Black Innovation Leaders of Florida

Prosperity Through Technology (St. Pete Edition) Day 1
2025-11-08 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Campbell Park Recreation Center, 601 14th St S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Your Guide to Money, Ideas, and Opportunity
Prosperity through Technology is a game-changing, two-day event designed for everyone who wants to improve their life, start a successful business, or find a better job in today’s economy. Forget complicated tech talk—this summit is about real-world tools, clear guidance, and accessible resources that lead to economic growth and stability. Whether you are a senior citizen, a job seeker with zero computer experience, a creative with a business idea, or someone running a long-time business, this event is for you.
You will choose the path that fits your goals:

The Talent Track: This path is for anyone looking to land a great job or transition to a career with higher pay. We start at the very beginning with Basics in Digital Literacy—teaching you how to use computers, the internet, and essential workplace tools without the stress. You will learn simple ways to use AI tools like Gemini and Co-pilot to make your job search easier, and get expert help with your resume and interview skills. We focus on building the confidence and basic knowledge needed to secure high-demand jobs.
The Entrepreneur Track: This path is your direct map to launching, growing, and funding your business idea. You’ll learn how to take a simple concept and turn it into a validated plan, and discover proven strategies for getting your first customers. Most importantly, you will connect with experts to unlock grants, capital, and investment to help your business thrive.

Join us to break down barriers, meet people who can help you, and find the resources available right here in St. Pete to help you secure a brighter financial future. Your journey starts with one decision—and it’s easier than you think.
This event is your roadmap to success, providing the hands-on demos and curated connections you need to start implementing change immediately.
To maximize your hands-on learning, all attendees (Talent and Entrepreneur Tracks) must bring a digital device. Please bring a laptop, a large tablet (e.g., iPad/Surface), or a latest-generation smartphone. This is essential for participating in practical exercises, prompts, and accessing digital tools and resources throughout the two days. If you do not have one, please let us know.
For Entrepreneur Track attendees, having a laptop or tablet is strongly encouraged to follow along with business growth tools and financial planning sessions.
See schedule below. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prosperity-through-technology-st-pete-edition-tickets-1785431917929.

Time
Track
Session
Description
Speaker

9:10 – 10:00 AM
Joint
AI Unlocked: What It Is, How to Use It, and Why It Matters Now
Demystify Artificial Intelligence. This non-technical session will explain the core concepts of AI and immediately show you how to use tools like Gemini or ChatGPT to write better resumes and emails, or generate quick business ideas. Learn the essentials every professional needs to know.
Ora Tanner

10:10 – 10:45 AM
Joint
Finding Your Fit: Tech Roles, Transferable Skills, and the New Workplace
Tech is more than just coding. Learn about high-demand roles like Project Manager, Business Analyst, and Cybersecurity Specialist, and discover how your current, non-tech skills can be your strongest asset for a seamless career transition.
Saleema Bennett

10:50 – 11:50 AM
Joint
Money Talks: Master Your Personal Finances for Professional Freedom
Financial stability is the foundation for career change and entrepreneurship. This expert panel will share actionable strategies for budgeting, building credit, managing debt, and planning for wealth, giving you the confidence to invest in your future.
Broderick Scott (mod), Gilene Janvier & Rolanda McDuffie

12:00 – 12:50 PM
Joint
Lunch & Learn: LinkedIn Blueprint—Optimizing Your Professional Presence
Turn your LinkedIn profile into a networking powerhouse. We’ll show you how to use keywords to attract recruiters and partners, craft a compelling professional narrative, and effectively use LinkedIn’s tools to research companies and opportunities.
Ebony Vaz

1:00 – 2:30 PM
Entrepreneur
The Startup Sprint: Essential Strategies for Launching a New Venture
Learn the critical first steps for turning an idea into a legitimate business. We cover legal structure, branding basics, defining your minimum viable product (MVP), and creating a clear action plan for your first 90 days.
Lloyd Reshard

1:00 – 2:30 PM
Talent
Digital Citizen 101: The Basics of Cloud, Files, and Digital Safety (Part I)
The foundational workshop for non-tech career seekers. You’ll master essential digital skills, including how to use cloud services (like Microsoft Azure) to store and share files, organize your digital workspace, and protect yourself with core cybersecurity practices.
Nyjel Dukes

2:35 – 4:00 PM
Entrepreneur
Idea to Income: Generating and Validating Your Business Concept
Stop guessing and start confirming. This deep dive teaches you how to identify market needs, brainstorm high-potential ideas, and use Lean Canvas principles to test and validate your business concept before you invest time and capital.
Lloyd Reshard

2:35 – 4:00 PM
Talent
Digital Citizen 102: Workplace Tools and Professional Networking (Part II)
This session builds on your foundational skills, focusing on the tools used in modern remote and hybrid work (Slack, Teams, Zoom). Learn how to effectively use digital communication and collaboration apps, and how to use data (like simple spreadsheets) effectively in any role.
Nyjel Dukes

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prosperity-through-technology-st-pete-edition-tickets-1785431917929.

