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.
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.
Thank you to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (JHACH) for sponsoring and hosting our inaugural Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change breakfast. The event was kicked off by Alicia Schulhof, President of JHACH, and followed by an overview of the topic - Artificial Intelligence - by Dr. John Licato of USF's Advanced Machine and Human Reasoning Lab.
Kudos to the Volunteers of America Florida, City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County for the recent opening of the new downtown apartments, located in the Innovation District called Innovare. Innovare’s 50 apartments provide stable homes for individuals and families who earn 60 percent or less of the Area’s Median Income (AMI), including many who are transitioning from homelessness.
Kudos to the Tampa Bay Innovation Center, a technology incubator, accelerator and coworking office operating the ARK Innovation Center in the Innovation District. They recently announced the startups that will participate in their spring accelerator program. These startups offer a variety of intriguing solutions, many based in the Tampa Bay region. Keep an eye out for a showcase featuring these companies in July.
The Dali Museum is once again leveraging innovative technology to engage the audience in a deeper understanding of Dali. A recent NPR profile highlighted: Ask Dalí, a new installation based on a copy of Dalí's iconic Lobster Telephone sculpture, allows visitors to pick up the crustacean-shaped receiver, ask a question, and hear Dalí's response. The artist's voice, speaking in heavily-accented English, is made possible through generative artificial intelligence. The artist's AI voice was trained on voice samples taken from archival interviews Dalí did in English over his career.
There are many quotes about innovation and how it is fostered. I have several hanging in my office. We recently looked to these as we were deciding the name for our new breakfast series. Our brainstorming kept coming back to the concept that ideas are the beginning - they create the "spark" that fuels innovation.
Congratulations to Sarah Gilbert, Chief Operating Officer of Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital for being named a 2024 BusinessWoman of the Year honoree. We are also thrilled that Sarah has recently joined the Board of Directors for the Innovation District.
The University of South Florida (USF) has announced its intention to create a college focused on the rapidly evolving fields of artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and computing, with the goal of positioning the Tampa Bay region and state of Florida as a national leader. USF is the first university in Florida and among the first in the nation to announce plans to create a college dedicated to AI and cybersecurity.
Even with an extra day in the month, I am running late with the February newsletter. Its been a busy and exciting time. Last Tuesday we announced a new project - Catching the Blue Wave: Accelerating America’s Ocean Economy.
The U.S. had landed on the moon again after 50 years. Kudos to Lonestar Data Holdings, a Maritime and Defense Technology Hub tenant, for being part of this remarkable event.
The St. Petersburg Science Festival and MarineQuest celebrated another incredibly successful event. The multi-day program began with a proclamation by the St. Pete Mayor and City Council, included sold out school tours during the week
It is no surprise that we are talking frequently in the Innovation District about future technologies and how they have the potential to solve the "unsolvable" problems and radically change lives. Two such discussions recently highlighted advancements in artificial intelligence (AI)
Last week St. Pete Innovation District hosted its 6th State of Science and Innovation. This event highlights innovators who are doing creative, thought-provoking, and impactful work. This is always a favorite event of the year and once again the event didn't disappoint.
Kudos to our friends with Salty Science. This team of four marine scientists, including one USF professor, rowed across an ocean, for the oceans. Click here to learn more.
The Girl Scouts of West Central Florida name Alison Barlow - Executive Director of the St. Petersburg Innovation District - as one of their 2024 Woman of Distinction.
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For entrepreneurs, this network of support organizations can be challenging to navigate. The hope is that this map helps direct entrepreneurs to the best possible resources.
Blue Ring Imaging will now operate under the VideoRay umbrella and utilize in the Innovation District as an applied research and testing location.
Embracing Our Differences, an international art exhibition focused on promoting inclusion, kindness, and respect will be debuting in Poynter Park March 2nd through the 31st.
The Maritime and Defense Technology Hub continues welcome new technology companies to our community. The latest is Tocaro Blue.
The Dali recently introduced a new exhibit - Dalí & the Impressionists: Monet, Renoir, Degas & More. Curated by Dr. William Jeffett, the exhibit includes 22 paintings by 18 artists, along with 18 of Dali’s earliest paintings from the St. Pete facility’s permanent collection.
The St. Pete Science Festival is an annual regional celebration where families and the public can explore the wonders of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).
I am often asked "How does St. Petersburg compare to other Innovation Districts?" I have visited several Innovation Districts and met virtually with more. Each one is based on the same framework, sometimes explicitly and sometimes by happenstance. But their focus is different.
Kudos to St. Petersburg College (SPC) for their recent win of a grant to bolster STEM workforces in technology innovation sectors. Awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), this grant is intended to strengthen training programs and apprenticeship opportunities to ensure that individuals can build careers in STEM fields in their own communities.
Entrepreneurs and established businesses struggle to understand the Tampa Bay innovation ecosystem. Whether they are relocating or already here, the diversity of support resources spread across multiple cities and counties is daunting.