Four Orlando tech-related groups won more than $65,000 combined to create or grow events that promote Orlando's technology sector.
The Orlando Tech Community Grant program overseen by the Orlando Economic Partnership’s Orlando Tech Community awarded $16,250 to each of the winners. The OEP partners with the city of Orlando, which provided the funds for the companies and nonprofits.
Why this matters: Funding for grassroots organizations in technology can help boost pathways to the industry as well as help early stage businesses thrive.
David Adelson, chief innovation officer for the Orlando Economic Partnership, told Orlando Inno the value of the grants was increased to ensure groups had enough resources to make a good impact
"The associations and groups that come together to put on these events, in a lot of cases it's nonprofit and volunteer work," Adelson said. "Resources become a challenge, so if they have more resources, they are able to attract more people."
He added that many of the selected groups have separate impacts within the technology sector, whether that is attracting interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education from a young age or helping startup businesses thrive.
Here's who won the grants:
- Tech Sassy Girlz: The funds will support the Tech Sassy Girlz Conference, a free one-day STEM conference for girls that serves as an introduction to the industry. Participants get to network with women STEM leaders, take part in hands-on demonstrations and more. The organization — a program of Orlando nonprofit Collegiate Pathways Inc. — previously won grants from the program in 2020 and 2022.
- iBuild Central Florida: The grant will support the iBuild Construction Technology Summer Camp, which shows students how technology is incorporated into construction sites. The group also won a grant in 2022.
- Orlando Science Center: The museum will use the funds to support its four-day Spark STEM Fest, which previously was known as Otronicon Science Festival. The event includes STEM industry speakers, workshops, video game competitions and more. The Orlando Science Center won grants in 2021 and 2020 for Otronicon as well.
- Social Employment & Educational Impact: The group won an award tied to TechStars Startup Weekend. The global event allows for companies to be pitched to a panel of judges for prizes. It won for the event in 2022, as well.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the grants — which the city helps fund — are an important way to help it reach its goal to do everything it can to grow the ecosystem for technology companies to be successful.
"We are always ranked pretty high as a good place to start a business and many of these nonprofit groups are newer. It's important we promote them, because we have more reach than they might have."
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