>> IMAGINE A CITY REINVENTING ITSELF, SHEDDING MINDSETS, REVERSING TRENDS, AND CREATING NEW APPROACHES TO A CREATIVITY OF COLLABORATION.

BUILDING NEW SOCIAL NETWORKS, PHYSICAL SPACES, AND TECHNICAL PLATFORMS TO REPOSITION ITS ROLE IN AN UNFOLDING FUTURE.

THAT WOULD BE REMARKABLE.

MAPPING THAT FUTURE IS ALREADY UNDER WAY AT A PLACE CALLED CORTEX, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.

BUT TO THINK OF CORTEX SIMPLY AS A PLACE, THIS IS THE POINT, BECAUSE IT'S EVERY BIT AS MUCH A CONCEPT.

TO CREATE SPACES WHERE PEOPLE AND IDEAS COLLIDE SERENDIPITOUSLY WITHIN A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO INNOVATION.

>> WE WELCOME YOU TO NEXT UP, DONNYBROOK NEXT UP, AND THAT, OF COURSE, THE GREAT PATRICK MURPHY AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT CORTEX BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

WE ARE SO HAPPY TO WELCOME SAM FIORELLO.

HE IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CORTEX INNOVATION COMMUNITY.

SAM, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT.

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE, REALLY.

>> SO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT INTRODUCTION WAS MAPPING OUT WHERE CORTEX WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH OUR NINE PBS VIEWERS, WHERE WERE YOU EXACTLY WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND WHERE ARE YOU TODAY?

>> SO, I STARTED THE POSITION IN MARCH OF 2020, JUST AS THINGS WERE SHUTTING DOWN HARD.

IN THE YEARS BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS TREMENDOUS MOMENTUM.

WE HAD 90-SOME PERCENT OCCUPANCY, WE'D HAVE REGULARLY 5-, 600 PEOPLE COMING ON THURSDAY TO VENTURE CAFE EVENTS.

WE'D HOST DELEGATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT OR READ ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS AT CORTEX.

IT ALL CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT.

THE BIGGEST HEADACHES FOR ME WERE PEOPLE HAD TO FIND PARKING.

THAT WASN'T AN ISSUE FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

>> WHERE ARE WE TODAY?

>> I'M NOT GOING TO SUGARCOAT IT.

THE TWO YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN THINGS WERE SHUT DOWN WERE REALLY TOUGH FOR CORTEX.

TOUGH PROGRAMMATICALLY BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT CONVENING.

WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, WE HAVE EVENTS, WE SHARE IDEAS, WE HAVE HACK-A-THONS AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

ALSO FINANCIALLY A BIG HIT.

REVENUE SOURCES LIKE RENTAL INCOME ON OUR MONTH-TO-MONTH REAL ESTATE, PARKING REVENUES, AND SO FORTH REALLY WERE HIT.

WE'RE NOW COMING -- I SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

THERE ARE MORE AND MORE CARS ON THE LOT.

I SEE ENERGY IN THE BUILDINGS.

WE HAVE AN EVENT, OUR FIRST TRUE EVENT AT THE VENTURE CAFE LAST THURSDAY NIGHT WAS AN EVENT, A CYBERSECURITY JOB FAIR AND THEN A SERIES OF PANELS ON CYBER ISSUES, AND THERE WERE CLOSE TO 500 PEOPLE THERE, SO IT WAS EXCITING AND WONDERFUL.

AND I SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

>> SO SAM, LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

YOU WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE LAST YEAR WERE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND NOT BECAUSE OF -- ACTUALLY, PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW, YOU RAN THE DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER FOR HOW MANY YEARS?

>> WELL, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE THERE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHEN DR. DANFORTH HAD THIS AUDACIOUS IDEA TO PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND AND SAY WE SHOULD BE THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR DISCOVERY FOR FOOD AND PLANTS AND COMMERCE.

THAT WAS IN FEBRUARY OF 1997.

