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UCF’s latest incubator to anchor growth in Lake County

Marco Santana
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UCF’s latest incubator to anchor growth in Lake County

EUSTIS – Business owners in Lake County have a new resource after UCF’s Business Incubation Program opened its latest facility, this one located in Eustis.

The site, located in a small office in the MEGA Workspace on North Bay Street, will support entrepreneurs within the community with business services including coaching, mentoring and other services.

Area leaders said the facility’s debut could serve as a catalyst for growth in the community.

“We have not had the resources here to answer the question of, ‘How do I start my business?’” said Wendy Taylor, an online marketing expert who has helped lead a semi-resurgence of Lake County’s tech community. “This is a huge opportunity for local entrepreneurs, even those who just have an idea on a napkin. It’s an encouragement for business owners.” 

The location becomes the incubation program’s ninth in Central Florida, and first in Lake County. The opening comes amid a concerted effort and commitment to revitalize Eustis.

That’s one reason Lake County officials bought in almost immediately, said Rob Panepinto, an adviser to incubator clients. 

“If we can look back in 20 years and say, ‘We were the anchor that helped build economic diversity, what a great feeling that would be,” said Panepinto, the school’s director of innovation districts strategy and partnerships.

The UCF Business Incubation Program has graduated more than 400 businesses during the past 20 years.

The opening was done in partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Center at UCF.

“We like to leverage our brand and be the catalyst to growth,” Panepinto said. “We know we can’t do it by ourselves.”

Mellisa McHaffie hopes the new location will help her build her candle-making business and accelerate her growth.

She said watching the region’s economic engine grow has been a source of pride for her.

“There are good things happening here,” she said. “It takes Eustis to a new level. I always say, don’t sleep on Eustis. There is value here.”

Officials expect the facility to trigger a growth in the business community, which can often happen when an incubator and business resources arrive.

It’s a natural result of seeing an energized business sector, said Carol Ann Dykes Logue, the incubator program’s director.

“When a community realizes that the future of their economy lies in nurturing businesses starting and growing there, it has an interesting effect,” she said. “It unifies a community and creates a different level of relationship. It could trigger a vision for the future that folks haven’t thought about before.”

LOCATION

UCF Business Incubator Lake County

Address 343 N. Bay St.

Eustis, FL 32726

PH: 407-341-0582

Q&A: Jay Riola, Orlando Magic, says innovation focus no accident as team hosts challenge

Marco Santana
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1
Q&A: Jay Riola, Orlando Magic, says innovation focus no accident as team hosts challenge

Orlando Magic innovation has a reputation as one of the more tech-forward thinking franchises in the NBA has been well earned.

The Magic was the first in the league to accept Apple Pay way back in 2014.

Not long after that, they installed 900 beacons at the Amway Center. This decreased the amount of time it took for fans to buy concessions or merchandise and find exits.

In 2018, a partnership with Uber brought them into the ride-sharing business.

It’s a responsibility the team’s EVP of Strategy and Innovation Jay Riola takes seriously, with the Magic naming innovation as a core value for its team.

“We promote a culture of creative thinking and foster an environment where employees are encouraged to take risks to achieve breakthrough results,” said Riola, 38.

Sports Business Journal last year named Riola one of the industry’s “40 Under 40.”

“We try to create opportunities for Magic staff to develop new ideas and solutions, as well as listening to others externally with new and different perspectives, for inspiration and ideas or solutions,” he said.

Orlando Tech News chatted with Riola before the Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge, the team’s latest innovation.

The event last weekend brought the city’s community of innovators together to tackle business challenges the organization faces.

Orlando Tech News: How does this event enhance the Magic’s role in the community and offer opportunities for your staff?

Jay Riola: “The Challenge is a great way to realize (Magic staff’s ideas), publicly demonstrate our commitment to innovation and engage the broader Central Florida innovation community in a fun and engaging way.”

OTN: This is the second year, of course. What was it about last year’s event that encouraged you to bring it back?

