TAMPA, FLORIDA – MAY 19, 2026 – Embarc Collective today announced the expansion of its efforts to develop and connect the next generation of startup talent across the Tampa Bay region, broadening support across universities, founders, and ecosystem partners. As demand for skilled workers rises alongside the region’s growth as one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the U.S., Embarc Collective is building a more integrated talent pipeline that connects education, hands-on experience, and long-term career pathways.

At the center of this effort is Embarc Collective’s Genspiration Internship Program, a paid initiative that places students in high-growth startups at no cost to companies. Now in its third year, the program will support 20 internships for the 2025–2026 cycle, up from five in its inaugural year, reflecting growing demand from both students and employers.

In its most recent semester, more than 1,000 students applied for a limited number of placements, underscoring strong interest in startup careers. The program has maintained a 100% completion rate to date, demonstrating strong alignment between student talent and company needs.

“At Embarc Collective, we know early-stage founders spend countless hours building their most valuable resource: talent,” said Dr. Tim Holcomb, CEO at Embarc Collective. “That’s why we’ve invested in partnerships with organizations like the Genspiration Foundation and Bank of America Foundation to fund student internships and expand the region’s tech talent pipeline. This commitment is critical not just for our startups, but for the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Beyond internships, Embarc Collective is expanding its collaboration with regional academic and ecosystem partners to create multiple entry points into startup careers. Over the past three years, more than a dozen Embarc Collective member companies have participated in STEM-focused capstone projects with Florida Polytechnic University, including three during the 2025–2026 academic year, allowing students to work directly on real-world startup challenges. In addition, Embarc Collective has hosted more than 350 students from the University of Tampa through classes and student organizations during the 2025–2026 academic year, further strengthening exposure to startup environments.

“The Embarc Collective Genspiration Internship has added significant value to our company, says Brody Enwright, Senior Director of Growth and Operations at Threshold 360. It has proven to be a vital, high-impact resource, delivering a major benefit by providing top-tier talent essential to a growing company like ours. We are continually impressed by the program’s remarkable growth and the caliber of the exceptional, ready-to-contribute candidates we welcome into our team each year.”

A core component of Embarc Collective’s approach is its focus on placing students into function-specific roles that reflect how startups are actually structured. Internship placements span areas such as AI and engineering, marketing and growth, and business operations, providing hands-on experience that aligns with the skills companies are actively hiring for.

“No company is hiring for a generic ‘entrepreneur’ role,” said Kailah Matyas, Talent Strategist at Embarc Collective. “Startups need engineers, marketers, and sales professionals. This program allows students to build those skills in real environments while helping companies scale their teams.”

In addition to their work within startups, participating students gain access to Embarc Collective’s broader platform, including coaching, community programming, and professional development opportunities. This integrated model extends beyond students to support founders and ecosystem partners, ensuring companies are equipped to hire, train, and retain emerging talent while building stronger connections across the region’s innovation economy. By connecting students with high-growth companies and providing ongoing mentorship and exposure, and aligning efforts across universities, founders, and community partners, Embarc Collective is helping to establish a sustainable, long-term talent pipeline for the region’s innovation economy

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 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. Since its launch in 2019, Embarc Collective member-companies have achieved a 96% survival rate, created 1,200+ high-paying tech and tech-enabled jobs, and raised more than $600M in angel, venture and growth equity, including more than half from investors outside the state of Florida. Annually, Embarc Collective’s Florida-based early-stage tech companies drive $100 million in direct economic returns to the state of Florida and attract more than $100 million annually in seed, venture, and growth equity investment capital, capital that is invested directly into Florida-based companies.

Media Contact 

Kathy Osborne

kathy@embarccollective.com