Beyond the Block: From Code to Capital
2025-11-15 10:00 - 13:00 | The Skills Center, 5107 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL, 33610, United States
Join us for “Beyond the Block: From Code to Capital,” a dynamic event designed to empower the Black community in the Tampa Bay Area with the knowledge and tools to build wealth through technology. It is hosted in conjunction with the Tampa Bay Urban Futures Festival, founded by the Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project, held in November.
This isn’t just a discussion; it’s a strategic roadmap for the future. We’ll explore the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), and Digital Currency, showing you how to turn these cutting-edge technologies into real-world opportunities.
Our event features three expert-led panel discussions, a startup showcase, and a focused networking session. You’ll gain practical insights on:

From Prompts to Profits: Demystifying AI and learning how entrepreneurs and creators can use it to automate tasks, generate ideas, and create new revenue streams.
Building Your Digital Footprint: Exploring how to sell in the metaverse and monetize virtual goods and services using AR and VR.
Code to Capital: Using digital currency to secure payments and create a financial history that can help you qualify for essential banking services, loans, and grants.
Startup Showcase: See firsthand how local startups are leveraging these technologies to innovate and thrive.

Don’t be left behind in the digital economy. Join a community of tech professionals, leaders, and enthusiasts ready to build the future.
Date: November 15, 2025
Time: 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
Location: The Skills Center 5107 N 22nd St, Tampa, FL 33610
Ready to build the future? Register now.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-block-from-code-to-capital-tickets-1681136728209
Event Agenda: Beyond the Block: From Code to Capital

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Registration & Brunch Bites
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Welcome & Vision Setting (Dr. Wanda Eugene)
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM | Presentation 1: AI & The Creative Economy (Rose Lejiste, Martika Jones?, Ora Tanner)

Topic: From Prompts to Profits: Leveraging AI for Business & Content Creation
Description: This panel will demystify Artificial Intelligence, moving beyond the buzzwords to show how entrepreneurs, small business owners, and content creators can use readily available tools to automate tasks, generate ideas, enhance marketing, create new revenue streams, or excel on the job.

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Panel Discussion 1: Immersive Worlds & Digital Commerce (Derek Watford, Ebony Vaz)

Topic: Building Your Digital Footprint: Selling in the Metaverse & Beyond
Description: Explore the practical applications of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in the new digital frontier. Our panelists will share insights on creating virtual storefronts, developing platforms for digital services, and monetizing virtual goods.

12:15 PM – 1:00 PM | Panel Discussion 2: Building a Financial Foundation with Digital Currency (Gilene Janvier, Tarneisha Peters, Tabrisha Ruby)

Topic: Code to Capital: Securing Your Financial Future
Description: This session closes the loop, focusing on the critical link between technology and financial empowerment. We will discuss the importance of secure digital payments and how meticulous digital record-keeping is essential for building a solid financial history. Discover how this foundation can help you qualify for banking services, loans, and grants, providing your business with the necessary capital to grow.

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Startup Showcase

Description: Learn how startups in the Tampa Bay area are using these technologies.

1:15 PM – 1:30 PM | Networking & Connecting

For more information, contact Black Innovation Leaders of Florida at (813) 515-0150 or visit blackinnovationfl.org.

