Group 2
Solutions Innovation (2026-2027)
CyberBay intends to be a catalyst for innovation in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. There are a number of organizations that currently exist, like the Embarc Collective, Tampa Bay Wave, The Florida Hi-Tech Corridor, and many more, that comprise the innovation ecosystem. For 2026/7, CyberBay is working to put a “cybersecurity lens” on these collective efforts, to strengthen the cyber dimension of the ecosystem, and guide cybersecurity innovators to the right resources and potential sources of funding.
Leadership
Working group leadership and academic depth
The group is led by a professor with deep expertise in cybersecurity, innovation, analytics, and software quality, bringing both academic rigor and applied innovation experience to the initiative.
Dr. Manish Agrawal
Professor, University of South Florida
Manish Agrawal is a professor and former chair of the School of Information Systems who teaches courses in information assurance, business data communications and applications development. Agrawal received USF’s university-wide award recognizing teaching excellence. He also received the University’s Excellence in Innovation Award in 2022 for his NSF STTR-funded startup company, EdVision.
An expert in the areas of cybersecurity, social media analytics, software quality, offshoring and outsourcing, his research interests include extreme event response, social media analytics, decision fusion and software quality. He is an avid researcher and his work has been published in numerous academic journals, including Management Science, MIS Quarterly, the INFORMS Journal on Computing, the Journal of Management Information Systems, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Decision Support Systems and the Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce. His research and teaching have been funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Justice, and others.
Agrawal earned a PhD in information systems from the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo and studied at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India.
Mission
Currently under discussion and review.
At a glance
What this initiative was designed to do
For 2026/7, CyberBay is working to put a “cybersecurity lens” on these collective efforts, to strengthen the cyber dimension of the ecosystem, and guide cybersecurity innovators to the right resources and potential sources of funding.
Mission
Coming soon
Framework
Coming soon
Challenge
Coming soon
Outcome
Coming soon
Deliverables
Deliverable (2027)
Currently under discussion and review.
Final outcome
Coming soon.
Members
Members of the Solutions Innovation Working Group
These members represent university leadership, entrepreneurship support, funding, startup advisory, and regional economic development perspectives.
University & Strategy
- Dirk Libaers, Director, Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, USF Muma College of Business
Innovation Ecosystem & Funding
- Elizabeth Nelson, Program Director, Florida High-Tech Corridor
- Evan Erickson, Senior Director of Partnerships, Embarc Collective
Entrepreneurship & Advisory
- Seydou Dembele, Founder/CEO, KARMAI Consulting LLC
- Linda Olson, CEO at Tampa Bay Wave
Economic Development
- Jennifer Whelihan, Economic Development Manager, Hillsborough County
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