JR: “Our goal last year was simply to produce the event, engage the local innovation community and hear some ideas that could potentially enhance our business and fan experiences. The participants’ engagement, creativity and quality of pitches blew us away.”

OTN: How did that and feedback inform this year’s event?

JR: “We listened to the feedback and this year we did a reverse-pitch style event, where we are sharing six specific business challenges facing the Orlando Magic’s business operations and asking participants to develop and pitch solutions that address those areas. This helps provide more definition and structure. It also ensures that the pitch concepts are valuable to us as an organization.”

OTN: How does this approach fit in with the NBA’s approach to innovation?

JR: “The NBA is incredibly innovative and does an amazing job encouraging and cultivating innovation with fans and its teams. The league has hosted data and analytics hackathons, innovation challenges and has its NBA Launchpad, which evaluates emerging technologies that advance basketball and business priorities.”

OTN: Do teams share their work and grow the league together?

JR: “Yes, the NBA supports and facilitates best practice sharing among teams. This event has prompted several other professional sports teams to reach out and hear more about the event and its results.”

OTN: Can you talk a little bit about Central Florida’s tech community and the Magic’s role within it?

JR: “This region has a fantastic innovation and tech community. From startup to corporate innovation, to higher education and non-profit organizations like the Orlando Economic Partnership and their Orlando Tech Community, or Synapse. There are so many ways to participate and get involved both as an individual and as a company.”

OTN: What can having an event like the challenge contribute to this region?

JR: “The challenge brings together participants from all different backgrounds and provide them opportunities for collaboration and networking. So, the event is really a great opportunity not only to source new ideas for the Magic but also to strengthen Orlando’s innovation ecosystem. We see this as another opportunity to step forward as a community leader in tech and innovation.”

Orlando firm pivots, then lands in Techstars Atlanta

Marco Santana
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Orlando firm pivots, then lands in Techstars Atlanta

The decision was not an easy one for Brandon Storms.

After building a startup that revolved around creating a services marketplace in Orlando, the entrepreneur took part in an 8-week program meant to solidify a company’s path.

While there, however, an investor suggested that the company pivot and offer the platform they had built as a white label product for others trying to build marketplaces.

“Building a platform is incredibly expensive. It takes a great amount of time from start to finish,” Storms told Orlando Tech News.

While Storms said it wasn’t an easy decision, he and his team took the plunge and created a new startup Retavo.

Now, the company has signed four clients and will participate in the upcoming cohort of Atlanta’s Techstars powered by JP Morgan. The program begins today.

“So far, it’s been a pretty good decision,” he said.

Hello, Techstars

Retavo CEO Brandon Storms

Techstars powered by JP Morgan has long been considered one of the top accelerator programs around.

Several Orlando tech companies have gone through the accelerator. The program prepares entrepreneurs and their teams for life as a small business.

In a blog post on their website, Techstars officials said the 12 companies that will participate in the program came out of a lengthy application process.

“We are honored and humbled by the opportunity to spend the next 13 weeks working closely with these incredible founders, helping them on their journey to transform their industries, elevate their communities, and change the world,” the site read.

The mentorship in Techstars powered by JP Morgan programs usually includes experts and experienced entrepreneurs in similar fields.

The company will have its demo day in the program Dec. 8.

“The biggest thing I’m looking to take away from it is the wealth of knowledge and feedback from their tremendous network,” Storms said. “Building a startup is hard enough and the program gives you the ability to learn from those who have been there or are on the same journey you are on.”

“It felt validating for my team. All all the hard work has paid off up to this point,” Storms said of being accepted into Techstars powered by JP Morgan. “Building a startup is tough enough and getting into a world-class accelerator program like Techstars to help us navigate this awesome journey as we scale is exactly what we were looking for.”

Still, making the pivot was not exactly an easy decision, he said.

After putting a ton of work into Assistt, the team had been determind to see it succeed.

