With 260 miles of waterfront and an educated populace, it’s no surprise that St. Pete shines in marine and life sciences.
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St. Pete is home to 1,900 marine science employees, one of the largest group of marine science professionals in the Southeast. This includes private business, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profits, such as:·
These organizations are an integral part of Tampa Bay’s larger ocean economy, which represents about 25% of the state’s ocean economy. In addition, St. Pete is one of the top 15 Southeastern markets for broadband speed and anchors the Florida High Tech Corridor.
Many of these organizations are located in the St. Pete Innovation District, an environment rich in collaboration.
The University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science is one of the top 10 marine science programs in the country, offering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Marine Science, with concentrations in Biological Oceanography, Physical Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Geological Oceanography, Interdisciplinary, and Marine Resource Assessment.
The Maritime and Defense Technology Hub is home to more than 20 organizations focused on marine science, defense, and tech. Tenants include Digital Twin Marine, an applied tech that creates customized digital twins of large ships, data analytics provider PVM, maritime defense firm Pole Star Defense, unmanned service vehicle leader Saildrone, and Lonestar Data Holdings, which is pioneering data storage on the moon.
Life sciences is one of St. Pete’s largest employment sectors, anchored by seven medical institutions. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Florida’s #1 children’s hospital, has multiple innovation labs and centers, including the Center for Medical Simulation and Innovative Education, the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, the Pediatric Biospecimen Innovation Center, and the Center for Pediatric Early Phase Trials. To meet the growing needs of the Tampa Bay area, Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital is opening three new medical pavilions in 2025: a women’s pavilion offering comprehensive care for women in all phases of life, a medical pavilion offering cancer and orthopedic care, and a health imaging center for diagnostics and wound care. St. Anthony’s Hospital, part of the BayCare network, is recognized as one of the area’s most technologically advanced institutions, revolutionizing bedside care with AI-powered tools, such as cutting-edge voice technology for nurses.
Companies like Renalytix and Cybin have joined the growing population of life sciences companies in the region. Nearly half of all life science companies in the Tampa Bay region are located in Pinellas County.
The environments of the ocean and the human body share certain properties that foster research in disease resistance and treatment beneficial to the science of living systems as a whole. As these industries continue to grow, we see more crossover and collaboration between the disciplines, especially within the St. Pete Innovation District.
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New companies. New opportunities. New news.
Innovation, transformation, and collaboration were the themes of the day as the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation celebrated..
Digital Twin Marine, an applied technology company that creates customized 3D as-built digital twins of large ships, has relocated..
Renalytix, a publicly-traded leading developer of artificial intelligence-enabled bioprognosis for kidney health, has opened a laboratory and office facility..
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The St. Pete EDC is located at 111 2nd Ave NE, Ste. 610, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Parking is available in the Plaza LAZ lot located next to the building; use GPS for 221 1st St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, which is near the entrance located on 1st Street N. between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
Parking is $5/hour for the first 3 hours and $20 thereafter; it is a card payment facility only (no cash). Visitor parking is on the 1st and 4th floors; please note there is no handicapped access from the parking garage above the first floor.
There is also surrounding street parking; pay with ParkMobile or in the Sundial Garage located 2 blocks away.
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