CAPCO Programs

Dennis Murphree of Murphree Venture Partners in Texas participated in the state’s CAPCO Program in 2002:

Venture capitalist Dennis Murphree has joined a small band of fund managers in the country who participate in a little-known but rapidly expanding program called CAPCO.

A handful of states have passed legislation to create programs called CAPCO, an acronym for certified capital companies. These programs spawn investment funds, some as large as $175 million, that are designed to spur economic development.

The program itself is complicated, but it wasn’t difficult for Murphree and his partners to decide they wanted to be involved.

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The CAPCO program, which has been proven successful in several states, was awaiting to be enacted in Colorado back in 2001:

CAPCO program, which awaits governor’s signature, has spurred significant economic growth in several states and could bring same prosperity to Colorado.

The Certified Capital Company (CAPCO) program, a highly successful economic development initiative aimed at creating jobs and fueling entrepreneurial activity in Colorado, could bring at least $50 million of venture capital funding to the state’s rural and agricultural communities if signed by Gov. Owens. The program was adopted by the state legislature (HB 1097) last week.

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Back in 2002, Representative Reilly introduced the Rhode Island Certified Capital Company Act:

Rhode Island, said Rep. Donald O. Reilly Jr. (D-Dist. 67) of Cumberland, currently ranks 36th in the nation in the amount of venture capital it receives for small businesses.

“Increased venture capital investments made in small businesses located in Rhode Island will lead to job creation and increased tax revenue for the state. That’s not wishful thinking. It is happening in other states all around the country and it’s time it happens in Rhode Island,” said Representative Reilly.

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Small businesses can turn to their local CAPCO programs for funding:

Fostering new businesses in your county (with their new tax revenue potential) is obviously a much better way to deal with state budget cutbacks and dwindling local revenues than increasing taxes or cutting services or both. And it doesn’t necessarily take a new automobile assembly plant in your community to turn the revenue slide.

For most counties, small businesses are the economic engines for their communities. The National Association of Small Business Owners reports that small businesses employ 51 percent of private sector workers; provide two-thirds to three-quarters of the new jobs; and represent 96 percent of all exporters of goods.

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The South Florida Business Journal reports that there is a great need for venture capital in Florida and tech companies are hoping to expand the CAPCO program to meet this need:

Venture capital lobbyists are preparing a new push to expand Florida’s Certified Capital Company (CAPCO)program, and CyLex of Boca Raton is part of the case they are building for the Florida Legislature.

CyLex is moving toward profitability as an applications service provider for its clients’ Internet operations. The company credits its growth partly to venture capital it has received from a CAPCO fund.

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Pamela Leavy from the Tampa Bay Business Journal discusses the introduction of Advantage Capital Partners as a venture capital company in Florida’s CAPCO program:

New on the venture capital block is Advantage Capital Partners LLC, located in a suite on the 24th floor of the AmSouth Bank building in downtown Tampa.

Tim Cockshutt is principal of the national firm’s Florida office which signed, sealed and delivered its first venture capital deal in September 1999. A little more than $2 million went into the coffers of Control Center LLC in Orlando, manufacturers of power generation equipment.

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