Fuel Tampa’s Future: ASH Community Investment Day - Business Events

Andrews Strategic Holdings will host Fuel Tampa’s Future: ASH Community Investment Day on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa. The initiative has one objective: putting direct resources behind Hillsborough County small businesses, students, and families.

ASH will commit $1 million in community investment and support through the initiative.

The centerpiece is the ASH Tampa Small Business Fund, with $500,000 committed to 20 Hillsborough County small businesses selected before the event. Each recipient will receive $25,000 in growth funding, along with six months of complimentary financial, analytics, technology, and strategic support from ASH portfolio companies. Funding will prioritize independently owned businesses with clear plans for job creation, expansion, or measurable neighborhood impact.

ASH will commit another $250,000 to workforce development, working with CareerSource Tampa Bay to fund training scholarships and certification assistance for Hillsborough County residents pursuing careers in technology, financial services, cybersecurity, logistics, construction, and other growing industries.

The remaining $250,000 will establish the ASH Future Leaders Fund, providing scholarships and paid internship opportunities for local students pursuing business, technology, finance, engineering, and entrepreneurship pathways. ASH will invite Hillsborough County Public Schools and the University of South Florida to help connect eligible students with the program.

Community Investment Day will serve as the public launch and recipient celebration, rather than a sprawling expo. Fund recipients, participating students, workforce candidates, ASH representatives, and community partners will be invited to share their goals and explain how the resources will be used.

Applications will be free. Eligibility requirements and selection criteria will be published in advance, and funding recipients will be required to provide six-month progress updates.

ASH will publish a public impact report detailing funds distributed, businesses supported, training scholarships awarded, internships created, and subsequent outcomes.

This is not a promise to someday invest in Tampa. ASH is committing resources now and will publicly report what they accomplish.

Why It Landed This Way

Highly credible, locally grounded commitment with specific allocations, named partners, transparent selection criteria, and measurable follow-up. The focused launch format fits the scale better than a generic expo. Public attention should be strong locally, though execution will depend on clear recipient selection and timely reporting.

What Players Should Expect

This event gives the business its strongest bump during the first 24 hours, followed by a smaller lingering boost for the next few days.