TAMPA, FL — OCTOBER 23, 2025 — Embarc Collective, the startup hub that’s elevating technological innovation across Florida and driving the future forward with startups, has announced that since its inception five years ago, its member companies have created more than 1,200 high-paying, Florida-based tech and tech-enabled jobs with average salaries between $70,000 and $80,000, raised over $600 million in seed, venture, and growth equity (with more than half directed to Florida-based startups from investors outside the state of Florida), and annually generated almost $100 million in direct economic returns to the state.

This milestone coincides with the upcoming Venture Capital and Growth Equity Summit on October 29–30, powered by KKR and FTV Capital, two global growth equity investment powerhouses. The event will bring top later-stage venture capitalists and growth equity investors from across the nation and leading high-growth tech founders from across the state to Tampa.

Since its founding, Embarc Collective’s portfolio of member companies has raised over $600 million from seed, venture, and growth equity investors to scale their tech companies, with 60% of that capital coming from outside Florida, signaling a major influx of more than $100 million invested annually into Florida’s startup and innovation economy.

“The success of leading, globally competitive technology companies like ReliaQuest, A-LIGN, Connectwise, and KnowBe4 demonstrates the vibrancy and strength of Florida’s startup and innovation economy,” said Tim Holcomb, CEO of Embarc Collective. “By connecting Florida-based growth-stage tech companies with world-class investors like KKR and FTV Capital, Embarc Collective is helping to accelerate the next wave of transformative businesses that will shape the future of the state’s economy and reinforce Florida’s position as a global leader in innovation.”

“As a Tampa-based company deeply invested in the technology and cybersecurity sector, A-LIGN is proud to partner with Embarc Collective to support the next generation of innovators in our home state,” said Scott Price, CEO of A-LIGN, one of Embarc Collective’s most valued corporate partners. “We empower Florida’s most promising tech companies with the cybersecurity and compliance expertise they need to grow responsibly and boldly. Our continued investment in the community underscores our commitment to making Tampa a leading cybersecurity hub where founders can build and grow billion-dollar businesses.”

The 1,200 jobs created by Embarc Collective companies now rival the headcount of Tampa’s largest homegrown tech company, ReliaQuest, demonstrating that the innovation hub is cultivating a distributed network of high-growth ventures with real economic impact. The majority of these jobs are based in Florida, strengthening the state’s tech workforce and creating lasting economic value.

The Venture Capital and Growth Equity Summit is designed to connect Florida’s most promising growth-stage technology startups, typically Series A through Series C with a minimum of $1M ARR, with leading investors from across the country.

“FTV Capital is excited to partner with Embarc Collective, KKR, and others on this event and deepen our ties with Florida’s vibrant technology ecosystem. We’ve partnered with numerous entrepreneurs in Tampa Bay and the state of Florida with successful investments in companies like ReliaQuest, A-LIGN and Neptune Flood, and we look forward to connecting with many more ambitious growth-stage companies across the state,” said Richard Liu and Alex Malvone, Partners at FTV Capital.

The two-day summit will connect Florida’s top growth-stage tech companies with a national network of venture and growth equity investors, making strategic growth capital more reachable for companies that are ready to scale and will feature curated content designed specifically for growth-stage CEOs and networking opportunities to foster meaningful investor-founder connections. 

Over two days, founders and investors will participate in keynotes, fireside chats, interactive panels, and curated networking sessions, focusing on practical strategies to scale companies with confidence and strengthen investor-founder relationships.

• Day 1: Wednesday, October 29 | 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  Keynote Address (opened by Florida’s Lieutenant Governor) + Fireside Q&A + Networking Reception
  
• Day 2: Thursday, October 30 | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  Panels + Breakout Sessions + State of Venture Capital Address + Founder-Investor Networking

Founder participation is limited and subject to approval. Interested companies can apply to attend.

For the first time, Embarc Collective will host the Florida Council of 100, previewing its new economic impact metrics and this year’s summit, which is expected to attract both regional and national attention to Tampa’s growing tech ecosystem.

About Embarc Collective

Embarc Collective, a 501c3 non-profit, is a central landing zone for the most driven and focused startup builders in Florida, ranked as a top startup support program in the world by UBI Global. Embarc Collective offers vetted, curated live and on-demand coaching and programming, an ever-growing repository of resources and frameworks, and access to a network of corporate customers and investors, all amongst a peer community of almost 300 founders and cofounders of 135+ early-stage tech startups and growth companies operating within an award-winning 32,000-square-foot startup hub in downtown Tampa, Florida.