“My role as the leader of the company is to put the company first. I have to set any emotions aside,” said Storms, whose company employs eight. “I knew this pivot gave us the best chance to be a very successful company. I’m glad my team and cofounder Bryan Walsh supported me in that decision.”

Hackathon vets build video games for armed forces: ‘This is my sporting event’

Marco Santana
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Hackathon vets build video games for armed forces: ‘This is my sporting event’

Nicholas Walton has been building video games since he was 13.

So, spending his weekend at Central Florida Tech Grove creating a game for Indienomicon Foundation’s Armed Forces Jam was exactly where he wanted to be.

“I just love making games and being with the people in the community,” said Walton, now 20 years old. “I love having an idea and then seeing it on screen.”

By Walton’s count, he has participated in eight hackathons.

The events bring teams together to build a video game or tech experience in a weekend.

The organizers behind the second Armed Forces Jam partnered with Orlando’s military community to create challenges teams could tackle during the weekend.

Among them were creating a Metaverse experience, gamefying military recruitment and creating a sensor-based digital twin.

“It feels great to work on a team, get to know each other and learn to trust each other,” he said.

FOR A FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND PRIZES, CLICK HERE.

An enthusiastic fan of the process

Walton’s enthusiasm for game jams, generally, and Indienomicon, specifically, earned recognition from others.

Participants at Indienomicon’s Armed Forces Jam built games for several platform, including virtual reality-based products.

Chad Hoover, one of Indienomicon Foundation’s organizers of the jam, said his presence helps keep the event fun and interesting.

“He is a key piece of this,” Hoover said. “He can support teams in a unique manner having been a veteran in the game jam space.”

Indienomicon Foundation has been hosting game jams – which challenges teams to build a video game, usually one related to a theme, in a single weekend – for eight years.

Along with the Armed Forces Jam, the group hosts hackathons with health and space themes.

At the end of the weekend, winners receive cash prizes and, at least for the Armed Forces Jam, will show off what they built at the huge industry conference I/ITSEC.

Last year’s winners said they landed contract work based upon their experience at I/ITSEC.

“They stepped up this year,” Hoover said of the region’s military community. “Because it’s the military, they needed to figure out how valuable this event was [during the event’s inaugural 2021 year]. They are able to light fires and were really supportive.”

Roughly 100 people took part in the Armed Forces Jam this year. That is about double the number of attendees to a health-related event in the summer.

‘This is my sporting event’

The Armed Force Jam drew about 80 attendees to the Central Florida Tech Grove.

Another regular at the events is Juan Rivera, a media design instructor for the Orange County library in downtown Orlando, said the jams represent his way of enjoying himself.

“This is my sporting event,” he said. “I do it for fun and for training my skills. It’s a good way to learn new things.”

Rivera often teaches younger people at the library’s digital tech-focused learning space known as Melrose Center. He said seeing students like Walton, who attends Valencia College, at these events represents its positive impact on the community.

“It’s great to see people who are not just trying to learn but putting it into practice,” said Rivera, whose mine detector game for virtual reality platforms took this year’s top prize.

For Hoover, having advocates and supporters like Walton and Rivera create a base of people he knows will push the organization’s message beyond his own networks.

“He embodies what a game jam is in its truest sense,” Hoover said of Walton. “He uses his core skillset, is usually a lone wolf. His projects are usually close to his heart, very retro and unique. He really knows how to use his skills, which makes his games stand out.”

IAAPA 2021 Expo: In pictures

Marco Santana
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IAAPA 2021 Expo: In pictures

For the first time in two years, the International Attractions and Amusement Park Association is hosting its annual expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

This is where deals start, as vendors get in front of potential customers for a full week of networking, business card exchanging and collaboration.

This show is all cutting-edge technology for rides, attractions, ticketing systems and, well, pretty much any other area of tourism – both public facing and backend – that you can think of.

On Tuesday, the expo opened its doors and you can see some real heavy virtual reality bent to this year’s event.

