Area companies raise more than $100 million

Two months into 2021, multiple Tampa Bay area firms have scored big wins in securing new capital, with eight entities raising at least $105 million from a variety of sources. Companies with significant investments include:

Aspen RxHealth: Tampa-based firm, behind a mobile-based application that connects health plan members with pharmacists, raised $23 million. The Series B round comes mostly from San Francisco-based Bessemer Venture Partners, one of the nation’s leading early-stage venture capital firms. Bessemer has previously invested in Yelp, Shopify, LinkedIn and LifeLock, among others.

SOMA Global: Tampa-based firm, founded in 2017, received $22.5 million in a Series A investment led by Weatherford Capital, also based in Tampa. SOMA provides cloud-based technology and software for first responders and government entities.   

Oragenics: Tampa-based company, publicly traded on the NYSE, recently raised $20 million through a stock sale, the company announced. Through the acquisition of a company in Gainesville, Oragenics is working on a coronavirus vaccine for use in overseas markets.

Marxent: St. Petersburg-based company closed a Series C round investment for $15 million. Tampa area tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini of Bellini Capital led the funding round for Marxent, which specializes in 3D commerce for furniture retailers and related companies. The founder of Tampa-based ConnectWise, Bellini also joined Marxent’s board.

Red Rover: Based in Clearwater, the mobile storage company raised $13.6 million, according to a Securities and Exchange filing. Founder Peter Warhurst, who also founded self-storage pioneer PODS, believes Red Rover creates a new category — fetchable on-demand storage.

InflammX Therapeutics: Tampa-based biotech firm raised $7 million, according to public filings. The firm has no website, and, outside a corporate address on Bayshore Boulevard, the SEC documents provide no other information on five listed executives.   

Better Choice: Oldsmar-based publicly traded clean and holistic pet food company raised $4.1 million, according to public filings.

SecureAire: Indoor air quality technology firm, based in Oldsmar, Pinellas County, raised $3 million, SEC documents show.