One of the biggest events in recent Orlando tech history is underway.
It all started with a mixer.
Here are some sights from the MetaCenter Global Week’s opening night party, which kicked off the three-day event.
Orlando tech experts set to take stage alongside national leaders
For the next 3 days, MetaCenter Global Week will send experts from some of the biggest tech companies in the U.S. on stage to push conversations forward about emerging technologies.
However, on alongside these industry leaders will be a healthy dose of Orlando-based experts who, collectively, will show off Central Florida’s deep tech ecosystem.
It’s a chance to plant a flag globally, illustrating Orlando’s emergence as a tech hub, industry leaders say.
“This is a testament to the incredible talent we have in our city,” said former Full Sail VP Luis Garcia, now president at AI-powered learning platform PETE. “It’s an exciting opportunity for the world to witness our innovation and expertise firsthand.”
A scan of the agenda shows Orlando companies and experts leading or sitting on a good portion of panels during the event.
These panels involve emerging technologies like generative AI, extended reality, clean energy, sports tech, medical training and digital twins.
Oh, yeah: and that’s just on the first day.
Garcia will sit on a panel that tackles how artificial intelligence will play a role in the future of education.
“This speaks volumes about our city’s potential to evolve into a major innovation hub, underlining the depth of talent and expertise Orlando possesses,” Garcia said.
Ever since the business community emerged from the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a more concerted effort to unite the tech ecosystem.
In fact, that’s one of the motivating factors behind Innovate Orlando’s creation this year.
“This tech community. has always had a wealth of untapped potential,” said Joshua Walker, founder of Black Orlando Tech. “But thanks to the recent unification of local tech leaders, we now have a platform to make a real statement.”
Walker said he is hopeful that he will find other groups in Orlando during the week who want to partner with Black Orlando Tech to create meaningful diversity in the sector.
However, he also wants to contribute to a message that shows outside tech leaders that Orlando has the ability to become a thriving tech hub.
“I want locals to leave the event feeling empowered, knowing that we have all the talent and resources we need to create world-changing innovation,” he said. “I want visitors to leave the event feeling excited about Orlando’s potential as a tech hub, and confident that their investment would be well-placed here.”
Orlando has long been recognized as a leader in modeling and simulation.
The region is, after all, the home of the modeling, simulation and training arms of all but one of the major Armed Forces.
Its ability to regularly host conferences also brings some top military brass to town each year for I/ITSEC.
That high-profile conference brings businesses that show off advanced technologies as they try to land military contracts,.
However, beyond modeling and simulation, it has recently become more known in other emerging technologies.
Doing that has been seamless because skills needed to build concepts like the Metaverse and digital twins has been here for years, said Carolina Cruz-Neira.
Adding in collaboration between government, education and industry results in a leadership position potential for Orlando, she said.
“We are a microcosm of how partnerships are critical to the future of society,” said Cruz-Neira, Agere Chair Professor in the Department of Computer Science. “As a region, we are one of the best partners in the nation for strong industries to come and (partner) their expertise with ours towards a better future.”
CEO Jason Siegel of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission said MetaCenter Global Week should be special.
Not only will the event draw talent to Orlando.
It also gives the region a showcase – to both outsiders and those who live here – of Orlando’s deep talent pool.
In addition, the high-profile event should be just the beginning for many of these local companies and organizations.
“To be able to share that experience with the incredible talent pool that already exists here is a wonderful opportunity,” said Siegel, who will lead a sports tech panel on Tuesday. “It should not be lost on anybody that, at the end of the day, when you are doing business across multiple platforms, the chance to be face-to-face and in person are crucial. Those memories and relationships and experiences can create a foundation for wonderful outcomes in the future.”
HERE’S THE REST OF THE SERIES
“INNOVATE ORLANDO PROVIDES CONTEXT TO CITY’S TECH NARRATIVE”
“INNOVATE ORLANDO’S TENX TECH ADDS ‘BIG BUMP’ TO ATTENDEES’ REACH”
“CEO: METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK A SIGN ‘WE’VE MADE IT’”
“MGW NEEDED – AND RECEIVED – CITY, COUNTY BUY IN”
“DYER: MGW A SHOWCASE OF ORLANDO TO THE WORLD”
“WHAT COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY ABOUT METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK”
Adelson: MetaCenter Global Week to be ‘exhausting’ but ‘significant’
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Let’s just call it ‘Orlando tech week’ – 2 groups host hackathons
All right, I’m just going to do it on my own: Orlando Tech Week is officially underway.
