Tampa’s Entrepreneurial Culture – Featured Events for Spring 2013
I’ve been observing lately plenty of enthusiasm for what I’ve always loved – entrepreneurship. Tampa may not be Silicon Valley (yet!) but there is far more going on for visionary entrepreneurs than you might imagine. Let’s take a look at just a few of the groups and events that can inspire and support your entrepreneurial spirit.

Key Person of Influence – Entrepreneur Brand Accelerator is a one day event scheduled for May 10th in Tampa that will be packed with 40 minute presentations from 5 exceptionally successful entrepreneurs, including Kevin Harrington and Forbes Riley. Each speaker will talk about one of the 5 elements of becoming a key person of influence in your industry. This event, modeled after Daniel Priestley’s best-selling book by the same name, has been a huge success in multiple countries and is debuting in the USA right here in Tampa. To purchase a ticket at a discount, use this special link: http://keypersonofinfluence.com/usa/go.php?p=a119&w=bkpi

Florida Venture Forum‘s 2013 Early Stage Conference is scheduled for May 15th in Orlando, Florida. If you love to watch Shark Tank, you will revel in a day of watching 18 of Florida’s best early stage businesses pitching to angel investors, venture capitalists, private equity investors, investment bankers and other entrepreneurs. The conference also includes a collegiate business plan competition. Read about this year’s candidates: http://www.floridaventureforum.org/press.asp?rls_id=115

USF Alumni Society of Entrepreneurs 2nd Annual Entrepreneurship Gala is an event being held on May 10th designed to celebrate entrepreneurship and recognize some of Tampa Bay’s finest business leaders. http://usfalumni.org/s/861/internal.aspx?sid=861&pgid=2695&gid=1&cid=7654&ecid=7654&post_id=0

Ignite! Tampa – This unique organization hosts “high-energy evening[s] designed to inspire, educate, entertain and spark new ideas and conversations across cultures and disciples of the Tampa Bay Community.” I have not attended one yet, regretting that I missed the 2013 event hosted on April 25th, but it sounds like a Twitter version of TED talks where “in fast-paced, bite-sized presentations community members get on stage and share their personal or professional passion.” http://www.ignitetampa.org/