Inside a very unassuming building in Downtown Tampa is a hub for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Embarc Collective is a 5-year-old non-profit.
It's home to 275 founders of 130 early-stage tech startups.
WATCH: Embarc Collective is a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship
The non-profit's goal is to coach and mentor these startups and provide them with a community where they can collaborate with other owners who are on the same journey.
"What we see with Embarc in our community of founders and startups is a real powerhouse that not only impacts individual founders' lives, but has a real impact on the startup and innovation economy," Tim Holcomb, CEO of Embarc Collective, said. "For Tampa Bay, in the state of Florida, our companies have created over 1,200 jobs. These are higher-paying tech-enabled jobs that are in the upper five, lower six-figure range."
Holcomb explained that these founders are working to solve a problem that many companies or people may be facing, using technology.
"We have Ed Tech companies, we have MarTech companies, we have medical device companies. We have the full range of market sectors that are covered. But the common thread that slices through all of them is the fact that they're high-growth, so they've got a posture of building something that can create synergies by addressing markets beyond just Tampa Bay and in Florida, and two that have a strong tech component," said Holcomb.
Having Embarc Collective centrally located in Downtown Tampa provides a unique opportunity, not just for these startups but for nearby businesses, as well.
"Starting a company is hard and it's lonely, and sometimes all you need is someone to talk to, an empathetic ear, and a voice that can say, 'I've been there," he said. "The second thing that this facility does is it creates a magnet to draw corporations who become customers to the community, the founders and the startups. Here, it becomes a magnet for universities like USF, which has technology and talent that are produced and are looking for homes."
The Goldia Group, in some respects, is a perfect example of what Embarc Collective helped inspire.
Allie Felix is an alum of the non-profit, even one of their first employees. Today, she's working on launching a few businesses of her own.
"I would say I love Tampa Bay, and I was so drawn to come back here, because not only is the tech scene incredible, and we could spend all day talking about that, but there's so much small business entrepreneurship, there's local restaurant tours, there's retail owners, it's really a thriving small business community. I was really energized in starting the Bunny Hive and the Goldia Group because I read that for every $100 spent in your local community, 68% on average is retained in your local community," she said.
Felix is launching the Bunny Hive with three locations coming to Tampa Bay. The first will be located in Odessa this summer.
It's a social club for kids to learn, explore and have fun.
She also recently acquired The Scout Guide, a print and digital publication that celebrates local businesses and their owners.
