Texture, Vol 9 Issue 1 2012 by Orlando Economic Development Commission

TEXTURE VOL 9 ISSUE 1

2012

O R L A N D O ’ S

T E C H N O L O G Y

L A N D S C A P E

Innovative Industries How Metro Orlando Is Poised for Growth

LASERS

MOCAP

ROBOTICS

OPTICS

ENERGY

MEDICAL

Official Publication of

Defense Dynamo CENTRAL FLORIDA’S HISTORIC STRONGHOLD

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contents

ORLANDO’S TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE

Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission President & CEO Texture Publisher Rick L. Weddle Director, Marketing & Communications Texture Editor Jennifer Wakefield Director, Marketing Texture Associate Editor Amy Dinsmore

T E XT UR E SU MMER 2012 VOLUME 9, IS S U E 1

Texture Project Support Director, Marketing & Web Management Lisa Addy

Departments FROM THE PUBLISHER 5 Why Orlando is a top spot for business.

Texture Contributors Maureen Brockman, Sheena Carlisle Fowler, Jackie Kelvington, Gloria LeQuang, Declan Reiley, Irma Stenman, Tracy Turk, Shelly Weidenhamer

TALENT POOL 6 Research experience translates into hightech careers for local students. PEAK PERFORMERS 8 Four entrepreneurs who found success in Orlando.

Visit Orlando®

Vice President of Interactive/ Print Support Services Deborah Kicklighter Henrichs

NEW COS 10 Incubators fuel high-tech growth.

Managing Editor Jessica Chapman

INNOVATION ALLEY 12 Public schools offer fast tracks to tech careers.

Graphic Designer Michele Mitchell Production Coordinator Shelley Hampton

SPECIAL FX 28 Film production heats up in Orlando. INTELLIGENT FORMS OF LIFESTYLE 30 Coworking takes off in Central Florida. TECH TRENDS 32 Regional companies that drive businesses around the world.

Associate Vice President Partner Development Sheryl Taylor Contributing Writers Gretchen Miller Basso, Nancy Curry, Denise Bates Enos, Kevin Fritz, Jackie Kelvington, Laura Kern, Kristen Manieri, Julie Primrose, G.K. Sharman, Jennifer Wakefield

OFF THE WIRE 34 News of note in Metro Orlando.

Contributing Photographer Phelan Ebenhack

Features GAZE INTO THE FUTURE 14 Local leaders offer a sneak peek at the Central Florida of tomorrow.

A LOOK AHEAD 20

Emerging industries that are taking root now in the region.

IN OUR DEFENSE 24

Orlando’s role as one of the defense industry’s most established modeling, simulation, and training hubs. On the cover: From personalized medicine and specialty pharmacy, to serious games and cyber security, industries of the future are taking root in Metro Orlando.

This publication is sponsored in part by Orange County Government and the University of Central Florida. Texture magazine is produced by everything ink, a division of Visit Orlando , for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Visit Orlando: 6700 Forum Drive, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32821, Phone 407.363.5800, Fax 407.370.5000. Texture magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, negatives, or transparencies. Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission: 301 East Pine Street, Suite 900 Orlando, FL 32801. Phone: 407.422.7159 or 888.TOP.CITY (888.867.2489); Fax: 407.425.6428; E-mail: info@orlandoedc.com. Advertising information: 407.354.5512. Copyright 2012 Metro Orlando EDC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of Visit Orlando, on behalf of the EDC, is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A.

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from the publisher

TURNING Point >>

“The times, they are a-changin’...” — Bob Dylan

This recession has been a time of change. It marked a turning point for our region — and for regions all over the world. No longer could we choose to continue down a path we’ve been before. Instead, the global economic situation has forced all regions to forge ahead into unfamiliar territory. For some, this is a frightening concept. For others, this is an exciting opportunity. A chance to re-tool, reinvent, re-ignite. For Metro Orlando, it’s been the latter. While we’ve not been immune to economic challenges, we have taken this time to tightly focus our efforts on where the potential is — and where the potential will be — for Central Florida. And we

think our region will come through this recession better than most. Over the last eight years, this publication has served as a vehicle in which to share stories about businesses and business people finding success in Central Florida. But this is more than a magazine; it’s an opening to a conversation. A conversation about why Orlando is so widely known, yet so poorly understood. And it’s a chance to help others understand what makes Orlando a premier business location, as well as a top spot for leisure and conventions. Inside this issue, you’ll find stories focused on the future of Central Florida — from what the region can and will look like in the years ahead, to the

industries of tomorrow that are taking hold in Central Florida today. You’ll read about trends in workspace innovation, real-world research taking place here, and how film and television production is heating up. I invite you to also visit our website, orlandoedc.com, for more stories, testimonials, and videos of companies and people who are finding success in Central Florida. x

Rick L. Weddle Publisher

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talent pool

RESEARCH

Real-World By Julie Primrose

THE FLORIDA HIGH TECH CORRIDOR COUNCIL’S SIGNATURE RESEARCH PROGRAM CONNECTS STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS — AND JOBS.

VATANA AN

University of Central Florida alumnus Vatana An (left) works as a software engineer in the U.S. Navy. An credits his work through the Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s Matching Grants Research Program for helping him develop his professional skills.

Every day, researchers throughout Florida’s High Tech Corridor are making scientific advances that are leading the way toward our technological future. Working alongside them are some of the brightest young minds hailing from the Corridor universities — the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida and the University of Florida. In Metro Orlando, UCF students are translating their research experience into lucrative careers in the region’s high-tech workforce.

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s (FHTCC) Matching Grants Research Program (MGRP) provides matching funds for companies to leverage their research budgets by working with university partners on commercially applicable technologies. Student researchers are brought on board to participate in these projects, helping the faculty researcher maximize budgets and giving the student hands-on training with real-world research challenges.

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ALEX KATSAROS

UCF alumnus Jing Wang, Ph.D. is just one MGRP student researcher who transitioned from the lab to the labor pool. Now an assistant professor at Bethune-Cookman University, Wang utilizes talents he developed through an MGRP project with L3 Communications Link Simulation and Training. His research concentrated on autonomous and cooperative control of unmanned air systems, and he is still investigating topics closely related to the research on robotics-motion planning that he conducted while at UCF. “Students who have participated in the Matching Grants Research Program take with them real-world skills that are highly desirable to employers,” says Zhihua Qu, Ph.D., a professor and chair of UCF’s electrical and computer engineering division. “From a faculty perspective, it is invaluable for students to see real-world research applications while pursuing their academic studies.” Vatana An, a student researcher who worked on the same project as Wang under Qu’s direction, completed his master’s degree at UCF and put his skills to work as a software engineer in the U.S. Navy. An credits the FHTCC grant project for solidifying his engineering skills and promoting his professional career, which includes working on command, control, communication, computer, and navigation (C4N) systems. “Both Wang and An are now working in fields related to their research, thanks to the funding provided by the Matching Grants Research Program,” says Qu. “By participating in industry-funded research, our students are better suited to deliver on their studies when they begin their professional careers.” One of the greatest benefits of the MGRP is the ability for companies to evaluate students as potential employees. Professionals are able to closely evaluate students’ work and determine how well they would fit into their company. Rather than tackle the hiring process blindly, companies that participate in MGRP projects can look to the well-trained, highly educated researchers on hand who are ready to continue their work in entry-level positions after graduation. Alex Katsaros took advantage of his time spent on an MGRP project to secure

Student researcher Alex Katsaros (seated) was hired by Cobham SATCOM after working on a multi-year telecommunications project with the company as a UCF student.

a job with the partnering company. At UCF, Katsaros helped develop a program called Interactive Expeditions, which allows professors to teach in real time from anywhere in the world via satellite. Sponsored by Cobham SATCOM with additional FHTCC funding, the research helped Katsaros refine his project management skills and eventually land a position as a senior technical writer with Cobham SATCOM. “I had the opportunity to work with Alex over the course of several years, which allowed me to watch him mature and grow into a leadership role within the team,” says David Provencher, president and general manager of Cobham SATCOM. “After seeing his project management skills, I couldn’t hire him soon enough. Working with Alex through the Matching Grants Research Program really took the risk out of the hiring process.” Students who participate in MGRP projects set themselves apart from other recent graduates who are vying for similar positions with some of Metro Orlando’s top employers. High-tech companies such as Harris Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and others look to the program as a source for the brightest, up-and-coming minds. Because the MGRP has established a reputation as an excellent resource for finding highly qualified, new employees, the FHTCC has created an online listing

of student MGRP participants. By visiting floridahightech.com/talent.php, employers can browse through the resumés of experienced student researchers. Companies needing to fill open high-tech positions — with skill sets ranging from entry-level bachelor’s degree holders to doctoral students — can choose from the region’s most sought-after young scientists to best match their hiring needs. “Students who have participated in the Matching Grants Research Program are uniquely poised for successful careers,” says FHTCC President Randy Berridge. “They’re more prepared to enter the workforce because of the hands-on experience they receive, and we want to showcase their talents to prospective high-tech employers.” Since its inception in 1996, the MGRP has generated an economic impact of more than $1 billion from the Council’s investment of $57 million, helped solve research challenges for more than 350 companies and improved commercialization success, resulting in 135 patents. But perhaps the most significant effect of the program is the launch of the more than 2,400 hightech careers from student researcher participants throughout Metro Orlando and the Florida High Tech Corridor. For more information on FHTCC’s grant program, visit floridahightech. x com/research.php.

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peak performers

High By Gretchen Miller Basso

ACHIEVERS

ENTREPRENEURS OF ALL AGES FIND THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS IN ORLANDO.

As technology advances, more and more talented people are saying goodbye to the corporate world and going out on their own. Regardless of their age, entrepreneurs are finding that Orlando is the perfect place not only to launch a start-up, but also to see it thrive. The area’s pro-business community has all the right factors: a large talent pool, supportive business leaders, and incentives and resources for entrepreneurs. Here are just four of them who choose to call Orlando home.

