Ybor City was has remained steadfastly behind the scenes while nearby Tampa has continued to grow, and it's for that very reason Adam Sheffield thinks Ybor is the perfect place to turn into a cybersecurity tech hub.
"We like the history, the feel," Sheffield, the founder of Undercroft, said. "It matches the culture of the computer community. It's more behind the scenes."
Undercroft is looking to follow in those historic footsteps by serving as a cybersecurity incubator, allowing companies to work in the 1320 E 9th Ave space while providing help as needed.
"I focused on workforce development with tech and entrepreneurs and with everything going on in Tampa Bay, we see the tech community booming," he said. "And I think it will continue to boom and as it continues to grow, we need to keep pace by providing talent for the product they're looking to bring to market."
The bootstrapped organization will be helping a slew of cybersecurity professionals, from those running their own companies to others who want access to specialized equipment. The offerings range from helping "apprentices" who could be students or self-teaching build a portfolio of work, to those who have been in the industry for over a decade. Interested members can get their own dedicated offices or, similar to coworking spaces, have a shared area.
"To my knowledge we’re the only ones doing this [concept] nationally," Sheffield said.
While cybersecurity companies are not a new concept to Tampa Bay (just ask KnowBe4, A-LIGN or ReliaQuest) the sector is relatively new to Ybor City. And according to the president of the Ybor Chamber of Commerce, it can make a meaningful splash in the economy.
"This is the kind of business we want to see here," Travis Horn said at the grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday. "I want to commend everyone for coming together and creating something unique. [Ybor City] was a sprawling urban metropolis when places like Miami were just backwater. So we're taking Tampa Bay back on the uptick, and innovation starts right here in Ybor City."