We will add to the gallery as the week moves forward but here are roughly 20 pics to whet your appetite.

Basing Irish tech firm’s U.S. HQ in Orlando a ‘no brainer,’ CEO says

Marco Santana
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Basing Irish tech firm’s U.S. HQ in Orlando a ‘no brainer,’ CEO says

Pat O’Connor kicked the tires on other sites when looking for the first U.S. location for his simulation company VRAI.

But he says a part of him had an idea pretty early on in the process about where he would ultimately land his Ireland-based company.

“It was always a no-brainer,” said O’Connor of launching in Orlando. “Orlando blew any other location away.”

O’Connor cited the community’s depth in several important resources, including talent, industry and academia.

Ever since he has landed in Orlando, O’Connor has been thrilled to see the defense ecosystem that is already in place.

Its connection to UCF’s Business Incubation Program has also helped introduce O’Connor to potential relationships and resources, he said.

 “It felt like we were not just opening another office but joining a community,” O’Connor said. “I have never seen anything like it. It’s so business-friendly.”

The incubation program offers a “soft landing” program that helps give established companies a start in Central Florida, allowing time for networking and gathering of local resources.

The incubator has been crucial to attracting new firms to Central Florida since it launched 25 years ago.

“VRAI is a perfect example of who we want to bring to Central Florida through the soft landing program,” said Carol Ann Logue, the director of the Innovation Districts Programs & Operations. “They have a significant track record of success already and the potential to become a major company in our region, too. Their technology can improve the data coming from simulations and we’re looking forward to being a part of their expansion into this market.”

VRAI comes into the region with an already impressive string of accomplishments and track record.

The Financial Times named it one of Europe’s top early-stage defense companies.

The company provides human performance data products for simulation training in aerospace, defense, security and offshore energy industries.

Among its clients are the Royal Air Force and BAE Systems.

The products enable the capture, storage, analysis and visualization of data generated in simulators in order to reduce time, save cost and improve trainee performance.

As he considered Orlando, O’Connor kept in communication with the incubator to learn more about the region’s resources.

In turn, incubator leaders made sure he knew about the businesses in the area, how they could help and what kind of office options were available.

VRAI has complementary products for simulators that they or other companies build.

Its signature product HEAT was developed two years after the company’s 2017 launch, adding analytics to existing simulators.

The company recently raised $5 million in a Series A round, a feat that will directly contribute to its opening of the Orlando location.

The plan is to add 10 hires in Orlando within the first year.

O’Connor has developed some familiarity with Orlando over the years, having attended I/ITSEC, the defense industry’s mammoth conference held here every December, a handful of times.

“We think human performance data is an untapped resource in simulation,” he said. “The (idea is) to capture and visualize data to improve performance. We are very confident that the timing for this is right now.”

Next generation of esports champs train in Altamonte Springs

Guest Contributor
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Next generation of esports champs train in Altamonte Springs

Photos and story by Giovan Santiago

Leaders of a new esports training facility in Altamonte Springs have a specific goal in mind.

That is, they want parents to learn the benefits of the activity.

However, what’s first and foremost at Valhallan Esports Training Center near Wekiva Springs is simple: Just play.

“Our hope is to get the word out and start to educate parents on the positive impact of esports,” said Dani Kelsey, the franchise’s owner and mother of an avid gamer. “We want to build out local teams for each of our games. We want to train and have the players compete in the national eSports league, while helping them realize each of their own potential.”

The training center, at 990 N. State Road 434 #1192, is an offshoot of a Texas-based brand and is part of a growing number of franchises on the East Coast.

Kelsey said she saw immediate interest when she launched in September.

The facility coaches young players on popular games like Fortnite, Valorant and Overwatch.

It includes top-of-the-line gaming PCs with a talented roster of coaches.

One of its coaches, Jandell “Scooby” Bryant, 19, is on Full Sail University’s esports team Armada.