START-UP SUCCESS Sterling Raphael, 29, started on the path to entrepreneurship at a young age. “I started online design groups called Task Force at age 14,” he says. “There wasn’t much money in it, but it was a great way to get started … In college, I held the office of vice president in my fraternity and was in leadership academy. There, I learned that it was OK to try things and fail; you don’t always succeed.” Raphael also worked for Cosmo Studios and credits the company’s founder and his mentor, John Kaminski, for giving him the experience and confidence he needed to start his own company right out of college. In 2010, Raphael’s business, NFI Studios — an innovative Web-technology company that connects industry and member communities for nonprofits and organizations around the world — was acquired by Avectra. Sterling is now president of AvectraLabs, the company’s innovation think-tank, and is responsible for driving product strategy and international expansion. “The most important aspect of the agreement when Avectra acquired NFI Studios was to ensure that we kept our home in Orlando, and that they were committed to the community and the economy,” says Raphael. “They loved that idea. They invested in our Orlando office, and it has grown from 20 people to 50. We plan to hire even more. “Although I travel 250 days a year, I love to come home to Orlando,” he says. “It’s creative and trendy and has a great culture to it. I enjoy the fact that Mayor Dyer supports the arts community here, and I enjoy the city’s commitment to creativity.”

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URBAN LEGEND Philip Holt, 41, founded Row Sham Bow, a direct-to-consumer game-development studio, with partner Nick Gonzalez. Although the company is less than a year old, it’s already thriving. “We began with a core of four people. Now, at 24 employees, we hope to hire more,” says Holt. “We are building the company that we’ve always wanted to work for.” Holt considers location to be crucial to his success. “Orlando is pro-business. The city attracts companies like ours, and fosters the right environment for those companies through business incentives, in addition to logistical help. When starting my company, I discovered that the Downtown Development Board offers a job-creation incentive that’s designed to attract companies.” Those incentives, coupled with the city’s active downtown district, swayed him to set up shop there. “I wanted to be downtown. There’s an energy there that you won’t find elsewhere. I don’t think that we would be the same company if we were located in a place other than downtown. The culture of the company is influenced so much by the environment that you put it in.” Holt says that the city’s commitment to support entrepreneurs was a major factor of his success. “There is a collaborative spirit in the community of business leaders,” he explains. “They are connected and motivated to help people find success. A lot of people provided key help at key points; we couldn’t have done this alone.”

SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR “Serial entrepreneur” Dom Meffe, 47, has established several successful businesses, including radiopharmaceutical company Triad Isotopes. “We are five years into Triad Isotopes now and have experienced terrific growth, and recently established a new venture, LegacyRx, a specialty pharmacy company which will also be based here in Orlando.” Meffe established Triad after retiring from CuraScript, another pharmaceutical company he founded. “I was looking at new opportunities, and wanted to stay in the pharmacy industry. I felt that preventative and diagnostic-type businesses would provide sustainable growth opportunities for an aging population. Nuclear pharmacy answered both points for me. The company has become the second-largest radiopharmaceutical chain in the nation. Today we have 64 pharmacy locations, over 1,000 employees, and serve 28 of the 30 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.,” he says. Meffe considers Orlando to be an ideal place to live, and to build a thriving business. “Besides the great weather, relatively low cost of living, and international airport, Orlando has a rich talent pool for specialty pharmacy and niche healthcare companies. It’s big enough to have corporate services available to businesses, such as top-tier accounting and legal firms, but it’s small enough to be inviting and family friendly. As someone who grew up in the northeast, I really appreciate the lifestyle this community offers as my wife and I raise our young family,” he says.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIP Entrepreneurship came after a rewarding career in academia for Dr. Mansooreh Mollaghasemi, 51, who founded Productivity Apex (PAI), a technical consulting firm, in 2001. “I started my career at the University of Central Florida (UCF) on the faculty in the department of industrial engineering. I did all the things you do at this position — publishing, managing grants, completing projects — and got my tenure. But I thought if I ever want to do something in a comprehensive way, I need to do my own thing.” Mollaghasemi always had her sights set on a science-related career. “I knew all along that I wanted to be an engineer. I grew up in Iran, where you declare a major in the 10th grade. You had three options: biology, literature, or math and science. If you are good at math and science, you have so many options.” Not only was PAI a perfect avenue to broaden her own work, but it also provided a way to give her former students real-world experience. “Almost all my workforce comes from UCF,” she says. “It helps with the economic development of Orlando because we keep the former students here. We offer good projects that are well-paying … Orlando is the best place to be for our field. All of the companies that do something with simulation are here, as are many of our clients. We have a university with great resources: the students and good researchers. It’s nice to be x close to a viable university with a technical field.”

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TREES

Seeds to By Jackie Kelvington

SPROUTING INCUBATORS BUILD A MIGHTY FOREST OF ENTREPRENEURS.

Founded in 2003, former UCF incubator client Mydea Technologies provides advanced product development services, from design to modeling to rapid protyping.

Nearing its 15th year, University of Central Florida’s (UCF) top-ranked incubation program is experiencing unprecedented growth: 2012 marks the opening of its tenth incubator, a roster of 119 clients, and an annual economic impact of approximately $94 million. That’s good news for our region, and it confirms that we’re in sync with national trends. According to the Kauffman Foundation, all net new jobs in the country are coming from companies that are five years old or younger. Experts also cite that 87 percent of entrepreneurs launch businesses in an incubator, and that they’re still in business at least five years after they graduate. Growing your own companies is a notion that’s being taken to new

heights nationwide, and certainly here in Metro Orlando. “There’s a greater recognition of the need for and benefit of incubators, and that smaller companies are a major source of new jobs,” says Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the UCF Business Incubation Program. “Start-up companies are critical to economic development and they’ll do better if they have the support they need. In turn, they grow, add employees, build or move into their own facilities, and contract with other companies. That all contributes directly to our economy. Other countries, in fact, are looking at the U.S. for its incubation models.” From 2009-2011, even in the midst of a severe economic downturn, the UCF Incubation Program proved

MYDEA TECHNOLOGIES

What started out as a small seed that the region hoped would sprout is turning into a land of great oaks. This, of course, refers to Central Florida’s incubation network. And if there’s one thing that’s known about good planting, it’s to keep watch because more growth is surely on the way.

SYDSPEAK, INC.

Sydney Birr of Sydspeak, Inc. holds Talk to Me 100, a tool that helps children master verbal expression.

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TRIACINTER

its seed-planting power. It opened five new incubators and companies under its wing created nearly 1,500 new jobs, with earnings in excess of $62 million annually. As of last year, incubators employed some 700 people, more than double the number from 2009. O’Neal says that what sets the program apart is the fact that it’s the ‘community’s incubator.’ “Other states and communities really don’t treat it or approach it that way,” he explains. “Here, cities, counties, organizations, and other companies work together to provide the support that’s needed. People all over the world come to know that it’s our community’s goal to facilitate smarter, faster growth of emerging companies.” David Monkman, president and CEO of the National Business Incubation Association, says there’s even more to it than that. “UCF’s incubation system is best in class. They have a robust deal flow; an incredible volume or economies of scale; and the right affiliation, team, and support. They’re leveraging regional assets in new ways. And the region itself has a sound knowledge infrastructure with some of the best and brightest minds across multiple industries.” Today, UCF has incubators located throughout the region, including Orlando, Sanford, St. Cloud, Kissimmee, Winter Springs, Leesburg and Daytona. UCF provides the facilities, services, resources, and coaching necessary to accelerate young companies in industries that include information technology, engineering, optics, and life sciences. The quality of companies continues to advance as well. O’Neal points to King of Fans as an example. “We licensed technology to the company and they engineered and produced a better ceiling fan by improving the design on the blades. It’s now one of the best selling fans at Home Depot.” Whether companies work on incremental improvements of products or create new disruptive technologies, innovation comes through discovery and discoveries lead to commercialization. The incubation network is helping companies succeed in that process by providing the resources it takes for them to thrive and grow here. According to O’Neal, the region can expect to see

Luis Bidrogo and Gladynel Colon promote Triacinter, LLC, a former UCF incubator client that specializes in intelligent security and energy management solutions.

more start-up activity in information technology, clean tech, and life sciences. Speaking of growth, more is on the way. In addition to a new incubator opening in Apopka this year, the university is planning to launch a UCF Angel System to invest in incubator and other local companies. Also in the works are a wet lab incubator (for biotech start-ups), more technology spin-off companies, and partnerships with other incubation programs. Planting those seeds will keep our region ‘tech and start-up strong’ and advance UCF’s already stellar standing as a leader in technology transfer and number of patents issued.

Other related happenings are complementing UCF’s work. Headed up by several noted local experts, The Gazelle Lab — a technology start-up incubator and investment program — recently established roots in Metro Orlando. Leesburg’s future Florida Energy and Aerospace Technology Park will energize targeted industry sector development. And Metro Orlando’s deep support services for entrepreneurs have gained even more momentum with the newly expanded National Entrepreneur Center. When it comes to planting seeds for growth, it’s great to see the forest x through the trees, isn’t it?

>>GLOBAL TO LOCAL: INCUBATION SNAPSHOT • There are 7,000 incubators worldwide. • As of 2009, there were 1,250 incubators in the U.S.; 21 percent are university-sponsored; the majority are mixed-use or technology incubators. Nationwide, incubator full-time employees stood at 315,000, with firms generating approximately $18.7 billion in revenue. • The National Business Incubation Association expects even more innovations in incubator programs, including ‘seed accelerators,’ an investment-oriented, fast-test approach to accelerate start-ups, and co-incubators with international networks. • Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 200 emerging companies (including more than 134 current clients) create over $363 million in annual total economic output, and more than 3,120 new jobs (taking direct and indirect and induced impact into account) with an average salary of $59,000. With ten facilities across Greater Orlando, the Business Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development among the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Apopka, the City of Winter Springs, the City of Sanford, Lake County, the City of Leesburg, Osceola County, the City of Kissimmee, the City of St. Cloud, Volusia County and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information about the program and its clients and graduates, please visit incubator.ucf.edu and facebook.com/ucf4bip.

