GrowFL Company to Watch

Azure Water Company is among 50 recognized by GrowFL as a 2017 Florida Companies to WatchSM

— Entrepreneurial styles, corporate cultures give these second-stage companies competitive advantages—

Leesburg, FL (July 19, 2017) — Azure Water Co. and GrowFL are pleased to announce that one company in Lake County, the Azure Water Co., is among the 50 statewide winners selected for the 2017 Florida Companies to “WatchSM”. These companies were selected from more than 500 nominees throughout Florida for the award. Hosted by GrowFL, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.

The winning company’s management team, competitive market position, and strong community involvement were among several factors that put them in contention for the award.
“These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs, and have demonstrated their capacity and intent to grow,” said Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute and associate vice president for the University of Central Florida’s Office of Research and Commercialization. “They also all have critical intellectual property or a niche position that gives them a competitive edge in their markets,” he said.

Ally Liu, president of Azure Water on behalf of her company and its employees is especially honored and grateful for this award because “We take our role in serving the community as seriously as our commitment to ensure that every bottle of Azure water leaves our plant free of contaminants and impurities.”
The 50 companies named the 2017 Florida Companies to WatchSM generated a total of more than $1 billion in revenue and added more than 1,300 employees between 2012 and 2015.
Together, the companies project a 53 percent increase in revenue and 36 percent increase in job growth compared to 2016. Companies named to the list will be officially recognized Oct. 14, 2017, at the Straz Performing Arts Center in Tampa, FL.

Below is the list of all the Florida Companies to WatchSM winners:

· 3D Digital
· A1A Solar Contracting, Inc
· AdRizer
· Amazing Explorers Academy
· Azure Water Company
· Big Top Brewing Company LLC
· Boys Electrical Contractors
· Captozyme Inc
· Clickbooth.com, LLC
· Cribb Philbeck Weaver Group
· Dixie Belle Paint Co
· Dougherty Manufacturing
· GenCare Resources
· Global ETS, LLC
· Global Safety Management
· Grimaldi Candy Company
· Human Potential Healthcare
Workforce Solutions, LLC
· Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC
· Hydro-Dyne Engineering
· Inspired Technologies iProcedures
· JAX Refrigeration, Inc.
· Jaycon Systems
· Just Ryt Foods, Inc
· K. Parks Consulting, Inc. (KPC)
· Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice
· Lightspeed Voice
· LiveTrends Design Group
· Lukos
· Madrid Engineering Group, Inc.
· Marion Precision Tool, Inc
· MICROJIG
· Mini Doughnut Factory
· MzeroA.com
· Natural Vitamins Laboratory LLC
· PropLogix
· Raneys Inc
· REDCON Solutions Group, LLC.
· RedTeam Software
· SawStreet LLC
· Society+
· Sorensen Moving and Storage
· Spoleto My Italian Kitchen
· Stickboy Creative
· Up-Rev
· Verdex Construction
· Winco Mfg., LLC
· Xplor Inc
· Yachtico Inc.
· Zennergy LLC

“This is a strong group of companies that deserve this special recognition given annually to the state’s top second stage companies,” said Dr. O’Neal. Second-stage companies are defined as those with six to 150 full-time employees and between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue. There are many programs and incubators promoting start-up businesses; GrowFL is the only Florida program that focuses exclusively on second-stage companies.

For more information, visit http://www.growfl.com/flctw17/about-flctw/

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About Azure Water

Equipped with the state-of-art bottling facilities and water processing technologies, Azure Water Company produces Natural Ionic Mineral Alkaline Water with pH9.5 plus, Purified Water and Natural Alkaline Spring Water which was voted “Best Tasting Water in the World” at the 2017 Berkeley Springs International Water tasting contest.

About GrowFL
GrowFL provides strategies, resources, and support, including strategic research and peer-to-peer CEO mentoring and leadership development, to second-stage Florida companies. Created by the Florida legislature in 2009 and grounded in the philosophy of Economic Gardening® — growing existing businesses in a community, region or state — GrowFL is a critical component of the state’s economic development strategy and Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. GrowFL is certified by the National Center for Economic Gardening through the Edward Lowe Foundation. Website: growfl.com

About the Edward Lowe Foundation
Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition and educational programs, which are delivered through entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs). The foundation focuses on second-stage companies — those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. In addition, the foundation has a second mission of land stewardship and is committed to preserving the natural resources and historically significant structures at Big Rock Valley, its 2,000-acre home in southwest Michigan.

Azure Water Bottling Process

Learn how we fill, label and bottle water in our state-of-the-art facility in Leesburg, Florida. 

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