mobile Services (GMS) partners, offering new and innovative ways to leverage the Android operating system that have enabled them to pioneer new products and solutions that many have never seen or considered possible. Recognizing the power and flexibility of the Android OS, they supercharge it by creating solutions dedicated to the unique and challenging environments in which their clients operate, and offer the option to use their proprietary mobile device management system.

Through Social Mobile’s work as an OEM, managed service provider, and consultancy, Social Mobile has become the industry’s best aggregator of resources, helping clients control their own destiny for over a decade. Some of the company’s strategic partners are android, Google, AT&T, Honeywell, and Tech Mahindra, among others.

CEO, Robert Morcos, founded Social Mobile in 2011. A Floridian at heart, Robert grew up in Miami, attended Florida State University on an academic scholarship, and now headquartered Social Mobile in Hollywood, FL. Robert has been involved in every aspect of the business, including manufacturing, design, development, retail, distribution, and consulting.

The drastic growth of the company over the last decade has allowed Robert to hire some pretty impressive new leadership including President, Ed Shulman, CTO Mike Burr and and recent hire, Jai Rao, Social Mobile’s Chief Engineering Officer, who has worked with several multinational OEMs launching world-class products.

He has also attracted new Advisory Council members such as Douglas Smith, who previously was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Both Jai and Douglas are key to Social Mobile’s strategic growth; Jai from a product design and development perspective and Douglas from a policy/government relations perspective.

Social Mobile’s funding announcement comes at a time when headlines are dominated by layoffs in the technology industry, and a looming recession and reduced spending by businesses on both talent and IT are under scrutiny. Social Mobile leadership has ensured that the company is in a strong position both financially and strategically to continue its growth into the future.

Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in nearly 160 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.

The company also recently launched Social Mobile ONE, a DaaS offer combining its hardware, software, managed services, and wireless connectivity solutions into a monthly, per device subscription. With IT budgets under increased tightening and a looming recession, enterprises can benefit from an OpEx based model and still secure mobile devices for their business without heavy capital expenditure.

By Nikki Cabus

U.S. Air Force Awards Contract to Social Mobile to Build Next Generation 5G Mobile Solution

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Social Mobile  has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase II contract focused on a 5G mobile solution to investigate its potential to fill capability gaps in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Through the contract, Social Mobile will collaborate with the DAF to design and deliver a handheld and chest-mountable device that leverages Android Enterprise and is built to military-grade specifications.

AFWERX , a program office at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), connects innovators across government, industry and academia. Through innovation and collaboration with our nation’s top subject-matter experts and harnessing the power of ingenuity of internal talent, by expanding technology, talent, and transition partnerships for rapid and affordable commercial and military capability. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force.

“Building on the success of the previous contract, we look forward to working side-by-side with the Department of the Air Force to develop a mobile solution that meets the needs of their operations today as well as in the future,” said Robert Morcos, Founder and CEO.

“Our solution will be lighter and more durable than their current device, offer more hands-free capabilities, all while taking full advantage of Android Enterprise with respect to security, features, and updates.”

Founded in 2011, Social Mobile is a Google Mobile Services (GMS) partner, leveraging the Android operating system to design, engineer, and manufacture turnkey, mobility-as-a-service deployments that enable enterprise organizations to utilize smart solutions that support an array of business-critical operations. An OEM, managed service provider, and consultancy, Social Mobile is uniquely positioned to serve as a domestic design partner to US clients, controlling all aspects of the development supply-chain, and ensuring the utmost in security and availability.

On August 9th, 2022, President Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act. The Act will boost American semiconductor research, development, and production with $280 billion in subsidies and tax credits, ensuring U.S. leadership in the technology that forms the foundation of everything from automobiles to household appliances to defense systems.

