By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida and the Florida High Tech Corridor are joining the ARK Innovation Center, creating a new avenue for startups and entrepreneurs
to connect and collaborate with the university’s research and innovation expertise
as well as its talent pipeline.

In collaboration with the Florida High Tech Corridor, USF’s Institute of Applied Engineering will establish a presence at the state-of-the-art ARK Innovation Center in St. Petersburg, which serves as a launchpad for early-stage companies focused
on disruptive technologies such as machine learning, energy, fintech, artificial intelligence
and blockchain.

“Our partnership with USF’s Institute of Applied Engineering and the Florida High
Tech Corridor brings world-class research and applied innovation directly into the
ARK Innovation Center,” said Becca Brown, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Innovation
Center, an incubator based at the ARK Innovation Center. “Together, we’re creating
a living lab where academia, industry and entrepreneurs collaborate to turn breakthrough
ideas into real-world impact. We are thrilled about this partnership.”

The initiative will create opportunities for startups located at the center to participate
in events, programming and services hosted by USF and the Corridor, along with concierge
services connecting entrepreneurs with USF faculty, research centers and departments,
including USF Technology Transfer, which manages the university’s intellectual property
portfolio. Companies will also have opportunities to establish student internships
with USF, as well as research and development partnerships through the Corridor’s
Matching Grants Research Program.

“Partnering with the ARK Innovation Center aligns with the Corridor’s mission to advance
innovation across our 23-county region,” said Paul Sohl, CEO of the Florida High Tech
Corridor. “This unique center, in the heart of one of Florida’s most dynamic innovation
hubs, is a launchpad for collaboration between inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers
and industry leaders who are coming together to solve problems and shape the future.”

The location also brings the Institute of Applied Engineering – which focuses on specialty
projects for national security and dual-use technologies for government and civilian
contractors – closer to a rapidly expanding maritime and defense hub. St. Petersburg
is home to a thriving cluster of private companies, government entities and academic
institutions addressing maritime and national security needs.

“Our collaboration with the ARK Innovation Center is about accelerating defense innovation
from concept to capability,” said Darren Schumacher, president and CEO of the USF
Institute of Applied Engineering. “By linking the Institute of Applied Engineering’s
applied research and prototyping expertise with ARK’s entrepreneurial and technology
ecosystem, we’re strengthening the pathway for dual-use solutions that serve both
national security and commercial markets. This partnership reflects Tampa Bay’s growing
role as a hub for mission-driven innovation.”

The ARK Innovation Center, which opened in early 2024, was launched through a partnership
between ARK Invest — the global asset management firm founded by Cathie Wood – with
its focus on backing the technologies driving disruptive innovation. She joined the
Tampa Bay Innovation Center, Pinellas County, the city of St. Petersburg and federal
partners in the mission to accelerate growth of early-stage tech and innovation ventures
by providing mentorship, collaborative workspace, prototyping labs, coaching and access
to capital.

The new partnership also is one of several examples of greater connection and collaboration
among the drivers of innovation across the Tampa Bay region.  In July, USF was selected
to become the first university to join Embarc Collective’s new University Partnership Program and in September, it signed a contract with the U.S. Army for up to $85 million to conduct a wide range of research, including cybersecurity,
biotechnology and energy sciences.

In St. Petersburg, USF and the Corridor regularly collaborate with the St. Peterburg Innovation District and Tampa Bay Wave, including on The Continuum — a $13.9 million grant from the NOAA Ocean Enterprise Accelerators program to tackle critical challenges impacting our ocean, coastal communities and economy
through the Wave’s Blue Tech | X Accelerator.

To learn more about opportunities to collaborate or access resources at the ARK Innovation
Center, contact the USF Office of University Community Partnerships.