SWFL Tech Pulse Podcast
Conversations Connecting Southwest Florida’s Tech Ecosystem
SWFL Tech Pulse brings together the people, ideas, and experiences shaping technology across Southwest Florida. Hosted by Community Outreach Director Chase Henderson, each episode explores what is happening across the Gulf Coast Tech Corridor through conversations with business leaders, educators, founders, technologists, workforce professionals, and community builders.
The goal is connected knowing: sharing useful experiences, ideas, and lessons that help strengthen the region as a whole. These conversations are educational and community-focused, not sales pitches. Topics can include workforce, talent, AI, cybersecurity, innovation, education, emerging technologies, the opportunities shaping Southwest Florida’s tech future.
Join The Conversation
SWFL Tech welcomes ideas and perspectives that help the regional technology community learn, connect, and grow. Podcast participation is open to members and their invited guests. If you are a member, we encourage you to reach out and share potential topics for consideration.
If you are not yet a member but have valuable knowledge, experience, or a story to contribute to Southwest Florida’s technology ecosystem, we invite you to submit a story and/or future podcast topic via our contact form.
Recent Episodes
SWFL Tech Pulse is the podcast for the people shaping what is next in Southwest Florida.
Each episode brings together founders, innovators, technology leaders, educators, and ecosystem builders for practical conversations about the ideas, companies, and opportunities moving our region forward. From AI and cybersecurity to startups, workforce development, digital transformation, and the people behind the work, SWFL Tech Pulse keeps a finger on the pulse of Southwest Florida’s growing technology community.
Hosted by SWFL Tech, this is where local innovation gets a voice.
Welcome to the latest episode of SWFL Tech Pulse!
In this episode, host Chase Henderson sits down with Jim Dobinski, a co-board member of Southwest Florida Tech and Managing Director at StellarBlue.ai. Shifting the focus from individual business tactics to the macro view of Southwest Florida, this conversation explores how the region is aggressively positioning itself at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution.
Aligning perfectly with the key findings of the SWFL Tech Pulse Report, Jim discusses the critical need to embed tech education into local universities like FGCU, the ongoing effort to break down regional silos, and why Southwest Florida's unique ambition is accelerating tech adoption much faster than other markets. Whether you are an educator, a local leader, or an entrepreneur, this episode highlights the collaborative roadmap needed to build a fully tech-enabled regional economy.
📌 What We Cover in This Episode:
- Aggressive Regional AI Adoption: Why Southwest Florida’s tech community is proving to be incredibly driven, adopting AI and new technologies much more aggressively than other established markets.
- Unifying the Ecosystem: The ongoing vision to connect isolated chambers and small tech groups into one cohesive Southwest Florida tech community, paving the way for large-scale regional summits of 200-300 attendees.
- Building the Talent Pipeline: Highlighting a core theme of the Tech Pulse Report, the conversation explores the importance of embedding AI education directly into local institutions like FGCU to create a self-sustaining workforce.
- Cycling Tech into the Economy: How establishing a strong educational foundation will inevitably feed highly skilled talent directly into local businesses, future-proofing the region across all sectors.
- A Familiar Evolution: Understanding that while new tools like AI are emerging, the fundamental strategies for regional business growth and networking remain grounded in community building and education.
🔗 Resources & Links:
- Discover SWFL Tech: www.swfltech.org
- Today's Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by StellarBlue.ai. Visit stellarblue.ai to explore how AI, digital marketing, and automation can create better customer experiences and help your organization grow.
- Read the Tech Pulse Report: Visit our website to dive into the data driving our region.
- Get Involved: Looking to help shape the future of SWFL tech? Reach out via the contact form on our website to join the movement, or subscribe to our newsletter for updates on the latest pop-up initiatives and the upcoming Annual Tech Match event.
Be sure to subscribe to SWFL Tech Pulse wherever you get your podcasts to keep your finger on the pulse of local innovation!
Recent Episodes
Episode 2: The Hidden Tech Engine of Goodwill & Bridging the Digital Divide
This episode explores how Goodwill Southwest Florida is helping bridge the digital divide through community resource centers, mobile technology access, digital literacy training, and workforce support. The conversation also looks at how AI, certifications, resume development, and soft skills can help people build confidence and become better prepared for today’s technology-driven workplace.
