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4Q4: Four Questions For … Kent Ward, Ongaku Overdrive

Marco Santana
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4Q4: Four Questions For … Kent Ward, Ongaku Overdrive

4Q4 IS A WEEKLY FEATURE THAT WILL BE POSTED EVERY FRIDAY, SPEAKING WITH A LOCAL NEWSMAKER ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.

The ecosystem that Kent Ward exists in is something of a subculture to a subculture.

Technically, his work with his organization Ongaku Overdrive can be classified as an effort in Orlando’s video game ecosystem.

However, Ongaku takes it even further, focusing specifically on musicians and enthusiasts who specialize in video game music.

It is how he has been able to host 28 live events and 20 virtual ones, featuring local, regional and national acts regularly.

We sat down with Ward, whose full-time gig is in software engineering, to talk about his interest and passion for video games as his organization prepares to welcome hip-hop artist Mega Ran, who famously recorded an album that turned the story of Final Fantasy VII into a rap album, on Jan. 25.

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A 13-year-old recently “beat” Tetris, becoming the first to ever do so. What would you consider your favorite personal achievement in video games?

The first time I got all 120 stars in Super Mario 64 is always going to be cool to me. It was my first time playing a 3D video game, and probably the first time I did everything there was to do in a video game. I got to revisit that game during the pandemic to see if I’ve still got it, and I was thrilled to get all 120 stars again. (New York Times story on 13-year-old)

Mega Ran has quickly become a friend of Ongaku. How did that relationship come together?

I first met Mega Ran at the Nerdapalooza music festival in 2010, when he was still going by the name “Random.” Mega Ran 9, with his iconic Splash Woman rap, had just come out and blew up on the internet. I actually told him that he should make an album based on the NES game River City Ransom, but call it “River City Random.” And he did! A couple of years later, I wanted to have a really cool charity show hosted by my anime club, Propeller Anime. I wanted Mega Ran as the headliner. I contacted him and he agreed to come down to Orlando and rock with us. The success of that event led led to the creation of Ongaku Overdrive.

Why does video game music resonate with you so much?

I have played video games since I could walk, going all the way back to the Atari 2600. Those games were primitive when it came to sound. Eventually, my family could afford an NES and we rented Mega Man 2. I heard that Bubble Man stage theme and I remember just letting Mega Man stay on (screen) for so long just so I could keep hearing the music. The medleys are so catchy for sure, but video game music is made to be action-driven and capture certain emotions. The fact that video game music was the soundtrack of my childhood adventures is what made me a lifelong fan. When my family first got a computer and Internet, one of the first things I did was look for video game music to download.

What tech are you most looking forward to seeing evolve in 2024?

Coming from the world of military simulation, virtual reality has become dominant. Haptic technology has really impressed me and as that improves and becomes affordable for consumers, we’re going to see some games take advantage of that and really change how we interact in video game worlds.

MyRadar makes robust weather data available to third-party devs

Marco Santana
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MyRadar makes robust weather data available to third-party devs

An Orlando-based company has made its weather-related data available to third-party app developers who wish to incorporate it into their products.

My Radar launched “Powered by MyRadar” at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday.

The company boasts more than 15 million active users.

Its app has been downloaded more than 50 million times. That number represents one of the highest in weather apps since its 2008 launch in Orlando. “Powered by MyRadar” provides businesses in any sector seamless access to weather-related data seamlessly.

That could be useful in several different ways, MyRadar CEO Andy Green said in a press release.

“Whether you want to know how storms will impact your operations, historical weather data to train your machine learning models, or road weather information to help manage your fleet (in real-time), our APIs can deliver the weather information you need to make data-driven decisions,” he said.

MyRadar now employs 34 full-time employees.

David Codding, CEO of SAI, has incorporated MyRadar into its automated systems at hotels, academic campuses and agricultural operations around the world. He said the new service tracks comfort level at its installations.

In addition, it takes weather data from the region to predict and manage temperatures in advance of weather changes.

“This not only makes our systems more effective and efficient but helps the systems and personnel of our clients,” he said.

Women’s tech organization names inaugural 14-member board of directors

Marco Santana
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Women’s tech organization names inaugural 14-member board of directors

PHOTO BY STEVEN SEIDMAN/MAN ON THE SIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

A fast-growing Central Florida-based organization that supports women in the technology industry has appointed its first-ever board of directors.

Women in Tech and Entrepreneurship launched in Tampa in 2022. Since then, it has established chapters in St. Petersburg, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

“We are acknowledging the longstanding leadership of women in this field and the marginalization women have historically faced in tech,” WTE CEO and Founder Raechel Canipe said in a release.

Statistics consistently show that the percentage of women in technology has generally remained steady.

Despite several concerted efforts to change that, the number remains low.

