Welcome back to Innovation in the 'Burg, a podcast all about science and innovation in St. Petersburg. This week, Alison Barlow, executive director of the St. Pete Innovation District, hosts the brains behind Pure Molecular: John Paul and Bob Ulrich. Joining as community member is Jason Mathis of the St. Pete Downtown Partnership.
Paul and Ulrich first co-founded Pure Molecular with technology to identify fraudulent fish (particularly grouper) in the marketplace. Now, the application of that technology has expanded to red tide detection, and biomedical applications. They talk building and scaling a business based in scientific research, and share where they're going next. Mathis talks priorities as CEO of the Downtown Partnership, communicating the Innovation District's story and how marine science and its applications uniquely position St. Pete as a future city.
To listen: https://stpetecatalyst.com/podcast-episodes/innovation-in-the-burg-pure-molecular-jason-mathis/
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.
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 to participate in hands-on activities exploring all facets of STEAM. Kudos to the sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers and Steering Committee for another successful year.
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.