After months of planning and negotiations, a five-year license agreement has officially been approved between the city and the St. Pete Innovation District to bring a much-anticipated Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.
At the City Council meeting held on Thursday, October 21st, Councilmembers enthusiastically and unanimously approved the long-awaited license agreement for the St. Pete Innovation District to take control of the former SRI International building. The waterfront facility is located on 8th Avenue SE and contains 32,386 sq. ft. of space. Built in 2009, the once single tenant building will now be the home for over 12 organizations. The future tenants of the Maritime Defense and Technology Hub not only want to leverage the unique capabilities of the building, but they want to be in a space with like-minded, future focused, technology-oriented organizations.
Alison Barlow, Executive Director for the St. Pete Innovation District, called the new partnership a win for all parties. “The concept of the St. Petersburg Maritime and Defense Tech Hub is - I dare to say it - innovative,” said Barlow. “It’s not something we have here today, and it’s not something you see commonly.”
To learn more about the announcement:
St. Petersburg Maritime Defense technology hub moving to waterfront property (fox13news.com)
It’s official: Maritime and Defense Tech Hub on the way, tenants announced (St Pete Catalyst)
source: SPID Oct Newsletter
The District's favorite annual event - State of Science and Innovation - is coming up quickly. Be sure to reserve your complimentary ticket. This event features a series of fast-paced presentations by local innovators.
The St Pete Science Festival is looking for volunteers and exhibitors to participate in the February 7 School Day and February 8 Public Festival. This regional celebration of the wonders of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) is a fun event for all ages.
Kudos to our friends at the USF College of Marine Science for hosting their third Art and Science night. They welcomed artists to explore the marine science labs, do hands on experiments, and talk to local scientists about their work. Their goal was to inspire new pieces of art which will be showcased in an exhibit in early 2025.