Consortium visits DC to position new South Florida Climate Tech Hub
FIU joined Miami-Dade County and climate resiliency industry professionals last week to position the South Florida Climate Tech Hub before leaders of federal agencies, members of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Florida congressional delegation.
“We want to make sure that different agencies and members of Congress learn more about our work to commercialize climate technologies from South Florida to the world,” said Francesca de Quesada Covey, the chief innovation and economic development officer for Miami-Dade County, who led the delegation in her role as the regional innovation officer for the hub.
The technology hub is a collaboration between universities, local governments and the private sector from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.
Through the Economic Development Administration, the tech hub could receive upwards of $70 million dollars in federal funding from the Department of Commerce if South Florida’s application is successful. The aim is to propel technological innovation, workforce development, climate-resilient infrastructure, clean energy and equitable opportunities. An application for funding of phase two of the project is currently under consideration, The consortium is currently formalizing a proposal as part of its application for phase two of the hub's development and anticipates receiving word about funding in the summer.
“If the South Florida Climate Tech Hub is successful in phase two funding, this will allow us to be the world leader in climate resilience and clean energy. This will allow us to go to other cities in other countries to say, 'we have something that works, we’re resilient and we are ready to scale,'” said Adam Friedman, CEO and counder of 1Print, a consortium partner that 3D prints artificial reefs and seawalls that integrate habitats for marine life.
FIU hosted a briefing moderated by Brookings Institution Metro Fellows Joe Kane and Francesca Ioffreda. The event covered in-depth discussions on strategies to effectively implement an equitable, climate-centered workforce while furthering economic development and market opportunities. Among the attendees were various federal appointees and influential Floridians.
FIU Associate Vice President of Research and Developmen William Anderson and Director of the FIU Institute of Environment Todd Crowl were among pivotal FIU leaders in attendance, spearheading advocacy for federal funding to support the Climate Tech Hub. FIU researchers will collaborate in areas such as micro-grids, ultra-high performance concrete, and testing of products at our Wall of Wind testing facility.
As the only climate-resilient tech hub in the nation, South Florida - considered ground-zero for the climate crisis and rising sea levels - is leading the initiative to transform the approach to a climate-friendly future.