MISSION AND STRATEGIC PILLARS
More than a sector or an industry, high tech touches and transforms our world on a daily basis. Refined by our Strategic Task Force, these four pillars uphold our broader vision for the future of Florida’s techscape and define our work to unleash the region’s expotential.
• Community-Driven Innovation
• Catalytic Investment
• Boundary-Breaking Collaboration
• Intentional Inclusivity
DESCRIPTION
The 23-county region that defines The Corridor is anchored by three of the country’s largest research institutions: the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF). Our mission is to converge and catalyze the capacity of high tech, innovation, and bright minds to generate a global ripple effect that advances the lives of people in the communities we serve. Powered by an ethos of collaboration, we align opportunities and resources in academia, industry, and economic development to unleash our region’s exponential potential.
SERVICES/PROGRAMS
•Industry Clusters: Endless business and career opportunities exist in The Corridor’s high-tech industry clusters targeted for growth.
• Matching Grants Research Program: The Florida High Tech Corridor’s Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) fosters applied research between industry partners, and faculty and student researchers at the University of Central Florida and University of South Florida. Our grants directly fund the work of expert faculty and create an opportunity for their students to participate in collaborative research with industry partners in the 23-county region.
• SBIR/STTR Support: The Corridor helps Florida’s small businesses tap into Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) awards, the nation’s largest source of early-stage startup funding for research and development. Each year, 11 participating federal agencies distribute SBIR/STTR awards totaling $4 billion to finance cutting-edge, high-risk technologies.
• Research & Innovation Funding at the USF: The Corridor and USF Research & Innovation are partners on two pilot programs that are creating meaningful research opportunities for undergraduate students and helping faculty further develop their early-stage innovations. Although these initiatives are currently available only for the USF community, they model the types of partnerships we hope to replicate across the region. By focusing on earlier stages of the innovation pipeline, our goal is to strengthen the region’s workforce and drive the translation of cutting-edge technologies from lab-to-market. These programs also lay the groundwork for industry collaboration through The Corridor’s Matching Grants Research Program.
• Cultivating Talent: The Corridor is committed to supporting STEM talent development through corporate and educational partnerships, entrepreneurial support and community-level investment. The resources listed below provide support for students and will help continue to build an ecosystem where every student can thrive in STEM. The Corridor also supports multiple Career & Technical Student Organizations that provide middle and high school students the chance to participate in competitive and co-curricular opportunities to further engage in STEM.
• Experience our Innovation Community: From networking to conference to trade missions, there are endless opportunities to get involved.
