When big picture thinking met economic initiative, FSU InSPIRE was born. Officially launched with an initial grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., a nonprofit that oversees funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, InSPIRE began with a brilliant idea. Fueled by FSU’s commitment to developing independent thinkers who innovate solutions that enrich both campus life and larger communities, InSPIRE wanted to translate that innovation into a transformative economic impact throughout the Florida Panhandle.
InSPIRE's mission is to foster high-skilled, high-wage employment opportunities in the region to accelerate technology innovation, cultivate corporate investment, and nurture the growth of new industries. We aim to profoundly shape the economic trajectory of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla counties, ensuring long- term prosperity for generations to come.
The primary goal is to fundamentally transform the regional economic landscape by attracting future-proof jobs, strengthening a talented and ready workforce, and supporting visionary infrastructure. This will make the Florida Panhandle highly resilient to unforeseen upheavals – natural and economic.
Key Areas of Focus:
Innovation and Research
Intensely collaborative and interdisciplinary research will be performed through FSU-wide partnerships across multiple colleges and campuses. With a focus on industry-informed and use-inspired research, InSPIRE helps translate research outcomes to applied research that delivers industry products and solutions with the ability to respond and act at the speed of business.
Ultramodern Infrastructures in Advanced Manufacturing
InSPIRE will be a center for the integration of advanced materials and manufacturing technologies, with the goal of fabricating components that are not only lighter and more robust but also exceptionally resilient. It will improve manufacturing lead times and mitigate costs associated with supply chain constraints, thereby streamlining the entire production process.
High-speed Aerodynamics
InSPIRE wind tunnels will be used to test and refine advanced materials and manufacturing techniques, ensuring that the components produced can perform optimally under the unique stresses encountered during high-speed aerodynamic and hypersonic conditions (M5+).
Training the Talent with Workforce Development & Education
InSPIRE is focused on broadly executed, experiential student education as well as launching and expanding integrated workforce training and education programs specifically designed for the advanced aerospace and manufacturing sectors at all levels of the learner continuum (K-20+).
Bay County, Northwest Florida Headquarters
Operated by FSU and headquartered in Panama City, Florida, InSPIRE serves the specific needs of the Triumph Golf Coast community as well as our aerospace industry, defense bases and local economy. Our principle InSPIRE facilities will eventually include satellite nodes active at select partner locations across NW Florida. By developing infrastructure, facilities, and integrated education programs, InSPIRE will create a long- lasting, positive impact on the affected counties in the Florida Panhandle region.