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EDUCATION

Advances in By Sarah Kinbar

TECH IS TOPS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Students get hands-on learning in the Laser Photonics Academy at Wekiva High School. Public schools throughout the region offer math and science programs that prep students for careers in everything from aerospace and engineering, to medicine and simulation.

From the University of Central Florida’s groundbreaking College of Medicine, to the entertainment-driven Full Sail University, the region is known for its innovative educational institutions. But students don’t have to wait until college to learn about the latest in science and technology. Public schools throughout Central Florida offer magnet schools, programs of emphasis, and dual enrollment with local colleges for everything from biotech and photonics to engineering and pre-med. And with local companies supporting these initiatives, they are gaining more momentum than ever.

In Seminole County, kids can get on the fast track to tech as early as Kindergarten at A-rated Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School, a NASA Explorer School with a curriculum focused on math, science, and technology. Its resources include a math and science lab suite, four computer labs, and the Kids Space Center. Sanford Middle School serves as the district’s Math, Science and Technology magnet, offering state-of-the-art math and science labs, a flight simulation lab, and electives that include preengineering,

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HAGERTY HIGH SCHOOL

biotech, and preveterinary courses. For those with a more specific focus, Milwee Middle School is a pre-engineering magnet that emphasizes hands-on, realworld projects that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Seminole County is also a leader when it comes to secondary education. According to Newsweek, every one of the district’s high schools rank in the top four percent of the nation. One of its most innovative is Crooms Academy of Information Technology, which offers academics infused with tech, including courses in computer programming and network systems, and opportunities to earn related certifications. The school also topped U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural ranking of the country’s Most Connected Classrooms. Seminole County’s other magnet schools include the Institute for Engineering at Lyman High School and the Academy of Health Careers at Seminole High. However, each high school in the county features a program of emphasis that provides structured steps to specific career paths. For example, students at Lake Howell High can learn all about entrepreneurship, while Lake Mary High offers forensic science classes and Winter Springs High has a focus on renewable energy. A-rated Oviedo High School offers a Bioscience Technology program with state-of-the-art lab equipment and techniques that prepare students to enter the fields of medicine and health, marine science, research and development, and more. Hagerty High School has a Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis course of study that explores fundamentals of the industry and its real-word operations. But the Oviedo school is also at the forefront of another trend: corporate support. Davia Moss, executive director of the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools, says that local businesses are making significant contributions to ensure that students are prepared for life after graduation. Through the foundation’s Grants for Great Ideas program, Lockheed Martin funded a girls’ robotics team at Hagerty called Estrogenius that has encouraged young women to compete in the Florida FIRST LEGO League, a robotics program for 9- to 16-year-olds.

Area businesses support school tech programs, such as the Lockheed-sponsored girls’ robotics team at Hagerty High.

Local businesses are also pioneering educational offerings in Orange County. Already home to numerous sciencebased magnet schools focused on everything from aviation and aerospace to digital media and gaming, the district has two new programs that begin in fall 2012 and that are direct results of local partnerships. Supported by defense industry giant Northrop Grumman, the Laser Photonics Academy magnet at Wekiva High School offers dual enrollment with Valencia College and is designed to prepare students for careers in that field. “Businesses want it because, in the case of Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman, they have jobs that go unfilled,” says Christopher Bernier, Orange County’s Principal of School Choice. “It’s a win-win: students are able to graduate on a path toward a career and companies have students who are invested in their industry.” At Oak Ridge High School, the Junior Achievement Academy of Leadership and Entrepreneurship will start in the fall, thanks to a partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Florida (JA). The program is designed for students who are considering entrepreneurial endeavors after high school. There’s still a focus on college, but also on the world of business. Mentors will explain why students are taking the classes they’re taking and how they are

applicable in the real world. The program will also offer summer internships with local companies. Another Orange County school partnering with area businesses is Lake Nona High School. Its Collegiate Academy, developed in partnership with Valencia, is an accelerated academic program that offers students the opportunity to take college-level courses and even earn a full Associate of Arts degree. The school’s Health Academy is a result of partnerships with Florida Hospital East Orlando, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, and the Florida Hospital Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement. This program provides students with handson skills that can lead to certifications in different areas of healthcare. Its interactive experiences utilize real-world hospital settings, patient simulators, and video conferencing technology. In Lake County, educators know that having the right equipment is key to integrating technology in the classroom and preparing children for the future. At A-rated Cypress Ridge Elementary, a math, science, and technology magnet school in Clermont, teachers team up after school to apply for grants that have helped fund the purchase of iPads, smartboards, computers, and more. Teachers also strive to complement each other’s curriculums. Technology instructor Patricia Sproule, who has a Master’s degree in Educational Technology, says that she supports the classroom teachers’ lessons with techdriven activities. “For example, if a firstgrade class is covering plants, when those students come to my classroom, I’ll have them explore plant content with a computer-based assignment. This way, they see that everything is interconnected,” she says. While Cypress Ridge is the county’s only magnet school, its Choice Programs are available at several middle and high schools, with areas of study that include technology education, business computer programming, digital design, new media technology, web design, veterinary assisting and digital design. Central Florida is a hotbed for tech industries, and its public schools are at the forefront of prepping the next x generation of their workers.

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FUTURE

Focus on the By Laura Kern

ORLANDO LEADERS LOOK AHEAD AND LIKE WHAT THEY SEE.

NEOSCAPE

An artist’s rendering of Nemours Children’s Hospital offers an idea of what the facility will look like at night. Patients will be able to pick the color of their overhead lights, making the hospital a colorful and an iconic building for Orlando.

Yogi Berra once said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

His comment is true, predictions are hard and not guaranteed. However, predictions and looking strategically at our future is how Metro Orlando’s leaders have helped plan our region’s future success and sustainment. The region was once a cattle and citrus town that blossomed into a major defense-industry player prior to its success in tourism. As such, the area is

known as the nation’s largest cluster of modeling, simulation and training companies. In order to support this growing defense industry, the nation’s secondlargest university, the University of Central Florida (UCF), was founded. Now a major research university with more than $100 million in research funding per year, UCF has a #3 ranking on the IEEE Spectrum Patent Scorecard and a top ten incubator network. The digital media sector grew alongside the defense industry and the region is now home to Electronic Arts Tiburon, the world-renowned Full Sail University, a growing cluster of companies in Winter

Garden and the upcoming Creative Village in downtown Orlando. Recently transformed with a dramatically new skyline, downtown Orlando is also home to the NBA’s top-ranked sports facility, the Amway Center, the under-construction Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the soon-tobe renovated Florida Citrus Bowl, where major bowl games are held each year. Many local leaders who’ve been on the front lines of Orlando’s rise to prominence aren’t resting yet. In fact, they think the best is still to come. “Orlando is well known but poorly understood. What most people know

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FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE

An aerial view shows the VA Hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital, and UCF’s College of Medicine. When finished, Medical City will have an annual economic impact of $7.6 billion.

feet of laboratories, classrooms, and office space already completed in Lake Nona Medical City. “As more world-class facilities come online and the researchers, scientists, and other workers come on board, Lake Nona will show why many people regard the medical city as the biggest economic game changer for Central Florida since Walt Disney World.” By year 10 of operation, Lake Nona Medical City will comprise a life sciences cluster of 30,000 jobs and $7.6 billion in annual economic impact. But perhaps even more important is what it will do for Orlando’s reputation as a place for innovation. Among those working diligently to realize those dividends is Lake Nona Property Holdings, the community’s master planner. Thad Seymour, vice

president of health and life sciences, says “the company sees Lake Nona and Medical City as a decades-long project, but the work that is being done now will impact the region for a long time.” “If we’ve done it right,” says Seymour, “the scientific advances maturing out of Lake Nona Medical City’s many institutions will build a brand of innovation for Orlando. We’ll be seen as a region that is not only the origin of many discoveries, but also driving the commercialization of the products that will lead to innovative healthcare advances.” What makes many in the Orlando area so optimistic about Lake Nona Medical City’s future, and thereby the entire region’s, is the “petri dish of collaboration” that’s fostered by having so many pieces of the puzzle — research,

UCF

Nothing quite exemplifies how to grow a key industry better than what can be found in Lake Nona Medical City, a cluster of healthcare-related education, research, and clinical-care entities that has sprung to life in southeast Orlando, near the Orlando International Airport. In addition to the region’s already well-known healthcare industry leaders, Florida Hospital and Orlando Health, Lake Nona Medical City is a unique collaborative environment strengthening Metro Orlando with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the Cancer Research Institute of MD Anderson Cancer Center-Orlando. Later this year, Nemours Children’s Hospital, University of Florida Academic and Research Center, and Valencia College will open their doors. And soon to follow will be the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Hospital and Medical Simulation Center for Excellence. “What has happened here in such a short period of time is amazing, and we have just begun to see how exciting the future will be at Lake Nona,” says UCF Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Tony Waldrop of the two million square

MACBETHPHOTO.COM, COURTESY LAKE NONA

about the region starts and stops at its world-class theme parks,” says Rick L. Weddle, President and CEO of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC). “But Orlando’s mark on the world will become as much about modeling and simulation, digital media, and medicine as its core of tourism.” How will Orlando get there? Local business, government, and academic leaders say that the region’s future is bright because of its ability to grow new industry clusters.

Established in 2006, the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine features cutting-edge training technologies in classrooms, labs, and lecture halls.

