From Florida's Space Coast to the Gulf Coast... and all points in-between!

about upsurge florida?

Our Mission

UPSURGE FLORIDA is a three-year project designed to help keep Florida's accredited investors informed with the goal to help activate a new wave of capital and innovation across Central Florida...from Florida's Space Coast to the Gulf Coast, and all points in between!

Collaborative Leadership

Championing the UPSURGE FLORIDA movement are two of Florida's leading non-profit tech accelerators: Orlando's Starter Studio and Tampa Bay Wave. These organizations are working closely together and with central Florida's major universities, economic development organizations, and other ecosystem partners to build awareness and drive new investment into central Florida's most innovative early stage companies.

There are already several great organizations teaming with talent in central Florida from NASA, to Disney, to U.S. Central Command - and THREE major research universities. The region boasts several recently anointed 'unicorns' - tech companies that have achieved a value of $1B or more and there are 15+ tech accelerators in the region developing talent and the next great central Florida tech companies...

Tampa Bay Wave is a 501c3 with a mission to help entrepreneurs accelerate innovation with world-class programs and networks, fueling social and economic change in Tampa Bay and beyond. More than just an accelerator, more than just coworking, Tampa Bay Wave is a “for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs” innovation community working to make Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem stronger. Since 2013, Tampa Bay Wave has supported over 300 tech startups who collectively have collectively raised over $300 million and created more than 2,500 jobs.

StarterStudio is the only 501c3 nonprofit accelerator that supports the greater Orlando region tech startups with robust and comprehensive educational programming, coaching, funding, and other resources they need to build successful companies locally. Through bootcamps, accelerators, and other free or low-cost programs offered at locations throughout the region, StarterStudio guides entrepreneurs along a continuous development path, whether they are at the idea, build, or seed stage. 