This Month's Latest Tech News in Tampa, FL - Thursday July 31st 2025 Edition

Tampa Bay continues to solidify its reputation as a rising AI and tech innovation hub, as highlighted in a recent Tampa Bay Business Journal report on Clarky.ai showcasing Clarky.ai, a local AI startup offering an all-in-one customer support automation platform founded by former Salesforce engineer Tyler Clark.

The region's momentum is further confirmed by a Brookings Institution report naming Tampa among emerging U.S. AI centers, recognized for talent strength and adoption despite areas for innovation growth.

Tampa's vibrant ecosystem is also bolstered by startups like Iteright - a Tampa Bay AI company recently securing $1.3 million in pre-seed funding to help executives optimize investments using AI-driven business insights, as detailed by St. Pete Catalyst coverage of Iteright's funding.

Complementing this tech surge, educational initiatives such as Nucamp's AI bootcamps provide accessible pathways for residents to gain practical AI skills and entrepreneurial expertise, supporting the growing need for workforce development.

These developments underscore Tampa Bay's strategic focus on AI-driven economic growth, innovation acceleration, and workforce readiness, positioning it well for sustained leadership in the evolving tech landscape.

The University of South Florida (USF) is set to open the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing in Fall 2025, following a historic $40 million donation from tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini and his wife, Lauren.

This milestone gift, the largest in USF's nearly 70-year history, establishes the first named college in the U.S. devoted exclusively to the convergence of AI and cybersecurity.

The Bellini College addresses the critical national shortage of cybersecurity professionals amid escalating AI-driven cyber threats, offering undergraduate and graduate programs that integrate AI-powered cyber defense, ethical governance, and practical experience through partnerships with government agencies, defense contractors, and industry leaders.

Tampa, dubbed “Cyber Bay,” stands out as a strategic tech hub with over 25% of Florida's tech jobs, hosting key military commands and leading cybersecurity firms like KnowBe4 and ReliaQuest.

Arnie Bellini, founder of ConnectWise, emphasizes the college's mission to proactively train “cyber warriors” to outthink and outmaneuver AI-driven cyberattacks, reinforcing Tampa's role in national security and digital innovation.

USF leadership highlights the college's revolutionary model blending AI and cybersecurity curricula, which is poised to produce thousands of skilled graduates critical for safeguarding America's digital future.

To further support this initiative, Bellinis will match additional donations up to $5 million, aiming to raise a total of $50 million to secure faculty recruitment, scholarships, and expanded research capabilities.

For more details on this transformative development, visit the USF official announcement on the Bellini College of AI and Cybersecurity, the Tampa Bay Business & Wealth report on USF's major cybersecurity gift, and the Tampa Bay Times coverage of the $40 million AI and cybersecurity donation.

Jabil Inc., the St. Petersburg-based electronics manufacturer, has chosen Rowan County, North Carolina, over Florida for a major $500 million multi-year investment to build a cutting-edge manufacturing facility supporting cloud and AI data centers.

The new plant, expected to open by mid-2026 at 2121 Heilig Road in Granite Industrial Park, is designed to produce server racks and liquid cooling enclosures critical for AI infrastructure, and will create nearly 1,200 jobs with average wages of about $62,000 annually, well above the local average.

Supported by a North Carolina Job Development Investment Grant with potential reimbursements exceeding $11 million over 12 years, the project is projected to generate $3.2 billion in economic impact and deliver a 115% public ROI. Jabil's Executive Vice President Matt Crowley emphasized,

“The drive to build AI data centers is only accelerating in the United States. We are excited to help meet that demand, provide additional scale and capabilities for our data center customers, and empower the AI solutions of the future.”

This expansion aligns with Jabil's strategic goal to bolster its Southeast U.S. manufacturing footprint following its recent acquisition of Mikros Technologies, which specializes in liquid cooling for AI data centers.

Despite Florida offering incentives including tax exemptions and training assistance, North Carolina's stronger incentives package totaling more than $21 million and robust workforce ecosystem ultimately secured the investment.

For more details, visit the official North Carolina Commerce announcement, comprehensive coverage at WUSF News on AI Manufacturing Center Jobs, and strategic analysis at Industrial Equipment News on Jabil's NC Investment.