>> AND WE CAN AGREE THAT DR. DAN FORTH REALLY WAS THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF CIVIC LEADERS IN ST. LOUIS.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING FOR YOU TO WORK FOR HIM.

>> IT WAS THE HONOR OF MY CAREER AND DR. DANFORTH WAS A VISIONARY.

HE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND A CAUSE AND HE ALWAYS WAS FOCUSED ON THE BEST THING FOR THE CAUSE AND NEVER HIMSELF.

SO IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

>> NOW, SPEAKING OF -- I'M SORRY, CAN I SAY -- >> SURE.

>> SPEAKING OF FOCUS, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD SAID, THAT THE CHALLENGE FOR THE CORTEX ASIDE FROM THE PANDEMIC, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS HUGE, IS STAYING FOCUSED IN THE WAY THAT THE PLANT SCIENCE CENTER DID WHERE THE PLANT SCIENCE CENTER WAS ABOUT JUST WHAT YOU DESCRIBED AND HAS STAYED VERY MUCH ON THAT MISSION.

WITH CORTEX, IT'S HAD GENERATIONS OF, I THINK THERE'S A NEW PLAN NOW, AND GENERATIONS OF -- IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS NOW, RIGHT, SINCE IT STARTED?

>> THIS IS THE 20th ANNIVERSARY, THAT'S RIGHT.

>> SO IT'S HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT VISIONS.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE CHALLENGE OF HAVING IT BE FOCUSED REQUESTS.

>> YES, WITH THE FIRST THING IS WITH THE DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER HARD FOCUSED A FOOD AND AG AND THAT WAS THE LANE AND THAT'S TRICK TERRIFIC, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT SCALE WITH CORTEX.

IT HAS 6,000 PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, 200 ACRES, MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN WE JUST UNVEILED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, THE THEME IS FOCUS, RIGHT?

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T FOCUS ON A HANDFUL OF THINGS -- IN FACT, I HAVE A SHEET I PUT TOGETHER FOR THE CORTEX TEAM, THE BOARD AND OTHERS, THERE ARE TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY DECISION TON GET INTO SOMETHING.

IS THIS CLEARLY WITHIN MISSION, ARE WE IDEALLY SUITED TO DO THIS, WHO ELSE IS DOING IT?

SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE STILL HAVE AT LIFE SCIENCE PILLAR AS A FOCUS, RIGHT?

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, BJC, ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE CENTERS OF DISCOVERY SECOND TO NONE.

THE NEUROSCIENCE BUILDING THAT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL IS PUTTING TOGETHER IS GOING TO BE 650 THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.

IT WILL BE THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF NEUROSCIENCE ACTIVITY IN THE WORLD.

THAT'S UNIQUE TO US, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT FOR SUCCESS.

WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THE INVESTMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE NGA.

SEVERAL BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT ON LOCATION SCIENCE OR GEOSPATIAL.

WE, CORTEX, ST. LOUIS REGION, SHOULD AND MUST BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT INVESTMENT.

WE'RE UNIQUELY SUITED TO SAY YOU CAN'T GET THAT IN NASHVILLE OR INDY, SO IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO PLAN AROUND HOW WE LEVERAGE.

AT CORTEX, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING, WE HAVE DIFFERENT PARTNERS IN DIFFERENT LANES.

CORTEX IS GOING TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO BUILD WORK-FROM-HOME PROOF, A SECURE SPACE THAT COMPANIES NEED TO ACCESS SOME OF THE WORK THAT COMES FROM THE NGA.

COMPANIES LIKE AIRBUS USA AND BOEING AND GENERAL DYNAMICS AND BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON.

WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THOSE LARGE EMPLOYERS AND THEY SAY IF THAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS AVAILABLE, WE'LL MOVE THERE.

WE'LL MOVE PEOPLE FROM DENVER AND D.C. AND OTHER PLACES THERE.

WE NEED THAT SPACE.