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patient care, medical education — in close proximity. “Medical City is one of the very best examples of what clustering can do,” says City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Any of the institutions on their own is certainly a valuable thing, but when you cluster them together they are able to interact with each other. When someone from Sanford-Burnham is having lunch with a researcher from the medical school, that’s how ideas are born and able to fertilize in the soil we’ve created.” Orlando Health and Florida Hospital, two established, nationally recognized systems, working in collaboration with institutions in Lake Nona Medical City will make it much easier to translate research into patient care. UCF’s College of Medicine in Lake Nona Medical City leased part of a floor in its Burnett Biomedical Sciences Building to the Cancer Research Institute of MD Anderson Cancer Center-Orlando with the goal of creating multiple research collaborations between the university and the institute to advance cancer research. A result of this type of collaboration is the Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes (TRI), a joint venture of Florida Hospital and

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, located in Florida Hospital’s Health Village near downtown Orlando. The TRI’s state-of-the-art facility holds clinical trials where researchers and physicians apply personalized medicine in the hopes of curing diabetes and obesity. “The opening of the Translational Research Institute fulfills a commitment that Central Florida has made to developing a competitive life sciences economic sector,” said Lars Houmann, president and CEO of Florida Hospital. “Furthermore, it is an extraordinarily unique facility, found in very few places in the country, which enables physicians and lab researchers to speed the process of developing personalized medicine. This is particularly effective in the area of diabetes and obesity and intended to help win the battle against this combined epidemic.” Another area in particular that Orlando’s leaders are especially optimistic about is the marriage between life sciences, modeling, simulation and training (MS&T), and optics and photonics. It’s thought that the same technologies currently used to train soldiers in realistic, virtual battlefields can be used to teach doctors how to perform complex surgeries and procedures.

One of the first medical schools to be built from the ground up in decades, UCF’s College of Medicine is known for innovation. Its location in Medical City allows students and faculty to enjoy a collaborative environment that helps translate research into patient care.

“The UCF College of Medicine is using MS&T to teach students, and members of the faculty are doing research in this area,” says UCF Vice President of Medical Affairs and College of Medicine Dean Dr. Deborah German. “The partnerships we have formed with the military and with others in this field have helped us to emerge early in our history as a school to watch.” And, it is through this foresight that the UCF College of Medicine is the first medical school in the country to add medical simulation to its curriculum. The Department of Veterans Affairs will open its national Medical Simulation Center for Excellence in Lake Nona Medical City next year, in conjunction with its VA Hospital. The center will serve as the nationwide training and planning home for the VA’s new medical simulation system, making the region the focal point for improved care and treatment of veterans across the country. The Simulated Learning Enhancement and Advanced Research Network (SimLEARN) National Center will bring physicians and other medical professionals from throughout the country to train in the latest medical simulation technology, including surgical robotics. But in Metro Orlando, collaboration doesn’t just exist in one industry. Community leaders say that working together is a common theme found throughout the region. “A great example of collaboration between separate by related industries is found in our Health and Wellness, Agritechnology, and Energy sectors,“ says Lake County Chairman Leslie Campione. “These sectors represent a very strong mix of industries which achieve individual success by working together.” Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs adds, “Working collaboratively, we will continue to promote a business-friendly environment that showcases our great assets and our vision to lead this state in job creation and build a stronger economy for this community we are so proud to call home.”

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The trick about creating tens of thousands of new jobs is making sure that those workers can get there in a timely and efficient manner. The Metro Orlando region has a future plan to hyperconnect living, work, and play spaces to each other. While many leaders envision various types of mass transit systems springing up in future decades, including highspeed rail, improved bus networks, and even types of travel possibly not yet invented, the current development of the SunRail commuter train system is a huge step forward for the region. The $1.3 billion SunRail project is a 61.5-mile commuter rail that will eventually link Poinciana to DeLand by way of downtown Orlando. The first phase has already broken ground and will consist of 12 stations along 31 miles stretching from DeBary to Sand Lake Road. The second phase will extend the line south to Poinciana and north to DeLand, adding five stations in the process. Phase 1 will become operational as soon as 2014, with Phase 2 expected to come online in 2016. In the future, many of the largest organizations in Central Florida, from education systems to hospitals, will benefit from the purpose-driven design of the transit system. “Our region’s access to health care will greatly increase with SunRail connecting residents directly to hospitals and other services,” says Orlando Health President and CEO Sherrie Sitarik. “We believe this will be a great economic driver for our communities and for the whole region,” says Seminole County Chairman Brenda Carey. Carey also believes that creating the transit-oriented development designs around these stations is the key to success. “Businesses will be able to take advantage of an expanded employment base which will make our region more attractive.”

SANFORD-BURNHAM

GETTING TO WHERE THE JOBS ARE

>> A New Partnership One of the most prominent examples of the innovative collaborations that Central Florida is becoming known for is the recent formation of the Personalized Medicine Partnership of Florida (PMP Florida) in Medical City. A partnership between SanfordBurnham Medical Research Institute (407.745.2000; sanfordburnham. org), Florida Hospital (407.303.2800; floridahospital.com) and the Tampabased Moffitt Cancer Center (888. 663.3488; moffitt.org), the initiative aims to accelerate discovery and develop new treatments in the areas of cancer and metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Florida Hospital’s Dr. David Moorhead says that PMP Florida seeks to create new breakthroughs in personalized medicine by combining key assets offered by each of the partner organizations. “Moffitt has demonstrated world-class experience and competency in acquiring, categorizing, and storing biologic specimens,” says Moorhead, Florida Hospital’s senior vice president and chief medical officer. “Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is renowned for its internationally recognized scientific faculty, sophisticated diagnostic platforms, and a commitment to transforming basic science research into clinically available treatments. Florida Hospital is the largest hospital in the state, with broad, innovative, and superior clinical expertise. Together, our organizations will

have the potential to quickly and successfully advance the scientific development and availability of personalized medicine and to benefit the economic development of our communities.” Collaborations such as these are taking place with more frequency in healthcare as organizations seek access to more complementary resources and increased grant revenue, making it easier to translate lab research into clinical care. “PMP Florida is a multi-institutional model for combining research and clinical-care expertise to advance personalized medical care,” says John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., and CEO of Sanford-Burnham. “The technology platforms, collections of patient samples, and medicalinformation sharing create a powerful combination for improving clinical outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.” A unique aspect of the partnership is its plan to offer its services and expertise to industry clients, such as pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The move to spread its impact across numerous organizations throughout the world could lead to the healthcare industry increasingly looking to Florida, and Orlando in particular, for innovation. “We feel this partnership will enhance Florida’s national and international reputation in the discovery, translation, delivery, and dissemination of care,” says William S. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., CEO and center director of Moffitt.

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RAYMOND MARTINOT PHOTO

This full-size model of a single-family patient room from the Nemours Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital Preview Center has 385 square feet of space, which is more than 50 percent larger than the industry standard.

SANFORD-BURNHAM

RLF/ELLERBE BECKETT AECOM

The new, 1.2-million-square-foot Orlando VA Medical Center will cost $665 million and will include an outpatient clinic, 134 inpatient beds, 120 community living center beds, and more.

Sanford-Burnham is renowned for its internationally recognized scientists.

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ACI

Orlando’s advances in mass transit, which include the $1.3 billion SunRail project already underway, will link the entire region from Poinciana to DeLand by way of downtown Orlando. There will be 12 stations located along the 31-mile route, including one in Longwood.

BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS By simultaneously developing a new medical cluster in Lake Nona Medical City and a greatly enhanced transportation network with links throughout the region, Orlando’s timing couldn’t be better for capitalizing on another trend that will greatly shape how people work, live, and play in the future: the nextgeneration research park. “The next generation will be focused on developing a knowledge ecosystem that is both physical and virtual,” says Weddle, who headed up the Research Triangle in North Carolina prior to joining the Metro Orlando EDC. As for how Orlando will be able to adapt to the new paradigm, Weddle suggests that the region already has had success fostering the first generation — the Central Florida Research Park. In 2009, Weddle, along with two fellow researchers, explored the past and present of research parks in a paper titled ‘Future Knowledge Ecosystems,’ and he just completed a follow-up to that titled ‘Mapping Knowledge Ecosystems,’ which can be found online at Orlando EDC.com/knowledgeecosystem. In the paper, Weddle explains that there are different types of vibrant centers, or nodes, in a region — existing, emerging, and embryonic. He uses examples found throughout Metro Orlando for each of these centers —

Central Florida Research Park (existing), Lake Nona Medical City (emerging) and Creative Village (embryonic). In addition to these three, several other examples can be found throughout the region — the financial services cluster in Seminole County (existing), where Seminole State College and Rollins College’s topranked Crummer Graduate School of Business provide ample workforce; the Winter Garden digital media and film industries are clustering (emerging) with the support of Valencia College graduates and Lake County’s Wellness Way (embryonic), where students from LakeSumter Community College will go to work in the future. “If you look at Metro Orlando, at the 30,000-foot view instead of looking at each of the discrete elements, you can see that the entire area operates like an ecosystem,” says Weddle. “The key is how to link these assets together and add the right amount of nutrients to ensure continued growth, which is the whole concept behind regional knowledge ecosystems.” While Orlando has a number of assets working in its favor, one of its secret weapons is Weddle himself. This summer, he was elected the first American president of the International Association of Science and Technology Parks (IASP), a position that will enable him to help expand the Metro Orlando brand to the international science and technology community.

“This will give us a visibility for the region to play a thought-leadership role in the emergence of new themes and trends in the next generation of research parks,” according to Weddle.

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ORLANDO Perhaps even more important than new industries and transportation networks to the region’s future success, is something else that Weddle says he and others are beginning to notice. “The quality of people being attracted to Orlando is very important,” explains Weddle. “The education levels, innovative mindset, collaborative environment and pure talent that people are bringing to Metro Orlando are fascinating. As the region’s clusters mature, our workforce will develop. At the end of the day, all of the area’s companies and growth depend on people, and it’s all about retaining and recruiting top talent.” In the end, Weddle predicts that investments being made now by the region will bring big dividends in the future. “A well planned, smart-growthoriented region with dense hubs of transit-oriented development and cutting-edge industries will ensure Orlando’s future as a major metropolitan area,” says Weddle. “This will only be the beginning of Metro Orlando’s rise to be a great economic destination for a multix tude of industries.”

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A Look

AHEAD

By Nancy Curry

FROM SERIOUS GAMES TO CYBER SECURITY, THESE ARE SOME OF THE EMERGING INDUSTRIES THAT WILL BE CALLING METRO ORLANDO HOME.

