CONSIDER SUPPORTING OUR TELLING OF ORLANDO’S TECH STORY ON PATREON
Matthew Hogan has a message for those who consider Orlando just a tourist destination: think again.
Although he has done projects with theme parks before, the U.S. Navy veteran said the region has a solid foothold in several industries.
That means an expanded group of potential local collaborators for his immersive tech firm on a range of experiences.
Now, Hogan’s company will experience another new gem in the region. M3D Technologies recently started a months-long stint in an accelerator geared toward veteran-led businesses.
The Veterans Entrepreneurship Initiative’s SPEAR Accelerator launched in early February.
“We have all of these great industries here in central Florida,” he said. “From theme parks to medical, Department of Defense and space, veterans and veteran entrepreneurs get to work within these industries. To have VEI here locally and reaching out nationally, it’s exciting to see what will happen in the next five years as central Florida continues to grow.”
M3D Technologies is one of the few local representatives in SPEAR’s first, nine-business cohort in association with Johns Hopkins.
The idea was to bring veteran-led startups into town to build their business and learn the ropes of entrepreneurship.
While most in this first cohort are spread across the country, Hogan did not have to go far.
“We are grateful for this organization giving back to veterans in this capacity,” he said. “We are excited to see where the next 12 weeks will take us.”
As the companies go through the program, they will connect with other veteran-led teams.
It’s an effort to break down obstacles for veteran-owned businesses, something that the VEI does regularly in its day-to-day.
M3D attracted Justin Spears’ buy-in just a few years ago.
Spears spends a good deal of time evaluating companies and their technology.
When he saw the progress M3D Technologies had been making on wearable tracking tech paired with a stage-like device that allowed free movement, he immediately jumped in.
“As the hood was opened, I could see where the company was going,” he said. “I wanted to bring in my experience from the military to see this develop into a solid team. I wanted to get this to the people who need it.”
The potential uses vary but one, in particular, that assists in rehabilitative medicine resonated with Spears.
The U.S. Navy veteran also served as a program manager for the U.S. Army’s medical simulation training facilities across the country.
“This is a disruptor,” he said.
M3D’s roots come from Hogan’s drive to find a better solution for rehabilitation by leveraging XR hardware in combination with gamification.
As the technology has advanced, Hogan said it has allowed the company to lead the way in its evolution to deliver a solution that will improve the quality of life for those in need.
“When we started four years ago, a majority of people thought virtual reality was just video games by a different name,” he said. “We are trying to change that narrative because it’s so much more.”