No, it’s not an official declaration.
There is no proclamation from Buddy Dyer to go with this article.
But, while most anticipate what MetaCenter Global Week will look like and what it could mean to Orlando’s tech community, dozens of tech professionals and advocates have spent their weekend building.
Two hackathons have been playing out near downtown.
First, over at Credo Conduit is DataKind, a “tech for good” hackathon that will tackle social issues, including food insecurity, affordable housing funding gaps and early childhood education.
Organizer Caitlin Augustin told Orlando Tech News that she was hooked when she learned to use her coding and technical skills for good.
“DataKind hackathons always amaze me,” she said. Dozens of people come together with a common goal and always have such an energy and a desire to make an impact.”
You can read more about the HACKATHON HERE.
Meanwhile, about a mile away at the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons, they are having a spooky time building Halloween-themed games.
Organizer Kunal Patel has been one of the leading supporters of hackathons in the community, with his Indienomicon Foundation hosting several events per year.
Here are some photos from the events, courtesy of Steven Seidman (All Hallows Jam) and Caitlin Augustin (DataKind).
Adelson: MetaCenter Global Week to be ‘exhausting’ but ‘significant’
David Adelson doesn’t pull any punches when he talks about MetaCenter Global Week.
The event, which starts Monday, will become a huge moment in Orlando’s tech timeline.
It is a chance to illustrate to those outside of the tech industry just how deep The City Beautiful’s innovation community goes.
“We want to take our talent and Orlando professionals and give them a stage in our own hometown to tell global brands what we do,” he said. “That was the entire intent of MetaCenter Global Week.”
The event kicks off with a networking event on Monday then will send more than 125 speakers who specialize in technology onto stages throughout a three-day span.
Before the big day, we sat down with Adelson to talk more about this community, what preparations have been like and what he’s excited about.
ORLANDO TECH NEWS: This event partners Innovate Orlando with Synapse Orlando and Immerse Global Summit. What are you most excited about for the week?
DAVID ADELSON: I want to hear the reaction of the community. I want them to know we are here. We need to take technology and innovation here seriously. It lives here now and it will grow.
OTN: How much of a buy-in did you get from the Orlando tech community?
DA: It has been driven by the community. They have leaned into it and accelerated the messaging about what this conference actually is. The journey has been a big lift but it’s a lift that i know is going to pay off for our community longterm.
OTN: So the plan is to bring this event back in the future?
DA: We intend to do this every year. We except to continue to grow this and compound it and watch it get bigger and bigger. The community has pushed this forward and this is our community’s show. It’s a long-tertm process.
OTN: How important was it to get this rolling in 2023?
DA: Conferences like this usually take well over a year to prepare and we did it in five months. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to provide a conference of this scale to this community. I didn’t want to wait another year. We have put in a lot of work to get where we are.
OTN: And a multi-day conference was important, right?
DA: We could have done a one-day conference but if you look at what I talked about five months ago, and what this would be – nighttime acts, arts and entertainment – I’m bringing it, man. It’s showing up. The momentum we have been building comes to a head next week and we get to increase that momentum and put ourselves out there on the proper global stage.
OTN: How big of a deal can this be when looked back upon in the future?
DA: We are looking at how, not just how 1+1 can equal 3 but how can it equal 5? If we all come together because of the momentum we already have, this conference is an opportunity for people not that familiar with the tech industry to see what Orlando tech has to offer. I’m talking about people not necessarily part of the tech scene. This conference is another opportunity for these other brands to see how large of a tech ecosystem we have here.
OTN: So this is not just an event for Orlando tech, right?
DA: I’m excited to see not just our tech brethren but others who don’t know what or who we are and get to experience a small taste of what we have to offer. Outside of our TenX events, this is the first real action item that Innovate Orlando took on and if it says anything it’s that we are not just talking about tech, we are demonstratring and creating action for this community.
OTN: Should be a busy week.
DA: It will be an exhausting week for a lot of people but a significant one. It will be special if everyone comes on board.
