In continuation of our series exploring tech hubs around the world, we take a look at what the tech scene in Tampa, Florida has to offer
Are you thinking about making a move to sunny Tampa, Florida? Sure, the weather is pretty great but it’s not the only thing attracting tech talent.
The region is the perfect place for young and growing families. Many of the city’s neighbourhoods are quiet and safe. Plus, there’s plenty to do here from lounging on the beach, to exploring the many parks (there’s a whopping 165!), not to mention the excellent fishing, cycling and sailing opportunities.
The city also has a vibrant cultural scene with plenty of performing arts venues and theatres as well as numerous museums such as the Tampa Museum of Art or the Tampa Bay History Museum.
In terms of restaurants and bars, you’ve got endless opportunities, plus, the transport system is pretty good too. Despite all these amazing pull factors, the main thing that draws people to Tampa is the booming tech scene.
3.9% of the city’s total labour force works in tech according to CBRE’s 2020 Tech Talent Analyser. This means this city is in line with places like New York and Philadelphia. In fact, by 2025, it is estimated that tech jobs will have grown by +8.5%, outpacing the national average by 2%.
So, if you’d like to get ahead of the curve and find out more about this exciting city, take a look at our guide to the Tampa tech scene below.
Fintech
Did you know that Tampa Bay has a thriving Fintech scene? In fact, this wonderful region is widely considered the “Wall Street of the South”. The financial services industry is actually the fastest-growing sector in the Tampa region. This explosive growth is attracting lots of talent, but more importantly, some amazing companies.
Industry leaders such as Fintech, Wise, Citi, and JPMorgan Chase employ thousands of Floridians at their large Tampa campuses.
One key player in the Tampa Fintech market is Kin Insurance. Founded in 2016, Kin is a home insurance technology company that provides affordable coverage to homeowners in catastrophe-prone regions like Florida and California. The company has over 200 global employees and they are now hiring for a variety of different roles in Tampa. You can find out more here.
Healthtech
Tampa Bay is at the epicentre of medical innovation. According to the Make it Tampa Bay website, over 5,000 life sciences and healthcare companies operate in the area. On top of that, 14% of Florida’s biotech companies and 22% of the state’s pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing workforce call it home.
Some of the big healthtech employers in the city include companies like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Axogen. Axogen is a developer of surgical solutions, including human tissue grafts. Their products are mostly used by reconstructive plastic surgeons, hand surgeons, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons in a wide variety of nerve repair surgeries.
While this exciting healthtech company is based in Alachua, Florida, they opened a second headquarters in Tampa back in 2019. You can take a look at their job opportunities here.
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Manufacturing
Thanks to its convenient location, Florida is one of America’s top 10 states for manufacturing, according to Enterprise Florida. In addition to this, the Bay region has the second-largest manufacturing workforce in the state.
It’s no surprise that Hillsborough County is home to the global headquarters of some pretty impressive manufacturing firms. These include Signode, Suzuki Marine and Coca-Cola Beverages.
Coca-Cola Beverages is a brand that needs no introduction. After all, we’ve all seen the Christmas ads. But there’s more to this company than one drink. Coca-Cola Beverages includes Fanta, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Innocent smoothies, Smartwater and many more. The company also has wonderful work perks and benefits. You can find out more here.
Cyber security
Cyber security is more important now than ever before. Cyber security firms protect companies from attacks from hackers and customers from having their information stolen. Tampa is quickly establishing itself as the top cyber security destination in the southeast.
The city isn’t just home to native companies like ReliaQuest, Abacode and Connectwise, Tampa has also seen a lot of companies move to the area. JustProtect and OPSWAT recently relocated from New York City and San Francisco, respectively.
OPSWAT develops products that focus on threat prevention, secure data transfer and safe device access. They are so well trusted that 98% of US nuclear power facilities use the brand. At the moment they’re hiring for a bunch of different roles including director of technical support and IT systems engineers. Find out more here.
Are you thinking about moving to Tampa? Before you take the plunge, explore the Information Age job board here and check out all the best roles.
