From Global Partnerships to Florida Growth

International university partnerships are usually discussed in academic terms, but they carry a growing economic development dimension for the state of Florida. Faculty exchange, joint research, and international student pipelines can translate into company relocations, research commercialization, and inbound investment when regional economic development, international business recruitment, and innovation ecosystem partners are engaged early and deliberately.

This panel brings together leaders working on different pieces of that process: university-based biotech incubation and internationally certified soft-landing programs, university innovation and applied research partnerships, regional technology commercialization across the I-4 Corridor, and international business recruitment for the state of Florida. Panelists will discuss how Florida communities can identify and act on international university relationships, build soft-landing pathways for companies and researchers, and convert academic partnerships into measurable economic activity within the state.

Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how university, regional, and state-level partners can coordinate around international opportunities, illustrated with concrete examples from the Tampa Bay and North Central Florida regions.