St. Pete's Maritime and Defense Technology Hub could expand with second facility
By Emma Behrmann
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 7, 2025

St. Petersburg’s Maritime and Defense Technology Hub could expand, giving more startups and defense firms a home along the waterfront.

The Hub at 450 Eighth Ave. SE opened in 2022 in a city-owned building at the Port of St. Petersburg. The 30,000-square-foot building, which secured the Innovation District’s physical presence, supports startups, entrepreneurs and researchers like Saildrone and Pole Star Defense. Plans for a second facility, called Hub 2.0, could redevelop the surface parking lot west of the current Hub into a 52,000-square-foot research and collaboration center.

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