Innovation Hub

St. Pete advances $18M port lease referendum for tech hub expansion

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Rendering of proposed Maritime and Defense Technology Hub expansion at Port of St. Petersburg showing multi-story waterfront building with glass façade.

Voter approval would unlock federal funding and long-term financing for port expansion.

spARK Labs and the slow work of building Tampa Bay tech

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Rebecca Brown, CEO of SpARK Labs by ARK Invest, speaks at the Ark Innovation Center in St. Petersburg during a public event.

spARK Labs is rebuilding Tampa Bay’s tech ecosystem through patience, execution and long-term founder support.

National firm opens South Tampa innovation center with full test kitchen

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A collage of four images showing the opening of a new innovation and experience center in South Tampa. The first image shows a ribbon cutting with executives standing in a row inside the facility. The second image shows product displays with kitchenware and housewares on modern shelving. The third image shows an open workspace with glass meeting rooms and product shelves. The fourth image shows a chef preparing food inside the center’s full test kitchen.

A national consumer goods firm has opened a new South Tampa innovation and experience center with a full test kitchen for real world product testing.

The state of Tampa’s economy in 2025

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Downtown Tampa skyline with office towers and residential buildings along the Hillsborough River under a bright blue sky.

Tampa ended 2025 with record tourism, strong job growth and major investment across key sectors, setting the stage for what comes next in 2026.

Tampa Bay Wave and USF team up for 2025 FinTech|X Accelerator launch

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The Tampa Bay Wave and the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business are launching the fifth annual FinTech|X Accelerator on Aug. 4. The 2025 cohort will bring together a group of startups worldwide. Since its inception, the program’s alumni, including Paperstack, Viva Finance and Ascent, have raised more than $95 million and generated … Read more

Tampa Bay Innovation Center names new CEO

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The Tampa Bay Innovation Center has named Rebecca Brown its new chief executive officer. Brown, a former Goldman Sachs executive and founder of Core Satellite Partners, has more than 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, finance and innovation. Best known for co-founding the consumer brand Solemates and mentoring tech founders through Tampa Bay Wave, Brown … Read more

St. Petersburg College unveils plans for Innovation Hub

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St. Petersburg College has shared plans for the Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub. Located at the Tarpon Springs Campus, the Innovation Hub will be unveiled as a central location for manufacturing, creativity and collaboration at a kickoff celebration on February 20. This 10,000-square-foot space is named after Chris Sprowls, the former Florida House of Representatives … Read more

Tampa Bay Innovation Center launches startup accelerator focused on climate tech and sustainability

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The Tampa Bay Innovation Center, an early-stage tech incubator and accelerator, will kick off 2024 with a program catering to early-stage companies building emerging technologies for climate tech and sustainability. TBIC’s first climate tech program was conducted in early 2023. The inaugural program ended in April, with an Innovation Showcase featuring a keynote from Cathie … Read more