Nocatee's the Link creates new forum for entrepreneurs as region climbs startup rankings

Since 2019, Duval and St. Johns counties have quietly developed into a destination for startup innovators. This also happens to be the same year that Raghu and Gurpreet Misra first conceptualized the link — an 16,000-square-foot innovation and community hub in Nocatee that is focused on collaboration, co-working, and education

In the latest episode of Florida Business Minds, Jacksonville Business Journal small business and retail reporter Matt Denis sits down to chat with the link founder Raghu Misra and Chief Strategy Officer Randall Thomas who discuss their part in an emerging innovation ecosystem in Northeast Florida.

Startup founders in the region now have several options where they might seek direction to expand small- to mid-sized businesses. In turn, these startup incubators have hatched from a nascent industry into a dynamic ecosystem with specialized nodes and a variety of functions, which together, are designed to uplift ambitious founders.

This ecosystem now attracts national attention. Jacksonville, for example, just landed the No. 5 spot on CommercialCafe’s ranking for best large U.S. cities for startups, “an unexpected breakout in a landscape typically dominated by coastal powerhouses,” according to the Business Journal.

Since 2025, this coverage and the efforts of innovation founders like Raghu Misra at the link, Jason Englehart at Silicon Beach and (coming soon) Ryan Smith at the Innovation Hub have led to participation from resonant voices in the startup world. Innovation panels provide a forum for startup entrepreneurs to present and earn mentorship from leading academics, venture investors and notable founders.

On Jan. 15, Misra and new Chief Strategy Officer Randall Thomas held the first “Innovation Symposium” at the link. The Innovation Symposium is a biweekly series that offers a platform for companies and entrepreneurs to showcase products and services that can succeed in a digital world.

“These don’t have to be geeky,” Misra said. “Our whole idea is, how are we helping people think like a founder? How can they think like a problem solver? Innovation doesn't have to touch a line of code. Innovation is a new way of solving a problem.”

Not only can they learn from a rotating panel of industry experts, but there is opportunity to connect with fellow innovators. In turn, the link wants to contribute to Northeast Florida becoming a hub like the Capital Factory in Austin, where Thomas is originally from.

“One of the staples of the Capital Factory is the events they hold. You can go there essentially anytime during the week, and there's somebody speaking, somebody teaching, somebody giving some kind of value,” Thomas said.

That value comes from an integrated innovative environment. Misra and Thomas’ vision is to create a place that tangibly bubbles with novel ideas that grow into truly impactful businesses.

Presented by TECO Peoples Gas, the Florida Business Minds audio series features candid conversations with business leaders from the Orlando, South Florida, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville regions.