BUT THEY ALSO SAY WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE THE TALENT TO FILL THE SLOTS WE NEED AND IF YOU CAN'T FILL THAT BUCKET, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL LAB AND SECURE SPACE IN THE WORLD.

>> THAT LEADS TO OUR NEXT LINE OF QUESTIONING FOR YOU, SAM.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INNOVATION, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REALLY MOVING THE BALL FORWARD, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WORKFORCE.

AS WE ALL KNOW, IN TERMS OF EVERY SECTOR, THE WORKFORCE HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT DO YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT?

>> YEAH, SO AS A REGION THAT ASPIRES TO BE A PLAYER IN THE TECH ECONOMY -- RIGHT?

-- YOU THINK OF MAZLOF'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS.

WHEN I TALK TO CEOs WITH MOVING THEIR COMPANIES OR ESTABLISHING A PRESENCE IN CORTEX, I SAY WHAT ARE THE NEEDS YOU NEED?

ALWAYS THEY SAY I NEED THE TALENT TO RUN MY BUSINESS, GROW MY BUSINESS, AND THE SECOND THING THEY SAY IS WE HAVE MADE SOME PLEDGES ON HAVING A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE.

TODAY, MOST OF THESE TECH JOBS ARE WHITE AND THEY'RE MEN, AND WE THINK WE HAVE MADE PROCLAMATIONS AND WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE.

WHY?

BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT, AND B, BECAUSE THERE IS TREMENDOUS DATA THAT SHOWS THE MORE DIVERSE A WORKFORCE IS, THE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL A COMPANY IS, RIGHT?

AND THOSE TWO THINGS ARE CRITICAL THINGS THAT WE AS A REGION HAVE TO MEET AND WE AS CORTEX HAVE TO MEET.

SO I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE WHATEVER WE'RE DOING.

CYBERSECURITY IS A LANE THAT WE'VE DECIDED TO JUMP IN.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE ADDED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, RIGHT?

WHY?

CYBERSECURITY FOR THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPER DOES A SURVEY OF CEOs SAYING WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST PAINS, WHAT ARE YOUR BIG THREATS?

CYBERSECURITY IS NUMBER ONE AGAIN.

IT CAME OUT IN JANUARY YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, RIGHT?

CYBERSECURITY MEANS TALENT MOSTLY, CYBER TALENT.

FOUR YEARS AGO, ALARM BELLS OFF IN ST. LOUIS BECAUSE THE DATA SHOWED THERE ARE 4,000 UNFILLED CYBERSECURITY JOBS IN OUR REGION, 4,000.

THE DATA WAS UPDATED, TODAY IT'S 8,000, RIGHT?

THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND WE HAVE TO GET ON TOP OF IT, RIGHT?

SO CORTEX SAID WE THINK WE CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT TALENT, THERE ARE THREE BUCKETS.

THERE'S THE SUPPLY SIDE, THE LEARNERS, THE POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES.

THERE IS THE TRAINING ENTERPRISES, WHETHER THEY BE THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS LIKE UMSL AND SLU AND WASH-U AND WEBSTER, OR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATES.

WE, FOR THE CYBER LANE, DECIDED TO PARTNER WITH A FIRM CALLED PURS GOLOFF, WHICH IS ESTABLISHING A PRESENCE HERE FROM NEW YORK AND THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

THE OTHER SIDE SAT DEMAND SIDE, THE EMPLOYERS.

WE LAUNCHED SOMETHING A YEAR AGO, A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION, AND BY MEMBER, IT'S EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE AN UP SCALE, THEY CARE ABOUT CYBER, THEY HAVE A CYBER WORKFORCE.

THEY COME TOGETHER AND WE OFFER THREE THINGS.

ONE IS A PLACE TO COLLABORATE AND TALK ABOUT BEST PRACTICES.

NO ONE WANTS TO COMPETE ON CYBER FRONTS, RIGHT?