“When you start to make these kids feel like it’s real, that’s when they start taking the right (approaches),” said Bryant, vice president of Full Sail’s gaming club. “That’s when they go home and they’re not just casually playing anymore. They play with a purpose.”

A second coach, Cristopher “gama007” Collina, agreed.

“When you ‘go with the flow’ or play on autopilot, you don’t really learn from your mistakes,” said Collina, 21. “When you start to realize the mistakes you’ve been making and go, ‘Ah, let me do something else about that. What can I do better there?’, that’s the growth and competitive mindset I strive  to put into my students.

For Collina, teaching the next group of esports champions while also having lofty dreams of becoming one.

He said he plays roughly four hours a day to keep improving.

“Keep on following your dream,” he said. “If you have a passion, consistency is always the key. Just keep on doing every little step you can for your passion every single day.”

Opinion: New Innovate Orlando CEO strikes perfect tone in introduction

Marco Santana
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Opinion: New Innovate Orlando CEO strikes perfect tone in introduction

As she stood in front of the crowd at her first Orlando Tech Community event as CEO, Sheena Fowler shared how reluctant she was to move to Orlando initially.

At the time, she was living in New York with her now husband.

Her time in Central Florida was supposed to be temporary.

However, while here, Fowler connected with a community that she called “the most eclectic, passionate, creative and technically ignited people” she has ever met.

“I moved here and it captured my heart,” she said at the event, which was held at Ivanhoe Park Lager House on Thursday.

Roughly 20 years later, Fowler has been given the keys to one of Orlando tech’s most visible and most important organizations.

It’s an exciting time for Orlando tech, frankly.

After former CEO David Adler navigated some early growing pains of the new organization, which tightly intertwines OTC and Innovate Orlando, Fowler was the perfect follow up.

She knows Orlando’s business environment, having been an important part of Orlando Economic Partnership for more than a decade.

With that experience, of course, comes connections within all of Orlando’s prominent industries, including gaming, tourism, AR/VR and all of the rest.

In addition, her love for the city comes from spending time at the OEP as part of the group’s Orlando Film Commission, which meant travelling through the region as a site scout.

On the tech side, Fowler’s most recent job was with one of the most interesting high-tech businesses with a presence in Orlando in Red 6.

As you can see, we at Orlando Tech News have an admiration for her experience, which is important in her role.

But the statement that most closely aligns with what we advocate for at OTN was her heavy support for telling Orlando’s tech story.

As she said, it helps people from the outside know exactly who we are, as a community.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re making a technology for the defense industry or for the theme parks or (making) a video game,” she said. “It’s the people that make that technology and it’s the storytellers that grab it that makes these experiences rich. We change the world with the things that we do here because we never let go of the storytelling and the experiences.”

Honestly, we could not have said it better ourselves, but we will try.

First of all, it’s difficult to articulate exactly how (to steal a word from Sheena) eclectic Orlando is as a city.

However, even when you drill down into Orlando tech, specifically, the range of industries and stories don’t shrink that much because, in essence, industry in 2025 is tech.

Not to mention, the regions that are within the Central Florida tech umbrella span quite a large number of areas, many of which have their own industry specialty.

For instance, medical tech in Lake Nona, emerging tech downtown, defense tech at UCF’s complex and sensor-based tech in Kissimmee.

Oh, and by the way, did we mention we do space pretty well in Orlando and on down to the Coast, too?

So, as you can see, there is a ton of technology stories to tell.

The fact that the incoming CEO, a veteran of the film industry, understands this has us brimming with excitement.

“Innovate Orlando will serve as a giant megaphone,” Fowler said. “I am going to make sure that the world knows these stories.”

Our megaphone is tiny but mighty but that’s been our goal since we launched Orlando Tech News almost five years ago.

Check out Sheena’s full comments from the meetup below.

Immerse Fest performers bring the heat to downtown Orlando

Marco Santana
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Immerse Fest performers bring the heat to downtown Orlando

To hear Jill Lockhart tell it, standing in front of raucous crowds spinning flaming fans around her head is little more than “just another skill in (her) toolbelt.”

