Join us for a Trolley Tour of the District on Friday, April 18th from 1:30pm-4:30pm. This popular event is offered 2-3 times a year. It begins at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and community members. As we travel throughout the District, you will learn about the history and future plans for the area. We will make several stops for an insider view of the research and collaborations underway. The tour will conclude back at Hub with a networking happy hour.
The Innovation District hosts a quarterly breakfast series called Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change. At each session we explore emerging technologies, invite District partners to share their current related efforts, and engage in thoughtful (and hopefully spirited) discussions that will spark future innovation.
Each month our team confers about what to include in the District newsletter. We lament how to share all the amazing stories while not creating an encyclopedia (yes, I am showing by age with an old school reference). We are fortunate to have so many things going on in the District.
There were several accomplishments in 2024 we haven't had a chance to share yet. Thank you to our anchor institutions and partners that made this possible. 1st major grant - $13.9M NOAA 1st District Master Plan 2nd District Impact Report published 3rd year of the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub
Are you looking for a new opportunity? Join the St. Petersburg Innovation District Team!
The District's favorite annual event - State of Science and Innovation - is coming up quickly. Be sure to reserve your complimentary ticket. This event features a series of fast-paced presentations by local innovators.
Are you like me? Give me a physical map and I get excited! Maybe its a carryover from the pre-GPS days, but I think it is such a fun way to explore an area.
Kudos to Lauren Bell, the Innovation District's Hub Community Manager, for her acceptance into the Leadership St. Pete Class of 2025. Lauren is a rock star at the Innovation District.
The Innovation District and six partners were recently selected to help grow startups that are working on technology/data solutions for the ocean economy. This powerful collaboration is made possible thanks to $13.9 million awarded by the NOAA Ocean Enterprise Accelerators program.
What are the emerging ideas in urban design and living? Do ideas such as micro transportation, water taxis, and mixed-use development trends have a place in the future of St. Pete?
The last two weeks of November were packed with amazing discussions about how we can design future places and activate existing spaces in the Innovation District.
A group of 40+ Tampa Bay business and nonprofit leaders, academics, and government representatives joined us on June 24th to discuss the NOAA Ocean-Ready Climate Resiliency Accelerator grant. Their guidance helped us to craft what we hope to be a winning proposal.
Saildrone and NOAA captured video from inside Hurricanes Helene and Milton from saildrone SD-1083.
Imagine a day when you jump in an electronic, autonomous air taxi in St. Pete and head to Tampa International Airport or even to Orlando. This concept is not as far off as you would imagine.
Orlando Health, the private non-profit that runs Bayfront Hospital, recently announced the latest addition to Innovation District: The Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute – Bayfront.
Kudos to the Tampa Bay Innovation Center for its recent additions. Nine bay area tech startups are part of the Fall 2024 cohort
The last couple of months have been challenging - physically, emotionally and mentally. Small moments of normalcy like celebrating Halloween are strange and welcome - at the same time.
Imagine a day when you jump in an electronic, autonomous air taxi in St. Pete and head to Tampa International Airport or even to Orlando.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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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.
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.
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.
The District Trolley Tour is a unique opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and see innovation in action. The tour starts when you board the Trolley and meet your fellow passengers who have diverse interests and experiences but one thing in common - excitement for the Innovation District.
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.
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.
The term "innovation" is used to describe many things - a product, an idea, or even a place. I've tried over the years to find another word to use instead. Its an interesting challenge.
Hub tenants SummitET and The Darkstar Group have been recognized as fastest-growing private companies in America as part of Inc. 5000 2023. Both SummitET and The Darkstar Group share a common thread of innovation, resilience, and a forward-thinking approaches.
The size and scale of St. Pete fuels collaboration. Its hard to imagine another place where this amazing collection of innovators are sitting side-by-side from NOAA to Poynter Institute to the hospitals to the Dali... and everything in between.
Do you know a University of South Florida (USF) student who has business idea they want to start? USF is accepting applications to its incubator program.
Are you a science nerd? Curious to learn about the work of the Innovation District's U.S. Geological Service (USGS)? Check out this virtual seminar Tuesday, June 13th at 12:00 p.m. EDT.
Summit Exercises and Training LLC (SummitET®), a tenant of the Innovation District's Hub, has launched a new preparedness video podcast befittingly entitled “Bridging the Gap”, in which subject matter experts (SMEs) discuss the challenges that the preparedness and response community (e.g., first responders) face before, during, and after crises. Its fascinating to learn from the experts about these important topics.
New ideas are the foundation of innovation. These ideas can be born mythically in a garage, coffee shop and often in a research/academic setting.
In December 2023, four marine scientists will row 3000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean. This all-women team, Salty Science, has strong ties to our local community.
Sometimes you can get so busy you forget to pause, look around, and see what others are working on. When I do take the time, opportunities to meet with others are always energizing.
Innovation is Creativity with a Job to Do
We have recently seen two pilot projects expand and grow for positive impact beyond the Innovation District.
What does the future look like in 5 or 10 years?
Inspiring creative thought about Poynter Park and others
There have been gatherings of dozens, hundreds and thousands of people to celebrate the phenomenal science and technology ecosystem in St. Pete.
Mark your calendar! Next month - Saturday, February 18 - is the St. Pete Science Festival in conjunction with MarineQuest. Kids and adults will have opportunity to explore science and technology first hand with over 40 exhibits from NOAA, USF, Firestone Grand Prix, and more.
