Published: Sept. 1
Summary: Early-stage investment group SeedFundersOrlando invested $195,000 in Melbourne-based Kalogon, SeedFundersOrlando announced Aug. 30. Kalogon produces "smart cushion" meant to prevent pressure sores in people who sit too long, especially those in wheelchairs.
Why it matters: As a result of the investment, Kalogon will launch a production line at the Brevard Achievement Center, which provides employment help and job training for people with disabilities.
Published: July 26
Summary: Tomahawk Robotics Inc. closed a $10 million venture capital round in April, according to data released in July by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. Melbourne-based robotics company landed the biggest venture capital deal on the Space Coast this year.
Why it matters: Venture capital deals like this can fuel growth at companies like Tomahawk, supporting new high-wage jobs and the creation of innovative solutions other businesses can use.
Published: July 23
Summary: An uptick in video game play and sales in 2020 triggered rapid growth at Iron Galaxy, which has hired more than 100 people between its Orlando office and Chicago headquarters since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic
Why it matters: The company is not done growing, with nearly 20 openings and 20-25 hires a year anticipated in Orlando going forward. This means more local jobs in the high-wage video game industry.
Published: Sept. 7
Summary: Datanautix took a big step forward when it signed an agreement with Intrado Corp. to bring the telecommunications firm on as a customer, the company announced Aug. 18. Thanks to that partnership and others on the horizon, Datanautix expects to double its revenue year-over-year in 2021 and again in 2022
Why it matters: Datanautix’s AI-powered platform has been utilized by local companies and organizations like Red Lobster, the Orlando Magic and the University of Central Florida to analyze qualitative customer feedback.
Published: Sept. 29
Summary: FN America LLC on Oct. 4 will move into the University of Central Florida Research Park Business Incubator. The McLean, Virginia-based company, a subsidiary of Belgian firm FN Herstal S.A., will open a small office to test and develop new marksmanship training technology.
Why it matters: The new Orlando office will only create a small number of new jobs, between five and 10, but it demonstrates the region’s allure to high-tech simulation and training operations.
Published: Nov. 19
Summary: The University of Central Florida Business Program's Downtown Innovation District and startup accelerator Starter Studio on Dec. 1 will move into a 3,579-square-foot space at 130 S. Orange Ave — the ground floor of the 85-year-old Kress Building.
Why it matters: Starter Studio and the UCF business incubators are two of the region’s most active organizations when it comes to helping and growing early-stage startups. While both organizations are scaling back from their previous 20,000-square-foot home, the new location gives them a highly-visible site on Orange Avenue with room to expand if needed.
Published: Dec. 13
Summary: Next year, OneRail plans to lease an additional 18,000 square feet as its headcount now sits at 100 people. It’s a sign of the growth to come, since OneRail expects to grow its staff from roughly 100 people to 200 by year's end 2022. Much of that will be driven by its work beginning to handle shipments for new big-name clients
Why it matters: The last-mile logistics software firm’s growth is attracting venture capital and creating high-wage jobs, with dozens of new jobs expected in 2022.
Published: Sept. 3
Summary: Melbourne-based Kalogon, founded by Tim Balz last year, developed a "smart cushion" meant to prevent pressure sores in people who sit too long, especially those in wheelchairs. The product is in use by some rehabilitation centers, assisted-living centers and hospitals across the Sunshine State.
Why it matters: Kalogon in 2021 raised $195,000 in a round led by SeedfundersOrlando, which will help it ramp up its manufacturing and help patients across the state.
Published: July 20
Summary: Two veterans of the financial sector this year they launched CashRepublic Holdings Inc. to offer an easy-to-use and reliable way to cash checks for the 28% of Americans who do not have reliable access to banking services, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. At the same time, Orlando-based CashRepublic offers its services at lower rates than many check-cashing services already in the market.
Why it matters: The company already opened two stores, with more in the works, and hired at least 10 people. CashRepublic’s growth in Orlando will create retail, technology, marketing and finance jobs.
Published: July 12
Summary: Santa Monica, California-based Red 6 Inc. will open a technology hub in Orlando, the company announced July 12. The new office is part of the defense startup’s move to Florida, as it also will relocate its headquarters to Miami.
Why it matters: Red 6’s move to Florida will bring its technical operations to Orlando, and the company plans to create 100 jobs combined in Orlando and Miami.
When California-based jet pilot training startup Red 6 Inc. in July announced its operations would take off for Florida, Orlando-area readers took notice.
The news of the augmented-reality (AR) training firm's plans to open an Orlando tech hub was the most popular story among readers in Orlando Inno's first year. Since launching in June, Orlando Inno's other most popular articles included the launch of a tech-focused financial services company, a profile of a former SpaceX engineer who built a Space Coast startup and the rapid growth of a logistics tech firm.
To see the most-read tech and innovation news of 2021, check out the slideshow above.
There was no shortage of exciting news in Central Florida's innovation ecosystem this year. Along with business expansions and local startups' accelerated growth, Central Florida early-stage companies enjoyed a strong first three quarters of the year when it came to raising venture capital.
However, metro Orlando did not match up to fellow Florida cities as an emerging tech hub amid an exodus of tech workers and companies from Boston, Chicago and Silicon Valley in 2021. Orlando attracts fewer tech workers than Jacksonville, Miami or Tampa, and Orlando was not named an emerging U.S. tech hub in an August report by Forbes, although Miami and Tampa were.
Of course, the growth of technology-focused companies in the region is important because they create high-wage jobs that can help diversify the region's hospitality-heavy economy. For example, the average local tech wage of $89,000 is much higher than metro Orlando's average annual wage of $48,530, according to CBRE Group Inc. (NYSE: CBRE) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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