GREGORY ROTHSTEIN Lakshmi Shenoy, CEO, Embarc Collective From the Tampa Bay Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/08/01/vinik-backed-tech-space-in-tampa-has-a- new-name.html Vinik-backed tech space in Tampa has a new name Aug 1, 2018, 4:00pm EDT Jeff Vinik's vision to bring together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and academic resources in one location in Tampa now has a name and brand identity. Embarc Collective is the organization formerly referred to as the Tampa Bay Innovation Hub, Lakshmi Shenoy, CEO, told the Tampa Bay Business Journal just ahead of the 2018 TBBJ Elite Entrepreneur Panel, where she unveiled the new name publicly. The organization broadly will provide a space for startups and for community programming around the topics of entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, but the exact services it will offer are still being developed. To avoid duplication of existing services, Shenoy wants to hear from the community at large about what's needed through a survey just posted on the Embarc website. Since Shenoy began working in Tampa six months ago, she said she's done over 200 interviews with people involved in the entrepreneurial community. The survey data will be integrated with that input and help Embarc prioritize its efforts, she said. The data also will be formalized as a report back to the community. Embarc will be housed in the former District 3 event space in downtown Tampa, just north of the Water Street Tampa neighborhood where Vinik has partnered with Cascade Investment LLC on a $3 billion plan to create an urban, mixed-use waterfront district. Strategic Property Partners, the real estate company controlled by Vinik and Cascade, bought the 20,000-square-foot building at 802 E. Whiting St. last year, and it was previously used for The Art of the Brick exhibit. Embarc is among several initiatives underway areawide to bolster startups and the tech industry, bringing high-skill and high-wage jobs to Tampa Bay. FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF PATRICKT@JPFIRM.COM COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Your complete guide to Water Street Tampa LIMITED TIME OFFER Subscribe Now SELECT A CITY INDUSTRIES & TOPICS NEWS LISTS & AWARDS PEOPLE & COMPANIES EVENTS MORE YOUR ACCOUNT Sign In YOUR ACCOUNT patrickt@jpfirm com Page 1 of 2 Vinik-backed tech space in Tampa has a new name - Tampa Bay Business Journal 8/3/2018 https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/08/01/vinik-backed-tech-space-in-tampa... Embarc is not a venture fund or a traditional incubator or accelerator, Shenoy said. Instead, Embarc will complement the work of other organizations, including University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Dreamit Ventures, Tampa Bay Wave, TEC Garage, Florida-Israel Business Accelerator and BlockSpaces, among others. "The best startup ecosystems empower founders and their teams," said Vinik, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "Embarc Collective will collaborate with the entire community to do just that: support those individuals bold enough to solve our biggest problems." Growing the Tampa startup community is a journey, and that's the impetus for the organization's name. "Starting a new venture is akin to embarking on a voyage, with its ups and downs, but the goal is to move forward. We're all starting on this journey," Shenoy said. It takes more than a single individual to support the work of startups, which is why Embarc is a collective, she said. "It takes all of us to help these founders and teams to be successful in their growth journey." Some companies and organizations already have committed to the new space, she said. "We've had tremendous interest from startups, investors and support organizations, both locally and around the world," Shenoy said. "People are starting to notice Tampa." Embarc is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, pending approval. Margie Manning Finance Editor Tampa Bay Business Journal Page 2 of 2 Vinik-backed tech space in Tampa has a new name - Tampa Bay Business Journal 8/3/2018 https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/08/01/vinik-backed-tech-space-in-tampa...