Prosperity Through Technology (St. Pete Edition) Day 2
2025-12-06 09:00 - 16:00 | Campbell Park Recreation Center, 601 14th St S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Prosperity Through Technology
Real Skills. Real Money Moves. Real Support.
If you’re looking for better income, more customers, or a business that actually grows, this event is designed so you don’t just learn—you leave with results.
Prosperity Through Technology is a hands-on learning experience where you will use AI tools, get direct guidance from industry experts, and connect with the organizations in St. Pete that can help you get hired, access funding, or scale your business. No tech background required. No confusing jargon. Just practical steps to move forward.
Whether you want to break into higher-paying tech careers or build a business with customers and capital, you’ll choose one of two paths:
🚀 Entrepreneur Track — Build, Grow & Get Funded
Perfect for founders, creatives, side-hustlers, and small business owners.
You will learn how to:
Turn your idea into a validated business model using Lean methods
Create systems so your business runs without burning out
Use modern marketing and AI tools to reach more customers
Prepare for grants, loans, and investment
Access procurement opportunities and larger contracts
If you’ve wanted to start or grow a business but weren’t sure what steps to take—or how to get funding—this track is your roadmap.
💼 Talent Track — Better Skills, Better Pay
Ideal for job seekers, career changers, and anyone wanting stronger digital skills.
You will learn how to:
Use computers, the cloud, and digital tools with confidence
Understand real career pathways into in-demand tech and support roles
Use AI tools like Microsoft Co-pilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT to stand out at work
Improve your resume and interviewing strategy
Get connected to local training and employment resources
If you want a better job or need a fresh start, this track gives you the skills and support to get there—starting now.
🌐 Why this event is different
You won’t just listen—you will work on your future in real time.
✔ Hands-on training with AI and digital tools
✔ Local partners who can help you after the event
✔ Resume, business model, and funding preparation support
✔ A clear action plan so you leave knowing exactly what to do next
This is not a typical conference. It’s a launchpad.
📱 Important: Bring Your Device
All attendees will participate in guided digital practice. Please bring:

A laptop, or
A large tablet, or
A current smartphone

If you do not have a device, please let us know when registering so we can assist.
🌴 A St. Pete Innovation Community Experience
This event connects you directly to the programs, mentors, and partners who are committed to helping residents and business owners build lasting, generational prosperity right here in our community.
Your next career move or your next customer may be in the room.
🔑 Your next step is one decision.
Join us to gain practical skills, valuable connections, and a path toward more income, stability, and opportunity.
Prosperity Through Technology
Your guide to money, ideas, and opportunity.

Breakfast and lunch provided.

See schedule below. Register at:
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prosperity-through-technology-st-pete-edition-tickets-1785431917929.
Luma: https://luma.com/2ju7jj1v

Time
Track
Session
Description
Speaker

8:30 – 9:50 AM
Joint
Breakfast and Your St. Pete Network: Connecting with Local Community and National Resources
Learn where to go after today. Experts from local partners will give a rapid-fire overview of the free support, capital, and training programs available to help you launch your business or transition into a tech career*. Attendees will receive a robust resource guide of organizations to help them on their journey.
Wanda Eugene

10:00 – 10:55 AM
Entrepreneur
Scaling Smarter: Leveraging Lean Stack and Marketing for Growth
Move beyond the launch phase. This session introduces the tools and lean methodologies that allow small businesses to grow efficiently, focusing on scalable processes and effective digital marketing strategies to reach more customers without overspending.
Lloyd Reshard

11:00 – 11:55 AM
Entrepreneur
Process is Power: Setting Up Systems to Handle High-Growth
You can’t scale chaos. Learn how to create simple, repeatable processes for common business tasks, from client onboarding to product fulfillment, ensuring your business is ready to grow without breaking your budget or burning you out.
Rose Lejiste

10:00 – 11:55 AM
Talent
Accessing the Cloud: Pathways to In-Demand Tech Careers
A dedicated training session that shows you how knowing cloud infrastructure works for career tracks like App Development, Banking Tech, and Customer Assistance, showcasing real-world paths to a high-paying tech job.
YearUp

12:05 – 12:55 PM
Joint
Lunch Hour: Mind Over Matter—Mental Wellness for Innovators
Career change and entrepreneurship can be stressful. Join this candid chat and guided exercise to learn stress-reduction techniques and mental health strategies essential for sustaining motivation and resilience on your journey to success.

Dr. Sh’nai Simmons

1:05 – 2:05 PM
Entrepreneur
Funding Your Future: Capital, Grants, and Strategic Investment
Demystify small business funding. Learn the difference between grants, loans, pitch competitions, and equity investment. Experts will explain what funders are looking for and how to strategically prepare your business to be “fundable”.
Lloyd Reshard

1:05 – 2:20 PM
Talent
Your Next Job Starts Now

Stop sending out generic resumes. This intensive workshop will teach you how to tailor your resume for tech roles, highlight transferable skills, and how AI can help improve interviewing techniques and more as you prepare to land your first tech role or move to a new one.
Jesus Vidaurri

