The last couple of months have been challenging - physically, emotionally and mentally. Small moments of normalcy like celebrating Halloween are strange and welcome - at the same time. Last night, the Innovation District participated in USF's Halloween Fest with our Mad Scientist booth. It was so much fun to see the kids dressed up, and the USF and City decorated vehicles/tents.
Just before the storms we held our first focus group for the District Master Plan. We are working now to reschedule the sessions that had to be moved. The new schedule will be published on our website by early next week. In the meantime, we continue to collect ideas via our online tool (click here).
We are also had to reschedule our breakfast on Future Air Mobility and have set a date for our next workshop on Ocean-Ready Climate Resiliency.
I hope you enjoy your treat (or trick) tonight. Happy Halloween!
Alison Barlow
Executive Director
Last month, the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub kicked off the school year with a lively Retro Back-to-School themed Happy Hour. Tenants brought their families, and the space was filled with throwback snacks, classic laser backdrop photo ops, and plenty of nostalgic fun.
Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay's 3DE initiative connects high school students with local and national businesses, giving them hands-on experience in problem-solving.
October always feels like conference season — a time when professionals from around the world gather to exchange ideas, explore emerging trends, and strengthen collaborations. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the OCEANS 2025 Conference in Chicago, a global gathering for those advancing ocean science and maritime technology.