The city of Pittsburgh was built on what we like to call an “Entrepreneurial Spirit” – with names like Mellon, Carnegie and Heinz, it’s hard to not notice the effect these vast thinkers have on the city. Their drive, determination and business savvy mindset have helped to transform the city from industrial age into the modern world as we know it.
With the continuation of these ideals, the Innovation District of Pittsburgh is showcasing the entrepreneurial drive and dedication of the modern-day movers and shakers. This designated space, located in the heart of Oakland, brings together the finest in tech, innovation and resources.
As described on their website, the district “is a dynamic, dense, connective pulse of innovation rooted in the world-class research of Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and UPMC”.
Within the vicinity, the city of Pittsburgh has invested over $2 billion dollars, spent on corporate research and development with companies such as Apple, Uber, Facebook, Amazon (and many more), that have located to the city in order to understand their consumers.
However, it’s the nearly 168,000 plus students that study within this area that are apart of the next generation of leaders within the fields of automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. Even the next generation of leaders need a break – which is why the city has also dedicated over 15,000 acres of recreational parks and outdoor space.
And it’s not just Oakland that benefits – the community helps to unite the surrounding neighborhoods such as Lawrenceville, The Strip District and East Liberty by showcasing their own assets.
With the growth of this community, the Innovation District has grown office space, hotel accommodations, as well as the graduate retention rate to allow for a new generation to lead the city into what is being dubbed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.
In accordance with the district, the Thrival Festival (to be held this September in Pittsburgh), helps to elevate the discussion of how the city is vastly changing in this new-age of technology and adaptation. As stated on Thrival’s website, the festival is a home to the “nature of adaptation, learning by combining presentations, discussions, and workshops with city excursions, startup visits, networking/sweatworking, interactive breakout sessions, really good parties, art encounters, local food adventures and live music.”
With the vast expansion of real estate, technological advances, and the need and desire to better the surrounding communities within Pittsburgh, the Innovation District connects vital research, talent, technology, and an entrepreneurial spirit with the support, culture, amenities, and capital that allow innovators to thrive and further advance the city of Pittsburgh.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.