Eight teams remain in Inno Madness, Orlando Inno's bracket-style tech tournament.
The first round was full of upsets, as 1,700-plus of you voted to advance businesses based on one question: Who would you invest in?
Coming in with the most votes of all, a business that's new to Inno and Orlando Business Journal readers — the locally based streaming platform Zapz Network — won 1,190 votes and beat out a favorite we predicted would dominate, Pete, the AI-driven course creation tool that has built a solid foundation of leadership, staff. clients and tech since its 2023 founding.
CEO Shuantae Bellamy of Zapz said he made a post on his personal Facebook account, and his friends and supporters rallied immediately. "The response was overwhelming."
Bellamy said he didn't know of the other companies participating in Inno Madness before now, but he has taken an interest in meeting and collaborating with them because he sees Orlando as the next big tech hub.
Zapz functions a lot like Netflix and features content created by and for the Black community. Bellamy said he's interested in "bridging the gap" by streaming educational content that's tuned specifically to the needs and interests of his community, lowering the walls created by the wealth gap and a lack of cultural competency among mainstream content producers and distributors. Some of his educational content is disguised as entertainment, he said. His platform also offers content for adults.
Here are all the round one results, the winners noted with an asterisk.
Matchup 1
- Vaya Space: Hybrid rocket engine and satellite launcher
- Career Scoops: AI-driven career finder for teens*
Matchup 2
- Biller Genie: Automated A/R payments platform
- Suntek Lawn Care: Silent, zero-emissions lawn care equipment*
Matchup 3
Matchup 4
- Nuview: Geospatial data company
- Digital Pixel Displays: Digital pixel display screens*
Matchup 5
- Dronisos USA: Drone light shows for themed entertainment
- Formula Bot: AI-powered data analytics tools*
Matchup 6
- Pete: AI-driven course creation tool
- ZAPZ Network: Streaming digital content with learning focus*
Matchup 7
- Peakality: Wellness and mental health recovery platform
- Apply Genie: Automation tool for job applications*
Matchup 8
- 3MG Solutions: Solar roofs (not panels)
- My Paint Buckets: Organizational platform for house painters*
And now it's time for round two. Vote today, share the link, harness your network and support the businesses you believe in.
Learn more about Inno Madness.
The bracket is designed to shine a spotlight on 16 innovative businesses from across Central Florida.
The bracket is assembled based on nominations. Seeding was determined by investment raised since the companies' launch, based on information provided in the nominations.
This is the third year of our Inno Madness competition. Last year, sports management platform iSportz beat out Excel and Google Sheets add-on Formula Bot for the top spot.
The goal of Inno Madness is to give a snapshot of the wide range of innovative work underway at Central Florida companies, from nascent startups to fast-growing companies.
This bracket is by no means a complete list of the area's best startups or most well-funded firms. Instead, the bracket is meant to represent the full diversity of the ecosystem.
Disappointed your company isn't included this year? Be sure to check in with Orlando Inno in early 2025, when we will take nominations for next year's Orlando Inno Madness competition.
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