Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Foster robust entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems to drive future economic growth.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Strategies

• Develop the region’s entrepreneurial hubs and connect them with industry clusters, assets, services, networks, facilities, tools, and expertise.
• Establish commercialization tools and programs connected to the region’s national security research and technology assets.
• Increase access to capital for Northwest Florida entrepreneurs and develop a formal mechanism to access funds.
• Encourage local entrepreneurs and innovators to tap into federal funding in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants.
• Promote rural entrepreneurship.
• Market regional entrepreneurial success stories.
• Support entrepreneurial programs and curriculum in the K-20 continuum to foster a culture of innovation and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit in the region.

Upcoming Entrepreneurship and Innovation Events

• Hypersonics Research with Dr. Ivett Leyva
  February 19, 2019, 3:00 pm–5:00 pm - Doolittle Institute - 1140 John Sims Parkway, Niceville, FL. 32578

   Register

  Dr. Ivett Leyva is a Senior Aerospace Engineer and Branch Technical Advisor with AFRL’s Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

  Dr. Leyva has a fascinating pathway into STEM. Born in Torreon, Mexico, she set her sights on moving to the United States to pursue a STEM career.  She applied to a United Nations program which helped students from Mexico and Central America seek higher education in the United States.  Ivett was selected out of thousands of applicants, choosing Whitman College in Washington. She soon moved on to California Institute of Technology (CalTech) for her bachelor’s in applied science and engineering, and eventually, a Master’s and Ph.D. in aeronautics. Prior to working for AFRL, she worked as a Mechanical Engineer for General Electric’s Global Research Center in New York. Today Dr. Leyva oversees the technical accomplishments of an 11-member team executing a $36M annual budget.

  She has published work on flow characteristics, combustion stability, and injector characterization, and Dr. Leyva oversees the Hydrocarbon Boost program. So far, she acquired a total of six patents on Pulse Detonation Engines.

  More Info…

  Dr. Leyva’s 40-minute technical discussion on Hypersonic Research and following Q&A session will cover the research portfolio and the hard science needs of future hypersonic platforms. She invites members of the public, local educational institutions, AFOSR, AFLCMC/EB, AFLCMC/EN, and AFWiSE to join the event.

  Registration is required, and seating is limited to 100 people.

• TH!NK Thursday
  February 21, 2019, 8:00 am–12:30 pm - Doolittle Institute - 1140 John Sims Parkway, Niceville, FL. 32578

   Register

  February’s theme is about Preventing Burnout and Maximizing Productivity!

  The Doolittle Institute invites the public to join the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in our vibrant space to work on projects, collaborate, and build strategic relationships. TH!NK Thursday is open to those both inside and outside of AFRL who want to connect and interact with innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs. We’ll feature refreshments from local business owners and entrepreneurs at the morning’s event.

  More Info…

  8:00 – 11:00 A.M.: Donuts with DI

  Coffee shop-style collaboration with donuts, bagels, and coffee in our vibrant workspace, the Outside Loop.

  11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Preventing Burnout & Maximizing Productivity with Kevin Sheridan

  Mr. Sheridan is an internationally-recognized Keynote Speaker, a New York Times Best Selling Author, and one of the most sought-after voices in the world on the topic of Employee Engagement. Having spent 30 years as a high-level Human Capital Management consultant, Mr. Sheridan has helped some of the world’s largest corporations rebuild a culture that fosters productive engagement. Learn from Mr. Sheridan’s custom presentation about preventing employee burnout and improving time management. The first 30 registrants will receive a copy of his book, Building a Magnetic Culture.

• Leadership in Healthcare
  February 27, 2019, 4:30 pm–6:00 pm - UWF Library

   Register

  Come hear from the CEO's of each of the three main hospitals in the greater Pensacola area that include: Mark Faulkner, CEO of Baptist Healthcare, Carlton Ulmer, CEO of West Florida Hospital, Henry Stovall, CEO of Sacred Heart Hospital, as they share their thoughts on leadership within the healthcare sector.