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What We Built Together This September at Groundswell
Here’s your monthly dose of everything exciting happening in our community and beyond.
Groundswell Startups
September 30, 2026
September in Review
We are proud to welcome Mark Ingram, Partner at Corridor Legal, to Groundswell’s Board of Directors.
Coconut Breeze Media, AAF Space Coast, and Groundswell partnered to host Build Your Own CRM in Softr, a workshop series for local business owners. If you missed it, check out the workshop recap here.
This month’s Swell Hour was sponsored by Cailum Blue. They specialize in building enterprise-grade agentic AI workflows using Salesforce Agentforce, Amazon Bedrock, LangChain, AutoGen, and CrewAI.
We loved hosting the Central Florida Tech Grove team to discuss opportunities for our startups and upcoming prize challenges!
Codecraft Works launched their CyberSecurity camp and hosted their kick-off meeting at Groundswell.
Celebrating 30 years of Cypress Bank & Trust! We are proud to have them as a partner helping fuel innovation on the Space Coast.
Community Events & Meetups
🍲 Member Lunch | Wednesday, October 14th at 12 PM
Enjoy this month's member lunch! Catering by Olive Garden.
🚀 Launch on Florida’s Space Coast | Tuesday, October 20th from 5 PM - 8 PM
Launch on Florida's Space Coast is a community-driven event connecting job seekers with recruiters, business leaders, and advocates.
🎤 Pitch Practice (Spooky) | Tuesday, October 27th from 5 PM - 6:30 PM
Pitch. Refine. Repeat. Join our quarterly pitch practice sessions to test your deck, strengthen your narrative, and get actionable feedback from peers and mentors.
🍻 Swell Hour: Mix and Mingle | Thursday, October 22nd from 4 PM - 6 PM
Come mix and mingle with other community members! Sponsored by the Space Coast Adventurers Guild.
🎲 Guild Game Day | October 17th, 18th from 12 PM - 7 PM
Join the Space Coast Adventurers Guild for their monthly Guild Game Day, where you can dive into various games like Dungeons & Dragons and more!
🧙♂️ Magic The Gathering: Commander Nights | October 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th from 6 PM - 10 PM.
Join the Wizards of the Space Coast for Commander Nights and connect with local players. RSVP on Discord for upcoming events.
Food Truck Fridays 🍟 Rolling Js - October 2nd from 12 - 2 PM |  |
Swell Spotlight
 | From Late-Night Searches to a Care Platform. BrightPath’s Junko Gardenour turned her hardest experience as a parent into an AI-powered platform helping families navigate autism and disability care. Through Groundswell, she found the team members, mentors, and support that shaped the company. Her advice to other founders is simple: don't wait for the perfect team to start building. 👉 Read the full story here.  |
Team Spotlight: Abril Gerenschtein
 | Please join us in congratulating Abril Gerenschtein on her promotion to Operations & Social Media Coordinator at Groundswell Startups! |
Opportunities
M&A Advisory Panel | Register Here
October 7, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Dragonfly Farms, Palm Bay, FL
A practical panel with Central Florida M&A advisors, investment bankers, and valuation experts covering business valuation, exit strategy, due diligence, and PE vs. strategic buyers.
IMAPS Florida Workshop | Register Here
October 22, 2026 | OC Building, 194 NEOCITY Way, Kissimmee, FL
A technical workshop on advanced electronic packaging and processes for DoD and commercial applications.
Vertex Innovation Expo | Sign Up to Exhibit
November 6, 2026 | 1:00 – 5:00 PM | Vertex Applied Innovation Hub, Florida Tech
Free exhibit space for startups and organizations with a product, demo, or STEM program to showcase. Open to the public with workshops, lab tours, and networking.
Recycle Brevard Fix It! | Learn More
November 14, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Front Street Civic Center, Melbourne
Bring broken items: eyeglasses, electronics, bikes, clothing, small appliances, and more! Volunteer fixers will diagnose and repair them on the spot. Pre-registration opens October 1 and is encouraged but not required.
I/ITSEC 2026 | Learn More
November 30 – December 3, 2026 | Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
The world's largest modeling, simulation, and training conference: 500+ exhibitors, 8,000+ visitors, and government, defense, and industry leaders all in one place.
Florida Venture Forum | Apply Here
Deadline: Rolling
Seed, early, and growth-stage companies seeking venture capital are invited to apply to pitch at upcoming Florida Venture Forum events. Applications are open year-round.
HLTH's Startup Pitch Tournament | Learn More
Deadline: Rolling
Apply to compete on stage in front of top investors and industry leaders across categories like Women’s Health, AI, Diagnostics, Consumer Wellness, and more. Open to startups under five years old with less than $8M raised.
Startup of the Year Summit | Apply Here
Deadline: Rolling
Hosted by Established, this high-energy event connects top startups with investors, mentors, and corporate leaders.
 Click the image to RSVP to the event. | There’s still time to join Pitch the Future 2026! The capstone pitch competition of the Space Coast Initiative, featuring early-stage startups from across Florida pitching high-tech solutions to investors, partners, and ecosystem leaders. 🗓️ November 13th, 2026 👉 For more information, please visit www.spacecoastinitiative.com |
Help us welcome our new members!
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Not sure how to get involved? Reach out at [email protected] and let’s connect!