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. Together we brought new technology jobs to St. Pete, facilitated collaborations that yielded new grant funding and revenue for local organizations, and fueled projects that are energizing our community.
Our plans for 2023 build upon those past successes and seek to take advantage of the incredible opportunities ahead. They include future development that addresses housing, shared amenities, office space, and entrepreneurial incubation; untapped potential for growth in our target industries; and development of "next generation" careers in science and technology.The top four priorities for the District in 2023 are:
In addition to these priorities, there are dozens of activities ranging from digital inclusion to youth STEAM education that we are planning as well. 2023 will be busy and if we do it right - the impact of our efforts will be transformational.
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.