Startup Capital - Tlh

What are the building blocks of a startup community? Beyond infrastructure (coworking, incubators, accelerators, VC funds, etc.), a community needs people. Without passionate entrepreneurs and talented people, infrastructure can go so far. Many cities around the U.S., Tallahassee included, face steep talent shortages in tech. According to the TechHire website, hundreds of IT jobs currently sit vacant in Leon County. So how can Tallahassee build up its IT workforce? For season 2, episode 7 of the Startup Capital Podcast, host Lucas Lindsey spoke with a couple people working towards an answer. Ryan Kopinsky is a local developer, tech advocate, and director of I/O Avenue, Tallahassee's newest coding bootcamp. I/O Avenue is a partnership between Domi Station, FAMU, and the Office of Mayor Andrew Gillum. The program seeks to provide an alternative option for residents looking to learn IT skills and even start new careers in tech. Joining Ryan was Jim McShane, executive director of CareerSource Capital Region. Care