Group 2
Solutions Innovation (Continuing into 2026)
The Solutions Working Group is tasked with developing and delivering a comprehensive framework to guide innovation in accessible, affordable, and well-integrated cybersecurity technology, directly addressing the finding that over 60% of surveyed organizations struggle with existing solutions being expensive, poorly integrated, and overly complex.
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
Nurture Tampa entrepreneurs to create innovative cybersecurity solutions with a focus on making cybersecurity accessible, affordable and built for quick time to value for the user.
At a glance
What this initiative was designed to do
Rather than stopping at discussion, the group was built to produce a framework, identify promising teams, coach finalists, and run a live challenge that could surface a real winner and a real market-ready direction.
Mission
Nurture Tampa entrepreneurs building cybersecurity solutions that are accessible, affordable, and fast to adopt
Framework
Develop a practical innovation model grounded in usability, integration, and business value
Challenge
Coach the top three teams ahead of the March Innovation Challenge pitch contest
Outcome
Select a winning team through expert judging and award a $70K prize
Deliverables
Deliverable (March 2026)
The Solutions Working Group is tasked with developing and delivering a comprehensive framework to guide innovation in accessible, affordable, and well-integrated cybersecurity technology, directly addressing the finding that over 60% of surveyed organizations struggle with existing solutions being expensive, poorly integrated, and overly complex. The central objective of this framework aligns with the guiding theme to “democratize cybersecurity solutions,” positioning protection as a foundational utility accessible to all organizations, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
The primary deliverable for this working group is to select and nurture a set of candidate teams in the creation of a solution that fits the mission. The working group will arrange for the 3 best candidate teams to receive business planning and “pitch” coaching leading up to the actual “Innovation Challenge” pitch contest in March. Furthermore, the working group will organize the pitch contest and arrange for a panel of judges to be present to provide feedback and select the ultimate prize ($70k) winner.
Final outcome
A winning team and a clear proof point for the model
actualization.ai, represented by Animesh Nighojkar and John Licato, won the $70K prize based on the strength of their pitch for their new product, SquarePact.
Members
Members of the Solutions Innovation Working Group
The working group combines strategy, entrepreneurship, investment, public-sector, and startup support expertise, creating a practical environment for identifying and developing mission-fit solutions.
Cross-functional working group participants
These members represent university leadership, entrepreneurship support, funding, startup advisory, and regional economic development perspectives.
University & Strategy
- Richard Berman, Associate VP Strategy, USF
- Dirk Libaers, Director, Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, USF Muma College of Business
Innovation Ecosystem & Funding
- Elizabeth Nelson, Program Director, Florida High-Tech Corridor
- Jake Felman, Director, Legal, Florida Funders
- Evan Erickson, Senior Director of Partnerships, Embarc Collective
Entrepreneurship & Advisory
- Seydou Dembele, Founder/CEO, KARMAI Consulting LLC
Economic Development
- Jennifer Whelihan, Economic Development Manager, Hillsborough County
Coaches
Coaches
The top candidate teams were supported with communications and business planning coaching to sharpen their positioning, improve investor-facing clarity, and strengthen their pitch performance ahead of the competition.
Kristen Koenig
Communications Coach, Embarc Collective
Ksenia Moskalenko
Business Planning Coach, Florida High Tech Corridor
Judges
Amit Agrawal
Amit Agrawal leads investor readiness and engagement at Tampa Bay Wave, growing its network to 700+ investors and helping portfolio companies raise over $1.76 billion, including $500 million in 2025. He is now launching Wave’s first investment fund to expand early-stage capital in the region. Amit also oversees Advisory Councils and the Mentor network, driving innovation across the community. Previously, he held finance and operations leadership roles at Amazon, Cardinal Health, and Fidelity, and launched a successful gaming app at Highlights for Children. Amit is focused on driving results, optimizing operations, and maximizing value for founders and stakeholders.
Zach Brodsky
Zach Brodsky is a Senior Associate at Florida Funders, where he supports one of the Southeast’s most active early-stage venture firms, backing 100+ startups and deploying over $300 million. He focuses on deal sourcing, founder engagement, diligence, and investment strategy, and manages The Florida Institute fund supporting high-growth tech companies across the state. Zach is active in Florida’s startup ecosystem through USF Connect and the University of Florida’s Warrington Ventures. He began his career in data operations with Major League Baseball, earned his MBA from the University of Tampa, and is a former collegiate baseball player.
Dr. Tim R. Holcomb
Dr. Tim R. Holcomb is CEO of Embarc Collective, supporting 135+ early-stage tech companies with a 96% survival rate, 1,300 jobs created, and $700M+ raised since 2019. A seasoned entrepreneur and educator, he is also Co-Founder and Partner at 1809 Capital and has advised companies that have collectively raised nearly $2B. His past roles include leadership positions at Miami University and Florida State University. With 35+ years of global experience, including Accenture, Flex, and TGS, he holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M and an MBA from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
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