Mingle with local tech crowd at upcoming Tampa Bay area meetups

Meet like-minded friends and potential business partners at the upcoming Collaborative Technologies of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Startup Week, and other technology events put on by and for tech enthusiasts and members of the Tampa Bay startup scene in spring 2016.

FUNTampaBay
Thursday, January 14
6 p.m.
Cigar City Cider and Mead
Ybor City

The second edition of F*** Up Nights Tampa Bay -- or FUNTampaBay -- will be held at event speaker Joey Redner's Ybor City outpost, Cigar City Cider and Mead. During the informal gathering, hear discussions about success and failure from speakers including Redner, local serial entrepreneur Joy Randels, and former NFL guard turned media personalist Ian Beckles. The event will also open the floor to audience members for an "Open Mic" portion.

To search for tickets or learn more about FUN events around the world, click here.

1 Million Cups
Wednesday, January 20, recurring
9 a.m.
St. Petersburg Greenhouse; Hillsborough County Entrepreneur Collaborative Center

1 Million Cups, a weekly Wednesday morning gathering where area business leaders and local residents come together to hear aspiring startups and growing companies pitch their ideas, has become a staple of both the St. Petersburg and Tampa business communities. The Bay area's first 1 Million Cups event took root at St. Petersburg's Greenhouse in 2013, and expanded across Tampa Bay to the Hillsborough County Mark Sharpe Entrepreneur Collaborative Center in 2015. Now, each week brings a packed house of community members to hear new ideas and sip on donated Kahwa Coffee. 

Each Wednesday morning, visitors to either location can hear from new startups or get updates from past presenters. To learn more about Tampa's 1 Million Cups meetups or to apply to present, click here; see information about 1 Million Cups in St. Petersburg or apply to be a presenter here.

Tampa Bay Startup Week
February 8-12
TBD

Tampa Bay technology enthusiasts and members of the startup scene saw a new concept unfold in 2015 - a full week of dedicated events, broken down by track and then further by subject matter. Topics ranging a wide gamut of interests from coding to beer brewing drew a diverse crowd to the events -- some interactive -- that took place around the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg.

The 2016 Tampa Bay Startup Week main event sponsor is Chase, working together with tech.co. Stay tuned for more info about events, speakers, and special opportunities - in 2015, events culminated with an open skate on the ice at Amalie Arena.

To learn more or register for Tampa Bay Startup Week events, click here.

1776 Challenge Cup
Wednesday, February 10
Tampa Bay WaVe offices
Tampa

The 1776 Challenge Cup offers grand prize winners up to $1 million in prizes during the final round of a startup pitch competition. A local round one will take place at startup business accelerator and venture center Tampa Bay WaVe in downtown Tampa on February 10. The Cup is billed as a ‘worldwide tournament for the most promising, world-changing startups to win cash prizes, make international connections and share their vision on a global stage.'

Southeastern Entrepreneurship Conference
February 19-20
8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
University of Tampa John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center 
Tampa

At the two-day 2016 Southeast Entrepreneurship Conference (SEEC 2016), local college students will come together with students from top-ranked schools across the nation to compete in the Spartan Pitch Competition at the John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center on the University of Tampa campus.

During the competition, students will pitch startup ideas to a panel of judges in hopes of securing funding for their business ventures. Along with the business challenge portion of the event, students will have the opportunity to network with business leaders and peers. Around 20 speakers will also share insights on business and entrepreneurship.

The event is open to the public, and members of the local business community are encouraged to attend. To register, click here.

#Collabtb (Q1 Tech & Entrepreneur Peer Networking Event)
Thursday, March 3
5:30 p.m.
The Getaway
St. Pete

Hosted by Collaborative Technologies of Tampa Bay with partnership from Tampa Bay Tech Events, #collabTB quarterly meetups draw a crowd of several hundred to the laid-back beach bar behind St. Pete staple The Getaway. The focus of the gatherings is networking and community-building in a relaxed atmosphere, with no speakers or formal agenda.
 
Tech startups and area entrepreneurs,aspiring students, and those who want to make new connections in the community are encouraged to attend. Raffles, "swag," and giveaways will be offered.

To register for the Collabtb Q3 Tech and Entrepreneur Peer networking event, click here. Be sure to use the hashtag #Collabtb on Twitter.

Are you, or an organization you know, hosting a tech-oriented event in the Tampa Bay area in 2016? Let us know in the comments below to have your activity included in a future 83 Degrees newsletter!