Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is cementing its position as a national leader in healthcare innovation. Prominent leaders in medicine, finance, and technology recently converged in Tampa for TGH Innovation Week, a landmark series of events hosted by Tampa General Hospital in partnership with the University of South Florida (USF) Health. This year’s theme — Inspire. Empower. Practice. — set the stage for bold conversations about implementing cutting-edge technologies and transformative concepts into everyday clinical practice.
TGH Innovation Week: A Region-Defining Moment
TGH Innovation Week featured more than 62 events, 43 speakers, and 24 panel discussions, drawing over 5,000 attendees from 16 states. More than 150 participants traveled to Tampa specifically for the occasion, underscoring the event’s growing national profile. Highlights included a Shark Tank-style competition, a fireside chat with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, behind-the-scenes hospital tours, live demonstrations, workshops, and simulation experiences that turned Tampa into a living innovation lab.
John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital, captured the significance of the moment: “The Tampa Bay region is at the epicenter of the future of health care — where innovation converges with world-class clinical care, exceptional academics, cutting-edge medical research, and leading life sciences and biotechnology companies.”
Ribbon-Cutting of the TGH Innovation Center in Ybor City
One of the week’s most anticipated milestones was the official ribbon-cutting of the TGH Innovation Center in Ybor City. The 32,000-square-foot facility will serve as the operational home for TGH Ventures and the hospital’s analytics and information technology teams. The center will also anchor the Tampa Medical and Research District (TMRD) and host regional offices for companies such as Palantir Technologies.
Scott Arnold, TGH executive vice president and chief digital and innovation officer, described the center’s purpose: “It’s a place for physicians, researchers, allied health professionals, industry partners and entrepreneurs to move a great idea to a tested solution faster. Innovation is a mindset. It’s part of our culture at Tampa General Hospital, and it can’t be occasional. It has to be intentional, repeatable and connected to the real needs of the people we serve.”
NEXT Summit Brings Global Health Tech Leaders to Tampa
Central to TGH Innovation Week was the NEXT Summit, a premier gathering of global leaders, entrepreneurs, and technology innovators spotlighting breakthroughs in healthcare technology. Top-tier speakers included Cathie Wood, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest; Catherine Estrampes, President and CEO of GE HealthCare U.S. and Canada; Palantir’s co-heads of U.S. healthcare, Jeremy David and Drew Goldstein; and William McKeon, President and CEO of Texas Medical Center.
The agenda also reflected the increasingly cross-sector nature of modern healthcare. Celebrity chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian and Michelle Wahler, founder and former CEO of Beyond Yoga, were featured speakers, highlighting how wellness, lifestyle, and healthcare innovation are becoming deeply interconnected.
Building a Culture of Continuous Innovation
Tampa General launched its inaugural Innovation Week in 2024 with a clear mission: to inspire team members to accelerate innovation across the health system and equip them with tangible tools to bring ideas to life. The 2025 edition expanded that vision significantly, reinforcing TGH’s commitment to making innovation not just a one-time event, but an embedded organizational culture.
As Tampa continues its evolution into a globally recognized hub for healthcare and life sciences, TGH Innovation Week stands as a testament to the region’s ambition — and its capability — to shape the future of medicine.
