Arnie Bellini

Arnie Bellini is an American businessman, technology entrepreneur and advocate of sustainability. He is the founder and CEO of Bellini Capital and founder of ConnectWise, a business management software company based in Tampa, Florida. In 2019, ConnectWise sold for $1.5 billion, making it the first Tampa Bay-based technology company to reach unicorn status.

Bellini has been involved in initiatives related to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, modernization of education, and natural resource preservation.

In 2025, Bellini and his wife, Lauren, donated $40 million to the University of South Florida (USF), establishing the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing to fill the gap of skilled professionals in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Bellini also led additional cybersecurity education and workforce readiness initiatives at USF and Saint Leo University.

Bellini has participated in sustainability efforts in Florida, including involvement in the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act and founding of the nonprofit LiveWildly.com.

Education Bellini graduated from Tampa Catholic High School in 1976. He earned an accounting degree from the University of Florida (Summa Cum Laude) in 1980 and completed his MBA in Finance at the University of South Florida in 1981 (Summa Cum Laude).

Career Bellini began his career as a technology consultant with Price Waterhouse from 1981 to 1982.

In 1982, Bellini founded ConnectWise, a business automation platform for technology service and managed service providers that became a leader and innovator in the industry. ConnectWise grew under Bellini’s tenure to over 1,200 employees and $250 million annual recurring revenue before being sold in 2019 to private equity firm Thoma Bravo for $1.5 billion.

In 2025 Bellini was named Tampa Bay Wave’s 2025 Tampa Tech Legend.

Cybersecurity Bellini has supported collaborations intended to expand cybersecurity education, workforce development, and the growth of technology companies in the Tampa Bay area. The event brought together participants from artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, academia, government, and the military.

Sustainability Bellini was involved in efforts supporting the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which designated 18 million acres of land as Florida’s Wildlife Corridor. The program has received $2.1 billion in state funding and $348 million in county funding and has reportedly protected 264,000 acres of land from development.

In 2022, Bellini founded LiveWildly.com, a nonprofit focused on public education and outreach related to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. In 2025, the series received a Suncoast Emmy Award.

In 2024, Bellini worked with Polk County, Florida to preserve 639 acres of land and establish the Bellini Preserve as a public park.

In 2025, Bellini and his wife, Lauren, purchased Eagle Haven Ranch on Lake Kissimmee, placing 2,903 acres of the Florida Wildlife Corridor under permanent protections through federal conservation programs facilitated by Conservation Florida.

Education Bellini supports modernizing education through partnerships with various institutions. In 2022, the Bellinis donated $10.6 million to establish the Bellini Center for Talent Development at the University of South Florida which provides career services, training, and internships for students. Students in USF’s Muma College of Business and Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing participate in Center programming as part of their curriculum.

In 2025, the Bellinis donated $40 million to establish the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida.

As of 2025, Bellini and his wife, Lauren, have donated $15 million to Tampa Catholic High School to support the creation of the Bellini Center for the Arts.

The Bellinis donated $1 million to St Leo University to create a modern cybersecurity curriculum to address the 4.8 million global job openings in cybersecurity.