Innovation Caucus
Unmanned aerial vehicles, modeling, simulation and training, and high tech investment are just a few of the topics that are being discussed at the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Innovation Caucus meetings.
The Innovation Caucus meets quarterly to discuss Florida’s innovation economy and how state leaders can achieve global competitiveness through high-wage job creation and diversification. Join the Innovation Caucus today.
Topics and speakers included at past meetings include:
March 21, 2017
During the March 2017 Innovation Caucus meeting, thought leaders discussed the impact innovations are having on health care, education, data collection, agriculture and Florida’s economy. Discussion leaders who participated and shared their expertise included:
- Executive Director Cissy Proctor, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
- John Everett, CEO, Apollidon.com
- Noel Munson, CEO, Advanced Fertilizer Systems
- Alexander Parker, Ph.D. – Mayo Clinic
- John Perry, CEO, Altavian
- Jack Sullivan, CEO, Florida Research Consortium
January 13, 2016
Business, civic and industry gathered in Tallahassee on January 13, 2016, for the Florida Chamber Foundation’s quarterly Innovation Caucus meeting, held in conjunction with the Florida Chamber’s Board of Governors Capitol Days, to discuss Florida’s innovation economy and how the Sunshine State can achieve global competitiveness through high-wage job creation and diversification.
Unmanned aerial systems (UASs), modeling, simulation and training, and high tech investment were just a few of the topics discussed during the caucus meeting. UAS industry leaders led a conversation on the prevalence of commercial UASs in Florida and the efforts of secondary and post-secondary institutions to include UASs in STEM programs and coursework.
One presenter shared that in an analysis of the first 1,000 Commercial UAS Exemptions, Florida had the second highest number of exemptions.
The event’s UASs discussion was led by the following experts:
- Brent Klavon, President, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Florida Peninsula Chapter (FPC); Executive Director for Commercial Drones, ASEC.
- Grant Begley, President, Concepts to Capabilities Consulting
- John Lambert, Senior Vice President, Nexutech,
- Steve Myers, AUVSI FPC, Vice President; Owner, Angel Eyes UAV.
To learn more about the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Innovation Caucus, email Jerry Parrish at jparrish@flfoundation.org.
October 30, 2015
Innovation leaders gathered in Tampa on October 30, 2015 for the Florida Chamber Foundation’s quarterly Innovation Caucus meeting, held in conjunction with the Tampa Innovation Alliance. Bruce Katz, Vice President of the Brookings Institution, led a discussion on how the state’s metro areas will change in the coming years and how Florida can further develop its innovation economy.
The event brought together business leaders, educators and industry experts to hear discussions led by:
- Representative James Grant, Florida House District 64
- Jamie Grooms, Florida Institute Commercialization of Public Research
- Dr. Rod Lewis, CareerSource Florida
- Blaire Martin and Mike O’Donnell, Florida Angel Nexus
- Ed Schons, University of Central Florida
- Mark Sharpe, Tampa Innovation Alliance
- Dr. Ken Stackpoole, Florida Institute of Technology
- Jack Sullivan, Florida Research Consortium
July 30, 2015
The Florida Chamber Foundation hosted its quarterly Innovation Caucus meeting in Orlando on July 30, 2015 to discuss the expansion of Florida’s innovation economy and how we can achieve global competitiveness through high-wage job creation and diversification. The event brought together business leaders, educators and industry experts including:
- Lt. Gen. (Ret) Thomas Baptiste, President & CEO, National Center for Simulation
- Damien Hunte, School Support, Keiser University Multidisciplinary Center (KUMC)
- Jon Miller, Director of External Affairs, Keiser University
- Charlie Latham, Public Sector Manager, Waste Management
- Karl Blischke, Director of the Division of Strategic Business Development, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
The discussions covered a range of topics including how Orlando’s Modeling, Simulation & Training (MS&T) cluster is providing commercial innovation and investment opportunities; an overview of Keiser University’s innovative multidisciplinary program to help disabled students learn life and job skills and complete high school; the use of alternative fuels in waste management; and what steps the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is taking to help diversify Florida’s economy and create new jobs.
March 26, 2015
Recently the Florida Chamber Foundation hosted an Innovation Caucus meeting to discuss how strategic investment, talent supply and research collaboration will propel Florida’s innovation and entrepreneurial economy. During the meeting, leaders from various industries of the innovation economy lead discussions on their future development plans. Policy discussion by legislative leaders included:
- Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg),
- Rep. Eric Eisnaugle (R-Orlando), and
- Sen. Jeremy Ring (D-Margate).
The Florida Chamber Foundation and the Florida Research Consortium are leading the effort to produce a research report that will be published in October 2016. Blueprint for Florida’s Innovation Economy will assess the impact of expanding innovation activity on Florida’s economy and create a roadmap for state-level policy and investments.