Southeast Shoutouts | Tampa Bay Innovation Center changes its name
Miami-Dade Innovation Authority announces another challenge focused on improving hazard mitigation, incident response, and public outreach and safety coordination.
From St. Petersburg, FL:
Leaders of the ARK Invest-backed Tampa Bay Innovation Center celebrated a new chapter in the business accelerator’s story recently. It will now be known as spARK Labs by ARK Invest.
This rebranding reflects a change in strategic direction and leadership, said Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Brown, who began her tenure in July. An open house event at the ARK Innovation Center, where the nonprofit is headquartered, was held to mark the occasion.
Now incubating 25 companies, spARK Labs launched a new program to help businesses scale and grow in October. Start-up leaders can receive one-on-one support, collaborate with the ARK Invest research team, and gain access to a group of advisors. Capital opportunities are also available.
“It’s a whole new focus on the disruptive innovation technologies that ARK Invest really spearheads. So, we are incubating companies across artificial intelligence, robotics, energy storage, blockchain, and multiomics biology technologies,” Brown explained to the Catalyst. “That’s really important for us as a society because those are the themes that are converging and affecting every aspect of our lives.”
The nonprofit, which was founded in 2003, has been based at the ARK Innovation Center since January 2024.
From Miami, FL:
Miami-Dade County has awarded three companies $100,000 for innovations on reducing waste and improving recycling in the area.
The county partnered with the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, a nonprofit connecting businesses with government. The partnership picked three start-ups for its recycling programs, giving each $100,000 to jumpstart the ideas. The winners include:
- Clean Earth Innovations, which turns yard waste into biochar;
- Fertile Earth Worm Farm, transforming food and organic waste into compost; and
- Scrapp, an app that helps people put the right items in either the trash or recycling bins.
Next up is the seventh challenge in the series. The nonprofit is seeking applications from early- and growth-stage start-ups with pilot-ready solutions to improve hazard mitigation, incident response, and public outreach and safety coordination for the Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management.
From Tampa, FL:
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict Capability Development & Innovation Directorate competitively awarded XTEND Reality Inc. a multi-million-dollar Firm Fixed Price Contract to rapidly develop and deliver Affordable Close Quarter Modular Effects FPV Drone Kits.
According to the announcement, the contract award is a testament to XTEND’s leadership in the one-way attack (OWA) market and a clear customer preference for a high-voltage Electronic Safe and Arm Device. XTEND is a world leader in battle-proven artificial intelligence (AI) robotics with more than 10,000 systems deployed across air, land, and sea in more than 32 countries.
The company will deliver training, spares, maintenance, and production from its Tampa headquarters, providing an important domestic source of supply.
From Tuscaloosa, AL:
Techstars, an investor in early-stage start-ups, has announced an expanded partnership with the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority (TCEDA) and The University of Alabama (UA) to host two additional Founder Catalyst programs and an in‑person Start-up Weekend set for 2026.
All three programs build on the successful launch of their Water Tech accelerator and Founder Catalyst program in 2024, this initiative extends support across sectors, aiming to accelerate entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Tuscaloosa.
Techstars Founder Catalyst is a 10‑week, non‑equity‑based program designed for founders, providing mentorship, education, community, and access to Techstars’ global network. With these upcoming programs, two new cohorts — targeting Water Tech and Sustainability — will begin in Spring and Fall 2026.
In addition, a city-wide Start-up Weekend, taking place January 23-25, 2026, will bring together students, ideation stage founders, developers, designers, and business leaders for a high-energy, three-day experience where participants pitch ideas, form teams, and build companies.
“We’re honored to expand our work with The University of Alabama and Techstars,” said Justice Smyth, Executive Director of TCEDA. “These new cohorts and Startup Weekend will deepen our regional innovation ecosystem, offering founders vital tools and networks to launch breakthrough ventures.”
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