CO:LAB Pensacola

CO:LAB launched in 2008 as the Gulf Coast Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), the first Innovation based Incubator in the region.

[FloridaWest @FloridaWestEDA]

Chris Platé and Ashley Saba are representing FloridaWest alongside Governor Ron DeSantis and the SelectFlorida delegation this week at the Farnborough International Airshow, one of the world's premier aerospace and defense events.

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

It's Air Show Day, and Co:Pilot is looking to the skies! ✈️

As Pensacola welcomes visitors from across the country for one of our community's most iconic events, we're celebrating the teamwork, precision, and hometown pride that make the Blue Angels a tradition unlike any other.

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

When choosing the mascot, the choice was obvious. A pelican, because he belongs to Pensacola. A co-pilot, because that's the role we play. You pilot your business, and we assist in getting you where you're going.

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Meet Co:Pilot, the new mascot of CO:LAB Pensacola.
Every entrepreneur is the pilot of their own business. CO:LAB is the one in the right seat: assisting with checklists, providing coaching, and helping navigate around the obstacles.

[Philosophy Of Physics @PhilosophyOfPhy]

In 1937, a 21-year-old MIT student sat in a quiet library, mapping abstract philosophical logic onto electrical circuits to pass the time.

By the time he finished his thesis, the young man had mathematically proven that mechanical telephone switches could perform complex calculations. Instead of just routing phone calls, they were destined to become thinking machines.

He had just discovered the mathematical trigger for digital computing.

But when he published his work, the leading engineers of the industrial world paid little attention, viewing his mathematics as a mere academic parlor trick.

His name was Claude Shannon.

It would take years for the industrial establishment to fully realize he was right and adopt the binary logic that now powers every computer, smartphone, and network on Earth.

His breakthrough against traditional engineering is the ultimate lesson in what happens when rigid practices clash with unexpected philosophical reality.
In the early 20th century, engineers believed they understood circuit design. They knew that as telephone networks grew, they needed more physical wires and relays. But traditional engineering offered no universal science; it was a manual process of brute-force trial and error.

The systems would grow into a chaotic, tangled mess of blueprints and copper lines.
The entire industrial establishment agreed: every circuit, no matter how complex, had to be wired by manual experimentation. It was a tedious, costly formula.

But in that library, Shannon realized the establishment had left a massive variable out of their equations: 19th-century symbolic philosophy.

Shannon recalculated the engineering, factoring in what happens when you treat an electrical switch using the laws of Boolean algebra.

What he found shattered the industrial consensus.

He proved that an electrical switch has only two possible states: it is either closed and letting power through, or open and blocking the current. This was mathematically identical to True (1) and False (0).

The circuit could evaluate logical statements. There was no limit to what it could compute. It could automate human thought, transforming physical electricity into digital logic.

When Shannon presented this concept, mainstream electrical engineers were skeptical. They couldn't accept that an abstract philosophical concept could solve real-world hardware bottlenecks.
Shannon was initially ignored. The establishment stuck to their traditional wiring methods.

Instead of fighting a rigid, closed system, Shannon quietly expanded his work into Information Theory, proving that all data could be compressed into a universal currency called the "bit." Decades later, when the global tech revolution exploded, the world realized the 21-year-old student had been right all along.

The philosophical blueprint Shannon left behind is a vital truth for navigating complex problems and institutional pushback:

Comforting traditions will always be more popular than disruptive innovations. Trust the system's underlying logic anyway.

Most of us approach our careers and projects seeking the validation of current experts or established guidelines. When we propose a radical new idea or try to change a broken system, and the authorities tell us we are wrong, our instinct is to assume our logic is flawed. We abandon our data to fit the consensus.

But Shannon’s legacy proves that traditional industry consensus is not the same thing as truth.
Gatekeepers are human; they protect their own methods, their own training, and their own comfort.

What is a bottleneck, a project, or a direction you’ve abandoned just because an expert or a boss told you it wouldn't work? What happens if you stop looking for their permission and trust the structural logic of your own work?

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Help us congratulate Talent Pronto! Founded by Holly Benson & Ross Overstreet, they’re tackling one of healthcare’s toughest challenges—getting the right talent in the door fast. Their AI-driven platform means better hires, faster. #StartupLife #BetterHiresFaster

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Resilience is the new advantage in entrepreneurship. Founders who adapt, pivot and embrace change are the ones who thrive. CO:LAB Pensacola connects startups with mentors, networks and support to turn challenges into opportunities.

https://t.co/OBo64DPJHX

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Welcome Michelle B. Griffin, founder of Brand Leaders, as a new Resident Entrepreneur at CO:LAB Pensacola! She’s a speaker, author & strategist helping entrepreneurs Own Their Lane™ and grow their brands. #COLABPensacola #Entrepreneurship

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

1 Million Cups Espresso Edition is this Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. at CO:LAB. Pitch a two-minute idea, share a question, and connect with fellow entrepreneurs over coffee. #1MillionCups #COlabPensacola

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

AI is changing the game for entrepreneurs.
From customer experience to operations, it’s driving smarter growth. Generative AI is set to hit $60B—and nearly 90% of companies are already in.

At CO:LAB, founders are using AI to scale faster + reimagine industries.

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Engage with community leaders in a thought-provoking discussion on innovation and economic growth in Pensacola! See you at CO:LAB!

Innovation & Investment: A Pensacola Economic Forum

https://t.co/Rd4o0UC9lU

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Founders are building the future in Pensacola.
From AI to digital health, entrepreneurs are turning big ideas into thriving ventures—backed by mentorship, resources, and a vibrant startup community.
CO:LAB — where momentum begins.

#COLABPensacola #StartupSupport #InnovationCoast

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Building a startup is tough—but you don’t have to do it alone.

At CO:LAB, founders find support, mentorship and momentum in a space built for bold ideas.
Because even the strongest entrepreneurs need a strong community.

https://t.co/D7gwZxyKSD

#COLABPensacola #StartupLife

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Pensacola made LinkedIn’s 2025 “Cities on the Rise” list—thanks to rising startups, tech talent, and bold entrepreneurs. At CO:LAB, we see it daily: founders growing what’s next on the Gulf Coast.

#COLABPensacola #CitiesOnTheRise
🔗 https://t.co/Rqr2dFpbXo

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

The Blue Angels fly high over Pensacola — and so do the startups at CO:LAB.

With support, space and mentorship, early-stage companies are gaining momentum and reaching new heights in a community built for growth.

#COLAB #StartupSupport #InnovationCoast #Entrepreneurship

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Happy Independence Day to all the fearless entrepreneurs and innovators! Today, we celebrate the spirit of independence that drives us to create, innovate, and build a brighter future. Let's continue to push boundaries, inspire change, and shape the entrepreneurial landscape!

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Thanks to Pensacola Young Professionals for hosting a powerful Community Roundtable on economic growth and impact. FloridaWest’s Patrick Rooney, Danita Andrews and board chair David Bear joined the panel to spotlight what’s ahead for our region.

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Pensacola ranks in the 2025 list of America’s 100 Best Cities—recognized for its blend of coastal lifestyle and business momentum. At CO:LAB, we help startups grow the ideas driving that recognition.

https://t.co/sQVIR4ljaA

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

From quiet kid to confident coach—Daniel Pennington just wrote the book on beating stage fright. Stop Stage Fright launches June 26!

As a CO:LAB Resident Entrepreneur, he's building tools to help others speak up and shine.

#COLABPensacola #StopStageFright #PensacolaStartups

[CO:LAB Pensacola @Co_LabPensacola]

Please help us welcome Liko Entertainment Technologies, the newest Resident Entrepreneur at CO:LAB.