Pixie dust and photonics.
You might be surprised to learn that Orlando is one of the world’s leading epicenters for optics and photonics research, innovation and industry. It’s one of the many reasons opportunity in Orlando is “Unbelievably Real” for the region’s growing cluster of photonics-based companies.
Long before Orlando became the theme park capital of the world, the city’s top aerospace and defense companies were developing the ultimate thrill ride – flying to the moon.
The Martin Company built its Orlando plant in 1957 in anticipation of increased activity at the rocket launch site at Cape Canaveral on Florida’s east coast. The University of Central Florida (UCF), formerly known as Florida Technological University, was founded in 1963 and opened in 1968 with the mission of producing a workforce to support the growing U.S. space program at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Since then, the Orlando region has remained the cornerstone of Florida’s aerospace industry and defense-related growth.
Orlando’s long history of spaceflight continues to this day, which puts the city in a uniquely competitive position for optics and photonics companies. The region’s proximity to the nation’s Space Coast, as well as assets like the University of Central Florida’s College of Optics & Photonics (CREOL) and Central Florida Research Park, gives companies a competitive edge compared to other cities around the world.
Orlando is recognized as a leader in the field of photonics with a strong research and development cluster. From innovation and initial concepts to manufacturing the final product, Orlando’s ecosystem of talent and attractive cost of doing business supports a thriving cluster of photonics-based companies. In fact, there are more than 500,000 college students within 100 miles of downtown Orlando, a pipeline of high-skilled talent top optics and photonics companies are eager to tap.
For example, the main reason Luminar, the leading autonomous vehicle and lidar technology company for consumer cars and trucking, chose Orlando as its headquarters is because the largest Department of Defense laser programs (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and L3 Communications) are all based in Orlando. Luminar Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Jason Eichenholz says Luminar invests strategically in finding the right people and expertise, and that being headquartered in Orlando is a competitive advantage.
"Not only do we benefit from our proximity to UCF, one of the nation’s largest technical universities for optics and photonics, but Orlando also has a world-class mix of companies, research institutions and talent with decades of experience developing, manufacturing and selling photonic products,” Eichenholz says.
Optical sensor manufacturer and applied insights company Ocean Insight expanded its operations in Central Florida Research Park due to the strong optics and photonics presence in the Orlando region. Central Florida Research Park is the sixth-largest in the U.S. with specialized research labs and one of the top technology incubation systems in the nation. Ocean Insight leaders say there were several reasons why they decided to expand in Orlando, including the benefits of a low cost of living and the ease of doing business in the region, as well as access to major highways, lodging and Orlando International Airport’s (MCO) domestic and international connectivity. The city’s status as a top visitor destination also makes it easy to host client visits and training sessions for employees.
"Orlando is one of only four major optics and photonics clusters in the U.S. It’s like a Silicon Valley here in Orlando, focused on optics and photonics technology," says Steve Buckley, Ph.D. general manager of Ocean Insight.
The success of companies like Luminar and Ocean Insight are perfect examples of how easy it is to do business here, another example of what makes Orlando ‘Unbelievably Real’,” says Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership. “Most people know Orlando for its tourism industry, but we have been a leader in photonics dating back to the 1960’s space race and continue to grow in this area of expertise.”
Orlando’s established photonics cluster is bolstered by semiconductor onshoring that is happening in NeoCity, a 500-acre master-planned, mixed-use research and technology district located 20 minutes away from the Orlando International Airport. The Orlando region is among the first to receive major federal funding for reshoring U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, making it an emerging national leader in innovation and advanced manufacturing.
The region’s photonics cluster is also a component of the Metaverse, which is being created and developed in Orlando. We call it the MetaCenter. The region is, and has been for decades, ground zero for Metaverse development in areas of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, IoT technology, gaming, 3D, and modeling and simulation. Photonics’ motion capture technology and Orlando’s density of industry in that vertical, is another piece of what makes the city the MetaCenter.
“After watching intently for years as the building blocks of this new frontier unfold, the metaverse is taking shape – and it is evident that Orlando’s tech companies play a big part in developing this new world,” said David Adelson, Orlando Economic Partnership chief innovation officer.
Click here to learn more about Orlando’s thriving optics and photonics industry.
The Orlando Economic Partnership is an economic and community development organization that is seizing the moment to advance Broad-based Prosperity® throughout the region by growing the diversity of the economy and driving investment into the region. The Partnership catalyzes Orlando’s collaborative ethos to fuel regional leadership and improve the region’s competitiveness. Learn more.