Innovators Meet in Delray Beach to RE:Energize

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Local entrepreneurs, innovators and developers gathered recently at Delray Beach's new Hyatt Place hotel and the city's popular Arts Garage to network and honor their peers' achievements. The occasion was the 7^th annual RE:Energize event, organized by Delray Beach technology entrepreneur and real estate broker Bill Bathurst.

Each year, RE:Energize brings together local emerging enterprises, startups with civic leaders and real estate professionals.

"It's quite a cross section of innovators and entrepreneurs in our community, and it's been gaining popularity each year," said Bill Bathurst, founder of the event. "This year, with the help of MeetInDelray.com, we made the event even better."

Jeff Perlman, former mayor of Delray Beach and co-founder of MeetInDelray.com, spoke at the event about the importance of the entrepreneurial community to the City.

"Three areas that are key to positive growth in Delray Beach are the arts, sports venues such as the Delray Beach Tennis Center, and embracing the entrepreneurial community," Perlman said.

Bathurst said each person at the event impacts the community with new business, high tech hires, or real estate developments that can house new startups. "We had business owners here who started with one or two employees a few years ago, and now they have more than 50," he said.

The highlight of the evening was a concert featuring jazz vocalist Charmaine Forde and percussionist Drew Tucker, who entertained the crowd at the Arts Garage with a mixture of jazz, blues and R & B classics.

"We are excited about the role the Arts Garage can play in the economic development of Delray Beach," said Alyona Ushe, executive director of the Arts Garage. "Venues like ours make downtown Delray Beach very appealing to corporations relocating to the area."

Stephanie Warrington, president of True Motion Spine and vice chair of Bio Florida, said she liked how the event combined the entrepreneurial energy of the startup community with art and music found at the Arts Garage.

"I will definitely be back for the next event," Warrington said.

Companies that attended RE:Energize included larger fast-growth companies such as 3C Interactive; smaller startups such as www.fishypic.com, a fisherman's photo-sharing site; and "Due South Ales," a local brewery whose Category 3 IPA beer and Caramel Creme Ale were served.

Bill Morris of Southcoast Partners was honored for his role in the development of Delray's downtown and for his upcoming Atlantic Plaza Project.

"Atlantic Plaza's goal of bringing Class A office space to the heart of the downtown area will give these entrepreneurs a place to work and live in a truly walkable downtown, supporting our existing downtown retail and growing Delray's economy," said Morris.

"We already have Class A office space for lease," said Steve Jara, president of Pristine Properties International, "and this event gives us the opportunity to network with potential customers for those spaces."  Jara and Pristine Properties were recognized for their innovative use and licensing of technology through the Cabelas Trophy Properties network (www.cabelastrophyproperties.com).

Co-working space is one of the latest trends for today's startups, offering economies of scale and the benefits of collaboration that typically only happen at large corporations, according to Mark Laymon, another event honoree. Laymon is the founder of Caffeine Spaces a high tech co-working space located at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

Other event attendees included John Duffy, founder and CEO of www.3Cinteractive.com, Mike Wolfson of www.c3office.com and Rick Wall of  www.whocanihire.com.

Next on the calendar for RE:Energize events is a showcase for start-ups in the spring. For more information, sign up at www.TheReef.biz.  

More about theReef.biz and Bill Bathurst

TheReef.biz is an ecosystem for entrepreneurs, emerging enterprises and startups to connect with like-minded innovators, investors, advisors, service providers. Bill Bathurst, founder of www.theReef.biz and RE:Energize events is President of www.bathurstgroup.com and director of commercial and destination properties for Pristine Properties International in Delray Beach, Florida (www.pristineflorida.com).  

SOURCE Bathurst Group