AMPLIFY Clearwater unveils IGNITE Entrepreneurship Center powered by Duke Energy, awards $30,000 to two small businesses at its Spring 2024 business incubator program’s ‘Pitch Night’
CLEARWATER, FL – Less than a year after launching the first business incubator program focused on Tourism Innovation in the State of Florida, AMPLIFY Clearwater unveiled the name and naming rights sponsor of its full-service entrepreneurship center yesterday, June 25th, at its Spring cohort’s Pitch Night event. IGNITE Entrepreneurship Center, powered by Duke Energy, will house the program among a growing list of additional resources and upcoming initiatives.

“Small and locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs contribute to the vitality of our communities,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “At Duke Energy, we understand the importance of collaboration, innovation and investments to support the economic growth of our communities. It is a privilege to work alongside AMPLIFY Clearwater to power Florida’s growing population of small businesses that are cultivating a vibrant and sustainable tourism ecosystem.”
Congratulations to our graduating cohort and to our Spring 2024 Pitch Night winners!
Judges Ben Friedman, Duke Energy Florida Economic Development Specialist, Yolanda Goodloe, Procurement Specialist for the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center at Pinellas County Economic Development, and Dr. Emmanuel Hernandez-Agosto, Dean of the College of Business at St. Petersburg College, awarded WakeSurf Tampa the first place, and Street Level One, LLC the second place. Third place winner Jet's Pizza (Gulf to Bay location) received a prize from Revenue Generating Activities (RGA) valued at over $1,500, including an in-kind membership.

Here is the full list of our Spring 2024 graduating cohort:

  • Baez Family Enterprise, LLC
  • BayWest Digital 
  • ClearWake Water Sports
  • I Love Clearwater
  • Jet's Pizza
  • Street Level One, LLC
  • Style City Music, Inc.
  • The Wine Down Blue, LLC
  • Wakesurf Tampa
  • Way2Go
Support IGNITE Entrepreneurship Center
Officially launched in October of 2023 with the first cohort of its tourism incubator program, IGNITE Center will continue to be a resource for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business creation and growth.

Located inside AMPLIFY Clearwater headquarters at 1346 S. Fort Harrison Avenue in Clearwater, IGNITE plans to serve some of the 100,000+ small businesses in the Tampa Bay region to drive sustainability, improve resilience, and attract new economic development opportunities.

We need your help to continue providing services to entrepreneurs who are in a critical stage of growth; please follow the links below to donate your time, talent and/or treasure, or to sponsor this program of work:
THANK YOU TO OUR PITCH NIGHT SPONSORS:
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IGNITE ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER, VISIT AMPLIFYCLEARWATER.COM/IGNITE