Once again Tampa Bay played host to the Synapse Summit, and once again the halls of the Amalie Arena in Downtown Tampa were awash with innovation galore. From drones made keen with artificial intelligence to big data-driven health solutions to the healthiest engineered snacks around, the 2019 Summit was all about Tampa Bay business strutting its stuff. And to the thousands who attended those businesses most certainly did.
The inaugural Synapse Summit last year was meant to showcase the region’s entrepreneurial side and serve as an opportunity for innovation to meet with potential investors. This January’s event was no different. Innovators, entrepreneurs, accelerators, and investors came together, committed to Florida’s innovation community. In that regard, it was most certainly mission accomplished for the 501(c)3 organization meant to bridge the gap between the thinkers, movers, and shakers. And the impact was tremendous.
2019 Synapse Innovation Summit’s Theme – Innovation Lives Here
Appropriately, the theme of this year’s Synapse Summit highlighted the innovation opportunities for the Tampa Bay business community. Given its general nature, the 2019 tagline invites multiple perspectives as does the summit itself. For one, it highlights the innovative opportunities within different industry sectors in the region. And it also brings attention to a large number of outstanding Tampa Bay business organizations and institutions.
Understanding this, the Synapse Summit provided a framework to promote such innovative thinking for this year’s attendees. Multiple interactive breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and expanded pitch competitions were part of this year’s Synapse Summit. As a result, professionals could choose how to best spend their time in making vital connections that drive dynamic progress.
A Growth Year for the Synapse Innovation Summit
Compared to the inaugural year, this year’s Synapse Summit saw tremendous growth. In total, 5,542 innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals were in attendance. This was almost double last year’s figures. In addition, the Synapse Summit offered 415 speakers and 334 exhibits keeping the Amalie Arena in full buzz. A total of 111 breakout sessions offered attendees opportunities for making more powerful connections relevant to their interests.
A number of key speakers were available at this year’s Synapse Summit as well. For example, Sara Margulis of Honeyfund provided entrepreneurial insights. Likewise, Tampa Bay businessperson Lakshmi Shenoy of Embarc Collective hosted a question and answer session. Other notable speakers at the Synapse Summit also include Steve MacDonald, former CEO of MyMatrixx. And former CEO of Fintech, Scott Riley, also offered his perspectives. These were just a few of the brilliant minds present at this year’s Synapse Summit.
The Take-Home Message – Tampa Bay Business Has a Future of Innovation Ahead
Without question, anyone attending this year’s Synapse Summit certainly appreciates the potential for innovation for Tampa Bay businesses. The sheer number of Tampa Bay business startups, entrepreneurs and innovators at the summit support this fact. Similarly, the world-class institutions in the region further highlight Tampa Bay business opportunities for the future. This and the fact Florida is the third largest state with abundant resources offer convincing evidence of its potential.
The 2019 Synapse Summit sought to foster important connections that help Tampa Bay business community realize its potential moving forward. By connecting innovative ideas with the resources needed for them to materialize, the Synapse Summit was a great success. And in the process, it showcased the magnificent resources and opportunities the Tampa Bay business community enjoys. Given this, it is highly expected that the Synapse Summit will continue to grow. And it is also likely Tampa Bay will continue to advance as a national hub for emerging innovations.
