SRI-St. Petersburg aims to accelerate research and development of technologies related to ocean science, the maritime industry and port security. SRI's expansion from Menlo Park, CA into Florida is a collaboration with the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science and its Center for Ocean Technology and is supported by the City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and the state. Starting with 40 staff members transferred from the Center for Ocean Technology in California, SRI-St. Petersburg plans to grow to 200 jobs by 2016.