The new CEO will lead Tampa-based startup incubator Embarc Collective

A Tampa-based nonprofit startup incubator backed by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik has hired a new CEO.

Embarc Collective announced that Tim R. Holcomb, an Ohio entrepreneur and educator, will replace Lakshmi Shenoy as CEO, according to a press release. Shenoy has spent the last six years as the founding CEO.

Holcomb comes to Tampa from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he served as professor and chair of the entrepreneurship department. He also served as director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship. Holcomb has served as a board member and advisor to dozens of companies, including Tampa-based ReliaQuest.

“Entrepreneurship is the backbone of our country. It is the most impactful activity for creating generational prosperity, opportunity and jobs,” Holcomb said in a statement. “As the third largest state in the nation, Florida can be a leader at scale in supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, activating the economy in a way that other states cannot. I am excited to support this mission and build on Embarc Collective’s already vibrant platform to make this the benchmark for successful startup ecosystems nationwide.”

Holcomb was previously the Jim Moran Professor of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University and was executive director of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship there.

Holcomb co-founded Telcom Global Solutions, a $30 million design services firm that was acquired by Flex, a Fortune 500 firm, in 2001, according to the release.

He starts at Embarc Collective on January 1st.

Shenoy will remain on Embarc’s board of directors and continue to coach member startups, the statement said.

“It’s easy to forget that just five years ago, nothing like Embarc Collective existed in Florida. There are now more than 125 tech startups at Embarc Collective on a path to growth and scale that will have a greater impact on our state than any other initiative in the past decade,” said Brian Murphy, founder and CEO of ReliaQuest and president of Embarc’s board of directors. , in a statement. “We are grateful for Lakshmi Shenoy’s leadership over the past six years and are excited to welcome Tim Holcomb as Embarc’s next CEO. Not only does Tim personally understand the grueling effort it takes to build a business, he’s made a career out of supporting other entrepreneurs – myself included. I can’t think of anyone more qualified to build on Embarc Collective’s strong foundation, and I look forward to our next phase of growth.”

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Shenoy led the incubator from vision to reality, moving it to a 32,000-square-foot facility in downtown Tampa and developing it into a regional hub for Florida’s young businesses. Last year, Embarc Collective was ranked among the top programs in North America by UBI Global, a global study of startup support programs, and was one of two US organizations recognized.

“Embarc Collective plays a vital role in unlocking tremendous potential for Tampa and Florida. Supporting the growth of new businesses is one of the most effective ways to stimulate economic development. Lakshmi’s leadership has been instrumental in this incredible work, and Tim Holcomb is perfectly positioned to build on this momentum,” said Vinik, who is chairman emeritus of the board. “As we reflect on our progress a decade from now, we will recognize Embarc Collective as a key catalyst that has transformed our community for generations to come.”

Since its launch, Embarc Collective has helped more than 230 start-ups, which have created 1,000 new jobs among them, the release said. Of the original 2019 member companies, 96% are still operating this year. Embarc Collective member companies have collectively raised over $200 million.

“Embarc Collective is proof that a hub that brings together focused and driven entrepreneurs with best-in-class coaching can deliver tremendous impact for growing Florida’s startup ecosystem,” Shenoy said in a statement. “I am grateful and proud to have led the first phase of Embarc Collective’s journey and look forward to seeing all that Embarc Collective will accomplish under Tim Holcomb’s leadership.”