“INNOVATE ORLANDO PROVIDES CONTEXT TO CITY’S TECH NARRATIVE”
“INNOVATE ORLANDO’S TENX TECH ADDS ‘BIG BUMP’ TO ATTENDEES’ REACH”
“CEO: METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK A SIGN ‘WE’VE MADE IT’”
“MGW NEEDED – AND RECEIVED – CITY, COUNTY BUY IN”
“DYER: MGW A SHOWCASE OF ORLANDO TO THE WORLD”
“WHAT COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY ABOUT METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK”
SERIES PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:
‘Tech for good’ hackathon returns to Orlando two years later
When Caitlin Augustin signed up for her first DataKind hackathon in 2016, she was pushing forward a family tradition of volunteerism.
At the time, she was a University of Miami graduate student studying environmental science and policy after receiving her bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering.
The thought that she could use her skillset to make a difference intrigued her.
“The idea that we could use our coding and technical skills to make a change in our neighborhoods completely hooked me as a volunteer,” said Augustin, who returned to Orlando in 2019 after graduate school in Miami and a stint in New York. “DataKind hackathons always amaze me. Dozens of people come together with a common goal and always have such an energy and a desire to make an impact.”
DataKind returns to Orlando on Friday, with the three-day event set for Credo Conduit (more details below).
The event will tackle three specific problems: food insecurity, funding gaps in affordable housing and investment in early childhood education and care through data.
DataKind’s ‘tech for good’ returns to Orlando
DataKind’s last Orlando event was held in 2021. VISIT DATAKIND WEBSITE
That hackathon created tools to address the urban digital divide, policy change and gender equity.
A city grant made that virtual event possible for DataKind.
“Working with a geographic focus in mind, we knew the problems we wanted to focus on were local problems and ones where a solution could have a positive impact on the community,” said Augustin, now VP for product and programs at DataKind.
About 11 years ago, DataKind founder Jake Portway received an overwhelming response to an initial call for a DataKind hackathon.
The idea was for programmers and technologists to volunteer to solve a civic problem within one weekend.
The thought was that people wanted to use their skills for good but did not know how to do so.
The so-called “DataDives” provided an outlet.
“DataKind harnessed a lot of the early 2010s excitement around hackathons and coding challenges,” Augustin said. “But they make the outcomes about social impact, rather than just cash prizes or corporate growth as is so common.”
The event allows those with limited resources some benefits.
For one, the tools will allow them to explore data.
In addition, they can grow the civic ecosystem and develop meaningful technology through rapid prototyping and analysis.
“With a problem and a collaboration identified, we felt strongly about finding the right philanthropic partners to help support building the solution,” Augustin said.
JASKY Foundation involved
That’s where local tech leaders Jacques and Yvonne Fu became involved.
They supported the “tech for good” effort through their JASKY Foundation.
“If we can use technology in innovative ways to solve our most complex problems, we can be an example for others to follow,” Jacques Fu said. “Central Florida, demographically, looks a lot like the rest of the country.”
Fu has been on Orlando’s technology scene ever since 2014 as one of the first Stax employees, then known as Fattmerchant.
“If we can run pilot programs that make an impact here, we solve problems in our local community but can also take them across the country,” he said.
How you can help
Augustin said the community can help in a number of ways, beyond amplifying the message before the event.
At the event, volunteers of all categories – developers, analysts, engineers, community perspective, researchers, testers – would help the event go smoothly.
Beyond that, DataKind could use donations and continual engagement with the projects, Augustin said.
DataKind, a global nonprofit, has been hosting hackathons since its creation in 2012 in New York City. It’s an entirely virtual organization and collaborates with local groups – in this case, Orlando Devs and JASKY – to host events.
A collaborative project with the American Red Cross provided insights into electrical fires.
The effort led to a bigger project in Chicago.
Then, the group created a formal tool alongside the Red Cross that helps prevent and react to electrical fires.
“This hackathon is the start of a journey,” Augustin said. “Rather than hacking a weekend and having no path forward, DataKind can keep the work moving forward.”
“The most amazing part is you can show how data can work with existing great work others are doing,” she said.
This article written in partnership with:
Lockheed Martin rolls out digital twin tech for flight trainers
Lockheed Martin’s Orlando operations rolled out digital twin technology last week that will help track and diagnose anomalies in flight trainers before they are produced.
The technology will help the company cut the time needed to build high-fidelity flight simulators for its clients.
What once took years can now be done within months. from years to just two to three months.
The ARISE simulation environment has made its debut for the company at its Missiles and Fire Control site in Orlando, with the plan to ultimately implement it across the entire company by January of 2025.
The system was a nationwide development program, primarily staffed in Dallas and Orlando.
