TIDES 2026 Announces Innovation Track Speakers Advancing Technology, Entrepreneurship and Global Competitiveness

TAMPA, Fla. — September 24, 2026 — Following recent announcements highlighting its Main Stage and Trade Track speakers, the Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) today announced the first group of confirmed speakers for its Innovation Track, bringing together leaders from artificial intelligence, advanced research, entrepreneurship, defense innovation, government contracting, ocean economy and international business development.

TIDES will take place November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center. The citywide initiative, led by Mayor Jane Castor as Chair of the TIDES Host Committee and organized by Tampa Sister Cities, is designed to strengthen Tampa Bay’s global connections through diplomacy, trade, innovation, education and cultural exchange.

The Innovation Track will examine how new technologies, research, entrepreneurship and cross-sector collaboration are shaping Tampa Bay’s role in the global economy. Programming will connect academic research, national security priorities, startup development, emerging industries and international commercialization.

Confirmed Innovation Track Speakers

The first group of confirmed Innovation Track speakers includes:

• Colin Polsky, PhD, Professor & Associate Vice President, Florida Atlantic University; Director, Florida Office of the Ocean Economy, FAU
• Taylor Johnston, President & CEO, USF Institute of Applied Engineering
• Andy Bennet, PMP, President, National Center for Responsible Government Contracting
• Colonel (Ret.) Jarret Mathews, Former Joint Acquisition Task Force
• Drew Mitchell, S&T Director, U.S. Special Operations Command
• Joy Shanaberger, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Central Command
• Daniel Mitchell, EDP, Assistant Vice President, Entrepreneurship, Pasco County Economic Development Council
• Dr. John Licato, PhD, Director, USF Advancing Machine and Human Reasoning Lab
• Rakefet Bachur-Phillips, Co-Executive Director, Florida-Israel Business Accelerator
• Linda Olson, President, Tampa Bay Wave

The current lineup reflects the breadth of Tampa Bay’s innovation ecosystem, spanning university research, artificial intelligence, defense and national security, entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, international business and emerging sectors such as the ocean economy.

Additional Innovation Track speakers will continue to be announced as confirmations are finalized.

Connecting Research, Technology and Real-World Applications

The Innovation Track is designed to explore not only emerging technologies, but also how those technologies move from research and development into real-world applications, companies and markets.

Sessions will examine areas including artificial intelligence and human reasoning, advanced engineering, defense innovation, government contracting, entrepreneurship and startup scaling, international commercialization, and the growing opportunities associated with Florida’s ocean economy.

The track will also highlight the distinctive concentration of innovation assets in the Tampa Bay region, including major research universities, military commands, entrepreneurial support organizations and economic development partners.

With representatives from U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Central Command, the University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Tampa Bay Wave, the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator and regional economic development organizations, the program will bring together perspectives from institutions that approach innovation from different but increasingly interconnected directions.

Innovation With a Global Perspective

A central theme of TIDES is the relationship between local assets and global opportunity.

The Innovation Track will explore how Tampa Bay companies, researchers and institutions can build partnerships beyond the region, attract international investment, commercialize technology across borders and connect emerging companies with international markets.

The participation of organizations focused on both domestic innovation and international business reflects TIDES’ broader objective: creating stronger connections between Tampa Bay’s technology ecosystem and the people, institutions and markets shaping innovation around the world.

The Innovation Track announcement follows the recent release of the TIDES Main Stage and Trade Track speaker lineups. Additional speaker announcements across the summit’s program areas are expected in the weeks ahead.

About TIDES

The Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) is a citywide initiative focused on strengthening Tampa Bay’s international connections through diplomacy, trade, innovation, education and cultural exchange.

Organized by Tampa Sister Cities, TIDES will take place November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center and will bring together business leaders, diplomats, government officials, educators, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, international delegations and community organizations.

The two-day summit will feature main-stage discussions, specialized tracks, workshops, international delegations, networking opportunities and an international expo.

For registration, program information and continuing speaker announcements, visit TIDESTampa.com.

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Media Contact:
Alfred Goldberg
president@tampasistercities.org
Tampa Sister Cities / TIDES 2026
TIDESTampa.com