However, the Act fails to address the entire downstream process of electronics design, development, and manufacturing. There are hundreds of additional components used in the production of each device (batteries, sensors, etc.) and these are largely produced overseas. Social Mobile believes that here is minimal benefit if we produce semiconductors domestically only to ship them back overseas to assemble. Social Mobile is advocating for more local production and assembly of mobile devices in the U.S.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through a faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and losing bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering ‘The Open Topic’ SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now in August 2022, Social Mobile will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

This month, Social Mobile announced the hire of Jai Kishan Rao as Chief Engineering Officer and addition of Douglas Smith to the Advisory Council. Both Jai and Douglas are key to this strategy; Jai from a product design and development perspective and Douglas from a policy/government relations perspective.

Douglas Smith  is a dynamic leader who brings more than 25 years of experience managing government and private sector organizations that have excelled in advocacy, coalition building, new business development, communications, public policy, and corporate social responsibility efforts in the U.S. and around the world.

“Doug is an exciting addition to our board,” said Social Mobile CEO and Founder, Robert Morcos. “As we delve deeper into government sector initiatives, his experience in both the private and public sectors will prove invaluable.”

Previously, Smith was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President and General Manager for a leading international public relations and new media firm where he managed the Washington, DC office and was the primary client engagement manager for some of the firm’s most iconic Fortune 100 clients.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Robert and the entire leadership team,” said Douglas Smith. “Social Mobile is well on its way to becoming a leader in the enterprise mobility space, and my goal is to leverage my experience in finance, communications, and federal government to help take the company to the next level.”

By Nikki Cabus

Jai Kishan Rao joins Social Mobile as Chief Engineering Officer

Read Time 2 Minutes

Social Mobile proudly announces that Jai Kishan Rao has joined their executive team as Chief Engineering Officer.

Social Mobile® is a mobility solutions provider, offering services critical to organizations looking to bring to market innovative mobile products. We design, engineer, and manufacture turnkey solutions that enable our clients to bring smart devices to market quickly and efficiently, while also deploying and supporting these large-scale fleets of hundreds of thousands of devices.

Jai will work with the team at Social Mobile to lead in the design, development, and launch of enterprise devices and solutions for the global markets. With extensive experience in the telecommunications industry, Jai brings his experience launching products for global carriers, MVNOs, and retail brands, and will help propel Social Mobile drive focused growth opportunities.

Before joining Social Mobile, Jai worked with several multinational OEMs launching world-class products. He helped expand their product catalogs – both in terms of hardware devices and service platforms – and was instrumental in willing large deals for the organization. Jai has over 20 years experience managing global teams across U.S., Asia and Europe, and developing high quality products for launch in markets like the U.S. and Asia.

“Jai is well known in the wireless industry,” said Social Mobile CEO and Founder, Robert Morcos. “We are all extremely excited to have Jai joining our team and leading the engineering and hardware strategy as we continue to make Social Mobile an enterprise mobility leader.”

Founded in 2011, Social Mobile has become the industry leader in custom products, servicing a wide range of industries, from healthcare and retail, to food-on-demand and government to non-profits. The company is now celebrating 11 years in business.

Robert Morcos also serves on the South Florida Tech Hub Board of Directors an is very involved South Florida community member. For more on Jai Rao and Social Mobile leadership team, visit socialmobile.co/about

By Nikki Cabus

394 Florida companies make the 2022 Inc. 5000 list; South Florida strong with 171

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The popular Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Private Companies across the United States is out for 2022 — and the state of Florida is looking pretty strong.

From healthcare to education to marketing and construction, Florida’s top companies represented a multitude of industries. Over a 3-year span from 2018 – 2021, Florida companies had a 239% median growth, $18.8 billion in total revenue, and 36, 540 jobs added.

Two Florida companies made the overall Top 10 List: HighKey at #5 and Homethreads at #8. HighKey is a food & beverage company based in Orlando with 41,585% growth and Homethreads is a retail company based in Boca Raton with 25,851% growth.

