Tampa Bay Wave Welcomes 2026 Tech|X Accelerator Cohort, Powered by the Nielsen Foundation
Tampa Bay Wave has launched the ninth cohort of its Tech|X Accelerator, Powered by The Nielsen Foundation, welcoming 15 purpose-driven startups focused on solving real-world challenges through innovation.
The 2026 cohort reflects a strong emphasis on technologies that improve accessibility, inclusion and outcomes across health tech, fintech, AI, enterprise automation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing. Founders bring experience from leading organizations, such as Apple, Amazon and Boeing, along with academic backgrounds from institutions, including MIT, Harvard and Oxford.
Since 2018, Tech|X alumni have raised more than $375 million and created over 1,600 jobs, reinforcing the program’s role in advancing high-growth, impact-driven companies. That success builds on Tampa Bay Wave’s broader portfolio of more than 650 startups, which have collectively raised over $1.8 billion and created more than 7,100 jobs.
“We are proud to continue our support for the Tech|X Accelerator, which aligns with our mission to advance innovation in technology,” said Andrea Bertels, President and Executive Director of Grantmaking of the Nielsen Foundation.
This year’s cohort spans the U.S. and international markets, bringing together a diverse group of founders committed to scaling transformative solutions. Tampa Bay Wave President and CEO Linda Olson noted the program’s continued role in developing the next generation of tech leaders and strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Meet the 2026 Tech|X Cohort:
Cabana (New Orleans, LA)
Cabana is the first integrated behavioral health platform bridging clinical care and shared human experience to deliver continuous daily support and outcomes at scale.
Founders: David Black and Heather Townsend
Casera (Seattle, WA)
Casera is an AI-native enterprise case management platform that helps hospitals reduce avoidable days and improve patient progression.
Founders: Neeraj Singh Bhavani and Alex Levin
CryptoMate (Kalispell, MT and Buenos Aires, Argentina)
CryptoMate is building a future where every transaction becomes a product, enabling communities to fund their own financial growth.
Founders: Alan Boryszanski and Guido Fernando De Luca
Grovity (Miami, FL)
Grovity is an enterprise platform designed to build, orchestrate and manage a digital workforce of AI employees that automate and optimize critical business processes.
Founders: Samuel Urquijo, Manuel Steremberg, Miguel Urquijo and Juan Esteban Rios
Hybron, Inc (El Segundo, CA)
Hybron is an advanced composites manufacturing company developing next-generation materials and production solutions.
Founders: Brennan Lieu and Aaron Guo
Kneu (London, England)
Kneu Health delivers FDA-cleared, smartphone-based continuous monitoring for Parkinson’s disease and dementia, transforming everyday interactions into clinically meaningful insights.
Founders: Caroline Cake and Dr. Kinan Muhammed
LastMinute (Peabody, MA)
LastMinute is building a platform designed to help users capture and act on time-sensitive opportunities with speed and efficiency.
Founders: Leo Dassa and Leslie Hirshberg
Listra.ai (New York, NY)
Listra is the AI execution layer for accounts payable, resolving exceptions, communicating with vendors and syncing seamlessly with finance systems.
Founders: Andrew Anton and Taylor Lilley
Loyalink (Santiago, Chile)
Loyalink is an AI-native platform that transforms customer and employee experiences into actionable intelligence that drives business growth.
Founders: Cristian Pérez, Emilio Deichler, Felipe Navarrete and Miguel Correa
Opalite Health (Palo Alto, CA)
Opalite Health is an AI-powered medical interpreter that enables healthcare providers to communicate across any language barrier.
Founders: Cathleen Kuo and Alex Mehregan
Rahm Sensor Development Inc (Orlando, FL)
Rahm builds contact-free monitoring systems that detect human distress in real time.
Founder: Vik Ramprakash
Stakeholders Sustainability Index (SSINDEX) (New Haven, CT)
SSINDEX is a Yale-backed AI SaaS platform that helps companies anticipate operational risks, replace traditional surveys and optimize sustainability investments through stakeholder analytics.
Founders: Rod Castro and Ignacio Torres
Surgicure Technologies (Cambridge, MA)
Surgicure Technologies is a medical device company improving patient outcomes through innovative airway management solutions, from hospital ICUs to the battlefield.
Founder: Irena King, PhD
TechNovaTime (Pompton Lakes, NJ)
TechNovaTime turns screen recordings of healthcare employees into digital replicas that execute work inside existing systems.
Founders: Youssef Abubaker, Cameron Cubra and Andrew Gelbard
Vetavize (Orlando, FL)
Vetavize is the TurboTax for veteran benefits, helping employers reduce unnecessary healthcare costs for veteran employees through AI and automation.
Founder: Anthony Rivera
As the program gets underway, Tampa Bay Wave continues to provide founders with capital access, mentorship and strategic support, helping them accelerate growth and deliver meaningful impact.
For more information on Tech|X, click here.