VC money trickles to Florida

Not since 2009 has Florida cracked the top 10 list of states for venture capital investment, so the $95 million that found its way to Florida companies in the second quarter was welcome news.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater cheered the news in a recent email newsletter, and justifiably so.

But while a win's a win, you have to put that amount in perspective. In the second quarter, for example, California companies attracted $4.1 billion in venture-capital money, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers' Money Tree Report.

In fact, the $95 million Florida companies attracted from venture capital funds represents less than 1% of the total venture-capital dollars invested in the second quarter nationwide.

Also, that amount pales with the gusher of investment that flowed into Florida during the tech boom. In the first quarter of 2000, venture capitalists invested $982 million in Florida companies.