Welcome back to Innovation in the 'Burg, a podcast all about science and innovation in St. Petersburg. This week, Alison Barlow, executive director of the St. Pete Innovation District, hosts the brains behind Pure Molecular: John Paul and Bob Ulrich. Joining as community member is Jason Mathis of the St. Pete Downtown Partnership.
Paul and Ulrich first co-founded Pure Molecular with technology to identify fraudulent fish (particularly grouper) in the marketplace. Now, the application of that technology has expanded to red tide detection, and biomedical applications. They talk building and scaling a business based in scientific research, and share where they're going next. Mathis talks priorities as CEO of the Downtown Partnership, communicating the Innovation District's story and how marine science and its applications uniquely position St. Pete as a future city.
To listen: https://stpetecatalyst.com/podcast-episodes/innovation-in-the-burg-pure-molecular-jason-mathis/
What's next for launching rockets into space? Launching rockets from the sea. With limited land availability and significant costs, companies like Seagate Space see a game-changing solution in developing offshore launchpads. There is also a sense of urgency as other countries have included offshore infrastructure as part of their space strategy. Seagate Space and The Spaceport Company are positioned to lead the way for Florida in this new frontier.
The St. Petersburg Ocean Team is the premier consortium for marine science and related research, education and entrepreneurship in the Southeast. The Team is comprised of over 20 complementary firms, government entities, and institutions that are located near one another, many in the St. Pete Innovation District, that draw advantages from their proximity as well as the similarities between their workforce and vendor needs.
April’s Tech X-change was a hit, thanks to an engaging presentation from Digital Twin Marine. Shoutout to all the Eckerd College students who joined us! The audience was curious and interactive, asking great questions and eager to try out the virtual reality headset.