“We collaboratively optimize the way our systems work in a joint all-domain operations environment, and that’s going to provide an enhanced benefit to the warfighter as they meet new and evolving threats,” said Doug Juul, Director of ARISE Simulation & Data Analytics Products, in a press release.
That means simulators headed for Lockheed Martin’s clients can identify, diagnose and potentially repair issues they might have much quicker, potentially cutting delivery time and customer satisfaction.
The suite of tools will include data analytics, mission software, hardware and modelng, and simulation.
The digital twin technology and software allow testing on the actual environment a product will be set in.
“Data analytics is saving thousands of hours of analysis time by using Machine Learning on Petabytes of data that would otherwise would have relied on human eyes to sift through the data,” a Lockheed Martin official who is an architect of ARISE Data Analytics said.
The program includes a storage database that also analyzes real flight test data.
Incubator manager helps entrepreneurs prioritize mental health, grow their business
Written by UCF Business Incubation Program Communications
A few years ago, Kelly Daubach had a turning point in her life. A transformation of her values and what she wanted to do.
At the time, she was incredibly successful in her career, growing her division of Lincare Holdings from five people to more than 300. She had a national team of employees working for her. She was on the “Specialty Services Team,” a select group of key executives developing and acquiring new services and products.
Her life was on the fast track.
Until it wasn’t.
“I burnt out mentally twice and was hospitalized,” Daubach says. “I was turning parts of me on and off, trying to be a certain way in this corporate role and being a different person at home and it was literally draining my battery.
“I went through a personal transformation to be truly healthy, and I was passionate about living my truth,” she adds. “I then spent time growing that truth into opportunities without having to turn off and on any type of personality.”
As is the story with so many people, hardships turn into prosperity. That was the case with Daubach.
It led her to start ANU Coaching in 2021 and set a course to work with other business leaders and executives, teaching them how to find their path and ensuring they understand mental health is key to any entrepreneur’s success.
“I came to a place where I was working in servant leadership helping people and I wanted to do it more,” Daubach says.
That desire led her to apply for and recently join the UCF Business Incubation Program as a program manager, overseeing the Mentorship, Leadership and First Customer programs.
“Today, I am first and foremost a community advocate and liaison for economic development within the brand of the UCF Business Incubation Program. How grateful I am to be welcomed and embraced by our leadership. I’ve never worked for a more collaborative, ‘How can I help?’ type of organization.”
Daubach came to Orlando via Miami and Kansas City, after graduating from Eastern Illinois University. She thought she wanted to be a dietitian when she was in college, but really that was her first seed planted in the now-embraced passion for human wellbeing. She was rejected for a position in St. Louis after graduating but was offered the role of medical nutrition specialist in Kansas City.
She took it, saying “I’ve always been someone to follow opportunities.”
The move paid off as she was continually promoted at the company, growing her division, and becoming a key executive for Lincare, then serving a key role in strategic positioning for Life Line Screening.
It was also where she met her husband Brent Daubach, who works for Cadence Strategies and has a track record of helping communities build and expand sporting/public venues. He did that first for the St. Louis Cardinals, then KC Royals, Miami Marlins, and now in Orlando working with Camping World Stadium, Exploria Stadium and the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts.
They have two children and you can often find them experiencing the outdoors – or at some type of sporting event.
“Even though I grew up a Cardinals fan, we’re Rays fans now,” Daubach says. “We love going to the game. My brother-in-law, Brian Daubach, played for the Red Sox and now my son’s dream is to play Major League Baseball. All while my daughter is pursuing her dreams in STEM and the ARTS at Howard Middle School. Orlando truly offers us so many opportunities to be the REAL version of ourselves.”
While the couple has lived in Orlando for a decade, she joined the UCF Business Incubation Program in May. It was a logical step in her journey and one that has put any thoughts of not living her truth to the side.
“I wake up and just want to jump out of bed in this position,” she says. “The impact of the UCF Business Incubator is an easy story to tell and, frankly, it surprised me how aligned it was with what I wanted to do.”
And for the entrepreneurs she works with today, she has one key bit of advice.
“Lean into what feels good to them,” she says. “Think about what you can do forever and find the path of least resistance. Being an entrepreneur can really drain you mentally, so you must be very careful about where that energy is going and making sure you are in alignment with your values.”
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
What community leaders say about MetaCenter Global Week
Amy Beaird has a duty to build community in Central Florida’s technology sector. So she said she expects MetaCenter Global Week in mid-October to be a catalyst for just that.
