Entrepreneurs and established businesses struggle to understand the Tampa Bay innovation ecosystem. Whether they are relocating or already here, the diversity of support resources spread across multiple cities and counties is daunting. A simple question of “What is available to help me grow my business?” can become a convoluted journey of misdirection and confusion. The resources (e.g., funding, coaching, partnerships) available can depend on the company’s stage of growth, industry focus, target customers, or founder background. It is frustrating for a business to spend time with a resource provider explaining their needs only to find out they do not match the provider’s focus. Even worse is when this mismatch is not well explained. The business leaves the interaction feeling disheartened that no one is willing to help them. This lack of clear communication does not boost our economy – it creates fractures.
A group of support organizations, led by the Innovation District and fueled by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, is working to help solve this issue. We are in the midst of mapping the innovation ecosystem. So far we have identified over 100 support organizations. Most have completed a survey to help us understand who they support and the types of services they provide. We expect to publish our findings by the end of the year.
(This article was first featured in our September newsletter - to subscribe to our monthly newsletter click here)
References: (1) Tampa Bay Partnership's 2023 Regional Competitiveness Report (2) Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
Join us for a Trolley Tour of the District on Friday, April 18th from 1:30pm-4:30pm. This popular event is offered 2-3 times a year. It begins at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and community members. As we travel throughout the District, you will learn about the history and future plans for the area. We will make several stops for an insider view of the research and collaborations underway. The tour will conclude back at Hub with a networking happy hour.
The Innovation District hosts a quarterly breakfast series called Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change. At each session we explore emerging technologies, invite District partners to share their current related efforts, and engage in thoughtful (and hopefully spirited) discussions that will spark future innovation.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) South Florida District Office has named Pat Mack, Founder and CEO of PVM, as the 2025 South Florida Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year. Kudos to Pat for this important recognition.