James Faison’s background is in marketing, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand the importance of technology.
"It's no secret that the Tampa Bay area is going through a lot of change in the tech startup space and, in general, the future is tech," he said. "We wanted to develop the community and prepare them for roles that will be predominately centered around tech and its functions."
Faison founded The MainFrame in 2017, which is a nonprofit in Tampa Bay seeking to attack the lack of diversity in tech from a multitude of angles: helping with workforce development, entrepreneurial support, research and creating a funding vehicle.
“I wanted to be able to house the components necessary or needed to build a sustainable ecosystem," he said. "Whether that's educational resources or monetary or mentorships, things of that sort, all those components are needed to build a sustainable ecosystem."
And he's specifically focusing on the importance of the black community’s involvement in the tech sector.
“We don't exclude anyone, but the reason The MainFrame has this focus is if you look at demographics from a research or funding perspective, the black community, in most instances, is the least funded and supported from a technical space," he said. "Being a black man, the way I thought I was able to be the most influential was to be able to target this demographic that I am closely related to."
And now they’re expanding their efforts worldwide. The MainFrame has teamed up with UKBlackTech, which has a similar mission based out of London.
“The grand vision five years down the road is being able to attract talent from around the world," he said. "We don't realize there are black individuals around the world, not just exclusive to the U.S., and there are organizations around the world with similar missions and objectives. I wanted to connect — just like most ESOs — with partnerships, but I wanted to take it further with international ties and allies, and create opportunities so those who are coming through The MainFrame are not only expanding partnerships but also the mind."
"if you look at demographics from a research or funding perspective, the black community, in most instances, is the least funded and supported from a technical space."
Faison is hopeful the programming will work both ways: for the entrepreneurs looking to gain or improve their skills and for businesses looking to expand their employee pool.
“What we’re doing is creating a platform to amplify what the talent is doing, whether in the corporate or entrepreneurial sectors," he said. "The thing is, I've been reached out to quite a bit from corporate entities who are looking to engage with the black individuals in the tech space. And there's a lot the (Tampa Bay) community has to offer as well that we, as the black community, aren't aware of. So we're looking to provide exposure on both ends."
He also believes the organization will create a, “If you build it, they will come” environment that will bring more black tech entrepreneurs to the area, while also giving opportunities to those currently in Tampa Bay.
“I think it will bring in new talent, but we also definitely have the talent here," Faison said. "But I believe it's relatively dormant which is why we wanted to do the events — to galvanize them and show there are options here. The talent is here."