REALTIME IMMERSIVE (2)

The business of “serious games” is big business in Orlando, where companies such as Realtime Immersive build custom virtual training products for clients that include the U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army.

Winning at economic development is a lot like winning at sports: success comes not from knowing where the ball is right now, but by anticipating where it will be in the future. Metro Orlando is poised to benefit from having its eye on the ball in emerging industries, including serious gaming, specialty pharmacy and cyber security.

SERIOUS GAMING The same digital technology that enables today’s highly realistic video games is increasingly being adapted for serious, non-entertainment purposes, such as training soldiers and medical professionals, and it’s very big business. Research firm Ambient Insight expects revenues for the U.S. simulation- and game-based learning market to exceed $2.48 billion by 2015. The industry is growing about 18 percent a year, according to Clark Aldrich, an author and a consultant to MicroSoft, the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Security Agency, Harvard Business School and Cisco.

“Central Florida certainly is a hot spot,” says Aldrich, “between UCF, the extensive medical community and the great culture around interactive media.” As home to more than 100 modeling, simulation, and training companies, as well as several military training and simulation commands, Metro Orlando is particularly well-positioned to develop a serious games cluster. One indicator: the University of Central Florida (UCF) was the first school in the nation to offer a doctoral program in simulation. “The gaming industry initially spun off from the modeling and simulation industry,” says Thomas L. Baptiste, Lt. Gen., USAF (Ret.). He is president and executive director of the National Center

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for Simulation, which is headquartered in Orlando. “It’s grown to be so powerful that it now feeds amazing technologies back to modeling and simulation that we can leverage for serious training and education tools.” Located near the Central Florida Research Park, RealTime Immersive utilizes the CryENGINE® tool developed for war-themed video games to build serious games for clients such as General Dynamics and the U.S. Special Operations Command. The company is part of a team providing a $50 million virtualtraining system to the U.S. Army. “The demand for serious military games is abundantly clear,” says RealTime CEO John Brooks. “That positions us to capitalize on the move to ‘mass virtual,’ a term that describes the growing demand for virtual media for a large spectrum of markets, such as military, energy, retail, law enforcement, medical and architectural, to name a few.” Brooks sees growth for serious gaming based on increased accessibility, the rise of cloud computing, and the momentum that’s building as developers progress from learning about digital technology to growing up immersed in it. “As the ‘digital native’ demographic expands inside these markets,” he says, “so will understanding and acceptance of virtual technology and its many benefits, thus driving more demand for virtual-media content.” And, the cost-effectiveness of serious gaming makes it recession-proof: “DOD budget cuts are always a concern,” says

Defense-related companies have been utilizing video game technology for training purposes for years, but the industry also has applications for first responders and other agencies.

Brooks, “but I’ve been in this business a long time and whenever there’s more to be done with less, simulation always comes out ahead.” The same factors behind the area’s thriving simulation industry are beneficial for nurturing serious games. “Central Florida has a greater concentration in expertise, knowledge and skilled people in this field than any place in the world,” says Fred Clayton, president of Medical Curriculum Technologies (MCT), which develops multiuser, interactive games for training medical professionals. MCT released its first product in October 2011, an immersive course that simulates a diabetic’s four-day hospital stay. “We insert random complications

… maybe the patient eats a candy bar, or refuses a meal, or his medication is altered … to build variability into the model,” says Clayton. “Right now, to get some of these experiences you have to put patients at risk. With gaming technology you incorporate all the complications and errors without danger to anybody. You get effectiveness and efficiency in a safe environment.” AVT Simulation provides solutions to the simulation, training, and entertainment markets. Founder Robert Abascal, a former software architect at Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin, says that trends in intellectual property standards are a plus for serious gaming. “Intellectual property with gaming used

MCT

Local company Medical Curriculum Technologies develops multiuser, interactive simulation games to train medical professionals. This serious gaming technology offers a safe way for healthcare personnel to enhance their education without any risk to patients.

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Orlando is a distribution hub for numerous specialty pharmacy companies located here, positioning the area to become a leader in this fastest-growing segment of healthcare.

to be very proprietary,” he says, “but as more standards are being developed, it’s opening up opportunities so other people can license it. The trend actually helps the person with the IP to realize more applications. And, it allows a company like AVT to use existing gaming technology to develop new applications.” “This is where it’s all going on,” says Abascal. “Orlando’s eco-structure, the university, the talent pool, all make this a unique place to have a serious gamingtechnology business.”

SPECIALTY PHARMACY Specialty pharmaceuticals to treat diseases such as cancer, hepatitis, and multiple sclerosis are the fastest-growing segment of the healthcare industry: the number of such drugs on the market has rocketed from 10 in 1990 to more than 250 in 2010. Metro Orlando is home to numerous players in that growing niche, including Triad Isotopes. But the region is most notable for its role as the nation’s hub for distribution of specialty and other pharmaceuticals. With the region serving as home to CuraScript, Advance Care Scripts, Axium Healthcare and the new Legacy RX — along with the specialty pharmacy distribution divisions of Walmart, Aetna and Walgreens — industry players estimate that as much as 70 percent of the nation’s specialty pharmaceuticals are distributed through Orlando.

“We are not home to the manufacturers of these drugs, but we’re the hub of the specialty pharmacies that distribute them,” says Joe Morse, president/COO of Therigy, a leading industry consultant. Orlando International Airport’s status as one of the nation’s busiest transportation centers is important to the industry. However, specialty pharmacy distribution is far more involved than standard supply-chain logistics. “Specialty pharmacy is really a service that has three elements,” Morse says, “the act of dispensing, the clinical overlay, and insurance navigation.” Dispensing specialty drugs to doctors and patients requires more control than prescriptions obtained through traditional pharmacies. It involves more complex care management, requiring the close engagement of medical personnel, and it comes with a very big financial-support component, helping patients navigate their insurance to pay for the drugs.

company that ultimately became Priority Healthcare. In 2001, Dom Meffe, the founder and CEO of CuraScript, moved that company here from Omaha, with the result that two of the industry’s largest players were located in Orlando. (Express Scripts, a publicly traded Fortune 100 company outside of St. Louis acquired both Priority and CuraScript between 2004 and 2005. They remain here, doing business under the CuraScript name.) Meffe himself has started two new companies in the last six years: Triad Isotopes, which is the second-largest provider of radiopharmaceuticals in the country, and Legacy RX, a “high-touch” clinical pharmacy that directly ships medications to patients and physicians, with a medical team in place to answer patients’ questions. In evaluating the future prospects of the specialty pharmacy industry, Meffe says that the niche will grow for several reasons. “The biotech pipeline is full of hundreds of products in late-stage trials, ready to be commercialized. The drugs are very expensive and need to be managed carefully.” He also points to an increased customer base when President Obama’s individual insurance mandate begins in 2014, the rise of genetic testing, the arrival of generic equivalents on the market, and better use of technology to manage the reimbursement challenge as growth factors. Other important local attributes help position Metro Orlando for continued growth in this niche: its top-ranked hospitals, life sciences-related research and development at the SanfordBurnham Medical Research Institute, the cluster of medical-technology companies here with support from the simulation and laser industries, UCF’s new College of Medicine and the new VA hospital opening in 2013.

SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS TO TREAT DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER, HEPATITIS, AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ARE THE FASTEST-GROWING SEGMENT OF THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY ... METRO ORLANDO IS MOST NOTABLE FOR ITS ROLE AS THE NATION’S HUB FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THESE AND OTHER PHARMACEUTICALS. Metro Orlando’s local industry is a textbook example of cluster development: specialty pharmacy distribution didn’t exist here until 1990, when local entrepreneur Marty Nassif started a

“In general, if anyone wanted to start a specialty pharmacy this would be the ideal place because there are so many employees here, so many executives who are already trained,” says Meffe.

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CYBER SECURITY

With Central Florida’s stronghold in private-sector, military and educational business segments, cyber security is poised to become one of the area’s leading industries.

TEAM CYMRU

In terms of market demand, it’s hard to imagine a sector that holds more promise than cyber security. With the continued, exponential rise in global computing and, in particular, handheld devices such as smart phones and tablets, the threat of hacking and cyber crimes has never been greater. Cyber security, which draws heavily from the IT and defense industries, both of which are well established in Central Florida, is about protecting data while allowing it to remain accessible and productive to its intended users. Despite substantial growth in fighting cyber attacks since the commercialization of the Internet, the proliferation of artificial intelligence, Internet-connected de-vices, and wireless technologies has created a critical need and market opportunity. “We have a tremendous opportunity to build on the private-sector, military, and educational assets of Central Florida and position our market for significant job growth,” says Rick Weddle, president and CEO for the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. “Cyber security has the potential to play a significant role in the growth and diversification of our economy.” Metro Orlando has already landed one of the industry’s leaders. Team Cymru — a specialized Internet-security

research firm that eWeek calls “the best and most respected at tracking malicious Internet activity worldwide” —moved its headquarters here in 2011. The firm has more than 40 different sets of services, software, templates, tools, alerts, data, and tips, many of which have become hugely successful and have been rapidly adopted to become a core component in the work of multiple sectors of the industry. It also works in partnership with organizations that are engaged in investigation, Internet governance, best practice and consumer advice, including the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, Europol and the International Telecommunications Union. Team Cymru funds and cohosts an annual conference at INTERPOL’s headquarters facility in Lyon, France and presents at events all over the world. “Frankly, we could do this from the moon,” says Steve Santorelli, an exScotland Yard detective and director of global outreach for Team Cymru. “We don’t see this business as regionally based; it’s not where our partners are, but where our people want to live. Florida really hit all our needs. It has an exceptionally favorable tax climate for small business, and we have access to a massive pool of very skilled IT personnel.”

Using NASA imagery, Team Cymru develops “heat maps” showing concentrations of compromised computers in the U.S.