The Maritime and Defense Technology Hub is one year old! No matter which date you use to mark the milestone - lease, move-in, ribbon cutting - this is an achievement worth celebrating.
Curious what can happen when the USF College of Nursing and the St. Pete Innovation District work together? Listen to this 15 minute podcast conversation between Dean Usha Menon and Alison Barlow.
It is daring to declare 2023 as the year of transformation for the St. Petersburg Innovation District. Especially since we reached new heights in 2022 that we had not even considered when the District began six years ago.
The St. Petersburg Innovation District hosted our 5th annual State of Science and Innovation to showcase local innovators and their stories.
There are shared spaces... and then there are shared communities. Spaces, while important, are will not yield results such as innovative products/services, new grant funding, or joint ventures unless you spend dedicated time building a community within the space.
Is there a project, technology or service that you think is innovative in St. Pete? We would love to learn more and potentially feature it in our monthly newsletter.
When I joined the Innovation District I was amazed at how many world renowned thought-leaders worked in St. Petersburg, particularly within the District boundaries. They are the keynote speakers at conferences, authors who publish reports that guide innovations in their field, and chairs of national and international committees.
Data is helping make sense of what happened during Hurricane Ian, being used by CDC to mitigate health risks, and can drive future economic opportunities from the ocean. You are using data in your life and/or work more than you ever have before.
The Tampa Bay region, led by the St. Pete Innovation District, is poised to be a leader in the growing New Blue Economy. This is a different approach than the traditional blue economy. The New Blue Economy is a knowledge-based economy - data and technology lead the way for deeper analysis of challenges and opportunities in the marine environment.
While much of the Hurricane Ian recovery is focused on land, District partners at NOAA have been collecting data about what happened with the water, and assessing safety of the waterways.
Members of the Innovation District have been critical in the lead up and recovery after Hurricane Ian. Their work has local, state-wide and even national impact.
"Extreme Water Levels During Hurricane Ian" describes the path of the Hurricane and the resulting record high and low water levels across the state.
District organizations are taking time to give back to the community, especially with youth. Thank you to everyone for your efforts to inspire the next generation of our STEAM workforce.
The Innovation District has had many celebrations over the first few months of 2022. Its been a whirlwind.
Volunteers of America of Florida broke ground November 5 with a new affordable project on 5th Avenue South. The project will bring 50 new affordable mixed-use housing units to the market and is aimed at low-income earners.
Duke Energy is finalizing a new state-of-the-art substation in the St. Pete Innovation District. This unique facility is changing not only the look of a traditional substation but increasing safety and performance. Watch the video above to learn more.
The St. Petersburg Innovation has been nominated for a Good Burger Award!
The Innovation District recently received two honors.
The Sunshine City and its sparkling waterfront parks recently became the center of Tampa Bay's red tide crisis. Rafts of dead fish were washing ashore quickly, and workers picked up tons of dead marine life from the coastline in recent weeks (From the July 2021 SPID newsletter).
Local youth recently conducted a series of interviews with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) professionals in our community about their careers (From the July 2021 SPID newsletter).
A city-owned building at 450 8th Avenue Southeast in St. Pete will soon become a hub for marine science, defense, and technology companies (From the July 2021 SPID newsletter).
“One of my dreams, and COVID proved it, is that internet is a utility like water, that everybody should have,” said Alison Barlow, executive director of the St. Petersburg Innovation District and co-lead of the Digital Inclusion Working Group (From the June 2021 SPID Newsletter).
The St. Pete Innovation District is excited to announce the release of our new website (From the June 2021 SPID newsletter).
Consider your next office at this waterfront location. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
Remember that these four spots in the Innovation District have outdoor dining. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
Have you ever felt at a loss for how to assist a friend or colleague? Do you know the resources available for mental illness or addiction? A study released by the CDC in August 2020 found that 40 percent of U.S. adults (2 in every 5) are struggling with at least one serious mental health issue during the pandemic. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
Kudos to the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership for their 2nd annual Downtown St. Pete Development Guide. This report highlights what we all know and love about St. Petersburg. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
The St. Petersburg Science Festival is looking for scientists, technologists, researchers, etc. to feature in a year-round Scientists in the Sun online campaign.
St. Petersburg Innovation District released a report at the end of 2020 that reviewed what has been accomplished over our first four years.
Join us for our first Gadgets for Good drive of 2021.
We are collecting gadgets to support members of our local community who do not have access to technology.
The November newsletter recaps the last 2 years of the District, shares information about a collection of old gadgets for good, and invites everyone to the Grow Smarter Summit.
The September newsletter focuses on 30 Days of Science, Technology and Innovation.
State of Science event in September, updates on two new capabilities for the District
Red Tide Recap, New Pedestrian Crossing, Latest Podcast and Four Cool Events
District Update - NCIS, Housing, Kid Inventions, S'Mores
October Newsletter: State of Science Video - Podcast - Tour
Grand Opening - Podcast Launch - October Events
Learn about upcoming events, international partners, and creative use for 3D printers.
Explore Interconnections,plus Health of Pinellas County and a Visit by the Co-Founder of LinkedIn.
How the District is Nurturing the Future Workforce:Female Scientists, Nontraditional Techies & Kindergarten Prep
Seeking speakers for IGNITE Tampa Bay… plus guest columnists talk about Innovation in the District in our latest newsletter
This month learn why creative collaborations are our secret sauce.