Research from the American Association of University Women, for instance, reported last year that about one-third of the STEM-based workforce in the U.S. is women.

Data tends to vary among studies, though it remains in the same range. Numbers released by the National Science Foundation, for instance, align with the AAUW’s data.

“Organizations like WTE are changing the game, not just by advocating but actively equipping women in tech and entrepreneurship with crucial connections, educational tools, and financial resources,” Canipe said. “Our board represents more than a leadership group; they’re catalysts for the recognition and inclusion that’s long overdue in our industry.”

A new Jacksonville chapter will open this month with the University of South Florida expected to follow shortly thereafter. Overall, the group has reached 3,000 women and hosts regular chapter meetings.

“I’m not surprised that the organization has grown so rapidly in a year,” said Denise Musselwhite, an Orlando-based executive leadership coach for women in tech who has been appointed the group’s secretary. “Since its inception, WTE has created a transformative community that nurtures and empowers women entrepreneurs and technology leaders, providing a unique support system free of judgment where women have an opportunity to make real connections as they navigate the challenges – and opportunities – of our industries.”

Musselwhite’s firm, Tech and Thrive, draws on her 25-year career in technology to help women in the tech industry.

“My decision to join the board was driven by a desire to meaningfully contribute to a
community I deeply care about,” she said, adding that she also wanted “to engage with other driven, talented, and diverse women who provide an unparalleled opportunity for mutual learning and inspiration.”

“Our role at WTE is to pave the way for today’s and tomorrow’s women tech leaders and entrepreneurs while highlighting their contributions,” added Molly Levinson-Kroeber, Director of Operations at Cope Notes and Co-owner of Mello. “Our board members, with their diverse expertise and shared commitment, will help us amplify the voices of women who have been leading in tech and entrepreneurship all along.”

Here is the list of board members, their companies and their positions.

Chair: Raechel Canipe, WTE/RevStar
Vice Chair: Molly Levinson-Kroeber, Cope Notes/Mello
General Counsel: Vanessa Ferguson, Ferguson Legal, PLLC
Treasurer: Lisa Marteney, Risk Advisory Services
Secretary: Musselwhite, Tech & Thrive
Supplier Diversity Chair: Andrea Knight, Airbus US Space & Defense, Inc.
Advocacy & Intersectionality Chair: Ana Irving, Engenium
Events Chair: Jojo Kalita, 4th Down Solutions
Marketing Co-Chair: Jessica Charles, Elevated Exposure Worldwide
Marketing Co-Chair: Justine D’Addio, Hyde Park PR
Program & Curriculum Chair: Jessica Sudler, Rogue Mobile
Program & Curriculum Observer: Rachel Thomas, Milena International Inc.
Fundraising & Sponsorship Co-Chair: Cat Suplicy, RavenOps
Fundraising & Sponsorship Co-Chair: Ashley Williams, Visionary Rising Agency/LIONSROAM

Jolly Rancher laser tag? Chocolate rollercoaster? Could be as Falcon’s, Hershey partner

Marco Santana
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Jolly Rancher laser tag? Chocolate rollercoaster? Could be as Falcon’s, Hershey partner

Please insert the mandatory cliché about this news being “sweet” here.

Orlando-based Falcon’s Beyond Global has inked a licensing agreement with the chocolate giant The Hershey Company to develop location-based entertainment based upon the huge global brand.

The deal opens up iconic brands like Hershey’s, Reese’s, Jolly Rancher and Twizzlers to Falcon’s as they create retail-tainment installations.

Falcon’s Beyond Global CEO Cecil Magpuri shared his excitement of working with “renowned brands” in a news release.

“We are excited to explore what’s possible with Hershey and help bring forth what makes their brands so beloved through memorable immersive entertainment experiences,” he said.

Although details are scarce, the release shared that the destinations would include Hershey-inspired attractions, food and beverage service and retail store for merchandise.

Hershey Licensing Company President Ernie Savo said partnering with Falcon’s offered a huge opportunity to expand their brand.

“With their impressive track record of growing IP through innovative experiences, Falcon’s is the ideal partner to extend the Hershey’s family of brands in truly new and imaginative ways,” he said.

Falcon’s became a publicly traded company in the last months of 2023 and has several high-profile amusement park projects in the works around the world.

4Q4: Four Questions For … Rajiv Menon, Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge

Marco Santana
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4Q4: Four Questions For … Rajiv Menon, Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge

EDITOR’S NOTE: 4Q4 IS A WEEKLY FEATURE THAT WILL BE POSTED EVERY FRIDAY, SPEAKING WITH A LOCAL NEWSMAKER ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. MOVING FORWARD, THESE WILL BE POSTED ON FRIDAYS.

