| Gainesville is the place where people are changing the world by making cool things happen. Every day, people in Gainesville are creating products that make the world a better place. Gainesville was named the Top Tech City in Florida and is a National Hub for Green and Health technologies. We are home to one of the nation’s leading research universities, the University of Florida, as well as one of the nation’s premier healthcare systems. Our obsession with innovation is raising the standard of living, creating jobs in our community and changing the lives of people around the world. |
Want to know how to get involved in Innovation Gainesville? Check out the iG Pledge for ways you can help us make iG a success. If you want to know what makes iG so important, check out some of the Cool Things that make Gainesville the home of innovation.
Innovation Gainesville is supported by the Five Elements of Innovation, which have helped us to become a regional hub for scientific and economic innovation. Check them out below!
LIVE – In Gainesville, innovation is not just a practice – it’s a way of life. Our region is home to some of the most innovative health, biotech and green companies in the world. The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce was recently granted 5-Star Accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, designating it within the top 1% of Chambers in the nation. We are constantly working to bring new innovators and entrepreneurs to Gainesville. We want people who are ready to change the world.
LEARN – Home to one of the nation’s leading public research universities, the University of Florida, and one the Southeast’s premier healthcare systems, Shands HealthCare, Gainesville boasts some of the nation’s top academic institutions. More than 39% of Gainesville residents hold at least a bachelor’s degree, 15% higher than the national average. Gainesville is home to more technology incubators per capita than any other city in the U.S., which has allowed UF to become the #1 public institution for bringing research breakthroughs to the marketplace. Some of our nation’s finest minds are learning in Gainesville, preparing to change the world.
SPEAK – With events like the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce‘s DC Fly-In, Innovation Gainesville is ensuring that Gainesville receives national recognition. In June, Gainesville was visited by two officials from the Obama administration – Massie Ritsch from the Department of Education and John Fernandez from the Department of Commerce – who met with local civic and business leaders. Numerous Innovation Gainesville presentations have been given to local, national and international audiences at biotechnology conferences. This Web site receives more than 500 unique visitors from 15 states and 10 countries.
INVEST – Gainesville is a natural place for green and health technology companies. The Gainesville/Alachua County area contains more technology incubators per capita than any other city in the country. University and local officials recently broke ground on the Florida Innovation Hub, a new technology incubator that will be built with the help of an $8.2 million grant from the Economic Development Administration of the Department of Commerce. Gainesville is growing constantly, and we want you to be a part of it.
CELEBRATE – Although we work very hard, we know it’s important to celebrate the success of our innovation economy. This year, the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Showcase featured an Innovation Room, highlighting some of the area’s innovative companies. This allowed our business community to learn the global impact of our area’s high-tech companies. Recently, the Cade Museum for Innovation and Invention awarded the first ever Cade Prize for Innovation, a $50,000 prize and a spot in the Gainesville Technology Enterprise Center, after a competition for innovative companies.