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has expanded its artificial intelligence capabilities by integrating Microsoft's ambient listening technology into Epic's Rover mobile nursing application, aiming to reduce the administrative burden on nurses who typically spend up to 15% of their shifts on documentation.

This AI-powered tool securely captures nurses' spoken notes - including symptoms, observations, and patient experiences - and automatically converts them into specialty-specific clinical summaries within seconds, enabling nurses to allocate more time to direct patient care, mentoring, and professional development.

Building on the success of a similar technology deployed last year for over 500 physicians, this nurse-focused solution enhances care coordination, reduces charting delays, and improves overall job satisfaction and quality of care.

As Wendi Goodson-Celerin, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at TGH, stated,

"Microsoft's ambient listening technology can give nurses back hours of time per shift that they'd ordinarily spend manually entering data into a computer,"

helping them focus on bedside care and skill-building.

Amit Patel, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer, emphasized that the innovation stems from addressing real-world problems by creatively using existing technology to benefit both team members and patients.

Alongside this initiative, Tampa General has continued advancing AI integration with notable achievements such as significant operational efficiencies through its partnership with Palantir.

For more details on this transformational healthcare innovation, see Tampa General's official press release on ambient listening technology for nurses, the in-depth report by Daily Nurse's coverage of Tampa General's AI advancements, and the coverage by Becker's Hospital Review article on AI integration in nursing apps.

St. Petersburg and Pasco County are advancing traffic management and safety with the deployment of AI-driven smart traffic signal systems, supported by a $1.16 million Florida Department of Transportation grant. St. Petersburg is installing 15 adaptive AI-enhanced signals on busy corridors including 66th Street North and Tyrone Boulevard, where approximately 40,000 vehicles travel daily.

These smart signals use video detection technology to monitor traffic flow, cyclists, pedestrians, and scooters with 99.5% accuracy up to 720 feet, optimizing green light durations based on real-time conditions and prioritizing emergency vehicles through onboard sensors.

Pasco County is also leveraging AI-enabled cameras to gather detailed traffic volume data and distinguish between various road users to enhance safety. The systems aim to reduce congestion at historically dangerous intersections and enhance driver awareness by providing alerts on traffic changes, pedestrian presence, and flooding hazards.

Cheryl Stacks, St. Petersburg's Transportation Manager, highlights the system's responsiveness, stating it

gives more green time to the direction with more vehicles

and

makes it safer for our emergency responders

by allowing emergency vehicles to notify signals in advance.

The innovative infrastructure includes a new video wall at St. Petersburg's Traffic Management Center and fiber optic communication upgrades to support connected vehicle technology.

Both municipalities are conducting pilot studies and monitoring effectiveness, with St. Petersburg targeting operation commencement by the end of 2025 and Pasco County expecting to present study findings this summer.

These deployments exemplify Tampa Bay's broader initiative to integrate AI in public safety and urban planning, bolstering the region's reputation as a burgeoning technology hub.

For further details, see the comprehensive coverage at Fox 13 News on St. Pete's AI Traffic Plans, St. Pete Catalyst's report on AI Smart Signals, and WTSP's coverage of Tampa Bay AI Traffic Safety.

The University of Florida is pioneering an AI-driven solution named "Gaia Bot" to assist farmers in assessing crop damage from hurricanes more efficiently and accurately.

Led by AI scientist Nikolaos Tziolas at UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, this $297,000 USDA-NIFA-funded project aims to deliver a web-based, chat-interface platform compatible with both smartphones and computers that translates complex satellite imagery into actionable insights for growers.

Gaia Bot allows users to ask questions such as “How much of my farm is flooded?” or “How did my crops do compared to last year?” and receive real-time, tailored maps and data to pinpoint flooded areas and evaluate crop health changes, providing a significant improvement over traditional costly and time-consuming methods like surveys or drone inspections.

Initial testing is underway on farms in Immokalee and Ona, with plans for widespread availability by the 2026 hurricane season. This AI tool addresses a critical need highlighted by recent events in Florida, where 2024 hurricanes caused agricultural losses nearing $975.8 million.

By simplifying damage assessments and accelerating recovery decisions, Gaia Bot empowers farmers to boost resilience against extreme weather events. To learn more about this innovative AI project, visit the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences announcement, watch the explanatory FOX 13 Tampa Bay report, and read detailed coverage on Growing Produce.

