Ideas can take months, even years to move from a nascent concept into a tangible outcome. Some ideas die in this forming stage. Others make it through after hours spent designing the solution, securing funding, soliciting partners, and otherwise proving that the concept is worthy of moving forward. In the Innovation District, where ideas are our currency, this is a typical scenario that we go through daily. It takes patience – and then more patience!!!
Eventually an idea takes shape and the outcome we had hoped for becomes real. For those that have been working behind the sciences to mold and refine the idea, it is a relief. For those that see the result for the first time, it is a chance to marvel at the magic that makes St. Pete special.
The Innovation District has had many celebrations over the first few months of 2022. Its been a whirlwind. Kudos to the teams behind the scenes and their enthusiastic supporters that made the following possible:
There are more projects coming. They are in the forming stage. We hope they will be successful, but we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, I am working on being more patient.
Thanks!
Alison Barlow
Executive Director
[from the Innovation District May 2022 Newsletter]
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.