Cortex

Founded in 2002 to translate St. Louis regional university and corporate research into commercial technologies, Cortex Innovation Community has grown to become one of the premier innovation districts in the country. Home to 6,000 employees and 425 businesses-from promising start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 companies-Cortex has generated more than $2 billion in economic output for the St. Louis region in the past two decades. Most importantly, Cortex has proven to be an economic multiplier, having a profound impact beyond our immediate boundaries. From 2014-2016, Cortex Innovation Community generated $84 million in city and state tax revenue. In that time, Cortex's presence has catalyzed investment in local neighborhood retail and residential developments by more than $950 million.

But Cortex is more than a place; we are a community of thinkers and doers, applying creative solutions to the world's most urgent challenges. Cortex is a key job engine for the St. Louis region, creating new jobs by providing fertile ground for startups and attracting new jobs by recruiting mature companies to our campus. We accomplish this through our programs, partnerships and collaborative, catalytic environment that together serve as a magnet to draw high-quality jobs and diverse talent to the region. Central to this effort is Cortex's unyielding emphasis on equitable economic growth through a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.