This Month's Latest Tech News in St Petersburg, FL - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

St. Petersburg is surging ahead as Florida's premier tech hub, with April–May 2025 spotlighting major advances across AI, innovation, and workforce development.

The city welcomed a strategic partnership between Saildrone and Palantir to revolutionize maritime security using advanced AI-driven systems, an initiative that reaffirms the Innovation District's role in global tech solutions (read about St. Pete's maritime AI partnership). St. Petersburg College took a bold step by introducing two new artificial intelligence certificates designed to equip students with hands-on skills for the rapidly expanding tech workforce; these stackable credentials connect directly into data science degrees and match employer needs (learn more about SPC's AI certificate programs).

Meanwhile, the region's startup scene is thriving: the Tampa Bay Wave selected St. Pete's Depth AI for its 2025 Tech|X Accelerator cohort, citing the area's growing reputation for nurturing companies at the forefront of healthcare, fintech, and spatial computing (see the full list of regional accelerator startups).

As national job markets adjust to slower growth, St. Pete's targeted investments in AI, tech acceleration, and workforce training position the city at the leading edge of Florida's next innovation wave.

This month, St. Petersburg made headlines with the grand opening of Haddy's 32,000-square-foot microfactory - the world's largest AI-powered 3D printing facility - just north of the EDGE District.

The operation combines eight advanced robotic printers and proprietary AI to produce everything from designer furniture and planters to disaster relief and defense assets, using recycled materials such as old fishing nets and plastics.

The facility boasts a production capacity 16 times greater than its nearest competitor, setting a new benchmark for both scale and sustainability in manufacturing.

Key partnerships with Siemens AG and Dutch firm CEAD support Haddy's vision for a distributed “microfactory” network capable of producing customizable products on demand.

As explained by CEO Jay Rogers,

“Hard-to-make products can be re-shored to regions all over the United States – and made even better than when they were concentrated in low-labor locations abroad.”

Feature	Details
Facility Size	32,000 square feet
Robots in Operation	8 (e.g., Ada, Bumblebee, Clio)
Production Capacity	16x nearest competitor
Core Materials	Recycled plastics and nets

Mayor Ken Welch called the grand opening a “major milestone” for the city and a testament to its spirit of innovation and job creation.

For an in-depth look at the AI-driven technology and sustainability focus, see the Tampa Bay Times' feature on Haddy's local launch.

Discover additional insights into Haddy's microfactory model and disruptive partnerships in St. Pete Rising's coverage of the facility's capabilities, and learn about Haddy's impact on American manufacturing from VoxelMatters' industry analysis.

St. Petersburg is making significant strides toward safer and more efficient roadways by installing 15 adaptive, AI-powered “smart signals” along 66th Street North and Tyrone Boulevard - two corridors that each see roughly 40,000 vehicles daily and include several of the city's most dangerous intersections.

Supported by a $1.16 million FDOT grant, these advanced systems leverage real-time video detection and artificial intelligence to detect vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists with 99.5% accuracy up to 720 feet, regardless of weather conditions.

The technology responds dynamically to changing traffic patterns, extends green lights for buses, and allows emergency vehicles to clear intersections more swiftly.

As Cheryl Stacks, Transportation Manager for the city, notes,

“The AI object detection is good and getting better – getting smarter as it learns. That's particularly important for detection of elements like pedestrians.”

The upgrade, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, also includes a new video wall at the city's traffic management center and paves the way for future vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.

A snapshot of the project investment is provided below:

Component	Percent of Project Cost
Signal Controllers & Cabinets	27%
Video Detection Software	33%
Other Upgrades (Fiber Optics, Video Wall, Risers)	40%

These improvements position St. Petersburg as a leader in innovative traffic management and serve as a model for similar efforts across Florida.

To explore more about the citywide rollout, visit the AI-enabled ‘Smart Signals' announcement from St. Pete Catalyst, see coverage from FOX 13 News highlighting project benefits and interviews, and learn how this fits into regional efforts with WTSP's overview of AI transforming Tampa Bay traffic solutions.

St. Petersburg College is answering Florida's surging demand for tech talent with the launch of two new Artificial Intelligence certificate programs debuting in Spring 2025.

The nine-credit Artificial Intelligence Responsible Use Certificate at St. Petersburg College provides an accessible introduction to AI theories, ethical considerations, and industry applications, while the more advanced 18-credit Artificial Intelligence Responsible Use Practitioner Certificate at St. Petersburg College delivers hands-on experience in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and data analytics.

