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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We have recently seen two pilot projects expand and grow for positive impact beyond the Innovation District.
Innovation is Creativity with a Job to Do
There have been gatherings of dozens, hundreds and thousands of people to celebrate the phenomenal science and technology ecosystem in St. Pete.
Inspiring creative thought about Poynter Park and others
What does the future look like in 5 or 10 years?
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.
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.
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.
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 St. Petersburg Innovation District hosted our 5th annual State of Science and Innovation to showcase local innovators and their stories.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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).
The St. Pete Innovation District is excited to announce the release of our new website (From the June 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).
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)
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)
Remember that these four spots in the Innovation District have outdoor dining. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
Consider your next office at this waterfront location. (From the March 2021 SPID newsletter)
St. Petersburg Innovation District released a report at the end of 2020 that reviewed what has been accomplished over our first four years.
The St. Petersburg Science Festival is looking for scientists, technologists, researchers, etc. to feature in a year-round Scientists in the Sun online campaign.
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
October Newsletter: State of Science Video - Podcast - Tour
District Update - NCIS, Housing, Kid Inventions, S'Mores
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.
This month learn about our 2018 plans and check out upcoming events.
Welcome to our new monthly e-newsletter! Learn about innovative ideas and projects in our community.
Marine Science and Data Analytics are two of the target industries in St. Petersburg (learn more at Grow Smarter).
Three Saildrones made their way into Tampa Bay and back to the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.
As one of the oldest leadership programs in America and a division of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership St. Pete® seeks to identify, recruit and develop leaders who represent the diversity of our local community
The St. Pete Science Festival will be live in 2023. This annual event will be returning to the USF St. Petersburg campus, along with Florida Fish and Wildlife's MarineQuest on February 17 and 18, 2023. Exhibitor registration is now open. School group registration is coming soon. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again!
