Newsletter October 30th, 2025

Happy Thursday! This is Mind Your Business, the signal in Tampa Bay's startup noise: tuned to the frequency of high-impact capital and next-generation innovation, helping you track the investments and programs that are shaping the future of our regional economy.

This week, Tampa Bay has cemented its role as a specialized innovation hub. We saw a massive $27 million Series A funding win for a Sarasota-based cybersecurity firm, a new national 'BlueTech' accelerator launch, and an AI-powered Spatial Intelligence partnership with Tampa International Airport.

Crucially, we're seeing two distinct, yet equally successful, approaches to AI scaling: one company leveraging massive VC backing for rapid expansion, and another choosing to bootstrap for capital efficiency. The capital is flowing, the jobs are coming, and the innovation is focused on the future.

💰 $27 Million Series A Fuels AI/Cybersecurity Expansion
🌊 Tampa Bay Wave Lands National 'BlueTech' Accelerator
💡 St. Pete Startup Bucks VC Trend, Chooses Profitability
💼 100 New High-Wage AI and Cyber Jobs Coming to Sarasota
🤖 AI-Powered Spatial Intelligence Partnership at TPA

Scroll down for the week’s biggest moves in Tampa Bay innovation.

💰FUNDING / CYBERSECURITY

TENEX.ai Secures $27 Million Series A, Plans 100 New AI and Cyber Jobs in Sarasota

Sarasota-based TENEX.ai closed a massive $27 million Series A with backing from local VCs (DeepWork Capital, Florida Opportunity Fund) and Silicon Valley giants (Andreessen Horowitz). The funding fuels their AI-driven cybersecurity platform and a major expansion, including plans to hire 100 AI and cybersecurity employees in the Tampa Bay region.

⚡Why It Matters: 
A landmark funding win that validates our deep-tech sector and directly strengthens our talent pool with 100 high-wage jobs, solidifying the region as a critical hub for next-generation security technology.

📍ECOSYSTEM

Tampa Bay Wave Becomes National Hub for 'BlueTech' Innovation with NOAA Partnership

Tampa Bay Wave launched the BlueTech|X Accelerator in partnership with NOAA, positioning the region as a national hub for Ocean Enterprise innovation. The program supports technologies for ocean health and coastal resilience.

The cohort, which kicked off on October 20, includes six high-impact startups, with four based right here in Tampa Bay: Eskuad, Seagate Space Corporation, Sensfix, and SkyTL.

⚡Why It Matters:
This is a massive win, diversifying our tech portfolio and attracting specialized talent, federal funding, and venture capital interested in the multi-billion dollar climate and ocean sustainability sector.

🧠TICKLE YOUR BRAIN

I don’t show up on your P&L, but I decide if growth pays for itself.
When I’m above three, boards breathe easy.
When I’m below one, sirens go off.

What am I?

(Answers at the bottom of the newsletter)

Pause for some deep thinking…

🤖 TECH / AI

St. Pete Startup ChatRank Bucks VC Trend: Bootstrapping to Profitability in the 'AI Search Shift'

St. Petersburg-based AI startup ChatRank is deliberately choosing to bootstrap to profitability despite major VC interest. CEO Jon Mest believes that in the early, volatile market of AI-driven SEO, capital efficiency is more important than speed. Their platform helps brands stay visible as Google shifts to AI Overviews, and they are growing profitably from their St. Pete office.

⚡Why It Matters:
This story highlights the local value of capital efficiency and profitability, a mindset that builds resilient companies. It proves Tampa Bay is a proving ground for founders who want to build sustainable businesses on their own terms, offering a model that contrasts with the 'go big or go home' VC mentality.

🤖ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Sotereon.AI Expands to Tampa, Partnering with TPA to Advance AI-Powered Spatial Intelligence

Sotereon.AI, a leader in AI-powered spatial intelligence and telemetry platforms, announced the opening of a new office in Tampa. The expansion includes a partnership with Tampa International Airport (TPA) to advance AI-powered spatial intelligence for airports, aiming to improve operations and passenger experience. This move strengthens Tampa's position as a growing hub for AI and intelligent infrastructure.

⚡Why It Matters:
This is a significant win for Tampa's AI sector, bringing a high-tech company with a real-world local application (TPA) to the region. It creates new opportunities for high-skilled jobs and positions Tampa as a testbed for next-generation AI solutions in critical infrastructure.

😂MEME STREET

Here’s a Meme You Can Probably Relate To

💰STARTUPS

USF Students Turn Gummy Supplement Idea into Startup Success with HUSTLE Program Support

Morgan Bierbrunner, co-founder of Rush Power (a pre-workout gummy startup), is the latest success story from the University of South Florida's HUSTLE program. The student incubator provides funding, mentorship, and coaching, helping students turn innovative ideas into funded, market-ready businesses before they even graduate.

⚡Why It Matters:
The USF HUSTLE program is vital for the long-term health of our ecosystem. It ensures a constant, high-quality pipeline of young, ambitious founders, effectively 'pre-seeding' the local startup community with the next generation of high-growth companies.

WORTHY MENTIONS: UPDATES, EVENTS, RESOURCES, ETC…

• ⚖️ Fear & Greed Index: 37 (FEAR) per CNN

• ₿ Bitcoin Dominance at 59.3% See chart

• Event: Live Well: Mental Health in Tech "How to Live Better"
  🗓 November 5th | Tampa | Learn more

• Event: Tampa Bay Tech Awards 2025
  🗓 November 7 | Tampa | Learn more

• 🔥Event: Disrupt The Bay’s Health Innovation Summit w/ Cathie Wood
  🗓 November 13 | St. Pete | Get Your Tickets

• 🤗 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!

• 🚀 Connect with top entrepreneurs, founders, and techies building big things in Tampa Bay and beyond. Join our private Slack now and make some noise!

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

RIDDLE ANSWER

Answer: the LTV-to-CAC ratio.

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