Both certificates are available online or in-person at SPC's St. Petersburg/Gibbs and Clearwater campuses in convenient eight-week sessions, with coursework designed to align with local workforce needs and stackable credits that count towards the college's Data Science Associate degree.

As Jimmy Chang, acting dean of SPC's College of Computer and Information Technology, observes,

“These programs are a great starting point for those who want to understand the role and influence of AI in contemporary society.”

Practical skills gained from these programs support pathways into fields such as software development and computer programming, meeting growing employment opportunities in the region.

For a more detailed breakdown, see the table below:

Certificate Name	Credits	Main Focus	Career Outcomes	Projected FL Employment Change (2033)
AI Responsible Use Certificate	9	AI concepts, ethics	Computer Programmer	-5%
AI Responsible Use Practitioner	18	Machine learning, data, vision, NLP	Software Developer	+35%

Read more about how these programs are shaping the tech landscape at Spectrum News report on St. Petersburg College Artificial Intelligence certificate programs.

The University of South Florida (USF) is set to transform tech education in Tampa Bay this fall with the launch of the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing - backed by a historic $40 million gift from Arnie and Lauren Bellini, marking the largest donation in the university's history and creating the nation's first named college exclusively dedicated to AI and cybersecurity.

Driven by decades of pioneering research, USF will leverage this new institution to prepare graduates for high-demand careers across industries ranging from business to defense, with a projected goal to double its annual output of AI and cybersecurity professionals from 500 to 1,000 in the coming years.

As experts note, “There is no sector that cybersecurity and AI do not touch - and USF plays a huge role in that.” The Bellini College stands out for its interdisciplinary approach, allowing students from social sciences, criminology, and business to integrate with the tech curriculum and foster USF-wide collaborations, while hands-on experience with local industry partners provides students with crucial real-world skills.

Key Figures	Details
Gift Amount	$40 million (largest in USF history)
Annual Graduates Goal	1,000 by 2029
Cumulative Economic Impact	$6+ billion
IT Sector Growth (5 Years)	28.5%

USF faculty and alumni - recognized leaders in both academia and industry - are already helping shape new AI applications, from disease tracking with AI-powered drones to educational chatbots for law enforcement.

As Associate Professor John Licato explains, “To actualize the full impact of AI, we need to focus on how to make it safe, and that's where cybersecurity comes in.

You can't have one without the other.” Ultimately, the Bellini College is poised to make Tampa Bay a national epicenter for talent and innovation, with USF's legacy of AI leadership and its dedication to collaborative, hands-on learning paving a pathway for future tech breakthroughs.

“The Bellini College will one day serve as a national model - one that prepares students to lead in the constantly evolving fields of cybersecurity and AI.” - Prasant Mohapatra, USF Provost and Executive Vice President

St. Petersburg-based CodeBoxx has propelled the city's tech reputation to new heights by winning the coveted "Chatbot Solution of the Year" award at the 2025 RetailTech Breakthrough Awards for its AI-driven GEM Chatbot, developed in partnership with GoodwillFinds.

The award underscores CodeBoxx's leadership in retail automation, as the program received thousands of entries from over 14 countries and spotlighted tech that enhances customer experience and operations worldwide.

According to RetailTech Breakthrough, the global smart retail technology market is set to nearly triple from $22.6 billion in 2021 to $68.8 billion by 2026, with AI-powered tools like chatbots being rapidly adopted - over 80% of brands either use or plan to use them soon.

The following table highlights 2025's award recipients across key innovation categories:

Category	2025 Winner
Chatbot Solution of the Year	CodeBoxx for GoodwillFinds' GEM Chatbot
Overall RetailTech Company of the Year	EDITED
AI Solution of the Year	Quorso
Customer Experience Solution	Gladly
Fraud Prevention Solution	Appriss Retail

CodeBoxx's win places it alongside industry leaders and showcases St. Petersburg's role in shaping the future of retail with advanced, scalable AI technologies.

For a full list of 2025 honorees and more industry insights, visit the official RetailTech Breakthrough Awards winners page.

“Retailers are embracing technology to deliver smarter, faster, and more personalized shopping experiences,” notes RetailTech Breakthrough, reflecting the drive behind CodeBoxx's award-winning innovation.

St. Petersburg is taking a major step toward safer streets with the installation of 15 AI-powered smart traffic signals targeting some of its most hazardous intersections, including stretches of 66th Street North and Tyrone Boulevard - areas traveled by approximately 40,000 vehicles daily and routinely flagged for pedestrian and cyclist crashes.

This initiative leverages adaptive video detection, allowing signals to extend green lights in real time and prioritize buses and emergency vehicles for better responsiveness.

