How Synapse is Transforming Tampa Bay through Innovation Ecosystems

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Innovation and Florida are in the same sentence at Synapse, a company that’s deploying a ground-breaking methodology to connect all business personas within a multifaceted ecosystem. Brian Kornfeld, co-founder and Head of Operations at Synapse, is featured on this episode of Social Business Engine and shares the inspiring story behind this breakout company’s impact on innovation in a region that isn’t widely recognized for innovation.

Brian explains the 3 key elements to Synapse and shares why the timing has never been better for innovation and entrepreneurial ventures to flourish in the Tampa Bay area. He also offers insights into the 2019 Synapse Innovation Summit and what’s to come for the company’s future. This conversation includes examples of innovative companies in Tampa Bay and is key to understanding why Florida is a hotspot for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The 8 different personas found in business and entrepreneurship are all united under the Synapse ecosystem. Brian and Bernie’s conversation provides insights into the value of this ecosystem in the Tampa Bay Area and throughout the state of Florida, so be sure to listen.

This episode is sponsored by SAP. Download the ungated case study titled, “Savvy Social Selling the SAP Way.” You’ll learn how SAP sales reps fill their sales pipeline with deals that are 560% larger on average when using social selling techniques. Download the case study without a form to fill out. It’s ungated.

Synapse: 3 Platforms Uniting the 8 Business Personas

Synapse was born out of a desire to create a connected business community in the Tampa Bay area to accelerate innovation. It’s improving the brand of the city by joining innovation and entrepreneurship while boosting the economy. Synapse has 3 main platforms: publishing, web platforms, and live events. These 3 platforms cohesively focus on the 8 personas Brian and his team believe are critical to business growth:

1. Entrepreneurs
2. Investors
3. Government Agencies
4. Service Providers
5. Large Scale Corporations
6. Talent (people)
7. Educational Institutions
8. Entrepreneurial Incubators

The Tampa Bay business community has been energized over the past decade and its growth shows no signs of slowing. Synapse is helping to overcome the stigmas of “no money, no talent, no customers” that has plagued the area. Brian shares his passion for Synapse and its goals in a way that may convince you to relocate to Tampa Bay, or expand your business footprint in the area, so be sure to listen.

Using Live Events and a Powerful Digital Platform to Achieve the Synapse Vision

Synapse’s two largest platforms, web and live events, seek to achieve two main goals: enabling connections in the local community and attracting people to the Tampa Bay innovation ecosystem. The web platform is an online community that spans the geographical distance that separates businesses across the state of Florida, not just in Tampa Bay. The platform is free to join and offers members multiple ways to connect with other members including: 1 to 1 connections, innovation challenges sponsored by local businesses, articles and videos, local events, jobs and internships, topical discussions and more.

The idea behind the Synapse web platform is to make it easy for anyone in the local business community to thrive by providing an ecosystem that encourages collaboration and innovation whether you’re starting a new business or you want to expand your current business in the area.

The second annual Synapse Innovation Summit was held in March 2018 and brought over 3,200 attendees to Tampa Bay and injected an unprecedented level of energy and buzz into the local entrepreneurial sphere. Brian explains that “It made a dent in the universe” in Tampa Bay and his team is already planning the Synapse Innovation Summit 2019.

Future Goals for Synapse and the Innovation Ecosystems in Tampa Bay

Brian’s biggest goal for Synapse in the coming years is to accelerate the community feel of the innovation ecosystem that exists in Tampa Bay. He wants to engage “The other 90%” of the community that’s not currently connected to Synapse.

Hosting corporate innovation challenges, bringing in world class speakers for the Synapse Innovation Summit, and producing better research results on smaller budgets are all goals the Synapse team is focusing on. If you’re interested in learning how you can harness the energy Synapse is creating in Tampa Bay to inspire and accelerate innovation, give this episode your full attention.

Featured on This Episode

• Connect with Brian on Linkedin
• Follow Synapse on Twitter: @SynapseFL
• Synapse website and platform
• Synapse’s 2018 Innovation Summit
• Tech Data company
• Publix stores
• ConnectWise company
• ARTICLE: “5 Insights for Entrepreneurs”
• USSOCOM agency
• University of South Florida College of Engineering

Outline of This Episode

• [0:31] Bernie introduces his guest for this episode, Brian Kornfeld of Synapse
• [1:46] What is Synapse?
• [3:02] The 3 major platforms of Synapse
• [5:24] Why the timing’s right for Synapse to grow and accelerate in Tampa Bay
• [8:44] The brilliant idea behind Synapse’s web platform
• [12:35] Injecting creative energy into Tampa Bay through the Innovation Summit events
• [14:46] Brian looks toward the future of Synapse

Resources & People Mentioned

Be sure to download the case study – Social Business Journal Volume 11. It weaves together the narrative of social selling success factors at SAP, our sponsor for this episode. It’s available for download, ungated here.

• Grab your copy of “Savvy Social Selling the SAP Way”

• The Selling With Social Podcast with Vengreso CEO, Mario Martinez, Jr

Connect With Bernie and Social Business Engine

• https://www.facebook.com/socialbusinessengine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernieborges/
• https://twitter.com/bernieborges
• https://twitter.com/sbengine

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This podcast originally appeared on Social Business Engine

Download Social Business Journal Volume 11 – The case study where SAP tells all about their secrets to social selling success…Not a secret anymore. Their global enterprise software sales team is achieving billions in sales pipeline. Download the ungated case study – no form to fill out – just click to open the case study in your browser – go to https://Vengreso.com/sap and learn the secrets to sales success at SAP through social selling strategies.

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