This year, Inc. 5000 also listed the Top 10 diverse leaders of 2022 and Florida had two honorable mentions: HighKey once again and Zimba & PLUS ULTRA, a consumer products company based out of Boca Raton. Zimba & PLUS ULTRA was also listed in the Top Women Leaders category.

Through a 3-year period of uncertainty and change, these companies have shown a resiliency and level of innovation like no other. Of the 394 Florida-based companies, 61 were newly founded and an impressive 85 were repeat honorees.

Below are the Top 10 Florida-based companies, South Florida-based companies, and how they compare on a national level.

 

TOP 10 Fastest Growing Companies in FLORIDA:

  • #5 – HighKey (Orlando) – Food & Beverage – 41,585% growth
  • #8 – Homethreads (Boca Raton) – Retail – 25,851% growth
  • #35 – Zimba & PLUS ULTRA (Boca Raton) – Consumer Products – 9,349% growth
  • #47 – The Snow Agency (Miami) – Advertising & Marketing – 6,953% growth
  • #48 – OneRail (Orlando) – Software – 6,879% growth
  • #50 – KITRUM (Clearwater) – IT Services – 6,799% growth
  • #58 – AMA Consulting Group (Winter Park) – Government & Services – 6,218% growth
  • #59 – 365 LOGISTICS (Ft. Lauderdale) – Logistics & Transportation – 6,093% growth
  • #67 – Poseidon Management of Florida Get Staffed Up (Miami) – Human Resources – 5,807% growth
  • #68 – Octillion (Boynton Beach) – Media – 5,793% growth

 

Top 10 Fastest Growing Companies in SOUTH FLORIDA (Miami Metro Region):

  • #8 – Homethreads (Boca Raton) – Retail – 25,851% growth
  • #35 – Zimba & PLUS ULTRA (Boca Raton) – Consumer Products – 9,349% growth
  • #47 – The Snow Agency (Miami) – Advertising & Marketing – 6,953% growth
  • #59 – 365 LOGISTICS (Ft. Lauderdale) – Logistics & Transportation – 6,093% growth
  • #67 – Poseidon Management of Florida Get Staffed Up (Miami) – Human Resources – 5,807% growth
  • #68 – Octillion (Boynton Beach) – Media – 5,793% growth
  • #99 – HCM Unlocked (Boca Raton) – Human Resources – 4,385% growth
  • #100 – Performance Golf (Ft. Lauderdale) – Sports -4,323% growth
  • #122 – Stylecraft (Boca Raton) – Manufacturing – 3,733% growth
  • #139 – Air Pros (Hollywood) – Consumer Services – 3,392% growth

 

Interesting Stats:

  • Of the overall 394 Florida-based companies, almost 45% were from South Florida with 171 represented.
  • Of the Top 10 Florida-based companies, 60% were based in South Florida.
  • Of the Top 10 South Florida based companies, 20% were from Miami-Dade county, 30% from Broward county, and 50% from Palm Beach county.

 

Here’s a shoutout to some of our South Florida Tech Hub members who made the 2022 list:

  • #618 – ShipMonk (Ft. Lauderdale) – Logistics & Transportation – 1,025% growth (5 year repeat)
  • #697 – Sloane Staffing (Palm Beach Gardens) – Business Products & Services – 897% growth
  • #886 – Salesmsg (Delray Beach) – Software – 718% growth
  • #998 – PlanHub (West Palm Beach) – Construction – 654% growth (2 year repeat)
  • #1306 – Social Mobile (Hollywood) – Business Products & Services – 498% growth
  • #1740 – CloudHesive (Ft. Lauderdale) – Business Products & Services – 353% growth (4 year repeat)
  • #2016 – Gravity IT Resources (Ft. Lauderdale) – Human Resources – 299% growth (4 year repeat)
  • #2345 – PeakActivity (Boynton Beach) – Business Products & Services – 250% growth (3 year repeat)
  • #2359 – TechStrong Group (Boca Raton) – Media – 248% growth (3 year repeat)
  • #2990 – Dedicated IT (Lake Park) – IT Services – 181% growth (3 year repeat)
  • #3301 – The SilverLogic (Boca Raton) – Software – 180% growth (3 year repeat)
  • #3917 – Digital Resource (West Palm Beach) – Advertising & Marketing – 125% growth (5 year repeat)
  • #4435 – ModMed (Boca Raton) – IT Services – 100% growth (7 year repeat honoree!!)

