TheIncLab Expands to Tampa with second AI+X Lab
January 16, 2020
Plans to create 15 new high-quality tech jobs over the next 12 months
TAMPA, FLA. (January 16, 2020) – TheIncLab, headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metro area, is pleased to announce it has opened a new human-centered Artificial Intelligence Experience (AI+X) lab in Tampa, Fla. to serve existing and new clients. This will be TheIncLab’s third U.S. location after expanding to Nashville, Tenn. in spring 2019 to expand the commercial business operations.
“We are very proud of our decision to move to Tampa due to its burgeoning technology and cybersecurity industry and abundance of highly-qualified talent,” said Adriana Avakian, Founder and CEO of TheIncLab. “We spent a fair amount of time in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area in the past six months establishing key relationships and meeting with strategic partners to ensure the success of our expansion.”
TheIncLab was one of 10 exciting tech companies selected out of 432 applications from across the U.S. to participate in Tampa Bay Wave’s TechDiversity program in the summer of 2019.
“I am proud that our TechDiversity program, funded by the Nielsen Foundation, continues to not only provide critical support to talented startup teams, especially those with diverse founders like Adriana, but also helps to highlight the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem that exists in our region today,” said Linda Olson, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Wave. “TheIncLab is now the second of those 10 companies to expand or move to Tampa Bay, and we could see even more yet.”
TheIncLab established its initial location at The Undercroft, a member driven cybersecurity guild and development center located in the heart of Tampa’s historic district, Ybor City. The new location provides secure, dedicated network access, tailored resources and focused programming. TheIncLab anticipates hiring up to 15 developers and engineers in the next twelve months and partnering with neighboring universities to offer student internships to augment its existing staff.
“The Undercroft is excited to welcome its newest resident TheIncLab to Ybor city,” said Adam Sheffield, CEO of The Undercoft. “TheIncLab joins our existing resident community of companies with headquarters in New York, D.C., and Austin that have chosen The Undercroft to engage with our growing cybersecurity guild. Their arrival in Ybor is evidence of the momentum the cybersecurity and defense communities have achieved in the Tampa Bay region in attracting outside companies and retaining startups and local talent through the creation of high wage jobs, which attract diverse talent nationally.”
In addition to the company’s investment in Ybor City and contribution to the growing technology ecosystem, the TheIncLab is committed to making a significant impact in the local community. The AI+X lab will create an opportunity for top local talent and students to work on cutting-edge technology projects for leading brands, immerse themselves in applied research for defense applications and shape the future of intelligent systems.
“TheIncLab is an exciting addition to the Tampa Bay Region’s innovation ecosystem, and we look forward to having this cutting-edge company nearby for future collaborations with faculty and student researchers,” said USF College of Engineering Professor Sudeep Sarkar, who is chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and co-director for USF Institute for AI+X. During its decision-making process, TheIncLab connected with USF to understand the institution’s talent pipeline and available research expertise.
“Artificial intelligence is one of the great frontiers in the innovation economy. With young companies, our students, and our faculty working together, Tampa is growing to become a promising center of diverse skills and new perspectives that will shape AI’s future,” Sarkar said.
Tampa’s reputation as a top 20 “Surge City” and its climb up the ranks as a top city for startups and tech talent , coupled with Hillsborough County ranking number one in Florida for highest wages, are key factors driving tech talent to Hillsborough County. Last month, Boston-based marketing technology firm Drift announced its expansion to Tampa.
“TheIncLab’s announcement is further proof that Tampa’s reputation as a rising tech market is gaining national attention and attracting some really innovative companies,” said Marie Chinnici-Everitt, chair of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council and managing director of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). “We’re excited TIL has chosen to expand to Tampa with the creation of new high-quality jobs, and we look forward to supporting the company as it establishes operations here.”
Since its inception, the company has developed market-leading solutions for clients in several branches of the Department of Defense and Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, consumer electronics and technology spaces to accelerate innovation, launch new products and services, open new markets, and redefine their customer relationships.
About TheIncLab
Founded in 2015, TheIncLab (TIL) is the first human-centered artificial intelligence experience (AI+X) lab. TIL’s award-winning, multi-disciplinary team is focused on designing and developing AI-enabled systems that learn and collaborate with humans. TIL offers its clients comprehensive capabilities for rapid ideation, software development and builds of smart systems and hardware solutions.
TheIncLab’s open, scalable AI architecture approach, combined with years of experience in interactive engineering and emerging technology innovation, allows for rapid prototyping and deployment of transformational concepts, products and solutions designed to work with meaningful human interaction, bridging the gap between humans and intelligent systems.
Headquartered in the Washington DC Metro area, TIL has offices in Nashville and Tampa, Florida.
About the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council is the lead designated economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Established in 2009 as a partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors, the EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment within targeted industry sectors, including Corporate Headquarters, Financial and Professional Services, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Defense and Security, Distribution and Logistics, and Manufacturing. The EDC exists because of the generous support of more than 100 corporations, Hillsborough County, and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.
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