TWO IS A CHANCE TO GET AN EARLY LOOK AT NEW TECHNOLOGIES COMING FROM, EITHER FROM THE SCHOOL AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WITH ADVANCED RESEARCH OR A STARTUP COMPANY SAYING HERE'S A NEW TOOL TO DEPLOY, AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS, COMPANIES SAY THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD, INTERESTING.

WHERE THEY LEAN IN AND SAY WHERE DO I SIGN UP IS WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A TALENT PIPELINE FOR YOU TO MEET YOUR TALENT NEEDS AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A SEAT AT THE TABLE SO YOU HAVE A SAY IN THE CURRICULUM AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU, THE EMPLOYER, AND THE LEARNER THAT'S PLACED FOR TWO YEARS PAST PLACEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WORKS.

BECAUSE IT DOES NOBODY ANY GOOD TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING AND A YEAR LATER, IT FAILS, IT'S BAD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND BAD FOR THE COMPANY.

SO WE'RE LAUNCHING THAT.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST COHORT STARTING IN ANYWAY AND WHEN WE GET UP TO -- IN MAY AND WHEN WE GET UP TO SCALE NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BE 2- TO 300 PEOPLE A YEAR WITH CYBER JOBS AND THREE-QUARTS OF THEM WILL BE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THAT'S THE TRACK RECORD FOR OUR PARTNERS AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

>> LET ME GO BACK TO TALKING ABOUT NGA.

THERE IS -- NGA, OF COURSE, IS IN NORTH ST. LOUIS AND A REASONABLE DISTANCE FROM WHERE THE CORTEX IS AND CERTAINLY -- THE STUFF WITH CYBER IS GREAT, BUT ON THE NGA PIECE OF IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS MUCH OF A COMMITMENT TO DO ANYTHING CLOSER TO THE NGA.

IF IT DOES, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT, AND IT SEEMS -- AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DOWNTOWN -- IS IT DOWNTOWN NORTH, I THINK IT'S CALLED, WITH McKELVEY AND SQUARE AND STARWOOD GROUP.

AND THE GLOBE BUILDING AND YOU MENTIONED T-REX.

IS THERE -- ARE YOU WORKING TOGETHER?

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A -- THAT'S AN AREA, YOU TALK ABOUT FOCUS, I'M NOT QUITE CLEAR WHAT IT IS ABOUT DOING IT AT THE CORTEX AND NOT DOING MORE NORTH -- IN NORTH CITY.

AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO DRAG YOU INTO ANY KIND OF POLITICAL PROBLEM, BUT YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S -- I DON'T SEE THE KIND OF REGIONAL APPROACH, BUT MAYBE IT'S HAPPENING AND I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

>> HERE'S WHAT I THINK.

FIRST OF ALL, CORTEX CAMPUS AND THE NGA WEST CAMPUS IS A COUPLE MILES DISTANCE.

IT'S NOT FAR.

IT'S NOT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, BUT IT'S NOT FAR.

I BELIEVE THAT THESE EARLY INVESTMENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN AT CORTEX WHERE WE BUILD THE SECURE BUILDING AND WE'RE ABLE TO ENTICE COMPANIES LIKE BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON AND THE OTHERS I TALKED ABOUT TO ACTUALLY MOVE FOLKS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO ESTABLISH A BEACHHEAD HERE WILL BE AN IMPORTANT BEACHHEAD AND THEY'LL DEVELOP A LEVEL OF COMFORT AND WHEN NGA WEST OPENS IN A FEW YEARS, THIS WILL BE MOMENTUM AND THEN PHASE TWO WILL BE THERE.

WE'RE TALKING TO A DEVELOPER -- HERE'S A REAL EXAMPLE.

COMPANY OUT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, THEY MAKE THESE SPECIALIZED SECURE BUILDINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THEY BUILT SOME SPACE AT THE GLOBE BUILDING, PHASE ONE, I THINK 50, 60,000 SQUARE FEET.

PHASE TWO WILL BE A BUILDING AT CORTEX WITH A SECURED CONFERENCING SPACE AND PHASE THREE, TO TIME IT IN A WAY THAT NGA WEST OPENS, WILL BE A BUILDING NEAR THE NGA WEST, ACROSS THE STREET, IN THAT PROXIMITY.

