Newsletter July 31st, 2025

Happy Thursday! This is Mind Your Business. your backstage pass to what’s next in Tampa Bay. From Disney deals to newborn-saving AI, this week’s lineup is a full-on highlight reel for the region’s tech and startup scene. Whether you're building, investing, or just nosy (no judgment), here's what you need to know:

🛠️ Disney Taps St. Pete Startup for Its Next Big Leap
🤖 AI Teammates Are Here and Tampa’s In the Lead
📡 This Tampa Tech Could Change How We Travel
🚀 Global Accelerator Chooses Tampa for Its Next Move
🔌 $300M Power Play Brings More EV Chargers to Florida
🍼 This Tampa AI Quickly Knows When Newborns Are in Pain

Scroll down to learn more…

🛠️ MANUFACTURING

🎥 St. Pete’s Haddy Joins Disney’s Elite Accelerator Program

St. Petersburg-based 3D manufacturing startup Haddy has been handpicked for the 2025 Disney Accelerator, placing it among an exclusive group of companies shaping the future of tech and storytelling. From its 30,000-square-foot microfactory which is the largest AI-powered one of its kind, Haddy produces custom furniture using robotics and recyclable materials, all within city limits.

The startup’s “proximity manufacturing” model enables fast, local production while avoiding global supply chain delays. Now, Disney is tapping Haddy to help fuse physical design with immersive entertainment. The program wraps in November with a showcase at Disney Studios in California, and CEO Roger Rogers is already eyeing expansion into major U.S. metros.

⚡Why It Matters: A local startup joining Disney’s innovation pipeline shows Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem is maturing and gaining global relevance.

🤖 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Ex-Salesforce Engineer Bets Big on Tampa With All-in-One AI Startup

Former Salesforce and SurveyMonkey engineer Tyler Clark has traded Silicon Valley for Tampa Bay, launching his new startup Clarky.ai right here in the city he calls home. The platform is an all-in-one AI solution that automates customer support across chat, phone, email, and SMS—no more juggling disconnected tools.

Since its quiet summer launch, Clarky.ai has landed a dozen business clients. It integrates with platforms like Shopify, Salesforce, and HubSpot, and even scrapes websites to instantly build a smart, responsive AI assistant. The product is now HIPAA-compliant, opening doors into health and other regulated industries.

Clark is clear about his commitment: “If I’m going to make it as a tech entrepreneur, it’s going to be in this city.”

⚡Why It Matters:
Tampa Bay’s growing reputation as a serious tech hub gets a boost when seasoned talent chooses to build here. Startups like Clarky.ai show that innovation doesn’t need a San Francisco zip code to scale.

📡INFRASTRUCTURE

Tampa International Airport’s Lidar Bet Is Paying Off

Tampa International Airport is making waves in aviation tech with one of the largest lidar deployments in any U.S. airport. Through a 7-year partnership with Aeva Technologies and Sotereon.AI, the airport has launched 13 lidar-powered systems that track crowd movement, optimize shuttle zones, and monitor tarmac safety, all in real time.

Using 4D lidar and AI, the system sends smart alerts to staff before issues become problems, helping teams respond faster and more efficiently. The technology even has a revenue-sharing model in place: if other airports adopt the system, TPA gets a cut. A lidar-based tool to detect runway debris is already in the works.

According to TPA’s Doug Wycoff, the goal isn’t to replace staff, but to empower them, especially as the airport adds more than a million passengers per year.

⚡Why It Matters:
Tampa’s airport is positioning itself as a national leader in smart infrastructure, showing how advanced tech can enhance safety, efficiency, and scalability in high-traffic hubs.

🧠TICKLE YOUR BRAIN

Riddle of the Week:
I'm used every day, but I’m not always seen,
I carry your thoughts on a glowing screen.
I click, I scroll, I help you explore—
Yet I'm useless until you open the door.

What am I? 🤔
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter)

Pause for some deep thinking…

🚀STARTUPS & ECOSYSTEM

Techstars Plants a Flag in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay just landed a major win for its startup scene. Techstars has launched a year-round presence to support local founders. Instead of running a traditional accelerator, the new model focuses on building a sustained, community-led ecosystem with startup weekends, pre-accelerators, a founder lab, and an annual summit. The mission is to help founders start, scale, and stay in Tampa Bay.