The system, backed by a $1.16 million state grant, reaches 99.5% object detection accuracy up to 720 feet and sends high-definition video to the city's new centralized traffic management center.

Community stakeholders such as city transportation manager Cheryl Stacks emphasize the human impact:

“If we can communicate those messages to drivers and help them change their behavior so that it makes the streets safer, that is just a huge win all around.”

These enhancements are not only curbing congestion but also advancing pedestrian and cyclist safety through vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and live alerts about road and weather hazards.

For a breakdown of technology and impact, see the table below:

Feature	Details
AI Detection Accuracy	99.5% up to 720 feet, all weather
Project Funding	$1.16M state grant (FDOT)
Targeted Crash Hotspots	3 intersections in police "Top 10 Dangerous Crash Intersections"

These efforts align with a broader vision for smarter cities, as described in an article on how AI transforms pedestrian safety, and reflect national trends in traffic innovation highlighted in the USDOT's Allies in Action safety strategy.

For further details on St. Pete's deployment, read the full report on St. Petersburg's AI-enabled ‘Smart Signals'.

St. Petersburg's newly opened Haddy microfactory is drawing national attention as a model for the U.S. “reindustrialization” movement, thanks to its innovative use of AI-driven robots, advanced additive manufacturing, and circular, sustainable materials.

Lauded by Forbes' coverage of Haddy's microfactory as a “blueprint” for decentralized, local production that makes mass-customization competitive with traditional mass production, Haddy's 32,000-square-foot facility boasts 16 times the production capacity of its nearest 3D-printing competitor.

CEO Jay Rogers describes this as a vital leap:

“We used to choose between mass production and customization. Now we can have both. With digital product designs and flexible production near customers, we offer unprecedented agility.”

The microfactory - which is powered by a fleet of named robotic arms - delivers furniture, home goods, and even disaster relief and defense components, all from recycled materials, with on-demand agility that responds instantly to local needs (the Paradeco Coffee Roasters' post-hurricane rebuild took just a day).

Haddy's approach is not only sustainable and fast, but also positions American cities to circumvent tariff challenges, reduce waste, and repower local economies.

As summarized in a recent industry analysis, AI-driven microfactories for reindustrialization and tariff resilience enable smarter, closer-to-home production - a trend with growing impact in defense, construction, and more.

To see how this new wave of American manufacturing takes shape, explore additional insights from Haddy's grand opening coverage by Voxel Matters and the wider movement toward sustainable, localized industry.

Facility Size	Robots	Production Capacity vs. Competitors	Main Materials	Key Sectors
32,000 sq. ft.	8 Large-Format	16x	Recyclable plastics, PETG, PLA	Furniture, Defense, Construction, Disaster Relief

St. Petersburg's rollout of AI-powered “Smart Signals” along 66th Street and Tyrone Boulevard is positioning the city as a model for smart city traffic management in Florida.

Backed by a $1.16 million FDOT grant, these 15 adaptive traffic signals use real-time object detection with 99.5% accuracy, dynamically responding to fluctuations in traffic flow, adverse weather, and the presence of emergency vehicles or school buses - each of which is prioritized for a seamless commute.

With over 40,000 vehicles traversing each corridor daily, the technology replaces outdated loop detectors with intelligent cameras that track vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, enabling nuanced green light extension and improved congestion mitigation.

As Cheryl Stacks, the city's Transportation Manager, explained,

“If there are a lot of vehicles in a certain direction, then it will give more green time to that one particular direction. So, it can be more responsive.”

Notably, these intersections are the focus due to high crash rates and are among the “Top 10 Dangerous Crash Intersections” identified by police, prompting dedication to pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Project funding allocations are transparent: 27% is dedicated to controllers, roughly one-third to video software, and the balance to data upgrades and flood-resilient infrastructure.

For a detailed look at these features, see the following table:

Feature	Description
AI Object Detection	99.5% accuracy, adapts to weather and learns over time
Signal Priority	Extends green lights for buses, preempts for emergency services
Traffic Volume	~40,000 vehicles per corridor per day
Video Monitoring	Live, high-def video to new traffic management center wall

As these smart signals go live by the end of 2025, the city anticipates faster response, fewer delays, and safer streets, aiming to set a new standard for traffic technology across the Tampa Bay region and beyond.

Learn more in-depth about the AI-enabled Smart Signals project in St. Petersburg, explore how AI is transforming traffic flow for safety across Tampa Bay, and read about St. Pete's strategy to cut delays without road widening.

