To Welcome Prospective Talent to the Region
Collaboration between city and tech organizations will help region compete nationally to recruit and retain top startup and tech talent
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Last year, a shift toward remote work drove a record number of tech workers to seek homes that offered more than just a closeness to their jobs.
As people consider new cities to work and live in, Tampa Bay’s community organizations, businesses, and local governments came together to create a unified message that showcases Tampa Bay as an important technology hub of the future. Today, this coalition announced the launch of HiTampaBay.com, a new public platform designed to attract the country’s top talent to Tampa Bay.
The coalition is made up of organizations including Embarc Collective, Strategic Property Partners (SPP), Florida Funders, Drift and AI.io in cooperation with the City of Tampa, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, Enterprise Florida, and Synapse Florida. These organizations collectively pool resources, connections, and knowledge to recruit and welcome tech talent via HiTampaBay.com. As more companies embrace remote work, HiTampaBay.com promotes the various relocation opportunities available throughout the region and highlights the walkable, urban lifestyle that has made Tampa Bay one of the fastest-growing and most attractive cities in the nation.
While the new platform was envisioned as a relocation recruitment tool, centralizing all information about Tampa Bay’s emerging technology industry in one place, it also serves as the welcoming committee for incoming tech talent. The website offers a breadth of resources for new residents, including:
- Relocation guidance: HiTampaBay.comprovides information critical to startups and tech professionals considering relocation such as neighborhood guides, cost of living calculators, and tech industry resource directories.
- Community building: HiTampaBay.com members help transplants settle in and quickly become part of the community by making introductions to other tech-focused businesses and individuals as well as facilitating networking events such as the Tech Transplant Network breakfast that already happens each quarter.
- Welcome experience curation: Prospective tech migrants get customized itineraries to help plan visits to Tampa Bay.
“All of us in Tampa Bay understand how great the region is as a hub for building innovative companies,” said Lakshmi Shenoy, CEO of Tampa Bay-based innovation hub Embarc Collective. “The challenge we’ve faced is how best to communicate that. Through the HiTampaBay initiative, we now have a real opportunity to leverage our shared strengths to tell others just how powerful Tampa Bay is as a launching pad for technology companies.”
The group has already seen progress despite being in its early stages. Tech transplants who previously resided in the San Francisco Bay area, such as Daniel Treiman, co-founder of HelloFresh; John Fohr, founder and CEO of insurtech startup TrustLayer; and most recently, Domm Holland, co-founder & CEO of online checkout startup Fast, now call Tampa Bay home.
“There is a need for a serious technology hub on the East Coast of the U.S., and we’re confident that Tampa, with its booming downtown, quality housing opportunities, beautiful landscapes and winning sports teams, is the city best positioned to achieve this title,” said Dave Bevirt, EVP Corporate Leasing & Strategy of SPP. “We’re creating incredible infrastructure at Water Street Tampa, a $3.5 billion development comprising new offices, homes, retail and acres of public space with high-speed public broadband, that is already luring technology companies and top talent from all over the country. We’re excited to watch Tampa grow into a true hotbed for innovation. The creation of HiTampaBay is just the beginning.”
“As more people rethink where they want to build their companies post-pandemic, we hope that they consider the sunshine state,” said Marc Blumenthal, General Partner of Florida Funders. “We understand first-hand the needs of entrepreneurs searching for connections, investments and opportunities, that’s why we’re building the next generation of tech startups right here in Florida. We couldn’t be more excited for other companies to join our thriving business community.”
To learn more about the HiTampaBay initiative, please visit www.HiTampaBay.com.
About HiTampaBay.com
HiTampaBay.com is a new platform launched by a coalition of Tampa Bay area businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits to attract top tech talent to the community. Members include Embarc Collective, Strategic Property Partners (SPP), Florida Funders, Drift, AI.io, the City of Tampa, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, and Enterprise Florida. For more information, visit www.HiTampaBay.com.
