TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa is rapidly transforming from a vacation destination into a thriving technology hub, with dozens of tech companies — including several "unicorn" businesses valued at over $1 billion — now calling the Bay Area home.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Michael Paluska visited Embarc Collective in downtown Tampa. This innovative workspace nurtures tech startups, where CEO Tim Holcomb said the local tech market is "hotter than ever."
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"Tampa is emerging as a powerhouse in the availability of education and availability of tech talent," Holcomb said.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Embarc Collective's 141 current members have created over 1,200 tech and tech-enabled jobs over the last five years, driving approximately $100 million in economic benefits to Florida, according to Holcomb.
"Those companies have raised almost $700 million in seed venture and growth equity, which is driving right at about $150 million in invested capital into companies that are Florida-based," Holcomb said.
The nonprofit's mission is to be a comprehensive startup hub, providing programming, coaching, community events and connectivity to corporate and university partners.
"We meet founders wherever they are, and we provide the resources that they need to launch and scale their businesses," Holcomb said.
Two AI software companies exemplify Tampa's growing tech ecosystem.
Trevor Clark founded ShyftOff, a platform that uses artificial intelligence to optimize call centers by instantly surging U.S. staff during peak hours, reducing hold times, and cutting costs — essentially functioning like an Uber for call centers.
In just the past three weeks, Clark has hired 10 new employees, with Embarc playing a critical role in his company's growth.
"It's really valuable to have people in a similar sort of mindset and a similar journey to you, to bounce ideas off of, and then also people that may have a specialty that you don't have," Clark said.
Rocio Frej founded SkyTL, an AI company that helps communities prepare for disasters by hardening infrastructure and providing responders with real-time data during storms.
"If I didn't have the support system, I would be spending thousands and thousands of dollars a month in consulting that we don't have the budget for as we're launching a company," Frej said.
Both founders report that recruiting top talent to relocate to Tampa has become increasingly easy.
"We definitely recruit from the local universities, because it's easy. We have connections, but we have actually recruited someone who moved from Arkansas, someone who moved from New York. We have people from Pittsburgh, so it's just such a good place to live," Frej said.
Frej noted a dramatic shift in recruitment over the past few years.
"Five years ago, when I started, it wasn't as easy to convince people to move to Tampa, and now it's the opposite. You don't have to convince them, they are actually coming and saying, like, 'Hey, I saw a post in Tampa, why not?'" Frej said.
Tampa's tech credentials are already impressive. Within just 15 to 20 square blocks of Embarc Collective's location, four unicorn technology companies operate: Reliquast, Align, ConnectWise and KnowBe4. These billion dollar companies position Tampa as a leader in cybersecurity and broader technology applications.
"Tampa is a leader in and of its own in its own right," Holcomb said.
The convergence of strong educational institutions, available tech talent and significant investments by major players is solidifying Tampa's position as more than just a vacation destination — it's becoming a leader in harnessing artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
This story was reported on-air by Michael Paluska and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Paluska and our editorial team verify all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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