After months of planning and negotiations, a five-year license agreement has officially been approved between the city and the St. Pete Innovation District to bring a much-anticipated Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.
At the City Council meeting held on Thursday, October 21st, Councilmembers enthusiastically and unanimously approved the long-awaited license agreement for the St. Pete Innovation District to take control of the former SRI International building. The waterfront facility is located on 8th Avenue SE and contains 32,386 sq. ft. of space. Built in 2009, the once single tenant building will now be the home for over 12 organizations. The future tenants of the Maritime Defense and Technology Hub not only want to leverage the unique capabilities of the building, but they want to be in a space with like-minded, future focused, technology-oriented organizations.
Alison Barlow, Executive Director for the St. Pete Innovation District, called the new partnership a win for all parties. “The concept of the St. Petersburg Maritime and Defense Tech Hub is - I dare to say it - innovative,” said Barlow. “It’s not something we have here today, and it’s not something you see commonly.”
To learn more about the announcement:
St. Petersburg Maritime Defense technology hub moving to waterfront property (fox13news.com)
It’s official: Maritime and Defense Tech Hub on the way, tenants announced (St Pete Catalyst)
source: SPID Oct Newsletter
Saildrone and Palantir have announced a new strategic partnership that is set to transform maritime security. By accelerating the deployment of autonomous systems, this collaboration unlocks advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-driven maritime solutions at scale. In a world grappling with rising global threats and a shipbuilding industry pushed to its limits, this alliance signals a seismic shift in how we safeguard our seas.
The Innovation District has partnered once again with Pinellas County Economic Development and the FIU Global Forensic and Justice Center for the annual Pinellas Defense Networking Forum. This is a great opportunity to meet with fellow defense contractors to discuss key challenges and explore potential partnerships.
The Innovation District hosts a quarterly breakfast series called Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change. At each session we explore emerging technologies, invite District partners to share their current related efforts, and engage in thoughtful (and hopefully spirited) discussions that will spark future innovation.