A Decade of Accelerating High-Tech Enterprise As the Tampa Bay Innovation Center celebrates its 10th year, we can take pride in reaching an important milestone in serving as a valuable resource for innovators and entrepreneurs. Our ever-growing list of “graduates” is a testament to our ability to nurture successful high-tech entrepreneurial businesses in West Central Florida. When the Innovation Center (then known as the Star Technology Enterprise Center or STAR TEC) first launched a decade ago, much of our effort was focused on community awareness and education. The concept of an incubator as a vital part of regional economic development was not yet top-of-mind for most people. It wasn’t nearly as trendy as it is today to mentor, coach and otherwise support startup companies. We were pioneers in understanding how important it is to help entrepreneurs navigate the often rocky waters as they turn a good idea into a solid business model.
foster innovation and grow the high-tech economy in Tampa Bay and Florida.
Building On Our Success This year we introduced three new programs that provided insight, business skills, connections, resources and tools to assist Innovators and Entrepreneurs at various levels of the Innovation continuum - from idea stage to second-stage high-growth technology ventures. Startup Studio features Wendy Kennedy’s – So what, who cares, why you?® and the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac® TechVenture™ programs. Entrepreneurs’ Hub includes programs and an online community to support an exchange of ideas. The GrowFL program provided high-growth second stage companies with strategic research and invaluable peer-to-peer interaction.
We are also very pleased to report that we’ve been laying the groundwork Much of our success can be attribfor two new incubators - a technolTonya Elmore, President & CEO uted to an outstanding group of ogy hub in St. Petersburg with an professionals who volunteer their emphasis on the marine sciences and time to serve as mentors to our clients as well as provide healthcare innovation and a Virtual Incubator Program (VIP) direction and insight to the Innovation Center as Board and in Clearwater’s Tech Zone for IT/software startups. The State Committee members. of Florida has awarded us a $400,000 grant to move forward on the St. Petersburg project and the City of Clearwater has We are fortunate to count numerous well-respected indiprovided grants for startups to participate in the VIP program. viduals from major research universities, funding and venture Both programs will provide tomorrow’s technology business capital organizations, industry associations, defense program leaders access to the resources, services, offices, law offices, accounting firms, and community support networking and mentors they need, while organizations among our advisors and committee members. also fulfilling our vision of creating highTogether they make a significant difference in helping us tech, high-wage jobs for our region.
Throughout the years the Innovation Center has been recognized locally, nationally and internationally as a catalyst for spurring economic growth and innovation throughout the Tampa Bay market. 2012 Distinguished Partner – Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA Winner – Tampa Bay Technology Forum’s Excellence in Service Award – 2012 Featured in Kiplinger’s “10 Great Cities for Starting a Business” Winner – Tampa Bay Technology Forum Professional Services Company of the Year – 2009 Featured in Entrepreneur.com’s 2009 Roundup of Business Incubators Finalist – Tampa Bay Technology Forum Professional Services Company of the Year – 2008
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