Orlando’s tech community has quite the luxury with a tech-forward-thinking organization like the Orlando Magic in town.

Every year, the NBA team is recognized as one of the league’s most innovative.

That innovation and recognition feel even better when the team has some success, as it has had this year. The Orlando Magic is on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and could win its first playoff series since Dwight Howard led the charge in 2010.

For now, however, the team will work on its technology presence. The Orlando Magic’s Innovation Challenge returns for its third year n Jan. 19.

The event annually brings Orlando’s tech community together to tackle some of the Magic’s most-pressing tech-based projects.

Orlando Tech News reached out to Rajiv Menon of Informuate, one of the event’s lead organizers, to talk about the challenge and other tech-based topics. Check out his throughts on AI and other topics below.

What technology are you most looking forward to see develop in 2024 and why?

1. Clearly, the most exciting technology for 2024 is artificial intelligence and large language models. ChatGPT and related offerings like Bard, Jasper, Co-Pilot, etc., will transform how people use it. Coding, content-creation, legal writing, scriptwriting and all kinds of occupations are going to be impacted. We at Informulate and HyperValidation are investing heavily in this tech.

The Innovation Challenge is this month. Why did this event start?

Because innovation is a team sport. Some kinds of innovation are about defining problems the right way and bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to solve them. This type of challenge makes perfect sense for large brand organizations that not only want to accelerate innovation but also want to engage the community, bring visibility to their growth trajectories, and attract high-quality talent. OMIC is in its 3rd year, and it is going from strength to strength as it builds on past success.

If you had to select a New Year’s resolution for your relationship with tech, what would it be and why? 

For me, it would be agility. As we can see from 2023-24, AI/LLM is disrupting practically every industry. And the pace of that disruption is accelerating. So every business needs to be agile and focus on reducing time to market for new products.

The innovation challenge is a mix of sports and tech. What sports technology is your favorite innovation? 

When it comes to sports and tech innovation, eSports is up there, as is the impending wave of broad acceptance for augmented and virtual reality. eSports are projected to hit $3 billion in revenue this year and with the global gaming industry revenue already bigger than music and movies combined, it will soon overtake traditional sports, as well. Established titles like Madden and NBA2K are just the beginning. We are on the cusp of all kinds of new innovations for mixed reality spectator experiences, deeper engagement, and monetization of sports and eSports including all new tech-driven sports like drone racing, robot fighting and more.

The Big 3: CES, Orlando tech 2024, OTC leadership

Marco Santana
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The Big 3: CES, Orlando tech 2024, OTC leadership

What’s new at the Consumer Electronics Show?

The annual gathering of technology and innovation attracts a good number of Orlando’s tech community so it’s always fun to track Orlando-based social media accounts for insight on what’s happening in Las Vegas during the early part of the year. In fact, just browsing LinkedIn should give some insight into what’s happening in emerging technology at the annual trade show, which drew 115,000 people in 2023.

How does Orlando tech follow up on a strong 2023?

This is probably a “Big 3” candidate for every week but in the early part of the year, it will be interesting to see how Orlando’s tech community comes out of the gates. Already, I’m sure, companies and organizations are likely eyeing Synapse Summit in late February as a milestone event. So what comes before that popular Tampa gathering? We could find out a few things here this week.

Orlando Tech Community’s new leadership

A sincere welcome to new Orlando Tech Community President Dawn Haynes, better known around Orlando as the CEO and public face of Starter Studio. Personally, I was a big fan of how MetaCenter Global Week came together in October and I do believe it brings value to the community. That was an Orlando Tech Community initiative, among others. So I am intrigued by how Year 2 comes together and I imagine the work toward that starts now. I look forward to tracking progress there all year.

So, there you have it. Our first Big 3. Let me know what I’ve missed.

UCF incubator client’s app gives bar patrons their time back

Marco Santana
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UCF incubator client’s app gives bar patrons their time back

It can be sometimes difficult to predict where the bug of entrepreneurship might strike.

For Steven Rehrig, it was while waiting in line at The Wharf Miami nightclub.

As he stood in line, he had to have waited 25 minutes, trying to get a bartender’s attention so he could grab a drink and return to his group of friends.

“At that moment, I thought that there had to be a better way to do this,” said Rehrig, who was a business student at Stetson University at the time.

So Rehrig started to explore how to simplify grabbing a drink at the club. Enter Bibe, an app Rehrig modeled around food-delivery apps like Door Dash or Uber Eats.

The application has some legs.

A pilot program at a resort in Kissimmee launched Dec. 1 with a goal of an expanded release in the new year to a handful of local sites.

The pilot will include drink specials and incentives to get people to share the app with others.

The mechanics of the application are basic and familiar.

A patron places a drink order on the app, which sends it to the venue’s point-of-sale system.