Adding to the talent pool for Team Cymru and other cyber-security firms are specialized programs at Valencia College and the UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, which is ranked among the world’s top 100 and offers a masters program in the field. Valencia’s three-year program has earned certification from the National Security Agency, a major nod to its caliber. The school has applied to become a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, a designation held by just 10 schools nationwide. “There aren’t many dedicated cyber-security degree programs because it’s hard for schools to find qualified people to teach them,” says Valencia professor Wael Yousif, program chair of computer engineering technology. “The ever-evolving nature of cyber crime is what deters them. We’re blessed with qualified faculty, state-of-the-art equipment, and administrative support that enable us to build very sophisticated labs to train students.” The pipeline of skilled labor will be critical to tackling this global issue. “If you look at the way computer crime is going, it’s going to be more and more of a problem,” says Santorelli. “Occasionally we win, occasionally the bad guys win, but there’s no end to the battle. It’s a fantastic growth area.” With varying degrees of established industries, and the educational and workforce infrastructure to support them, Metro Orlando is well-poised to develop strong clusters in all of these x emerging markets.

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In Our

DEFENSE

By Kevin Fritz

CENTRAL FLORIDA’S DEFENSE COMMUNITY IS ONE OF THE INDUSTRY’S MOST ESTABLISHED — AND EXPANSIVE — MODELING, SIMULATION AND TRAINING HUBS IN THE COUNTRY.

LOCKHEED MARTIN

Central Florida’s prominent role in the defense industry can be traced to the 1940s. After World War II, the Glenn L. Martin Company looked to Central Florida when it decided to establish a missile plant. The predecessor of Lockheed Martin opened its first office in Orlando in 1956.

While Orlando may have a long history as an epicenter for defense industry-related businesses — as well as a key location for Department of Defense commands — it tends to take a back seat to tourism and, as of late, medicine. The 79th-largest city in the United States may never have grown to its level of notoriety without Walt Disney World, but it probably would have done pretty well for itself as a mecca for the defense industry. After all, it was here first.

It was the powers that be at the U.S. Army and Navy who decided to relocate a small detachment of simulation experts to Orlando in the 1960s, a decision that helped Orlando become the modeling, simulation, and training capital of the world. Today, the area boasts more than 300 defense-related companies in Orange County alone that were collectively awarded 2,990 contracts worth $4.5 billion from the Department of Defense in 2010, according to the

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Over the years, Northrop Grumman has produced notable defense laser products. It continues to create cuttingedge electro-optical systems for the military at its 140,000-squarefoot manufacturing plant, producing precision targeting systems, including the Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR).

University of West Florida-based Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development.

IN THE BEGINNING

THE GAME CHANGER LOCKHEED MARTIN

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft represents the apex of defense industry technologies.

that were working together in New York were relocated to Orlando in 1965, eventually setting up shop at the Orlando Army Air Base, which would become the Orlando Naval Training Center in 1968. By chance, that was also the same year that Florida Technical University — the precursor to the University of Central Florida (UCF) — started offering classes. In 1968, the Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Laser Systems business unit opened a small office in Apopka with eight employees; today, it employs more than 600 people. Originally known as International Laser Systems, the company was bought by Martin Marietta in 1977, then sold to Litton Industries in 1983. Coming full circle, Northrop Grumman Corporation purchased Litton in 2001.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

The roots of the local defense industry can be traced to the 1940s when Army personnel, who had been stationed at the Orlando Army Air Base and nearby Pinecastle Army Air Field during World War II, remained in the area to raise families. In 1950, the Secretaries of the Army and Navy signed an agreement to work together on developing training devices and systems in New York, a cooperative effort that would later be relocated to Orlando. In 1952, Boeing’s defense segment came to Central Florida to support the U.S. Air Force Bomarc missile-testing program at Patrick Air Force Base. Boeing’s first office in the state was established with only a handful of employees. (In 2005, Argon, a Boeing subsidiary, opened a location in the Central Florida Research Park, where 20 employees work on programs related to its electro-optical systems business.) It didn’t take long for leaders of the Bethesda, Maryland-based Glenn L. Martin Company, one of Lockheed Martin’s predecessors, to see that opportunity was knocking in Central Florida. After WWII, it wanted to diversify from just building planes. Based on its new strategic direction, the company established its missile plant near Cape Canaveral. In 1956 it opened its first Orlando office on Sand Lake Road. Today, that office is part of Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business. Coupled with its Global Training and Logistics operation, Lockheed Martin now employs 7,000 people locally. The defense-industry giant is known for its tri-variant F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft that represents the pinnacle of more than 50 years of fighter development technology. The F-35 combines fifth generation characteristics of radar evading stealth, supersonic speed and extreme agility with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history. The small group of aforementioned Army and Navy simulation experts

Utilized by the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman’s LLDR can recognize targets in nearly any battlefield condition.

In the 1980s the face of Orlando’s defense industry truly took shape, thanks to UCF and some forward thinkers. After purchasing land left behind by a soured real estate deal and turning it into the Central Florida Research Park, UCF leaders and Senator Bill Nelson worked with the chief of naval operations to move its simulation and training operation from the Orlando Naval Training Center to the 1,027-acre park. UCF, which was already working with the Navy on simulation and training, offered it a 40-acre swath of land near the university for the Navy to build a new facility. Coincidentally, that same year — 1982 — the Institute for Simulation & Training (IST) opened at UCF. “UCF is the Godfather of modeling and simulation,” says Kent Gritton, director of Team Orlando’s Joint Training Integration and Evaluation Center (JTIEC). “They realized it was a discipline of the future and offered the first degrees in modeling and simulation.” Consisting of the Army, Navy (and Coast Guard), Air Force, Marines, UCF, local, state and federal government offices, and representatives from private industry, the 2,500 members of Team Orlando create a group of acquisition professionals with one common goal: to improve human performance through simulation. While Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) may not have had a crystal ball, the Virginiabased company saw what was happening in the UCF area and opened an Orlando office in 1980. Al Funderburk, vice president of operations for SAIC in Orlando, which has grown from a dozen employees to 1,028, says the scientific, engineering, and technology applications company continues to have close ties to UCF. “We focus on helping young graduates and interns get engineering

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experience,” he says. “We have picked up several folks that way.” SAIC is known for its work with the Army’s $222 million SE Core (Synthetic Environment) program, integrating virtual training simulation devices used by America’s soldiers and allowing for even further in-depth coordination and collaboration within the defense industry. Funderburk says many defense-related companies are attracted to Orlando because of its proximity to the work. Indeed, the military’s three primary acquisition centers are based here: the Army (Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Program or PEO-STRI), Navy (Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division or NAWCTSD) and the Marines’ Program Manager Training Systems. Each one caters to modeling and simulation architectures. In 1985, Martin Marietta, Lockheed Martin’s other preceeding company, opened its Electronics System Center in East Orlando. Its location at Global Innovation Circle is now the headquarters of Lockheed Martin’s Global Training and Logistics business. Banking on the success of simulation training in the “City Beautiful” during the 1980s, Waymon Armstrong saw a niche: utilizing gaming technology for training purposes. The president and CEO of Engineering and Computer Simulation (ECS) founded the company in 1997 as one of the first UCF Business Incubator Program

graduates. Today Armstrong’s idea has become ubiquitous, highlighted by events such as GameTech, an annual user-focused, warfighter gaming technology conference. Tom Baptiste, NCS president and executive director, says that most companies in his

management-office employees supporting military simulation, training, and instrumentation programs. In November 2008, after being awarded work on the Army PEO-STRI 10-year, $11.2 billion Warfighter Field Operations Customer

IT WAS THE POWERS THAT BE AT THE U.S. ARMY AND NAVY WHO DECIDED TO RELOCATE A SMALL DETACHMENT OF SIMULATION EXPERTS TO ORLANDO IN THE 1960s, A DECISION THAT HELPED ORLANDO BECOME THE MODELING, TRAINING, AND SIMULATION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. Support (FOCUS) Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract, Raytheon moved into its current Central Florida Research Park facility.

186-member association are focusing on serious games, Avatar technologies, and mobile applications. ECS, which employs 55 people, is now considered an industry leader in simulation, training more than 100,000 people in its Nexus Virtual Worlds. It created Z-Tech, a browser-based world that works in almost any secure environment. In 3-D, it offers the freedom to train or meet with anyone anywhere in the world. And as medical simulation begins to grow, ECS launched the Virtual Medic (vMedic), a 3-D, immersive medical-training system for learning and practicing battlefield medicine. Founded in 1922 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) arrived in Orlando in 1999 with fewer than 10 employees to support PEO-STRI’s Live Training Program. In 2004, the business moved into a larger facility in the Research Park to house a 50 percent growth in program-

A NEW MILLENNIUM

SAIC

Defense company SAIC supports the nation’s warfighters by offering comprehensive modeling and simulation solutions, including virtual training simulators.

Although the Team Orlando brand was created in 2000, many of its members had already been associated with the defense industry for years. In fact, that small group of simulation professionals, who moved from New York to the Orlando Naval Training Center and then to the Research Park, is known as the foundation for Team Orlando. Director Gritton says that technology via simulation, while critical to Team Orlando’s mission and the industry as a whole, can be a wild card. “As modeling and simulation continues to grow, we are using that as a tool,” he explains. “But technology is growing at an expeditious rate. Moore’s Law is that technology will double every 18 months. That’s 100 times in 10 years.” Noting that the Army PEO-STRI has been chosen as the acquisition agent for the Veteran Affairs’ (VA) Simulation Learning, Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) Program at the new VA Medical Center in Orlando and nationwide, Gritton says that the medical complex growing up at Lake Nona in south Orlando will soon be a major player in the collaborative efforts strived for by Team Orlando. “This is going to be something to witness,” he says. “Medical City will soon drive some of the discussions.” The $5 million contract to become the acquisition agent to enhance patient care at the 150-plus VA medical facilities across the country should spark a longterm relationship between Orlando’s defense and medical industries.

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>> The Genesis of it All

ADACEL

Headquartered in Orlando, Adacel is a leading developer of advanced simulation and control systems for the aviation and defense industries.