After all, Lockhart has a heavy dance and performance background. She participated in theater in college and high school.

However, occasionally she has a chance to take it all in.

GET TICKETS TO IMMERSE AND CHECK OUT THE FIRE ACTS!

“We do forget sometimes how cool it is,” she said. “You get lost in it a little bit and just let your movements take over.”

Lockhart will be part of this year’s Immerse Festival in downtown Orlando with her troupe, Fahrenheit Foxes.

Members of the group first met as part of one of Orlando’s most well-known performance groups Phantasmagoria.

Although Lockhart enjoys the performance element, she said it becomes second nature, even if the wow factor is off the charts for first timers in the crowd.

Fahrenheit Foxes will feature three performers on Friday and four on Saturday for Immerse, a three-day arts festival set to take over 10 city blocks, including a good stretch of Orange Avenue.

A thick Kevlar fabric soaked in fuel is wrapped around metal points on each of the fans.

Once ignited, it creates a flame that Lockhart whips around, creating a spectacle that should stop pedestrians in their tracks this weekend.

“It’s really athletic,” said Lockhart, who owns a Crossfit Gym in Orlando. “The style I do is a lot of dance along with the fire fans. It’s a great way to keep in shape.”

Mary “Amora Fire” Reichel has been a fire artist for more than 20 years.  

Her career spans decades, having traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, first as a clown and then as a fire performer.

However, during the troupe’s downtime, she asked a fire artist about the skill.

“The first time, I was a big chicken,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is crazy!’ But then I got over the fear and the comfort of being an entertainer took over.”

Now, she performs several feats with fire, including inhaling the flame, holding it in her mouth and spraying liquid to make her look like a fire-breathing dragon.

She said the main reason she continues to perform is the crowd reaction.

“It’s the best,” she said. “That’s why I do it. If they are happy, I’m doing the right thing.”

Reichel received a phone call earlier this month about the Immerse performance. She said having this festival in Orlando should illustrate how much the city has to offer.

“We are not just theme parks,” she said. “There are lots of artists and culture. So many artists come here to be a dancer at Disney then become a part of the theater community.”

As she gets ready for Immerse, Lockhart agrees.

“It’s a magical event,” she said. “I tell my friends it’s the coolest thing. It’s just great to see everyone doing cool things. We are happy to be a part of it and Orlando is very fortunate to have it.”

Building AI business just the latest puzzle for Orlando tech executive

Marco Santana
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Building AI business just the latest puzzle for Orlando tech executive

As a kid, Will Humphries enjoyed putting together jigsaw puzzles. He says watching a complete picture come together one piece at a time was “magical.”

Now, as a leader in the AI company Atom Advantage, he says being positioned at UCF’s Business Incubation Program helps the team put together its own puzzle of resources.

“You need strategy and agility, among so many other things,” he said. “It’s all of these different parts of a jigsaw puzzle that have to come together. They help paint you that picture, kind of like ‘color by numbers.’ They focus on No. 5 first, for instance, and that helps businesses complete their own picture.”

The company’s Record Ranger helps organizations extract immediate value from raw, unstructured data by transforming patient records, handwritten notes, insurance documents, and medical reports into structured, usable information. Powered by proprietary AI models trained on millions of data points, it enables businesses to process and act on critical information efficiently while maintaining full control.

ATOM Connect is a secure platform that connects multiple systems and stakeholders to enhance coordination of care. It facilitates seamless communication between payers, providers, case managers, claims administrators, and injured workers.

By integrating essential data flows across the workers’ compensation ecosystem, it enhances care coordination, streamlines workflows, and ensures that injured workers receive timely and well-informed care.

That way, even if you’re on vacation and need medical attention, you can share it with a doctor to make sure treatment is personalized and safe.

The platform will make that available on tablets or phones.