2:10 – 3:10 PM
Entrepreneur
Procurement Power: Navigating the Small Business Contract Ecosystem
Accessing large contracts is a key to scaling. Learn the steps to contract readiness and how to navigate the complex world of local, state, federal, and corporate procurement to secure lucrative business opportunities.
Rose Lejiste

2:25 – 3:15 PM
Talent
AI in the Driver’s Seat: Mastering Workplace Tools (Co-pilot, Gemini, ChatGPT)
Learn to work with AI, not against it. This hands-on session focuses on practical skills for using Generative AI tools like Microsoft Co-pilot and Gemini to dramatically increase your productivity, a skill employers are actively seeking.
Ebony Vaz

3:20 – 3:55 PM
Joint
From Intent to Impact: Shifting to Action and Implementation
You have the knowledge—now what? This session provides a motivational and practical framework for turning the ideas and lessons from the last two days into a measurable action plan for your career or business, ensuring momentum continues long after the event.
Servola Frazier

Virtual Meetup & Open House
2026-01-21 16:00 - 16:50
The Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (BILF) is more than an organization—it is a statewide ecosystem of changemakers, visionary entrepreneurs, and tech professionals dedicated to closing the wealth gap through technology, advocacy, and strategic innovation.
As we kick off 2026, we are inviting new members, partners, and community leaders to join us for our Virtual Meetup & Open House. This is a dedicated space designed for you to discover how BILF can serve as a catalyst for your personal and professional growth.
Why You Should Attend:
Discover Our Five Pillars: Get a deep dive into how we drive impact through Capital, Education, Talent, Policy, and Procurement.
Meet the Leadership: Connect with our board members and committee chairs to hear firsthand about the 2026 roadmap and our vision for Florida’s innovation economy.
Statewide Networking: Join breakout rooms to meet fellow innovators from across the state—from Pensacola, Miami, and Tampa.
Find Your Path to Involvement: Learn about our specific committees and how you can contribute your skills to help shape the future of Black innovation in Florida.
Exclusive 2026 Insights: Be the first to hear about our upcoming tour dates and new funding opportunities.
Who is this for? Whether you are a tech founder looking for capital, a professional seeking to pivot into a tech career, or a community advocate passionate about economic policy, this Open House is for you.
Join us on January 21st and help us build a more prosperous and innovative Florida.
RSVP today!

Culture to Commerce: How Untapped Talent Becomes Economic Infrastructure
2026-04-08 12:00 - 14:00 | The Skills Center, 5107 North 22nd Street, Tampa, FL, 33610, United States
​What happens when community, innovation, workforce development and ambition share the same room?
​You get this.
​Culture to Commerce: How untapped talent becomes economic infrastructure.
​Join us for an energizing two-hour experience designed to connect, challenge, and equip Florida’s most forward-thinking leaders, creators, and builders. Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, scaling a venture, or simply ready to be in a room full of people who are doing the work — this gathering is built for you.
Come hungry — for knowledge, connection, and yes, light bites. We’ll move from nourishment to knowledge with a hands-on Map the Gap activity, a keynote that challenges you to think bigger, a dynamic panel of voices shaping Florida’s innovation ecosystem, and post-program networking to turn introductions into opportunities.
This is a space where ideas get traction. Come ready to participate.
​—————————–
Program Agenda
​12:00 PM
​🍽️Doors Open & Light Bites
​Arrive, settle in, and connect over a spread of light refreshments. A warm start before the program kicks off.
​12:20 PM
​🗺️Map the Gap Activity – Culture Leader – K-Marie
​An interactive, guided group exercise to identify opportunity gaps in your field, community, or venture — and map a path forward together.
​12:45 PM
​🎤Opening Address
​A focused, high-impact conversation on capital allocation, workforce development, and long-term talent pipelines.
​Founder of High Point Gamer, Derek Watford, will set the tone—framing workforce not as a hiring challenge, but as an infrastructure opportunity—and challenging leaders to rethink how and where talent is truly built.
​This opening moves from thought leadership to call to action, setting the stage for decision-makers to engage, align, and act.
​1:15 PM
​💬Panel Discussion
​Florida’s builders, innovators, and culture shifters take the stage for a candid conversation on gaps, growth, and what it takes to create lasting impact in our communities.
​1:50 PM
​📸Networking + Group Photo
​Wrap up with open networking and a commemorative group photo. Exchange info, make moves, and leave with real connections.
​2:00 PM
​🏁Program Closes
​Thank you for showing up. Now go build something.
​Our Partners
​Host by The Skills Center
​Powered by Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (BILF)
​Presented by High Point Gamer
​Supported by Tribaja Co Florida

