Blog

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.

We will host another Trolley Tour and Happy Hour on Friday, June 13th. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and learn about the history and future plans for the area. This tour will feature stops at Albert Whitted Airport, Florida Institute of Oceanography, and The Dalí Museum. The tour will conclude back at the Hub with a networking happy hour.

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.

The Poynter Institute and the National Association of Black Journalists both turn 50 in 2025. As the organizations celebrate a legacy of impact and lasting values, they are focused on the challenges and opportunities ahead for journalists. This lively webinar will feature respected industry voices to discuss the realities journalists are grappling with today, including key issues where Poynter and NABJ can support and lead.

Join a professor, a student, and a quirky robot for a lively, unscripted conversation about AI, its promises, pitfalls, and everything in between. From ai-generated art to robot rebellions, this interactive talk will spark debate, challenge perspectives, and leave you wondering if your new robot friend is secretly plotting world domination.

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.

April’s event, Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change (GIS...Beyond Mapping) was postponed, but we're still buzzing with ideas. We’d love to know: is there a topic you'd like us to explore next?

The District extends a warm congratulations to Natalia López Figueroa on earning her doctorate in Biological Oceanography from the University of South Florida. Natalia has made significant contributions to her community, particularly through her role as Chair of the Junior Scientist Program at the St. Pete Science Festival.

Many of you know there is a small but mighty Innovation District team – Luke Farris (intern), Lauren Bell, and Alison Barlow. The District is thrilled to announce the expansion of the Innovation District team to include Nisuka Williams, District Community Manager and Amber Pacetti, Hub Coordinator. See below for brief introductions they have shared about themselves.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the inaugural summit of Innovation Districts. Hosted by the Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID), it was a chance to exchange ideas with 49 other districts from around the world. One of the most asked questions at the event was “how do we compare?”

Join us for a Trolley Tour of the District on Friday, April 18th from 1:30pm-4:30pm. This popular event is offered 2-3 times a year. It begins at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and community members.

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.

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.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) South Florida District Office has named Pat Mack, Founder and CEO of PVM, as the 2025 South Florida Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year. Kudos to Pat for this important recognition.

We have long recognized the amazing gem we have in the Salvador Dali Museum. We are thrilled to see that USA Today and its panel of experts and readers have agreed. The Dali is one of 10 art museums selected in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2025. Kudos to the Dali team!

Kudos to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital for breaking ground on a new hospital in Wesley Chapel. We are excited to see them bring specialized pediatric care closer to home for families north of Tampa Bay.

Each month our team confers about what to include in the District newsletter. We lament how to share all the amazing stories while not creating an encyclopedia (yes, I am showing by age with an old school reference). We are fortunate to have so many things going on in the District.

We are seeking entrepreneurs for an upcoming ocean enterprise accelerator. Hosted by our partner, Braid Theory, this 12-week program will focus on three aspects of commercialization: building capability, capacity and intellectual capital.

Lonestar Lunar's aspiration for the world’s first physical data center on the Moon has reached another milestone. Wednesday evening, they were part of the successful launch by Intuitive Machines. This is the second time this Hub tenant had made history.

The 7th annual State of Science and Innovation took place on January 15th at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. This favorite event was once again sold out. The in-person and online audiences heard from five innovators and one special guest about the remarkable work they are doing.

There were several accomplishments in 2024 we haven't had a chance to share yet. Thank you to our anchor institutions and partners that made this possible. 1st major grant - $13.9M NOAA 1st District Master Plan 2nd District Impact Report published 3rd year of the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub

We were excited to celebrate with Volunteers of America Florida the first birthday of Innovare on February 14th. This special moment recognized a truly "innovative" approach to housing we are proud to have in the Innovation District. You can read Innovare’s journey in a special series by the Tampa Bay Times: The Housing Experiment

2025 marked the 11th year for the St. Petersburg Science Festival and the 30th year for Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute's MarineQuest. It was a fantastic opportunity for 1200+ 4th and 5th graders on School Days and 9K+ community members on the Public Day.