The last two weeks of November were packed with amazing discussions about how we can design future places and activate existing spaces in the Innovation District.
We began with a workshop of 50+ private industry, academic, government and nonprofit partners who are working in Tampa Bay's Ocean Economy. They discussed our regional assets and identified several opportunities for innovation. We will be integrating these discussions into our work with startups in 2025, as well as the development of a Tampa Bay Ocean Economy strategy.
We also hosted a series of focus groups for our District Master Plan. These groups explored aspirational ideas for the activation of spaces, multimodal transportation, mixed use development, and the interconnection of the port, airport and arts areas. Participants shared their hopes for future resilient infrastructure, flood management, enhanced safety, and new support services such as a daycare and workforce housing. There will be additional focus groups including dedicated neighborhood sessions after the holidays.
Finally, we hosted our quarterly Morning Spark breakfast to explore Future Air Mobility - vertical electric flight with pilot and autonomous. The participants heard from experts, discussed the applicability for Albert Whitted Airport and other parts of the City, and created a list of questions that were provided as a suggested starting point to the upcoming City task force on the topic. Our next Morning Spark will be December 11th.
I am looking forward to using these ideas as a launchpad for 2025!
Alison Barlow
Executive Director
Our summer youth tours are in full swing, and the learning hasn’t stopped. So far, we’ve hosted students ranging from elementary school to college age, with over 60 individuals touring the Innovation District. They’ve explored the world of phytoplankton with scientists from FWC and learned the basics of flight from the team at St. Pete Air.
Our next Tech X-Change will feature Dr. Ahmed introducing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS, a FDA-cleared treatment that uses electromagnetic pulses to stimulate neurons in specific parts of the brain found to be under-active due to depression. TMS is a breakthrough technology that has helped thousands of individuals treat, and even overcome their depression when traditional treatments like medication and talk therapy have not provided enough relief.
We’re developing a Tampa Bay Ocean Strategy and your input is a vital part of this process. Your feedback helps guide the course ahead, making sure this strategy reflects the needs and strengths of our coastal community.