Yellow Tail Tech is making significant strides in supporting mid-career professionals seeking to transition into the rapidly evolving fields of AI and technology.

With a mission focused on helping individuals with no prior IT background secure high-paying, impactful tech jobs, Yellow Tail Tech offers a comprehensive and paced online curriculum that spans 6-9 months, culminating in industry-recognized certifications such as the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) and CompTIA Security+.

Their programs include live instruction, hands-on labs, and a 2-3 month apprenticeship designed to break the barrier of experience requirements, ensuring graduates are job-ready for roles like Linux System Administrator, DevOps Engineer, and Infrastructure Engineer.

As the Official Technology Partner of GovTech Con 2025, Yellow Tail Tech provides its students and alumni exclusive access to government technology career opportunities emphasizing cloud automation, cybersecurity, and AI applications in public-sector IT. Students also benefit from dedicated career support including resume building, LinkedIn optimization, and mock interviews.

By combining real-world experience with certification preparation and career services, Yellow Tail Tech empowers career changers and veterans alike to thrive in the competitive GovTech and broader IT job markets.

For further details on their programs and partnership with GovTech Con 2025, visit Yellow Tail Tech's GovTech Con 2025 partnership page, explore their job-ready IT blueprint at Zero to Job Ready Blueprint 2025, or review their comprehensive IT training offerings at Yellow Tail Tech IT Online Training.

Tampa-based startup Improving Aviation is making significant strides in wildfire prediction and public safety management through its partnership with Google Cloud.

By leveraging advanced AI and cloud technologies such as Google Kubernetes Engine, Vertex AI, and the Gemini platform, Improving Aviation developed WindTL, a cutting-edge tool that delivers real-time wildfire forecasting and risk assessment.

This collaboration, boosted by participation in the Google for Startups Founders Accelerator, has provided the startup with crucial resources including $150,000 in non-dilutive funding and $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, enabling scalable processing of vast environmental data from satellites, drones, and IoT sensors.

Founder and CEO Rocio Frej Vitalle highlights the importance of partnerships in scaling impactful solutions:

“One of the biggest lessons I learned from the last year is you have this amazing idea, you think you're going to solve the world's biggest problems, but at least at the beginning, no one's going to listen to [you] until you're working with [big-name] partners.”

WindTL's AI-driven models predict wildfire spread, ember behavior - responsible for 90% of structural losses - and ignition risk, offering precise decision support for first responders and emergency planners.

This initiative exemplifies Tampa's growing role as a hub for AI innovation in disaster resilience, supported by Google's sustained investment in scalable AI infrastructure for climate-related forecasting.

Discover more about this transformative project at the Google Cloud blog on WindTL and detailed insights in the Tampa Bay Business Journal feature on Improving Aviation.

For a deeper look at the AI technology in action, watch the Google Cloud Tech YouTube video showcasing wildfire prediction advancements.

Alpha School in Tampa is pioneering an AI-driven K-8 education model that aligns with national efforts to integrate artificial intelligence in classrooms, following the April 2025 Executive Order on "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth" and recent U.S. Department of Education guidelines promoting responsible AI use in schools.

This innovative approach leverages adaptive AI tutoring technology to personalize learning, improving outcomes by tailoring instruction to individual student needs.

Nationally, AI adoption among K-12 educators is rising, with nearly 60% of teachers using AI tools during the 2024-25 school year to save time on tasks like lesson planning and grading, as reported by a Gallup survey.

In support of this shift, the National Academy for AI Instruction - funded by OpenAI, Microsoft, and other partners - aims to equip 400,000 educators with practical AI fluency through training and resources.

While AI empowers teachers by enhancing instruction and reducing administrative burdens, educators emphasize the indispensable role of human connection in teaching, underscoring the need for ethical AI integration guided by policy and professional development.

Together, these developments position Alpha School's model as part of a broader transformation toward AI-enhanced education that fosters equity, engagement, and workforce readiness in Tampa and across the nation.

Learn more about the U.S. Department of Education's AI guidance, the National Academy for AI Instruction, and insights from the 2025 Gallup teacher AI usage survey.

