New CEP Chapter in Florida

Knoxville, TN; June 25, 2025 – The Community Equity Partners network has opened a new chapter incorporating Manatee and Sarasota counties in Florida. This chapter, called the Manasota Angels, will be led by Chapter President Rob Ritch of RitchVentures. 

Florida is ranked as one of the top states for investors and startups, reporting a total of $57B in investments last year (wearetv.com). Florida’s Sun Coast has specifically been identified as one of the biggest areas of investors in the region, which makes it a key expansion point for the CEP network. We are thrilled to work with a great partner like RitchVentures and to join the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Sun Coast.

ABOUT RITCHVENTURES:  

Robert Ritch is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and business strategist with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. As the founder and CEO of Ritch Ventures, a holdings company established in 1994, he specializes in investing in and scaling businesses across diverse industries, including logistics, finance, real estate, and technology.  To learn more about RitchVentures, visit https://ritchventures.com/.  

ABOUT COMMUNITY EQUITY PARTNERS: 

Community Equity Partners (CEP) is a syndicate of angel groups and funds between Knoxville and Nashville with plans to expand to three additional markets in 2024.  The Network brings angel investors and entrepreneurs together in an environment that celebrates innovation, rewards strategic risk-taking, and promotes performance.  CEP is the combination of two angel networks across the Midwest and Southeast and enjoys a 17-year history and has invested approximately $18M in 68 companies across a variety of market sectors.  The portfolio has created hundreds of jobs and over a hundred million dollars in follow-on capital investments by other groups and funds.  CEP has an established track record investing in technology companies in the US “Heartland”.  To learn more about CEP, visit https://www.communityequitypartners.co.