Not so long ago, talent and innovation blossomed in an area just south of Downtown St. Petersburg. City officials and community partners wanted to leverage the capabilities of key institutions—USF St. Petersburg, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and the Poynter Institute, to name a few. The point was to foster collaboration and show our initiatives to the world.
Nearly ten years later, the journey from this collaboration to our impact in industry is clearer than ever. Since our Executive Director attended the Inaugural Summit of Innovation Districts, we knew the St. Pete Innovation District was on the right track and headed toward a transformational future.
Ahead of our tenth anniversary next year, we’re sharing stories of growth and innovation. Just this month, community anchors came together to relaunch the Communications Cohort. You can look forward to regular newsletters and the return of our podcast, Innovation in the Burg, this year!
We highlight our combined successes to raise the innovation ecosystem locally and nationally. Cheers to how far we’ve come and the stories we’re writing together. More updates are on the horizon as we prepare for the tenth anniversary of the St. Pete Innovation District.
Nisuka Williams
District Community Manager
Port Security Conference – November 4 Florida’s ports are critical. Join top experts and leaders to explore the urgent challenges facing port security, from cyberattacks to smuggling. Whether you're attending in person or tuning in online, this is a must for anyone in maritime or defense. Underwater Minerals Conference – November 9 - 14 Get in the room with global leaders shaping the future of ocean resource development. From cutting-edge tech to environmental policy, the UMC brings together the brightest minds from 25+ countries for deep discussions that matter.
Thank you to all the ARK Innovation Center and Maritime & Defense Tech Hub tenants who joined us for Rowdies Networking Night with the Chamber! It was one of our first social events together and it rocked. We loved connecting outside the office and cheering on the team from the Bayshore Lounge.
We’re deep into drafting the Tampa Bay Ocean Strategy, a bold blueprint to spotlight our rising ocean economy and the region’s strategic edge. With a clear, unified message, we’re positioning Tampa Bay to attract national attention and future investment. These are the focus areas guiding our Ocean Strategy: Focus Area #1: Unify Strategic Regional Collaboration: The Tampa Bay region has had historical success aligning the triple helix of innovation - academic research, industry expertise, and public policy – to unlock the potential of its ocean economy. We have an opportunity to increase this economic impact by expanding stakeholder engagement and fully leveraging their unique assets through sustained, collaborative efforts.