“We are bringing together and showcasing what is in the region,” said Beaird, Florida High Tech Corridor’s chief strategy officer. “There is an emphasis and energy to really engage corporate companies more with startups. We are starting to see momentum and I hope we see more of that.”
To foster an environment where that happens, she said, means to get all tech sectors to push toward the same goal.
“Growth comes from cross-cluster collaboration,” she said. “So many companies and industries have their own way of working and developing innovative solutions but then you apply innovation from energy, modeling and simulation or start applying VR tech into life sciences, that’s where a lot of really rapid innovation and creativity can come out.”
Beaird is just the latest community leader to share their thoughts about how MetaCenter Global Week will benefit the city of Orlando.
As the event approaches quickly – it kicks off on Oct. 17 – we thought we’d round up all of the comments we have heard in the leadup to the week.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer:
“We have a thriving tech ecosystem here with both big companies and small ones but I don’t know that the world is necessarily aware of it.”
“It gives our companies and entities the opportunity to meet with people they might eventually collaborate with, perhaps. It lets the outside world know about the educational and various industries and how well we have parlayed our industry clusters.”
Blue Wave Resource Partners, CEO and Innovate Orlando board member Charlie Lewis:
“It’s bringing in an element of global attention to our city. But to do that, you need buy-in from the city and county so we can execute and show the highlights as they want them to be shown.”
Simone Babb, chief innovation and emerging technologies officer, Orange County
“I value the synergistic energy and passion in our community around technology. Together, we can shape the direction and footprint toward being a recognized and respected tech and innovation hub.”
Orlando entrepreneur Angela Alban, CEO, Simetri
“We have continued to evolve and that growth justified revising our message. That eventually improved our ability to attract talent and notoriety across the globe as a high-tech region.”
“We’ve made it. We are delivering on what was promised.”
Tim Hill, director of Central Florida operations, Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation
“This notion of coalescing all of these factions is a really big thing. When you start to get a central branding campaign, that’s a big deal.”
Kris Kolo, global executive director, VRAR Association
“Our members from Orlando deserve this. Orlando has already proven itself to be the metacenter for spatial computing and the opening of the Metacenter, and this event will showcase Orlando and Central Florida talent and innovations to the world.”
“INNOVATE ORLANDO PROVIDES CONTEXT TO CITY’S TECH NARRATIVE”
“INNOVATE ORLANDO’S TENX TECH ADDS ‘BIG BUMP’ TO ATTENDEES’ REACH”
“CEO: METACENTER GLOBAL WEEK A SIGN ‘WE’VE MADE IT’”
“MGW NEEDED – AND RECEIVED – CITY, COUNTY BUY IN”
“DYER: MGW A SHOWCASE OF ORLANDO TO THE WORLD”
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Limbitless Solutions lands Disney grant that supports area firms
It appears the world’s most famous Mouse has its eyes on a Central Florida tech company.
The Walt Disney Company announced that Limbitless Solutions has landed one of 19 grants handed out Monday to companies in the region that are “making a difference.”
The grants totaled $1.5 million, with organizations like Children’s Home Society of Florida, Orlando Science Center and Zebra Coalition also landing on that list.
The monetary awards were meant for those “doing amazing work for our community,” according to a Disney blog post.
Limbitless Solutions specializes in designing, manufacturing and distributing prosthetic arms for children with limb differences.
The company has had some major wins since its 2014 launch, including a high-profile visit from Robert “Iron Man” Downey Jr. that went viral.
In the blog post, Disney leaders said the grants were an effort to support its hometown businesses.
“These are all initiatives we’re proud to support as a company. Our cast members also spend time personally volunteering with many of these organizations and others across the state through our Disney VoluntEARS program. So far this year, cast have spent more than 115,000 hours giving back to the place where we live, work and play!”
Here is a list of the grantees:
- Bok Tower Gardens
- Central Florida Community Arts
- Children’s Home Society of Florida
- Christian Service Center
- Conductive Education Center of Orlando
- Conservation Florida
- ELEVATE Orlando
- Foundation for Foster Children
- Habitat for Humanity — Lake & Sumter Counties and Seminole County & Greater Apopka
- Hope Partnership
- IDignity
- Limbitless Solutions at the University of Central Florida
- Orlando Science Center
- Osceola Arts
- Page 15
- Steinway Society of Central Florida
- Volunteers for Community Impact
- Zebra Coalition