We make it a point to focus The Weekly Collective on the Tampa Bay-based startups we support, but this week, we're shifting gears to reflect on the progress that Embarc Collective has made in 2020. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we stayed true to our values and are coming out even stronger. We are energized to put Tampa Bay's startup community (even more) on the map in 2021!

—The Embarc Collective Team

Embarc Collective Membership Information Session

Presentation and Q&A about the Benefits of Startup Membership

Presented by Embarc Collective

Wednesday, January 6 at 9AM ET

Digital Crafts Immersive and Flex Coding Bootcamps

Learn to Code with the Option of a Hybrid Learning Experience

Presented by Digital Crafts

Immersive Program starts January 11. Flex Program starts January 19.

As we end 2020, we are sharing some of Embarc Collective's highlights from the year. From opening our startup hub facility in January to hosting the inaugural Glaring Gap Summit - and navigating COVID-19 through it all!

Jeff Vinik's Embarc Collective Innovation Hub Opens in Tampa

Tampa Bay Times • Embarc Collective has officially opened. Rick Danielson explains the grander vision for Embarc Collective and how the Tampa Bay area community can get involved. 

Empathy, Understanding Grow as Pandemic Prompts New Ways of Doing Business at Embarc Collective

St. Pete Catalyst • After migrating to all virtual engagement with member companies with the onset of COVID-19, we reopened our startup hub in downtown Tampa in June with new health safety protocols to keep the startups we work with safe. Embarc Collective sat down with St. Pete Catalyst to share the insights developed as we returned to working in-person after being remote.

Looking for Startup Funders in the Southeast? Find Them All in One Place

Refresh Miami • For the second year in a row, Embarc Collective has teamed up with Build In SE and the #BuildInSE Alliance to put together the most comprehensive list of startup capital sources in the Southeast region. This report exists to help startups more easily find local capital resources and to better distribute funding opportunities throughout the Southeast region.

2020 Southeast CEO Summit

Embarc Collective • In October, Embarc Collective hosted its CEO Summit, a half-day event dedicated to founder mindset, strategic growth plans and leadership. This year the focus was on startups targeting a Series B or C raise in the next year. We collaborated with many of our Southeast venture partners to include their portfolio companies in the Southeast who are in a similar stage in addition to Embarc Collective member companies. Speakers include Matt Salzberg (Blue Apron), Brian Murphy (ReliaQuest), and Jan Seale (Havenly).

Tampa General Hospital will Launch $15 Million Innovation-Focused Fund

TBBJ • In November, Tampa General Hospital announced its new InnoVentures fund, led by Rachel Feinman. The InnoVentures fund will be based out of Embarc Collective starting in January. More coverage in the Tampa Bay Times and St. Pete Catalyst.

Recapping the Glaring Gap Summit: Creating Impact

Embarc Collective • In November, Embarc Collective hosted the first session of its inaugural Glaring Gap Summit, aimed at increasing the number of women startup investors in Florida. Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, the Summit included fintech investor Alexa Von Tobel of Inspired Capital and investor educator Angela Lee of Columbia Business School and 37 Angels.

Company: Pocket

Elevator Pitch: Pocket Network is a decentralized API that incentivizes people and companies to run full nodes for any blockchain. This is done through a protocol that connects blockchain developers with full RPC access to the network of nodes.

Position: Solutions Architect 

Position Highlights: The Solutions Architect will advocate for the Developer and Node actor within the Pocket Network, both from the technical and economical standpoint as well as collaborate, educate and/or manage Engineering Resources internally and externally to the organization (via the Pocket Network Ecosystem).

Apply Here

Embarc Collective CEO on How to Build an Audience

Earlier this year, Lakshmi Shenoy, Embarc Collective CEO, sat down with Matthew Gattozzi to talk about lessons learned as our team has built the Embarc Collective brand nationally.

Listen Here

Black New Venture Competition

The 2nd Annual Black New Venture Competition (BNVC) connects promising early-stage Black entrepreneurs with resources to develop their ventures into dynamic powerhouses. The event serves as a launching pad for innovative ventures founded by Black entrepreneurs, providing exposure to capital, mentors and advisors. Founders will have the opportunity to virtually pitch their venture to a panel of esteemed judges and compete for $175K (non-dilutive) in total prize money.

Deadline: January 2

Apply Here

LAUNCH Accelerator

Over 14 weeks, 7 startups will meet 200+ investors and join an immersive growth program. Over the course of a year, founders have monthly check-ins with Jason Calacanis and the LAUNCH team. Companies with a product in market with traction and revenue are encouraged to apply.

Next Cohort Begins: January 16

Apply Here

Please take a moment to help those in our Tampa Bay community for the holidays. We've organized two virtual drives to make it easy for those who wish to donate: a food drive for Feeding Tampa Bay and a toy drive for Metropolitan Ministries.