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Innovation Hub

spARK Labs and the slow work of building Tampa Bay tech
 |  Chuck Merlis

spARK Labs is rebuilding Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem through patience, execution and long-term founder support.

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Rebecca Brown, CEO of SpARK Labs by ARK Invest, speaks at the Ark Innovation Center in St. Petersburg during a public event.
Embarc Collective expands corporate AI access in Tampa
 |  Chuck Merlis

Embarc Collective and EX3 Labs launch The Digital Suite Tampa to help companies move from AI interest to real world application.

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Leaders and team members cut a ribbon during the launch of The Digital Suite Tampa at Embarc Collective.
National firm opens South Tampa innovation center with full test kitchen
 |  Chuck Merlis

A national consumer goods firm has opened a new South Tampa innovation and experience center with a full test kitchen for real world product testing.

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A collage of four images showing the opening of a new innovation and experience center in South Tampa. The first image shows a ribbon cutting with executives standing in a row inside the facility. The second image shows product displays with kitchenware and housewares on modern shelving. The third image shows an open workspace with glass meeting rooms and product shelves. The fourth image shows a chef preparing food inside the center’s full test kitchen.
The state of Tampa’s economy in 2025
 |  Chuck Merlis

Tampa ended 2025 with record tourism, strong job growth and major investment across key sectors, setting the stage for what comes next in 2026.

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Downtown Tampa skyline with office towers and residential buildings along the Hillsborough River under a bright blue sky.
Tampa startup using AI to build custom curricula for schools
 |  Chuck Merlis

A Tampa ed-tech startup is using AI to help schools build custom curricula that fit every learner.

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A three-panel collage showing the ryco logo, founder Riley Walker speaking on stage at a student pitch event and the company’s virtual campus where team members work as avatars.
Tampa Bay Wave and USF team up for 2025 FinTech|X Accelerator launch
 |  Jo-Lynn Brown

The Tampa Bay Wave and the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business are launching the fifth annual FinTech|X Accelerator on Aug. 4. The 2025 cohort will bring together a group of startups worldwide. Since its inception, the program’s alumni, including Paperstack, Viva Finance and Ascent, have raised more than $95 million and generated

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Tampa Bay Innovation Center names new CEO
 |  Jo-Lynn Brown

The Tampa Bay Innovation Center has named Rebecca Brown its new chief executive officer. Brown, a former Goldman Sachs executive and founder of Core Satellite Partners, has more than 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, finance and innovation. Best known for co-founding the consumer brand Solemates and mentoring tech founders through Tampa Bay Wave, Brown

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St. Petersburg College unveils plans for Innovation Hub
 |  Jo-Lynn Brown

St. Petersburg College has shared plans for the Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub. Located at the Tarpon Springs Campus, the Innovation Hub will be unveiled as a central location for manufacturing, creativity and collaboration at a kickoff celebration on February 20. This 10,000-square-foot space is named after Chris Sprowls, the former Florida House of Representatives

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Tampa Bay Innovation Center launches startup accelerator focused on climate tech and sustainability
 |  Jo-Lynn Brown

The Tampa Bay Innovation Center, an early-stage tech incubator and accelerator, will kick off 2024 with a program catering to early-stage companies building emerging technologies for climate tech and sustainability. TBIC’s first climate tech program was conducted in early 2023. The inaugural program ended in April, with an Innovation Showcase featuring a keynote from Cathie

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