Many people refer to St. Petersburg as a "big, small town." Forget six degrees of separation (aka Kevin Bacon)… St. Pete is probably three degrees of separation. I can point to numerous situations where this is in evidence. One of my most memorable was my first meeting back in St. Pete after 15 years away, I found myself at a Chamber of Commerce meeting sitting next to a high school classmate I hadn't seen since graduation.
The size and scale of St. Pete fuels collaboration. The image above is one of my favorite to show locals and visitors. 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. Our proximity and "big, small town" attitude builds strong bonds of trust. We are open to newcomers and appreciative of the wisdom of longtime locals. This creates opportunities for partnerships that bridge traditional silos and a willingness to experiment. We gravitate to big ideas and people who back those up with action. Together we flourish.
(This article was first featured in our June/July newsletter - to subscribe to our monthly newsletter click here)
Join us on our next tour of the Innovation District! Our tour will begin at the HUB, and we will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners. As we travel throughout the District, you will learn about the fascinating history and exciting future plans for the area. We will make several stops for a unique insider view of the research and collaborations underway. Participants are invited to enjoy a networking happy hour back at the HUB, where our tour will conclude.
A group of support organizations, led by the Innovation District and fueled by a grant from Duke Energy, developed our first Tampa Bay Innovation Ecosystem Map in 2023. We aim to continue guiding entrepreneurs to the best possible resources with an updated version.
Josh Rojas of Bay News 9 recently visited the Maritime and Defense Tech Hub, where he was welcomed by CEO Alison Barlow and COO Lauren Bell for a discussion about the building’s future expansion. The Hub is already home to a thriving community of companies and demand continues to grow. To accommodate this momentum, leaders are envisioning Hub 2.0, a second building proposed for the west parking lot.