Synapse continued its efforts in bringing the community together across the state by hosting Synapse Orlando. For the third year, Synapse and the Orlando Economic Partnership brought together a community of people celebrating new ideas, discovering innovation and making unique connections. The Dr. Phillips center once again provided a world-class backdrop where each floor featured company displays and engaging talks covering everything from how to do business in the metaverse to leveraging the pathway to top innovation talent.
This year, 90 speakers and thought leaders shared their insights into how we can build and grow a better community and how to propel forward into the future. Timoni West, VP of product digital twin and AI at Unity shed light on how it might look for us as a community to live and work in the metaverse while serial entrepreneur Jeff Hoffman, chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, shared his story on the organizations he supports and empowered attendees to give back in their own communities.
With so many great sessions and activations here are five that stood out.
1. Leveraging the Pathway to Top Tech Talent
President Randy Avent of Florida Polytechnic University, which U.S. News & World Report recently listed as the No. 1 Southern public college for the second consecutive year, was joined by the director of engineering technology at Disney, which is opening a regional hub in Lake Nona housing more than 2,000 professional jobs, and the founder of NXT AI, a growing data analysis startup.
2. The Future of Entertainment and the Falcon’s X Lounge
The Falcon’s Beyond team was instrumental as the title sponsor and by educating attendees on the latest trends in user-generated content and Web3, which will soon converge to create more seamless, personalized and persistent worlds for transmedia storytelling.
3. Is Your Business Ready for the Metaverse?
The metaverse is the future of business. From health care to fashion, education, training and business, every industry will somehow be engaged in and with the metaverse. Right now, a lot of early metaverses are being built with many different focuses and ideas for how to get it right. Some are for enterprises, some for consumers. Each has different platforms, partners and technologies at its core. Our experts reviewed the tools to assess how you might position your business to thrive in this new world and become “metaverse-ready.”
4. Realities of Fundraising in Today’s Market
The fundraising environment for startup companies has changed in 2022. Rising interest rates, declines in public equities, geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic challenges have presented significant headwinds to a venture market that shattered records in 2021. In this panel, we heard investors and founders share real talk about their experiences raising — and deploying — capital in this uncertain market.
5. A Matter of National Security
For decades, academia, government, military and industry have collaborated in Orlando on innovative solutions to address needs of the military and warfighters. From leveraging Florida’s $6 billion modeling, simulation and training industry to improving human performance, these initiatives are saving lives, protecting our nation and powering innovation.
One of the many accomplishments that has grown from Orlando and the Central Florida region is not only the discovery of new and exciting innovations but the recognition of the people behind it. That is something Synapse is proud to highlight each year, the doers and the innovators that make things possible. Looking ahead to the Synapse Summit 2023 we are excited to curate content and experiences that celebrate the wins of the people in the community and across the state.
To stay in the know and learn more about how to participate with Synapse throughout the year, send us your information here.
Synapse Florida is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that connects entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to accelerate success in Florida’s thriving economies.
