Orlando's innovation ecosystem mapped out its future on Friday.
Tech and innovation summit Synapse Orlando on Oct. 21 returned to the City Beautiful for the third time since 2019, drawing more than 2,000 registrants and 85 exhibitors showing off the latest in gaming, crypto, venture funding, entertainment tech and more.
Specifically, regional economic development organization Orlando Economic Partnership shared its goals to grow tech companies and funding in the next five years.
This year Synapse Orlando, held for the second consecutive year at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, landed more registrants than last year’s tally of 1,500 or 2019’s total of roughly 1,000.
Nonprofit Synapse Florida showcases the Sunshine State’s innovation ecosystem, namely through its annual Synapse Summit in Tampa. Synapse Orlando has become one of Central Florida’s marquee innovation and tech events, hosting dozens of panels and talks on the latest trends in high-tech industries.
Here’s a closer look at some of the topics and news from the event. Some of the panels and keynote addresses can be viewed on the Synapse website here.
Metaverse takes center stage
The Orlando Economic Partnership earlier this year declared Central Florida “The MetaCenter,” signaling efforts to build on the area’s existing work in gaming, simulation, virtual reality and more to brand the region as a hub of technologies powering the hot topic of the metaverse.
It should come as no surprise that multiple panels throughout the day were focused on the metaverse or adjacent topics.
For example, Orlando Economic Partnership Chief Innovation Officer David Addelson used a morning session to tout the Orlando area’s MetaCenter credentials and mapped out the Orlando Economic Partnership’s goals to make the region a top 10 tech hub by 2027 including:
- Make Orlando the destination for metaverse-related conferences
- Triple the pool of available incentives and grants for entrepreneurs and tech firms
- Become the most concentrated hub for metaverse companies in the world
- Have $5 billion invested in Orlando-area firms, up from $1.8 billion so far in 2022
DeepWork talks Florida Opportunity Fund
Orlando-based early-stage venture capital firm DeepWork Capital LLC in July was tapped as the investment manager for the state’s Florida Opportunity Fund. Money from the fund with $100 million in assets under management is used to invest into Florida startups, clean energy companies and other investment funds.
Florida Opportunity Fund capital can be invested in companies in a wide range of sectors — from software to manufacturing to aerospace — as long as the businesses are involved in a strategic industry and advance economic development in the state, DeepWork Vice President Ken Hall said.
Interested companies can submit pitches and schedule meetings on DeepWork’s website.
EA captures innovation award
Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: EA) captured the 2022 Schwartz Innovation Award, an annual honor awarded by the Orlando Economic Partnership to a company making the biggest impact on Central Florida’s economy and competitiveness through innovation.
Video game maker EA, which employs more than 1,000 people at its EA Sports hub in downtown Orlando, was named the winner during Synapse Orlando.
In the past year, EA not only has grown its staff, but also innovated its business with the release of new game titles such as Madden 2023 and opened a new office in the burgeoning Creative Village development, said Daryl Holt, EA vice president and general manager of EA Tiburon in Orlando.
“We’re bringing a whole new generation of electronic artists into this community.”
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