St. Petersburg's tech landscape has advanced dramatically with the opening of Haddy's massive AI-powered 3D printing microfactory, now the world's largest and a beacon for U.S. reindustrialization.

While originally focused on innovative furniture, Haddy's facility - boasting 16 times the production capacity of its nearest competitor - now produces disaster relief supplies and defense equipment using robotics and 100% recyclable materials.

Recent expansions target critical areas, from battlefield-ready gear to modular mobile infrastructure, offering faster, cleaner, and more resilient supply close to where it's needed.

Haddy's distributed manufacturing approach is seen as a game-changer amid trade uncertainty, with Forbes hailing the company as “revolutionary” for America's supply chain agility.

As CEO Jay Rogers notes,

“We used to choose between mass production and customization. Now we can have both. With digital product designs and flexible production near customers, we offer unprecedented agility.”

This new model of proximate, robot-enabled production is setting a high standard for local and sustainable manufacturing across disaster response, defense, and construction.

For more details on the technology stack and market focus, see this concise overview:

Feature	Details
Production Capacity	16x that of next competitor
Key Sectors	Furniture, Defense, Disaster Relief, Construction
Materials	100% recyclable, no waste
Technology	Robotics + AI-driven additive manufacturing

Explore Haddy's impact on U.S. manufacturing and its new disaster and defense applications in this VoxelMatters article on the St. Pete facility opening, and get deeper industry insights via TCT Magazine's coverage of Haddy's expansion into defense and disaster recovery sectors.

St. Petersburg's recent acceleration as a technology trailblazer owes much to dynamic partnerships and visionary leadership, setting the city apart in times of global industry turmoil.

While giants like Siemens, Intel, and UPS announced thousands of layoffs worldwide in 2025, St. Pete is experiencing the opposite, attracting investment and skilled jobs by fostering close collaboration between startups, city leaders, and global tech firms.

At the grand opening of Haddy's AI-powered, world's largest 3D-printing microfactory in St. Petersburg, Mayor Ken Welch celebrated this progress, stating,

“Haddy's commitment to local manufacturing utilizing the latest technologies – and a commitment to sustainability – is a stellar example of what progress will look like, not only in the City of St. Petersburg but for our nation and worldwide.”

Supported by heavyweight partners like Siemens AG and Netherlands-based CEAD, Haddy's 32,000-square-foot facility leverages advanced robotics and machine learning, employs a growing local team, and sets a model for high-tech, sustainable production.

Industry leaders from Siemens stress the importance of such partnerships, explaining,

“No one can do it alone. By collaborating with startups, we combine their speed and disruptive thinking with our industry experience and customer base.”

This spirit extends across the local innovation landscape, with recurring events like Tech X-change at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub - forging new connections and nurturing emerging ventures such as Digital Twin Marine.

To see the scale of industry shifts, consider these market numbers for 2025:

Company	Layoffs (2025)	Industry
Siemens	5,600	Technology
Intel	21,000	Semiconductors
UPS	672	Logistics

Amidst widespread restructuring, St. Pete's formula of nurturing local industry and global partnerships as a resilience blueprint for its ongoing tech boom offers a resilience blueprint propelling its ongoing tech boom.

As we close April 2025, St. Petersburg stands out as a tech and sustainability leader, even amid a nationwide job market slowdown. While U.S. job postings have dipped 7.08% and the tech sector faces hiring headwinds, Florida - including St. Pete - continues to show moderate job growth and resilience according to real-time labor data.

The city's ongoing commitment to sustainability is visible in initiatives like the Integrated Sustainability Action Plan, leadership in climate resilience, and cutting-edge goals for clean energy and smart city infrastructure - all aiming to foster equity, economic vitality, and livability.

These efforts helped St. Petersburg secure a spot in the American Cities Climate Challenge and the launch of the Tampa Bay Innovation Center, a 45,000-square-foot business incubator built to LEED Gold standards demonstrating its drive toward holistic, green innovation.

Local companies also continue to make national headlines, such as Intelagen - a homegrown AI consultancy whose recent acceptance into the NVIDIA Connect program is set to transform enterprise AI and crypto trading with breakthrough speed and efficiency.

In the words of Intelagen CEO Tom Richer:

“Acceptance into the NVIDIA Connect program is incredibly exciting and marks a key milestone for us. The program provides essential access to top-tier hardware and cutting-edge resources... allowing us to solve the most demanding enterprise use cases effectively.”

As St. Pete doubles down on digital transformation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, it sets a powerful example for other cities navigating a challenging labor landscape.

To see how neighboring hubs are innovating, check out how Tampa's AI and tech job market is shaping up this spring.