NEWCOMERS Unlike many Orlando-based defenserelated companies, RINI Technologies is not in the simulation and training business. It’s in the business of thermal management. From RINI’s office and research laboratory, located approximately one mile from UCF, the company creates thermal products to keep things cool or warm, depending on the application. It has created the smallest refrigeration system on the market, effective up to 120 degrees. “We cool lasers, and soldier’s bodies,” says President Dan Rini. “For the Navy, a reverse product keeps SCUBA divers warm in cold water.” Founded in the spring of 2000, RINI Technologies also graduated from the UCF incubator program and continues to keep close ties with the school by “test-driving interns” and hiring engineering graduates. Rini says that while up to 90 percent of his work is from Department of Defense contracts worth a collective $20-$25 million, his 20-employee company has begun to ramp up production to diversify into nonmilitary markets. In 2002, the Australian company Adacel secured the largest air-traffic-

control contract ever in North America. Marketing and Communications Director Tom Evers says that in order to deliver and support the agreement, the company needed to move. Two years later its headquarters relocated to Orlando. “We knew Central Florida was a hub for simulation,” he says. “The heart of our organization is now in Orlando.” Today Adacel employs 80 people in the area, and creates a $20 million impact on the local economy. Evers says that Adacel’s air-trafficcontrol and aircraft-management simulation work is only bested by its speech-recognition technology, which now accounts for 35 percent of its business. The company is working with Boeing on updating management systems and avionics within its aircrafts, and adapting speech recognition technology for Lockheed’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Boeing’s Apache helicopter. Just as the opening of Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom forever changed the landscape of Central Florida, so did the establishment of the region’s multibillion dollar defense industry. And it not only predates the theme parks, but also has an expansive legacy all of its own. x

Opened in 1981, the Central Florida Research Park helped launch the area’s defense industry as we know it today. About half of the park’s 116 tenants are defense related, according to Executive Director Joe Wallace, and the area’s defense community and the UCF-inspired park are inherently intertwined. “The partnership between them is big,” says Kent Gritton, director of Team Orlando’s Joint Training Integration and Evaluation Center. The idea to offer the U.S. Navy 40 acres free and clear to bring its modeling and simulation operation to the Research Park is the reason for the breadth of today’s defense industry in Orlando. “That was the genesis that let us take off,” he says. For the most part, it’s high-tech simulation and training that drives the defense work at the park, led by the military acquisition centers of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. “We are the epicenter of modeling and simulation because the government is here,” says Tom Baptiste, presi-dent and executive director of the Research Park-based National Center for Simulation. Other major defense-related tenants include Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, as well as the UCF Incubation Program, which has spawned military support companies such as RINI Technologies and ECS. The 1,027-acre, 56-building complex has a vacancy rate of 14 percent. Wallace says 75 percent of the tenants that leave do so because they become so successful they require more space. He notes that the majority usually relocate within the area, keeping those jobs and economic impacts close to home. Such was the case with RINI Technologies, which relocated to a 12,000-square-foot office and research laboratory in Oviedo. For more information, visit cfrp.org.

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special fx

By Kristen Manieri

CENTRAL

Production

ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION MEANS BIG BUSINESS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

SKY DOG PRODUCTIONS

Orlando supports an annual entertainment-production market of more than $845 million, with projects that include TV commercials and series, music videos, and feature films such as Renee, which was shot in downtown Orlando and Eatonville.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure, a skilled crew base, and a tropical climate, Orlando has become one of the country’s top locations for the entertainment industry, supporting an annual production market of more than $845 million. A wide range of projects takes place here, from television commercials to music videos to feature-length films and everything in between. In the last year, Orlando has hosted films including Renee, Tooth Fairy 2 and Transformers 3; TV series such as “Dr. G: Medical Examiner,” “U.K. Biggest Loser,” “Forensic Files,” and “Fix This Yard”; plus commercials for such powerhouses as Allegra, Carnival Cruise, Chevrolet, Kellogg’s and New York Life, to name a few.

At the core of these productions is the Metro Orlando Film Commission, a division of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC), that works to bring film and television production to the region. “Orlando maintains a steady industry hosting production that fills screens of all sizes from theatrical releases to Web series,” says Metro Orlando Film Commissioner Sheena Fowler. The film office is the first point of contact when a production is looking at filming in the region. Fowler and her team work directly with the producers to ensure that they have the resources they need from location scouting to post-production.

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this year and Morris hopes to shoot subsequent seasons in Central Florida. Another one of the assets of Central Florida’s infrastructure can be found on college campuses around Orlando. The Digital Animation and Visual Effects (DAVE) School, Full Sail University, the University of Central Florida and Valencia College all have impressive degree programs contributing to the talented workforce. “It’s a win-win for productions who utilize the students in Central Florida; the students gain the opportunity to

work on a professional project and the production has the access to skilled and eager production assistants,” says Fowler. Recently the independent film Renee, starring Kat Dennings and Chad Michael Murray, utilized students from all four schools to assist in the production of this Orlando-based film. From the recently graduated to the seasoned professional, Orlando’s production community is strong and seeks to continue producing content for x screens of all sizes.

IDEAS ORLANDO

Tom Weber, director of the feature film Ring the Bell that just wrapped production in March, said, “We’ve never had a better experience across the board. We could not have asked for more.” “What we tout when talking with producers and directors when they are considering filming in Orlando, is our experienced infrastructure, qualified crew members and companies that are dedicated to this industry with the credits to prove it,” said Fowler. One of the companies that helped put Orlando on the map as an industry hotspot is Universal Studios. Its production facility here opened in 1989 and today includes more than 100 backlot locations, state-of-the-art sound stages, and digital and analog broadcast studios. “Orlando, and I’d like to think Universal too, has played a big role in creating a sustainable production community and center in Central Florida,” says Pamela Tuscany, vice president of Universal Studios Florida Production Group. “But the foundation is only as good as its people.” Tuscany thinks much of the area’s success in the industry is due to its workforce. “The infrastructure is in place and the crew isn’t shipped in from other cities. These people moved here, put their kids in school, and became part of the community because they knew they could find work.” Tuscany is referring to people such as Wayne Morris, a Hollywood producer who relocated to Celebration 12 years ago. Since then, he has brought several large projects to the area, including “Mortal Kombat: Conquest,” a 22episode series he produced for Warner Brothers and NewLine Cinema. In 2011, Morris started shooting “The Inbetweeners,” an MTV original series that follows the misadventures of four high-school boys. He produced 11 episodes from August to October in locations throughout Orange County, including Dr. Phillips High School, where students were often used as extras. “Orlando has a very unique culture in terms of cooperation and team building,” Morris says. “It has an infrastructure that is found in very few cities. When you get all of these elements — technical and stagecraft equipment, a professional crew base — it makes for a much, much bigger picture.” The series will premiere

“Adventures to Fitness,” IDEAS’ animated series that encourages kids to lead healthy lives, is written, story boarded and shot in the company’s downtown studio.

>>FUN FITNESS With childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes rising at alarming rates, IDEAS’ “Adventure to Fitness” animated video series couldn’t have been developed at a better time. Created, story boarded, and shot in IDEAS’ downtown Orlando studio, the videos blend a 30-minute workout with lessons in geography, science, social studies, language arts, and health. Mr. Marc Mark, the show’s enthusiastic host, transports kids across the world for adventures that encourage them to get out of their seats, run in place, and do different exercises, such as pretending to climb or row a boat. “The mission of the show is to inspire children to lead healthy lifestyles through imagination, education, and movement,” says IDEAS President John Lux. To date, 26 episodes have been produced and made available online for teachers to download for free, and more than 2 million students in grades K-5 have viewed them. “Fourteen months ago, “Adventure to Fitness” was in 50 schools in one state, and now it’s in 4,400 schools in all 50 states,” says Lux. The videos stealthily combine exercise with learning, and kids love it. While the series is on hold as it awaits additional funding, teachers are clamoring for more episodes. “The show is fun, it fulfills a huge health and fitness need, and continues to educate the students,” adds Lux. “Our goal is to produce episodes for the next five years, and the feedback we get from the schools is that they would love to have that.” For more information on “Adventure to Fitness,” visit ideasorlando.com.

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intelligent forms of lifestyle

By G.K. Sharman

MODERNWorkplace

ORLANDO’S COWORKING SPACES SPUR CREATIVITY.

A variety of collaborative projects take place at Urban ReThink, a coworking space located in Thornton Park.

One solution to that conundrum is coworking spaces. A sort of office cooperative, these innovative businesses offer all of the major workplace necessities, from copy machines to coffee services, as well as a sense of belonging that comes with spending the work day with like-minded people. Indeed, it’s that sense of community coupled with the notion that collaboration sparks creativity that differentiates coworking spaces. The concept of coworking started in Northern California in the mid2000s and today, Orlando is in the thick of this national — and even international — trend. While most of the people who make use of coworking space are in their late 20s to late 30s and are involved in creative endeavors, according to the first Global

Coworking Survey in 2011, recent economic changes have brought job-changing Boomers into the mix as well. Small businesses, and even employees of large corporations, can make use of coworking spaces. In Orlando, the three main coworking spaces exhibit different environments that are all part of the coworking trend. Located in Thornton Park, Urban ReThink is, by day, “a shared workspace for creative professionals,” says Founding Director Darren McDaniel. Many of the people working on laptops in the open-style, no-assigned-desks space are independents who benefit from the fax machine, Wi-Fi and meeting space available there. Regulars include photographers, designers and a marketing coach. There are three

BARRY KIRSCH

If you have to go to work, shouldn’t the place where you spend half of your waking weekday hours be pleasant? Productive? Even — dare we say it — creative? And what about start-ups and the self-employed? Should they be sentenced to coffee shops or solitary home offices?

types of memberships and even a trial rate for the curious. The onsite Virgin Olive Market Cafe sells freshly made food and beverages.

ANNA POWERS/SUNBRIGHT SPARROW

Open workspaces at CoLab Orlando attract entrepreneurs and other professionals.

