Back in 1914, the first commercial air flight in the world took off from St. Petersburg to Tampa. Perhaps that is the first spark of innovation that continues well into the 21st century, sprouting a creative ecosystem that is flourishing today.
Greater Tampa Bay has a long history being on the cutting edge of developments in science, health care, technology, aviation and numerous other sectors, with impacts that are felt close to home and around the world. It has also been the birthplace of technology startups.
Innovations Tracing Their Roots to Greater Tampa Bay
- The Center for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital has revolutionized the life-saving treatment for newborns with this condition to over a 90% survival rate — the best nationally.
- New technologies using biomaterials derived from cactus plants can expand the molecular removal of heavy metals, bacteria, sediments, radioactive isotopes, volatile organic compounds and hazardous concentrations of fluoride and ammonia from water and soil. Researcher and Professor of Engineering Norma A. Alcantar from the University of South Florida has successfully demonstrated its use in many applications around the world, including Mexico, Bangladesh and notably in Port-au-Prince, Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
- Total Cancer Care, with personalized protocols for the treatment of cancer and information/decision tools, is used by clinicians worldwide. Developed by William Dalton, former president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, his research in molecular mechanisms of drug resistance led to this discovery.
- Tampa Bay Neuroscientist Dr. Paul R. Sanberg’s work has been instrumental in understanding and developing new pharmaceutical and cellular therapeutics for stroke, Alzheimer’s, ALS, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s disease and Tourette syndrome. His research has involved discovering innovative ways to repair the damaged brain and has helped lead the team that demonstrated the use of umbilical cord blood-derived cells for neurological disease.
The St. Pete Innovation District serves as the focal point of innovation for the state and the Tampa Bay region. SPID helps build innovation companies and team with innovation partners, raise awareness for the startup community through educational programming and outreach activities, advises and mentors innovators and entrepreneurs, connects company founders with public-private funding and hosts growing companies within a dedicated incubator facility.
“There is a long — and not always well known — history of innovation in St. Pete and the Tampa Bay region,” said Alison Barlow, executive director of the St. Pete Innovation District. “St Pete is home to commercial aviation. It fueled the growth of companies like Raymond James and Jabil, who in their formation brought new ways of doing business to their respective industries.”
SPID fosters innovation in two ways — firstly, by recruiting and supporting organizations and entrepreneurs who want to be part of the innovation ecosystem and helping them grow. Secondly, the SPID creates places, spaces and reasons for professionals to meet and interact — many of whom may have never met on their own.
“Our role is to catalyze their curiosity and create linkages that allow them to pursue innovative solutions to whatever the question is they are tackling,” Barlow said. “These questions could range from the impact of oil spills on marine and human life, to the cure for childhood diabetes.”
Today, innovation is found in educational institutions such as USF, as one of the highest patent-granting universities; nonprofits who are collaborating to fuel system-wide change; and entrepreneurs and companies who design new products; implementing creative technology solutions; and even adapting traditional business practices to address emerging challenges.
Innovative companies around the country are taking notice of what is happening in GTB. Asset management firm Ark Investment moved its headquarters from Wall Street to St Petersburg’s Central Avenue in November 2021. Cathie Wood, Ark’s CFO and CIO and a multi-millionaire investor and innovator, also plans to open the Ark Innovation Center in 2022 in partnership with the Tampa Bay Innovation Center. Pinellas County will build and own the incubator.
These are just a few of the top innovators in GTB, with many more calling the region home in the present and in the future. As for the future of innovation in GTB — much innovative work is being done toward collecting and visualizing data, including new sensor technology that helps to better understand how climate change affects the environment, sustainability, flood risk, economic development and more in the local coastal areas.
“We are continuing to find opportunities for cross-discipline collaborations, looking at ways to align efforts in what would have traditionally been separate fields,” Barlow said.
