After more than a year away, Founding Blue came back to Fort Lauderdale on June 4th, and it felt like it never left.
We hosted our High Tide series at the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, bringing together founders, operators, investors, and ocean advocates for an evening of conversation that went places we didn't expect.
A Conversation with Mark Volchek
The centerpiece was a sit-down with Mark Volchek, founder and managing partner of Las Olas Venture Capital. Mark has spent 16 years on both sides of the table. He co-founded Higher One in 2000 as a college senior, took it public on the NYSE in 2010, and then turned around and started investing in founders doing the same. He brought that rare combination of operator instincts and investor math to a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a venture-scale company in Florida.
A few things he said that stuck with the room:
The VC math is unforgiving, and most founders don't know it. Mark walked through the portfolio construction logic that drives every decision a fund makes. When half your investments go to zero and the fund still needs to return 5x, the math on what your winners need to do gets clarifying fast. His advice: before you pitch anyone, ask them how they construct their portfolio. The answer tells you everything about what they need from you.
Florida is an opportunity, not an obstacle, if you know where to look. There's a perception problem in Florida venture: too many lifestyle businesses, not enough venture-scale ambition. But Mark's take was more nuanced. The blue economy is one area where being in Florida is actually a competitive advantage. The founders, the customers, the infrastructure, and the capital are all here. You just have to find the right investors, and not limit yourself to local ones.
When it's time to pitch, show up like you mean it. Mark was direct: the founder has to be in the room. Not a proxy, not a deck. The founder. Execution signals matter as much as the idea. How you show up, how you handle the hard questions, whether your co-founders are present and engaged. The pitch is a performance of your company's culture. Make it count.
The conversation ran long, which is always a good sign. The energy carried into the rest of the evening, with conversations continuing over pizza and beer in the MIASF event space.
Founding Blue is back for three more events in 2026. If you're building something in the ocean economy, or investing in it, we want you in the room.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
A huge thank you to our sponsors who make Founding Blue possible:
Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) — MIASF is the largest marine trade organization in the Southeast, representing the $18.5 billion marine industry across South Florida. They are the home of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and champions of the region's 141,000+ marine jobs.
Marine Research Hub of South Florida — The Marine Research Hub of South Florida connects researchers, innovators, and industry to advance science and sustainable solutions for the ocean. They are a cornerstone of South Florida's blue economy ecosystem.
Ocean Exchange — Ocean Exchange accelerates the deployment of solutions that benefit the ocean and the communities that depend on it. Through their award programs and global network, they connect innovators with the partners and capital they need to scale.
Boatwork — Boatwork provides a marketplace, marketing tools, and back office AI automation for marine service businesses. From lead generation to customer management, Boatwork gives marine professionals the infrastructure to grow.
Founding Blue is a catalyst community connecting South Florida's technology and marine innovators, from idea to impact. Learn more at foundingblue.com