CyberBay Working Groups
Bridging Thought Leadership and Real-World Action
The CyberBay Working Groups are a core feature of the CyberBay initiative, serving as our continuous engine for progress. We move beyond theory by creating a direct link between high-level thought leadership and tangible, real-world action.
In all cases, our Working Groups are spawned directly from the data-driven insights derived from our annual CyberBay Surveys.
By identifying the most critical infrastructure gaps and challenges in our community, we commission targeted groups to develop practical, industry-aligned solutions.
- 3 Distinct working groups commissioned in October 2025.
- Survey-led Each group is spawned directly from insights derived from CyberBay Surveys.
- 2 Continuing Solutions Innovation and Workforce Development continue into 2026.
- 1 New Group Cyber Insurance is being launched as the new 2026 working group.
Overview
Bridging thought leadership and real-world action
01
Data first
02
Targeted action
Each group is designed to address a specific gap through practical recommendations, product concepts, pilot pathways, or implementation programs.
03
Program continuity
Groups can conclude, continue, or evolve into new commissions, creating an ongoing cycle of progress rather than one-off summit conversations.
Why they exist
Every group starts with a real ecosystem gap.
CyberBay uses annual survey data to identify the most critical infrastructure gaps and community challenges, then commissions targeted working groups to develop practical, industry-aligned solutions.
Translate CyberBay survey findings into targeted action plans
Pair regional thought leadership with deliverables that can be demonstrated or deployed
Create continuity from one summit cycle into the next
2025 recap & status
Three groups commissioned, three different outcomes
In October 2025, we commissioned three distinct working groups to address critical needs in the Tampa Bay cybersecurity ecosystem. Here is a look at what they have accomplished and where they are heading:
Completed
Group 1: Undergraduate Academic Curriculum
This group focused on evolving undergraduate cybersecurity education to better align with real-world employer needs.
The outcome
The group devised a cloud-based application that guides aspiring cybersecurity professionals to relevant educational paths by aligning job descriptions with the NIST/NICE framework and eventually producing a course schedule using offerings from USF and St. Leo University.
What’s next
Because the application showed strong market potential for talent pipeline development, Bellini Capital and portfolio companies SkillBit and ConnectSecure will take development forward as a commercial product. The working group has successfully completed its mission.
Continuing in 2026
Group 2: Solutions Innovation
This group’s mission is to nurture Tampa entrepreneurs to create accessible, affordable solutions that deliver on the promise of the democratization of cybersecurity.
The outcome
Its efforts manifest as the recurring annual Innovation Challenge. At CyberBay Summit 2026, actualization.ai won the pitch competition for SquarePact from a pool of 3 finalist teams, themselves narrowed from 7 candidates, and will receive $70K in prize money.
What’s next
The 2027 program will continue selecting candidates from proposal submissions, providing pitch coaching from investment professionals, and culminating in a shark-tank-style presentation to an audience and judging panel from the investment community.
Continuing in 2026
Group 3: Workforce Development
This group convenes leaders from industry, government, and academia to examine the persistent gap between what universities are producing and what employers actually need.
The outcome
The group defined its work in two phases. Phase 1, from October to March, focused on gaining a strong grip on the challenge and produced foundational research plus an insightful report on the true nature of the talent shortage.
What’s next
Phase 2 begins in April and focuses on launching pilot programs that address the issues identified in the research, especially around relevant, experiential hands-on learning that employers demand.
2026 program
Continuing momentum and adding a new commission
As the Undergraduate Academic Curriculum group sunsets and the Solutions Innovation and Workforce Development groups continue their work, CyberBay is launching a new working group for 2026 focused on Cyber Insurance.
New commission
Cyber Insurance Working Group
CyberBay’s 2026 Survey identified Cyber Insurance, alongside federal and state regulations, as the most influential external factor compelling organizations to improve their cyber hygiene. In response, the Cyber Insurance Working Group is being formed to explore how to normalize the criteria for insurability and simplify cybersecurity risk management for the CyberBay community. The group is currently under formation.
Program direction
The Working Groups model is evolving into a repeatable operating system for CyberBay:
survey insight identifies pressure points, targeted groups develop solutions, and the strongest outcomes either continue as active programs or mature into new products, pilots, and community initiatives.