Feeling InSPIRED

In a world that tends to be fast, companies are seeking what lasts. Fueled by the need to create a resilient and relevant regional workforce, FSU InSPIRE (Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education) was conceptualized.

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. The footprint spans eight counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla.

In late 2023, a delegation from Florida State University’s Panama City campus, including President Richard McCullough and Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson, presented InSPIRE’s vision and proposal to the Triumph Gulf Coast Inc. Board of Trustees. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. is a nonprofit that oversees funds recovered from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“As a top-tier research university, FSU has the pedigree to be involved in national challenges and help address them,” says Grey Dodge, director of community relations and partnership engagement for FSU InSPIRE. “We sold our vision to Triumph, and we were fortunate to receive the largest grant they’ve ever given out, which speaks to their commitment as a partner.”

InSPIRE’s vision is to be the applied research and innovation neurocenter of the region, providing an environment for secure, end-to-end product and system development while leveraging FSU’s established expertise to form local partnerships that will benefit regional growth.

“We envision an on-the-floor experiential learning environment where students are working side by side with industry, defense, and research experts to drive innovations from the ideation stage into relevant, marketable products,” says Drew Allen, InSPIRE executive director. “At its core, InSPIRE aims to bridge the gap between discovery and the market by shepherding them along the prototyping, testing, and evaluation phases under one roof to deliver timely solutions that best serve our customers, the affected counties, and our nation as a whole.”

InSPIRE aims to open a temporary facility in Panama City in early 2026 and have shovels in the ground for the main facility for manufacturing and testing in the summer of 2026. While a permanent home is in the works, InSPIRE is integrating into businesses and getting to work on their mission by partnering with local companies such as Maritech Machine.

Based in Panama City, Maritech Machine is a family owned and operated business that has provided CNC machining, fabrication, assembly, and engineering support to the defense, aerospace, and industrial sectors since 1991.

“FSU’s InSPIRE program recognized that small, agile manufacturers like Maritech could provide the hands-on production environment and industry experience needed to help bridge the gap between academic research and deployable manufacturing capability,” explains Corbin McCall, vice president of operations for Maritech.

Initial conversations led to pilot projects, facility visits, and eventually a partnership where FSU InSPIRE brought in over $3 million worth of modernized equipment to work alongside the shop’s traditional machinery.

“Maritech provides real-world context, equipment, and production support, while FSU provides research expertise, additive capabilities, and training pathways,” McCall says. “It’s a model that’s proving to be mutually beneficial. Beyond the technical gains, it’s strengthened our role as a regional manufacturing leader and positioned Maritech as a trusted partner in building Florida’s defense and innovation ecosystem.” 

InSPIRE seeks to replicate this model of a symbiotic relationship with other companies throughout the Panhandle.

“A manufacturing war is going on in the world, and America is falling behind,” Dodge says. “We desire to partner with young, hungry, innovative local partners who are willing to learn, grow, and address our national challenges.”

While still in its early days, InSPIRE has plans in the works to conduct partnerships with other local companies and universities alongside research labs and the region’s vast military presence.

“We are helping train the workforce,” Allen says. “We partner with the local military installations and communities. We’re building trust with partners and starting to address the current manufacturing challenges, so we can rapidly design and deploy and go where industry needs us to go to lead the world in next-generation capabilities.”

One of the most effective ways InSPIRE is making an impact is by educating and certifying regional K-12 teachers to help build local STEM expertise. Led by a partnership with FSU’s Learning Systems Institute, InSPIRE is fostering a community of educational experts who can help their students compete and rapidly respond to industry trends.

In the summer of 2024, nearly 200 educators from all eight Northwest Florida counties attended professional learning courses over a four-week span. Course topics included robotics, AI in engineering, computational thinking, 3D printing fundamentals, and more.

“As I have traveled across the region speaking at our teacher training events, I have been impressed by the excitement and commitment from our teachers,” Allen says. “Many educators have been wildly receptive to evolving their skills and curriculum to align with tomorrow’s workforce demands.”

For current FSU students, InSPIRE provides applied research facilities, internships, and funds to grow the number of engineering graduates in Panama City. The program intends to make collaborations between students, educators, industry, and community leaders the expected status quo.

Once the Panama City facility opens, it will support the development of an entire product lifecycle under one roof. This in-house deployment will encompass technological advancements in next-generation machining, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence design, robotics, simulation, and prototyping as well as complete testing and evaluation.

“What areas are missing, and what holes can we fill to solve national challenges?” Dodge asks. “That’s how we demonstrate our value to produce innovations at scale, improve the national supply chain, and build strategic growth in our local communities.”

Dodge notes that the access to land, close proximity to other large, factory-centric cities, heavy military presence, influence of top universities, job availability, and quality of life all add to the appeal of the Panhandle. “Northwest Florida is falling in line with a broader effort from the state to become a top spot for manufacturing.” 

The genesis of InSPIRE all stems from forward thinking, especially pertaining to keeping students local by presenting an attractive and reliable workforce.

“Students from the affected counties are our most important target audience,” Dodge says. “In the coming years, they will be the skilled talent and modern workforce that will ignite growth in the region. The InSPIRE infrastructure will rapidly and easily adapt to meet industry and defense requirements that are even yet unknown. We aspire to create multiple, seamless career pathways to high-technology, high-wage careers within a thriving ecosystem that is translating science into solutions.” ▪