“You don’t want doctors making decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete data,” Humphries said.

“It’s like trying to do a jigsaw puzzle without having all of the pieces,” he added, returning to his puzzle analogy.

Atom Advantage has seen steady growth, as both the need for its services and utility of its technology grows.

What was once a team of three employees and six contractors in summer of 2023 has grown to 14 full-time staff, along with 100 others either part-time or contracted workers.

As the company grows, it has targeted military veterans for employment deliberately, said CEO Carol Valentic, who called the group “overlooked.”

“Military spouses face unique challenges with frequent moves and career disruptions, yet they bring adaptability, dedication, and a strong work ethic to everything they do,” she said. “The Ranger role gives them the flexibility they need while allowing them to apply their expertise in a meaningful way.

Valentic said her reasoning behind offering them a “Record Ranger” role was simple.

“This isn’t just about hiring,” she said. “It’s about recognizing their value and giving them a role that truly fits their lives.”

Humphries said the incubator has been very helpful in both helping the company network in the region and acting as a sounding board for strategy. Having external advisors has been useful in giving outside perspectives on everything from corporate governance to capital raising.

“It’s like having training wheels,” he said.

Although the company’s main offering is built on AI, ATOM still makes sure there is a human element, with experts backchecking any red flags the technology might identify.

In the meantime, healthcare professionals can focus on doing what they launched their careers to do.

“They did not go to college to read 200-page documents,” he said. “They want to help people.”

AI, healthcare and CBD tech firms join UCF’s incubator in Eustis

Marco Santana
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AI, healthcare and CBD tech firms join UCF’s incubator in Eustis

Three new companies have joined UCF’s Business Incubation program in Eustis, adding to what has quickly become one of the network’s fastest-growing locations.

Site manager Brian Bedrick said he has been inspired to see entrepreneurs working on their passions since he joined the site last month.

“Each of these companies has the desire and passion to create something great and we are looking forward to being a part of their journey,” he said.

Bedrick joined the team after spending a career in professional development and education.

The companies joining the Eustis location include a CBD-product company, AI healthcare firm and Scan ID 365, which created software to keep important emergency details at hand and accessible.

That company emerged after first responders couldn’t find emergency information quickly enough to treat an owner’s friend after an accident. One of its main targets is motorcycle riders.

Daniel White, CEO of Scan ID 365, praised the mentorship his firm has already received at the incubator.

“They have been instrumental to the growth of Scan ID 365,” he said.

Officials with the incubator have helped White connect with experts in various fields, including accounting and patent review. In addition, they have also helped him plug into Lake County, Eustis, Smart City and 1 Million Cups.

“The program has gone above and beyond to ensure our success,” he said.

CBD-health company Upaya Health and Intelligence Factory, which incorporates AI into healthcare billing, also joined the incubator.

Cofounder and CEO Justin Brochetti said the program has helped him connect with the county’s business community.

“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation,” said Justin Brochetti, co-founder & CEO, Intelligence Factory. “It takes visionaries who believe in the mission and amplify the message.”

Orlando defense firm out to prove VR is “so much more” than games

Marco Santana
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Orlando defense firm out to prove VR is “so much more” than games

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.”

U.S. Navy headed to Daytona 500 to recruit using VR tools

Marco Santana
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U.S. Navy headed to Daytona 500 to recruit using VR tools

Race fans heading to Daytona this weekend will get a chance to satisfy their need for virtual speed thanks to the U.S. Navy.

The Navy Recruiting Command will showcase “Strike Group,” a multi-scenario, mixed-reality experience that showcases the Navy’s STEM career options. These include nuclear engineering, aviation and medicine.

The virtual experience has allowed the Navy to showcase its offerings to 450,000 potential recruits per year.

The Daytona 500 is just the latest event to feature the VR experience, which has been shown off at high schools, universities, Navy Fleet Weeks and other events across the country.

