Do you remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow sang about "lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"? That came to mind as I was reflecting on the past month in the Innovation District. There have been gatherings of dozens, hundreds and thousands of people to celebrate the phenomenal science and technology ecosystem in St. Pete.
Earlier this week several dozen attended the 1st Anniversary of the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. Hundreds were in attendance at the beginning of February when I had the opportunity to share our work at a national summit in Washington DC on Digital Transformation hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce. And over 12,000 attendees came to the St. Petersburg Science Festival and MarineQuest on Saturday, February 18th.
Its great to see the different ways that science and technology is flourishing in St. Pete and the engagement of all ages in these efforts.
(This article was first featured in our February 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.