SO THAT'S THE LONG LOOK.

I THINK WE'LL SEE MORE OF THAT, AND I THINK THE -- ESTABLISHING THIS BEACHHEAD IN AN ESTABLISHED, VIBRANT, INNOVATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION ZONE THAT HAS THE ABILITY BECAUSE IT'S LIVE-WORK-PLAY AND WE'RE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FOUNDRIES, WE CAN ATTRACT THE TALENT THAT'S NEEDED.

WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, DEVELOPERS TO BUILD ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL IN THE AREA.

STEVE SMITH IS BUILDING RESIDENTIAL IN THE AREA.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP THAT'S IN THE NEXT MONTHS, IN 18 MONTHS.

THAT WILL LEAD, I'M SURE AND CONFIDENT, TO INITIAL INVESTMENTS BY COMPANIES CLOSER EVEN TO THE NGA THAN THE COUPLE OF MILES THAT WE ARE.

>> BRIEFLY GETTING BACK TO THE WORKFORCE AND YOUR POTENTIAL POOL, ARE YOU CREATING PATHWAYS WITH EDUCATORS IN TERMS OF K-12?

HAVE YOU EVEN BROACHED THE SUBJECT OF EMPLOYERS MAYBE RELAXING SOME OF THE RULES THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY GOVERNED HIRING PEOPLE IN TERMS OF A FOUR-YEAR EDUCATION?

HOW DO WE NEGOTIATE THAT PART OF IT?

>> YES AND YES.

SO THE CYBERSECURITY JOBS, EMPLOYERS ARE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE IN COMP-SCI.

THERE'S SPECIALIZED TRAINING FROM LAUNCH CODES AND THE EMPOWERS AND THE PURS GOLOFFES AND THESE ARE 12 TO 15 MONTHS INTO THE PROGRAM.

THEY'VE SPOKE TO ME, THE EMPLOYERS, ENOUGH OF A SKILL SET THAT THEY CAN JOIN THE COMPANY AND HAVE AN ASCENT THROUGH LEARNING THE PRACTICES THERE.

WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN ST. LOUIS FOR THE K-12 PIECE.

THAT'S THE PIPELINE FOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS.

IT'S RECENT GRADS, UNEMPLOYED, UNDEREMPLOYED, BUT FOLKS ARE IN DIFFERENT PLACES ON THEIR JOURNEYS, RIGHT?

IN ORDER TO ENTER INTO THE CYBERSECURITY PORTAL, THE PURS GOLOFF PATH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF APTITUDE.

SO A RECENT GRAD FROM UMSL WITH A GENERAL DEGREE SAYS, BOY, I'D LIKE A CAREER IN CYBER, GREAT STARTING SALARY AND A PATH FORWARD, YOU ENTER RIGHT IN AND YOU'RE READY TO GO IN 12 TO 15 WEEKS, THERE'S A JOB WAITING FOR YOU AT THE OTHER END, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE NOT AT THAT PLACE, WE LOOK TO PARTNERS LIKE EMPOWER AND OTHERS TO SAY WE NEED TO SCALE UP THIS INDIVIDUAL.

AND THERE MAY BE A THREE-MONTH PERIOD THERE OR WHATEVER IT IS TO HAVE THE PREPARATION TO ENTER THE TRAINING PATH.

WE WORK WITH CYBER UP FOR MILITARY VEDS.

YOU LEFT THE MILITARY, YOU HAD A CAREER, GREAT EXPERIENCES, BUT YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAINING ON SOME BASIC COMPUTER ONMATH, WHATEVER IT IS.

EMPOWER WILL DO THAT, WORK WITH US, SO IT'S THIS CONTINUUM, BUT WE START WITH TALKING TO KIDS K-12, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T START THERE, IT'S TOO LATE IF WE'RE GOING TO WAIT, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

>> SO PART OF THE -- IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN AT THE DANFORTH CENTER IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO LAB TECH TRAINING PROGRAMS, RIGHT?