“Connecting with future recruits requires the Navy to be in the same spaces where they reside, and mixed reality and gaming are appealing to 17-24-year-olds, and highly effective tools to provide an inside, authentic view of what a STEM career in the Navy looks like,” officials said in a press release. “The Navy is committed to using the latest technology to educate and inspire the next generation of exceptional sailors.”

Officials also said the showcase at the Daytona 500 is intended to take advantage of the race’s popularity. It also aligns with the reliance of motorsports on emerging technologies.

Defense tech leader featured on an OTN sister podcast episode

Marco Santana
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Defense tech leader featured on an OTN sister podcast episode

One of Orlando’s foremost defense technology experts was featured on a general interest podcast.

Cassie Muffley, who is the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub’s program director, was featured on “The ‘Everybody Has A Podcast’ Podcast,” a production of Orlando Tech News founder Marco Santana.

Although the discussion covers her early upbringing in Montana and how she stumbled into the defense industry, Muffley also shares some insights into Orlando’s tech community.

Included in the conversation is an anecdote about how she found herself singing opera in Orlando’s Steinmetz Hall at a tech conference in Orlando thanks to Dave Vanz of The Orlando Life.

Although there was no real goal other than to engage in what she called “pure shenanigans,” it was a show-stopping moment at the 2023 Immerse Global Summit in 2023.

“For me, the special part of it was two of my worlds colliding,” she said. “That’s something I feel like, just on a personal level, needs to happen more often in the tech and innovation community.”

Check out the full interview below!

Centenarian aunt a symbol of Be In Health’s mission in healthcare

Marco Santana
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Centenarian aunt a symbol of Be In Health’s mission in healthcare

Kevin Henderson does not have to look far for an example of how being aware of one’s health can lead to a vibrant life.

His aunt lived to be 101.

So his goal with his company Be In Health has been to help others live long lives, as well, by making their health data and information as accessible as a smartphone or Web browser.

“The more people you see, the more you realize they want to live long and they want to live healthy,” said Henderson, the Georgia-based physician and founder of Be In Health. “They want health not healthcare.”

Be In Health will continue its mission in Orlando as it was one of nine health-based startup accepted into the SPEAR Accelerator, a Veterans Entrepreneurship Initiative program that launched formally Thursday.

The company is an effort to simplify electronic health records, which have become so fragmented that doctors sometimes order redundant tests rather than sift through other doctor’s notes.

“Using electronic health records to see patient history is like digging for information but every physician digs a different hole,” Henderson said.

The goal for the Be In Health platform, which leverages AI, analytics and blockchain tech, is to improve healthcare for patients while reducing costs for providers.

It allows for real-time exchange of patient health data and gives patients control over their health records. Be In Health updates records instantaneously during patient visits.

The data can then be analyzed to deliver actionable insights.

As medical technology has advanced, there have been changes in how many patients a doctor can see on any given day.

Henderson estimated that what was once 18 appointments in a nine-hour day has become more near 30 using the technology.

The SPEAR Accelerator has a requirement that a company’s leadership team includes at least one veteran.

U.S. Marine veteran Adam Brochetti, the company’s cofounder, served eight years and became an instructor at Quantico in Virginia.

Henderson said having a veteran as a cofounder has been a huge boost for the company.

“He’s a godsend,” he said of Brochetti. “He gets things done and keeps me on task.”

Brochetti said meeting Henderson and starting work on Be In Health has helped him realize a new passion.

“I didn’t know I had this within healthcare,” he said. “I believe in empowering people to own their own health and data.”

Brochetti’s venture into healthcare started in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He spent time as the officer in charge of a Wounded Warrior regiment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

It was there that he helped military personnel who had been injured transition into civilian life.

He said he got involved with Be In Health because he saw that it could make a real difference to patients.

“This will create better outcomes and save money,” he said.

The problem of simplifying electronic health records has been one taken on by a good number of companies.

However, with Be In Health, Henderson hopes to incorporate the latest tech into that fight by combining technologies rather than overly rely on one specific.


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