Tampa Bay Wave Inc
Tampa Bay Wave Inc. is a Tampa, Florida-based public charity and technology startup accelerator. The organization describes itself as an entrepreneur-led innovation community that helps technology startups build, launch, and grow; its 2025 filing says it is headquartered in downtown Tampa and used 14 employees through a professional employer organization that year.
Key facts about Tampa Bay Wave Inc
In short: Tampa Bay Wave Inc gave $1.9M across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $94K), top state Florida. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 27-4779851
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,871,372
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- Average grant
- $93,569
- Median grant
- $70,000
- Total assets
- $2,806,538
- Primary geography
- Florida (35% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$2.8M
+81.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
Grant Count
20
Avg Grant Size
$94K
Mission & Focus Areas
Tampa Bay Wave states that its mission is to accelerate Florida’s innovation economy by helping entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions and scalable businesses in Tampa Bay and elsewhere. Its website describes accelerator support for technology startups across areas including cybersecurity, health technology, fintech, and ocean technology, as well as a non-vertical program for startups across categories.
The 2025 filing describes accelerator programs with executive coaching, structured programming, industry mentoring, strategic introductions, and preparation for investor meetings. It also describes a membership program offering peer community, mentorship, networking, and curated benefits. The filing describes a seed-fund project as an investigation into launching a fund for early-stage equity investments in qualified startups that have participated in Tampa Bay Wave programming.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Tampa Bay Wave reported 20 grants totaling $1,871,372. Grant amounts ranged from $11,756 to $454,758, with a median grant of $70,000. The listed grant purposes were “start-up innovation.”
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Tampa Bay Wave states that it works to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Tampa Bay and across Florida, while its mission also refers to communities elsewhere. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states: Florida accounted for 35%, California 26%, Massachusetts 8%, Maine 7%, and Washington, D.C. 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Seaworthy Collective ($455K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 9 grants of 20 (45%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Seaworthy Collective Miami, FL | Start-up Innovation | $454,758 |
| Braid Theory Inc Los Angeles, CA | Start-up Innovation | $360,273 |
| St Petersburg Innovation District St Petersburg, FL | Start-up Innovation | $110,333 |
| Marine Technology Society Inc Washington, DC | Start-up Innovation | $105,643 |
| Hawaii Ocean Power Solutions Kaneohe, HI | Start-up Innovation | $90,000 |
| Tini Scientific Seattle, WA | Start-up Innovation | $85,000 |
| Clean Earth Rovers Inc Cincinnati, OH | Start-up Innovation | $75,000 |
| Fleet Robotics Boston, MA | Start-up Innovation | $75,000 |
| Dottir Labs Inc Brookline, MA | Start-up Innovation | $74,589 |
| Oceanfarmr USA Portland, ME | Start-up Innovation | $72,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,806,538 | $4,673,679 | $4,523,511 | $1,871,372 across 20 grants |
| 2024 | $1,548,870 | $2,553,769 | $2,512,960 | 0 grants reported |
| 2023 | $1,899,329 | $1,902,546 | $2,078,214 | 0 grants reported |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,806,538 | $1,548,870 | $1,899,329 |
| Revenue | $4,673,679 | $2,553,769 | $1,902,546 |
| Expenses | $4,523,511 | $2,512,960 | $2,078,214 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,972 | $1,320 | $11 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 13, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Linda Olson as president/CEO; Santo Cannone as board chair; Alfred Goldberg as vice president; Elizabeth Urbanski as secretary; and Catherine Wilhem as treasurer. It also lists Marcus Adolfsson, Rob Brown, Kathy Chiu, Diana Hayes, and Taylor Johnston as directors.
Tampa Bay Wave Inc is led by Linda Olson, President, CEO & Director since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 5 of 30 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Linda Olson
President, CEO & Director
CEO → President & CEO, 2024
President & CEO → President, CEO & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$79K (2020) → $169K (2025)
Santo Cannone
Board Chair
Vice Chair → Director, 2022
Director → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Munassi
Accelerator Managing Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$204K (2024) → $204K (2025)
Dolores Garcia
Director of Development
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$115K (2022) → $135K (2025)
Amit Agrawal
Director of Investor Relations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$110K (2025)
Diana Hayes
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kailah Matyas
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lance Raab
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nick Outman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Penny Parks
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob Brown
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Smith
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Weiner
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcus Adolfsson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miraj Patel
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Milligan
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Inga Schmitzer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Chiu
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Model
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Murray
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Shanahan
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aaron White
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Ryan-Reneer
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lew Jolly
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shane Needham
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Taylor Johnston
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Demelza Genest
Chief Operating Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$153K (2025)
Alfred Goldberg
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Wilhem
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Urbanski
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Alex Sink (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Brian Deming (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Charlotte Baker (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: David Eason (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Kostas Stoilas (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Madeline Dent (2020–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Cathleen Ryan Reneer (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Nicholas Outman (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Yvette Segura (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Greg Celestan (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Chuck Papageorgiou (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Gerwai Todd (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Travis Milks (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Joseph Hodges (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Martin Traber (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Robert Brown (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Doug Blitzer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Joe Hodges (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Lindsey Kimball (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Marty Traber (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Lou Prida (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Scott Conlon (2021) — Director
- Former: Chandra Clines (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Julia Macgregor-Peralta (2020) — Director
- Former: Rene Gallant (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $204K, to Richard Munassi (Accelerator Managing Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 501 E Kennedy Blvd 650, Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (866) 928-3066
Website: https://tampabaywave.org
Frequently asked questions about Tampa Bay Wave Inc
How much does Tampa Bay Wave Inc give each year?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc gave $1.9M across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What is Tampa Bay Wave Inc's typical grant size?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc's median grant in 2025 was $70,000, and its average grant was $93,569, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Tampa Bay Wave Inc give grants?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc's top state is Florida, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (26%) and Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants), Portland, ME (2 grants), St Petersburg, FL (2 grants) and Tampa, FL (2 grants).
Does Tampa Bay Wave Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Tampa Bay Wave Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Start-up Innovation" (20 grants).
Who are Tampa Bay Wave Inc's largest grantees?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Seaworthy Collective ($454,758), Braid Theory Inc ($360,273) and St Petersburg Innovation District ($110,333), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Tampa Bay Wave Inc?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.7M.
What does Tampa Bay Wave Inc fund?
Tampa Bay Wave states that its mission is to accelerate Florida’s innovation economy by helping entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions and scalable businesses in Tampa Bay and elsewhere. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tampa Bay Wave Inc?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check tampabaywave.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Tampa Bay Wave Inc's EIN?
Tampa Bay Wave Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4779851. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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