Location

The Skills Center
5107 N 22nd St, Tampa, FL 33610, USA

BITE-CON 2026: Inside the Arenas - Day 1
2026-04-09 12:00 - 18:00 | Mana Tech Loft 10, 21 SE 1st Ave # 10, Miami, FL, 33131, United States
BITE-CON is back for Year 5 and in 2026, we’re going Inside the Arenas.
​This 2-day immersive tech conference is designed to open real pathways into the future of innovation for underserved and underrepresented communities. We don’t just talk about emerging technology we create hands-on, career-shifting, opportunity-expanding experiences around it.
​This year, all programming is organized into Arenas, curated tracks that reflect the real ecosystems shaping the future of work, wealth, and creativity.
​Who Should Attend? Students. Career changers. Creators. Gamers. Founders. Technologists. Investors. Community builders. Anyone who wants to understand where technology is going and how to be part of it.

Become a BILF Member for a FREE ACCESS code to the event.

Location

Mana Tech Loft 10
21 SE 1st Ave # 10, Miami, FL 33131, USA

Mana Tech is in the Mana Common building Downtown Miami at 21 SE 1st Avenue. Enter and take elevators to the 10th floor.

BITE-CON 2026: Inside the Arenas -Day 2
2026-04-10 12:00 - 18:00 | Mana Tech Loft 10, 21 SE 1st Ave # 10, Miami, FL, 33131, United States

Founder's Innovation Summit & Tour - Day 1
2026-04-17 17:00 - 20:00 | Kukua Institute, 300 North Reus Street, Pensacola, FL, 32501, United States
What if you could build a startup with AI… even if you’re not technical?
That future is already here.
The question is:
Will you learn it now… or later?
At the Founders’ Innovation Summit & Tour, you’ll:
🚀 Build your own AI agent
🧠 Learn how AI-native companies are being built
💡 See how non-technical founders are scaling globally
💰 Understand how to position for funding
This isn’t about keeping up.
It’s about getting ahead.
📅 April 17–18 | Pensacola, FL
Register Now!

Founder's Innovation Summit & Tour - Day 2
2026-04-18 08:00 - 17:15 | Kukua Institute, 300 North Reus Street, Pensacola, FL, 32501, United States

Beyond the Block: Build Your AI Toolkit for Work, Business, and Opportunity
2026-06-26 12:00 - 13:30
Are you leveraging AI strategically, or are you being left behind?
The rapid acceleration of the digital economy presents an unprecedented opportunity for economic growth, corporate advancement, and market disruption across the state of Florida. However, true freedom is ongoing—it requires economic freedom, continuous upskilling, and technological self-determination.
Beyond the Block is a fast-paced, 90-minute virtual accelerator engineered to demystify applied artificial intelligence. We are stripping away the hype and providing professionals, entrepreneurs, consultants, and ecosystem builders with actionable, systemized blueprints to build their own custom AI engines.
Our programs are built on radical inclusivity. While we specialize in anchoring innovation infrastructure within underserved talent corridors, our programming is fully open-access to any resident looking to accelerate their upward economic mobility.
The Masterclass Lineup

12:00 PM | Welcome & Framing: Hosted by Dr. Wanda Eugene. Framing AI as a vital tool for community uplift, wealth generation, and economic autonomy.
12:10 PM | Session 1: Building Your AI Toolkit: Anderson D. Prewitt will guide you through mapping repetitive business paint points directly to specialized AI tools to eliminate operations drag.
12:45 PM | Session 2: Plan Before You Build: Petra Robinson will conduct a live demo showing how non-technical founders can use systems thinking and AI to build technical blueprints, workflow maps, and requirements docs.
1:20 PM | Interactive Community Roundtable: Connect, map out your immediate 7-day implementation goals, and establish peer-driven execution accountability.

Who Should Attend?

Florida Small Business Owners & Founders looking to optimize overhead and scale operations.
Consultants & Corporate Professionals looking to dramatically increase their market billable rate and workplace value.
Ecosystem Leaders & Nonprofits aiming to build tech-enabled programs that satisfy macro-funder metrics.

Our Commitment to Growth: This event includes real-time interactive pulse data tracking. By attending, you will gain access to the Exclusive BILF AI Toolkit Resource Document and entry into our year-round professional ecosystem network.
