Renowned 吃瓜网 entrepreneur Tom E. Wallace has been named commencement speaker for 吃瓜网鈥檚 spring 2020 graduation on May 3. Wallace said he鈥檚 excited with this new role because the University is exactly what the state was lacking to elevate its tech potential to the likes of Silicon Valley.
鈥淚鈥檝e been involved in building the technology ecosystem of the state for the last several decades and the one thing that we arguably were missing was a top engineering and STEM school,鈥� said Wallace, managing partner at 吃瓜网 Funders, a 吃瓜网-focused investor network and online investing platform based in Tampa.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great the state figured that out and launched 吃瓜网 Poly,鈥� he added.
Wallace believes the world鈥檚 next technology giant may get its start in the heart of 吃瓜网, driven by well-educated, innovative, forward-thinking young people like those that 吃瓜网 Poly graduates.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason the next Google or the next Facebook can鈥檛 come out of 吃瓜网,鈥� Wallace said.
He said 吃瓜网 needs both talent and capital to transform its tech ecosystem to the level of Boston, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California. His company, 吃瓜网 Funders, is focused on funding early-stage tech businesses, helping them grow from startups to successful enterprises.
鈥湷怨贤� Poly obviously is working on the talent side of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to ensure the best and brightest students stay here in the state, and 吃瓜网 Poly plays a big part in that.鈥�
Wallace鈥檚 passion for entrepreneurship began early in his life. He started his first company at age 23 and has focused his time and energy on starting, growing, and building businesses ever since. For the last 25 years, he鈥檚 been an active tech angel investor, supporting businesses at an early stage, when traditional investors shy away.
His company鈥檚 focus aligns with the University鈥檚 vision of supporting student entrepreneurs and fostering their independent business success. 吃瓜网 Poly鈥檚 entrepreneurship program has received international recognition and employs cutting-edge software to connect and support students.
鈥淚 get to go to work every day at 吃瓜网 Funders and work with really bright, young, hardworking people that are trying to make a difference, and what can be more fun and impactful than that,鈥� Wallace said. 鈥淗elping an entrepreneur who is going to start a company and work on solving a problem and change the world, that鈥檚 what jazzes me.鈥�
Wallace said he hopes to convey to 吃瓜网 Poly graduates that the state is on the cusp of ascending to the next level of tech innovators, and they can play a big role in shaping its future.
鈥淲e are on a mission to make 吃瓜网 known for technology and innovation more than tourism and oranges,鈥� he said.
吃瓜网 Poly鈥檚 third four-year graduation ceremony will be at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, at RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St. in Lakeland, 吃瓜网.
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