A Vibrant Hub
St. Louis is rewriting the story of innovation in the Midwest, and at the heart of this transformation is the Cortex Innovation District—a purpose-built neighborhood designed for discovery, collaboration, and growth. Once a 200-acre stretch of underdeveloped land along the city’s central corridor, the area has evolved into a vibrant community where entrepreneurs, researchers, and global companies come together to fuel the region’s innovation economy.
Anchored by world-class institutions like Washington University School of Medicine and leading organizations in life sciences, technology, and design, the Cortex Innovation District has become the premier destination for St. Louis coworking space, attracting those who want to be at the center of innovation.
The Vision & History of the Cortex Innovation District
In the early 2000s, St. Louis leaders recognized the opportunity to build a new kind of innovation economy. They traveled to Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the most successful innovation districts in the world, and returned inspired to replicate the model in their own city. The result was the creation of the Cortex Innovation District.
The District Today
The Cortex Innovation District is more than just a collection of buildings, it’s a thriving neighborhood filled with businesses, public spaces, and amenities. A few of the places that make it an attractive place to live, work, and connect are:
- BioSTL: A nonprofit driving St. Louis’s bioscience innovation economy by supporting entrepreneurs, attracting investment, and building a skilled and diverse workforce. Its investment arm, BioGenerator, provides funding, lab space, and advising to help life science startups scale.
- WashU Medicine: A nationally ranked institution that recently opened the Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building, a world-class facility advancing medical research.
- Cortex Commons: Inviting public space designed to bring people together.
- CIC St. Louis: An Innovation Campus spanning three buildings (4220 Duncan Ave., 4240 Duncan Ave., and 20 S. Sarah St.). CIC provides flexible office, lab, and coworking space in St. Louis for startups and established companies alike. For teams searching for office space in St. Louis, CIC offers both flexibility and community in the heart of Cortex.
With restaurants, bars, and shopping centers nearby, along with a mix of retail and office space, the district fosters an environment where collaboration happens naturally—whether over coffee, at an event, or during a walk through the park. This is often referred to as the “bump factor.” For anyone searching for St. Louis office space, CIC offers the perfect blend of work-ready amenities and community-driven energy.
Connectivity & Collaboration
Like Kendall Square in Cambridge or the 195 District in Providence, the Cortex Innovation District clusters startups, researchers, enterprise companies, and public amenities in a walkable, transit-friendly environment. The Cortex MetroLink Station connects the district to the greater St. Louis region, while the Commons and adjoining park create inviting spaces for connection.
Its location is also unmatched:
- A 10-minute walk takes you to WashU Medical Center Campus, Shriner’s Children’s, The Grove, or Central West End.
- Within 15 minutes, you can reach St. Louis University, City Foundry STL, or the St. Louis University Medical Campus.
CIC enhances this collaborative spirit by offering programs like Supercollider, an event series in partnership with Filament that brings innovators together to share ideas and build relationships. Beyond CIC, Cortex maintains a robust calendar of events hosted by both the district and local businesses, ensuring there’s always an opportunity to connect.
For professionals looking for private office space or coworking space in St. Louis, the district’s combination of transit, events, and shared work environments makes it the natural choice.
A Booming District and a City on the Rise
Today, the Cortex Innovation District has grown into an economic powerhouse with more than 500 companies, 5,000 employees, and $151.4 million in tax revenues, all contributing to Missouri’s growth and prosperity.
At the heart of this growth is CIC St. Louis, an Innovation Campus that provides flexible St. Louis office space and lab facilities for early-stage startups and global innovators alike. In 2024, CIC completed a $2 million renovation of its lab space through an expanded sponsorship with Thermo Fisher Scientific to bring members state-of-the-art equipment, services, and training. Eppendorf and other sponsors also equip CIC labs with essential tools and members-only benefits.
CIC St. Louis provides the flexibility and resources startups need to grow at their own pace. Neurolutions, for example, chose CIC for its strategic location within Cortex, its proximity to WashU, and its flexible office space options. The company was able to scale gradually, expanding from one private office to four as its team and operations grew.
As Neurolutions’ Kelly Carr put it: “[CIC St. Louis] is one of those rare places where you get out what you put in. For a startup or someone getting their feet wet, it’s invaluable.”
A Catalyst for Growth
CIC St. Louis is proud to be a cornerstone of the Cortex Innovation District, where startups, researchers, and global companies can access the resources, connections, and community they need to thrive. Together, the district’s history, economic impact, and collaborative environment create the ideal setting for the city’s innovation economy to grow.
If you’re looking for private office space in St. Louis or flexible coworking options, CIC connects you to everything Cortex has to offer.