Leading the effort is Martika Jones, founder of BŪP and now Techstars Tampa’s community director. Backed by a global network whose alumni have raised over $30 billion, Techstars gives local startups the tools, mentorship, and exposure to thrive without leaving home.

Full accelerator programming may follow, but for now, Tampa’s founders, mentors, and sponsors are gearing up for a big launch this fall.

⚡Why It Matters:
This move validates Tampa Bay’s growing reputation as a serious startup hub and gives local founders access to world-class resources without having to relocate.

🔌INFRASTRUCTURE

EVgo Secures $300M to Supercharge America’s EV Infrastructure

EVgo just plugged into up to $300 million in new funding to expand its fast-charging network and Florida is on the map. The company has already secured $225 million from top global banks, with an option to scale up to the full $300 million. The capital will help build more than 1,500 new high-power charging stalls, adding to the 1,100 locations EVgo already operates across 40 states.

This move comes on the heels of a $1.05 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy to support 7,500 additional chargers nationwide. CEO Badar Khan calls the new financing a first-of-its-kind deal for U.S. EV infrastructure, designed to give EV drivers more access to fast, reliable charging.

⚡Why It Matters:
Florida’s inclusion in both funding initiatives means major EV infrastructure growth is coming. For Tampa Bay startups, that spells new opportunities across installation, software, energy tech, and smart grid solutions.

😂MEME STREET

Here’s a Meme You Can Probably Relate To

🍼HEALTHTECH

USF Uses AI to Give a Voice to Newborns in Pain

Babies in the NICU often can’t cry out when they’re in pain, but AI might now be able to speak for them. A team at USF’s Bellini College of AI, in partnership with Tampa General Hospital, has developed a deep learning system that monitors facial expressions, body movements, and vital signs to detect signs of discomfort in premature infants. The system sends real-time alerts to nurses, allowing intervention before pain escalates and opioids become necessary.

Built with over a decade of research and backed by the NIH, the setup includes cameras and biometric sensors inside incubators. It’s already achieved 85% accuracy, with a goal of reaching 90% in clinical trials. By identifying pain early, the AI enables less invasive treatments like IV Tylenol which is a safer option for fragile newborns.

⚡Why It Matters:
This innovation makes NICU care more proactive and precise, offering a new layer of support for overworked nurses while reducing opioid exposure for newborns. Tampa Bay is helping redefine how technology can support compassionate care.

📢ANNOUNCEMENT

Pitch Your Health-Tech Startup in Front of Cathie Wood (Ark Invest)

Got What It Takes to Pitch in Front of a $40B Titan?

This November 13th, we're hosting a landmark event featuring Cathie Wood, legendary founder of Ark Invest and visionary leader managing over $40 billion in assets.

We're selecting 5 standout health-tech startups to pitch live on stage, in front of Cathie and a room full of investors, operators, and key decision-makers in tech and venture.

🎤 What’s at stake?
The prize is still under wraps, but the real win is who you’ll be pitching in front of.

To apply:
Reply to this email with 1 short paragraph about your startup and what you’re aiming to achieve. Think of it as your elevator pitch – concise, bold, and clear.

📅 Event Date: Wednesday, November 13
📍 Location: Ark Innovation Center

Space is limited! Don’t miss the chance to put your startup in front of one of the most influential investors in the world.

WORTHY MENTIONS: UPDATES, EVENTS, RESOURCES, ETC…

• ⚖️ Fear & Greed Index: 66 (GREED) per CNN

• 🎤 Venture Atlanta 2025 Pitch Competition deadline August 8th. Apply here

• ✨ Want a front-row seat to our biggest events and a chance to connect with Tampa Bay’s top founders, investors and innovators? Apply to join our team!

• 🚀 We’re growing our private Masterminds Slack community — and we want you in it! Connect with top entrepreneurs, founders, and techies building big things in Tampa Bay and beyond. Join now

• 📅 Want to sponsor an upcoming Masterminds event? Apply here!

RIDDLE ANSWER

A computer mouse. 🖱️

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