Tampa Bay Wave Launches 9th Tech|X Accelerator Powered by the Nielsen Foundation, Welcoming 15 Purpose-Driven Founders
Program alumni have raised $375 million and created 1,600 jobs since 2018; 2026 cohort includes founders from MIT, Harvard, Oxford, and veterans of Apple, Amazon, and Boeing
Tampa, Fla., June 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tampa Bay Wave, Inc. (Wave), a leading nonprofit accelerator and entrepreneurial support organization, is dedicated to fostering groundbreaking technologies and scaling high-growth companies. Its flagship Tech|X Accelerator Powered by The Nielsen Foundation continues to advance purpose-driven innovation across the tech ecosystem. The 2026 cohort is the ninth year of the program and includes 15 dynamic startups enhancing accessibility, inclusion and outcomes through health technology, financial technology, AI and enterprise automation, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing, each bringing bold ideas and transformative solutions to complex, real-world problems.
“We are proud to continue our support for the Tech|X Accelerator, which aligns with our mission to power and advance innovation in technology,” said Andrea Bertels, President and Executive Director of Grantmaking of the Nielsen Foundation.
The cohort is notable for its range of innovative solutions and the exceptional backgrounds of its founders, who come from some of the world’s top technology companies, colleges and research-driven institutions. They are addressing challenges that bring life-enhancing technologies to the market.
“Tampa Bay Wave remains at the forefront of driving innovation and fostering the next generation of tech disruptors,” said Linda Olson, President and CEO of Tampa Bay Wave.
As Florida’s premier accelerator, Tampa Bay Wave has supported more than 650 startups that have raised more than $1.7 billion in investment capital and created more than 7,100 jobs. Their commitment to innovation has helped transform Tampa Bay into a thriving tech hub. The 2026 Tech|X Accelerator continues this legacy, empowering bold founders to scale transformative businesses and drive the future of technology.
Meet the 2026 Tech|X Cohort:
- Cabana (New Orleans, LA)
- Casera (Seattle, WA)
- CryptoMate (Kalispell, MT and Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Grovity (Miami, FL)
- Hybron, Inc (El Segundo, CA)
- Kneu (London, England)
- LastMinute (Peabody, MA)
- Listra.ai (New York, NY)
- Loyalink (Santiago, Chile)
- Opalite Health (Palo Alto, CA)
- Rahm Sensor Development Inc (Orlando, FL)
- Stakeholders Sustainability Index (SSINDEX) (New Haven, CT)
- Surgicure Technologies (Cambridge, MA)
- TechNovaTime (Pompton Lakes, NJ)
- Vetavize (Orlando, FL)
Dr. Richard Munassi MD, MBA, Tampa Bay Wave Accelerator and CORE Program Managing Director, states, “This year’s Tech|X cohort is not only building innovative solutions for Enterprise and Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) markets, but is also filled with purpose-driven leaders committed to solving meaningful real-world challenges through technology and innovation. Top to bottom, this is our most accomplished and impressive cohort to date.”
Their academic backgrounds include MIT, Harvard, Yale, Duke, the Air Force Academy, the University of Virginia, Cornell, Stanford, UCLA, Cal Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Tulane University, The Ohio State University, Northwestern, the University of Maryland, Boston College, the University of Delaware, the University of Buffalo, University of Florida, Miami, and more.
They have worked for some of the largest businesses and organizations in the world, including Apple, Paypal, Amazon, Cisco, Techstars, McKinsey, Johns Hopkins, NORAD, the Air Force, the Navy, Boeing, Bayer, HP, MasterCard, MassGeneral Brigham, the NHS, and more.
“They are purpose-driven founders and leaders ranging from former executives at global enterprises to military veterans, researchers, professors, students, and even a Navy Seal, equestrian champion, and a classical pianist and painter - bringing together a wide array of experiences across AI, healthcare, defense, aerospace, innovation and more.” Munassi continued. “All of us at Wave are tremendously proud and humbled to have these founders and their companies joining our portfolio and look forward to helping by being the fuel for their rocket ships, now and into the future.”
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ABOUT TAMPA BAY WAVE:
Tampa Bay Wave, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing entrepreneurs with facilitated access to the resources, expertise and capital they need to grow vibrant technology-based companies in Tampa Bay. Since March 2013, Tampa Bay Wave has supported more than 650 tech startups thanks to grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), plus support from its economic development partners Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa. Tampa Bay Wave also receives support from individuals, corporations and foundations such as: A-LIGN, Appspace, Bank of America, Celestar, Clifton Larson Allen, Delta Air Lines/Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Florida High Tech Corridor, Foley & Lardner, Kuducom, Nielsen Foundation, NextPath Workforce Solutions, Regions Foundation, St. Petersburg College, TECO, Thoropass, the University of South Florida and others. For more information, visit tampabaywave.org.
ABOUT THE NIELSEN FOUNDATION:
The Nielsen Foundation is a private foundation originally funded by Nielsen, a global data and analytics company. The Foundation’s mission is to power and advance inclusive innovation in the media and technology industries, especially through the use of data and research. For more information, visit nielsen-foundation.org.
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Jack Phillips Vistra Communications 813-322-2590 jackp@consultvistra.com
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