The St. Pete Innovation District in St. Petersburg, Florida has established six pillars of effort that align to the target industries identified in the Grow Smarter strategy, as well as, emphasize the critical importance of education and entrepreneurship in our growth. These are marine science, life science, data and technology, entrepreneurship, art, and education.
Facilitating the formal and informal relationships that have the potential to generate, sharpen and accelerate the advancement of ideas is a key role of the St. Pete Innovation District. To accomplish this, the District manages a portfolio of initiatives - projects, events, cross-sector working groups - that shift mindsets from competitive to collaborative and promote new discoveries.
In one of the Southeast United States’ most dynamic waterfront downtowns, the St. Pete Innovation District is the professional home to thousands of scientists, doctors, educators and entrepreneurs working together to make life better.
From the impact of oil spills on marine life to finding a cure for childhood diabetes, researchers in the St. Pete Innovation District tackle tough questions alongside colleagues in a regional marine research hub, two hospitals, a university, a world-renowned media school, a business incubator and several other public and private research organizations.
Over the last few months I have used this space in the newsletter to create a picture of what it takes to foster innovation. November 2023 newsletter: Innovation is a team sport. It requires diverse perspectives and experiences to find a creative solutions. It requires courage to try things out and be willing to learn what won’t work as much as what will work. It requires tenacity to keep going and going and going.
