Last week St. Pete Innovation District hosted its 6th State of Science and Innovation. This event highlights innovators who are doing creative, thought-provoking, and impactful work. This is always a favorite event of the year and once again the event didn't disappoint. Personally I love the event for two reasons. First, my inner nerd gets a chance to learn something new (someday this trove of knowledge will win me a trivia contest). Second, I get energized by the ingenuity of our community members. I am confident that if we held an entire day of presentations it would be full of fantastic stories. Imagine 6 hours x 6 mins presentations = 60 presentations!!!
I want to thank the speakers so much for contributions! Its nerve racking to be asked to summarize your entire world into 6 minutes and then to be told you won't have control of the slide clicker. They always rise to the occasion and do fabulous. Please check out these speakers - visit their spaces (if possible) - and support their work.
The 2024 Speakers were:
Some of these organizations (and many more) will be hosting exhibits at the Science Festival and MarineQuest on February 10th. I hope to see you there!
Alison Barlow
Executive Director
To read more about the 2024 State of Science visit St. Pete Catalyst and I Love the Burg.
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.