THOSE JOBS, YOU GRADUATE FROM THAT, YOU START AT 50,000 A YEAR AND YOU GO TO WORK IN THE LAB AND YOU HAVE -- THEY'RE TERRIFIC JOBS AND IT'S A CAREER.

THERE'S ALWAYS MORE DEMAND THAN SUPPLY.

SO WE ASKED, WHAT IS STOPPING US?

IS IT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, IS IT -- AND WHAT YOU FIND A LOT IS JUST THESE KIDS SIMPLY DON'T KNOW THAT THIS PATH EXISTS, RIGHT?

SO WE NOW HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THE WORD GETS OUT TO TEACHERS, PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE QUESTION THAT IS AT WHAT POINT DO YOU START TO GET THAT MESSAGE.

AGAIN, I THINK IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THEIR JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S TOO LATE.

IS IT 5th GRADE, 6th GRADE, SO THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE STEM STL THAT WE WORK CLOSELY WILL AND OTHERS THAT THAT'S THEIR LANE AND OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE WE COORDINATE WITH THAT.

NOT COMPETE OR CROWD THAT LANE AND WE WAIT FOR THE PROPER HANDOFF IN THIS CONTINUUM, AND THE END IS, AGAIN -- AND SUCCESS, WE GO BACK TO CYBER, IS NOT SOMEBODY WHO GETS AN ENTRY-LEVEL JOB.

WE WANT THESE INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE A CAREER, TO BE UP-SKILLED AND COMPETE FOR C-SUITE POSITIONS AND BECOME SISO'S IN THE FUTURE, NOT JUST STAY AT ENTRY LEVEL.

WE LOOK AT CAREER UPSKILLING.

TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING QUICKLY.

YOU NEED NEW SKILLS?

WE WORK WITH EMPLOYERS, WHAT ARE THE SKILLS NEEDED AND WE HELP WITH THAT UPSKILLING.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT CORTEX AND THE WE.

INITIALLY 20 YEARS AGO, IT SEEMS TO ME, IF MY MEMORY SERVES CORRECTLY, WAS THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS HERE.

>> YEAH.

>> WHO ARE THE DOMINANT -- I DON'T KNOW IF THE WORD WOULD BE OWNERS, BUT INVESTORS OR -- >> SUPPORTERS.

>> SUPPORTERS OF CORTEX?

>> SO 20 YEARS AGO, FOUR INSTITUTIONS, OUR ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND THEY PUT IN MONEY.

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT ST. LOUIS, AND BJC.

PUT IN FUNDING AND THAT WAS TO HELP PUT THE PARCELS OF LAND TOGETHER, PREPARE THEM TO BE DEVELOPED AND START TO TELL THE STORY OF WHY YOU SHOULD BE HERE AND GROW A COMPANY HERE.

OF COURSE, THOSE ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS ARE STILL VERY MUCH INVOLVED.

THEY'RE ON THE BOARD, BUT CORTEX NOW 20 YEARS LATER HAS DEVELOPED A LIFE OF ITS OWN, SO THE "WE" IN THE COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST THE ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, BUT THE SMALL COMPANIES THAT ARE HOPEFULLY SOME DAY GOING TO BE THE NEXT CENTENES.

IT'S THE PRESENCE OF THE LARGER COMPANIES, THE MICROSOFTS AND THE AEONS, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE A SAY AND THEY'RE PART OF COMMUNITY.

ALSO, THOUGH, IT IS THE TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WE'RE GOING TO DO -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE INTENTIONALITY TO REACH OUT BEYOND THE 200 ACRES TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

THE SITUATION WHERE WE LIVE, WHETHER IT'S SOUTH OF THE CAMPUS, THE DISTRICT, OR NORTH AND WE'RE WORKING WITH -- AGAIN, WE DO THIS IN PARTNERSHIP, RIGHT?

THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT IS TO HAVE A SENSE OF ARROGANCE THAT CORTEX IS A SHINE IN BRAND THAT'S SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NORTH AND PUT A FLAG DOWN AND SAY WE'RE HERE TO FIX YOU.

OUR MANTRA IS IF INVITED AND IF WE CAN PROVE THAT WE BRING SOMETHING -- ARE UNIQUELY SUITED TO FIX A PROBLEM, WE WILL EXPLORE THAT AND JOIN A PARTNERSHIP.

WE WILL NOT GO OUT AND JUST TRY TO INCREASE OUR EMPIRE.

>> I LOVE THAT, PLANTING A FLAG.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BEACHHEAD.

HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE ST. LOUIS AND THE MOVE?

WHAT ARE YOU ASKING OF THE REST THE COMMUNITY?

IT'S NOT ONLY BOUND BY YOUR CAMPUS, CORRECT?

>> YES, SO IF YOU GET BACK TO THE PREMISE THAT THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE AND TALENT, THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN SELL.

WE HAVE TO BURNISH THE IMAGE OF ST. LOUIS AS A GREAT PLACE AND A SAFE PLACE AND A FRIENDLY PLACE, RIGHT?

AND THERE'S WORK TO DO THERE.

LIKE A LOT OF CITIES, THERE'S ISSUES THERE AND EMPLOYERS ASK ABOUT THAT, THEY LOOK AT THE DATA.

THEY ASK ABOUT IS THIS THE KIND OF PLACE THAT 24 TO 34-YEAR-OLDS WILL WANT TO COME AND I THINK THINGS LIKE THE FOUNDRY AND THE MLS SOCCER AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GROVE, THOSE THINGS REALLY MATTER.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND THEIR WHOLE KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, IT'S THE FUNKY BARS AND THE SCENE, WHICH IRONICALLY THEY'RE LOSING WITH THEIR SUCCESS, KIND OF LIKE SAN FRANCISCO DID.

WE'VE GOT TO FIND THOSE PLACES, CELEBRATE THEM, ELEVATE THEM, AND MAKE THEM PART OF THE OFFERING.

WHEN YOU'RE -- MY OLDEST IS 27 AND HE SAID, DAD, HE CAN HAVE TEN JOBS A WEEK.

HE'S LIVING IN VANCOUVER AND WORKING THERE.

IF WE WERE TO TRY TO RECRUIT HIM AND SAY WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE 401(K) MATCH, YOU KNOW.

IT'S UNITED HEALTHCARE CHOICE PLUS.

YAWN.

THE THINGS THAT WILL GET HIM IS THIS IS IN A VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

ALSO TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT IS A GRAND CAUSE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF URBAN TURNAROUND THAT'S INCLUSIVE, RIGHT?

NOW HE IS LEANING IN, RIGHT?

THERE'S THIS IDEA, I CAN BE SOMETHING BIGGER, I CAN WORK ANYWHERE, AND WE'RE NOT -- I MEAN, IT'S FOLLY TO TRY TO OUT-SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO AND OUT-BOSTON BOSTON.

IT'S WHAT CAN WE UNIQUELY DO?

WE HAVE THE CYBERSECURITY PIPELINE, THERE'S A TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT IN OUR CITY, UNEMPLOYED, UNDEREMPLOYED, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT COHORT FOR THE JOBS THAT WE NEED HERE IN DATA ANALYTICS.

I THINK RICH HUNTING GROUNDS ARE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, MADISON, WISCONSIN.

MANY ARE FROM THE MIDWEST AND AREN'T DYING TO LIVE IN BOSTON OR NEW YORK OR SAN FRANCISCO.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A CASE, COME HERE TO ST. LOUIS AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A CAREER THAT'S FULFILLING.

YOU CAN BE PART OF SOMETHING GRAND AND BIG, AND IT'S IN THE MIDWEST, SO THERE'S A MIDWEST SORT OF CULTURE AND SENSIBILITY THAT YOU'RE USED TO AND WANT.