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VOXEO

There are no cubicles to be found at VOXEO, where its 50,000-square-foot space features a cafe, theater and recreation area.

School graduate, wanted to do two things with the space: bring some of the workplace zeal and collaboration he experienced during the dot-com boom in California to his hometown, and be a resource for his five co-tenants, all of whom have some connection to the high-tech industry. Whether you’re self employed or launching your own business, utilizing one of Orlando’s coworking spaces may x just lead to some bright ideas.

EA SPORTS

At night and on weekends, Urban ReThink is a popular spot for community events, from social meetings to business gatherings. It’s also part of the nonprofit Urban Think! Foundation, which supports local educational, creative and cultural endeavors. McDaniel calls ReThink an “opportunity structure” that fosters collaboration and networking. The idea is to build partnerships, benefit from others’ ideas and do creative work. For some, it’s also a middle ground between working alone and establishing a permanent office. CoLab Orlando has the ambiance of a hip, professional office. Located on three floors of the Angebilt Building in downtown, CoLab promotes networking through a professional, open-desk policy, says Community Director Sarah Beyer, who adds that clients like the office atmosphere because it lets people separate their work from the rest of their lives. It also helps keep them from feeling isolated. “It feels like we’re all working for the same company,” Beyer says. CoLab attracts entrepreneurs and start-ups, with members that include a gaming and simulation company, a mortgage banking firm and a foundation that helps abused children. Everyone enjoys access to high-speed Wi-Fi, printers and fax machines, break rooms with free coffee, white boards and conference rooms. Though office suites are also available, Beyer says, “there’s no way to avoid contact with other like-minded creative entrepreneurs.” CoLab offers drop-in rates and several packages. Located on the 10th floor of the Plaza towers in downtown Orlando, VOXEO, a communications-software

company, shares its 50,000 square feet with other companies. “It’s a completely open-air type of work environment,” says Kim Martin, director of marketing. “We have not a single cubicle.” The various companies may congregate in their particular areas, “but everyone sits in the open together.” VOXEO features a theater, office walls made of whiteboard, a full-time barista and free lunch on Fridays. Founder Jonathan Taylor, a Lake Brantley High

Employees at gaming company EA Sports enjoy an innovative work environment with perks that include an arcade and cereal bars on every floor.

>>SPORTY SPACE In Orlando, high-tech workers with “real jobs” and bosses who expect them to show up every day also can enjoy creative workspaces. One company to offer an innovative environment is gaming giant EA Sports, where employees have TVs, DVDs and game consoles at their desks, as well as an arcade room when they want to “go old school” and play games in a different format, says Daryl Holt, vice president and chief operating officer. The workers have to play. Not only do they need to understand their products and those of their competitors, they do exacting and painstaking work, such as writing code and poring over spreadsheets, says Alex Chatfield, the company’s director of operational development. They’re also under pressure to deliver a new “wow” in EA’s franchise games every year. “We need people to feel they can unwind and bounce ideas off each other,” Holt explains. Other amenities include real sports equipment and jerseys, Wi-Fi everywhere, an observation room for previewing games (or watching sports) and an anything-goes atmosphere that inspires employees to decorate like crazy and have fun on holidays. Perhaps the most unique company perk is the cereal bars that are located on each floor. Inspired by one of the founders’ mom who felt that the staff wasn’t eating right, the bar features open access to unlimited cereal and milk. But do the employees use it? “We go through enough milk that we could keep a couple of cows out back,” says Holt.

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tech trends

Driving By Denise Bates Enos

Forces

Metro Orlando is a hub for businesses that drive business.

Orlando is known for more than its world renowned tourism industry, and its economic base continues to broaden, with local companies providing IT and customer-contact support for a variety of global-scale industries. The region’s mild year-round climate, world-class airport, and quality workforce make it a natural locale for such companies, says Scott Brodows, senior vice president of global operations for TravelClick. “Orlando has a great pool of talent, especially in hospitality with the UCF Rosen School of Hospitality Management,” says Brodows. “We’ve found a really great, educated resource pool here.” A number of companies serving a variety of business segments have discovered similar benefits to calling Central Florida home. In the hospitality industry, TravelClick aids hoteliers in online reservations and bookings and provides business research, marketing, and media solutions for the hotel industry. In addition to its facilities in Orlando, TravelClick also operates in New York, Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta, and has several international locations as well.

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Based in Winter Springs, EZYield offers integrated connections between hotel systems and booking channels. The company was recently purchased by TravelClick, which found that EZYield’s channel management solutions were a good fit for its objective, “which is to help hotels drive revenue and profitability,” says Brodows. Healthcare is one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries and Central Florida is home to several related service providers. Connextions has a health services arm that provides customer contact for pharmacy benefit managers, insurance providers, and others to help consumers make more informed healthcare decisions. “Every single customer touchpoint is an opportunity to drive loyalty, satisfaction, and support our client’s top-line revenue,” says President Steven Auerbach.

Also based in Orlando, NIIT Healthcare Technologies creates IT solutions for healthcare providers. This area is also a major player when it comes to entertainment and digital media. ProductionHUB is the world’s largest film industry directory site, serving as a search engine for film, TV, video, live event, and digital media production for users to find products, equipment, services, and professionals. MonsterMedia develops interactive media shown in professional sports, performing arts, and luxury resort and casino venues. Its notable projects include a campaign for Katy Perry’s MEOW fragrance and an interactive Oscar-themed sidewalk display for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The world of finance also has a stronghold in Central Florida. FiServ CBS Nationwide is an international

provider of information management and electronic commerce systems for businesses that include banks, credit unions and thrifts, billers, mortgage lenders, and brokerage and investment firms. It has four area facilities and serves more than 16,000 clients worldwide, delivering integrated technology and services for payments, risk and compliance solutions, customer and channel management, and more. Based in Lake Mary, Harland Financial Solutions works with more than 6,000 financial institutions, including commercial banks, credit unions and mortgage companies. It supplies branch automation, business intelligence, core processing systems, financial accounting, lending and compliance, loan servicing, payments, risk management and self-service solutions. Harland operates 16 additional offices in the U.S., as well as in Ireland, India, and Israel. FIS is the largest provider of banking and payments technologies in the world, serving some 14,000 institutions in more than 100 countries by delivering payment processing and banking solutions, software, and technology outsourcing. Among the company’s offerings are automotive finance; credit, debit, and merchant card processing; services for commercial lending, check management programs; community banking and credit unions and electronic banking solutions. More than 400 organizations worldwide currently utilize technology from EnableSoft, which provides data management and business efficiency solutions for an international array of financial institutions, manufacturers, insurers, and healthcare providers. According to its website, Convergys defines what it does as “relationship management,” stating that it transforms “everyday interactions into a source of profit and strategic advantage for our clients.” The company uses its expertise in Web domains, operations, and technology to capitalize on its clients’ customer relations. Convergys has three Central Florida locations. Two banking software executives founded Optria, LLC in 2005 with the goal of making print and online customer statements, notices, and other documents more attractive, effective, and

cost efficient for banks and credit unions while giving them an integrated solution. Headquartered in Lake Mary, the company continues to serve exclusively the financial services industry with customer communications management software solutions. BNY Investment Management Services, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon, established its southeast regional office here in 2001. Its local

presence has grown to include nine business units and 750 employees who perform securities servicing functions via state-of-the-art processing and telecommunications systems. The company plans to expanding in the area. All of these companies do more than just service other businesses, they help fuel the local economy by providing employment opportunities in a diverse x array of growing industries.

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off the wire

Rapid By Jennifer Wakefield

EXPANSION THE LATEST NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION

NOTABLE NEWS

>>The Amway Arena was demolished to make way for Creative Village. Already anchored by the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Center for Emerging Media and Vicon Entertainment’s House of Moves motion capture studio, this 68-acre area will house high-tech digital media and other creative companies. >> Metro Orlando has been filled with film and television production activity. The Metro Orlando Film Commission worked closely with the producers of two feature films that filmed in our area. Ring the Bell recently wrapped production in Eustis, in Lake County. Set to be released in 2013, the film follows a major-league baseball agent as he learns the true meaning of success. Renee premiered at the recent 21st annual Florida Film Festival. Last spring, the feature was filmed in and around downtown Orlando

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rollins’ MBA program was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report.

>> AcariaHealth is expanding in Orlando, with a $600,000 capital investment and 20,000 additional square feet. It expects to create up to 80 new jobs over the next three years.

ROLLINS COLLEGE

>> The Florida Hospital–SanfordBurnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes (TRI) opened its state-of-the-art facility in the new “Health Village,” adjacent to Florida Hospital’s main campus. TRI bridges the gap between discovery and care with a bench-tobedside approach to personalized treatment for diabetes and obesity.

and in Eatonville. Producers utilized students from Full Sail University, UCF, Valencia College, and the DAVE School.

NEW RANKINGS

>> Florida ranks among the top states for “app jobs,” according to a new study by TechNet. Full Sail University, Seminole State College, UCF, and Valencia College all offer classes on how to create apps. >> P3 Magazine named Florida the third-best state for film production. >> Rollins College was recognized for its MBA program in the 2013 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools. >> Valencia College was named the nation’s best community college by The Aspen Institute.

>> Priceline.com Inc. is opening a call center in Orange County and plans to hire 100 local workers by December. >> Global Gifts and Novelties, LLC is expanding its manufacturing and distribution headquarters, making a $1.25 million capital investment in Orlando and creating up to 35 new positions over the next two years. >> Publix Super Markets has plans to build a 1,000,000-square-foot distribution center in Orlando with a $188.5 million capital investment. It predicts that it will create 156 new jobs during the center’s first three years of operation. >> Axium Healthcare Pharmacy, Inc. is growing its Lake Mary operations, including a $664,000 capital investment for a new facility. It’s expected to create 90 new jobs over the next three years. >> Wyndham Vacation Ownership is expanding its presence in Orange County with a $24.7 million capital investment. It plans to fill 231 new jobs over the next three years. x

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