 

To learn more about the 2022 Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, visit https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2022

By Nikki Cabus

13 South Florida companies honored among 50 of Florida’s companies to watch

Read Time 3 Minutes

This year’s GrowFL Awards was held at the beautiful Hard Rock LIVE Universal CityWalk in Orlando, Florida. For it’s 11th annual “Florida Companies To Watch,” GrowFL honored 50 Florida companies for their outstanding leadership, culture and overall growth.

The annual awards event honors impressive second-stage companies from throughout the state for developing valuable products and services, creating quality jobs, enriching communities, and broadening new industries throughout Florida.

Second-stage companies are often the forgotten ones as they are no longer mentioned in new startup company news and aren’t yet one of the big dogs at the enterprise level. Although, these companies are the ‘backbone of Florida’s economy’ bringing the largest amount of new revenue flow, creating new job creation, and ability to diversify our economy. Second-stage companies account for approximately 10% of the companies within the state, but generate more than 30% of the jobs.

When the annual GrowFL Awards companies are chosen “they receive statewide recognition which can further their growth potential, because they are more likely to be noticed by other companies in the state (as well as those outside the state and in other countries), as they compete for investor capital,” reads a recent TaxWatch report.

To qualify for the award, companies must be headquartered in Florida and have between 6 and 150 and revenue between $750,000 and $100 million in 2020. Companies were judged on a number of criteria including growth in number of employees; impact of the business in the job market; increase in sales and/or unit volume; current and past financial reports; innovativeness of the product or service; response to adversity; and contributions to aid community-oriented projects.

“This group of Honorees represents 20 counties, 20 different industries and almost 50% of them are women, veteran or minority-owned. They have demonstrated notable growth and have the courage and tenacity it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

Despite the challenges thrown their way and pivoting through a pandemic, these companies embody the unshakeable resiliency of Florida’s entrepreneurs,” said Lisa McIntosh, GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Chair and founder of C-E-Optimal Advisors.

If projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.7 billion in revenue and added more than 1,500 employees over the last five years — a 263% increase in revenue and a 206% increase in jobs since 2017.

Below is the list of the 13 South Florida companies honored at this year’s 11th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Awards:

Biller Genie (Miami) | Biorep Technologies (Miami) | Body Armor Direct (Broward) | Decimal Engineering (Broward) | GRUBBRR (Palm Beach) | Honorlock (Palm Beach) | I.T. Solutions of South Florida (Palm Beach) | John Bell Construction (Miami) | Red Banyan (Broward) | Social Mobile (Miami) | Top Score Writing (Palm Beach) | Trembly Law Firm (Miami) | Wrecking Ball (Broward)

Congrats to all of this year’s GrowFL “Companies To Watch!”

Social Mobile celebrated their new office grand opening and ribbon cutting
Social Mobile Welcomes Geoff Leonard as New Chief Revenue Officer
Hollywood-based custom enterprise mobility leader Social Mobile hires Ronald Hans
CEO and Founder of Social Mobile was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Florida Award finalist
Social Mobile Secures $35 Million Credit Facility from Citi®
U.S. Air Force Awards Contract to Social Mobile to Build Next Generation 5G Mobile Solution
Jai Kishan Rao joins Social Mobile as Chief Engineering Officer
394 Florida companies make the 2022 Inc. 5000 list; South Florida strong with 171
13 South Florida companies honored among 50 of Florida’s companies to watch