>> OKAY, SAM, I'M CHANNELING SOME OF THE NINE PBS AUDIENCE THAT'S SMARTER THAN ME AND THEY'RE GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, I'M SURE AT HOME, I THINK.

OR MAKE A STATEMENT AND I WANT YOUR RESPONSE.

I'VE HEARD THIS ALL BEFORE.

PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT, MAYBE UNFAIRLY.

HOW IS IT IN 2022 THAT IT'S DIFFERENT?

>> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A FAIR THING TO SAY, RIGHT?

THIS IS -- THERE HAVE BEEN INITIATIVES, AND I CAN'T SIT HERE AND PROMISE THIS -- I'M GOING TO PROMISE SUCCESS.

WHAT I CAN SAY THAT I FEEL IS DIFFERENT IN THE 27 YEARS THAT MY WIFE AND OUR FAMILY HAVE BEEN HERE IS THERE'S A SENSE OF COLLABORATION AND UNITY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

I THINK IN THE PAST, THERE USED TO BE THIS SORT OF SCARCITY MENTALITY THAT IF I DON'T GET THIS, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL, AND FIGHTING OVER CRUMBS.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHEN THE CALL, THE BIG FEDERAL FUNDS STARTED COMING AND THERE WAS A CALL TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO PICK A HANDFUL -- WE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE GOING TO PICK A HANDFUL OF REGIONS THAT ARE LEADING IN TECHNOLOGY AND PUT A PROPOSAL IN AND YOU CAN WIN $100 MILLION.

IN THE PAST, FIVE YEARS AGO AND MORE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN THIS FIGHT FOR SIX DIFFERENT GROUPS TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER THIS, AND THAT'S A FORMULA FOR -- THAT'S AN EASY THING FOR THE GRANT ADMINISTRATORS TO SAY.

THERE WAS THIS COMING TOGETHER AND THE SCENE HERE WAS ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, AND FRANKLY, CORTEX DOESN'T REALLY GET MUCH OUT OF THAT.

WE'RE NOT IN THAT LANE, BUT WE SAID, WE SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE FOR THE REGION, WE THINK IT'S A STRONG CASE TO MAKE.

WE'LL BE PART OF IT, WE'LL BE PART OF SHAPING IT, AND IF WE GET SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE OUT OF IT, A LITTLE PIECE OF IT, THAT'S GREAT.

BUT THE REGION WINS, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING.

IT WASN'T JUST CORTEX SAYING THAT.

IT WAS BIO-STL SAYING THAT, A WHOLE HOST OF OTHERS THAT CAME AROUND THE SAME TABLE SAYING WE HAVE TO UNITE AND WIN VERSUS FIGHT FOR CRUMBS AND LOSE.

THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN THE PAST.

THAT GIVES ME OPTIMISM.

I REALLY DO THINK THAT THIS INVESTMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON NGA WEST IS A CATALYTIC EVENT IF WE DON'T SCREW IT UP, RIGHT?

IT IS IN A SUBJECT THAT IS GOING TO ONLY GROW, GEOSPATIAL, LOCATION SCIENCE.

WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOW UBIQUITOUS IN OUR LIVES.

THERE ARE SENSORS EVERYWHERE, SO WE NEED TO DO THAT WELL.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME, FRANKLY.

>> VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE.

WE WANT TO THANK SAM FIORELLO, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CORTEX INNOVATION COMMUNITY.

WE ARE BETTING ON THE FACT THAT YOU REALLY HAVEN'T SLEPT MUCH IN THE LAST YEAR, AND WE HOPE YOU GET SOME SLEEP.

WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF MILES TO GO AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE CONVERSATION AGAIN WITH US HERE ON NINE PBS.

>> I WILL.

IT'S MY PLEASURE AND THANKS FOR INVITING ME.

>> THANK YOU, SAM.

>> BYE-BYE.

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING.

STAY TUNED TO NINE PBS.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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