The convenience fee is added to the customer’s order and the result is a completely free transaction for the bars.

Rehrig said the response to his app has been positive, at least in the short time he has been promoting it.

“When I’m at a bar talking about this, they will always say they need this app,” he said. “It’s a pain point at bars, or Buffalo Wild Wings with the bartender not coming around to wait on your table. How convenient would it be to order from an app?”

But the effects on a person’s time run deeper, Rehrig said.

“We want to give people their time back,” he said. “When you go anywhere, you don’t want to wait in line for 10 minutes. You want to hang out with your friends and enjoy yourself.”

The reaction to Rehrig’s idea, which has been helped along by mentors at UCF’s Business Incubation Program, has been mostly positive.

Rehrig said his family has been a key part of that.

“They have been supportive,” he said. “They think I’m crazy. But they have seen me taking steps forward.”

As a first-time entrepreneur, Rehrig certainly needed a team of experienced business people and supporters to build this into a business. That’s why he approached UCF’s Business Incubator Program in Daytona Beach.

Rehrig says he has long had an interest in starting a business.

Among his ideas was creating a company around backyard bars that would travel from site to site, offering an experience for those who were entertaining.

“I just don’t overthink it,” he said. “I take it one step at a time and move forward. If you sit there and plan everything, it’s not going to go that way. I have gotten where I am going one step at a time.”

IAAPA visitors offer Orlando a chance to experience next-gen technology

Marco Santana
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IAAPA visitors offer Orlando a chance to experience next-gen technology

Let’s face it: if you’re a fan of technology, you are fortunate to live in Orlando and Central Florida.

Every year, a wide variety of industries bring with them their latest technologies to show off to the community, often times setting up their proverbial tent at the Orange County Convention Center or any number of hotels that are here in the region.

Although these kind of trade shows start early in the year, they culminate in November and December, when IAAPA and I/ITSEC come through almost immediately after one another.

It’s yet another example of how Orlando’s tech community benefits from its location here. A good number of local companies get to rub elbows with industry titans.

Below, we have a video of one of the IAAPA experiences. Enjoy.

French firm to mark Orlando expansion with Lake Eola drone show

Marco Santana
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French firm to mark Orlando expansion with Lake Eola drone show

The skies above Lake Eola will be lit up on Dec. 23 by a drone show marking a French company’s expansion into Orlando.

Bordeaux-based Dronisos will premier a 12-minute holiday show to help celebrate the opening of its first U.S.-based office.

Dronisos has produced drone shows above iconic landmarks like the Colosseum in Rome, Mont-Saint-Michel in France and, in the U.S., Dollywood in Tennessee.

The company also orchestrated the largest-ever drone show in Europe, deploying 1,500 drones above Disneyland Paris.

“Given Orlando’s status as the global hub of amusement parks, it was a natural choice for Dronisos’ U.S. expansion,” CEO Laurent Perchais said in a news release.

Perchais relocated to Orlando in August. The new office opened in Windermere this month and became the company’s U.S. regional headquarters and sales office.

Dronisos plans to launch a drone academy in the near future, as well.

“With our upcoming downtown holiday drone show back by popular demand, our partnship with Dronisos showcases the fusion of technology and art, adding a touch of magic to our vibrant city and further solidifies Orlando as the MetaCenter and a global leader for innovation,” Mayor Buddy Dyer said in the release.

The drone show will light up the downtown sky starting at 8 p.m. on Dec. 23.

The Orlando Economic Partnership helped facilitate the deal.

BNY Mellon to expand Lake Mary operations

Marco Santana
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BNY Mellon to expand Lake Mary operations

A banking leader with a large presence in Lake Mary plans to expand its Central Florida footprint, adding a “significant number of jobs” to the region in the process.

BNY Mellon, a New York-based financial institution, will create one unified campus across two locations that will expand its site by 200,000 square feet.

The company did not say how many jobs would be added to its already existing workforce of 1,200 in the area.

“Lake Mary is an important location for us globally, and we believe in the local community and its top talent,” said Alejandro Pérez, chief administrative officer at BNY Mellon, in a news release. “We’re excited to continue expanding our presence in Florida and remain committed to serving our clients across the state.” 

The additions will include expansion of its cutting-edge office space at 600 Colonial Center Parkway along with renovations of an additional 100,000 square feet down the road at 300 Colonial Center Parkway.

The project should be complete next year for the company, which established its presence in the region in 2001.

Orlando Economic Partnership leaders reached out to BNY Mellon last year as they considered an expansion.

“We are thrilled to see BNY Mellon’s expansion in Lake Mary, a move that underscores the region’s economic vibrancy as a global business hub,” said Tim Giuliani, OEP president and CEO. 

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