The SWFL HI AI Innovation Hub is a regional coalition committed to making artificial intelligence trusted, accessible, and tied to the real needs of Southwest Florida. We are not a single organization. We are a coordinated network of higher education, workforce development, healthcare, government, philanthropy, and private-sector partners working together with the Collaboratory as our fiscal agent.
SWFL HI AI INNOVATION HUB
About the SWFL HI AI Innovation Hub
Why “HI” Comes First
Our name is intentional. Human intelligence comes first because artificial intelligence must be guided by judgment, creativity, ethics, empathy, and local knowledge.
AI will reshape every industry. Its greatest value will come when people and institutions learn how to apply it thoughtfully to real problems, in real communities, with real accountability.
Six areas of focus
How We Work
The Hub is a coalition, not a single organization. Our partners include FGCU’s Dendritic AI Institute, the Florida SBDC at FGCU, FSW, the Lee County Economic Development Office, Lee County Schools, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Lee Health, CareerSource Southwest Florida, , Collaboratory, Blue Waters Development Group, SWFL Tech, and a growing roster of private-sector AI deployment partners. Solvably/Credably.ai, NURO.is, Minaya Learning Global Solutions, MDM, Strata52.
Collaboratory serves as our fiscal agent providing a trusted community-foundation backbone for grants, sponsorships, and regional coordination.
The Moment
In 2026, the Edison Awards came to Fort Myers, and five local companies took home six awards. National attention turned to Southwest Florida as a region capable of building, not just adopting.
The Hub exists to take that momentum and turn it into something sustained by coordinating the talent, institutions, and entrepreneurial spirit we already have, and by making sure AI works for the whole region.
