Domi 2.0: Where We've Been and Where We're Headed

This summer Domi rocketed by its 2nd anniversary. It's been a wild ride, but a ton of incredible things have happened thanks to the hard work, creativity, and relentless drive of hundreds of Tallahassee's finest entrepreneurs. An angel investment network launched. Then they put their money where their mouth was. Startups have been acquired. Storefronts have opened (bonus example). Partnerships have formed. Events have been thrown. Tech celebs have visited. New programs have launched. Awards have been won (by awards we mean plural; like, a lot of them; ok, we’re really done this time). We were ranked a top 50 city for entrepreneurs. And, not least of all, NASA landed in TLH.

But what's past is prologue. The future is why we’re all here, and we’re happy to report that the future is bright. Over the next year, we plan to do two things: 1. Double down on what's working and 2. Increase impact through new initiatives. These include improvements to our Get Started incubator program, the launch of a research commercialization series in partnership with FAMU and the Florida Institute, a strong focus on increasing diversity in our startup community, and forays into K12 code education. Stay tuned over the next few months as we release more information about each of these important initiatives.

Another thing you can expect to see are new faces and strategic shifts in Domi’s full-time staff. As a cofounding partner, Micah Widen served as Domi’s leader and CEO for more than two years. He worked tirelessly to build a startup community in Tallahassee and laid a strong foundation for Domi’s future. Micah has transitioned to serving on our board, where he will continue to create and invest in partnerships that return significant value to the capital-region.

Similarly, Domi’s former Incubator Manager, Christine Urban, also sits on our board, focusing her energy on research commercialization and diversity initiatives. In a show of true commitment to entrepreneurship, Christine has launched a healthcare tech startup called BloomDot. If you haven’t heard of it, you can find out more here.

Domi’s mission--to educate and empower early-stage entrepreneurs--will be executed by three full-time staff. Lucas Lindsey will serve as our Executive Director. Sabrina Torres will serve as our Community Manager. And Dominick Ard’is will join the team as our Director of Incubator Programs and Operations. Lucas, Sabrina, and Dominick will be backed by an active board of advisors and a passionate community of entrepreneurs. Domi’s board currently includes cofounders Micah Widen, John Vecchio, David Lawson, and Jake Kiker, as well as Christine Urban, David White, Yuh-Mei Hutt, Reis Alsberry, and Christic Henry. Each board member brings experience and vision to the table, rounding out a committed and capable team.

Over the last two years, we’ve come to realize that Domi isn’t just another building down by the railroad, a network of ambitious creators, or the best place to spend Happy Hour on the first Friday of each and every month. It’s much more than that. If we build it the right way, it’s not about any one organization. It’s about a community-wide movement.

It’s about a rising tide of people that believe in this city, in this state, and in the South. It's about a forward-thinking, future-building, critics-be-damned group of leaders banding together to leverage shared resources, build upon each other's shoulders, and get things done.

We’ve spent years building a startup community, and we’re ready to spend years continuing to accelerate its growth. Whether it means investing in local startups, putting your company through Get Started, or simply attending an event--come on over, get involved, and let's build the future together.