The University of South Florida (USF) is set to become a national leader in AI and cybersecurity education with the fall 2025 launch of the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, established through a historic $40 million gift from tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini and his wife Lauren.

This pioneering college - Florida's first named institution dedicated to the convergence of AI and cybersecurity - aims to address America's critical workforce shortage in these fields by producing thousands of job-ready professionals who can safeguard digital infrastructures against AI-driven cyber threats.

The Bellini College employs a unique "hub-and-spoke" interdisciplinary model, integrating foundational disciplines such as computer science and information technology with specialized areas including business and social sciences, thereby preparing graduates to leverage AI ethically across diverse sectors.

USF Provost Prasant Mohapatra calls this initiative

“a game-changer for industry, government, and academia”

that cements Tampa Bay's role as a burgeoning hub for cybersecurity innovation, bolstered by the region's strategic military presence at MacDill Air Force Base and leading tech companies like KnowBe4 and ReliaQuest.

Alongside degree programs, the college will spearhead AI-driven research and strategic partnerships with government and industry leaders. As Arnie Bellini emphasizes,

“Cyberattacks are the new missiles, and AI is the arms race of our time,”

underscoring the college's mission to train cyber warriors capable of outthinking and outmaneuvering emerging threats.

Further enriching USF's AI ecosystem are initiatives like the Behavioral AI Lab and collaborations with K-12 educators to ensure an AI-ready workforce. For more about USF's transformative AI and cybersecurity education, explore the Bellini College announcement from USF News, details on the college's interdisciplinary model, and ongoing research and educational initiatives at the Bellini College.

Shumaker, a century-old Tampa Bay law firm, has officially launched a national Technology, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) practice to address the surging demand for specialized legal services in the evolving digital economy.

Led by Partner Jade Davis - who recently returned to the Sarasota, Florida office - the practice is active across all 13 Shumaker offices nationwide and integrates expertise from around seven individuals with backgrounds in cybersecurity, data privacy, and AI. Jade Davis emphasized the urgency of formalizing this focus due to the rapid proliferation of data privacy laws domestically and internationally over the past five years, stating,

“Now you're missing out on providing the clients the services they need if you're not actually focusing on it.”

The firm offers end-to-end support for organizations developing or deploying AI, including governance, ethics, compliance with global frameworks (such as GDPR and CCPA), AI-specific commercial agreements, privacy risk mitigation, and workplace AI counseling.

Shumaker's capabilities extend to sectors like healthcare, finance, and retail, positioning the firm to guide clients through the complex challenges of AI regulation, privacy, and cybersecurity.

This strategic expansion aligns with Shumaker's broader client-centric vision to stay ahead of technology-driven legal needs, with Davis aiming to double the practice's bench within the next few years.

For more details on the practice's scope and leadership, visit the Tampa Bay Business Journal article on Shumaker's cybersecurity and AI practice launch, the official Shumaker Technology, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, and AI practice page, and the Law360 coverage of Shumaker's data privacy and immigration groups launch.

Tampa Bay's technology landscape continues to demonstrate robust growth and innovation amid challenges, solidifying its position as an emerging AI and tech hub.

The region recently hosted Founders Live Tampa Bay, where over 50 founders, investors, and mentors celebrated local startups, with EasyPA taking first place for its AI-powered productivity assistant, earning a prize package valued at over $1 million and advancing to the global competition.

Read more about EasyPA winning Founders Live Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, a significant $1 billion philanthropic coalition led by organizations such as the Gates Foundation and Ballmer Group has committed long-term funding towards AI tools designed to aid frontline workers, emphasizing both technology advancement and ethical considerations.

Learn about the AI philanthropy initiatives supporting frontline workers. Complementing these developments, Brookings Institution's recent report ranks Tampa Bay among 14 emerging U.S. AI centers, highlighting strong talent and adoption despite some lag in innovation.

Discover the Brookings report on Tampa Bay's AI growth. This momentum is further supported by local educational initiatives, including Nucamp Bootcamp's practical AI and cybersecurity programs designed to upskill the workforce for these growing sectors.

With its dynamic startup ecosystem, strategic investments, and educational resources, Tampa Bay is well-positioned to maintain sustained growth and increase its national influence in the AI and tech industries.