Basha Ferdinand is the creator of CTRL+Create, a curated one-day experience that blends art, technology, and community. Photo credit: Basha Ferdinand.
Tampa Bay Tech Week is coming to the region in less than two weeks. Beginning next Tuesday, April 7th, this citywide celebration of technology, culture, and community is set to connect innovators and creators alike.
Tampa native Basha Ferdinand will co-host the event’s closing celebration at her CTRL+Create on Friday, April 10th, at Coastal Creative, 2201 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712.
Ferdinand is the founder of CTRL+Create, a curated one-day experience that blends art, technology, and community. This event marks CTRL+Create’s inaugural year, bringing in exhibitors such as Vu and Latitude Research, paired with “immersive activations” designed to both spark engagement and create meaningful connections.
“Through this event, the goal is for career opportunities, projects, and partnerships to become accessible, bridging the gap between the agencies looking for talent and the talent that is already here, rooted in this region, and ready to grow,” said Ferdinand.
TBTW will feature over 60 speakers and 20 exhibitors, including Vū Studio showcasing their latest software; Vibe Coding session powered by Loveable; Monetization Strategies & Sync Licensing, by Symphonic Distribution; and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
Signature events featured throughout the tech week include:
- April 8th: CTRL+813 Build: The Sequel; Vibe Code with Lovable at the Embarc Collective
- April 9th: Free Talent + Tech Expo at Hotel Haya
- April 10th: Tech Week Closing Celebration: Co-Hosted w/ CTRL+Create Conference at Coastal Creative
- April 10th-12th: BUP Innovation Weekend; 3-day hackathon + pitch competition
Previously, Ferdinand worked as Vice President of Program Development at Synapse Florida — a non-profit organization that hosts annual conferences celebrating the technology and innovation ecosystem in Tampa Bay. Synapse Summit has been recognized as one of the largest innovation and technology conferences in Florida throughout its seven-year run from 2017-2024. As of now, the tech summit is moving away from its annual event and focusing on year-round, targeted engagement. It was here that she learned how to build experiences, forge meaningful partnerships, and turn visions into “something impactful.”
“CTRL+Create is the direct result of that experience, a community conference built for creatives, art, and technology,” said Ferdinand.
Ferdinand’s passion for community building and event strategizing traces back to when she used to plan family events and social gatherings. Through event planning, she saw firsthand how impactful community building can be in supporting people; she further served her community through her work with several non-profits.
In 2018, she entered the tech space through a business partnership with Tampa Bay Wave and supported entrepreneurs as they grew and scaled their businesses. Almost a decade later, Ferdinand continues to align herself with work that allows her to leverage tech to build innovative solutions.
Ferdinand’s partnership with Tampa Bay Tech Week was intentional – through their partnership, she established a meet-up for local, creative talent to have “high-visibility conversation[s].” Ferdinand stated that the foundation of CTRL+Create is to deliver community and resources to creative professionals and agencies in the Tampa Bay region.
“CTRL+Create gives attendees a dedicated space to be seen, celebrated, and connected, not as an afterthought to the tech world, but as an essential part of it,” explained Ferdinand.
Through CTRL+Create, the founder aims to empower organizations to engage and amplify their impact through “intentionally crafted high-impact events.” In her role, she’s magnified Tampa’s “tech ecosystem” vision by partnering with Tampa Bay Tech Week to demonstrate that a connected creative ecosystem requires “collaborative participation” rather than a single showcase.
Photo credit: Basha Ferdinand; guests attend a meet-and-greet for Ctrl+Create.
“What happens at CTRL+Create will be a reflection of the community that’s been showing up, connecting, and investing in one another and creating a space for that to happen at an accelerated pace,” Ferdinand stated.
With ten days left until the event, there’s still time to grab your ticket.
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