Ebony Vaz (second to right) with innovators and leaders at the 2022 Synapse Summit conference.
The Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (BILF) is changing the economic architecture of the Tampa Bay area. With co-founder and board president Ebony Vaz at the helm, BILF works tirelessly to close the gap between local talent and established businesses, furthering the growth and expansion of Florida’s technological economy.
The Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (BILF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uniting and providing access, education, advocacy, and technical support to Florida organizations and leaders, while also focusing on elevating innovation in the black community. As board president of BILF, Vaz leads and connects visionary leaders dedicated to architecting Florida’s future economy.
“My role is to bridge the gap between complex economic systems and local talent, ensuring that resources aren’t just available but actually land in the hands of Floridians who can drive growth,” said Vaz.
The nonprofit organization operates across five pillars: Capital, Talent, Education, Procurement, and Public Policy. Through these values, Vaz stated that BILF turns “theoretical frameworks” into tangible, measurable statewide impact.
Founded in 2022 during Black History Month, BILF has evolved from a resource-sharing group into a robust “resource house” for the state of Florida. Some key milestones it accomplished are securing grants to hire local organizations to deliver specialized training; providing strategic public commentary to the White House and OpenAI on emerging technology and national security; and placing professionals into underfunded schools during the Great American Teach-In.
In recent events, BILF is working on its 2026 Innovation Tour and, in addition, a high-impact immersive experience, “Beyond the Block: From Code to Capital”. The tour will head to Miami for BITE-CON (April 9-10), followed by Pensacola (April 17-18), with stops in Orlando and Tallahassee. Their tours will include educational offerings designed to build pathways to high-wage roles. Discussion topics featured in the tour are listed below:
- – Innovation PD for Educators: Arming teachers with the latest AI and cybersecurity tools to modernize their classrooms.
- – IP Launchpad: Providing the professional training necessary for entrepreneurs to protect their intellectual property.
- – Innovation Pipeline: A comprehensive program that takes residents from entry-level positions to skilled tech professionals, fostering true economic mobility.
Locally, BILF has partnered with The Skills Center, Tribaja, and Big Stage Energy to be featured on a panel titled “Culture to Commerce: How Untapped Talent Becomes Economic Infrastructure” during Tampa Bay Tech Week on Wednesday, April 8th at 12pm, at The Skills Center. Tampa Bay’s Tech Week is a multi-citywide celebration of technology, culture, and community set to connect innovators and creators alike.
Vaz stated that BILF’s vision for “Florida’s innovation economy” is to serve as a force multiplier, whether by helping organizations relaunch or connecting legacy foundations with grassroots innovators.
“Our roadmap is focused on building that ‘connective tissue’ across the state. We are uniting Florida’s leaders to provide the advocacy and technical education that elevates the entire state’s standing,” explained Vaz.
In 2024, BILF launched its IP Launchpad Program and partnered with Kukua Institute as an official “Innovation Hub.” Designed to empower Black entrepreneurs with knowledge and resources to protect their intellectual property, their shared partnership provided innovators the chance to hold “protected, scalable assets” that would attract capital and create jobs.
“Our partnership with the Kukua Institute established a physical and virtual ‘Innovation Hub’ that gives talent a platform. By combining our network with their community-rooted expertise, we’ve provided entrepreneurs with the technical tools to navigate complex legal and filing processes,” explained Vaz.
The following year, BILF provided trademarked and patented education to 33 businesses, while simultaneously providing $165,000 in community savings on attorney fees and loans through its IP Launchpad program.
Simultaneously, BILF’s Innovation Pipeline Project works to ensure no Floridians are left behind in the digital economy by providing access to AI and VR (Virtual Reality) through transformative workshops to the public free of charge.
“By connecting residents to high-wage tech roles and training business owners in modern, tech-enabled marketing systems, we are fostering long-term wealth creation rather than temporary assistance,” said Vaz.
As of 2026, BILF launched their “Last Mile Fund,” which provides final-stage support for innovators ready to cross the finish line into commercialization or in need of mentorship or employment certification.
This year is full of hopeful expectations as BILF works to make Florida the international standard for inclusive economic growth.
“At BILF, we aren’t just talking about the future; we are architecting it,” Vaz proudly stated.
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Ebony Vaz, Board president and Co-Founder of Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (left) and Servola Frazier, CEO of Motivate Enterprises (right) at the 2024 White House Summit on STEMM Equity and Excellence, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM).
